Fang Han had not forgotten the treasures hoarded on Wood Dragon Star. Dragon Daoist and Wood Daoist had ruled that planet for thousands of years, stripping it bare and stockpiling materials everywhere. Though it couldn't compare to the resources of the Ten Immortal Sects, it was still worth hundreds of billions—perhaps even a trillion—in spirit pills. If he could get his hands on it, it would go a long way toward easing his current financial strain.
More importantly, Fang Han had learned from Wood Daoist that deep within Dragonwood Star lay a stellar core—one that had been gestating for untold billions of years and had already developed a formidable spiritual consciousness. If it could be fully refined, the benefits would be unimaginable.
Unfortunately, Dragonwood Star lay far beyond the Xuanhuang Great World. The distance was immense. Fang Han did not possess the Great Teleportation Art, nor had he reached the third level of the Longevity Secret Realm, where one could comprehend the laws of space. Traveling from one star to another would take at least a month—more likely several.
Interstellar travel was vastly more demanding than flight within the outer layers of the Xuanhuang Great World. There were no places to rest along the way; one had to rely entirely on their own mana to endure the journey. Unless one was an ancient titan capable of continuously drawing immortal-world energy, almost no one attempted such voyages.
So Fang Han decided to put that matter aside for now. First, he would return to the Yuhua Sect—and deal with Hua Tiandu.
Once Hua Tiandu was dead, Yan Shuiyi's engagement would effectively dissolve on its own, greatly increasing the chances of them being together in the future. Better to act swiftly than allow complications to fester. If Hua Tiandu were allowed to cultivate into the Longevity Secret Realm—or worse, achieve an undying body—and the Taiyi Sect forcibly married Yan Shuiyi to him, Fang Han would regret it for the rest of his life.
Carrying with him the lingering fragrance of a beauty, Fang Han's intent to kill Hua Tiandu intensified with every breath. As he flew, he crossed three thousand miles in an instant, ten thousand miles in just a few breaths.
With the World Tree drawing immortal-world energy, and Wood Daoist doing the same, his mana flowed endlessly, without the slightest risk of exhaustion. No matter how far or how fast he flew, there was no sign of depletion. Along the way, no one came to intercept or pursue him.
Two days later, the mountain ranges of the Yuhua Sect came into view. Suspended high among the clouds was the colossal Yuhua Heavenly Palace, vast beyond measure—comparable in size to the ancient meteor of the Star Sect—radiating authority at all times.
He also saw his own Samsara Peak, Fang Qingxue's Violet Lightning Peak, Jialan's Jialan Peak, and Meng Shaobai's peak—utterly lifeless, sword qi piercing the heavens, murderous intent howling like wailing ghosts and gods, daring no one to approach. Yet under Fang Han's penetrating gaze, there was no one inside. Meng Shaobai was gone.
Fang Han no longer spared Meng Shaobai a thought. A defeated opponent had already lost the right to contend with him. Even if Meng Shaobai continued cultivating, the seed of failure had already been planted. And with Fang Han's current strength, even if Meng Shaobai reached the tenth level of the Divine Ability Realm—Defying Heaven and Changing Fate—Fang Han could crush him effortlessly, without the slightest suspense.
With a cold smile, Fang Han turned his gaze toward the deepest, most central part of the Yuhua mountains—Hua Tiandu's Tiandu Peak.
Above Tiandu Peak floated nine golden pagodas, blazing with ten-thousand-zhang radiance in all directions. They were the Pure Yang supreme treasure, the Nine Palace Golden Pagodas—terrifying in power, even surpassing the Great Brahma Light Vessel. But Fang Han no longer cared about such supreme treasures. His horizons had expanded; only Dao Artifacts now interested him.
Still, it wouldn't hurt to seize them, let Yan devour them, and gain a bit more strength.
After all, Hua Tiandu had once taken his Seven Fiend Gourd. This could count as repayment—with interest. But first, Fang Han intended to settle matters on his own Samsara Peak.
Whoosh!
He descended in a flash, landing directly on Samsara Peak and entering the pill chamber. The sudden appearance startled everyone inside—Devil Maiden, Crane Immortal, Long Xuan, Jialan, Princess Hongyi, and dozens of other female disciples who had been cultivating in meditation before the Five Prison King Cauldron.
"So many people?" Fang Han paused in surprise.
There were at least twenty to thirty women in his pill chamber, all graceful and refined—elite members of the Jialan Society. Among them were Ye Yu and Xu Yue'er, along with others who had consumed his Divine Ability Fruits, advanced to the Divine Ability Realm, and become true disciples.
"Fang Han, you're back! It really is you!" Long Xuan sprang to her feet. "We've been worried sick about you. Senior Sister Jialan heard that the Taiyi Sect's sect master issued a Heavenly Dao Kill Order against you. She gathered the elites of the Jialan Society and joined us in refining a magic treasure. Once it was complete, we planned to go out and search for you."
"You've gone to a lot of trouble," Fang Han said softly, warmth rising in his chest.
At that moment, flames surged from within the Five Prison King Cauldron. Wrapped in the fire was a jade pendant—missing a corner, yet constantly emanating an extraordinary aura.
At a glance, Fang Han sensed a faint shadow of a Dao Artifact within it.
"This jade pendant is called the Mystic Maiden Pendant," Jialan said, pointing at it. "It's a treasure I obtained after enormous effort—a damaged Dao Artifact. After acquiring it, I secretly refined it for years, pouring in countless resources and heart's blood. Now that my cultivation has stabilized, I brought it here to further temper it using your Five Prison King Cauldron. I hoped to condense an artifact spirit and restore it into a true Dao Artifact. That way, I could go out to find you—and help bring you back."
"A damaged Dao Artifact…" Fang Han pondered briefly. "Even a damaged one requires a Longevity Realm expert to restore. Although you've passed the Wind and Fire Tribulation, Senior Sister, you still can't repair a Dao Artifact. Let me handle it."
"Impressive," Jialan said, startled. "You saw through my cultivation instantly—I really have passed the Wind and Fire Tribulation. Fang Han, what level are you at now? I've heard rumors that at Immortal Venerable Linglong's four-thousand-year birthday, you crushed Xue Wuyang, Wan Lianshan, Jiao Fei, and the Demon Marshal. You passed the Wind and Fire Tribulation yourself, seized three supreme divine abilities—Zuma Ancient God Qi, Great Salvation Zen Light, and Great Sumeru Mountain King Fist—becoming almost the strongest in the Divine Ability Realm. You came back this time… to challenge Hua Tiandu, didn't you?"
"Correct," Fang Han said flatly. "I'm here to challenge him. Though our ten-year agreement hasn't expired, I can already kill him outright."
With a flick of his hand, a pagoda several inches tall flew out from his body and descended onto the Five Prison King Cauldron. In a flash, it swallowed the cauldron whole.
The Five Prison King Cauldron had countless functions and stood at the peak among supreme treasures, but it only reached its full power after absorbing eight million heavenly demons. Fang Han decided to integrate it into the Eightfold Pagoda and let Wood Daoist refine it further.
"Wood Daoist," Fang Han transmitted mentally, "you're an ancient titan capable of forging Dao Artifacts. Help me refine this Mystic Maiden Pendant. It's a damaged Dao Artifact—repairing it shouldn't be too difficult."
"A damaged Dao Artifact? The Mystic Maiden Pendant—excellent," Wood Daoist replied, his voice brimming with confidence. "Its damage isn't severe; repairs will be easy. Recently, I acquired the body of a God King and was further cleansed by your World Tree's spiritual energy. I've comprehended the Wood Origin and recovered most of my cultivation. My Shaluo Garment is damaged, but its artifact spirit remains. I'll refine it and merge it into the pendant—that will restore it!"
Wood Daoist's strength had surged, his cultivation restored to nearly eighty percent.
The main reasons were the God King's body and the nourishment of the World Tree's spiritual energy.
The World Tree was the supreme sacred object of the wood element, and Wood Daoist was originally a great demon of the Shaluo Tree. After being nourished by that energy, even his innate heaven-and-earth manifestation advanced to a higher level. If he weren't constantly supplying Fang Han with vast amounts of immortal-world energy, he might already be breaking through to the Undying Body realm.
As Wood Daoist recovered, Fang Han benefited more and more—at the very least, the daily contribution of immortal-world energy and faith power increased dramatically.
Wood Daoist seized the Mystic Maiden Pendant from within the cauldron and began spinning rapidly. He extracted a powerful artifact spirit from his garment and, bathed in Buddhist light, forcibly implanted it into the pendant.
Boom!
A burst of radiant light erupted from the pendant, shooting straight toward the sky. Yet the moment it reached the mountain peak, it was intercepted by the Giant Spirit Grand Formation and the Lunar Sword Formation.
The two grand arrays Fang Han had laid down to guard Samsara Peak were utterly reliable.
Wood Daoist continued circling and grabbing. With each grasp, a treasure at the artifact level shattered, transformed into pure energy, and merged into the pendant.
The pendant steadily repaired itself.
At last—buzz!—like the cry of a phoenix, the pendant vibrated violently. Rings of pure, tranquil light radiated outward. The phantom of a Mystic Maiden appeared, hazy at first, then gradually solidifying into form.
A Dao Artifact—repaired in Wood Daoist's hands.
Fang Han reached out, took the pendant, and handed it to Jialan. "Senior Sister Jialan, it's restored. From now on, you possess a Dao Artifact of your own."
Jialan was now at the eighth level of the Divine Ability Realm, having passed the Wind and Fire Tribulation. After using Fang Han's Forgetfulness Water to cleanse her golden core, she had finally crossed that threshold.
When she accepted the pendant, her fingers brushed lightly against Fang Han's palm. She smiled softly, warmth in her eyes.
"So… Senior Sister Jialan has feelings for me," Fang Han realized at once. If he were to respond even halfheartedly, he could surely be with her, just as he was with Yan Shuiyi. His power was overwhelming now, and Jialan's heart had been stirred long ago through prolonged cooperation. Her goodwill toward him was obvious.
"Fang Han, you can actually repair Dao Artifacts," Jialan said, regaining her composure. "That pagoda—could it be the legendary Eightfold Pagoda? Rumor has it you used it after leaving Linglong Blessed Land to force back two ancient titans, Dragon Daoist and Wood Daoist. With your strength, you really might defeat Hua Tiandu. But killing him… that won't be easy. And he can simply avoid fighting you—the ten-year agreement isn't up yet."
"This is indeed the pagoda," Fang Han said, driving away his stray thoughts. "If Hua Tiandu avoids battle, I'll force him to fight. Watch closely—I'll start by taking his Nine Palace Golden Pagodas!"
As he spoke, Fang Han shot into the air above the mountain peak. His eyes flashed coldly, his palm expanded violently, and he reached straight toward the nine golden pagodas hovering above Tiandu Peak.