The physical body is exceedingly fragile.
Even for an expert of the Divine Ability Realm, the physical body is extremely fragile. If, during a fight, the enemy suddenly disperses their magic power and they lose protection, almost any minor injury could be fatal, and they could even fall from the sky and crash to their death. However, when cultivating to the fifth realm of the Divine Ability sequence, the Heaven-Man Realm, an expert can set up various array formations within their physical body, making the physical body extremely strong.
Cultivators before the fifth realm of the Divine Ability sequence primarily need to protect their physical bodies.
Once the physical body is injured, it can be said that their cultivation has come to an end. Even their magic power will slowly weaken and decline, finally leading to the exhaustion of both physical form and origin qi, like a lamp running out of oil, resulting in direct death.
Of course, there are some secret cultivation methods that can make the physical body powerful, complementing magic power and true qi. Accelerating cultivation speed provides more opportunities to cultivate to the Heaven-Man Realm and increase lifespan by eight hundred years. Disciples with such abilities are without exception the secret inheritors and outstanding figures of their sects.
Fang Han was one of them. As the trans-generational successor of the Demonic Emperor, the direct lineage figure of the number one sect of the demonic path, the Yellow Spring Sect, the Yama Golden Body he cultivated was a powerful secret method for tempering the physical body.
Now Fang Han knew exactly what state his physical strength was in. Even if others used spiritual artifact-level flying swords to slash him, even if they dispersed his magic power, they could not cut open his skin. Even leaping down from the sky, relying on his powerful physical body, he would not crash to his death. Now, empty-handed, he could snap flying swords. Even formidable top-grade spiritual artifacts like the "Sonic Killing Demonic Blade" could not slash him to death.
If it were a treasure artifact, it could still slash open his body and cause fatal injuries.
Of course, when engaging in magical battles with others, it still depended on the vigor and utilization of magic power and true qi. The physical body was of little use, because no matter how formidable the physical strength was, one could not lift oneself up, nor could one fly, making flexibility extremely low.
Now the greatest advantage was a powerful physical body, making the cultivation speed much faster. Magic power accumulated rapidly and recovered rapidly as well. The "Wood Sovereign True Qi" began to crystallize, showing signs of condensing into gang qi; this was a good thing. In terms of combat power and the protraction of magic power, Fang Han had improved greatly compared to before.
Checking his entire vitality state completely and imprinting it in his mind, he observed the minutest details.
"To truly condense Daoist gang qi, I still need to elevate my spirit a level and comprehend the meaning of the word 'gang'. I am currently still lacking somewhat." Fang Han felt his "Wood Sovereign True Qi" beginning to crystallize, seemingly lacking some things, unable yet to refine qi into gang.
Daoist true qi.
Daoist gang qi.
Although there was only a one-word difference between the two, the difference in quality was as vast as heaven and earth. The destructive power of gang qi was much greater than that of true qi.
A tiny bit of gang qi could shatter a large swath of true qi. Moreover, after cultivating gang qi, magic power would skyrocket.
Generally, cultivators of the second realm of the Divine Ability sequence, the True Origin Realm, had cultivation between three hundred and six hundred horse power. While cultivators of the third realm, the Origin Gang Realm, had power between one thousand and three thousand!
Although Fang Han's magic power was equivalent to over two thousand galloping fiery horses, if he encountered a Gang Qi Realm cultivator and both sides clashed without any magic treasures, he would still be at a disadvantage because the quality difference between true qi and gang qi was too great. Suppressing two thousand horse power of gang qi required at least five thousand horse power of true qi.
It was exactly because of this that Fang Han, plus Long Xuan, plus Yan, plus the power of the top-grade treasure artifact the Five Hells King Cauldron, as well as the special divine power of the Forgetfulness Water, were all unable to defeat the Taiyi Sect's "Yao Dian" and could only flee. Killing the Target Island Master was only because the other party had been plotted against and sustained heavy injuries.
"Myriad Water True Qi!" While Fang Han was pondering, he suddenly felt another part of the pill furnace rippling with light, and a silvery, glittering true qi permeated out. It was heavy and soothing, faintly transmitting rumbling sounds of waves, possessing immense power and giving a suffocating pressure.
Fang Han knew that this was Long Xuan having successfully cultivated true qi.
"The efficacy of the Yin-Yang Myriad Life Pill is indeed out of the ordinary, condensing true qi so quickly." Fang Han knew that a small half of the reason Long Xuan could cultivate true qi so quickly was the efficacy of the Seven Great Jellyfish, while the larger half was the medicinal power of the Yin-Yang Myriad Life Pill contained within her body. This pill did not lose its effect just by elevating a person to the Divine Ability Realm; it possessed significant subsequent medicinal power that would manifest one by one in future cultivation.
Just like his own Nine Orifices Golden Pill.
"Indeed, I have finally cultivated true qi. Originally I thought I only had a sixty percent chance of success, but I didn't expect to stimulate the residual medicinal power of the Yin-Yang Myriad Life Pill inside my body, breaking through that barrier to turn the false into reality." With a movement of a folding screen, Long Xuan walked out from within, "Even my body has become much more condensed! Fang Han, your current physical body might not necessarily be more formidable than mine… Ah! Fang Han, how is your physical aura so formidable!"
Walking out from behind the folding screen, Long Xuan was taken aback, because she saw that the aura on Fang Han's body was astonishingly grand. Standing in front of him and listening to his breathing, she seemingly had a feeling that if the other party breathed a bit heavily, it would blow her away.
Fang Han had already put on his clothes.
"I also cultivated a bit just now and conveniently had a breakthrough. Although I didn't cultivate Daoist gang qi, my physical body was tempered quite a bit." Fang Han smiled faintly: "Out of the cauldron! I will withdraw the Mirage Qi Grand Array. This time we will properly fight the Taiyi Sect disciples!"
"There is killing intent in your words!"
Long Xuan saw that although Fang Han was smiling, his temperament contained an unmasked cruelty, knowing he had developed a murderous intent toward the arrogant and domineering Taiyi Sect disciples. In truth, she also had murderous intent in her heart but didn't dare put it into action. After all, which expert of the Divine Ability Realm was someone who swallowed insults submissively?
"The Taiyi Sect disciples absolutely cannot be killed, otherwise it will be a monstrous disaster! Besides, if we join forces now, we can at best fight to a draw with Yao Dian; killing him is immensely difficult! If those three true disciples join forces, we will still have to flee."
Yao Dian had already cultivated to the Yin-Yang Realm, and Fang Han and Long Xuan were ultimately two realms apart from him. In their first clash, the other party arrogant and relied on no magic treasures, purely using the Heavenly Lion Great Method. But now that the other party was prepared, defeating him would be immensely difficult, let alone killing him; if the other party had any formidable magic treasures, I am afraid the losers would still be themselves.
"I merely wish to use another's knife to kill…" Fang Han squeezed his fists.
"You mean, the Demonic Commander!" Long Xuan exclaimed.
"A person does not become rich without windfall wealth, and a horse does not grow fat without night fodder. Doesn't Hua Tiandu flatter the Taiyi Sect? I will deliberately do the exact opposite!" Fang Han leaped out of the Five Hells King Cauldron, but as he leaped out, he took a deep look at that fragment of the "World Tree".
Currently, he fundamentally could not refine this fragment, only able to leave it inside the King Cauldron to let that Smashing Demonic Light slowly illuminate it. He hoped one day to loosen it and stimulate the wood spirit qi contained within, absorbing it then, which would surely elevate his magic power again.
The demoness and Long Xuan also emerged from the King Cauldron. Fang Han slowly withdrew the Mirage Qi Grand Array, and during the process of withdrawal, the Five Hells King Cauldron was also stored into the Yellow Spring Diagram, watertight.
"The Yuhua Sect is indeed the Yuhua Sect; under the mirage qi they set up, I had no way to clearly see what exactly they cultivated. That strange piece of wood, I wonder if it actually is a good material?"
Right at this moment, in a secret place within the Black Turtle Pavilion, Hai Shan looked at a mirror. The mirror displayed the scene inside the fine copper hall: a mass of mirage qi slowly withdrawing, revealing the three figures of Fang Han's group.
Actually, everything inside the fine copper hall was under his observation, but from beginning to end, he only saw mirage qi emanate, and then hours later, the mirage qi receded. He saw nothing else. Those medicinal materials also disappeared, clearly having been utilized in cultivation.
"Senior Brother, what do we do? We waited in vain for several hours and saw nothing." Beside Hai Shan was an inner sect disciple of the Ever-returning Immortal Island.
"Go notify the three from the Taiyi Sect; just say you discovered the Yuhua Sect disciples. They will certainly grant you some rewards for this news. I also wish to see exactly how the dispute between the Taiyi Sect and the Yuhua Sect disciples turns out." Hai Shan rubbed his fingers…
"Brother Hai Shan, we have finished cultivation. Many thanks for your gift." Fang Han called out toward the fine copper hall as a farewell, pushed open the main door with one palm, then soared up, sweeping out with the demoness and Long Xuan.
After sweeping out of the Black Turtle Pavilion, the three flew toward the sea surface. Before long, they flew away from the port, arriving over the boundless, endless ocean of green waves. This sea market continent also distanced itself far away, ultimately disappearing on the sea horizon.
While flying, suddenly three streaks of sword light flew fiercely from behind, stirring up massive air waves. At a lightning-fast speed, like meteors chasing the moon, they arrogantly swept over the heads of Fang Han's group, stopping in front and revealing their forms. It was none other than the three individuals "Yao Dian," "Xia You," and "Yu Fen."
"You three, I have waited for you for a long time. Hand over the Five Hells King Cauldron, then obediently surrender without a fight. I will leave you some dignity and only capture you back to the Yuhua Sect for Hua Tiandu to deal with. You injured me using an insidious demonic treasure; I will pardon you this once." Yao Dian looked at Fang Han with his eyes, sweeping back and forth, and said proudly.
"If you still wish to resist, then we will at least abolish your divine abilities. Relegating you to mortals." Xia You interjected, shaking his head, his tone lofty.
"Struggling is useless; your realm is far inferior to ours. The Dao arts of the Yuhua Sect are far inferior to the authentic ones of my Taiyi Sect. If I get serious, with one hand I can break any of your spells and magic treasures." Yu Fen sneered, his tone even more unkind: "If you don't believe it, you can execute that demonic treasure of yours and see if it can do anything to us?"
"You people!" Fang Han stood on the spot, his expression fluctuating: "Your Taiyi Sect is powerful, but do not forget, I have backing. Although Hua Tiandu is powerful in my Yuhua Sect, Senior Sister Fang Qingxue behind me can also contend with him. If you act so unreasonably and aggressively, Senior Sister Fang Qingxue will settle the score with you."
As Fang Han spoke, his voice was extremely loud, almost utilizing the Heavenly Dragon Eight Sounds to broadcast out across the sea surface.
"Hmph! What is Fang Qingxue? Secretly interacting with demonic sect disciples, stained and impure, yet you dare use her to threaten us? My Taiyi Sect is the number one sect in the world, holding the cosmos, dominating the immortal dao; even Hua Tiandu must yield to me three points." Hearing this, Yao Dian laughed heartily.
"Is that so?" Then a voice transmitted from the sky, following which a rain of light transformed into celestial flowers falling profusely. Amidst a swath of auspicious qi, a young man appeared; it was none other than the Demonic Commander Ying Tianqing.