"Regarding the events of that day, I was also hit by the Six Desires Yin Mine. I have no idea what happened after I fled relying on the demonic treasure. Didn't you, Yuan Jiankong, escape first, abandoning us to our fate?" Fang Han gave a mocking smile, completely unbothered by Yuan Jiankong's questioning.
Hua Tiandu had stopped pursuing the matter after taking away his Seven Malignant Gourd, so what big waves could a few minor inner court disciples make by causing trouble for him?
"Furthermore, on that day, I suspect your mind was only set on seizing my demonic treasure, wanting me to act as the vanguard to kill the sand bandits, so I would die at the hands of those demons. Dare you say you harboured no such intentions?"
Fang Han questioned in return.
"Humph! How could you compare to us?" Yuan Jiankong's fingers twitched, his expression growing ever more gloomy, as if dripping water. "Since you dare to offend Senior Brother Hua, what other heinous deeds are you not capable of? You definitely colluded with the Pink Prince in secret and are a spy for the demonic sect. We came to find you today for no other reason: hand over those flying swords of ours, and the matter will be written off."
"Not to mention that your flying swords are not in my hands, even if they were, I would not hand them over. Give up on this idea." Fang Han laughed coldly. "You said it well. Even Hua Tiandu I dare to offend, so what do you amount to? Get lost!"
At the exact moment he said the words "Get lost!", he suddenly moved.
Crack! His body contracted and shuttled forward, truly resembling a sliver of starlight, flashing like lightning. In the blink of an eye, he arrived right in front of Yuan Jiankong. Standing tall, his bones and muscles vibrated, immediately sounding like a massive bell being struck. Long cries burst out from his body, the ground trembled, and his five fingers spread open, descending from above like a large winnowing basket.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The fierce wind tore apart, the air within a radius of three zhang was vibrated by his physical body, tumbling and rolling like surging river tides or thousands of stampeding soldiers and horses, scattering in all directions.
His whole person resembled an iron giant demon, the faint golden light on his skin growing ever thicker. Within his eyes was a chilling golden radiance, like an emperor controlling the fate of human lives.
This was the imposing aura cultivated from the "Yama's Golden Body," and it was also a form of mental suppression.
"Not good!"
As an inner court disciple ranked tenth on the Mountain and River List, Yuan Jiankong's cultivation had also been trained to the utmost limits of the fleshly body, vastly stronger than ordinary inner court disciples. He possessed the strength of about ten horses, equivalent to Fang Han before cultivating the Yama's Golden Body. But how could he compare to the current Fang Han?
When Fang Han suddenly made his move, he was already alert. A burst of emerald light shot out from his body, wrapping him into a jade-green orb of light. This was the radiance of the spiritual artifact robe, the "Gold and Jade Brocade Shirt."
The "Gold and Jade Brocade Shirt" was interwoven from ten-thousand-year pine needles, capable of emitting "Pine Wood True Energy." It was flexible, continuous, and dense, able to both fly and defend against flying sword attacks, circulating endlessly.
However, just as his green light formed, Fang Han had already arrived by his side. A palm struck down from above, directly hitting the shield of light.
"Pop!"
The light shield trembled. Yuan Jiankong was shaken by an immense force, causing his vital energy and blood to churn. At the same time, Fang Han's tall, iron giant demon-like figure unexpectedly manifested overwhelmingly in his mind, firmly suppressing his spirit. This caused his mind to be entirely filled with negative thoughts such as "divine might," "terror," "power," and "ferocity."
"He has actually reached the level of affecting my spirit…"
Yuan Jiankong knew that the massive figure of Fang Han appearing in his mind was the opponent's mental projection and mental suppression. When martial arts cultivation reached the Divine Alteration realm, switching to cultivate the spirit to a certain degree could affect the enemy's sanity.
However, Yuan Jiankong was also someone who had cultivated the Primal Origin Spirit Art to a certain extent. Even figures like the "Evil Moon Prince" could not shake his consciousness, unless it was an expert of the Mystic Realm. Yet today, he was firmly suppressed in an instant by Fang Han.
Falling into a disadvantage right away, his heart was filled with both frustration and anger, and a surge of brutality welled up in him.
Roar!
Amidst the loud roar, he highly concentrated his spirit, expelling Fang Han's suppression from his mind. Simultaneously, he fiercely activated the "Gold and Jade Brocade Shirt," wishing to soar up.
But it was too late!
In that instant, Fang Han abruptly unleashed thirty-six kicks and twenty-four palms.
Rumble, rumble!
Explosive punches and kicks beat the light shield of the "Gold and Jade Brocade Shirt" until it caved in, causing the Pine Wood True Energy to overflow entirely. Every punch and kick from Fang Han now carried the force to send a cow flying or beat a fierce tiger into a meat paste. Under continuous high-speed strikes, the green light of the "Gold and Jade Brocade Shirt" finally could no longer withstand it! With a pop, it scattered! Afterwards, it shrank back into the clothes like retreating tide. It was actually broken through abruptly by Fang Han's physical attacks! The true energy was damaged.
It was just like that day when hundreds of heavenly demons shattered the Heavenly Wolf Smoke.
Those "Pine Wood True Energy" now retreated into the clothes, rendering this "Gold and Jade Brocade Shirt" useless. Of course, after a few days, the true energy inside would be repaired through its grand array, recovering its power once more. But at the very least, now, Yuan Jiankong was unable to draw upon the power of the Gold and Jade Brocade Shirt.
This brocade shirt could not compare to the Heavenly Wolf Smoke, which possessed the Seven Malignant Gourd and could be quickly repaired.
Fortunately, it was also a spiritual artifact, and its core grand array could not be destroyed. If it were an ordinary magical artifact without a grand array, it would have been completely shattered and declared directly scrapped.
Although not scrapped, Yuan Jiankong, temporarily deprived of its protection, was simply no match for Fang Han in hand-to-hand combat.
"Crane's Claw Catching the Snake!"
Fang Han's hands formed the shape of crane claws, as easily as retrieving an object from a bag, gripping onto Yuan Jiankong's body. The fingernails, as hard as steel, seeped inside, grabbing onto the flesh. With a sudden fling! He threw Yuan Jiankong's entire body far away. He crashed against the ground, his bones making a crisp sound; who knew how many bones were broken. When he crawled up, he forcefully spat out a few mouthfuls of fresh blood, his throat making a rattling sound. Staring fiercely at Fang Han, his head suddenly jerked up, and he unexpectedly passed out.
The tenth-ranked expert on the Mountain and River List, an elite among inner court disciples, had actually been brutally beaten face-to-face by Fang Han until he fainted.
Many inner court disciples had also witnessed this scene, stopping in their tracks, exceedingly shocked!
Even Senior Sister Mo and the others were dumbfounded out of astonishment.
"Don't assume that because I lost the Seven Malignant Gourd, I am easy to bully. Why don't you get lost yet?" Fang Han's eyes were piercing, his words sharp: "Tenth place on the Mountain and River List, just this level of cultivation. Don't humiliate the face of our Ascension Sect. Additionally, Senior Sister Mo, didn't you lose a Veritable Blue Sword? That's nothing. As long as you can form an alliance with me, in the future when I become a true disciple, I will certainly provide a flying sword far more formidable than the Veritable Blue Sword, how about that?"
"Humph! At death's door, and still daring to spout such arrogant words? Leave aside you becoming a true disciple, even the other senior brothers on the Mountain and River List, you cannot defeat. I won't tangle with you today. In a few months at the Mountain and River List tournament, you will have a good show waiting for you."
Senior Sister Mo spoke coldly, helping Yuan Jiankong up, unwillingly departing.
"Let's go!" Fang Han ignored all this, clapping his hands as if he had performed an insignificant task, and left with Princess Hongyi, entering the "Transmission Court."
"Ye Nantian, it seems this Fang Han really is a formidable opponent for you. You must be careful during the Mountain and River List tournament. Don't end up as miserable as Yuan Jiankong."
A few pairs of eyes observed Fang Han from afar until his back disappeared into the Transmission Court before looking away.
One of the owners of these eyes happened to be Ye Nantian, who had provoked Fang Han! Third on the Mountain and River List, countless times more formidable than Yuan Jiankong.
"Humph! Who does Yuan Jiankong think he is? He simply swallowed a silver snake's inner pill by chance, obtained the Silver Snake Sword rewarded by the sect, and barely squeezed into the Mountain and River List with the Gold and Jade Brocade Shirt. Garbage spiritual artifacts like his, I don't know how many I possess. If this Fang Han had his Seven Malignant Gourd in hand, I would consider him an opponent. Without the Seven Malignant Gourd, what will he fight me with? I can crush him whenever I want."
Ye Nantian's tone was icy, revealing a wild arrogance, yet there was not a hint of underestimation of the enemy in his eyes.
The man speaking with him was exactly the fourth-ranked on the Mountain and River List, Lin Yan! Both were outstanding figures among the hundreds of thousands of disciples in the Ascension Sect.
"Since Senior Brother Ye says so, you undoubtedly have confidence. However, Fang Han's performance today truly makes people look at him with new eyes. I must go back and prepare thoroughly, lest I capsize in a gutter."
After finishing his words, this Lin Yan departed hurriedly.
"You, come here."
Ye Nantian crooked his finger, and just then an inner court disciple hurried over, "Senior Brother Ye, what are your instructions?"
"Contact a few more people and keep a tight watch on Fang Han, use concealing law talismans, don't be discovered by him. Whatever he does every day, wherever he goes to cultivate, keep an uninterrupted twelve-hour watch on him. As soon as he leaves, report to me immediately. These are thirty Essence Pills, your reward. Once you figure out all of Fang Han's background, I will also go to Myriad Rocheng Peak and seek a flying sword for each of you."
With a flick of his finger, a gourd of elixirs flew out from Ye Nantian's sleeve, falling into the inner court disciple's hand.
"Thank you, Senior Brother Ye!" The inner court disciple was overjoyed and hurriedly departed.
"Fang Han oh Fang Han, I just don't believe you will step into the Mystic Realm before me! This time at the Mountain and River List tournament, I'll completely prevent you from ever turning over." Ye Nantian smiled coldly, his body flashing out of sight, and no one knew where he went.
"Hongyi, after the three days of learning law techniques, let's go deep underground to train." Walking into the Transmission Court, Fang Han noticed many tall stone pillars on the ground, each only able to accommodate one person sitting cross-legged.
"Alright! The underground world has a great deal of spiritual medicines, and even Dharma Crystal Jade stones. I also want to gather some to refine pills and talismans."
The stone pillars were like a forest.
In the very center of the stone forest was an immense law altar, upon which was the Transmission Platform.
Fang Han leaped onto a stone pillar and sat down cross-legged, only to see all the inner court disciples seated around.
"Ding!" Ding ding! A melodious bell rang, and suddenly an elder with extremely long whiskers and a transcendental aura appeared on the central Transmission Law Altar. This was precisely the Transmission of Merits Elder; he was not a half-elder but an existence with profound mana and vast magical powers.
"Because of the changes in the Heavenly Demon Battlefield, quite a few inner court disciples of my Ascension Sect have advanced recently, but their foundations are a bit shallow. Therefore, I will impart another cultivation method to you this time. Listen carefully, I will teach it once and not a second time. How much you understand depends entirely on your fortune."
The Transmission of Merits Elder's voice rang throughout the entire Transmission Court, every word distinct.
"The Heavenly Righteous Energy incantation mental method…"
Fang Han listened attentively, unwilling to miss a single word. Indeed, this Transmission of Merits Elder caused Fang Han to firmly remember the entire incantation and mental method of the Ascension Sect's "Heavenly Righteous Energy," especially the final "Great Righteous Song," which paired beautifully with the "Heavenly Dragon Eight Notes."
During the impartation of the mental method, this Transmission of Merits Elder interspaced it with explanations. Each word was indeed a pearl of wisdom, and every explanation enlightened Fang Han as if he had been awakened by a sudden realization.
This was an expert of the Mystic Realm's understanding of cultivation, no trivial matter, quite incomparable to figuring things out by oneself from a book. Often, some concepts might take him a long time to grope around and wander onto a wrong path, yet a single phrase from the Transmission of Merits Elder awakened him completely.
"It truly is better to receive a pointer from a renowned master than to practice bitterly for three years."
Fang Han sighed inwardly.
After a long time, the bell suddenly rang again, and the Transmission of Merits Elder's voice stopped. He then vanished, signifying the end of the lecture.
"Did they not say there would be an opportunity to ask the Transmission of Merits Elder about doubts regarding cultivation? Why has the Transmission of Merits Elder disappeared?" Fang Han asked, puzzled.
"This requires contributing to the sect, reporting layer by layer. Only when you attain the qualification to ask questions will the Transmission of Merits Elder answer your doubts on cultivation. Every question demands a massive price." Princess Hongyi said: "So if we go underground, if we can slay many demonic heads and contribute their corpses to the sect, we could also earn the qualification to ask."
"So that is how it is." Fang Han nodded.
For three consecutive days, Fang Han and Princess Hongyi listened to the Transmission of Merits Elder impart cultivation methods, successfully learning profound arts like the "Primal Origin Spirit Art," "Heavenly Righteous Energy," and "Chaos Breathing Art" one by one.
Previously, Fang Han had learned the incantation of the Primal Origin Spirit Art from Crane Fairy and thought he had explored it sufficiently. However, after listening to the Transmission of Merits Elder's explanation, he realized he had merely scratched the surface.
The three days of lectures left him longing for more.
But after three days, the Transmission Court closed its doors, only reopening to preach on the final three days of the next month.
"If only we could listen to the lectures day by day, how wonderful would that be?" That day, Fang Han and Princess Hongyi prepared appropriately and exited Ascension City. He stroked his Myriad Beast Token, and moments later, with a crane's cry, Crane Fairy glided down from the sky, landing in front of Fang Han.
"How is that possible? The Ascension Sect has hundreds of thousands of disciples. If they taught hands-on one by one, how could they manage? However, if you become a true disciple, you can ask for guidance at any time. The disciples on the Mountain and River List also have the right to seek guidance regarding cultivation doubts from the elders." Princess Hongyi said.
"Fang Han, I heard you became an inner court disciple. Why took you so long to see me…" Crane Fairy squawked, extremely dissatisfied. However, the moment Fang Han fetched out an Essence Pill and stuffed it into her beak, she immediately bounded around: "Essence Pill! You actually bear to give me one to eat? Good stuff, real good stuff. If I eat this pellet every day, I can definitely transform."
"Don't worry, this time we are heading deep underground to train, specifically aiming to collect natural treasures to refine pills. You will certainly have your share." Fang Han smiled slightly.
"Hush, I felt like someone has been watching us these past three days." Princess Hongyi said suddenly.
"I felt it long ago. Once we are out of Ascension Mountain, we will play fully." Fang Han's voice was soft, humming like a mosquito.