"The Grand Teleportation Art!"
Fang Han had never heard of this divine ability before. Yan Shuiyi, however, wore an unmistakable look of envy.
"To think that Senior Hentian possesses one of the Three Thousand Great Dao—the Grand Teleportation Art," she said. "If Senior were not an independent cultivator, he would never have obtained it. I wonder if Senior would consider exchanging the Grand Teleportation Art for one of our Taiyi Sect's supreme arts? If you're interested, I can report this to our Supreme Head and arrange a discussion."
The Grand Teleportation Art—
One of the Three Thousand Great Dao, on the same level as the Great Severing Art, the Great Devouring Art, and the Great Annihilation Art. It was said to be the fastest movement technique across the heavens and myriad worlds. Once fully mastered, it could pierce countless spatial barriers; even a distance spanning a hundred thousand Xuanhuang Great Worlds could be crossed in an instant.
Yan Shuiyi understood the Three Thousand Great Dao far better than Fang Han ever could. Naturally, she knew the immense value of this art.
"The Taiyi Sect's Great Catastrophe Art ranks among the top ten of the Three Thousand Great Dao," Daoist Hentian said mildly. "I've always been quite interested in learning it."
The implication was obvious: If Taiyi Sect were willing to exchange the Great Catastrophe Art for the Grand Teleportation Art, that might be acceptable.
Yan Shuiyi smiled calmly. "Senior jokes. The Great Catastrophe Art is the very foundation of our sect—it can never be traded. But we can discuss such matters another time. For now, killing Fang Han at Demon-Sealing Ridge is more urgent."
"Very well," Daoist Hentian said. "My mastery of the Grand Teleportation Art is still shallow. Each teleport only spans about a hundred thousand li—far inferior to the great seniors who can traverse starry voids or leap between infinite worlds. Still, you must circulate your energy and protect your physical bodies. Otherwise, the force of the teleportation will shatter you, bleeding from all seven orifices."
With a sweep of his sleeve, a thunderous roar erupted. A torrent of energy engulfed them, and the surroundings dissolved into blinding emptiness.
Fang Han instantly felt crushing pressure from all directions. The violent oscillations of spatial currents nearly tore his body apart—far faster even than when he unleashed the White Emperor Metal Severing Art.
In the cultivation world, there were many techniques famed for speed: metal-based arts like Instant Kill, the legendary Taiyi Heavenly Phantasm Escape—hailed as the fastest immortal movement technique—and Fang Han's own White Emperor Metal Severing Art.
Yet before the Grand Teleportation Art, all of them seemed inferior.
This kid… how is he so steady?
The five "God Kings" beside Daoist Hentian were shaken. Under the pressure of the teleportation currents, Fang Han didn't budge at all.
What kind of treasure is he carrying? No wonder he can stand alongside Yan Shuiyi.
They exchanged meaningful glances.
Yan Shuiyi was engaged to Hua Tiandu, yet she clearly walked very close to this man.
Doesn't that mean Hua Tiandu's already wearing a very green hat?
Even Daoist Hentian felt mildly surprised. He hadn't expected "Prince Wula" to be so formidable. Then again, any man who could earn Yan Shuiyi's favor surely wouldn't be inferior to Hua Tiandu.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
After more than a dozen thunderous shocks, the world suddenly cleared. Daoist Hentian stepped through the void, pacing through celestial patterns before finally halting. Below them stretched endless mountain ranges—they had already crossed from the sea to the mainland.
"This is near Falling Star Mountain of the Stellar Sect," Daoist Hentian said with a smile. "Prince Wula, Miss Yan Shuiyi—take a look. Where exactly is Demon-Sealing Ridge?"
Not a trace of fatigue showed on his face, as though such an immense teleportation had cost him nothing.
Fang Han and Yan Shuiyi were secretly stunned. From Xuanhuang City to the Fangtooth Archipelago had taken them hours of flight and a full day and night. Daoist Hentian had crossed the same distance in less time than it took to eat a meal.
What terrifying reserves of mana.
Be careful, Yan Shuiyi transmitted mentally, her unease growing. Even experts with immortal bodies would struggle to perform teleportation on this scale—unless they've comprehended spatial laws. I don't think we should confront this man directly.
We can still advance or retreat, Fang Han replied calmly. Let's see what lies underground.
"There!" Fang Han suddenly pointed.
In the distance rose a low ridge, shaped like a turtle's back or a coiling serpent, stretching across the land. He recognized it instantly.
Demon-Sealing Ridge.
This was where he had once rescued the fox demon girl and descended into the depths, where he encountered the Human Emperor's Brush.
Back then, the ridge had been nothing but barren yellow earth, devoid of spiritual energy. Now, it overflowed with vitality. Flowers bloomed everywhere, grass and trees flourished in lush waves of green.
Even from the sky, one could smell the dense wood-aspect energy. In some places, the energy was so thick it condensed into ghostly silhouettes, as if the plants themselves were about to awaken into spirits.
"Exactly as I thought," Daoist Hentian growled. "Fang Han must be hiding here. This concentration of wood energy is caused by the Green Emperor Wood Sovereign Art. The Six Dao Alliance's intelligence is impressive—they even pinpointed Fang Han's location. Our luck is excellent."
He laughed coldly. "Since he's hiding underground, we'll go underground. Earth-Piercing Divine Needle—open!"
With another sweep of his sleeve, a soil-yellow needle flew out. Only finger-length, yet it radiated dazzling yellow light. The moment it appeared, thick earthen mist flooded the air. Sand and dust howled as vast waves of earth-element energy surged outward.
Above the needle hovered a creature resembling both snake and dragon—a Huang Serpent, the artifact spirit of the needle.
Compared to the Huang Serpent Fang Han had encountered in the Land of Five Elements, this one was vastly more powerful. It let out a soundless roar toward the earth.
Instantly, the ground within a ten-li radius rippled like water.
"A lower-grade Dao Artifact wielded by someone in the Longevity Realm can unleash such power," Fang Han thought. No wonder Dao Artifacts are wasted on those below this realm.
If the Earth-Piercing Divine Needle were in his hands, even with Earth Sovereign energy, he could never draw out such might.
"Go!"
Daoist Hentian pointed downward. The earth collapsed, forming a vast chasm. He descended at once, vanishing into the depths. Fang Han, Yan Shuiyi, Fan Qingying, and the five God Kings followed.
Moments later, the surface returned to calm.
Deep underground, darkness reigned. Daoist Hentian used the Earth-Piercing Divine Needle to melt rock and soil as they plunged deeper.
Yan Shuiyi maintained a calm exterior, but inwardly she was tense. She couldn't tell what Fang Han was planning. Fang Han, meanwhile, carefully observed their surroundings and casually praised:
"Senior Hentian, your Earth-Piercing Divine Needle is truly marvelous. How was it refined? I'd love to craft one myself. So many treasures are buried underground—having such a tool would be invaluable."
"It's simple," Daoist Hentian replied. "Once we find Fang Han and force him to hand over the talisman of the Land of Five Elements, we'll be able to enter that realm at will. There, we can hunt powerful earth-element holy beasts like the Huang Serpent. With enough materials and centuries of refinement, such an artifact can be forged. My own needle took five hundred years, after I subdued a Huang Serpent on a distant earth-type planet."
As he spoke, he effortlessly bored through layers of solid basalt.
Soon, they reached tens of thousands of zhang underground—a vast basaltic plate. This was where Fang Han had once seen the Human Emperor's Brush, as massive as Mount Sumeru, lying dormant. Now, it was gone.
In the past, even with Earth Sovereign energy, breaking through this layer had been difficult for Fang Han. Daoist Hentian, however, simply pointed with the needle, and entire slabs of rock dissolved into primal energy.
"We've gone more than fifty thousand zhang down and still found nothing," one God King muttered. "Is Fang Han really capable of cultivating this deep?"
"He cultivated here before—there's no doubt," Fan Qingying answered. "The wood-aspect aura above proves it. And I can sense an extremely powerful presence hidden deep below. Fang Han's sudden rise was no coincidence—someone must be backing him. This place could hold one of his greatest secrets."
Daoist Hentian nodded. "I feel it too. Something here unsettles even me. Be cautious. Activate your strongest artifacts and protect yourselves."
Fan Qingying drew her upper-grade Dao Artifact—the Great Chaos Thunder Sword. With a slight flick, streams of chaotic energy encircled her body.
Yan Shuiyi had already summoned her Vast Ocean Divine Pearl.
The five God Kings released a strange aura, spinning together into a sinister, arcane formation.
"Fang Han," Yan Shuiyi whispered mentally, "those five beside Daoist Hentian—they're not human. Not demons. Not heavenly or earthly fiends. I don't know what they are."
"You've realized it too," Fang Han replied. "They are none of those. In ancient times, they were the rulers of all creation—noble beyond measure, and the greatest enemies of all living beings. As a disciple of Taiyi Sect… you should know what that means."
"You mean—?!"
Yan Shuiyi's face drained of color. Her entire body trembled.
"Yan Shuiyi, what's wrong?" Fan Qingying noticed her reaction and sent out her divine sense.
Yan Shuiyi steadied herself and pointed downward. "We're nearing subterranean magma. I feel an overwhelming pressure—there's something terrifying within the molten depths."
"I feel it too," Fan Qingying said gravely.
Ahead, firelight flickered. Heat surged upward, carrying the sharp stench of sulfur.
They had reached the magma layer.