"What? You're really willing to give me Forget-Love Water?"
Ghost Emperor stiffened, then waved his sleeve. A crystal the size of a clenched fist appeared in his hand. It was hollow inside, shimmering faintly with spatial turbulence—a miniature pocket world.
"As long as I fill this Void Crystal with Forget-Love Water, it's enough. With this amount, I can cleanse every last trace of resentment in my body and refine my magic to absolute purity."
Fang Han glanced at the crystal. Its inner space was indeed wide—large enough to hold a small pond. But inside the Yellow Springs Diagram, Forget-Love Water flowed as a roaring river, no weaker than the Dragon Abyss. A pond's worth was nothing.
But if Ghost Emperor actually obtained it…
He could refine it instantly.
Wash away all accumulated souls.
Turn them into pure power.
And the Abyssal Gate's suppression on him would plummet.
Fang Han would never allow that.
Still—he needed time. And time required a good lie.
"Of course I'll give it to you," Fang Han said boldly. "I came to the Barbarian God Temples to seek the Five Element Spiritual Roots. Once I perfect the Five-Emperor Devil Art, I'll enter the sixth realm. Why fight when we can talk? A cultivator's life matters above everything—without it, even sacred artifacts are worthless."
He continued smoothly, "As for what you said about opening the Yellow Springs Vault… that, I am interested in. I know the diagram is the key. The Yellow Springs Emperor gathered the world's treasures to build that vault—the foundation of the entire Yellow Springs Sect. But now, many elders guard it. Ghost Emperor, you're not even the strongest among them. If they discover us sneaking in, what then?"
Ghost Emperor fell silent for a moment.
Then said, "That's easy. The elders watch each other, none daring to make a move. But with the Yellow Springs Diagram, we can slip in unnoticed, seize control of the vault's formations, and turn them against all intruders—including Longevity realm experts."
"That does make sense…" Fang Han looked around casually. "If so, then let's stop fighting. Ghost Emperor, withdraw your Heaven-Covering Demon Hand and we'll talk calmly."
Ghost Emperor burst into loud laughter.
"Withdraw it? Do you take me for a child? So you can run? Enough games—hand over the Forget-Love Water first. Any more stalling, and even if Yuhua Sect's head arrives, I'll kill you today!"
"…Fine. I'll give it to you first." Fang Han sighed. "Use your Void Crystal to catch it."
He waved his hand.
A golden waterfall of Forget-Love Water surged toward Ghost Emperor.
"This brat's definitely plotting something…"
A cold grin crept across Ghost Emperor's face. As the water approached, the Heaven-Covering Demon Hand shifted subtly—the black clouds above began to thin.
"Ghost Emperor! How vicious! You're trying to ambush me!" Fang Han suddenly shouted.
Ghost Emperor froze.
I haven't even attacked yet. How did he know? Does he have foresight?
Before he could react, Fang Han's hand lifted sharply.
A streak of white light shot skyward.
"A message talisman! Sect Master—save me!"
"Not good! A Yuhua Sect transmission talisman!"
Ghost Emperor panicked. The Heaven-Covering Demon Hand lunged after it, chasing far into the distance.
But the moment his hand moved away—
The "Forget-Love Water" flying toward him transformed midair into a serpentine white dragon—Yan.
Behind Yan, the Abyssal Gate materialized again, crashing forward with crushing demonic might.
"You think I wouldn't guard against your ambush?" Fang Han roared.
Ghost Emperor reacted instantly.
The black clouds exploded into a second wave of Immortal-Slaughtering Black Rain, engulfing Yan. Even the Abyssal Gate couldn't drain it quickly—the curse was Ghost Emperor's trump card, paid with sixty years of his own lifespan.
He had saved it for this moment.
"Blood Night King!"
A streak of blade-light sliced toward Ghost Emperor.
"Petty tricks."
Ghost Emperor flicked his body aside. His Ghost-Serpent Sword clashed with the Blood Night King, while dozens of black flags shot from his sleeves, surrounding Fang Han.
The Heaven-Covering Demon Hand flew back, clutching a yellow orb—what Ghost Emperor believed was the captured transmission talisman.
"Look at you!" Ghost Emperor sneered. "Even your talisman is mine. What can you do now? Under my spell and my hand, you can't escape! Childish!"
He toyed with the yellow orb smugly, spiritual power flaring as he prepared to seize Fang Han and Yan both.
Then—
Something felt wrong.
The "talisman" in his hand crumbled. The earthy aura dissipated, revealing—not a talisman—but a golden pill covered in cracks, each fissure leaking terrifying power.
"What… This is… Taiyin Divine Skill… Seven-Kill Sword Dao… Invisible Sword Body… Solar Aurora Flame… Wood Dragon Strength… White Tiger Essence… twenty types of divine powers?"
Recognition flashed in Ghost Emperor's eyes.
"This is a Golden Core! The thief's Golden Core! Pure, powerful—and on the verge of exploding!"
His mind blanked.
Fang Han threw a Golden Core… as a message talisman?
Is he insane? Cornered? Desperate?
What trick is this—
Then—
From inside the core came Fang Han's voice.
A single word:
"Detonate."
Ghost Emperor's mind snapped into clarity.
"A trap! He wants to blow me up with the Golden Core! How vicious—worse than Yellow Springs Emperor himself! I—No! I must suppress it! Now!"
He unleashed all of his magic at once.
His Nine-Ghost Dharmic Body burst from his skull, fleeing skyward.
Too late.
Fang Han's sliver of consciousness ignited the core.
A sun exploded in Ghost Emperor's hand.
BOOM.
ROOOOOAR—
A hundred volcanoes erupted at once.
Ancient trees ripped from the earth.
Mountains blown apart.
Hurricane-like shockwaves devastated the land.
A towering mushroom cloud rose from the center of the blast.
Ghost Emperor's Throne of Wailing Souls vaporized.
The ground sank into a massive crater, instantly filling with groundwater—a newborn lake.
Mud rained from the sky like apocalyptic hail.
The Golden Core's explosion was beyond terrifying.
"Did it work?!"
Even while struggling against the weakened Heaven-Covering Demon Hand, Fang Han felt the blast ripple through the world. The demonic hand's aura plummeted—it was nearly crippled.
Then—
"You little devil! Fang Han! I'll never forgive you! You're the real demon!"
A tattered, half-destroyed three-headed, six-armed Nine-Ghost Soul Body burst out of the mushroom cloud, fleeing wildly. Its vitality was shattered.
"He's still alive?! Yan! Catch him! We can't let him escape!"
Fang Han's eyes burned with fury as he unleashed everything he had.