What matters most for a cultivator?
Not mana.
Not spells.
But the body.
When the body dies, every divine power collapses with it. The mana stored in the sea of consciousness dissipates like smoke. Not even masters of the Longevity Realm can defy this. That is why the second stage of the Longevity Realm is called the Undying Body—because even those giants must refine and protect their flesh.
Fang Han's body was already terrifying—comparable to high-grade flying swords—but he never relied on raw flesh to clash with magic weapons. Risking damage to his own body was no different from risking his life. A single crack, especially a wound to the head, could cripple him forever.
So every cultivator sought to strengthen their body—through ancient secret medicines or physical cultivation arts. Fang Han had several: the Vajra Ironbone Seal, the Earth Emperor power among the Five Emperor Demonic Arts, and the terrifying Yama Golden Body. Once perfected, the golden body could pulverize flying swords and punch through mountains.
But none of these compared to the transformation brought by the Thunder-Bone Relic.
Electric sparks erupted from every pore as Fang Han guided the medicinal power inch by inch throughout his flesh.
Thunder flooded his skin, his meridians, and—most terrifyingly—his bones. The once-white bone structure drank in lightning until it turned crystalline, radiant like blades of living thunder. Each bone exuded destructive, evil-banishing force.
His skull changed the most—expanding, hardening, coated in a fine layer of crackling lightning. Any weapon striking him would trigger a deadly countershock.
Even if an enemy broke through his barriers—his protective qi, magic tools, and Life Talisman—this new thunder-bone layer would still stand against the killing blow.
Waves of lightning seeped into his sea of consciousness as well, expanding it slightly. Not enough to host a true golden core, but enough to handle his Life Talisman with far greater ease.
Crack. Crack. Crack.
His entire skeletal frame expanded uniformly by three inches. He now stood broader, heavier, every bone brimming with explosive power.
The Five Emperor radiance once embedded in his bones merged with the lightning, turning into a fearsome, tearing force.
But the greatest change happened in his left hand—the hand that fused with the Heaven-Shrouding Demon Palm. It devoured half of the relic's thunder, and when Fang Han flexed his fingers, a demonic shadow of the Heaven-Shrouding Palm manifested—now laced with lightning threads sharp enough to slice reality.
Even his Life Talisman drank in part of the relic, embedding streaks of lightning into its structure, faintly resembling the famous Indestructible Lightning Rune.
Ten full days passed before the last sparks finally calmed.
Only then did Fang Han open his eyes.
His skin looked smooth and normal—but beneath each pore lurked an entire world of thunder. Lightning symbols flickered in his pupils. Every strand of hair shimmered with microscopic electric currents.
If thunder struck from the heavens now, he felt he could simply inhale it—swallowing lightning like nectar.
His constitution had transformed into a Storm-Spirit Body, capable of communing with the laws of thunder.
One pill.
One evolution.
Fang Han inspected himself, astonished. "My spells haven't grown much, but my physique… it's on another level. No wonder Fang Qingxue cultivates so quickly—she has access to this kind of medicine."
Yan muttered, "It's powerful, sure—but nothing compared to immortal-grade pills. The Yellow Springs Emperor once obtained an Immortal Pill—Creation-Life Pellet. One dose granted an undying body."
"Immortal pills? I'd explode before I even tasted one," Fang Han laughed. "Only true Longevity experts can survive that."
He flexed his body. Strength surged like a thunderstorm. His lifespan had also extended—to at least three thousand years.
"With this Thunder-Bone Relic, the odds of defeating Meng Shaobai just increased dramatically." Lightning crackled from his left hand as he clenched his fist. "I wonder… has he fully mastered his Heaven and Earth Dharmic Form? His Kunpeng projection… how strong is it really? Our duel is coming soon."
At that moment—
Boom.
A terrifying surge of power erupted from the distant horizon. The ground trembled, and even Reincarnation Peak shook despite its protective formation.
"What overwhelming mana!"
Fang Han flashed into the sky.
From afar, atop Meng Shaobai's mountain, a pillar of energy soared straight into the heavens—neither human nor demon, neither immortal nor fiend, but something primordial.
"Meng Shaobai really broke through… Heaven and Earth Dharmic Form. So he's succeeded." Fang Han's lips curled into a cold smile. His confidence surged. But confidence was not arrogance. Before the duel, he would study the enemy carefully.
The pressure rose higher and higher, climbing thousands of meters. True disciples and sect elders alike stepped out to watch.
Suddenly, the energy condensed—forming a towering youth: Meng Shaobai's dharmic form.
Six wings of pure-white energy spread behind him, inscribed with countless runes. Each flap summoned the winds of the world—storms from mountains, deserts, oceans, and the very void rushed toward him.
Some disciples gasped—the winds had gained sentience.
They themselves couldn't even fly anymore. The air refused to obey them, bending only to Meng Shaobai's will.
A single stronger flap of those six wings could crush mountains.
Fang Han narrowed his eyes. "A Kunpeng-imbued Heaven and Earth Dharmic Form… impressive."
Then the six wings flared.
Wind howled like ten thousand ghosts screaming. Storm devils formed from the gales, sweeping toward Reincarnation Peak.
Trees were uprooted, stones torn from the earth and spun into flaming spirals.
Meng Shaobai was trying to blow Fang Han's mountain off the map.
"Hmph."
Fang Han flicked a finger.
A thousand moons rose from Reincarnation Peak, flooding heaven and earth with silver light.
Endless sword-energy erupted.
The Moon-Sundering Sword Array activated—shredding the incoming wind devils to pieces until the world fell silent.
"Meng Shaobai," Fang Han called, rising lazily into the air, "congratulations on your breakthrough. Since your blood is boiling and mine is too… why wait? Let's fight today. The Heavenly Execution Platform—winner takes all."
Meng Shaobai's voice echoed from afar, sharp and eager:
"Come, then! The Lifeless Sword is thirsty for blood. Since you're so desperate to die, I'll be happy to oblige!"