Sun Yan cultivated a Demon Sect technique called the Poison Fire Demon Art.
The technique was extremely powerful and imbued with a potent fire poison that was astonishingly lethal.
However, it suffered from a hidden danger, the fire poison backlash, which would cause psychological damage.
With Sun Yan’s perfection-stage cultivation, it was already evident that the higher one cultivated the Poison Fire Demon Art, the higher the chance of the backlash.
With his mental cultivation, he could vaguely sense that he absolutely should not break through to the next level. But even if his cultivation remained stagnant, he would still gradually suffer the demon art’s backlash!
The only ways to help him were either finding a rare treasure or having someone at his cultivation level fill him with cold attribute cultivation power to suppress the demon art.
The thousand-year Cold Heart Vine was one such treasure.
“However, this Fang Tianhan is also within my consideration. The thousand-year Cold Heart Vine can only suppress the backlash. But if I capture him and use the Primordial Devouring Secret Art to devour his cold attribute True Primordial Qi, my Poison Fire Demon Art will surely advance to the next level. I might even reach the sect master’s realm!”
This was also why he had repeatedly held back, allowing Fang Tianhan to survive until now.
The difficulty of capturing someone alive was much greater than simply killing them.
…
“Poison Fire Demon Lord Sun Yan is ranked number twenty-seven on the Martial Roll. Fang Tianhan isn’t a match for him in a fair fight!”
Fang Yuan was not reckless. While he raced on horseback, he was also making plans in his mind.
His opponent was someone at Connate perfection who had also comprehended intent and definitely had inner force far above his own as well.
“To deal with him, I should first increase my inner force as much as possible. Second, I should strengthen my intent.”
Martial Dao True Intents were not something that remained static.
Looking at the snowflake pattern of the Sheer Cold Divine Formula and comprehending the Sheer Cold Intent were only the first steps to mastering intent.
“Although I can bully intermediate Connate martial artists and below after comprehending the Sheer Cold Intent, it is only the most shallow utilization of intent. There are still three more levels—micro integration, physical integration, and psychological integration!”
Micro integration involved mastering the finest details of intent, thereby achieving smooth control over intent.
Generally speaking, after comprehending intent, ordinary perfection-stage martial artists required only time to achieve this level.
As for the next level, physical integration, it was more difficult. It was using True Intent to protect one’s body at all times to achieve a flawless defense.
Those at this level could potentially place in the top twenty on the Martial Roll.
As for the final psychological integration, it involved manifesting True Intent as tangible and unlocking all kinds of superhuman abilities.
The martial artists who attained True Intent psychological integration were God-tier, and the top ten on the Martial Roll were at this strength.
“True Intent psychological integration is the most basic requirement for the realm after Connate… The top ten on the Martial Roll must have surpassed Connate…”
Fang Yuan took a deep breath. “I already achieved micro integration when I attained True Intent, but physical and psychological integration require more than just comprehension.”
In Fang Yuan’s opinion, physical integration was a state where intent covered the entire body automatically while consuming very little energy.
These kinds of martial artists were naturally more terrifying.
As for psychological integration, there were some requirements for psyche strength.
“Physical integration! Done!”
Coldness flashed in Fang Yuan’s eyes. The Sheer Cold Intent appeared, but he did not release it and instead stored it in various parts of his body. “Unfortunately… I lack enough inner force to reach psychological integration. I’ll have to wait until my inner force is at least at peak Connate before automatically breaking through.”
Comprehension and realm were closely related to strength, inner qualities, and so on.
Otherwise, everything would merely be an illusion.
For example, even if a mortal were to suddenly possess the mental realm of a Demon Master, they would still die if they ran into a Demon General.
Although intent was good, corresponding strength was needed to unleash its power!
With Fang Yuan’s potential and comprehension, psychological integration was easily attainable, but without sufficient psyche strength, he would still be unable to fully materialize intent.
“The humans of this world have limitations on their Connate psyche strength. Unless their cultivation power reaches the peak, they are absolutely unable to meet the requirements for psychological integration!”
Fang Yuan’s eyes flashed coldly. “Realm and strength should not differ too much. Is this a hidden rule of this world?”
“Young Master, we’re here!”
They arrived at a mountain range.
Zhang Long and the others abandoned their horses and entered the thick woods using their lightness skill. “Mount Sky Pillar covers a wide area, and Demon Sect disciples are unable to seal it off completely. We can enter from another direction, but there’s only one path to Eagle End Peak. The Poison Fire Demon Lord will inevitably be there in person, and we won’t be able to bluff our way in!
“Let’s head to Eagle End Peak first!”
Fang Yuan did not tell them his plan and only issued his order.
Eagle End Peak!
It was Mount Sky Pillar’s highest peak. Three sides were extremely steep and smooth like walls. There was even something called the Thousand Strands Hanging Rock Snake, which was very venomous and aggressive. Even Connate perfection martial artists would find it arduous to fend off large amounts of snakes when climbing.
The only way to reach the summit was a single narrow passageway on the east side.
Fang Tianhan, the Noble Mountain Sect Master, was currently trapped on this peak. He was relying on this dangerous narrow passageway to strenuously support himself.
Fang Yuan looked at the steep peak and exclaimed, “Is this Eagle End Peak? It’s indeed perilous!”
“Young Master, please give us your instructions!”
Zhang Long and the others were already loyal, but after the Noble Mountain Sect incident, they now had a fantastic trust in Fang Yuan.
“You won’t do anything. With your martial arts, you’ll only be burdens!” Fang Yuan said bluntly. “So… you just have to leave the way out open for me. I’ll go alone!”
“Young Master…” Zhang Long said anxiously, “you’re our hope for the future. Please don’t do anything rash!”
Evidently, in his opinion, Fang Yuan’s breakthrough and mastery of a Martial Dao True Intent still left a significant gap between Fang Yuan and someone on the Martial Roll like Poison Fire Demon Lord Sun Yan.
“Rest assured!”
Fang Yuan waved his hand, disappeared into the shadows of the woods, and approached Eagle End Peak at blinding speed.
As he neared the peak, the Demon Sect disciples’ patrols quickly became more frequent and strict.
However, it was basically impossible for the disciples to discover Fang Yuan hidden in the thick woods with their Acquired cultivation.
He climbed Eagle End Peak agilely and arrived near the summit.
After getting a clear look, Fang Yuan immediately groaned. “Is that the narrow passageway? It’s clearly a narrow bridge!”
He saw a large group of Demon Sect disciples huddled at a spot, blocking the way to the summit of the peak.
In other words, the only way to reach the summit was a narrow ridge that was just wide enough to fit a single foot. There were only cliffs on the sides of the ridge. It was truly a dangerous path.
At the end of the path, there was a vaguely visible middle-aged man. He was wearing Noble Mountain Sect clothes that were rich and magnificent. He stood there proudly with an imposing demeanor.
He was Fang Xu’s father, the Noble Mountain Sect Master, Fang Tianhan.
Under these circumstances, even Sun Yan is unlikely to dare to fight Fang Tianhan. No wonder he managed to hold on until now.
Fang Yuan understood everything with a single glance.
Regretfully, while it was easy to defend at that spot, he had pushed himself into a corner as well.
His only path out was blocked.
The Poison Fire Demon Lord tried to persuade Fang Tianhan to surrender in a loud and clear voice. “Fang Tianhan, are you still unwilling to surrender? Your wife and son have already fallen into my hands!”
“I won’t believe anything unless I see it for myself!” Fang Tianhan struck an imposing pose with a resolute expression. “Not to mention… I’m afraid my family’s disaster would truly start the moment I surrender, right?”
“Stubborn!” Poison Fire Demon Lord Sun Yan shouted angrily, feeling rather helpless.
At Connate perfection, a martial artist had also thoroughly trained their willpower, and they would not waver once they made a decision.
The only solution was to erode his will slowly.
Compared to Fang Tianhan, he had food and water. Even Connate perfection martial artists would eventually lose their energy. After all, this was a Martial Dao world, and there were no cultivators that could live on just wind and dew.
The only thing he was afraid of was the possibility of Fang Tianhan jumping off the cliff to commit suicide when he was exhausted. In that case, there would really be nothing left for him to gain.
“That Zhang Hanzhen was so useless. Getting him to seize Fang Tianhan’s wife and son was a big mistake!”
Only the surviving elders knew of Fang Yuan’s mastery of Intent and his massacre of the elders in the discussion hall.
After the massacre, the surviving elders did not breathe a word of it to anyone. Although ordinary disciples knew that there had been a coup, they were not aware that Fang Yuan had dealt with it all by himself.
According to Zhang Hanzhen’s plan, he would have first justifiably expelled Fang Xu and Jiang Xinlan out of the sect and then secretly send kidnappers after them.
Unfortunately, he had hesitated for the sake of a righteous image and was finally defeated by Fang Yuan in a single blow.
All schemes and plots became jokes in the face of absolute power.
“The situation now is a game of endurance. Fang Tianhan can’t come out, but the Demon Sect disciples can’t get in either!”
Fang Yuan looked on coldly. “Sun Yan must be the one with Caucasian features. He is the only one at Connate perfection. But to maintain his physical and mental strength while wearing Fang Tianhan down, he must take a rest to eat and drink from time to time. That will be my chance.”
Of course, there was plenty of manpower in Demon Sect. Even if Sun Yan took a rest, there were the peak Connate left and right guardians guarding the narrow path.
Although they were slightly weaker than perfection-stage martial artists, it would not be easy for Fang Tianhan to break through them.
It would only take a small delay before Sun Yan could hurry back. As such, it was absolutely safe.
“However, this arrangement targets Fang Tianhan alone!”
Fang Yuan approached quietly, knocked a disciple unconscious, changed into the disciple’s clothes, and sneaked into the inner layer.
Sun Yan frowned. “Damn it. His endurance is really high. Left and Right Guardians! Keep watch over the path, and don’t let Fang Tianhan break through here! I’m going to take a rest.”
“Rest assured, Grand Guardian!”
The two peak Connate experts nodded and kept watch over the path, while Sun Yan started resting in a temporary pergola.
“Chance!”
Fang Yuan’s eyes gleamed.
