Cultivating Immortality in a World of Chaos

Two years later.

At Jade Cliff:

“Master… any news on the latest battle reports?”

Widow Wang, now visibly aged, anxiously awaited at the door with a humble and ingratiating demeanor, making Fang Xi slightly uneasy. “Come inside…”

Two years ago, the tide of war had shifted.

The Thirty-Six Islands Alliance formed a united army to confront the Dragonfish Zhong Clan!

The flames of conflict spread throughout every corner of Wan Island Lake. Short-staffed, the alliance aggressively recruited rogue cultivators, offering exceptionally generous terms.

For those ranking high on the battle achievements list, there were even Foundation Establishment spirit items available as rewards!

Additionally, the Thirty-Six Islands Alliance promised that after the war, victorious cultivators could choose unclaimed spirit islands to establish their own clans or sects without interference from the alliance!

This enticement drew vast numbers of cultivators, including many elderly ones who held onto their last breaths, prepared to perish on the battlefield for the sake of their descendants.

Though weakened in magical power, such cultivators often remained formidable!

As a result… Lu Guo, Hai Dagui, and even Widow Wang’s son Little Hu couldn’t resist secretly enlisting and heading towards the battlegrounds.

Widow Wang fretted day and night, visiting Fang Xi daily for updates.

“Don’t worry, Little Hu and others joined the team led by the crown princess. Naturally, they’ll be taken care of…” Fang Xi smiled reassuringly. “Haven’t you heard that ‘Little Ring Island’ has already been captured? With this island fallen, Dragonfish Island’s defenses are wide open, signaling the imminent end of the war. Soon, Little Hu and his friends will return…”

“But wars always claim lives, especially sect battles. Attacking mountain-defending arrays is essentially sacrificing people to breach them…” Widow Wang gazed at the lake near the cliff edge, her expression growing even more anxious. “I should have been firmer back then, perhaps even breaking one of Little Hu’s legs… it would have been better than this situation now. I was truly foolish, so foolish…”

Fang Xi sighed, observing Widow Wang as she seemed on the verge of descending into despair like Xianglin Sao from literature. Silently, he got up to continue harvesting weeds.

With the ongoing war, it had become difficult to find tenant-farmers for cultivation work. Thus, Master Fang himself had no choice but to tend the fields.

Ruan Dan had indeed approached him earlier, urging him to join the fray. She emphasized that given the current favorable circumstances, participating in these battles posed minimal danger and offered ample opportunities for earning merits.

In the future, securing an entire spirit island wouldn’t be much of an issue either, yet Fang Xi steadfastly declined.

Despite many finding his decision puzzling, he remained content with his choice. As long as no one disturbed his tree tending, everything else was fine.

---

Nighttime.

In the underground cave beneath the Demon Tree, Fang Xi clung to one of its aerial roots, extracting vital essence from it.

The root trembled, attempting to retract and resist his grasp.

After a while,

Plop!

Fang Xi released the aerial root, which promptly curled back into the tree’s canopy.

The entire Demon Tree shuddered, seemingly expressing discontent and anger!

“This resistance is growing increasingly severe!” Fang Xi observed with a deep frown.

Ever since he decided to aggressively extract blood qi from the Demon Tree, aiming for a swift breakthrough to True Astral Manifestation, the tree’s defiance had become stronger. Even using the intricacies of the Longevity Technique, he found it challenging to suppress the tree, noticing signs of potential backlash.

This reinforced Fang Xi’s suspicion that the Demon Tree’s instincts…were recovering!

And beginning to influence him in return!

Yet, progress towards achieving the Second Wood Dharma Idol remained elusive.

Tonight, the Demon Tree even refused to connect with him, forcing Fang Xi to actively grasp its pneumatophores just to extract that final trace of blood qi.

“Indeed, it’s a demon from Great Liang, fundamentally different from the spiritual roots found in the cultivation world!” Fang Xi sighed, his eyes flickering with faint crimson glints.

In the next moment, standing atop a surface formed by countless banyan tree roots, he gently lifted his hand!

Boom!

This simple gesture ignited a surge behind him, resembling a colossal sun of blood qi rising, enveloping his entire body and radiating light and heat outward continuously!

Sizzle!

Instantaneously, the densely intertwined layers of banyan tree roots dispersed, revealing rocks and soil buried for many years.

“White Cloud Palm!”

Fang Xi assumed a boxing stance, meticulously practicing each move of the martial arts he had learned.

“Red Snake Leg!”

“Heavenly Vision and Earthly Hearing Art!”

“Yuan Fusion Five Thunders Hand!”

---

As time passed, Fang Xi’s movements accelerated, yet each precise strike remained clearly visible, creating a seemingly contradictory display.

Boom!

While his martial techniques evolved continuously, strands of true astral energy emerged around Fang Xi, also shifting and coalescing…

“Dragon Emperor Fist!”

In the final move, Fang Xi unleashed a powerful punch!

Roarrrr!!

Behind him, countless threads of true astral energy converged to form a blood-red Dragonfish visible even to mortal eyes!

The Dragonfish stretched over nine meters long, with every scale distinctly clear, just shy of manifesting its inverse scales! Upon its appearance, a mysterious force seemed to envelop and empower Fang Xi!

“The Dragon Emperor Fist is indeed an unparalleled supreme technique!

“But my martial foundation will forever be the Primordial True Art!”

With hands moving like the principles of Taiji, Fang Xi instantly dispersed the blood dragon behind him.

Immediately thereafter, the numerous threads of true astral energy reassembled, forming a hazy humanoid figure!

This figure stood approximately eighteen meters tall, positioned directly behind Fang Xi, bearing striking resemblance to him in both face and physique.

An eighteen-meter golden avatar!

No!

This terrifying creation was entirely based on blood qi and true astral energy, breaking through to a new level!

“Primordial True Body… Condense!” Fang Xi roared, bringing his palms together.

Instantly, the colossal astral figure behind him mirrored the motion, its massive arms sweeping across the cave, sending countless rocks flying and forcing the Demon Tree’s roots to retreat…

“After thirty years! The True Astral Manifestation… finally achieved!”

Fang Xi felt a surge of terrifying power refining his limbs, bones, dantian, and qi passageways, further strengthening his tendons, skin, and muscles…

In this moment, his body underwent an extraordinary transformation, enabling him to effortlessly withstand even high-grade magical artifacts with bare hands!

A realm never before breached by martial artists in Great Liang—the True Astral Manifestation!

An elusive breakthrough sought for generations by Zongshi, yet unattained until now!

It had finally been accomplished by Fang Xi!

“Above Martial Saint lies…the Martial God! The divine pinnacle among warriors!”

After nurturing trees for thirty years, at age fifty-three, Fang Xi finally ascended to the realm of Martial God!

In that instant, Dugu Wuwang’s words about the essence of Devil-Refining once again vividly surfaced in Fang Xi’s mind.

“Only with a ‘True Astral Manifestation’ physique and the extraordinary spirit of a Zongshi can one truly refine, consume…a devil!”

Within Fang Xi’s thoughts, it felt as if a taut string suddenly snapped.

A refreshing clarity filled his mental landscape, giving rise to countless realizations:

“At what point did I become bound by the ‘Second Wood Dharma Idol’?”

“To achieve the ‘Second Wood Dharma Idol,’ I passively watched numerous dangers emerge around me without intervening…”

“As time went on, its formation increasingly slowed, yet I failed to perceive anything amiss?”

Fang Xi’s eyes flashed like lightning, focusing intently on the Demon Tree!

The trembling Demon Tree responded by causing all the desiccated corpses hanging from its aerial roots to open their eyes, emitting intense scarlet light!

“It’s the Demon Tree… Its innate influence has been affecting me!” Fang Xi roared, instantly comprehending everything.

The Longevity Technique, being primarily an immortal cultivation method, had limited insights into ‘demons’, and its magical energy refinement also possessed vulnerabilities.

Moreover, when Fang Xi initially practiced the Demon Refining Art, it was not yet fully perfected, lacking the crucial aspect of ‘True Astral Manifestation’ for his physique!

This oversight allowed a residual trace of the demon seed to persist.

After lying dormant for several decades, this remnant finally took hold as the innate nature of the Demon Tree, turning against its very owner!

Since the Demon Tree and Fang Xi were originally one entity, the tree’s instinctual influence subtly altered Fang Xi’s personality over time!

‘If I hadn’t sensed the impending danger and swiftly achieved the realm of True Astral Manifestation, my instincts might have gradually taken control… Eventually, I could have become utterly lethargic, transforming into a true shut-in… much like a stationary tree?’

“Die!”

Instantly comprehending the sequence of events, Fang Xi, consumed with fury, unleashed a devastating punch towards the Demon Tree!

Whoosh!

Behind him, the towering sixty-foot Primordial True Body mirrored his action, delivering a fist swift as lightning that struck the Demon Tree before any counteraction could be made!

Crack!

A massive fist imprint appeared on the Demon Tree’s trunk, and from the torn black bark, crimson blood began to flow.

“Ouch!”

“It hurts so much!” The hanging corpses on the aerial roots emitted varying cries.

In the next instant, tendrils of black mist emerged from the tree, spreading outwards…

“Demonic Domain?!” Fang Xi’s eyes twitched.

He had never harbored any interest in preserving his victims like cured meat; these tribulation cultivator corpses were clearly influenced by the Demon Tree!

“Die now!”

For Fang Xi, maintaining autonomy was paramount. Without it, even with his Everlasting Longevity Physique, he would be worth no more than a fart!

With both hands extended, he activated the Primordial True Body once again, gripping the Demon Tree’s trunk tightly as terrifying strength coursed through his arms.

Boom!

The entire Jade Cliff shook violently, akin to a devastating earthquake!

His formidable blood qi transformed into a blazing sun, beginning to evaporate the dark mist…

Puff! Puff!

From within the Demon Tree’s canopy, countless aerial roots, resembling python-like tentacles, attempted to pierce Fang Xi but were repelled by the colossal Primordial True Body.

As each air root barely managed to penetrate the Primordial True Body, it encountered tenfold stronger true astral erosion and instantly turned to ash.

“No…” One of the corpses cried out in agony, “Wh…why…”

“You should never have gained consciousness, even if just instinctual!” Fang Xi’s gaze was icy cold, recalling Dugu Wuwang’s Devil-Forge secret technique word by word.

In the next moment, he opened his mouth wide and viciously bit down.

Even for a demon, encountering a Martial God meant risking a painful loss!

Swallowing!

The blood-red giant, resembling a six-zhang golden body, lifted the severed-rooted Demon Tree high and began devouring it piece by piece.

Instantaneously, countless fragments flooded Fang Xi’s consciousness.

Some were glimpses from nature, while others depicted grand cosmic events akin to supernova explosions…

Their common thread was a chilling indifference, as if urging him towards madness!

This was an inevitable consequence when swallowing demons!

Fortunately, Fang Xi’s Demon Tree had undergone multiple purifications since its demonic seed stage, significantly reducing the inherent madness and corruption.

At this point, only remnants of its instinctual recovery remained intact. Moreover, with the connection established by the ‘Longevity Technique’, Fang Xi treated the Demon Tree as part of himself, significantly suppressing its power.

Without such control, even another Martial God might not have succeeded against it.

Drawing upon past experiences, Fang Xi continuously digested and suppressed the consciousness fragments of the Demon Tree using his Divine Sense and the Devil-Forge secret art…

An indeterminate amount of time passed within the cave, now strewn with broken stones and burning roots. Tai Sui huddled in a corner, trembling uncontrollably.

Fang Xi stood firm, the Primordial True Body behind him having vanished.

His divine sense revealed a massive pitch-black banyan tree tattoo on his back, vividly detailed like an intricate marking…

“The Demon Tree has been completely suppressed and refined…”

“However, the Longevity Technique has failed…”

Fang Xi could feel the silver runes representing the Second Wood Dharma Idol stagnating and fading… losing their original luster.

Though somewhat disheartened, considering the potential danger posed by the fully revived Demon Tree, the sacrifice was undoubtedly worth it.