Chapter 177: An Unavoidable Strike, Comprehending the Nameless Immortal Scripture!

Night gradually fell, and the moon climbed up the treetops. Fang Xu stood silently outside Gu Qiu's room, his gaze occasionally flicking toward the tightly closed door.

His powerful soul force allowed him to faintly sense that Gu Qiu inside seemed to be undergoing some kind of transformation, a strange energy permeating the room.

Time passed bit by bit, and as the moon rose higher and higher, it soon reached the hour of Hai.

The strange energy in the room grew stronger and stronger; faintly, Fang Xu could even hear Gu Qiu's painful groans, which she was desperately suppressing.

He very much wanted to rush in to see what was happening, but recalling Gu Qiu's earlier words, the hands he had extended withdrew again.

Hai… there was still one shichen until Zi.

This one shichen, Fang Xu waited in agony.

Inside the room, Gu Qiu's originally suppressed painful groans had now turned into howls.

When the moon reached its zenith, sensing that the strange energy in the room had already seeped out from the door, Fang Xu's face changed slightly!

Poison!

What was seeping out from the room before his eyes was indeed a strange toxin!

"You… you hurry and kill me!"

At this moment, Gu Qiu had already lain on the bed, her petite body curled up on the bed, large amounts of purple-black toxic mist continuously gushing from her body!

And these toxic mists could not be dispelled simply by holding one's breath.

Fang Xu wanted to reach out and help her up, but Gu Qiu strained to open her eyes.

"Fang Xu… kill me." Looking at Fang Xu's face, Gu Qiu forced out a faint smile: "Master long ago said, my sacred body… exploding three times… is… my time of death."

Hum!

Lying on the ground, Fang Xu felt those toxins surging toward his sea of consciousness like a swarm, seemingly intent on infecting his soul.

Too strong!

The toxic mist emanating from Gu Qiu's body is truly too strong!

But the problem is, if I take over her body, all my hard-earned gains will almost certainly come to nothing.

A large amount of toxins is frantically surging toward his limbs and bones.

Fang Xu began to feel desperate.

Squeak-squeak-squeak!

Just as Fang Xu was agonizing over a solution with no answer, faint squeaking sounds suddenly came from within his body.

But at this very moment, the toxin seeping out from Gu Qiu's room made Fang Xu feel some palpitations!

At this moment, he finally understood why, over the past few days, Gu Qiu had kept giving him those pills with detoxifying properties.

And as for himself, although his soul could survive under the protection of the Xuan Shui Dao Ji and Xuan Yang Dao Ji, this physical body would inevitably be completely corroded by the toxins.

"Don't… don't touch me…"

If this continues, Gu Qiu will die.

A surge of energy instantly flooded his limbs and bones, resisting the invading toxic mist. Fang Xu dared not delay, and directly came to the bedside.

"Senior Sister!"

He found that his Xuan Shui Dao Ji and Xuan Yang Dao Ji seemed both capable of restraining this toxic mist.

What remained for him seemed to be only the path of taking over another body.

Without the slightest hesitation, Fang Xu directly pushed open the door!

At this moment, the entire room had already been enveloped in purple-black toxic mist. Fang Xu held his breath, trying to prevent the absorption of the toxic mist.

"No… I can't anymore." Gu Qiu weakly shook her head, her pretty face already turned purple.

"Senior Sister, hold on, I'll take you to find Elder Sen."

For a moment, sensations of decay, decline, weakness, and various other negative feelings flooded Fang Xu's perception!

"Fang Xu, sacred body… explosion… power exceeds… my imagination."

Feeling all this, Fang Xu felt a surge of joy in his heart.

"Senior Sister?"

Holding Gu Qiu, Fang Xu immediately prepared to walk out of the room.

The toxic mist permeating the room surged frantically into his body through his skin's pores.

But at this very moment, the three layers of Dao Ji deep in his sea of consciousness suddenly emitted a slight tremor, followed by a wave of light that enveloped his entire sea of consciousness!

The toxic mist that had surged into his sea of consciousness was instantly dispersed!

But by now, a large amount of toxin had already invaded his limbs and bones; the power of the Xuan Yang Dao Ji and Xuan Shui Dao Ji could not extend beyond his body.

Fang Xu immediately struggled to grasp Gu Qiu's hand, trying to mobilize the power of the Xuan Shui Dao Ji and Xuan Yang Dao Ji to help her resist the sacred body's explosion.

It seems Gu Qiu's sacred body should be related to poison.

But just then, he suddenly realized that the medicinal energy in his body had already been completely corroded by this omnipresent toxin.

At this moment, the medicinal energy from the pills he had taken two days ago finally took effect.

"Hurry and kill me!"

After reaching the Martial Venerable realm, logically speaking, ordinary toxins should no longer pose any threat to him.

Fang Xu shook his head: "There will be a way!"

Hearing her words, Fang Xu paid no heed, directly reached out and lifted her from the bed.

His sea of consciousness remained uninfected, giving him a brief respite.

At this moment, the toxic mist had gone out of control, likely because the sacred body's explosion had reached its peak state.

Thud!

A sense of powerlessness came over him; Fang Xu only felt his legs go weak, and he collapsed directly onto the ground!

Immediately after, in Fang Xu's astonished perception, the hidden divine servant within his body suddenly moved!

These little cuties, ever since I last harvested and supplemented the fox tribe's demonesses at the Ti Lan Shan ruins, injecting them with a large amount of Blood Qi Power, they have fallen into some kind of metamorphosis.

At this critical moment, these little guys were startled awake.

A large number of divine servitors began to wander within Fang Xu's body, and wherever they passed, those overwhelmingly domineering toxins were directly devoured clean by the divine servitors.

Soon, the toxic mist within Fang Xu's body was directly devoured clean by the divine servitors; moreover, these little guys spontaneously spread throughout Fang Xu's flesh and blood, devouring the continuously incoming toxic mist on the spot.

Having regained his mobility, Fang Xu directly infused the power of the Xuan Shui Dao Ji and Xuan Yang Dao Ji into Gu Qiu's body.

The energy of the Xuan Yang Dao Ji and Xuan Shui Dao Ji and the energy of Gu Qiu's holy body were constantly fighting, maintaining a certain balance for a short time.

Fang Xu was about to sigh in relief when he suddenly noticed that Gu Qiu's life force was growing weaker and weaker.

No!

At this very moment, he suddenly realized that maintaining this balance could not possibly preserve Gu Qiu's life!

Because at this very moment, the Xuan Yang Dao Ji and Xuan Shui Dao Ji, in their struggle against the holy body's toxic mist, were using Gu Qiu's body as the battlefield.

Both sides maintained a balance, but Gu Qiu's body was constantly enduring the ravages of three forces.

We must find a way to solve the root of the problem; we cannot wage a prolonged war!

Having realized the crux of the problem, Fang Xu immediately mobilized more power in an attempt to crush the toxins within Gu Qiu's body.

But this toxin originates from Gu Qiu's holy body.

On the other hand, Gu Qiu's body is the source of the toxin; to crush the toxin's source, one must destroy Gu Qiu's body.

This is an unsolvable dead cycle.

"Senior sister?"

Maintaining this balance, Fang Xu tried to awaken Gu Qiu.

Bearing this holy body, he felt that Gu Qiu should be the one who understands her own body best, and now only by asking her directly might a solution to the problem be found.

Gu Qiu slowly woke up, looking at Fang Xu before her, she felt somewhat dazed.

"Senior sister?"

Fang Xu called out, but Gu Qiu now seemed to have lost her memory, the whole person was bewildered.

After a long while——

Just as Fang Xu was preparing to go all out, summoning his Xuan Shui soul out, Gu Qiu moved.

She slowly extended her own hands, embracing Fang Xu's neck.

Subsequently, her cold lips directly kissed Fang Xu's lips.

Fang Xu's body stiffened, feeling a large amount of toxic mist, as if possessing life, surge through his mouth into his own body!

His body instinctively wanted to push Gu Qiu away!

"Fang Xu, no matter what I do, you must cooperate with me……"

Suddenly, Gu Qiu's words flashed in Fang Xu's mind; he suppressed the urge to push her away, allowing those toxins to enter his body, then be digested bit by bit by the divine servitors.

After an unknown amount of time, Fang Xu gradually felt Gu Qiu's lips regain some warmth, and the surrounding purple-black toxic mist also became much thinner.

"Mm……"

The Gu Qiu in his arms let out a soft cry; Fang Xu suddenly felt a small, playful tongue nimbly slip past his teeth.

Kissing with tongue extension?

Isn't that hooliganism?

He wanted to see if Gu Qiu had already recovered, but the pair of jade arms around his neck at this moment were tightly holding him, not letting him escape.

Unable to resist, he could only enjoy it.

One large and one small tongue chased each other in the narrow space, and both of their body temperatures rose rapidly.

The person in his arms twisted, actively turning over to press Fang Xu beneath her.

Subsequently, they rudely tore apart each other's barriers.

Fang Xu was somewhat dazed.

Painfully and happily enjoying it.

At this moment, Gu Qiu seemed like a different person, wild enough to make Fang Xu somewhat afraid.

Given that both of their cultivations were not weak, plus Gu Qiu's wildness, it was not until the sky began to lighten that they finally calmed down.

"Fang Xu, do you think I……am very wanton……"

On the bed, Gu Qiu suddenly turned over, propping her chin with her elbows, gazing at Fang Xu with affectionate eyes and asking.

Fang Xu smiled and shook his head, saying nothing.

Gu Qiu quietly rested her head on his chest and murmured: "Do you still remember the scene you saw in my illusion back then?"

"Hmm?" Fang Xu gave a soft hum.

Gu Qiu smiled like a flower: "That was you, the man fishing was you."

Fang Xu was somewhat surprised, then asked again: "Those children are……"

"Our children." Gu Qiu said with a smile.

Fang Xu, upon hearing this, was somewhat dazed: "That could be over ten children, all ours?"

Gu Qiu smiled without speaking, then blushed slightly and said: "I asked you what else you saw in the illusion, just afraid you saw my appearance from last night……"

Hearing this, Fang Xu couldn't help but laugh.

This is indeed somewhat terrifying.

Back then, if that goateed goat had just released this scene……it would be unimaginable.

"How is your body now?" Fang Xu suddenly asked.

Gu Qiu shook her head: "My holy body is the Wan Gu Holy Body, naturally suited for cultivating the Gu path."

"But gu and poison are inseparable, so my body will continuously accumulate toxins with age."

Every time the full moon arrives, these toxins erupt once; the usual eruptions are bearable, but the major eruption every ten years is the most dangerous time.

Hearing this, Fang Xu's eyes showed a hint of worry.

He had thought he had completely resolved Gu Qiu's Saint Body issue last night, never expecting it was only temporarily suppressed.

"So, in ten years, you'll still have to face another life-and-death crisis?"

Gu Qiu nodded: "Each eruption of the Saint Body makes it stronger than the last."

"So, these ten years, you must cherish me well; perhaps in the next ten years I won't be able to accompany you."

Saying this, she turned over again...

Fang Xu blinked slightly: "Still coming?"

"Mm-hmm... ten years isn't that long."

The sky grew bright; Fang Xu, feeling slightly fatigued, walked out of the courtyard gate, while Gu Qiu behind him was radiant and full of vigor.

"It feels great to be alive..." She stretched, Gu Qiu squinting her eyes toward the morning sun in the sky.

"Come on, I'll take you to a good place."

She reached out and pulled Fang Xu, and the two walked toward outside the valley.

At the center of the Immortal Island, before a towering stone pagoda that rose like clouds, Gu Qiu gazed at the stone pagoda and said: "This is the place!"

Fang Xu curiously looked at the stone pagoda before him: "What place is this?"

"The Creation Immortal Pagoda."

"Do you remember when I told you before that resource allocation for Immortal Island disciples mainly depends on the Three Lists?"

"The Creation Immortal Pagoda before you is the key to the Rising Stars List, one of the Three Lists."

Gu Qiu said this, directly pulling him to the side of a stone tablet, pointing at the densely packed names on it and saying: "These are the names on the Rising Stars List."

Before the stone tablet, Fang Xu glanced and saw Gu Qiu ranked 98th, somewhat surprised: "You made it into the top hundred?"

Hearing this, Gu Qiu glared at him fiercely: "In your eyes, am I really that bad?"

Fang Xu gave an embarrassed smile, saying nothing.

In his eyes, Gu Qiu's strength was indeed not great, only at the eighth level of Martial Venerable, with杂杂 methods; her making it into the top hundred was indeed somewhat beyond Fang Xu's expectation.

"I am strong, damn it!"

Seeing Fang Xu's expression, Gu Qiu was very dissatisfied!

"Mm-hmm, you are strong..." Fang Xu gave a perfunctory glance, then frowned at the top few names on the Rising Stars List: "It seems Kong Shijie's name isn't on this list..."

"Her?" Gu Qiu pouted: "The Rising Stars List only records disciples who have entered Immortal Island within fifty years; her seniority is even greater than Senior Brother Jiang Feng's."

Fang Xu nodded and asked: "Then is her name now on the Hidden Dragon List?"

Gu Qiu, somewhat unconvinced, nodded: "Thirty-third on the Hidden Dragon List."

Thirty-third on the Hidden Dragon List?

Fang Xu secretly calculated: Strictly speaking, my great battle with Kong Jie earlier was not truly a victory for me.

It was only because the Xuan Water Soul happened to counter her Xuan Yang Saint Body; without the Xuan Water Soul, the gap between me and Kong Jie would still remain.

After all, Kong Jie's cultivation has already reached the late stage of Elemental Martial.

"Who is first on the Rising Stars List?" Gazing at the name "Liu Xin" at the top of the Rising Stars List, Fang Xu asked curiously.

"You don't know him?" Gu Qiu countered.

Fang Xu was quite puzzled: "I've only been on Immortal Island a few days; how would I know him?"

Gu Qiu laughed: "Because he and you are both from Yu State."

Both from Yu State?

Fang Xu suddenly thought of someone!

The disciple of Jiang Lu, the steward of the Dengxian Terrace at the Yu State Ascension Immortal Association branch, that mysterious senior brother who only knew firewood chopping and bitter cultivation.

Could he be Liu Xin?

This person is so impressive!

During his time at the Yu State Ascension Immortal Association, he remained obscure; the first time I heard his name was after Ji Yushan Tianyi, when he became a core disciple of Immortal Island.

Now it's the second time.

Liu Xin's experience made Fang Xu feel somewhat unbelievable.

"Are the numbers after their names the levels?" Noticing the "seventy-six" after Liu Xin's name, Fang Xu asked.

Gu Qiu nodded: "For every thirty levels cleared on the Creation Immortal Terrace, one gains an opportunity to observe the Nameless Immortal Scripture."

"I am currently at level fifty-seven; this Saint Body eruption also counts as a blessing in disguise; today I'll try to see if I can break through level sixty."

"If I pass level sixty, I will not only gain more cultivation resources, but also gain another opportunity to observe the Nameless Immortal Scripture."

"Then, during the next Saint Body eruption, I will have an extra thread of survival chance."

"Let's go."

Pulling Fang Xu to the front of the stone pagoda gate.

"Senior brother, we're here to challenge the tower!" Gu Qiu handed her identity token to the old man guarding the stone pagoda gate.

Seeing this, Fang Xu also took out his identity token.

After registering the two, the old man returned their tokens and said: "There is someone inside the tower; you need to wait a moment."

Gu Qiu nodded, bringing Fang Xu to silently stare at the challengers coming out of the tower beside them.

Afterwards, many more challengers came one after another.

Someone noticed Fang Xu off to the side, and immediately, as if discovering a new continent, rushed over to ask: "Fang Xu, junior brother, are you here to challenge the tower?"

Fang Xu nodded.

That person, upon hearing it, became somewhat excited and hurried back to his companions, muttering in a low voice.

The great battle between Fang Xu and Kong Jie on the Immortal Martial Platform a few days ago was witnessed by many people.

Fang Xu's strength had already spread among the core disciples of the Immortal Island.

At this moment, encountering Fang Xu coming to challenge the Fortune Immortal Tower, for the disciples of the Immortal Island who usually have few major events, this also counts as a significant piece of news.

After a few disciples conferred, they immediately passed on this message.

Seeing the small movements of those few people, Fang Xu helplessly shook his head.

He still does not particularly like this life of being watched wherever he goes.

Gu Qiu noticed his displeasure and smiled faintly: "Just get used to it, unless you want to learn from Junior Brother Liu Xin and find a deserted place to live in seclusion."

Fang Xu smiled slightly and said nothing.

After the news of his intention to challenge the tower spread, a large number of disciples who enjoy watching the excitement soon arrived before the Fortune Immortal Tower.

These people, upon confirming that Fang Xu was there to challenge the tower, gathered in front of the stone tablet of the Newcomer Ranking, waiting.

Time passed bit by bit, and soon a dispirited disciple walked out from inside the tower.

As he passed by Fang Xu and Gu Qiu, the disciple glanced at the two of them, said nothing, and left directly.

"You first, or me first?" Gu Qiu asked.

"You go first." Fang Xu said indifferently.

Gu Qiu nodded and walked straight into the stone tower.

At this moment, Fang Xu also arrived before the Newcomer Ranking, silently staring at Gu Qiu's rank of ninety-eighth.

Time passed bit by bit, and on the stone tablet, Gu Qiu's name suddenly jumped, directly from ninety-eighth to eighty-third.

A difference of one layer, the term directly rose by more than ten.

Subsequently, after about a quarter of an hour had passed, Gu Qiu's name flashed again, jumping from eighty-third to seventy-fifth.

A hint of a smile appeared on Fang Xu's face: fifty-nine layers, just one layer away from the target.

He roughly glanced over; if he could reach the sixtieth layer, Gu Qiu's term on the Newcomer Ranking should reach the top thirty.

On the stone tablet, Gu Qiu's name finally flashed once more and then jumped directly to sixtieth place.

Sixtieth layer, sixtieth rank.

On the Newcomer Ranking, there are as many as thirty people stuck at this layer.

The crowd gathered before the stone tablet did not show much surprise at Gu Qiu's consecutive breakthroughs.

Gu Qiu's strength is evident; many people are very clear about it.

Everyone waited patiently for another half hour, and then Gu Qiu's name on the stone tablet suddenly surged upward by a large margin, directly reaching twenty-ninth place!

At the same time, the layer number behind her name also reached the sixty-first layer.

Only such a change managed to draw some exclamations from people.

After all, passing the sixtieth layer represents an opportunity to observe the Nameless Immortal Scripture.

Moreover, the resources for the top thirty on the Newcomer Ranking are much better than those for those below the thirtieth.

Gu Qiu's figure walked out from inside the stone tower, her face bearing an undisguised look of joy.

"I passed!"

Upon seeing Fang Xu, Gu Qiu immediately shouted.

Fang Xu nodded: "Truly impressive!"

Hearing his praise, Gu Qiu was very happy.

She knows Fang Xu is certainly much stronger than her, but this praise is still an affirmation of herself.

"Alright, it's your turn now."

Seeing Fang Xu off as he entered the stone tower, Gu Qiu also ran to the stone tablet and stared intently at the name above.

The hundredth place on the Newcomer Ranking corresponds to the fifty-fifth layer.

Fang Xu wants to make the ranking, so he must first break through to the fifty-fifth layer.

Inside the stone tower, after Fang Xu entered, he curiously surveyed his surroundings.

Where are the enemies?

Just as this thought arose in his mind, the stone door opposite slowly opened, and a huge figure appeared at the doorway.

A puppet?

Seeing this figure, Fang Xu slightly shook his head.

He had thought this so-called Fortune Immortal Tower would have some different means.

It turns out it's also a puppet.

Without moving his mind or body, his figure suddenly flashed, and with a single punch he shattered the puppet before him!

Strangely, after the puppet before him was shattered, although some fragments remained, they gradually dissipated, just like the death of a monster in a game from his previous life.

"What phenomenon is this?"

Fang Xu, somewhat curious, wanted to pick up the last few fragments that had not dissipated to examine them.

But those fragments, when they reached his hand, still slowly dissipated.

"Quite miraculous."

He clapped his palms, and following the stairs, quickly arrived at the second layer.

This time, two puppets appeared.

Still easily dealt with.

After blasting the two puppets to pieces, Fang Xu this time took the lead in picking up the arm of one of the puppets.

Metallic feel, very hard, completely unlike something virtual.

But that arm ultimately still slowly turned into specks of light in his hand.

After several rounds of research, Fang Xu could only attribute this strange phenomenon to the wonder of the Creation Immortal Tower.

No longer researching why these puppets dissipated after being killed, Fang Xu quickly rushed toward the top of the stone tower.

Tenth layer... twentieth layer... thirtieth layer!

In the span of half an hour, he had already reached the thirtieth layer.

The stone tower seems to have an interesting rule: the number of puppets on each layer corresponds to the layer number.

Fang Xu is currently on the thirtieth layer, so the number of puppets is thirty.

According to Fang Xu's estimate, the individual strength of these thirty puppets has already reached around the third level of Martial Venerable.

Facing thirty attacks from Martial Venerable third-level cultivators, even an ordinary Martial Venerable fifth-level cultivator would likely find it difficult to pass.

But for Fang Xu, this poses no pressure at all.

Whether it's thirty or three hundred, it's merely a waste of time and energy.

After passing the thirtieth layer, next came the thirty-first layer... fortieth layer, fiftieth layer.

Soon, his name appeared on the stone tablet of the Newcomer Ranking.

"He's out! He's out!"

"What incredible speed!"

"He reached the fifty-fifth layer in just over an hour!"

"What layer do you all think Junior Brother Fang will ultimately reach?"

"No need to say—at least the top three!"

"I don't think so. You must know that inside the Creation Immortal Tower, one cannot absorb heavenly and earthly energy to replenish oneself. Junior Brother Fang's strength is strong, but his cultivation is still too low—only Martial Venerable third level."

"What's wrong with Martial Venerable third level? One-shot kills all the way—at least top three!"

"Top three is a bit risky; top ten should be about right."

"I think the same. Listening to the senior brothers who reached the top ten, after entering the sixtieth layer, each layer's increase makes the difficulty nearly double. You haven't noticed that besides the first-place Liu Xin Junior Brother, the other senior brothers' layers are only in the sixties, right?"

The crowd began to discuss.

"Gu Qiu Junior Sister, how many layers do you think Junior Brother Fang can reach?" Someone turned toward Gu Qiu in the crowd and asked.

"First!"

Gu Qiu spoke with full confidence.

Upon hearing this, everyone laughed.

That laughter was entirely disbelief.

Gu Qiu also couldn't be bothered to argue with them, for she knew Fang Xu's strength very well.

After Fang Xu's name appeared on the stone tablet, it would jump up every so often, quickly surpassing Gu Qiu and reaching the top thirty.

When he reached the sixty-first layer, his name's ascent speed finally slowed down.

Inside the stone tower, Fang Xu looked at the dense puppets before him, and his brows furrowed.

Since arriving at the sixty-first layer, he suddenly noticed that the puppets' coordination had gained a hint of tacit understanding.

Moreover, every ten puppets could form a small formation, and these formations alternated in cooperation—either defending or attacking—truly resembling a well-trained army.

Furthermore, the material of these puppets' bodies was extremely hard, no longer something Fang Xu could easily obliterate.

A flash of light in his hand, Fang Xu used a weapon for the first time.

And at the very moment he gripped the black iron staff, the more than sixty puppets before him also underwent a change!

A strange liquid suddenly emerged from their bodies, rapidly covering their entire forms, forming armor and a sharp long spear!

Seeing this, Fang Xu was stunned.

Can it even be played like this?

It seems that when he fights bare-handed, they fight bare-handed; when he uses a weapon, they switch to armor and also use their own weapons.

Is this still a puppet?

Gripping the black iron staff, he froze for a moment, then immediately charged into these puppets and began a massive slaughter!

With his overwhelming strength and the black iron staff in hand, even though these puppets had grown a layer of hard armor, they were all smashed to pieces by Fang Xu's few strikes!

Soon, the puppets of the sixty-first layer were all killed.

Looking at the puppet parts slowly disappearing on the ground, Fang Xu's brows slightly furrowed.

The strength of the puppets on this sixty-first layer has already reached the sixth level of Martial Venerable; sixty-one Martial Venerable sixth-level puppets besieging him—even a Martial Venerable eighth-level cultivator would likely find it difficult to pass.

Gu Qiu probably retreated after reaching the sixty-first layer.

Continue forward.

Sixty-second layer, sixty-third layer...

Soon, Fang Xu's figure appeared before the stone gate of the sixty-ninth layer.

At this moment, his ranking on the stone tablet had already reached third place.

Above him were only Liu Xin and one called Ling Xin, whose layer was the seventieth.

Clearly, he had reached the seventieth layer but had not yet passed it.

Fang Xu took a deep breath and slowly stepped onto the seventieth layer.

When the monsters of the seventieth layer appeared, Fang Xu suddenly felt somewhat surprised.

Ten!

The seventieth layer has only ten puppets.

Since puppets are not living beings, Fang Xu could only roughly sense through their energy fluctuations that the approximate strength of these ten puppets was around the eighth level of Martial Venerable!

Moreover, the ten puppets before him looked clearly different from the puppets he had encountered before.

Fang Xu gripped the black iron staff, preparing to launch a swift attack, but two of the ten puppets opposite him moved first!

Crack!

Crack!

Two massive puppets underwent changes first, with large amounts of copper-colored liquid flowing out from within them!

This copper-colored liquid quickly condensed in their hands into a large shield!

Immediately afterward, two smaller puppets behind them also moved.

The two puppets flickered and actually vanished directly under Fang Xu's gaze!

Clang!

Clang!

After the two small puppets disappeared, the remaining six puppets, coordinating very well, attacked Fang Xu!

The two giant shield puppets guarded the flanks, and six spear-wielding puppets launched a charge!

Their speed was very fast; in the blink of an eye, they had charged to Fang Xu's front!

Boom!

Seeing this, Fang Xu immediately raised the black iron staff in his hand and smashed it down upon the charging puppets!

At this moment, the shield puppets guarding the flanks directly leapt forward, raising their large shields to block Fang Xu's strike!

After Fang Xu's strike, which contained eighty percent of his strength, was blocked by the two shield puppets, the two shield puppets merely retreated a single step!

Whoosh!

Taking advantage of Fang Xu's blocked strike, the six spear-wielding puppets behind launched a sudden assault!

The spears in their hands thrust out, sending streaks of sharp light flying toward Fang Xu's body!

Just as Fang Xu shifted his body to dodge, he suddenly felt a faint tearing sound coming from his left side!

The next moment, a black dagger appeared out of nowhere and stabbed toward his head!

Clang!

The black iron staff in his hand precisely blocked the dagger's blade; Fang Xu's body suddenly leapt backward, then followed with an iron bridge!

As his body bent downward, another black dagger brushed past his face!

Two assassin-type puppets!

Having temporarily evaded the dangerous encirclement, Fang Xu silently observed the puppets before him, his eyes narrowing slightly.

He did not know what these things before him actually were!

If they were true puppets, the Immortal Island could mass-produce them and then slaughter all the enemies eyeing the Immortal Island!

After all, puppets fear neither life nor death, and relying on numbers alone could bury those people!

But after these puppets died, their bodies became illusory, turning into points of light and vanishing, which made Fang Xu feel they were not true puppets.

Perhaps they cease to exist once they leave the stone tower.

What is that stone tower?

The puppets opposite him gave him no time to ponder, launching another attack!

Fang Xu raised his staff to block, and both sides engaged in fierce combat.

Unfortunately, with the two shield-wielding puppets present, his attacks could always be precisely blocked.

Furthermore, with the harassment from the two assassin-type puppets, Fang Xu and these ten puppets fought for a long time without being able to annihilate them!

Roar!

Fang Xu, filled with fighting spirit, directly employed the Magic Ape Three Transformations!

A three-zhang magic ape phantom appeared behind him, and the magic ape phantom swung a heaven-reaching great staff!

Boom!

With just this strike, it directly smashed the two shield puppets into fragments, and the several puppets behind them also suffered severe damage!

Boom!

Another strike downward, and the remaining few spear-wielding puppets were instantly smashed to pieces!

At the same time, the two assassin-type puppets also launched a deadly assault on him!

But Fang Xu's body at this moment was already enveloped by the magic ape phantom; the two black daggers stabbed into the magic ape phantom, making no progress!

Fang Xu turned and swept horizontally; the violent attack directly blasted the two small puppets hidden in the darkness into flight, mid-air, they exploded into a pile of fragments!

Seventieth level, finally passed!

Next is the seventy-first level.

This level also has ten puppets, with the same configuration as the seventieth level.

But the puppets' strength has already reached the Martial Sovereign Ninth Level!

Fang Xu fought them for a long time, and ultimately, even after using divine powers, he still could not kill them!

As time passed bit by bit, doubt welled up in Fang Xu's heart.

How did that Senior Brother Liu Xin pass through this level of such intensity?

According to this intensity, wouldn't the puppet strength on the seventy-sixth level be infinitely close to the Prime Martial Realm?

Ten clearly divided Prime Martial Realm experts surrounding and attacking—would even Kong Jie, a late-stage Prime Martial Realm expert, not be able to withstand it?

Furthermore, combined with these puppets' abnormal defensive power...

The more Fang Xu thought, the more curious he became about Liu Xin's current strength.

After fighting the ten puppets of the seventy-first level for nearly an hour, Fang Xu, who had killed six of them, was ultimately struck in the head by an assassin-type puppet and forcibly ejected from the Immortal Tower!

When he walked out of the stone tower, the sky had already darkened.

The stone tablet of the Newcomer Ranking stood before them, and many of the watching disciples had already left.

Seeing Fang Xu emerge, Gu Qiu hurried over to greet him: "How did it feel?"

Fang Xu frowned and shook his head: "Something feels off."

Gu Qiu asked curiously: "What feels off?"

After thinking for a moment, Fang Xu still voiced his suspicion.

"I believe Senior Brother Liu Xin's strength shouldn't be much greater than mine, but how did he manage to clear all the way to the seventy-sixth floor?"

Seeing Fang Xu deep in thought, Gu Qiu smiled and said: "It's not hard to figure this out—why don't we just go see Junior Brother Liu Xin?"

After saying that, she grabbed Fang Xu and ran toward the place where Liu Xin lived in seclusion.

It was a vast uninhabited area, with no other disciples' dwellings nearby.

When Fang Xu and Gu Qiu arrived, they heard the sound of chopping wood.

"It's just ahead." Hearing the chopping, Gu Qiu spoke up.

"Do you know Senior Brother Liu Xin?" Fang Xu asked curiously.

Gu Qiu nodded: "I've come here before to catch some poisonous insects—I've seen him twice."

"Let's go."

Following the sound of chopping, the two soon saw a figure wearing coarse cloth, with a headscarf wrapped around his head, swinging an axe around a large tree that two people could barely encircle.

"Liu..."

Gu Qiu was about to call out when Fang Xu grabbed her.

His eyes fixed on the chopping Liu Xin, Fang Xu felt something strange.

"What's wrong?" Gu Qiu asked, puzzled.

Fang Xu shook his head and whispered: "Close your eyes."

Gu Qiu didn't understand, but obediently closed her eyes.

"Huh?"

She suddenly opened her eyes, looked at Liu Xin, then closed them again, and stared in surprise at Fang Xu: "He..."

Fang Xu gave a bitter smile and shook his head: "I don't know what's going on either."

"The person is right before our eyes, but when we close our eyes, our souls detect no fluctuation whatsoever."

To be precise, in our soul perception, Liu Xin seems to not exist at all.

Crash!

At that moment, the giant tree before them was finally felled by his axe.

The massive tree crashed to the ground, and Liu Xin's movements stopped.

At that moment, Fang Xu suddenly realized his soul perception could now sense Liu Xin's presence.

"Senior Sister Gu."

"This is..."

Liu Xin also noticed the two, bowed his hands in greeting to Gu Qiu, then turned his gaze to Fang Xu.

"Senior Brother Liu, I'm Fang Xu, from the Yu State branch."

"Fang Xu..." Liu Xin pondered for a moment, then spoke: "So you're Junior Brother Fang—I've heard your name since our time at Huayang Mountain."

"Senior Sister Gu, Junior Brother Fang, please wait a moment."

Holding his axe, Liu Xin simply trimmed the trunk of the fallen tree before him, then invited the two to a nearby wooden hut.

"My humble abode is simple—please don't mind its roughness."

The wooden hut before them was clearly built by Liu Xin himself, with no aesthetic appeal whatsoever.

On the left side of the hut stood a low shed, inside which were placed numerous wood carvings of various sizes.

Fang Xu leaned in for a closer look and found these carvings exquisitely detailed—though unpainted, they were lifelike and vivid.

Especially the few fierce tigers, which looked as if they might pounce and devour someone at any moment.

"Senior Brother Liu's carving skills are truly awe-inspiring." Fang Xu remarked.

Liu Xin blushed slightly and smiled: "Just idle whittling when I have nothing else to do."

"Senior Sister Gu, Junior Brother Fang, you've come so late—what brings you here?" Liu Xin asked curiously.

He usually avoids social contact and has no particular ties with the people of the Immortal Island.

"We have some questions we'd like to ask you, Senior Brother." Fang Xu said.

He knew that with someone like Liu Xin, it was best to be direct.

"Junior Brother, please speak." Liu Xin gestured with his hand.

Fang Xu thought for a moment, then said: "Today I visited the Creation Immortal Pagoda, and was eliminated on the seventy-first floor of the earthly levels."

Liu Xin laughed: "Junior Brother, are you asking how I managed to pass?"

Fang Xu nodded: "I observe that your current cultivation is merely the peak of Martial Sovereign—you haven't yet broken through to the Elementary Martial realm..."

Liu Xin said nothing, merely lifting the axe beside him used for chopping wood: "To be honest, I myself can't explain it clearly."

"But I fear you might think I'm being stingy and unwilling to share, so I'll demonstrate it for you, Senior Brother."

Gripping the axe, Liu Xin's aura gradually became inwardly restrained.

Then, under Fang Xu's astonished gaze, his Martial Sovereign Peak cultivation gradually faded away, as if he were just an ordinary woodcutter.

Moreover, after his aura was fully contained, he slowly raised the axe in his hand and brought it down toward Fang Xu.

This axe strike had no flourish whatsoever—indeed, its speed was no different from that of an ordinary commoner chopping firewood.

But in Fang Xu's eyes, it was different.

As Liu Xin's axe came down, everything around him changed!

The wooden hut, the trees, even Gu Qiu vanished from sight—before his eyes only a single axe flashing with cold light slowly descended!

Fang Xu wanted to dodge, but suddenly found his body unable to move!

As the axe drew ever closer, seeming about to split his skull in the next instant, everything around him suddenly returned.

At that moment, Liu Xin held the axe raised above Fang Xu's forehead.

Gu Qiu watched the two with some curiosity.

In her eyes, Liu Xin said he would demonstrate something for Fang Xu.

Then he slowly lifted the axe.

And slowly placed the axe before Fang Xu's brow.

To Gu Qiu, this action seemed utterly unremarkable.

Even a martial novice could easily dodge it.

Yet Fang Xu stood rooted, face showing a look of alarm.

What on earth was going on?

"Did you feel it, Junior Brother?" Liu Xin withdrew the axe and asked.

Fang Xu came to his senses from the strange situation, heart still pounding as he looked at Liu Xin.

He knew, if Liu Xin had harbored even the slightest intent to kill him just then, he would have had no chance to dodge!

This was too strange!

"Senior Brother, is this a martial technique or a secret art?" Fang Xu said in a deep voice.

Liu Xin shook his head: "I don't know either."

"When I was in Yu State, I also asked my master—he didn't know either."

Fang Xu frowned slightly.

"So Senior Brother relied on this one move to reach the seventy-sixth level?"

Liu Xin nodded: "The two assassin-type puppets on the seventy-sixth level are too fast—I was eliminated by them."

Fang Xu suddenly understood.

Afterwards, he glanced at Liu Xin and bowed his hands: "Thank you, Senior Brother, for the information. We two will not disturb you further."

The shock Liu Xin's move gave him was truly immense.

He decided to return and contemplate it thoroughly.

After leaving Liu Xin's place, Fang Xu's mind kept replaying that very move.

Seeing this, Gu Qiu asked curiously: "Junior Brother Liu, was there anything strange about that move just now?"

"I think he just swung the axe casually."

Upon hearing this, Fang Xu gave a bitter smile and looked at him: "If he had harbored killing intent just then, I would surely die."

A trace of alarm appeared on Gu Qiu's face.

She looked at Fang Xu's expression with some worry.

This was the first time she had seen such helplessness and dejection in Fang Xu's eyes.

"Is his move really that formidable?"

Fang Xu nodded: "Let's hurry back—I must get to the bottom of this."

Returning to the valley, Fang Xu said little, went straight to his room, and began to contemplate Liu Xin's strike just now.

Sitting cross-legged on the bed, a sharp axe once again appeared in his mind.

Fang Xu imagined using every means he had to block and dodge it.

But no matter how he responded, he found it all futile.

He could not dodge it!

In his perception, once that axe fell, it seemed inevitable that it would behead him!

After countless simulations, Fang Xu helplessly realized he seemed to have only two options: dodge or kill Liu Xin before he struck, otherwise there was no chance of victory!

No!

This definitely isn't right!

Fang Xu felt he must have fallen into some misunderstanding.

In terms of strength, he follows the ancient martial path, and his strength as a Martial Sovereign of the Three Realms absolutely surpasses Liu Xin by a great deal.

Moreover, whether in speed or strength, he should be superior to Liu Xin.

So why does that move give him a sense of being unable to dodge or overcome?

His soul repeatedly simulated it in his sea of consciousness.

Days passed one by one.

Spring came and went, autumn arrived—in the blink of an eye, Fang Xu's seclusion had nearly reached a year.

During this time, Gu Qiu came to see him many times; if she couldn't sense his life force still somewhat stable, she would have thought Fang Xu had passed away in meditation.

Time arrived at the annual sacrifice.

After nearly a year of seclusion, Fang Xu finally awoke.

Yet even now, his eyes were still filled with confusion.

After waking, he gave a bitter smile and shook his head.

Having sat in vain for nearly a year, he still had not grasped the true meaning of Liu Xin's axe strike.

That day, Old Yuan and Long Dragon came.

Their dwelling had already been completed; they came now to invite Fang Xu to visit and take a look.

Coincidentally, they met Fang Xu just as he emerged from seclusion.

After visiting the residence of Changlong and the old ape together with Guqiu, the old ape spoke: "Fang Xu, you've been in seclusion for so long—any gains?"

Fang Xu shook his head: "I nearly went into qi deviation, but still have no clue."

"Senior Brother Fang Xu, go check out the Nameless Immortal Scripture," Changlong suddenly said: "After becoming Mountain Lord, we also gained a chance to comprehend the Immortal Scripture, and we went during the earlier period."

Fang Xu, upon hearing this, asked curiously: "How does it feel?"

Changlong shook his head: "Can't describe it—only you can feel it after going yourself."

Hearing this, Fang Xu looked at Guqiu: "Is the Nameless Immortal Scripture really that miraculous?"

Guqiu nodded slightly: "The Alliance Leader back then rose to prominence relying on the Immortal Scripture—what do you think?"

The Nameless Immortal Scripture can be said to be the greatest foundation of the Ascension Alliance, and also the most important cultivation resource.

The Cliffside Heavenly Scripture of the Yu State branch of the Ascension Alliance is actually just something casually discarded aside when the Nameless Immortal Scripture was discovered.

The Cliffside Heavenly Scripture is already miraculous enough—it can enable one to perceive the existence of divine abilities.

"Alright, I'll go check it out tomorrow," Fang Xu said.

As a core disciple, he will gain one opportunity to comprehend the Nameless Immortal Scripture.

Later, after storming the Creation Immortal Pagoda, he gained two more opportunities to comprehend the Nameless Immortal Scripture.

Added together, that makes three.

"By the way, take this," Guqiu directly produced a Qiankun bag and handed it to Fang Xu: "Inside are your cultivation resources."

Fang Xu took the Qiankun bag, opened it, glanced inside, and pulled out a gleaming irregular stone: "What is this?"

"Spirit Crystal Marrow," Changlong replied first.

Spirit Crystal Marrow?

Fang Xu asked curiously: "What is it?"

The old ape chuckled: "Similar to the Creation Immortal Elixir—both are condensed from heavenly and earthly energy."

Hearing this, Fang Xu gave a wry smile: "You all knew?"

Guqiu explained: "You should have known this long ago—who knew you'd go into seclusion for so long?"

"The energy of Spirit Crystal Marrow can be absorbed by cultivators—it's extremely precious."

"Disciples ranked in the top thirty of the Newcomers' List receive only one piece per month; top twenty get two; top three get five."

"Yours are all in here."

Upon hearing this, Fang Xu nodded and tried to absorb the energy of the Spirit Crystal Marrow, but suddenly found the stone in his hand heating up.

Then—

Boom!

The Spirit Crystal Marrow in his hand directly exploded, and dense heavenly and earthly energy slowly dispersed from it, while the stone gradually turned into an ordinary crystal.

"What's going on!?"

This sudden change startled Changlong and the other two.

A cold smile curled at the corner of Fang Xu's mouth as he lifted his head to gaze at the sky.

Damn thing, they really went all out!

They won't even let me absorb the energy of the Spirit Crystal Marrow?

Unable to absorb its energy, the Spirit Crystal Marrow in his hand can probably only be used as currency.

After transferring everything from the Qiankun bag into his own Qiankun bag, Fang Xu, the old ape, and Changlong chatted for a while before following Guqiu away.

That night, Guqiu, who had endured nearly a year of hardship, finally found release; the two of them tossed and turned until dawn before resting.

After dawn, Fang Xu quietly rose, washed up simply, and directly left the valley.

After inquiring along the way, he discovered that the Nameless Immortal Scripture is actually located on the peak of the Immortal Island's highest mountain.

After several twists and turns, Fang Xu passed through layer after layer of checkpoints and finally reached the summit.

On the vast, mist-wreathed plaza, an ancient stone stele stood silently, one corner seemingly chipped by a sharp tool, though fortunately the inscriptions on the stele remained undamaged.

Fang Xu approached the stele, raised his head to gaze at the towering stele several zhang high, wondering how he should comprehend it, when an aged voice suddenly came from afar.

"Youngster, first time here?"

Fang Xu snapped his head back, scanned all around, but found no trace of the speaker.

"Don't bother looking—if you want to comprehend the Immortal Scripture, do as I say."

"Place your identity token before the stele, then sit on the futon over there."

Fang Xu hesitated briefly, but still followed the voice's instruction, took out his identity token, placed it in the groove before the stele, and obediently sat on the futon not far away.

Hum!

After doing all that, he suddenly felt the stele before him tremble slightly, followed by a strange power emanating from it.

Wrapped in this strange power, Fang Xu slowly closed his eyes.

In his soul's perception, the stele before him suddenly burst forth with ten thousand golden rays, the inscriptions on it seeming to come alive, each character detaching from the stele and wandering before him.

(End of Chapter)