More than ten days slipped by in a quiet routine of daily cultivation.

At the edge of the Spirit Iron Mine, dawn broke over a secluded clearing. The air was thick with the mine’s characteristic scent, a mixture of metal and dust.

Fang Han slowly brought his movements to a halt. With a light tap of his toes, his body drifted back a few feet like a falling leaf, landing without a sound.

He closed his eyes, sensing the Inner Qi surging through him. In the meridians of his feet, he felt an ever-clearer resonance with the flow of the air.

Even on this final morning, he continued his cultivation as usual, without a hint of complacency.

The twelve basic forms of the Wind Shadow Step were already second nature to him, allowing him to execute them with fluid ease.

He was now attempting to link the twelfth form, Wind and Shadow Following, with the first, Wind Rises from the Green Willow, searching for a seamless flow that would create an endless cycle.

Inner Qi surged through the specific meridians in his feet. His perception, magnified to its limit, captured every subtle change in the surrounding airflow.

He could feel that he was extremely close to the Minor Achievement realm. It was only a matter of time—a few days at least, perhaps more than ten at most—before he would break through.

But if he could achieve a moment of epiphany during his cultivation, he could break through instantly.

’Epiphanies are a matter of luck, not effort. Even with my Stepping Talent boosted sixteen-fold, I can’t just have one whenever I want...’

Fang Han opened his eyes. A flicker of regret passed through them before his expression returned to one of calm.

In the path of cultivation, haste makes waste. Some things can’t be forced.

He then turned his focus inward, examining his Dantian.

The third acupoint he had opened, the Mingmen Acupoint, was developing at an incredible pace thanks to his unwavering daily practice of the Xunfeng Technique and the aid of Peiyuan Pills. It was already over eighty percent full of Inner Qi.

He was not far from the Eighth Grade Realm and opening the next acupoint.

He let out a long breath of stale air, which condensed into a white ribbon in the chilly air, lingering for a long time.

Later that morning, the relief party arrived at the mine right on schedule.

The one leading them was an unfamiliar senior sister. Her expression was stern, and she was meticulous as she went over the handover procedures with Lei Lie.

Fang Han and the others stood in a line to the side, waiting quietly.

Chu Chong stood at the end of the line, his head lowered, deliberately avoiding looking in Fang Han’s direction.

He had been practically invisible for the past ten-odd days, only appearing for mandatory patrols. The physical scars had surely healed, but the humiliation in his heart was not so easily erased.

Fang Han paid him no mind.

To him, Chu Chong was an insignificant figure. Had the man not provoked him first, Fang Han wouldn’t have wasted a single thought on him, even knowing his relation to Chu Feng.

As for dealing with the problem permanently...

Attacking a fellow disciple would have severe consequences if the Sect found out. Unless he was forced into a corner, he didn’t want a repeat of the Zhao Qianjun incident.

The Sect had its own rules. The best solution was to raise his own status within the Sect and use that position to crush this nuisance in the future.

The handover process went smoothly. After confirming everything was in order, Lei Lie led Fang Han and the others back to the Sect.

Back at the Sect, they collected the Contribution Points for this mission at the Task Hall.

’One hundred forty.’

Fang Han sent a wisp of Inner Qi into his Identity Token. The surface of the token shimmered faintly, and a number appeared—"140."

’Before, I had forty points left after exchanging for the Wind Shadow Step.’

’After my cultivation reached the Late Stage of Ninth Grade, my consumption of Peiyuan Pills increased. I bought two more bottles, leaving me with just twenty points.’

’Adding the 120 points from this mission brings the total to exactly 140. The numbers add up.’

Actually, there was still one more batch of Contribution Points that hadn’t arrived: the monthly basic allowance and ranking rewards. They hadn’t been distributed because he was away from the Sect. He would have to wait until the beginning of next month to collect them.

He didn’t linger in the Task Hall. After nodding to a few familiar teammates, Fang Han turned and headed straight back to the Sub-Branch.

He had been gone for a month. When he pushed open the door to Room C-7, a faint smell of dust hit him.

The furnishings inside were unchanged, though a thin layer of dust now covered the table, chairs, and bed.

Fang Han set down his simple travel bag and walked into the courtyard. Spotting a young servant passing by, he waved him over.

"Senior Brother, what can I do for you?"

The servant recognized Fang Han and quickly trotted over, bowing respectfully.

"Could you please tidy up my room?"

Fang Han’s tone was courteous.

"Yes, Senior Brother. Please wait a moment, I’ll go get my tools."

The servant acknowledged and hurried off.

A short while later, the servant returned with his cleaning supplies and began to efficiently tidy the room.

Fang Han didn’t go inside to disturb him. He stood outside with his hands clasped behind his back, observing the changes in the Sub-Branch since he had been away.

"Fang Han? You’re back!"

Just then, a familiar voice drifted over, growing closer.

Fang Han turned to see Xiao Chen approaching from the other end of the corridor.

It had been a month, and Xiao Chen’s aura seemed to have grown more focused. His eyes were brighter.

"Brother Xiao Chen."

A smile touched Fang Han’s lips as he cupped his fist in greeting.

"Fang Han, made any progress with your strength recently?"

Xiao Chen drew closer, looking Fang Han up and down. His tone was inquisitive.

Fang Han found this a bit strange.

Though he and Xiao Chen were on good terms, their conversations were usually about interesting happenings around the Sub-Branch. Xiao Chen was always very tactful and rarely asked so directly about his cultivation progress.

"I’ve made some progress. Why do you ask, Brother Xiao Chen?"

"In the month you’ve been gone, the Sub-Branch rankings... have seen some major changes."

Xiao Chen paused before continuing.

"Just a few days ago, Han Yi and Zhao Lin both successfully raised their ranks. Han Yi is now seventh, and Zhao Lin is eighth. Your rank... they’ve surpassed you. You’ve dropped to ninth."

"Oh, I have?"

A faint glimmer of surprise flashed in Fang Han’s eyes. ’So my rank was surpassed that quickly.’

Still, it wasn’t hard to understand. Every generation of Qingxuan Sect disciples was chosen through rigorous selection across an entire commandery; their talent and disposition were all exceptional.

Furthermore, his batch was rumored to be the most talented in recent years. Fierce competition was only to be expected.

Fortunately, he had not wasted the past month; on the contrary, his progress had been immense.

His Wind-Splitting Swordsmanship had reached the Mastery Realm, and his comprehension and application of Wind Momentum had ascended to a new level. The power of his Sword Techniques was on a completely different level from a month ago.

As for his cultivation, his Mingmen Acupoint was nearly full, and he was not far from breaking through to the Eighth Grade Realm.

With these two factors combined, his Power of Attack was bound to have increased dramatically.

"You seem confident."

Seeing Fang Han’s calm reaction, Xiao Chen immediately understood. Fang Han must have made significant progress; otherwise, he wouldn’t be so composed.

"It’s the end of the month. If you don’t test your rank, you’ll only get the reward for ninth place next month. When are you planning to go to the Martial Arts Stele?"

"There’s no rush. Tomorrow will be fine."

Fang Han said with a slight smile. He had been traveling for hours and wasn’t in peak condition.

Just as they were speaking, the servant finished cleaning and came out to report.

Fang Han said to Xiao Chen, "The room is clean now. I’m going to go in and get settled. We can talk later."

"Alright. I’ll let you get to it, then."

Xiao Chen nodded. He knew Fang Han was weary from his travels and needed to rest, so he took his leave.

Fang Han stepped into the newly cleaned room and shut the door behind him.

Inside, the room was spotless. The air was filled with the faint scent of moisture and clean soap.

He planned to get a good night’s sleep before testing his rank in the morning.

’I wonder how high I can raise my rank tomorrow.’

The morning sun cast a warm glow on the bluestone paths of the Qingxuan Sect’s Junior Courtyard.

Fang Han pushed open the wooden door of Room C-7 and took a deep breath of the fresh morning air.

He felt the soothing relief of a good night’s sleep spread through his entire body. He was refreshed, clear-headed, and in peak condition.

After a simple breakfast in the mess hall, he set down his bowl, wiped his mouth with a cloth, and stood up. He then walked directly toward the wide-open White Jade Plaza at the center of the Sub-Branch.

His pace was unhurried yet steady and powerful.

"Fang Han? Is he... going to the Martial Arts Stele?"

An early-rising disciple noticed that Fang Han wasn’t heading toward the Cultivation Forest as he usually did, but toward the plaza, and couldn’t help but whisper a guess.

"Judging by his direction, that’s probably it. Han Yi and Zhao Lin surpassed him in the rankings. Is he going to take his spot back?"

"Come on, let’s go watch. I wonder what rank he’ll achieve this time."

Curiosity piqued, many disciples called out to their friends and followed him.

Some disciples who had been on their way to cultivate elsewhere also changed their plans, joining the stream of people heading for the plaza.

This commotion naturally attracted the attention of certain individuals.

Han Yi and Zhao Lin happened to meet on a path leading to the plaza.

"Fang Han has gone to the Martial Arts Stele!"

Dressed in sharp, practical attire, Han Yi gazed toward the gathering crowd, his tone complex.

Just a few days ago, he had raised his rank to seventh, and Zhao Lin had claimed eighth.

He had thought he’d finally surpassed Fang Han, but he never expected Fang Han to make a move the very next day after his return. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

"Shall we go see?"

Zhao Lin wasn’t wearing her Disciple’s Robe, but a flowing, water-blue dress. Her voice was crisp, laced with a hint of inquiry.

They exchanged a look, each seeing a grave expression in the other’s eyes. Then they turned and joined the crowd flowing toward the plaza.

It wasn’t just the two of them. Others from the top ten, like Liu Suifeng and Yan Hongyu, also appeared and made their way to the plaza.

The plaza, usually tranquil in the morning, now held a crowd of forty to fifty people, and the number was still growing.

A low murmur of discussion arose, all eyes focused on the plaza’s entrance.

Fang Han seemed oblivious to the commotion behind him—or perhaps, he simply didn’t care.

He walked with unhurried steps toward the Martial Arts Stele, his calm gaze fixed on the towering, pristine white monument.

The sunlight shone on the stele’s surface, reflecting a soft halo of light.

His gaze swept over the rankings on the stele.

Just as he’d been told, his rank had fallen from seventh to ninth. Han Yi and Zhao Lin now occupied the seventh and eighth spots, respectively.

Stopping about ten feet before the Martial Arts Stele, Fang Han slowly exhaled. He closed his eyes, regulating his breathing and centering himself.

The surrounding whispers seemed to fade away in an instant. The world narrowed, leaving only the sound of his own heartbeat and the subtle flow of his Inner Qi.

A few breaths later, his eyes snapped open. A faint, cyan glint flashed in their depths like lightning!

SHIIING—!

The Cyan Blade Sword shot from its sheath. Its blade caught the morning sun, flashing with a cold brilliance like the surface of autumn water. The clear, crisp ring of steel echoed across the plaza.