A powerful Inner Qi, at the Late Stage of the Ninth Grade and nearing the Eighth Grade, surged from his three apertures without reservation. Like a raging river, it poured entirely into the blade of his sword.

He channeled his Wind-Splitting Swordsmanship at the Mastery Level, pushing the Wind Momentum he had comprehended to its absolute limit!

"VMMMM—!"

The sword trembled faintly, emitting a peculiar hum.

On the plaza, currents of air began to swirl and converge around Fang Han, letting out a low howl.

The air around the blade blurred and warped. A sharp aura—far more condensed and imbued with a greater ripping power than a month ago—permeated the area, causing a chill to creep over the skin of the disciples standing nearby and forcing them to instinctively take half a step back.

"His aura... it’s even stronger than last time!"

"And his Sword Momentum is more terrifying!"

Watched by the crowd with gazes of horror, anticipation, and solemnity, Fang Han unleashed his strike.

The slash was so fast it left only a faint cyan afterimage in its wake!

The flash of the sword tore through the air, carrying not just incredible speed, but also a highly focused piercing power and an unyielding will that could seemingly rip through anything. It slammed down onto the jade-white surface of the stele.

"BOOM!!!"

A boom far deeper and more deafening than during his last test erupted, like a sudden clap of thunder.

The Martial Arts Stele erupted in a brilliant flash of light. The blinding glare forced many disciples to instinctively raise a hand to shield their eyes.

Ripples spread violently across its surface, as if a huge boulder had been tossed into a calm lake.

Fang Han’s name, ranked ninth, began to jump frantically.

Nine... eight... seven... six... five...

Each time the number flickered, it drew a fresh wave of stifled gasps from the crowd.

The number climbed with blinding speed, barely pausing, a testament to the extraordinary power contained in that single strike.

Finally, under countless stunned gazes, the frantically climbing number abruptly froze—

Four!

He had actually soared to fourth place!

Not only had he retaken his lead over Han Yi and Zhao Lin, but he had continued to climb, surpassing Shi Meng, Liu Suifeng, and Yan Hongyu to claim the fourth spot.

He was now second only to the three acknowledged strongest disciples, who had all entered the Eighth Grade Realm: Yun Qianyue, Li Feng, and Huang Ling’er.

In an instant, the entire White Jade Plaza fell into an eerie silence.

Every disciple’s eyes were wide, their gazes locked on the dazzling number "four" on the stele. Disbelief was etched across their faces.

The air seemed to freeze. All that could be heard was the subtle whisper of the wind across the plaza and the heavy, stifled breaths of the crowd.

The higher the rank, the harder it was to climb. Advancing within the top ten was exponentially more difficult.

Climbing even a single spot was incredibly difficult.

And yet, Fang Han had shot straight from ninth place to fourth!

The deathly silence was shattered by an uproar like a volcanic eruption!

"F-Fourth place?!!"

"He went straight to fourth! He’s only behind Yun Qianyue, Li Feng, and Huang Ling’er, who are all in the Eighth Grade!"

"How could he have improved... so fast?!"

"He’s definitely a monster on the same level as those three!"

Gasps of shock, sharp intakes of breath, and incredulous muttering wove together into a cacophony of sound.

All eyes were locked on Fang Han, filled with utter shock, awe, and a complex emotion that bordered on reverence.

The expressions of the top-ten disciples who had come to watch were complex and shifting.

Shi Meng stood with his arms crossed, a muscle twitching on his rugged face. His expression was grim, the earlier scrutiny in his eyes long replaced by deep wariness.

The cold arrogance in Liu Suifeng’s eyes remained, but a closer look would reveal the fleeting sharpness and tension deep within his pupils.

Yan Hongyu’s usual feisty expression was replaced by a grave one. Her red lips were pressed into a thin line, and her grip on her weapon tightened instinctively.

As for those like Han Yi and Zhao Lin, who had originally been ranked behind Fang Han, their feelings were even more complicated.

’Not only has he surpassed me again, he’s left me far behind!’

Han Yi looked at the glaring "four" on the stele, then at the "eight" next to his own name. The corners of his mouth twisted into a deeply bitter smile.

The lead he thought he had secured had, in the blink of an eye, turned into an even greater chasm. The whiplash of it all made his chest feel tight.

"What a monster..."

Zhao Lin drew in a soft breath. Her gaze, fixed on Fang Han’s retreating back, was filled not just with surprise, but also a touch of weary resignation.

She exchanged a glance with Han Yi, and they both saw the same wry, bitter smile reflected in each other’s eyes.

They had thought they’d finally surpassed Fang Han, only for the gap to grow even wider.

The feeling of being overtaken and left in the dust in an instant was deeply unsettling.

’Fourth place!’

Fang Han slowly sheathed his sword. His gaze swept over the Martial Arts Stele; he was reasonably satisfied with his fourth-place rank.

He hadn’t expected to surpass the top three: Yun Qianyue, Li Feng, and Huang Ling’er.

Not only was their Cultivation higher than his, but their comprehension of Martial Techniques was also profound. Surpassing them now was practically impossible.

Of course, with his Talent, he was confident that catching up to and surpassing the three of them was only a matter of time.

He ignored the shocked, complex, and awestruck gazes of those around him, turned, and walked steadily away from the crowd.

Wherever he went, the disciples instinctively parted to let him pass, their eyes following his retreating figure, their minds filled with a myriad of indescribable emotions.

The sunlight stretched his shadow long across the smooth White Jade floor. To the onlookers, his retreating figure seemed to exude an invisible pressure and a sharp aura.

...

「At the start of the month」

The atmosphere in the Inheritance Hall was charged with a subtle, restless energy.

Disciples sat or stood, their eyes frequently darting toward Steward Wu Hao at the front of the hall. He held a register, and beside him sat the special, inkstone-like device used to allocate Contribution Points.

An air of anticipation filled the room.

Fang Han entered the hall, found a seat near the front, and also looked toward Steward Wu Hao with anticipation.

"Silence!"

Steward Wu Hao’s voice rang out clearly through the hall, quelling the low din.

His gaze swept over the crowd as he began to call names from the register.

"First place, Yun Qianyue."

"Second place, Li Feng."

... 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

"Fourth place, Fang Han."

When he called Fang Han’s name, dozens of eyes instantly focused on him, their gazes a mixture of curiosity, scrutiny, envy, and wariness.

Watched by all, Fang Han rose and walked steadily to the front of the hall.

"Continue to train diligently, and guard against arrogance and impatience."

Steward Wu Hao took Fang Han’s Identity Jade Token and swiped it across the inkstone-shaped device. A faint light flickered.

He handed it back to Fang Han with a visibly warm expression, offering a word of encouragement.

"Thank you for your guidance, Steward. I will take your words to heart."

Fang Han accepted the Jade Token with both hands, bowed, and returned to his seat.

Channeling a wisp of Inner Qi into the token, he saw that the number had changed from "140" to "490." He had gained a total of 350 Contribution Points.

The two months of basic stipend totaled 60 points. Last month’s reward for seventh place was 110 points, and this month’s reward for fourth place was 180. It all added up perfectly.

Four hundred ninety Contribution Points were equivalent to 9,800 taels of silver, an enormous sum.

He decided to keep ninety Contribution Points in reserve and use the remaining four hundred to buy items he could convert for the panel.

After the distribution, the customary lectures began. Elder Chen Xuan and the other Stewards took the stage one by one to teach.

Several hours later, the lectures concluded, and the disciples began to disperse.

Fang Han went straight to the Pill Hall.

Unlike the bustling Inheritance Hall, the Pill Hall was rather quiet, filled with the faint aroma of medicinal herbs.

Jiang He had been expelled, so a young, unfamiliar disciple was manning the counter. When he saw Fang Han, his face immediately lit up with an enthusiastic smile.

"Brother, which Elixirs can I get for you?"

"I’d like to purchase four bottles of True Spirit Pills, please."

Fang Han said, handing over his Identity Jade Token.

Remembering he was running low on Peiyuan Pills, he added.

"And two bottles of Peiyuan Pills."

The young disciple took the Jade Token, completed the transaction, and handed it back with a smile.

"That’s four hundred twenty Contribution Points in total. The deduction is complete. Please wait a moment, Brother, I’ll go get the Elixirs for you."

The young disciple returned quickly, placed six small Porcelain Bottles into a cloth bag, and handed it to Fang Han.

Fang Han took the cloth bag; it felt heavy in his hand.

It had cost him four hundred twenty Contribution Points, though. He really spent them like water.

Carrying the cloth bag, Fang Han left the Pill Hall and followed the bluestone path back to his room.

The sun was warm, and a mountain breeze brushed against his face, carrying the fresh scent of vegetation.

Along the path, disciples were gathered in twos and threes, chatting in low voices.

"Today’s the start of the month. The Celestial Pride List and the Martial Artist Ranking should be updated by now, right?"

"They’re definitely updated, but it’ll probably take a day or two for the news to reach us!"

"I wonder if there are any big changes to the Celestial Pride List and Martial Artist Ranking this month."

...

Fang Han listened silently, his expression calm.

The Celestial Pride List and the Martial Artist Ranking still felt distant to him.

Those lists compiled the most elite young prodigies and local powerhouses in all of Qingyang County. Anyone on them was either a peerless talent or a powerful figure in their own right.

He hadn’t even surpassed the top three in the Qingxuan Sect’s Junior Courtyard yet; it was far too early to think about those other rankings.

He walked on without stopping and soon returned to Room C-7.

He slid the bolt shut behind him. The room was silent, save for the faint chirping of birds outside the window.

He placed the cloth bag on the table and took out the four bottles of True Spirit Pills.

The Porcelain Bottles were smooth to the touch, their surfaces carved with exquisite cloud patterns that hinted at their extraordinary value.

He uncorked one of the bottles, and a pure medicinal aroma, several times richer than that of a Peiyuan Pill, instantly wafted out, refreshing his mind.

’System Panel.’

He called out in his mind, and a translucent light screen silently appeared before him.

[Host: Fang Han]

[Root Bone Talent Amplification: 16x (Level 5 Amplification requires 100,000 silver)]

[Swordsmanship Talent Amplification: 16x (Level 5 Amplification requires 100,000 silver)]

[Stepping Talent Amplification: 16x (Level 5 Amplification requires 100,000 silver)]

[Wealth: 5,230 silver]

’Deposit.’

Without hesitation, Fang Han picked up a bottle of True Spirit Pills and focused his intent.

The Porcelain Bottle in his hand vanished instantly, and the wealth value on the panel jumped.

[Wealth: 7,230 silver]

Without pausing, he deposited the remaining three bottles of True Spirit Pills one by one.

[Wealth: 9,230 silver]

[Wealth: 11,230 silver]

[Wealth: 13,230 silver]

Four bottles of True Spirit Pills, each worth two thousand taels, had increased his wealth by a total of eight thousand taels of silver.

’13,230 silver.’

Staring at the final number on the panel, Fang Han let out a soft breath.

He was one step closer to his goal of one hundred thousand taels.