The pressure on Fang Han skyrocketed!

He had to devote most of his focus to sensing and dodging the Palm Force attacks coming from behind.

Every change in direction, every evasion, drastically slowed his escape.

Several times, the fierce Palm Wind grazed his body, shattering nearby trees and rocks and leaving him drenched in a cold sweat.

He watched as the distance between him and Shen You shrank bit by bit, the icy killing intent locking onto him like maggots clinging to bone.

Fang Han was frantic. ’If he catches me, it’s certain death.’

At this critical moment, Fang Han’s gaze swept over the dense woods beside the official road, and an idea flashed in his mind.

He stopped fleeing down the road and abruptly changed direction, diving into the dense forest like an agile monkey!

"BANG! CRACK!"

Most of Shen You’s subsequent ranged Palm Force attacks were blocked by the dense trees and thick branches.

Though splinters flew and trees snapped, the attacks could no longer effectively threaten Fang Han’s escape route as they had before.

"SWOOSH!"

Using the complex terrain for cover, Fang Han pushed the agility and speed of his Minor Achievement Realm Wind Shadow Step to its absolute fullest.

He weaved rapidly between the trees, using their trunks to evade the Palm Force, his figure darting left and right, impossible to track.

Just like that, the effectiveness of Shen You’s ranged attacks plummeted, while Fang Han was able to flee at full speed.

The distance between them began to widen at a visible rate!

Shen You’s face was ashen with rage. He roared again and again, unleashing a frantic barrage of Palm Force, but he could only futilely destroy the surrounding trees.

He could only watch helplessly as Fang Han’s light green figure flickered a few times deep in the forest and vanished completely...

"Damn it!"

Shen You’s roar, filled with indignation and fury, echoed through the silent mountain forest for a long time.

"SWOOSH!"

After shaking off Shen You’s pursuit, Fang Han didn’t dare to rest. He pushed his Wind Shadow Step to the limit.

His body became a gust of light green wind, speeding toward the Qingxuan Sect.

The injuries inside his body throbbed with a dull ache, but he grit his teeth and pushed onward.

A journey that should have taken a full day was completed in just half a day at his top speed.

’I’m safe!’

When he saw the familiar green robes of the Mountain Guard Disciples at the sect gate, the tension that had gripped Fang Han’s heart finally loosened.

He let out a long, turbid breath that stank of blood. Back within the Sect’s territory, he was finally and completely safe.

Even if that Seventh Grade Cultivation disciple from the Netherworld Pavilion had ten times the nerve, he wouldn’t dare pursue him all the way to the foot of the Qingxuan Sect’s mountain.

He slowed his pace, straightened his torn and bloodstained robes from the fierce battle and hurried journey, and then walked through the mountain gate.

The Mountain Guard Disciple checked his Identity Token. His gaze lingered for a moment on Fang Han’s disheveled state, but he didn’t ask any questions.

It was not uncommon to see disciples returning from missions looking as battered as Fang Han.

This was especially true during this period of escalating conflict between the Qingxuan Sect and the Netherworld Pavilion.

They were used to it.

Fang Han went straight to the Task Hall. The main hall was as bustling and noisy as ever.

He walked to the task submission counter and placed the cloth bag containing Ba Xiong’s head on the surface.

"Steward, Disciple Fang Han has completed the mission to eliminate the Fierce Tiger Mountain bandits. Here is the proof."

His voice was slightly hoarse from his injuries and exhaustion.

The Steward behind the counter was the same stern-faced, middle-aged man as before.

He opened the bag and examined the preserved, grotesque head with a blank expression.

A man who had seen it all, he naturally wasn’t going to be fazed by a single head.

He checked it against the mission scroll, and after confirming everything was in order, he nodded.

"Mm, mission complete."

The Steward spoke in a business-like tone, swiped Fang Han’s Identity Jade Token over an inkstone-like device, and handed it back.

"170."

Fang Han took the Jade Token. With a slight infusion of Inner Qi, he saw the number on it had changed from "70" to "170".

Thinking of the attack by the Netherworld Pavilion disciples, he hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"Steward, on my way back, I was attacked by four Netherworld Pavilion disciples on the official road near Musha City. One of them had a Seventh Grade Cultivation. I was lucky to escape."

Hearing this, a hint of surprise appeared on the Steward’s stern face. He sized up Fang Han, as if trying to determine if he was lying.

’An Early Stage of Eighth Grade disciple escaping from a Seventh Grade Martial Artist?’

He pondered for a moment, then took out a scroll and began to write.

"Mm, I’ve recorded the incident and will report it according to procedure. However..."

The Steward paused, his tone flat.

"Musha City is quite far from our Sect. Half a day has passed since the incident; the perpetrators are long gone. As for demanding an explanation from the Netherworld Pavilion... you know how things are between our two sects."

Fang Han nodded silently. He hadn’t expected any real outcome; reporting it was just a formality.

He bowed his hands in a salute, said no more, and turned to leave the Task Hall.

...

At the same time Fang Han was returning to the Sect and submitting his mission, the atmosphere in a simple, ancient hall within the Qingxuan Sect, used exclusively for meetings of the Twelve Courtyards’ Deans, was somewhat tense.

Inside the great hall, more than ten people were already seated in the twelve large, zitan-wood chairs.

These individuals were all powerful Martial Artists with profound auras and an innate dignity in their gaze. They were the Deans and Elders of the Qingxuan Sect’s Twelve Courtyards.

Sub-Dean Chen Xuan of the Sub-Branch sat on the left side, his eyes scanning the other Deans present. His gaze paused briefly on a gaunt, purple-robed old man to the right.

This was Tu Baichuan, Dean of the Shen Courtyard. Before moving to the True Inheritance Courtyard, Chu Feng had belonged to Shen Courtyard.

The first half of the meeting focused on routine matters like resource allocation for each courtyard and the year-end assessments.

Once discussion of these items was nearly complete, Tu Baichuan suddenly cleared his throat and spoke, his voice carrying a unique rasp.

"Everyone, there is one more matter that I feel we must discuss here."

All eyes turned to him. Chen Xuan looked up at Tu Baichuan. ’As I expected, he’s making his move.’

Tu Baichuan met their gazes and began speaking slowly and deliberately.

"Recently, I’ve heard that some disciples in our sect, relying on a bit of talent, have become disrespectful to their elders and acted arrogantly. They even get into conflicts with True Inheritor Senior Brothers. They are morally deficient."

"If this continues, I fear it will corrupt the spirit of our Sect, leading disciples to believe that talent alone allows them to disregard etiquette and rules."

He didn’t name anyone, but who present didn’t know he was referring to the matter between Fang Han of the Sub-Branch and True Inheritor Chu Feng?

"Elder Tu, your words are rather biased. The Sect encourages competition among disciples; conflict is common. To judge someone as morally deficient simply for having a conflict... I wonder which sect rule Elder Tu is citing?"

Chen Xuan retorted, his expression unchanged.

"Elder Chen, you don’t need to twist my words. The matter between Fang Han from the Sub-Branch and True Inheritor Chu Feng has become the talk of the sect. I’m sure even you have heard about it."

"True Inheritor Chu Feng is now on the Celestial Pride List, representing the face of our Qingxuan Sect. For Fang Han to be at odds with him, doesn’t it make outsiders think our Sect Disciples don’t know their place?"

"If an incident with such a negative impact is not punished, I fear it will dishearten the True Disciples and encourage this unhealthy trend."

Tu Baichuan said coldly.

"Oh? And how should he be punished, in Elder Tu’s opinion? Can a disciple be condemned simply for having a disagreement with a certain True Disciple? Since when have the Sect’s rules become a private tool, bent for individuals?"

"It’s true that True Disciples hold a revered status, but ordinary disciples are also protected by the sect rules. If Fang Han has violated any rules, Elder Tu, please point them out. I will absolutely not shield him."

"But if you wish to punish a talented disciple who has abided by the rules, merely because of a conflict with a True Inheritor, then forgive me, but I cannot agree."

Chen Xuan challenged.

"I am not making baseless accusations. His character can be seen from the fact that he has had conflicts with several other disciples since he joined the sect."

"In my opinion, to rectify this trend and serve as a warning, we should at least suspend his basic monthly benefits and ranking rewards for a period of time, to let him reflect on his wrongdoings!"

Tu Baichuan said in a harsh tone.

As soon as he said this, several of the Deans in the hall who were on good terms with Tu Baichuan, or who intended to curry favor with Chu Feng, chimed in with their agreement.

"Elder Tu has a point. Geniuses need their characters polished all the more."

"Indeed. If we indulge him without correction, he may make a grave mistake in the future, which would be a shame."

"Suspending a few resources to make him see his error should be sufficient."

Listening to these comments, Chen Xuan’s expression gradually darkened.

His sharp gaze swept across Tu Baichuan and the others, finally landing on Tu Baichuan’s face as his voice suddenly turned cold.

"Tu Baichuan!"

Using his full name made Tu Baichuan’s heart skip a beat, and the hall fell silent.

"You keep talking about the Sect’s integrity, but anyone with eyes can see that your actions today are nothing more than a desperate attempt to curry favor with Chu Feng, now that he has ascended to the Celestial Pride List, by deliberately suppressing Fang Han!"

"As the Dean of Shen Courtyard, instead of focusing on how to nurture your own disciples, you go out of your way to make trouble for a hardworking disciple from another courtyard who has not violated a single sect rule."

"You even want to cut off his cultivation resources! Isn’t such behavior even more damaging to the Sect’s integrity, and utterly disheartening?!"

Chen Xuan slowly rose to his feet, his gaze like a torch as he stared down Tu Baichuan.

His voice was not loud, but every word struck the hearts of those present like a hammer.

"My Sub-Branch disciple, Fang Han, in just over half a year since joining the sect, has advanced from the Early Stage of Ninth Grade to the Eighth Grade! His rank on the Martial Arts Stele has risen from the bottom all the way to third in the Sub-Branch! Such talent and effort should be valued and cultivated by the Sect, not arbitrarily suppressed because of some baseless ’influence’!"

"If today, we can arbitrarily suspend the deserved resources of an innocent disciple just to curry favor with a True Inheritor, then in the future, can anyone disliked by a True Inheritor be treated this way? Where is the Sect’s law? Where is the fairness?!"

Chen Xuan’s words were forceful and resonant, leaving Tu Baichuan’s face shifting between pale and livid. He opened his mouth but couldn’t find a retort.

The other Deans who had just been agreeing with him now had shifty eyes and dared not speak up again.

The atmosphere in the hall suddenly became extremely oppressive.

Chen Xuan swept his gaze around the room. Seeing that no one dared to meet his eyes, he snorted coldly, sat back down, and declared in an ironclad tone:

"Fang Han’s basic benefits and ranking rewards were earned through his own strength and hard work, in accordance with sect rules. No one has the right to suspend them! On this matter, I absolutely will not agree! If someone insists on perverting the law for personal gain, then let’s take it to the Sect Leader for a decision!"

At the mention of the Sect Leader, Tu Baichuan and the others fell completely silent.

They knew very well that the Sect Leader would never support such a baseless action, which was clearly an attempt to suppress a genius.

In the end, thanks to Elder Chen Xuan’s forceful insistence, the storm was quelled.

Fang Han’s benefits were preserved, but everyone in the hall understood that the animosity between Chu Feng and Fang Han, and the undercurrents it had caused, had not subsided. On the contrary, because of this meeting, they had become even more obvious and profound.

Tu Baichuan lowered his head, hiding the fleeting shadow of gloom in his eyes.

Chen Xuan, his expression calm once more, gazed out of the hall in the direction of the Sub-Branch, a hint of deep, imperceptible gravity passing through his eyes.

He knew that although he had protected Fang Han today, the road ahead for the young man would still be difficult.