The midday sun pierced through the sparse clouds, scattering onto the stone paths of the Qingxuan Sect’s Sub-Branch with a touch of scorching heat.

Fang Han finished his morning cultivation. He sheathed his sword and stood still, a light sheen of sweat on his brow. His breathing was deep and even, and his eyes were bright.

He habitually patted the non-existent dust from his robes and started walking toward the dining hall.

However, he hadn’t taken more than a few steps before he sensed something was wrong.

The disciples he passed along the way, whether familiar faces or strangers, all gave him an indescribably odd look.

It wasn’t the usual curiosity, reverence, or envy. Instead, it was a mixture of probing, alienation, and even a faint, almost imperceptible hint of fear and avoidance.

When his gaze swept over them, they would quickly look away, either pretending to talk with their companions or quickening their pace as if terrified of any interaction with him.

Fang Han was puzzled and frowned slightly.

’I just placed fourth in the Martial Arts Stele test,’ he thought. ’Logically, even if my fellow disciples aren’t friendlier, they shouldn’t be avoiding me like the plague.’

"Excuse me..."

He tried to approach a disciple he recognized, someone with whom he had exchanged nods before, intending to ask what was going on.

But when the disciple saw him approaching, his expression changed. As if fleeing a plague, he abruptly sidestepped and practically jogged around Fang Han, disappearing around a bend in the road.

Fang Han’s outstretched hand froze in mid-air. His brow furrowed deeper as the bad feeling in his heart grew clearer and more intense.

Just then, he saw two familiar figures at the end of the corridor ahead—it was Chen Ying and Zhao Li, who had once escorted supplies and faced life-and-death situations with him.

Fang Han’s heart relaxed a little. He walked up to them, cupped his fist, and said, "Chen Ying, Zhao Li."

Chen Ying, still as calm and taciturn as ever, paused briefly upon seeing Fang Han. He nodded in acknowledgment, but his gaze was shifty, lacking its usual forthrightness.

A flicker of almost imperceptible awkwardness crossed Zhao Li’s pretty face as she forced a smile.

"Fang Han."

Fang Han could tell something was off about their expressions and was about to ask them directly. "You two, do you know if something happened in the Sub-Branch today? Why do I feel..."

Before he could finish, Chen Ying cut him off.

"Fang Han, I just remembered I haven’t finished the task the Steward assigned me. I need to go right now. Farewell."

With that, he hurried away without waiting for Fang Han to react, his steps almost frantic.

Seeing this, Zhao Li quickly chimed in.

"Ah, me too. I need to go to the Library Pavilion to look up some materials. Fang Han, we’ll be going now."

Before her voice faded, she had already turned and hurried after Chen Ying.

Fang Han stood frozen on the spot, watching their retreating backs. They were practically fleeing for their lives. His heart sank completely.

’Even Chen Ying and Zhao Li, who fought alongside me and with whom I was on good terms, are acting like this. Things are definitely not simple.’

A chill crept up his spine.

He was silent for a moment, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and continued toward the dining hall.

’No matter what, I still have to eat. Maybe I can overhear something where there are more people.’

The moment he stepped through the doors of the dining hall, the originally boisterous noise suddenly died down, as if choked by an invisible hand.

Countless gazes shot over in unison, converging on him.

These gazes were identical to the ones he’d encountered on the road: curiosity, scrutiny, alienation, schadenfreude... A mix of emotions intertwined, forming an invisible net that made Fang Han feel an inexplicable sense of oppression.

His expression unchanging, he walked straight to the service window, ordered his meal, and then found an empty table against the wall to sit down.

Everywhere he passed, nearby conversations were deliberately lowered. Occasional whispers reached him, but he couldn’t make out the specifics, only feeling the stares like thorns in his back.

Just as he was eating alone, tasting nothing, a figure sat down across from him.

It was Xiao Chen.

Xiao Chen was holding his food tray, his expression as normal as ever, as if he hadn’t noticed the strange atmosphere at all.

He took a bite of rice and looked at Fang Han.

"What’s wrong? You don’t look so good."

Fang Han looked up at the only friend whose attitude toward him hadn’t changed. A bit of warmth spread through his heart, but it was overshadowed by confusion and a heavy feeling.

He put down his chopsticks. His voice was low, laced with a trace of bitterness he tried to hide.

"Brother Xiao Chen, do you know... what exactly happened today? Why do I feel like everyone in the Sub-Branch is avoiding me like I’m a snake or a scorpion?"

His gaze swept across the room.

"Even Chen Ying and Zhao Li..."

Xiao Chen paused mid-bite. He put down his chopsticks, sighed, and lowered his voice, his tone turning serious.

"Fang Han, you don’t know yet? This morning, the latest Celestial Pride List rankings were sent back to the Sect."

"The Celestial Pride List?" Fang Han’s heart skipped a beat. He felt he was on the verge of understanding.

"Yeah." Xiao Chen nodded, his tone complex. "Chu Feng’s True Inheritance... made the list, ranked one-hundredth on the Celestial Pride List."

Hearing this news, Fang Han’s heart clenched as if gripped by an icy hand.

He instantly understood the reason for all the strange looks.

Chu Feng! That True Disciple, Chu Feng, with whom he had a grudge, had actually made it onto the Celestial Pride List—a symbol of the highest honor for the younger generation in Qingyang County!

And it was precisely because Chu Feng had made the list that he was now being ostracized.

"Right now, our Qingxuan Sect has a total of nine disciples on the Celestial Pride List."

Xiao Chen continued.

"The nine are: First Senior Brother, ’Cyan Cloud Sword’ Luo Yuntian, ranked sixth on the Celestial Pride List."

"Second Senior Sister, ’White Mist Sword’ Yun Muyao, ranked eighteenth. Oh, right, Second Senior Sister is also Yun Qianyue’s older sister."

"Third Senior Brother, ’Mountain-Breaking Axe’ Kuang Tu, ranked thirty-eighth on the Celestial Pride List."

"Fourth Senior Brother, ’Phantom Leg’ Chen Wuhen, ranked fiftieth on the Celestial Pride List."

"Fifth Senior Sister, ’Rain Sword’ Su Yuwei, ranked sixty-third on the Celestial Pride List."

"Sixth Senior Brother, ’Mad Scholar’ Mo Chen, ranked seventy-fourth on the Celestial Pride List."

"Seventh Senior Sister, ’Mist Rain Saber’ Liu Ruyan, ranked eighty-second on the Celestial Pride List."

"Eighth Senior Brother, ’Flowing Water Spear’ Wang Miao, ranked ninety-third on the Celestial Pride List—no, he’s ninetieth now."

"And finally, there’s Chu Feng, ranked one-hundredth on the Celestial Pride List."

The influence of a disciple on the Celestial Pride List was far beyond that of an ordinary True Inheritor.

Sect resources would be heavily skewed in their favor, the Elders would pay them more attention, and their voice would carry much more weight.

It was no secret within the Sect that Fang Han and Chu Feng were on bad terms.

Now that Chu Feng had made it onto the Celestial Pride List, his influence in the Sect would be completely different. It was only natural that the disciples who knew Fang Han were eager to draw a line, afraid of being implicated and targeted for retribution.

It was only human nature to seek advantages and avoid harm.

’He actually made it onto the Celestial Pride List...’

Fang Han’s expression became extremely grim.

Before, Chu Feng was just an ordinary True Inheritor with limited influence in the Sect.

But now things were different. By ascending to the Celestial Pride List, his status and position within the Sect had changed dramatically. His influence would inevitably skyrocket.

For him, someone on terrible terms with Chu Feng, this wasn’t good news—it was disastrous news.

An unprecedented, immense pressure, like an invisible mountain, crashed down on his heart, nearly suffocating him.

The dining hall remained quiet. Although many people weren’t looking at them directly, their ears were likely perked up, paying close attention.

Fang Han could feel the silent scrutiny and the sense of distance. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

He was silent for a moment before looking up at Xiao Chen and asking the other question on his mind.

"Brother Xiao Chen, then... why aren’t you avoiding me?"

Hearing this, Xiao Chen grinned, revealing a set of white teeth. His smile held a mix of his characteristic open-mindedness and stubbornness.

"I’m a straightforward person. A friend is a friend. I can’t do that kind of opportunistic, brown-nosing stuff. Besides,"

He paused, his voice low but firm.

"I believe in you, Fang Han. With your talent, it’s not like you can’t get on the Celestial Pride List in the future!"

Fang Han looked at Xiao Chen’s sincere and slightly defiant eyes. A warm current surged through his chest, dispelling some of the chill.

"I’ll take you up on those auspicious words!"

He nodded heavily, saying no more. Everything was understood without a word.

The two of them silently finished their meals. Though no more words were exchanged, a stronger friendship was forged in that silence.

After leaving the dining hall, Fang Han went to the secluded clearing behind the Sub-Branch where he usually cultivated.

The afternoon sun filtered through the dense leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground. It was quiet all around, with only the rustling of leaves in the wind.

At this moment, however, Fang Han’s mind couldn’t calm down as quickly as it usually did.

The news of Chu Feng making the Celestial Pride List was like a giant boulder dropped into a lake, creating monstrous waves in his heart.

A True Inheritor with whom he had a terrible relationship had suddenly become one of the Sect’s hottest prodigies. The pressure this brought was very real.

He could almost feel an invisible net slowly tightening around him. The road ahead seemed to be filled with even more thorns and obstacles.

He took a few deep breaths, trying to suppress his unease and anxiety, but his thoughts were a tangled mess.

Images flashed through his mind: Chu Feng’s cold, arrogant eyes; the sneering faces of people like Song Xiang and Chu Chong; the gazes of everyone in the dining hall trying to avoid him...

"HUFF, HUFF—"

Fang Han forced himself to stop his pointless thoughts. He closed his eyes and regulated his breathing. His chest heaved violently a few times before gradually calming down.

’If Chu Feng can make it onto the Celestial Pride List, then I definitely can too in the future!’

’With my system panel, I’m confident I can not only get on the Celestial Pride List but even reach the very top.’

’I should turn the pressure from Chu Feng into the motivation to climb higher, to drive myself to cultivate like crazy and become stronger!’

"Turn pressure into motivation!"

At this thought, a sharp light rekindled in Fang Han’s eyes. The unease brought on by the sudden bad news was gradually replaced by determination.

’Fear won’t solve anything. Only by becoming stronger can I face the storms that might come.’

In the following days, Fang Han became even more reclusive.

Aside from necessary lectures at the Inheritance Hall and meals at the dining hall, he poured almost all his time into cultivation.

Room C-7 and the forest clearing became the two places he frequented the most.

He worked harder than ever, often cultivating late into the night, only resting when his Inner Qi was depleted and he was completely exhausted.