Yun Qianyue showed no surprise or joy at this result. A faint, contemplative look merely flickered in the depths of her eyes before she sheathed her sword and silently stepped back.

Her gaze inadvertently swept over Fang Han’s name, hanging high at the 119th position, and for a moment, the corners of her lips under the purple veil tightened slightly.

"Not bad."

A look of approval appeared in Elder Chen Xuan’s eyes. He gave Yun Qianyue a slight nod, then turned his gaze to Li Feng.

Li Feng strode forward, cradling his long saber, his eyes cold and sharp.

The movements he made to write his name were clean and crisp, carrying the keen edge of a blade.

He then took a step back, drew a deep breath, and a sharp glint erupted in his eyes.

"CLANG!"

The long saber was drawn with formidable force, unleashing a brilliant, cold gleam. The wind from the blade was sharp and bone-chilling.

The muscles in his arms bulged as he poured his Late Stage of Eighth Grade Inner Qi into the saber without reservation, executing the Cold Blade Technique, which had already reached the Great Success Realm.

The light from the saber was like a bolt of white silk, carrying an indomitable and resolute aura as it viciously chopped toward the stele’s surface!

"BOOM!"

Amidst the muffled sound, light flowed across the face of the stele.

After Li Feng’s name, the numbers jumped rapidly before finally settling on—

Two hundred and thirty-five!

"235th! Li Feng also broke into the top three hundred!"

"It’s not as good as Fang Han and Yun Qianyue, but compared to previous years, it’s still outstanding!"

"It’s not that he isn’t strong enough. It’s that the two ahead of him are both monsters!"

The disciples began to murmur among themselves again.

Li Feng sheathed his saber and glanced at his own rank, then looked up at Fang Han and Yun Qianyue’s positions ahead of him. His stern face was expressionless, but his fingers tightened slightly on his saber’s hilt as he turned and stepped down.

Elder Chen Xuan stroked his beard, the satisfaction in his eyes deepening.

Putting Fang Han aside for a moment, for Yun Qianyue and Li Feng to achieve such rankings among all the disciples of the Twelve Courtyards on their first attempt was far beyond that of ordinary disciples. It was already stunning enough to bring pride to their Sub-Branch.

Next, Huang Ling’er, Shi Meng, and the other top-ranked disciples of the Sub-Branch came forward to test in succession.

Huang Ling’er had broken through to the Middle Stage of Eighth Grade, and her rank finally settled at 357th.

Shi Meng had broken through to the Early Stage of Eighth Grade, and his rank finally settled at 412th.

Among the disciples who followed, apart from the few in the top ten who had decent rankings, everyone else’s ranks were near the bottom.

This was normal.

The disciples on the Overall Martial Arts Stele had at least one more year of cultivation than them; some even had ten more years.

Even with just the effort of grinding away over time, it was enough to make their Cultivation and Martial Techniques impressive.

Moreover, besides a few special cases who got in through connections, most disciples who could join the Qingxuan Sect were considered geniuses in their respective regions.

After all the disciples had completed their tests and had their results recorded, Elder Chen Xuan took a step forward. His gaze swept across the crowd, his voice steady and powerful.

"Your rank on the Overall Martial Arts Stele is tied to resources. If you can break into the top one hundred, the Sect will bestow extremely generous rewards every month!"

He paused deliberately, allowing the disciples to digest this news.

"Even the one hundredth place receives a reward far greater than the top spot in the Sub-Branch, earning five hundred Contribution Points every month!"

"Five hundred?!"

"That many?!"

A wave of sharp gasps rippled through the crowd, and a fervent light erupted in the eyes of many disciples.

Five hundred Contribution Points was a huge sum, enough to exchange for a large amount of Cultivation Resources and greatly accelerate one’s training progress!

Even the gazes of Yun Qianyue, Li Feng, and the others sharpened slightly.

Huang Ling’er couldn’t help but let out a small gasp, covering her mouth.

As for Fang Han, a look flickered in his eyes as an idea formed in his mind.

Elder Chen Xuan took in everyone’s reactions and said in a deep voice,

"I hope you will all train diligently, strive for the top, and break into the top hundred soon to bring glory to our Sub-Branch!"

"Yes, Elder!"

The disciples responded in unison, their voices filled with excitement and fighting spirit.

The generous reward for the top hundred was like a shot of adrenaline injected into everyone’s heart.

"You are dismissed."

Elder Chen Xuan waved his hand.

After bowing respectfully, the disciples gradually dispersed in twos and threes, chatting amongst themselves. Many were still immersed in the shock and longing brought on by the Overall Martial Arts Stele rankings and the rewards for the top hundred.

Fang Han followed the crowd, strolling along the stone path back to the Sub-Branch. His expression was calm, but his mind was racing.

’The next time the Sect’s rewards are distributed is in half a month...’

First place in the Sub-Branch gets 330 Contribution Points a month, while the top hundred on the Overall Martial Arts Stele, even just 100th place, gets 500 Contribution Points.

Added together, that’s 830 Contribution Points!

’If I can raise my rank into the top hundred within this half-month, then I’ll be able to collect at least eight hundred and thirty Contribution Points next time.’

’Adding the 490 points I currently have in my Identity Jade Token, the total would be at least 1,320 points!’

’That’s enough to exchange for an ordinary Top Grade Sword Technique!’

’The key is, can I raise my rank into the top hundred within this half-month...’

Fang Han’s gaze sharpened as he carefully weighed the possibilities in his mind.

’My Wind-Splitting Swordsmanship is already at the Peak of Great Success, not far from Perfection.’

’Once I break through to the Realm of Perfection, according to the manual’s description, my comprehension and application of Wind Momentum will undergo a qualitative leap, and the power of my Swordsmanship will increase by several times over.’

’This will undoubtedly boost my Attack Power and raise my rank on the Overall Martial Arts Stele.’

’Based on this point alone, my chances of breaking into the top hundred are huge.’

’If that’s not enough of a guarantee, I also have my Cultivation improvement as a backup.’

Fang Han used Introspection to look within himself. Inside the newly opened Laogong Acupoint, his Inner Qi surged, already more than half full.

With his Root Bone improved by the Earth Core Stone Milk and amplified by his thirty-two-fold Root Bone Talent, the speed at which he cultivated Inner Qi was unbelievably fast.

He was absolutely certain that within the next half-month, he could fill the rest of the Laogong Acupoint and break through to the Middle Stage of Seventh Grade in one go!

The increase in the total amount and quality of his Inner Qi from the Cultivation advancement would also significantly raise his rank.

With improvements in both Swordsmanship and Cultivation, it was a double guarantee!

’Breaking into the top hundred within half a month is highly possible!’

A sharp glint flashed in Fang Han’s eyes; he had already made his decision.

He would temporarily hold off on accepting Sect missions and pour all his time and energy over the next half-month into his Cultivation.

He would go all out to reach the Realm of Perfection in his Wind-Splitting Swordsmanship and attain a Middle Stage of Seventh Grade Cultivation.

This way, he would earn enough Contribution Points to exchange for a Top Grade Sword Technique!

At this thought, his pace couldn’t help but quicken. He was already eager to dive into his training.

...

In the following days, Fang Han’s life suddenly became extremely regular and simple.

Room C-7, the dining hall, and the forest clearing made up his entire routine.

At the first light of dawn, just as the sky began to show a fish-belly white, he would already be sitting cross-legged on his bed, his mind focused, circulating the Xunfeng Technique.

His Early Stage of Seventh Grade Inner Qi was vigorous and vast. Under the terrifying amplification of his thirty-two-fold Root Bone Talent, it surged ceaselessly between his seven acupoints.

With every Circulation of the Heavens, the Inner Qi within his Laogong Acupoint grew at a visible rate, steadily marching toward a state of complete fullness.

When the morning sun rose and golden light filled the window lattice, he would slowly withdraw his power, a faint cyan glint flashing in his eyes before vanishing.

After a quick wash and breakfast, he would pick up his Cyan Blade Sword and head to the forest clearing.

For the entire day, aside from necessary meals and short breaks, he was almost completely immersed in practicing the Wind-Splitting Swordsmanship.

As for the practice of Wind Shadow Step, he had temporarily set it aside.

"SWOOSH SWOOSH SWOOSH—"

Where the sword light flashed, the wind howled.

He completely merged his mind with every transformation of the Sword Techniques, feeling the slightest resistance and change in airflow as the blade cut through the air.

With the aid of his thirty-two-fold Swordsmanship Talent, aspects that were once obscure and difficult to understand now often became clear with a flash of inspiration.

His understanding of Wind Momentum deepened daily, and the execution of his Sword Techniques became increasingly smooth and natural, their power steadily growing.

When night fell, he would return to his room and continue cultivating his Inner Qi, only resting late into the quiet night.

He repeated this cycle, free from distractions, pouring all his energy into improving his strength.

Time flowed like water, passing quietly.

In the blink of an eye, ten days had passed.

Only a few days remained until the next month. Although he had yet to break through in either his Swordsmanship or his Cultivation, Fang Han wasn’t worried, because he could feel that a breakthrough in both was extremely close.

This morning, Fang Han came to the forest clearing as usual.

After the previous ten days of high-intensity training, he had a faint feeling that his Wind-Splitting Swordsmanship was only separated from the Realm of Perfection by a paper-thin barrier.

He stood in the center of the clearing and slowly closed his eyes. He didn’t begin practicing immediately, but first went over the essence of the Wind-Splitting Swordsmanship in his mind from beginning to end.

From the opening move, "Returning Wind and Shadow," to the killing move, "Sky Splitting Gold-Breaking," the power-generating techniques, Inner Qi circulation, and key points for integrating Wind Momentum for each move all appeared clearly in his mind.

The various insights from his past training and the practical confirmations from his battles with enemies all converged in his mind like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea.

Gradually, he entered a profound state of clarity. The sounds of the wind and birdsong from the outside world faded away, leaving only his understanding of Swordsmanship to flow and sublimate within his mind.

"SHING—"

The Cyan Blade Sword slid silently from its sheath, letting out a clear, long ringing sound, as if it sensed the change in its master’s state of mind.

Fang Han flicked his wrist, the tip of his sword pointing diagonally toward the ground. He didn’t execute any fixed techniques, but simply swung naturally according to the will of his heart.

At first, his Sword Momentum was gentle, like a babbling brook. It lacked sharpness but carried a unique rhythm.

As time went on, his Sword Techniques grew more fluid, and his speed continuously increased.

The wind from his sword began to howl, sweeping up the fallen leaves on the ground.

He was completely immersed in this state of forgetting both himself and the world around him. The Cyan Blade Sword in his hand felt like an extension of his body; where his mind willed, the blade pointed.

His perception of the "wind" was magnified to the extreme.

He could "hear" the faint whimper of the airflow as it swept past the sword’s body and "see" the invisible trail left as the blade cut through the air.

The omnipresent "wind" was no longer an external force he had to painstakingly summon. Instead, it was like a docile servant, naturally gathering and flowing with the rise and fall of his Sword Momentum.

An unknown amount of time passed. Just as he executed "Wind Rolls Up the Clouds" to its absolute limit, the sword light transforming into a spiraling, ascending cyan tornado—

A sudden change occurred!

"VMMMM!"

The Cyan Blade Sword began to vibrate with unprecedented intensity, and the airflow around the blade instantly became violent!

This wasn’t like before, when he drew on the airflow for assistance. It was as if the sword itself had become the source of the wind. A majestic and vast Wind Momentum, far surpassing the level of Great Success, erupted forth!

The air within a radius of dozens of feet seemed to be seized by an invisible force, madly converging on and compressing around the sword’s body!

On both sides of the blade, the air became highly distorted, even faintly forming two visible, pale-cyan, translucent blades of air!

The edges of the air blades were incomparably sharp, emitting a piercing shriek as if they could slice through anything. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Fang Han felt the sword in his hand was as light as a feather, yet as heavy as a mountain. An unprecedented sense of control and power filled his entire body.