’Truly profound...’

Fang Han opened his eyes and slowly exhaled a turbid breath, a sharp light glinting in his gaze.

Although he only had a preliminary understanding, he could already sense the vast depth and terrifying power of this Top Grade Sword Technique. It was far beyond what the Wind-Splitting Swordsmanship could compare to.

He delayed no longer. After reviewing the manual’s contents in his mind once more, he placed it back into the Purple Sandalwood Box and stored it away.

Then, he picked up his Cyan Blade Sword, pushed open the door, and walked toward the familiar clearing in the woods.

It was now afternoon. Sunlight filtered through the sparse branches, casting mottled patterns of light and shadow on the ground.

The clearing was deserted, with only the rustling sound of wind brushing past the treetops.

Fang Han stood in the center of the clearing, holding his breath and focusing his mind. He recalled the Cultivation Method for the first technique of the Wind Shadow Annihilation Sword—"Wind Rising from the Surface of Water."

This was the opening stance. It emphasized channeling a gentle breeze, gathering power, and concealing the Sword Momentum while hiding lethal intent. It was the foundation of the entire Swordsmanship.

Following the mnemonic chant, he slowly circulated the Inner Qi of his Middle Stage of Seventh Grade cultivation along a new, more complex meridian path.

At first, the flow of his Inner Qi was rather sluggish. Its coordination with his Body Technique and Sword Momentum was far from seamless. The Sword Techniques he executed appeared quite stiff, lacking the described "gentle breeze concealing hidden killing intent" flavor from the manual.

But Fang Han was not discouraged. His mind was completely immersed in his Cultivation.

Under the thirty-two-fold Swordsmanship Talent Amplification, every subtle error in his sword strikes and the slightest deviation in his Inner Qi circulation were swiftly perceived, captured, analyzed, and corrected in the next attempt.

His rate of improvement was astonishingly high.

After just a dozen or so practice runs, his Sword Techniques had become much smoother, and the circulation of his Inner Qi gradually flowed without obstruction.

Faintly, the way his blade’s edge stirred the surrounding airflow began to change. It was no longer wide and sweeping, but more delicate and subtle, as if a gentle breeze was truly born from the sword.

The sun gradually set, and dusk began to fall.

In the clearing, Fang Han’s figure flickered unpredictably. The Cyan Blade Sword in his hand transformed into a series of faint, nearly invisible afterimages, melting into the encroaching twilight and gentle breeze.

The whistling sound of the sword wind grew lower and softer until it was almost inaudible.

But the sharpness and speed contained within the blade’s edge grew ever more frightening.

An invisible Wind Momentum coiled around the sword’s edge, gathering more and more, until at a certain moment, it surged violently.

The Wind Momentum he could now command was comparable to that of the Wind-Splitting Swordsmanship at the Great Success stage.

’I’ve reached the Entry Level!’

Fang Han slowly retracted his sword.

As a Top Grade Sword Technique, just reaching the Entry Level of the Wind Shadow Annihilation Sword allowed him to command five-tenths of the Wind Momentum, which was comparable to the Wind-Splitting Swordsmanship at the Great Success stage.

’To think I reached the Entry Level in just a few hours!’

Nearly half of his Inner Qi was depleted, and he felt a hint of mental exhaustion, but Fang Han’s eyes were filled with excitement.

When he was cultivating the Wind-Splitting Swordsmanship, it had taken him several days to reach the Entry Level. Now, cultivating the more difficult Wind Shadow Annihilation Sword had taken only a few hours.

This rapid progress was possible because he had the Perfection level of Wind-Splitting Swordsmanship as a foundation, along with the absurd 32-fold Swordsmanship Talent Amplification.

Without pausing, he turned and walked back to his residence, bathed in the afterglow of the setting sun.

「The next morning.」 The sky was just beginning to lighten, and the morning chill had not yet dissipated.

Fang Han pushed open the wooden door of Room C-7. With his Cyan Blade Sword in hand, he was about to head to the clearing to practice his newly acquired Wind Shadow Annihilation Sword.

After a night’s rest, the fatigue from yesterday’s Cultivation was completely gone. He was full of energy, and the Middle Stage of Seventh Grade Inner Qi flowed abundantly within him. He had even gained some new insights into the Wind Shadow Annihilation Sword and was eager to strike while the iron was hot and deepen his practice.

"Fang Han! Fang Han!"

He hadn’t gone far when he saw Xiao Chen hurrying over from a side path, his face a mixture of urgency and excitement, waving and calling out from a distance.

Fang Han stopped, looking at him with a hint of confusion. "Brother Xiao Chen?"

Xiao Chen quickly approached, breathing lightly. He grabbed Fang Han’s sleeve and said with a laugh, "What’s the point of practicing your sword right now? Come on, let’s go watch the excitement!"

"Excitement?" Fang Han’s brow twitched slightly, a little puzzled. "What’s going on in the Sect today that’s so exciting?"

Seeing Fang Han’s blank expression, Xiao Chen’s gaze turned a bit odd. He looked him up and down and said in surprise:

"Fang Han, you haven’t forgotten what day it is, have you?"

"Today?" Fang Han was taken aback for a moment. He quickly searched his memory but couldn’t recall anything.

Seeing that he genuinely didn’t seem to remember, Xiao Chen couldn’t help but shake his head with a laugh and remind him:

"It’s the second day of the second lunar month! The Dragon Raises Its Head! It’s also the day of the entrance examination for our Qingxuan Sect’s new disciples!"

"The new disciple examination?"

Understanding dawned on Fang Han, and a peculiar feeling welled up inside him.

He recalled this same day last year. At this time, he must have been standing on that massive plaza, filled with a mix of anxiety and anticipation, waiting for the examination that would decide his fate.

Time flies. Now, he was already an elite disciple of the Qingxuan Sect, at the Middle Stage of Seventh Grade and ranked in the top one hundred on the general list.

For a moment, he felt a bit dazed.

’I wonder if anyone as stunning as Yun Qianyue or Li Feng from last year will appear.’ Fang Han collected his thoughts and said to Xiao Chen,

"I won’t go. If any outstanding new disciples show up, remember to come back and tell me."

"Well, alright then. You’re already so strong, yet you still work so hard. How are ordinary disciples like us supposed to live?"

Seeing that Fang Han wasn’t interested in watching the excitement, Xiao Chen could only go alone.

As noon approached, Fang Han finished his morning’s Cultivation of the Wind Shadow Annihilation Sword, left the clearing, and headed to the dining hall to eat.

As soon as he stepped through the entrance, he saw Xiao Chen sitting at a table by the window, waving at him.

Fang Han walked over and sat down across from him.

"So, any impressive newcomers this year?"

Fang Han asked casually.

"The most dazzling are a group of eight, all at the Late Stage of Ninth Grade cultivation."

Xiao Chen rattled off their names as if they were his own family treasures.

"Their names are Zhao Lie, Sun Bufan, Li Qingxuan, Zhou Tong, Wu Hao, Zheng Kun, Wang Pojun, and a woman named Lin Xue."

"All eight of them have extraordinary Talent. Zhao Lie and Lin Xue are especially outstanding. One’s Fist Technique is fierce and powerful, while the other’s Swordsmanship is light and agile. They were particularly prominent in the examination."

Fang Han nodded slightly. ’For these eight to have reached the Late Stage of Ninth Grade upon entry, they can indeed be called excellent. The overall quality of this year’s new disciples seems quite high.’

Speaking to this point, Xiao Chen’s tone shifted, tinged with a sense of shared glory.

"But, compared to our year, they’re still lacking something. After all, we not only had monsters like Yun Qianyue and Li Feng who were at the Early Stage of Eighth Grade upon entry, but we also have you..."

He didn’t finish his sentence, but the meaning in his eyes was self-evident.

Someone like Fang Han, who had broken through to the Seventh Grade and charged into the top one hundred of the general rankings just a year after joining, was already beyond the scope of "excellent." He could only be described as an anomaly.

Hearing this, Fang Han just smiled faintly and didn’t respond.

Satisfying his curiosity was enough; he had little interest in making comparisons.

After quickly finishing his lunch, he bid farewell to Xiao Chen, once again picked up his Cyan Blade Sword, and headed toward the familiar clearing to continue immersing himself in Cultivation.

The only difference was that he was no longer practicing Swordsmanship, but the Body Technique Wind Shadow Step.

Compared to paying attention to newcomers, improving his own strength was far more important to him.

...

「At the same time, inside a grand and solemn assembly hall.」

The Deans of the Twelve Courtyards, who were also Elders, were seated on either side. Sandalwood incense curled up, but the atmosphere was not as peaceful as the rising smoke.

At this moment, the agenda had moved on to the recent status of each courtyard’s disciples and the arrangement of affairs.

When the discussion turned to the recent tragedy of five Sub-Branch disciples who died on a mission, Tu Baichuan, the Dean of the Shen Courtyard—a gaunt-faced man in dark purple robes—spoke in a hoarse voice, his gaze turning to Chen Xuan opposite him.

"Elder Chen Xuan, we are all pained by the misfortune your courtyard’s disciples have encountered."

"However, the deaths of five disciples is a grave matter with severe repercussions. The truth must be investigated to console the deceased and to uphold the authority of the Sect’s laws."

Chen Xuan’s brow furrowed. He had already guessed what Tu Baichuan was about to say and replied in a low voice.

"What brilliant insight does Elder Tu have?"

"I wouldn’t call it a brilliant insight."

Tu Baichuan said unhurriedly.

"I just feel that since this matter occurred within the Sub-Branch, it would be most appropriate for a Sub-Branch disciple to lead the investigation."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone present before finally landing back on Chen Xuan, his tone carrying a subtle, hidden meaning.

"Your courtyard’s disciple, Fang Han, is ranked ninety-fifth on the general list. He is the perfect candidate for this task. It couldn’t be more fitting for him to investigate the cause of death of his fellow courtyard disciples."

Chen Xuan snorted coldly in his heart. ’Tu Baichuan’s move is clearly an attempt to use this opportunity to drag Fang Han into this mess.’

’Not only would it waste his time and energy, hindering his Cultivation progress, but it would also be quite dangerous.’

He immediately objected.

"Elder Tu, you are mistaken. Fang Han only joined the Sect a year ago. Although he has achieved some Minor Success, he is still inexperienced. A task like investigating murderers is full of variables and unpredictable dangers. How can it be compared to an ordinary mission?"

"If something were to happen to him, who could bear that responsibility? I believe it would be safest to have an experienced Steward from the Law Enforcement Hall handle this matter!"

"Elder Chen, your love for your disciple is understandable. But when the Sect nurtures its disciples, it cannot simply shelter them. It is precisely because his Talent is outstanding that he needs to be tempered more, so he can become a great talent."

Tu Baichuan had long anticipated Chen Xuan’s objection and had his retort ready. He said, unruffled,

"Furthermore, assigning disciples from the top one hundred on the general list to handle Sect affairs is a long-standing tradition. It is also a sign of recognition and trust. How can we shy away from it just because of potential risks?"

His words were forceful, seizing upon the points of "tradition" and "reason." He glanced at the other Deans.

"What’s more, the deceased were all Sub-Branch disciples. Logically and emotionally, it should be Fang Han, a top-one-hundred disciple from the Sub-Branch, who steps forward. What do you all think, fellow Deans?"

For a moment, no one in the hall spoke up.

Everyone present was shrewd; how could they not see through Tu Baichuan’s selfish motives?

But undeniably, his words were very reasonable.

Assigning tasks to the top one hundred disciples was indeed a tradition, and having Fang Han investigate the deaths of his fellow courtyard disciples was justifiable.

After a moment of silence, a few Deans spoke up in agreement.

"What Elder Tu says is not without reason."

"Letting outstanding disciples gain experience and temper their minds is also a proper course of action."

"A matter concerning Sub-Branch disciples being handled by one of the Sub-Branch’s best... it makes sense, logically and emotionally..."

Chen Xuan’s expression darkened, and rage surged in his heart, but he knew the tide had turned against him.

On matters involving the Sect’s rules and common reason, once the majority reached a consensus, he alone could not reverse the outcome.

In the end, the matter was settled.