In his usual training clearing, Fang Han had just finished a round of cultivation. As he was about to rest, he saw a young servant disciple hurrying toward him.

"Senior Brother Fang, Elder Chen Xuan has summoned you."

The servant disciple’s voice carried a hint of barely perceptible nervousness.

Fang Han, having just finished a round of cultivation, exuded a strong and dangerous aura. The disciple felt immense pressure from it.

A trace of surprise flashed through Fang Han’s mind.

Although Elder Chen Xuan usually looked out for him, he rarely summoned him for a private meeting on a non-Transmission Day.

His expression remained unchanged as he gave a slight nod. "Please, lead the way."

"Please follow me, Senior Brother."

The servant disciple breathed a sigh of relief and quickly led the way.

One walking behind the other, the two crossed most of the Sub-Branch and arrived outside a Quiet Chamber in the Inheritance Hall.

The servant disciple stopped and bowed. "The Elder is waiting inside the Quiet Chamber. Please enter on your own, Senior Brother."

"Mm."

Fang Han straightened his slightly disheveled robes from his cultivation, stepped forward, and knocked softly on the door.

"Come in."

Elder Chen Xuan sat alone on a rosewood chair at the head of the study, his brow slightly furrowed as if lost in thought.

He spoke upon hearing the knock.

"Disciple Fang Han greets you, Elder."

Fang Han pushed the door open and entered, bowing respectfully.

"Mm, have a seat."

Elder Chen Xuan pointed to a chair below him. After Fang Han was seated, the Elder mulled for a moment before speaking slowly, his voice laced with a barely perceptible somberness.

"I’ve called you here because there is something I must tell you."

Fang Han felt a slight stir in his heart and waited for the Elder to continue.

"Today, the Deans of the Twelve Courtyards held a meeting. One of the items on the agenda was the follow-up on the deaths of Sun Hai and four other disciples."

Elder Chen Xuan’s gaze fell on Fang Han’s face as he continued.

"At the meeting, Elder Tu Baichuan, the Dean of Shen Courtyard, proposed that you be put in charge of investigating the killer of the five disciples."

Fang Han’s pupils contracted suddenly. Although his face remained calm, his fingers gripping the armrest of his chair tightened slightly.

’Tu Baichuan?’

’For him to make such a proposal at this time... His intentions...’

Elder Chen Xuan noticed Fang Han’s subtle reaction. A flash of helplessness crossed his eyes as he said in a heavy voice,

"I immediately spoke out against it. I said that you are new to the Sect and lack experience, and that you shouldn’t be burdened with such a dangerous matter."

"However, Tu Baichuan argued that ’it is only reasonable for the most outstanding disciple of the Sub-Branches to handle the affairs of the Sub-Branch disciples,’ and won the support of most of the other Deans."

"In the end, the proposal... was approved. The Sect has now formally assigned this manhunt mission to you."

The study fell silent.

Fang Han took a slow breath in and then let it out just as slowly, suppressing the turbulent thoughts in his mind.

He looked up at Elder Chen Xuan, his gaze calm but carrying a sharp, probing edge.

"Elder, this Elder Tu Baichuan... is he closely associated with True Inheritor Chu Feng?"

He asked directly, without beating around the bush. In front of Elder Chen Xuan, there was no need for such pretense.

Elder Chen Xuan wasn’t surprised that Fang Han had immediately made the connection to Chu Feng. A glint of coldness flashed in his eyes as he nodded, his tone firm.

"You’ve guessed correctly. He and Chu Feng are indeed very close. Before his promotion to True Inheritor, Chu Feng was a disciple of Shen Courtyard. Tu Baichuan looked after him a great deal, so their relationship is anything but ordinary."

’Just as I thought.’

Fang Han sneered inwardly. A cold anger began to well up inside him, only to be quickly suppressed.

’Tu Baichuan’s move is clearly an act of suppression, disguised as Sect tradition.’

’Pushing me into this obviously tricky and dangerous mission... it’s a bad situation for me, regardless of success or failure.’

’If I fail, the best-case scenario is a reprimand. The worst-case is that I end up just like those five disciples. If I succeed, it’ll consume a huge amount of my time and energy, delaying my cultivation—which is exactly what Chu Feng wants.’

’What a viciously clever, open-faced plot!’

’But getting angry is useless.’

’As I am now, forget confronting an Elder with real power—I’m not even a match for Chu Feng.’

’I can only set this grudge aside for now.’

The turbulence in Fang Han’s eyes gradually calmed, returning to the stillness of a deep well. He simply carved the names "Tu Baichuan" and "Chu Feng" deeper into his heart.

Seeing Fang Han calm down so quickly, a look of admiration flashed in Elder Chen Xuan’s eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a more solemn expression.

"Although Tu Baichuan’s proposal was ill-intentioned, ’assigning missions to the top one hundred disciples’ is indeed a Sect tradition. That’s why his proposal was able to pass."

He paused, his tone softening.

"This is your first time dealing with such matters, so it’s natural that you lack experience. What are your plans for this mission? Or do you have any questions?"

Fang Han pondered for a moment, then looked up at Elder Chen Xuan with a candid gaze.

"Elder, I’ll be honest, I have no experience and don’t know where to begin. I was hoping you could offer me some advice."

Elder Chen Xuan stroked his beard in thought and said slowly,

"An investigation requires the right methods. A blind search is like looking for a needle in a haystack and won’t yield good results. The most urgent matter is not to set out immediately, but to make adequate preparations for the investigation."

His gaze turned to Fang Han.

"You can first go to the Sect’s Library Pavilion and find a Tracking Technique to learn. While this type of Secret Technique is not for combat, it will be of great use for this mission."

"A Tracking Secret Technique..."

Fang Han was lost in thought. For a mission like this, a Tracking Secret Technique was indeed indispensable.

"Furthermore, you must remember this: if the situation proves to be beyond your control, or if you encounter overwhelming danger, preserving your own life must be your number one priority!"

Elder Chen Xuan’s tone suddenly became extremely solemn.

"Even if the mission is ultimately a failure, that is far better than throwing your life away for nothing! As for the Sect, if there are any recriminations, I will handle them for you. Do you understand?"

A warmth spread through Fang Han’s heart. He stood up and gave a deep bow.

"I understand. Thank you for your guidance, Elder!"

Elder Chen Xuan waved his hand.

"Go on. Redeem the Secret Technique, prepare carefully, and be cautious."

"Yes. I will take my leave."

Fang Han bowed again, then turned and left the Quiet Chamber.

As he left Elder Chen Xuan’s Quiet Chamber, Fang Han’s steps were steady, his eyes deep.

Tu Baichuan’s provocation and Chu Feng’s malice didn’t fill him with fear. Instead, they ignited an even fiercer fighting spirit within him.

’One day, I will grind them both under my heel. And that day is not far off.’

’The most pressing matter right now is to get a Tracking Secret Technique!’

Suppressing these thoughts, Fang Han headed straight for the Library Pavilion.

Just as Elder Chen Xuan had suggested, mastering a Tracking Secret Technique was crucial for this mission.

’I still have four hundred and forty Contribution Points left on my Jade Token. That should be more than enough for a Middle Grade Tracking Secret Technique.’

Fang Han mused to himself.

’A Middle Grade technique is bound to be better than a Low Grade one. If I’m getting one, I might as well get the best.’

But then, he shook his head slightly, dismissing the thought.

’Tracking Secret Techniques are a completely new field for me; I’ve never touched them before. A Middle Grade technique might be stronger, but its cultivation difficulty is bound to be extremely high.’

’If I’m greedy for a higher grade and pick an extremely difficult Middle Grade technique, I’ll likely get half the results for twice the effort. That wouldn’t be ideal.’

Weighing the pros and cons, he quickly made a decision.

’The priority right now is to quickly master a practical Tracking Technique for the mission at hand. A Low Grade Tracking Secret Technique has a relatively low entry barrier for cultivation, making it more suitable for my current situation.’

His mind made up, he arrived at the Library Pavilion and went up to the second floor.

Here, the secret manuals were mostly stored as books on shelves, and the one on duty was not an Elder, but a sharp-faced disciple who looked to be in his twenties.

Fang Han walked straight to the counter and cupped his fist to the disciple. "Senior Brother, may I ask where the introductory books for Low Grade Tracking Secret Techniques are located?"

The Steward Disciple looked up at Fang Han, and without asking any questions, picked up a book with "Tracking Secret Technique (Low Grade)" written on the cover and handed it to him.

"The introductions are in here. You can look through it yourself, Junior Brother. Once you’ve chosen, just tell me the name of the manual."

"Thank you, Senior Brother."

Fang Han took the book, thanked him, and began to read through it carefully.

The pages rustled softly as they turned.

The book’s descriptions of the various Low Grade Tracking Secret Techniques were quite detailed. They not only explained the effects of mastering them but also clearly pointed out the potential drawbacks of improper practice.

Fang Han read with extreme care, his brow slightly furrowed.

Just as he had guessed, Tracking Secret Techniques were far from the miraculous abilities described in storybooks, nowhere near capable of tracking an enemy from a thousand miles away and leaving them with no place to hide.

If they were really that mystical, the matter of him killing Zhao Qianjun would have probably been exposed long ago.

According to the book, the essence of a Tracking Secret Technique was a skill that used Inner Qi. Through a specific method, one would temporarily infuse and strengthen a particular sense, thereby gaining perception abilities beyond that of an ordinary person for a short period.

This enhancement had its limits; it wasn’t an infinite boost.

Common Low Grade Tracking Secret Techniques were mainly divided into two categories.

One category focused on "vision." Inner Qi would be infused into the eyes and related meridians, greatly enhancing visual acuity and low-light vision.

It would allow one to easily spot minute clues in a cluttered environment, such as the depth of footprints, bent blades of grass, clothing fibers, or even extremely faint scratches.

However, practicing this method required extreme caution. The pathways for circulating Inner Qi were complex, and the slightest mistake could damage the delicate meridians and lenses of the eyes.

Mild cases could lead to temporary blurred vision, while severe cases could cause a permanent decline in vision, photophobia, or even night blindness.

The other category focused on "smell." Inner Qi would stimulate the nasal mucous membranes and associated olfactory nerves, allowing the Cultivator to distinguish, memorize, and track extremely faint scent molecules, such as sweat, blood, clinging dirt, or even the residual scent of specific plants or medicines.

This method also had its risks. Improper practice could burn the nasal mucous membranes and damage the olfactory nerves, leading to a dulled or lost sense of smell and causing permanent injury.

Both types of Secret Techniques came with significant cultivation risks. No wonder it was rare to see Martial Artists who practiced them.

"Vision, smell..."

Fang Han’s fingertips tapped unconsciously on the page, a pensive look in his eyes.

’Both types of Secret Techniques have their pros and cons.’

’Vision-based tracking would be far less effective if the target is a counter-tracking expert, or if weather like a heavy rain washes away all the traces.’

’Smell-based tracking is more dependent on residual scents, but scents fade over time and can be easily masked by stronger odors.’

’And then there are the cultivation risks...’

Fang Han’s gaze moved back and forth between the two phrases: "permanent decline in vision" and "permanent loss of smell."