The scent of blood stoked their ferocity, and a vicious glint entered both of their eyes.

"Mountain-Breaking Slash!"

Lin Hu’s eyes turned blood-red. The vital energy of a Late Stage of Bone Refining expert erupted from him. The muscles all over his body coiled like flood dragons, and his veins bulged.

He fiercely raised his saber with both arms. The blade hummed and vibrated as it slashed down, carrying a furious momentum capable of splitting mountains and shattering stone.

This was the killing move of the Mountain-Breaking Saber Technique, designed to decide the battle in a single strike!

Before the blade arrived, the biting gale whipped Fang Han’s robes into a frenzy. Dust on the ground erupted backward in a fan-shaped wave, sending gravel flying!

"Gentle Breeze Brushing the Willows!"

A sharp glint solidified in Fang Han’s eyes. Faced with this earth-shattering slash, his aura became as still as the water in a frigid pool—terrifyingly calm.

The Cyan Blade Sword suddenly hummed. Its tip drew a flawless, fluid arc of light, like a gentle breeze winding around a willow or flowing water wearing away stone. It pressed with perfect precision against the side of the violently descending saber’s spine.

With a pull and a flick of Sword Force, he managed to deflect the incomparably fierce saber’s momentum by three inches. It was a perfect display of the Soft Overcomes Hard Technique, the ultimate expression of the Qingfeng Sword Intent at the Realm of Perfection.

HUMMM!

The blade was slightly deflected by this clever force, grazing past Fang Han’s side as it fell and cleaving a deep trench in the ground.

And in that instant, just as Lin Hu’s old strength was spent and new strength had yet to be mustered, his center was wide open—

SWISH—

Fang Han’s wrist flicked. The Cyan Blade Sword let out a clear, ringing hum as the full power of his Perfection Swordsmanship concentrated into a single point.

A beam of Qi Force, so condensed it was almost tangible and nearly transparent, suddenly shot out from the sword’s tip. Silent and swift as lightning, it stabbed straight toward Lin Hu’s wide-open chest.

This was the killing move that combined Swordsmanship with Qi Force, a technique only usable at the Realm of Perfection in Qingfeng Swordsmanship—the Gentle Breeze Piercing Qi Force!

"Danger!"

Lin Hu’s pupils contracted sharply. He felt a bone-chilling danger and roared as he desperately twisted his body to dodge, simultaneously trying to bring his saber back to block.

PFFT!

But he was a step too slow.

The Gentle Breeze Piercing Qi Force was half a step faster, viciously drilling into his right chest.

A spray of blood erupted!

"Urgh!"

Lin Hu let out a pained groan. His body shuddered violently, and he staggered back seven or eight steps before managing to steady himself by leaning on his saber.

A bloody hole was clearly visible on his right chest. Blood gushed out, instantly staining a large patch of his robes. He was clearly not lightly injured.

The victor was decided!

"Xiaohan won!"

His third uncle, Fang Ping, couldn’t help but let out an excited whisper.

Fang Zheng, Lin Wan, and the others also let out a long sigh of relief, only then realizing their backs were drenched in cold sweat.

The crowd of onlookers erupted in a massive uproar.

"Fang Han actually won!"

"Someone at the Middle Stage of Bone Refining actually defeated Lin Hu, who’s at the Late Stage of Bone Refining!"

"He actually brought a Swordsmanship to Perfection! The Fang Family’s Qilin’er truly lives up to his name!"

All sorts of gasps of astonishment and disbelief surged through the crowd like a tidal wave.

Lin Hu was half-kneeling on the ground. His face was pale from blood loss and intense pain, but his eyes burned with the indignant and humiliating flames of rage. He struggled, wanting to force himself to raise his saber and fight again.

"That’s enough, boy. Haven’t you embarrassed yourself enough?"

Just then, an old, sighing voice was heard.

A figure in green appeared beside Lin Hu like a phantom. He reached out and pressed down on Lin Hu’s shoulder, and a gentle yet irresistible force instantly suppressed Lin Hu’s turbulent qi and blood.

This was a thin-faced old man, likely an Elder from the Lin Family.

He gave Fang Han a complicated look, one containing surprise, scrutiny, and a faint, hard-to-detect trace of coldness.

He had heard of the Fang Family’s Qilin’er and knew he possessed great talent. But seeing him now with his own eyes, he realized he had still underestimated him.

’In the future, once he’s fully grown, I’m afraid no one in the Lin Family will be able to keep him in check.’

...

A chill ran down Fang Han’s spine. An unimaginably immense pressure washed over him, as if he were being targeted by a ferocious beast. Large beads of cold sweat couldn’t help but trickle down his forehead.

With his Perfection Swordsmanship, he could leapfrog a realm to defeat Lin Hu, but he could never do the same against an Elder at the Inner Qi Realm.

’If he wants to kill me, I don’t think I’ll make it out of this alive.’

He held his sword at the ready, his qi and blood secretly surging as he prepared to dodge at a moment’s notice.

"Elder Lin Xian, it’s common for juniors to win or lose when they spar. Why get so worked up?"

A gentle voice sounded beside Fang Han.

An old man in a brown robe, wearing the clothes of the Fang Family and a faint smile, had appeared on the scene at some unknown point.

He stood directly between Fang Han and the green-robed Elder from the Lin Family.

His position seemed casual, yet it completely blocked the aura the other Elder was faintly directing at Fang Han.

"Elder Qi!"

Fang Han recognized him as one of the family’s more low-key Elders. His heart immediately settled, and he quickly bowed in salute.

’So the family has had an Elder protecting me in secret all along.’

Elder Qi, Fang Kai, nodded slightly at Fang Han with an approving gaze, then turned to look at the Lin Family’s Elder Lin Xian once more.

Lin Xian’s expression shifted several times. He glanced at the heavily injured Lin Hu, then took another deep look at Fang Han before finally letting out a cold snort.

"Hmph. So the Fang Family has produced a fine sapling. We’re leaving!"

With that, he said no more. He helped up the defiant but helpless Lin Hu, and with a flicker of his body, vanished like a wisp of green smoke at the end of the street.

Seeing them leave, Fang Kai finally turned and asked Fang Han kindly, "Are you alright?"

"Thank you for your help, Elder Qi. I’m fine, it’s just a superficial wound."

Fang Han replied respectfully, his heart filled with gratitude.

"Mm, you did very well."

Elder Qi stroked his beard and smiled.

"You were in the right in this matter, and your cultivation has brought you glory. The family will naturally have your back. Today is a day of celebration for your family, don’t let this incident spoil the mood. Go on back now."

"Yes! Farewell, Elder!" Fang Han bowed again.

Elder Qi nodded, and his figure quietly faded away as if he had never been there.

A disturbance finally subsided under the intervention of the two families’ Elders.

Fang Han sheathed his sword, calmed the surging qi and blood in his body, and walked over to his family.

"Xiaohan, your wound..."

Lin Wan hurried forward, looking with heartache at the bloodstain on her son’s shoulder.

"Mother, it’s nothing. Just a small cut. It’ll be fine once I put some medicine on it back home."

Fang Han gave her a reassuring smile.

"As long as you’re okay, that’s all that matters! Get in the carriage, let’s go home!"

Fang Zheng forcefully clapped his son on his uninjured shoulder, his face a complex mixture of pride and lingering fear.

The family boarded the three carriages again. Under the various gazes of the onlookers, the carriages slowly started moving, heading toward Tingyu Pavilion deep within the Fang Mansion.

Inside the carriage, Fang Ying asked in a small voice:

"Brother, did you chase the bad guy away?"

Fang Han patted his sister’s head and smiled. "Mhm, he’s been chased away. Don’t be scared, Xiaoying."

His gaze drifted to the passing night scenery outside the carriage, his eyes gradually deepening. After this battle, he had a clear understanding of the strength of a Late Stage Bone Refining Martial Artist.

’This battle can only be considered a narrow victory!’

He quietly clenched his fists.

Although he had won today’s battle, it hadn’t been an easy victory. It could be called an extremely perilous, narrow win.

If he were to fight Lin Hu again, he wasn’t certain he could win. And judging by Lin Hu’s expression, he probably wouldn’t let this go.

’If I don’t want something like this to happen again, I need to get stronger!’