A luxurious carriage bearing the Fang Family insignia approached the lakeside at a leisurely pace. The curtain was lifted, and Fang Han, clad in green, slowly stepped down.

He had a tall, straight figure and a handsome face, and was dressed in the martial uniform of a Fang Family Inner Hall Descendant.

The sharp glint that occasionally flashed in his calm eyes revealed a composure far beyond his years.

"It’s Fang Han! The Fang Family’s Qilin’er!"

The moment he appeared, he immediately drew countless gazes.

For the past few months, rumors about him had spread all over Liangshui City. Now that he had appeared in person, it naturally caused quite a stir.

"He’s so young? He looks no older than sixteen or seventeen!"

"Tsk, to be at the Middle Stage of Bone Refining at his age, and to have even practiced the Qingfeng Swordsmanship to Perfection... He’s a true monster!"

"I heard he defeated Lin Hu in the middle of the street half a month ago?"

"That must be an exaggeration, right? Someone in the Middle Stage of Bone Refining beating someone in the Late Stage? It can’t be that easy."

The murmurs were a mix of astonishment, doubt, and curiosity.

Fang Han seemed oblivious to the gazes directed at him, his eyes calmly sweeping over the area.

Just then, a chill ran down his spine as a sharp, needle-like gaze fell upon him.

His expression unchanged, he followed the sensation with his eyes.

In one of the five large pavilions occupied by the Lin Family descendants, Lin Hu stood with his arms crossed, glaring at him coldly.

He wore a dark green martial uniform today, making him look even more burly and fierce. The battle lust and hostility in his gaze were undisguised, as if he wanted to swallow Fang Han whole.

’Looks like he wants to wash away his shame today,’ Fang Han understood immediately.

He calmly retracted his gaze, paying Lin Hu’s provocation no mind, and turned to look at the pavilion where the Fang Family was located, one of the five large pavilions.

Several figures were already seated there—Fang Hong, Fang Xue, and the other top ten Inner Hall Descendants from the Fang Family attending the gathering.

Fang Han strode over. Wherever he passed, the crowd unconsciously parted to form a path, their probing gazes still fixed on him.

"Brother Fang Han is here."

Seeing Fang Han approach, a refined-looking young man in white robes, who was sitting next to Fang Hong, spoke with a smile.

His name was Fang Wen, ranked fifth in the Inner Hall, and he was known for being a smooth operator.

Compared to him, the others were rather cold. After all, Fang Han was the newly-promoted number three of the Inner Hall, and they had never interacted with him before.

As one of the gathering’s organizers, Fang Hong gave a slight nod, his aura as deep and still as an abyss.

Fang Xue’s expression was cool and aloof. She gave Fang Han a somewhat solemn look; after all, as number three in the Inner Hall, he was now positioned to surpass her next.

The others had varied expressions: some curious, some appraising, some grave.

Fang Han wasn’t familiar with any of them to begin with, so after a simple clasped-fist salute, he chose an empty seat and sat down to quietly observe the scene.

As time passed, nearly all the descendants from the various families who had received invitations arrived.

Inside the pavilions by the lake, the high-spirited young descendants from each family sized each other up, and the air was thick with a sense of subtle rivalry.

Seeing that almost everyone had arrived, five figures rose one after another in the central main pavilion.

They were the organizers of this gathering: the Five Heroes of Liangshui—Fang Hong, Lin Ao, Yue Lingtian, He Qingyan, and Sun Qing!

Simply by standing in the pavilion, the five of them exuded a powerful aura that naturally quelled some of the surrounding clamor.

"Everyone."

The one who spoke was Lin Ao. His voice wasn’t loud, but it reached every person’s ears clearly.

"Today, our five families have organized this gathering to provide a place for the younger generation of Liangshui City to spar, exchange knowledge, and test their skills against one another."

"The rules are the same as always. Anyone who wishes to may come up to the stage to spar. Bouts end once a victor is clear. Let us begin!"

The words had barely faded when someone could no longer hold back.

"Zhao Biao, let me experience your brilliant techniques!"

A tall, thin young man was the first to leap onto the massive stage built by the lake, cupping his fist toward one of the pavilions.

"As if I’d be scared of you!"

A figure immediately emerged from that pavilion and mounted the massive stage. The two of them were instantly locked in a flurry of fists and feet.

In the end, the tall, thin young man emerged victorious.

With those two breaking the ice, the scene immediately grew lively.

One after another, more young people went on stage to compete, drawing waves of cheers and gasps from the audience below.

Among them, a few were particularly outstanding.

A scrawny young man named Li Pan, who used a short spear, had a tricky Body Technique and defeated three opponents in a row, winning much admiration.

A young woman in a yellow dress named Wang Shang waved her hands, sending out specks of silver light. Her skill with Hidden Weapons was exquisite, and she defeated several opponents in a row, even earning a second glance from He Qingyan, one of the Five Heroes.

A silent youth named Li Mo, relying solely on his bare palms, defeated several skilled fighters. His Palm Wind was fierce and sharp.

Time flew by amidst the intense spars, and the sun climbed higher in the sky.

Just as another match concluded, a burly figure suddenly shot onto the stage, making the platform tremble slightly.

It was Lin Hu!

His gaze was like lightning, shooting directly toward the Fang Family’s pavilion, and his voice boomed like a great bell.

"Fang Han! Do you dare to come up here and fight?!"

Lin Hu’s challenge was like a giant boulder dropped into a lake, instantly creating massive ripples along the shore of Moon Embracing Lake.

The once-noisy lakeside fell suddenly silent. Every gaze snapped to the Fang Family’s pavilion, and then an even more fervent discussion erupted.

"It’s finally happening! Lin Hu is here to even the score!"

"Even the score? What’s this all about?"

"I heard that over half a month ago, Lin Hu blocked Fang Han’s path to attack him but was defeated by Fang Han right there in the street. He was seriously injured!"

"That really happened? The Lin Family’s number two actually lost to the Fang Family’s number three?"

"It’s absolutely true! A lot of people saw it. Lin Hu had a hole pierced through his chest and lost a ton of blood!"

"HISS... And he still dares to challenge him today? Does he have some kind of ace up his sleeve?"

"I doubt he has an ace up his sleeve. He probably just can’t swallow his pride and is forcing a fight. If Fang Han could beat him once, he can beat him a second time!"

"Not necessarily. Last time, Lin Hu only lost by a narrow margin. I heard he’s been training bitterly for the past half-month. His strength has probably increased a lot. The outcome of this fight is still anyone’s guess!"

All sorts of speculation and discussion buzzed through the air, and nearly everyone’s interest was captured by this sudden challenge.

In the Fang Family pavilion, Fang Hong’s expression remained unchanged, as if the commotion outside had nothing to do with him. Only his fingers, resting on his knee, gave an almost imperceptible tap.

Fang Xue paused for a moment in the act of wiping her longsword. Her cool gaze swept toward the stage, then she threw a faint glance at Fang Han beside her.

"Fang Han, are you confident?"

Fang Wen asked with a smile.

Under the watch of countless eyes, Fang Han slowly rose to his feet.

In a situation like this, avoiding a fight was a sign of weakness and would bring shame to the family.

With a single step, his figure floated out of the pavilion like a green leaf. After a few bounds, he landed steadily on the stage, standing a few dozen feet away from Lin Hu. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

"Fang Han!"

Lin Hu’s eyes were bloodshot as he stared deadly at Fang Han, his chest heaving slightly with agitation.

"Today, I will wash away my previous shame!"

"That depends on how much your strength has grown in the last half-month."

Fang Han’s gaze was indifferent.

’The last time I fought Lin Hu, I only won by a narrow margin.’

’If my Gale Step hadn’t reached Minor Achievement, facing him would have been quite tricky.’

’As for now, while nothing is certain, I’m confident I can win as long as his strength hasn’t improved by much.’