"Are you sure about this news?"

A descendant nearby couldn’t help but ask for confirmation.

"It’s absolutely true. Just this morning, an outsider—a young man—went to the Sun Family to challenge Sun Qing and defeated him. Many of the Sun Family’s Inner Hall Descendants saw it with their own eyes!"

The descendant’s tone was certain, his face still holding a trace of the shock from when he first heard the news.

The discussions in the dining hall grew louder, and looks of bewildered suspicion appeared on many faces.

"Sun Qing is one of the Six Heroes, after all. To be able to defeat him, this person’s strength is no small matter!"

Fang Han continued eating, but a flicker of deep, imperceptible thought crossed his eyes.

"He Qingyan, another one of the Six Heroes, has been defeated too!"

At noon the next day, another piece of news spread through the Fang Family’s Inner Hall, sparking a round of discussion. The expressions on people’s faces turned a little grim.

He Qingyan had been defeated. With her loss, two of the Six Heroes had now fallen.

Although the two who were defeated weren’t from the Fang Family, they still represented the strongest of Liangshui City’s younger generation. Being beaten by an outsider youth was a blow to the pride of all of Liangshui City’s young martial artists.

"Yue Lingtian, one of the Six Heroes... has also been defeated!"

At noon on the third day, the news of Yue Lingtian’s defeat arrived, striking everyone’s heart like a heavy hammer.

Half of the Six Heroes had now been defeated.

Could this young man really sweep through all of the Six Heroes?

The atmosphere in the dining hall had grown somewhat oppressive. Many people’s gazes subconsciously drifted toward Fang Han.

Among the Six Heroes, only Fang Hong, Lin Ao, and Fang Han remained undefeated.

Who would that outsider youth challenge next?

"Lin Ao has been defeated too!"

At noon on the fourth day, a piece of news that was like a thunderclap swept through the Fang Family’s Inner Hall—and indeed, all of Liangshui City—at astonishing speed.

A descendant burst into the dining hall, his voice hoarse with utter shock.

"What? Lin Ao was defeated too?!"

BOOM—!

The entire dining hall erupted in an instant, like cold water dropped into a sizzling wok of oil.

Lin Ao had once been the number one expert of Liangshui City’s younger generation! Among the Six Heroes of Liangshui, his strength was second only to Fang Han, who had defeated him before.

To think that even Lin Ao had fallen... this outsider youth’s power was simply too terrifying!

Many people looked worriedly at Fang Han. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

He also had a record of defeating Lin Ao. If Fang Han were to face a challenge from that outsider youth, could he win?

’Even Lin Ao was defeated?!’

Fang Han was just picking up a meat bun, meticulously prepared by the Fang Mansion’s kitchen, when he heard the news. His movements came to a sudden halt.

He slowly raised his head, and for the first time, a clear look of solemnity flashed through his eyes.

Having fought Lin Ao before, he knew Lin Ao’s strength very well. To be able to defeat him meant this outsider youth’s power was even greater than he had anticipated.

’If we were to fight, I truly have no guarantee of victory.’

’It’s my turn and Fang Hong’s next!’

Fang Han’s brow furrowed slightly, but it quickly smoothed out.

Among the Six Heroes, only he and Fang Hong had yet to face the outsider youth.

Following the youth’s pattern, he would inevitably come to challenge both him and Fang Hong next.

He couldn’t help but feel the pressure, but at the same time, a powerful fighting spirit surged within him.

After defeating Lin Ao, no one in Liangshui City’s younger generation had been able to put any pressure on him.

Now, a peer who could finally challenge him had appeared.

...

Inside Room Heaven-1 of Liangshui City’s finest inn, the Guest Welcoming Building.

Xiao Chen slowly withdrew from his Pile Skill cultivation. The surging qi and blood throughout his body gradually calmed. He opened his eyes, an undisguisable hint of disappointment and anxiety flashing in their depths.

"Still no good..."

he muttered to himself, his brow tightly furrowed.

In his fight with Lin Ao today, he had felt considerable pressure.

He had thought he could use that pressure to break through the incredibly tough barrier between the Late Stage of Bone Refining and the Inner Qi Realm, a barrier that had trapped him for months.

However, despite channeling his Cultivation Technique with all his might, the barrier only trembled violently. It remained stubbornly standing, refusing to break as he had hoped.

He was always just that little bit away!

This feeling of being stuck at a bottleneck was like a fire smoldering in his chest, a deeply uncomfortable burn.

CREAK—

The door was gently pushed open, and an old man in a gray robe with a lean face walked in. It was Xiao Yuanshan, the family Elder who was accompanying and protecting him.

"Chen’er, you’re too impatient," Xiao Yuanshan said gently, already knowing the outcome just by looking at Xiao Chen’s expression. "The Inner Qi Realm is the beginning of a complete transformation. How could it be so easy to break through? Success comes when the time is right. Forcing it will only create mental blocks."

"Grandmaster Yuan, I understand, but... time waits for no one. If I can’t break through to the Inner Qi Realm before the second month of next year, it will all be too late."

Xiao Chen let out a long breath, suppressing his frustration as he stood up.

He paused, a sharp light rekindling in his eyes.

"Grandmaster Yuan, I have defeated four of the Six Heroes of Liangshui. Have you found any information on the remaining two?"

"The remaining two both belong to the Fang Family, one of Liangshui City’s five great families. One is Fang Hong, the former number one of the Fang Family’s Inner Hall, at the Late Stage of Bone Refining, and he excels at Fist Technique. The other... is named Fang Han."

When he mentioned the name "Fang Han," Elder Xiao Yuanshan’s tone grew slightly more serious.

"This young man is not yet eighteen. He has only been in the Inner Hall for a year, yet he has surpassed his seniors to replace Fang Hong as the new leader of the Fang Family’s Inner Hall."

"What’s even more surprising is that just a short while ago, he defeated Lin Ao at a tea garden outside the city. He is now the publicly acknowledged number one of Liangshui City’s younger generation."

"He defeated Lin Ao? The publicly acknowledged number one of Liangshui City’s younger generation? Excellent! He should be able to put even more pressure on me than Lin Ao did!"

Excitement shone in Xiao Chen’s eyes.

He had experienced Lin Ao’s strength firsthand; he was clearly a cut above the other members of the Six Heroes he had defeated.

Anyone who could defeat Lin Ao was definitely a worthy opponent.

Using him as a whetstone might just provide enough pressure to help him break through to the Inner Qi Realm.

"Both of them are in the Fang Family, one of Liangshui City’s five great families. Who do you plan to challenge first?"

"Tomorrow, I will challenge them both! I hope to use their combined strength, especially Fang Han’s, to help me break through this final barrier!"

A warlike smile touched the corner of Xiao Chen’s mouth. He clenched his fists, his eyes filled with anticipation and resolve.

...

Fang Family Inner Hall, Class A-10 Martial Arts Room.

Fang Han had just finished a round of Swordsmanship practice. Before he could retract his aura, he heard a knock on the door.

He opened the door to find a servant holding two wooden boxes.

"Young Master Han, this is your monthly stipend,"

the servant said respectfully.

It was already the end of the month, so the family had sent someone with this month’s stipend.

"Thank you."

Fang Han took the two wooden boxes but didn’t open them, instead setting them aside.

He already knew that the reward for being first in the Inner Hall was fifty Qi Blood Pills plus one hundred taels of silver. There was no need to check in a hurry.

Most importantly, even with this hundred taels of silver, it wouldn’t be enough for his "Wealth Owned" to break a thousand again and activate the Level 3 Amplification for his Stepping Talent.

KNOCK KNOCK—

Just as he was about to resume his cultivation, the door to the Martial Arts Room was knocked on again.

Surprised, he walked to the door and opened it again.

A different servant stood outside. Seeing him, the servant immediately said respectfully,

"Young Master Han, someone is here to visit you. They have been led to the reception room!"

’Someone’s visiting me? Who is it?’

Doubt arose in Fang Han’s mind.

His first thought was of the outsider youth who had declared he would challenge the Six Heroes of Liangshui, but he immediately dismissed the idea.

If it really were that outsider youth, this servant wouldn’t be reacting like this.