The city at the foot of Qingxuan Mountain was called Qingxuan City.

It had been established by the Qingxuan Sect and was massive in scale, with a permanent population of over a million—a far cry from Liangshui City.

Towering city walls constructed from enormous bluestone blocks enclosed wide streets bustling with traffic and crowds of people.

Shops lined both sides of the streets, mostly selling goods related to Martial Artists, such as Weapons, medicinal herbs, and Cultivation Technique manuals.

Occasionally, Martial Artists with formidable auras could be seen passing by. It was clear there was no shortage of experts residing in the city.

The Fang Family contingent made their way through the bustling streets, eventually choosing to stay at an impressive and tidy-looking inn called Keyunlai.

Fang Han and Fang Lingyuan took one of the suites. It had two bedrooms and a living room, giving it a comfortable, home-like feel.

When Fang Han opened the window, his view was filled with the main peak of Qingxuan Mountain, shrouded in mist and looking like a celestial wonderland.

An indescribable sense of awe and longing washed over him.

"Get some rest."

Fang Lingyuan said before returning to his room.

Fang Han agreed. He closed the window and sat cross-legged on the bed. Instead of going to sleep immediately, he began to practice the Pure Yuan Skill.

Despite the fatigue from a full day of travel by carriage, he still planned to complete his Cultivation before sleeping.

His Inner Qi slowly coursed through his body, following the pathways of the Pure Yuan Skill, completing one Circulation after another.

A long time later, he ended his Cultivation. His Inner Qi had increased, but he was still a long way from breaking through to the Middle Stage of Ninth Grade.

For an average Inner Qi Realm Martial Artist, advancing even a single minor realm could take years. It often took several years just to progress by one small stage.

There were many Inner Qi Realm Martial Artists in the Fang Family who had entered the Ninth Grade Realm more than a decade ago but had remained stagnant, unable to advance.

With his eightfold-amplified Root Bone Talent, it certainly wouldn’t take him years to advance a single minor stage.

However, it was still impossible for him to reach the Middle Stage of Ninth Grade in a short amount of time.

The next morning, Fang Lingyuan left the inn to gather intelligence on the upcoming Qingxuan Sect assessment.

In his bedroom, Fang Han practiced the Pure Yuan Skill.

He ran through the Cultivation Technique for several Circulations. It wasn’t until the sun was high in the sky and he felt a pang of hunger that he slowly ceased his practice.

He pushed open the window to find the sunlight already a bit glaring. He estimated it was already noon, yet Fang Lingyuan had not returned.

Fang Han tidied his clothes, opened the door, and went downstairs to the inn’s main floor, which was filled with dining tables.

The main floor was already filled with diners, and conversations rose and fell around him. He could faintly make out words like "assessment," "Qingxuan Sect," and "so many people this year."

Clearly, the Qingxuan Sect’s entrance assessment was the center of attention in Qingxuan City.

Fang Han found a quiet spot by a window, ordered a few light dishes, and ate in silence.

During a lull in his meal, he beckoned a waiter over and asked a question.

"Excuse me, is there a place near this inn suitable for practicing Martial Techniques?"

"Yes, sir. We have a Martial Arts Arena in the backyard for our guests. It’s not very large, but it’s quiet and you’re unlikely to be disturbed."

The waiter, knowing Fang Han was a guest in one of the suites, didn’t dare to be disrespectful. He quickly bowed and replied.

Fang Han nodded. After finishing his meal, he followed the waiter’s directions through a few corridors to the back of the inn.

It was a square courtyard paved with bluestone slabs and enclosed by low walls. A few hardy trees were planted in the corners, making it feel quite secluded.

However, just as Fang Han stepped into the courtyard, he saw that he was not alone.

In the center of the courtyard, a graceful figure was practicing her swordsmanship.

She was a young woman in light purple martial attire, her face obscured by a thin veil. Though her features were hidden, he could tell she must be exceptionally beautiful.

She wielded a longsword as clear as autumn waters with effortless grace. Her Sword Techniques were exquisite, and she was clearly practicing an incredibly profound form of Swordsmanship in which she was highly accomplished.

What was even more shocking was the blade itself: it was wreathed in a clearly visible, light-blue aura of energy that pulsed erratically, emitting a sharp, unnerving presence.

This young woman was also an Inner Qi Realm Martial Artist.

And judging by the formidable power of her Inner Qi, she had to be at least in the Late Stage of Ninth Grade, if not higher—an Inner Qi Realm Martial Artist whose Cultivation was far superior to his!

Fang Han’s eyes narrowed, a chill running through him.

He had known the Qingxuan Sect assessment would attract countless geniuses from across Qingyang County, but he never expected to run into one in the Martial Arts Arena of a random inn right after arriving in Qingxuan City.

And a genius in the Inner Qi Realm at that, one who far surpassed him.

Back in Liangshui City, reaching the Inner Qi Realm before the age of eighteen was a feat unheard of for decades.

But on the scale of the entire Qingyang County, the number of geniuses was clearly far greater than he had imagined.

An invisible pressure silently settled upon him. ’Can I really stand out amidst such fierce competition?’

Though his mind was racing, Fang Han’s expression remained unchanged.

He didn’t disturb the young woman. Instead, he chose an empty spot at a distance and began his own Cultivation.

SHING—

The Cyan Blade Sword left its sheath. Fang Han cleared his mind of all distractions, immersing himself completely in the Xunfeng Swordsmanship.

With his Eightfold Swordsmanship Talent Amplification, the profound principles of the Swordsmanship flowed through his mind as naturally as a stream.

Flashes of his sword were like gusts of wind, its movements unpredictable and its speed astonishing.

With every swing, new insights flooded his mind. His understanding of the Sword Techniques and the way he coordinated them with his Inner Qi were being subtly adjusted and optimized.

He was soon completely engrossed, lost to the world.

’He’s achieved Great Success in a Low Grade Sword Technique.’

The veiled young woman, Yun Qianyue, had naturally noticed Fang Han’s arrival. Though her Sword Momentum didn’t falter, she glanced his way out of the corner of her eye.

When she saw the Swordsmanship Fang Han was using, a flicker of surprise showed in the bright eyes visible above her veil.

With her keen eye, she could naturally tell that he was practicing a graded Swordsmanship. His level of mastery was also quite impressive, having already reached the Great Success Realm.

She couldn’t accurately judge his specific Realm since he wasn’t using his full strength.

But based on his Swordsmanship alone, she could tell he was exceptionally talented in the Sword Dao and by no means mediocre.

Her gaze rested on Fang Han for a moment before she looked away. With a flick of her longsword, she returned her focus to her own Cultivation.

For a while, the only sound in the courtyard was the whistle of two sets of sword strikes, their sounds weaving together without interference.

By the time Fang Han had practiced both the Xunfeng Swordsmanship and the Startled Swan Step several times and came to a stop, he realized the girl in purple had left the courtyard at some point.

Fang Han steadied his slightly ragged breath, then also left the Martial Arts Arena and returned to his room.

When he pushed open the door to his room, he found Fang Lingyuan sitting at the table. He was holding a cup of long-cold tea, his brow deeply furrowed and his expression grave.

"Patriarch, you’re back."

Fang Han said, closing the door behind him.

Fang Lingyuan seemed to snap out of a deep thought. He set down the teacup, his gaze falling on Fang Han.

"Fang Han, sit down."

Fang Han did as he was told and sat down. Already sensing something was wrong, he took the initiative and asked, "Patriarch, did you find anything out?"

Fang Lingyuan paused for a moment before letting out a long, heavy breath. His voice was low as he said, "The situation... is even more grim than we anticipated."