At this moment, Lin Yaotian’s expression was so grim it could practically drip water.

He clenched his fists inside his sleeves, veins popping on the back of his hands.

A potent mix of jealousy and alarm gnawed at his heart like a venomous snake.

"He... he actually did it!"

Lin Yaotian squeezed the words from between his teeth, his voice low and cold.

Although the Fang Family had been secretive, he had guessed their intentions and secretly came to Qingxuan City.

Upon learning that many geniuses were participating in the exam this time, he had breathed a sigh of relief, believing Fang Han would fail.

But against all expectations, Fang Han had actually passed the exam!

The grim look on his face quickly twisted into a nearly savage ferocity before he forcibly suppressed it. He turned his head and looked at Zhao Qianjun beside him.

He quickly took out an exquisitely crafted Purple Sandalwood Box he had prepared earlier from his robes, handed it over, and spoke in an extremely low voice.

"Young Hero Zhao, I must ask you to find a way to make sure this boy... meets with an accident!"

"Patriarch Lin, the Qingxuan Sect’s rules are strict. Dealing with a fellow disciple is no small risk. A mere thirty thousand taels of silver... I’m afraid that makes things difficult."

Zhao Qianjun casually took the box, opened it, and pulled out a stack of silver notes, each with a denomination of one thousand taels.

He weighed them in his hand, but his face showed little satisfaction. Instead, he frowned slightly, his tone laced with a hint of difficulty.

"Here is twenty thousand taels. Consider it tea money, Young Hero Zhao. Once the deed is done, the Lin Family will have another handsome reward for you!"

A flash of pained reluctance and determination crossed Lin Yaotian’s eyes. Forcing a smile, he unhesitatingly pulled another stack of silver notes from his sleeve and stuffed them toward the other man.

"Patriarch Lin is indeed forthright. Rest assured, he’s just a newcomer with no backing. I have my ways of making sure he ’meets with an accident.’"

Zhao Qianjun weighed the newly added silver notes in his hand, and the reservation on his face finally melted away.

A meaningful smile spread across his lips as he put away both the Purple Sandalwood Box and the silver notes.

"Then I’ll leave everything to you, Young Hero Zhao!"

Hearing this, Lin Yaotian finally revealed a cold, sinister smile and cupped his fists again.

The two exchanged a look of tacit understanding. The window curtain fell silently, and the carriage departed from the bustling area without a sound, as if it had never been there at all.

As the list of names was announced, the crowd in the square was a mix of joy and sorrow.

Those who passed were beaming, their expressions proud, excitedly discussing the next steps with their families.

Those who failed looked dejected and downcast.

Amid the quiet comfort or sighs of their elders, they silently turned and left this place of hopes and disappointments.

"Disciples who have passed the exam, listen to my command! You have until the end of today to settle all your worldly affairs."

"Report here tomorrow morning with your Exam Token. Anyone who is late will be considered to have automatically forfeited their qualification for entry!"

At that moment, the solemn-faced White Hair Elder spoke, his voice carrying clearly across the entire square, silencing the remaining clamor. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

His tone was decisive and allowed no room for doubt.

Those who could pass the exam could naturally be called talented, but the Qingxuan Sect recruited a batch of such talented youths every year.

That’s not to say they were held in particularly high regard, however.

This level of Talent alone was far from enough for the Qingxuan Sect to roll out the red carpet for them. The two, however, who had reached the Early Stage of Eighth Grade Cultivation in the entry exam, showed some potential.

’I only have one day, I need to hurry!’

Fang Han and Fang Lingyuan wasted no more time. They boarded their carriage and returned to the Keyunlai Inn in Qingxuan City.

Inside the guest room, the oppressive atmosphere from before was gone, replaced by a touch of melancholy at their impending separation.

Fang Han took out the parcel of gifts, arranged them neatly, and presented them to Fang Lingyuan with both hands.

"Patriarch, these are gifts I bought for my parents and little sister. I must trouble you to deliver them on my behalf when you return."

"Rest assured, I will deliver them personally. Focus on your Cultivation in the sect. The family will take care of everything back home, so you have nothing to worry about."

Fang Lingyuan took the gifts, nodded, and spoke with great solemnity.

With that, he took a heavy wooden box from his luggage and handed it to Fang Han.

"Patriarch, what is this...?"

Fang Han took the wooden box. It felt quite heavy in his hands. He opened it, and his eyes were met with a dazzling golden gleam.

Inside the wooden box lay ten glittering, bright yellow gold ingots, shimmering with an alluring luster!

Each ingot was ten taels, meaning the ten of them were a hundred taels of gold!

According to the current exchange rate, one tael of gold could be exchanged for a hundred taels of silver. This meant that one hundred taels of gold was worth a full ten thousand taels of silver.

"Ten thousand taels of silver..."

Fang Han’s pupils contracted, his face a mask of unconcealed shock.

Ten thousand taels of silver was by no means a small sum, even for the Fang Family. He never imagined the Patriarch would give him such an enormous amount.

"Fang Han, take this gold, worth ten thousand taels of silver. Consider it the family’s support for you this year. Be sure to keep it safe."

"From now on, the family will provide you with ten thousand taels of silver each year as a resource for your Cultivation."

Fang Lingyuan said in a solemn tone.

He paused, his voice tinged with earnest hope.

"Ten thousand taels of silver is an enormous expense, even for our Fang Family, but the family believes it is a worthy investment!"

"You no longer represent just yourself, but the future hope and pillar of our Fang Family."

"We only hope that after you enter the Qingxuan Sect, you will train diligently, advance courageously, and not disappoint the fervent expectations the entire family has for you!"

Looking at the wooden box full of gold, Fang Han took a deep breath, suppressing the emotions churning within him.

He took a step back and gave Fang Lingyuan a deep bow.

"The Patriarch’s great kindness, the family’s high hopes... Fang Han will engrave them in his heart! I will train hard and practice diligently, and I will not dare to slack off in the slightest!"

"Good! Good!"

A gratified smile appeared on Fang Lingyuan’s face as he clapped Fang Han firmly on the shoulder.

"I will personally look after your parents and little sister and ensure they are safe and sound. You just focus all your energy on Cultivation. The family will be your solid backing."

「The next morning, just as the sky began to lighten.」

Fang Lingyuan brought Fang Han by carriage to the Qingxuan Sect.

"Be careful in all things, and think twice before you act."

Fang Lingyuan looked at Fang Han, a thousand words of advice ultimately condensed into a single sentence.

"Take care, Patriarch."

Fang Han nodded firmly.

He turned and strode toward the towering mountain gate.

A Mountain Guard Disciple came forward to check his Exam Token. After it was verified, a guide disciple stepped up and led him inside.

Fang Lingyuan stood rooted to the spot, his gaze tightly following Fang Han’s back until the figure in green robes disappeared deep within the magnificent complex of buildings.

After a long while, he slowly retracted his gaze, his eyes filled with an indescribable hope, and turned to board the carriage.

Fang Han followed the guide disciple, passing by halls and pavilions built into the mountainside. With their flying eaves and interlocking brackets, surrounded by towering ancient trees, the scenery was far beyond anything in the outside world.

Soon, they arrived at a side hall responsible for registration, where several Stewards were on duty.

Fang Han handed over his Exam Token. After verifying it, a Steward took the token and gave him a new Jade Token and two neatly folded sets of cyan robes.

The fabric of the robes was soft and cool to the touch. The collar and cuffs were embroidered with flowing cloud patterns in silver thread—the standard uniform for Qingxuan Sect disciples.

What was most eye-catching was the Jade Token.

It was the size of his palm, warm and smooth to the touch. Its texture was surprisingly similar to the Martial Arts Stele in the Fang Family’s Inner Hall, giving it a feeling of indestructibility.

The front of the Jade Token was carved with the word "Qingxuan," while the back was engraved with a numerical ID.

The amazing part was, when he followed the Steward’s instructions and infused his Inner Qi into the Jade Token, its surface began to glow, displaying the number "zero."