Inside the study of the Lin Mansion, the charcoal fire burned brightly, yet it couldn’t dispel the sudden, encroaching chill.

Lin Yaotian sat upright behind his desk, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing a smooth, warm Jade Pendant. As he listened to the urgent report from his steward, Lin Fu, his expression visibly darkened.

"What did you say? Huang Kui failed? Fang Han is already at the Ninth Grade Inner Qi Realm?!"

He shot his head up, a sharp, incredulous glint in his eyes. His knuckles turned white from the force.

’That brat Fang Han is how old? How could he have already broken through the chasm that has stumped countless Martial Artists?’

’Such Talent is simply unheard-of!’

"It’s absolutely true."

Lin Fu bowed even lower, his voice laced with an uncontrollable tremor of shock.

"Our men saw it with their own eyes. When he fought, he manifested Qi Force externally. It’s something no one in the Bone Refining Realm could possibly do."

"Where is Huang Kui now?"

Lin Yaotian leaned forward, his voice suddenly dropping to a low, tight whisper, betraying a hint of tension.

’If Huang Kui was captured alive... he could very well expose the Lin Family as the ones behind it.’

Lin Fu lowered his head even further. "His body was found in a dark alley... He had injuries, but none were fatal. It seems he took poison to kill himself."

Upon hearing this, the tension in Lin Yaotian’s shoulders eased almost imperceptibly, but then an even deeper gloom clouded his eyes.

’Took poison to kill himself?’

’Huang Kui has been a Ninth Grade Inner Qi Realm Martial Artist for many years. To force him into a situation where he couldn’t escape and had to commit suicide by poison... that brat from the Fang Family must have a master of at least the Eighth Grade Realm secretly protecting him.’

’There are no more than five Martial Artists of that caliber in the entire Fang Family. That old fox, Fang Lingyuan, was actually willing to assign such a master as a bodyguard.’

His fingertips rapped heavily on the smooth, purple sandalwood desk, making a dull THUD.

"Cut all ties related to Huang Kui. Make sure not a single thread can be traced back to the Lin Family. Go, now."

"Yes, Master."

Lin Fu, knowing the gravity of the situation, accepted the order with a solemn expression and turned to leave quickly.

Just then, there was a knock on the study door. A trusted servant, unsummoned, stumbled in, his face pale as a sheet.

"Patriarch! It’s terrible! Young Master Ao... he’s been attacked and injured!"

"What?" Lin Yaotian’s pupils contracted, and he shot to his feet. "What happened? How bad are his injuries?"

"On his way back to the mansion just now, he was ambushed. The attacker struck extremely heavily. Young Master Ao suffered internal injuries, and his right arm is broken. I’m afraid... I’m afraid he’ll need months to recover..."

The servant’s voice trembled.

Lin Yaotian’s heart pounded. ’This is definitely the Fang Family’s revenge!’

’How could the Fang Family’s retaliation be so swift? Have they already confirmed the Lin Family was behind it?’

The thought had barely formed when another servant rushed in.

"Patriarch, Yue Lingtian of the Yue Family, He Qingyan of the He Family, Sun Qing of the Sun Family... they were all attacked at almost the same time, but none of them were injured!"

"What vicious methods!"

Lin Yaotian was first stunned, then his face turned ashen.

’This isn’t revenge aimed solely at the Lin Family. It’s an indiscriminate warning.’

’Fang Lingyuan is using the most direct and ruthless method to inform all the powers in Liangshui City.’

’If anything happens to Fang Han, he will make the most outstanding scions of every family pay with their lives!’

A chill ran down Lin Yaotian’s spine. He felt an unprecedented fear of Fang Lingyuan’s decisiveness and ferocity.

The peace of mind he had gained from Huang Kui’s suicide was now strangled by an invisible rope.

He waved his hand and said to Lin Fu in a low voice.

"...Do what I just told you, immediately. And hire the best Pharmacist, spare no expense. We must have Ao’er recover as quickly as possible."

"Yes." Lin Fu and the two servants replied in low voices, then withdrew silently, gently closing the door behind them.

The study fell silent again, leaving only the faint CRACKLE of the charcoal fire. Lin Yaotian sat alone in his chair, his deep gaze fixed on the heavy darkness outside the window, unmoving for a long time.

...

After the assassination attempt, Fang Han became a recluse, no longer setting foot outside the Fang Mansion.

The Inner Hall was still closed for the new year’s holiday, so he made Tingyu Pavilion his place of Cultivation.

The new courtyard the family had given him was quite spacious. It was paved with bluestone and decorated with a few hardy pines and cypresses in the corners, providing enough room for him to move about and practice his Martial Techniques.

As for the Cultivation of his Inner Qi Cultivation Technique, that could be done in his bedroom.

Inside his bedroom, Fang Han finished his Cultivation of the Pure Yuan Skill.

He walked out of his bedroom and into the courtyard.

He took a deep breath of the cold, crisp air, his gaze hardening as it fell upon the Cyan Blade Sword in his hand.

SWISH—

As the sword flashed, the wind began to howl.

He executed the Xunfeng Swordsmanship, which he had mastered to the Great Success Level. The Sword Momentum was swift and fierce, like bolts of cyan lightning tearing through the cold wind, flashing across the courtyard and sending fallen leaves spiraling into the air.

’The difficulty has increased quite a bit!’

Fang Han’s brows furrowed slightly.

He could clearly feel that the Cultivation required to bring the Xunfeng Swordsmanship from Great Success to Perfection was significantly more difficult than his previous training.

Even with the Eightfold Swordsmanship Talent Amplification and the solid foundation laid by his Perfection Qingfeng Swordsmanship, he feared it would still take several months of grinding to reach Perfection.

’It’s because this is a qualitative transformation!’

According to the manual, this was because the transition from Great Success to Perfection was a qualitative leap.

Once he reached Perfection, he would gain initial control over Wind Momentum, and his Sword Techniques would carry the force of a gale, their power skyrocketing.

Corresponding to the explosive increase in power was an explosive increase in difficulty.

After practicing for more than an hour, drenched in sweat, Fang Han finally retracted his sword and stood still.

His gaze swept over the blade, his eyes calm, without a hint of discouragement.

’This is the path of the Martial Dao. The higher the Realm, the more arduous the Cultivation.’

After briefly regulating his breath, he began to practice the Startled Swan Step.

Unlike the feeling of stagnation he felt when practicing the Xunfeng Swordsmanship, cultivating this Step Technique felt incredibly smooth and natural, as if everything was falling into place.

He was boosted by his Eightfold Stepping Talent and supported by the solid foundation of his Perfection Level Gale Step. Since he was only at the low Entry Level, his comprehension of this Low Grade Body Technique was astonishingly fast.

He tapped his toes lightly, and his figure flickered into motion, like a startled swan taking flight. Within a small space, he left behind a series of elusive afterimages.

With every turn and every leap, new insights welled up from within. His control over the circulation of his Inner Qi and his sense of timing grew more exquisite and microscopic.

He had a clear premonition that a breakthrough in his Startled Swan Step was imminent.

Several days later, in the afternoon, Fang Han was engrossed in practicing the Startled Swan Step in the courtyard when, in the middle of a movement, he was struck by a flash of inspiration.

The Inner Qi in his body suddenly surged through a new, more profound path into his feet. An invisible force seemed to lift him from below, his speed instantly increasing. His changes in direction became even more erratic and unpredictable, and the afterimage he left behind solidified for a moment before slowly fading.

’The Startled Swan Step has reached the Minor Achievement Realm!’

Fang Han stopped, feeling the significant improvement in his Body Technique.

At the Minor Achievement level, the Low Grade Startled Swan Step was now just as fast and agile as the Gale Step was at the Perfection Level.

From now on, he could completely replace the Gale Step with this Step Technique in combat.

’The next improvement will surpass the Perfection Gale Step!’

Anticipation grew in Fang Han’s heart.

When the Startled Swan Step advanced to the next level, its speed and unpredictability would reach new heights, surpassing the Perfection Gale Step.

At that point, this Step Technique’s boost to his overall strength would be immense, becoming an important trump card.