Chapter 41: The New Foundation of Rank 3
The breakthrough was over.
But Han Feng knew that reaching Rank 3 was only the beginning.
He remained seated inside the hidden cave, allowing the last traces of turbulent Qi to settle within his body.
The Dark Moonstone rested in front of him.
Only a portion of its energy had been consumed.
The rest remained sealed within the stone, waiting for future use.
Han Feng slowly circulated his Qi.
One cycle.
Then another.
Each circulation felt different from before.
His Qi was denser.
More stable.
And, most importantly, more responsive to his will.
He opened his eyes.
For several breaths, he simply remained still.
Then he extended his spiritual sense.
The world seemed clearer.
He could distinguish the movement of spiritual energy in the surrounding rocks.
He could sense the faint Yin Qi flowing through the cave.
Even the concealment formations he had placed around the entrance were now easier to perceive.
So this is Rank 3.
The difference was not merely an increase in power.
His control had improved.
His foundation had become more refined.
But Han Feng did not allow himself to become careless.
A stronger cultivation base meant stronger enemies would eventually notice him.
That was precisely what he wanted to avoid.
He slowly stood.
Then—
a sharp pain passed through his chest.
Han Feng's expression changed.
He immediately sat down again.
His spiritual sense entered his meridians.
Something was wrong.
His Qi was circulating normally, but beneath that stable flow was another layer of energy.
A faint pressure remained around his spiritual core.
It was almost imperceptible.
But it was there.
Han Feng carefully examined it.
Then he understood.
The breakthrough left a resonance behind.
When a cultivator advanced to a higher rank, the transformation of the spiritual core did not immediately become completely stable.
The surrounding spiritual energy had responded to his breakthrough.
Some of that energy had been drawn into his meridians.
Some had remained as a faint spiritual imprint.
Normally, it would disappear naturally after several days of consolidation.
But there was a problem.
Han Feng's foundation was unusual.
The Dual Chaos Larva.
The Celestial Transmutation Gu.
The Dark Chaos Refinement.
And the energy of the Dark Moonstone had all participated in the breakthrough.
Their interaction had made his breakthrough more stable.
But it had also made its residual resonance more distinctive.
Han Feng's eyes narrowed.
So that's what happened.
He remembered the heartbeat he had felt after reaching Rank 3.
Something far away had noticed him.
It might not have sensed his exact location.
But it had sensed the change.
The thought made him uneasy.
He immediately circulated the Celestial Veil.
The residual resonance weakened.
But it did not disappear.
Han Feng frowned.
The Celestial Veil can conceal my current aura.
But it cannot completely erase the trace left by the breakthrough.
That was a serious limitation.
For the next several days, he would have to remain careful.
If a powerful cultivator specifically searched for unusual breakthrough fluctuations, they might detect traces of his advancement.
Not his exact location.
Not his identity.
But enough to know that a Rank 3 cultivator had recently emerged somewhere in the surrounding region.
Han Feng slowly clenched his fist.
Then I can't leave immediately.
He needed to consolidate.
The New Foundation
After several hours of meditation, the residual resonance weakened slightly.
Han Feng began circulating his Qi again.
One cycle.
Then another.
Each circulation gradually compressed the unstable traces around his spiritual core.
His breakthrough foundation was becoming quieter.
But there was another difference.
His Qi was denser.
More stable.
And much easier to control.
Han Feng opened his eyes.
For several breaths, he simply remained still.
Then he extended his spiritual sense.
The world seemed clearer.
He could distinguish the movement of spiritual energy in the surrounding rocks.
He could sense the faint Yin Qi flowing through the cave.
Even the concealment formations he had placed around the entrance were now easier to perceive.
This is Rank 3.
The difference was not merely an increase in power.
His control had improved.
His foundation had become more refined.
But Han Feng did not allow himself to become careless.
A stronger cultivation base meant stronger enemies would eventually notice him.
That was precisely what he wanted to avoid.
He slowly stood.
Testing the New Foundation
Han Feng left the cave.
He did not travel far.
A small valley surrounded by ancient stones and dense vegetation lay several hundred meters away.
There were no signs of recent cultivators.
No spirit beast tracks.
No formations.
It was suitable for testing.
Han Feng stood beneath an ancient tree.
He took a deep breath.
Then activated Ghostly Shift.
His body disappeared.
A moment later, he appeared several meters away.
He stopped.
His expression remained calm.
Faster.
The difference was obvious.
At Rank 2, Ghostly Shift had required careful control of his Qi.
Now the technique responded almost naturally.
But Han Feng immediately noticed something else.
The improvement was not as overwhelming as he had expected.
His movement was faster.
His reaction speed was better.
But the technique still consumed Qi.
And Rank 3 had not magically erased that limitation.
Power has increased.
Efficiency has increased.
But I still need control.
That realization pleased him.
Cultivation was not simply about possessing more energy.
If he wasted it carelessly, a stronger opponent could still exploit him.
Han Feng turned toward a large stone.
He gathered Qi into his fist.
Then released approximately half of his current strength.
Bang!
The stone cracked.
Several large fragments broke away.
Han Feng looked at his fist.
No pain.
No instability.
He nodded.
The physical enhancement was significant.
But he did not continue increasing his strength.
There was no reason to destroy the entire valley.
That would only create unnecessary traces.
Dance of the Eternal Shadows
Han Feng moved farther into the valley.
He raised one hand.
Dark Qi gathered around his fingers.
Then four shadow-like spears appeared in the air.
Dance of the Eternal Shadows.
Han Feng released them.
Boom!
The four spears struck four separate stones.
The impact shattered them.
Dust spread through the valley.
Han Feng watched carefully.
The technique was stronger than before.
But something else had changed.
He could now control the trajectory of each spear more precisely.
At Rank 2, maintaining several simultaneous attacks had required considerable concentration.
At Rank 3, the technique felt smoother.
More importantly, he could adjust the amount of Qi in each spear.
One could be used for killing.
Another could be weakened enough to serve only as a distraction.
That flexibility was far more valuable to Han Feng than raw destructive power.
This is what Rank 3 really gives me.
Control.
He lowered his hand.
The remaining Qi dissipated.
Han Feng did not continue testing.
He had learned enough.
Refining the Celestial Veil
Han Feng returned to the cave.
His next priority was more important than his offensive abilities.
Concealment.
He sat cross-legged.
The Art of the Celestial Veil circulated through his meridians.
Before the breakthrough, hiding his Rank 2 cultivation had already been effective.
Now he had a problem.
Rank 3 Qi was denser.
If he simply suppressed it, traces could still leak out.
He needed to refine the technique.
Han Feng slowly compressed his Qi.
Instead of suppressing it forcefully, he guided it through a secondary circulation pattern.
The excess energy was distributed throughout his meridians.
His aura gradually weakened.
Then weakened further.
Several hours passed.
Sweat formed on his forehead.
His control had to remain extremely precise.
One mistake could cause his aura to fluctuate.
Finally—
the spiritual pressure surrounding him disappeared.
Han Feng opened his eyes.
He extended his spiritual sense outward.
Then he released a tiny portion of his aura.
It was immediately concealed again.
Better.
He was not truly indistinguishable from a mortal.
A powerful expert examining him directly could still discover irregularities.
And the breakthrough resonance had not completely disappeared.
But from a distance, or during ordinary contact, his cultivation could be mistaken for a weak cultivator.
That was enough.
Han Feng smiled faintly.
The stronger I become, the more important it is to look weak.
The Change in the Dual Chaos Larva
There was still one thing he needed to investigate.
The Dual Chaos Larva.
Since the breakthrough, it had behaved differently.
Han Feng summoned it carefully.
The small Gu floated above his palm.
Its chaotic energy was more stable than before.
But it was also more sensitive to external Qi.
Han Feng slowly released a tiny amount of his own Qi.
The Dual Chaos Larva absorbed it.
Then converted part of it into a more harmonious form before returning it to his circulation.
Han Feng's eyes narrowed.
Interesting.
He did not stop there.
He placed a small spirit stone beside his palm.
The Larva reacted immediately.
A faint black vortex appeared.
But instead of sucking the entire stone dry, the vortex only drew out a tiny amount of its spiritual energy.
The energy entered the Larva.
For a moment, the chaotic fluctuations became unstable.
Han Feng immediately stopped the process.
The vortex disappeared.
The spirit stone remained mostly intact.
Han Feng frowned.
So it cannot simply absorb unlimited energy.
That was actually a relief.
The ability was useful.
But it had clear limitations.
The Dual Chaos Larva could now harmonize and partially assimilate small amounts of external energy, especially energy that had already entered his surroundings or collided with his own Qi.
However, it could not instantly absorb an entire attack.
It could not endlessly replenish his reserves.
And if he attempted to absorb energy that was too powerful or too incompatible, the chaotic balance inside the Larva could collapse.
That could injure him instead.
Han Feng carefully tested the ability once more.
A small amount of spiritual energy entered his circulation.
The Larva separated the conflicting properties.
One portion became usable Qi.
Another was converted into Gu energy.
The remaining instability was discarded.
Han Feng nodded slowly.
This could become extremely useful in battle.
Not because it made him invincible.
But because it gave him another way to turn an opponent's energy against them.
He would need much more practice before relying on it.
Consolidating Rank 3
Han Feng spent the next several days inside the cave.
He did not immediately leave after reaching Rank 3.
That would have been reckless.
Instead, he focused on consolidation.
He circulated his Qi repeatedly.
Strengthened his meridians.
Practiced Ghostly Shift.
Refined Dance of the Eternal Shadows.
And repeatedly tested the Celestial Veil.
The Dark Moonstone remained nearby, but he used only tiny amounts of its energy.
There was no reason to consume it quickly.
It was a valuable stabilizing resource.
Each day, the strange resonance around his spiritual core became weaker.
On the fourth day, Han Feng stopped his circulation.
He extended his spiritual sense.
Nothing.
The distinctive pressure that had followed his breakthrough was finally gone.
His foundation had completely settled.
Only then did Han Feng allow himself to relax.
He was still in the Early Stage of Rank 3.
There was no breakthrough to the Middle Stage.
No sudden increase in cultivation.
But his foundation was now genuinely stable.
Han Feng looked at his hands.
Now I can finally begin moving more freely.
He packed his belongings.
The Dark Moonstone went into its separate container.
The Celestial Fragment remained sealed.
The Resonance Marker remained hidden.
The Dual Chaos Larva returned to his body.
Everything was ready.
Han Feng left the cave.
Returning to the Black Moon Sect
The journey back to the Black Moon Sect would take several days.
Han Feng did not travel directly.
He avoided major roads.
He crossed streams.
Changed directions.
Passed through several small settlements without staying long.
Whenever another cultivator approached, he lowered his aura beneath the Celestial Veil.
To them, he appeared to be an ordinary wandering cultivator.
Nothing more.
But Han Feng's mind was already focused on the sect.
He had been away for too long.
The Black Moon Sect had already shown signs of internal infiltration.
Someone had been searching the northern tunnels.
Someone had knowledge of the Celestial Pattern.
And the Mountain-Sealing Array was beginning to awaken.
Now Han Feng had another question.
What did the Black Moon Sect know about Rank 3?
More importantly...
what would Zhu Han think when Han Feng returned?
Han Feng had entered the sect as an Outer Disciple with limited cultivation.
He could not suddenly return displaying Rank 3 without creating suspicion.
Fortunately, the Celestial Veil was stronger now.
He could hide his advancement.
But hiding it would not be enough.
He would need to behave exactly as he had before.
Careful.
Quiet.
Ordinary.
Han Feng looked toward the distant mountains.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
Rank 3 is not the end.
It's simply the point where the real game begins.
He continued walking toward the Black Moon Sect.
Far behind him, however, a faint spiritual fluctuation passed through the wilderness.
Han Feng did not notice it.
Not yet.
The resonance of his breakthrough had disappeared.
But something had already sensed it before it faded.
And this time...
it was not using the Resonance Marker.