Leaving the Yuhua Heavenly Palace, Fang Han didn't return to Reincarnation Peak to cultivate.
Instead, he swaggered straight back into the Mountain River Court—openly, brazenly—to watch the final results of the Mountain River Ranking.
His reappearance hit the crowd like a thunderbolt.
"Fang Han is back?!"
"And walking around like nothing happened! Not even Elder Ruyi could deal with him—does that mean the Sect Master favors him?"
"Looks like he really did lock down the entire top ten this year. With that murderous aura of his, who would dare challenge him now? What a pity… the Yin–Yang Longevity Pills! Six hundred years of extended life— even Golden Core elites covet them."
"Damn it, he's too domineering!"
"What can we do? When the giant raises his blade, the insects bow. Best we curry favor—maybe we'll get scraps."
Inner and outer disciples murmured anxiously—royal heirs from mortal kingdoms, scions of ancient clans, aristocrats sheltered by great merchant guilds. None dared speak too loudly.
In a shadowed corner, three or four seemingly ordinary disciples—those secretly trained by Hua Tiandu, Wan Luo, and Ling Xiao—stared at Fang Han's arrival, their faces turning ashen.
"What now?" one whispered, voice tight. "Senior Brother Tiandu put us through the Dao Furnace itself to temper our bones. He fed us enough spirit pills to drown an ox. Only the most gifted among us broke through to Divine Ability… and he even gave each of us a talisman to hide our aura. We were supposed to play the pig and eat the tiger. But if we move now, Fang Han will cripple us like he did Fang Man, Fang Rui, and Fang Lie."
Another disciple, wearing a jade coronet, ground his teeth.
"I planned to unseal my strength, wield the Boro Blade Senior Brother Tiandu gave me, and sweep the field. Winning a Longevity Pill would've been easy. Now? Impossible."
"And Senior Brother Wan Luo is waiting for us to deliver him a Yin–Yang Longevity Pill…"
"If Senior Brother Tiandu returned from the Taiyi Sect today, he could suppress Fang Han. But right now? If we jump out, we're dead."
Their whispers never escaped Fang Han's notice.
You think I don't know?
He sneered inwardly. Tiandu used an artifact-grade pill furnace to train you, yet only four of you reached Divine Ability. Compared to my Divine Ability Fruits, your breakthroughs are pathetic. Hiding your strength? Preparing to strike? I'm right here. Let's see how long you can pretend.
This Mountain River Ranking had been nothing short of earth-shaking.
Three Divine Ability disciples crippled by Fang Han.
Grand Elder Jin Rilie nearly captured.
Elder Tianxing's intervention.
Even the ancient titan Ruyi Zi failed to suppress him—and Fang Han had still walked out unscathed.
Then he had been summoned before the Sect Master—and returned strolling, relaxed, utterly unharmed.
The entire sect fell into stunned silence.
Just how powerful was Fang Han's backing?
Even if Hua Tiandu caused this level of havoc, he would be thrown into the Immortal Prison immediately.
Fang Han scanned the arena with a cold, cutting gaze.
Instantly, tens of thousands of disciples fell quiet.
Not a breath out of place.
Not one dared risk drawing his attention and being crippled on the spot.
Meanwhile, the female disciples of the Jialan Society beamed with pride, standing tall behind their rising star.
This—
this was authority.
Fang Han savored the sight.
From the moment he stepped in, he had already identified several disciples concealing terrifying strength—each one having reached the Divine Ability realm, each equipped with powerful treasures. They were clearly trained for the Mountain River Ranking prizes.
Normally, that would be rare. Even among tens of thousands of elite disciples, only one or two might break into Divine Ability each year.
But this year was different.
Massive sect-funded rewards.
The flood of Nascent Soul Pills Fang Han had distributed.
And Hua Tiandu's desperation—pouring out rare pills like "Jiazi God Pellets" to cultivate his own faction.
The result: talents sprouted like mushrooms after rain.
And with the prizes so rich, none held back.
Zzzzt—!
A blade of violet lightning cleaved through the air, splitting a flying sword cleanly in half. The arc of electricity hovered above a disciple's head, spinning menacingly.
"S–Senior Sister Hongyi, I concede!" the disciple yelped.
Princess Hongyi sheathed her blade, victorious.
Aside from Fang Han's overwhelming domination, she was the brightest star of the tournament. After breaking into the Divine Ability realm, Fang Qingxue had guided her through the Purple Lightning Yin-Thunder Blade, pushing her instantly into the second stage: the True Qi Realm.
With enough resources, the first three layers of Divine Ability weren't difficult.
Years ago, Fang Han himself had mastered brutally complex arts like the Heaven-Wood Divine Needle and the Green Emperor Wood Emperor Canon in mere months.
Purple Lightning Yin-Thunder was easier—provided one had lightning-aspected resources like the rare Purple-Gold Geomagnetic Stone. Hongyi had both—and Qingxue's precise lightning control via the Immortal Thunder Talisman made training swift and safe.
On another platform, Crane Fairy seized a disciple with phantom talons formed from pure mana. His flying sword and magical tools were useless.
"I concede!" he cried, dangling helplessly.
Though she hadn't condensed True Qi, her raw mana was terrifying—far beyond most early Divine Ability cultivators. Beast cultivators rarely achieved human form, but once they did, their power was overwhelming. Crane Fairy also carried remnants of demonic sovereign blood thanks to the blood pills she'd consumed.
One disciple after another fell to her like leaves in a storm.
The competition ran for thirty-six full hours without further disruption.
Under Fang Han's watchful glare, no one dared stir trouble—including the four disciples trained by Hua Tiandu. None unsealed their true strength. None dared rise past the top fifteen.
Fang Han's cold smile alone kept them paralyzed.
When all was settled:
Princess Hongyi – First PlaceCrane Fairy – SecondXu Yue'er – ThirdNight Rain – FourthYan Xiaoyu – Fifth, newly advanced after consuming Fang Han's Divine Ability Fruit
Together, they swept the entire top five—each earning a Yin–Yang Longevity Pill and a superior treasure.
Places six through ten were all Jialan Society disciples as well: Nan Beibei, Aiwei, Zixuan, Yan Xiaoxing, and Lin Fengxi.
A clean sweep.
Ten victories out of ten.
Satisfied, Fang Han rose and returned to Reincarnation Peak.
Moments later, several Jialan Society women arrived.
Leading them were Xu Yue'er, Night Rain, and Yan Xiaoyu—the three who had received Fang Han's greatest aid.
They bowed deeply.
"Senior Brother Fang Han," Xu Yue'er said, stepping forward, "you lack Longevity Pills yourself. You gave us divine pills, allowed us to break into Divine Ability, and changed our lives. So—these three Yin–Yang Longevity Pills… we offer them to you."
She held out the glittering pills with both hands.