"You... you..."
Fang Lin pointed at Fang Han, his finger trembling so much he couldn't form a complete sentence, so enraged he felt his blood boil.
But Fang Han paid his outburst no mind.
He gazed at his new rank with satisfaction, a smile on his face that, in Fang Lin's eyes, was utterly detestable. His voice carried clearly to everyone's ears.
"I've moved up six places. That's sixty silver. Fang Lin, remember to bring the money to the Martial Hall tomorrow."
After speaking, he didn't spare another glance at the devastated and humiliated Fang Lin. Parting the crowd, he walked straight back to his usual corner of the training grounds to cultivate.
It was as if everything that had just happened was nothing more than a trivial affair, a simple matter of earning some extra cash on the side.
He once again immersed himself in the cultivation of the Crane Form.
The surging vitality from his four-fold Root Bone enhancement was like a relentless furnace, forging his body.
This wonderful feeling of constant improvement was so exquisite that he quickly became engrossed.
He completely shut out the clamor, the shock, and the gaze that seemed to burn with fire from behind him.
In a corner of the corridor outside the Martial Arts Stele courtyard, Elder Fang Yuan stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his frost-white eyebrows slightly furrowed.
The courtyard was noisy, but phrases like "Martial Arts Stele test" and "ten silver for every rank advanced" carried clearly to his ears, which were exceptionally sharp as an Inner Qi Realm Martial Artist.
"Hmph. The recklessness of youth, always competing and fighting!"
Elder Fang Yuan's voice was low, laced with displeasure.
The Inner Hall Tutor attending him, Fang Rui, immediately cupped his fist, his expression turning serious.
"Calm your anger, Elder. I'll go scold them and make them disperse at once. Focusing on their cultivation is what's truly important!"
Just as Fang Rui was about to move, Elder Fang Yuan suddenly raised a hand, his gaunt fingers gripping Fang Rui's shoulder like an iron hoop.
Fang Rui turned back in astonishment, only to see the Elder's gaze pass over the bobbing heads of the crowd and lock firmly onto Fang Han, who had just sheathed his sword and stood at ease.
In that gaze, the earlier displeasure had vanished like mist in the wind, replaced by a thick, undeniable shock—even... disbelief!
"Late Stage of Flesh Refining?"
Elder Fang Yuan's voice was almost inaudible, carrying a tremor that even he himself didn't notice.
"If I recall correctly, this boy... only just entered the Middle Stage of Flesh Refining before the New Year festival, didn't he?"
Fang Rui was deeply shaken. He quickly racked his brain, recalling Fang Han's situation during the year-end re-evaluation.
After all, he was a disciple who had advanced five ranks, so Fang Rui had some impression of him. He remembered now, and said with shock,
"Yes, Elder, your memory serves you well. At the test before the New Year, Fang Han was confirmed to be at the Middle Stage of Flesh Refining. From then until now... it's been just over half a month!"
Breaking through a minor realm in just over half a month!
The conclusion struck Elder Fang Yuan and Fang Rui like a clap of thunder.
Even the top ten geniuses on the Fang Family's Martial Arts Stele had never shown such terrifying speed of improvement when they were in the Flesh Refining Realm.
At the same time, a question arose in both their minds.
If Fang Han could improve this quickly, why was he only at the Early Stage of Flesh Refining when he entered the Inner Hall?
It was completely inconsistent with the talent he was now displaying.
"Let's go."
As if he had thought of something, a slight tremor entered Elder Fang Yuan's usually placid voice.
He turned and headed for his Quiet Chamber deep within the Inner Hall, his pace noticeably faster than when he arrived.
Fang Rui didn't dare to ask questions and hurried to follow.
Sandalwood smoke curled up inside the Quiet Chamber. Elder Fang Yuan sat in the main seat, unconsciously stroking the few silver strands of his beard as a sharp light flickered uncertainly in his eyes.
"Fang Rui."
"Elder!" Fang Rui stood respectfully with his hands at his sides.
"Go. Find Fang Zhen, the one who was in charge of the outer hall. Question him about Fang Han's performance during his two years of martial arts practice there. Get every single detail and report back to me at once."
Elder Fang Yuan's voice was decisive and emphatic.
"Yes!" Fang Rui dared not delay and immediately turned to leave with quick steps.
Time passed slowly in the heavy atmosphere of the Quiet Chamber.
About an hour later, Fang Rui hurried back, an expression of indescribable shock on his face.
"Well?"
Elder Fang Yuan's eyelids twitched open slightly.
"Reporting to the Elder, I have questioned Tutor Fang Zhen in detail."
Fang Rui took a deep breath and reported back at a rapid pace.
"This boy, Fang Han, entered the outer hall to practice martial arts at fourteen. For two years, his performance was... mediocre at best. It wasn't until the final month before the assessment that he barely managed to break through to the Early Stage of Flesh Refining, just scraping by to qualify for the Inner Hall."
'Mediocre performance early on... only breaking through to Refined Flesh in the last month...'
Elder Fang Yuan repeated these words in a low voice. But instead of disappointment, his face, like the sun breaking through the clouds, slowly bloomed with a genuine, irrepressible smile.
The smile grew wider and wider, finally erupting into a low yet hearty laugh.
"Hahaha! Excellent! Excellent!"
He clapped his hands and sighed softly, the sharp light in his eyes flaring brilliantly.
"This boy has most likely undergone 'Enlightenment'! The heavens are blessing my Fang Family! We may have produced a true genius!"
Fang Rui, who had now figured it all out as well, flushed with excitement and surprise.
Having served the Elder for many years, he naturally understood what "Enlightenment" meant.
It was a world-shaking transformation of one's Root Bone, comprehension, and even spirit, triggered by a specific stimulus.
Fang Han's leap from mediocrity in the outer hall to his meteoric rise in the Inner Hall was the most classic sign of Enlightenment.
His future potential would likely far exceed all imagination.
"Elder, for our Fang Family to produce such a genius... the heavens truly bless us! The Fang Family is sure to prosper in the future!"
Fang Rui said, genuinely overjoyed.
"Whether it's truly Enlightenment still depends on his future performance."
After a moment of joy, the smile on Elder Fang Yuan's face gradually faded, replaced by a deep sense of regret, like a tiny flaw on a piece of perfect jade.
He gazed out the window in the direction of Liangshui City and let out a long sigh.
"A pity, what a pity... In the end, it's just a little too late."
"Elder, why do you say that?"
Fang Rui asked in confusion.
Elder Fang Yuan's gaze was profound.
"Have you heard of Lin Jiao of the Lin Family? When that boy entered the Lin Family's Inner Hall, he was already at the Early Stage of Muscle Refining, not far from the Middle Stage. His rank shot straight into their top thirty!"
"That old fool from the Lin Family will surely find an excuse soon to parade this Qilin'er of his around and show him off to all the great families of Liangshui City."
He paused, his tone filled with deep regret.
"If Fang Han had his Enlightenment a year or two earlier, with the momentum he's showing now, he could have delivered a little shock to the Lin Family, and to all of Liangshui City, right when that Lin Jiao is at his most brilliant and dazzling."
The five great families of Liangshui City appeared harmonious on the surface, but in reality, they were constantly competing in the shadows. If any one of them showed a sign of weakness, they would be viciously torn apart.
After all, Liangshui City was only so big, and the resources it held were finite.
"It truly is a pity!"
Hearing this, Fang Rui also fell silent.
He had also heard of that Lin Jiao from the Lin Family.
An Early Stage of Muscle Refining at sixteen years old was an extreme rarity among the younger generation of Liangshui City.
Although Fang Han's "Enlightenment" was powerful, he had awakened too late. He'd had too little time to grow, and his foundation was still shallow.
The Quiet Chamber once again fell into silence, with only the sandalwood incense burning without a sound.