"Show Young Master Lin Jiao to the washroom. He's not familiar with the Fang Mansion, so stay by his side at all times."
Although he felt something was off with Lin Jiao, he couldn't very well refuse such a request.
Fang Yuan called over a servant standing nearby and gave him his instructions.
"Yes."
The servant respectfully complied and led Lin Jiao out of the hall.
However, they had not gone far from the reception hall when they rounded a corridor. Lin Jiao stopped abruptly and said to the servant,
"I know the way from here. Don't trouble yourself. Just wait for me here."
Without another word, before the servant could react, his figure blurred. Like an arrow loosed from a bow, he shot off toward the Fang Family's Inner Hall training grounds.
"Young Master Lin Jiao, Elder Fang Yuan ordered me to guide you! Please don't make this difficult for me!"
'This is bad,' the servant thought and immediately gave chase. But as an ordinary man, the distance between him and Lin Jiao only grew.
On the Inner Hall's training grounds, Fang Han had just finished a round of practicing his Qingfeng Swordsmanship. He was concentrating on the exquisite insights brought by his four-fold Swordsmanship Talent.
"Fang Han!"
A cold shout suddenly rang out, shattering the tranquility of the training grounds.
Lin Jiao appeared on the training grounds, his gaze like lightning as it shot toward Fang Han.
"I wasn't satisfied with our last spar. Today, I've come for a proper fight!"
Lin Jiao's voice was booming, filled with unconcealed battle intent and a hint of provocation that instantly drew the eyes of everyone on the field.
'How did Lin Jiao... get here?'
Fang Han's brow furrowed.
He had a calm disposition and no interest in a duel born of wounded pride. He was just about to politely refuse when his gaze swept across the grounds.
He saw that nearly every disciple on the training grounds had stopped their cultivation. Their initial shock gave way to avid interest, and all eyes turned toward him.
Several of the top-ten disciples, who had their own private Cultivation Rooms, were resting in the outer training area. Hearing Lin Jiao's challenge, they too cast interested gazes in their direction.
'This is trouble.'
Fang Han's heart sank as he felt the weight of so many stares.
If he refused, he would be seen as a coward. While he himself didn't care, how would the outside world view the Fang Family?
How would they view the Fang Family's Inner Hall?
If they didn't even dare to accept a challenge, the Fang Family's Inner Hall would become a laughingstock, and the family's prestige would be severely damaged.
He personally couldn't care less about his own reputation, but he could not disregard the family's. After all, his very survival depended on the family!
"Since you want a fight, Lin Jiao, then I will oblige."
At this thought, Fang Han's eyes sharpened.
He slowly raised his head to meet Lin Jiao's burning gaze, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable weight.
"Good!"
A triumphant glint flashed in Lin Jiao's eyes. He had calculated correctly that Fang Han would find it hard to refuse a public challenge and would be forced to accept.
SWISH!
With a blur of motion, he arrived next to the sparring stage, drew a fine iron long-blade from a weapons rack, and leaped onto the stage.
Fang Han walked to the stage as well, took a Fine Iron Longsword from the rack, and calmly ascended.
The Tutor on duty witnessed the entire scene, and his expression changed drastically.
Seeing the two on the stage with their auras flaring, a fight imminent, he dared not delay. He turned and sprinted toward the reception hall.
Arriving at the reception hall, he hastily reported,
"Elder Fang Yuan, it's terrible! Young Master Lin Jiao of the Lin Family... he forced his way into the Inner Hall and challenged Fang Han!"
"What?!"
Fang Yuan shot to his feet, fury flaring in his eyes. His sharp gaze, like daggers, shot toward Lin Shan, who had also risen with a look of "surprise" on his face.
"Brother Lin Shan, is this how your Lin Family's Qilin'er behaves as a guest?!"
A look of perfectly timed "anger" also appeared on Lin Shan's face.
"That wretched boy, how dare he be so insolent! Brother Fang Yuan, calm your anger. Allow me to..."
Before he could finish, Fang Yuan let out a cold snort, flung his sleeves, and stormed out the door.
A sinister smile flashed in the depths of Lin Shan's eyes as he quickly followed.
On the sparring stage, the battle had already erupted!
"Fang Han! Today, I will erase the shame of my defeat!"
Lin Jiao bellowed, unleashing the full power of the Middle Stage of Muscle Refining. His long-blade transformed into a blinding, ferocious curtain of steel, whistling sharply as it tore through the air and swept toward Fang Han with unmatched ferocity.
What was more surprising was that his Blade Momentum wasn't just about raw power; it incorporated many cunning transformations and parrying techniques. He had clearly studied how to counter a Swordsmanship master.
"Wind-Breaking Blade: Split Wind!"
Lin Jiao was brimming with confidence.
He had not only broken through to the Middle Stage of Muscle Refining but had also spent time specifically training to counter Swordsmanship experts. He was determined to crush Fang Han with overwhelming force and avenge his prior humiliation!
Faced with this ferocious assault, Fang Han's eyes were as calm as still water.
'Reaching the Mastery Realm in Swordsmanship isn't a gap that can be closed just by learning a few counters.'
"Gentle Breeze Brushing the Willows!"
Fang Han moved as nimbly as the wind. His sword didn't meet the attack head-on. Instead, like a willow branch brushing against an embankment, it gently but precisely met the strongest, yet most vulnerable, point of Lin Jiao's Blade Momentum and guided it aside.
CLANG!
The clang of metal on metal rang out.
Lin Jiao felt a skillful force surge toward him, diverting his ferocious Blade Momentum and causing him to strike nothing but air.
'His control of the sword and his timing... they're even more refined than last time,' Lin Jiao thought, his heart tightening.
"Again!"
Lin Jiao roared, his attacks changing with incredible speed. The light from his blade was like a continuous, unending waterfall.
Each slash was heavy and powerful as he tried to use brute force to break skill and overwhelming speed to counter speed.
However, Fang Han's sword seemed to have a life of its own.
Aided by his four-fold Swordsmanship Talent Amplification, his Qingfeng Swordsmanship had been advancing by leaps and bounds daily, long ago surpassing the ordinary Mastery Realm.
Each of his strikes was exquisitely timed, landing just as Lin Jiao's strength from a previous move was spent but before the next was mustered, or striking the imperceptible openings that appeared as he transitioned between attacks.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
The dense series of clashes sounded like a sudden downpour on banana leaves.
The more Lin Jiao fought, the more alarmed he became. He felt as if he were trapped in an invisible but resilient net of sword-light. No matter how ferociously he attacked, each blow was deflected and countered by what seemed to be effortless glimmers of the blade.
'Most importantly, his opponent's strength... it's far beyond what someone at the Early Stage of Muscle Refining should possess!'
Just as Lin Jiao reeled in shock, a barely perceptible hesitation appearing in his assault, a sharp light flared in Fang Han's eyes.
"This ends now. Gentle Breeze Piercing the Sun!"
The dormant power of the Middle Stage of Muscle Refining within him erupted!
His qi and blood surged like a furious river, instantly coursing through the length of his sword.
A cold light flared at the sword's tip. Its speed was incredible, its trajectory profound and unpredictable. It carried a piercing sharpness as it stabbed directly at the opening on Lin Jiao's torso, exposed as he transitioned his Blade Momentum.
This strike was the perfect fusion of a Middle-stage of Muscle Refining physique and Mastery in Swordsmanship!
'Not good!'
Lin Jiao's pupils shrank to pinpricks. He sensed a fatal threat.
He hastily brought his blade back to block, only to feel an irresistible, immense force accompanied by an exquisitely penetrating power slam into its spine.
CLANG—!
A loud clang rang out as the fine steel long-blade was sent flying from his grasp.
The webbing of Lin Jiao's thumb split open, blood streaming down his hand.
He felt as if he'd been struck by a sledgehammer. A sharp pain shot through his chest, his qi and blood roiled like a boiling cauldron, and he could no longer keep his footing.
Staggering back seven or eight steps, he finally collapsed onto the ground with a miserable thud.