The rewards for ranking in the top ten wouldn't be distributed until the end of the month, but the access rights to a Class A Martial Arts Room were swiftly transferred to Fang Han.
Led by a servant, Fang Han arrived at the Class A-10 Martial Arts Room, which was situated in a quiet courtyard deep within the Inner Hall.
The servant respectfully pushed open the heavy, iron-bound wooden door, and the faint scent of sandalwood immediately greeted him.
Fang Han stepped inside, his gaze sweeping across the room.
The interior was spacious, its bluestone floor polished to a mirror-like sheen. A row of gleaming weapon racks stood against a wall, fully stocked with sabers, spears, swords, and halberds.
The walls and door had clearly been reinforced. As soon as the door closed, the shouts and footsteps from the training grounds outside were almost entirely blocked, leaving only the sound of his own steady heartbeat and breath.
"Perfect!"
Dismissing the servant, a look of satisfaction lit up Fang Han's eyes.
He had no intention of deliberately hiding his strength to feign weakness, but every time he achieved a breakthrough or his swordsmanship improved, it drew a crowd of onlookers. It was seriously affecting his state of mind for cultivation.
This private space, free from the disturbances of others, was exactly what he needed right now.
"SWISH—!"
He took a Fine Iron Longsword from the weapon rack, centered himself, and quickly became immersed in his cultivation of the Qingfeng Swordsmanship.
Flashes of the blade glittered as his Qi Force pulsed, leaving faint trails in the air.
With no one else around to disturb him, his focus improved noticeably. As a result, the efficiency of his cultivation rose even further.
A long while later, Fang Han emerged from his focused state, stopping his cultivation with a feeling of deep satisfaction.
"Tenth on the Martial Arts Stele is just the beginning!"
Fang Han muttered to himself as he calmed his body, which was still simmering from the intense exertion.
Tenth on the Martial Arts Stele was merely a milestone. His true goal was to achieve an even higher rank among the top ten.
After all, the higher one's rank, the more generous the monthly rewards and resources.
Of course, he was also well aware that those who consistently held the top spots were the true geniuses among the Inner Hall Descendants, people like Fang Hong, Fang Xue, and Fang Hao.
Their Realms were not only profound, but their Martial Techniques were also masterful. Surpassing them would be no easy task.
Time slipped by quietly as he remained focused on his cultivation.
One day, as Fang Han was in the Martial Arts Room honing his Swordsmanship, a soft knock sounded at the door.
He withdrew his sword and stood straight before opening the door. A Fang Family servant was standing outside.
"Young Master Han, Elder Fang Yuan requests your presence."
the servant said respectfully.
'Elder Fang Yuan is looking for me?'
Fang Han was a little puzzled, wondering why the Elder wanted to see him.
He straightened his clothes, then followed the servant out of the Martial Arts Room. They crossed several courtyards and arrived at a secluded garden.
Elder Fang Yuan stood under an old tree in the garden, his hands clasped behind his back. When he saw Fang Han arrive, a gentle smile touched his lips.
"Fang Han. You've come."
"Elder," Fang Han greeted respectfully, stepping forward.
"No need for such formalities." Elder Fang Yuan waved his hand dismissively. His gaze, a mixture of scrutiny and satisfaction, fell upon Fang Han.
"I've called you here to inform you of a certain matter."
"Please, Elder, go on."
Fang Han's expression turned serious.
Fang Yuan began to explain slowly.
"Martial Dao cultivation cannot be done in a vacuum. The family might allow ordinary Inner Hall Descendants to focus solely on their cultivation and strengthening their foundations."
"But those of you who rank in the top ten, who are considered the future pillars of the family, cannot lack the tempering that comes from real combat and life-or-death struggles."
He paused for a moment before continuing.
"Therefore, the family periodically assigns missions to the top ten disciples. The goal is to broaden your experience, let you see some real bloodshed, and hone your willpower and combat abilities."
Upon hearing this, Fang Han understood. 'So this is the "duty" that comes with being one of the top ten disciples.'
He felt no regret, however. In fact, this was exactly what he wanted.
He knew full well that a Martial Artist who had never experienced a true life-or-death battle, no matter how high their Realm, would inevitably hesitate and lose their nerve when facing a real foe. They would be lucky to unleash even half of their full power.
This arrangement by the family, then, was made with painstaking care.
"This disciple understands."
Fang Han nodded solemnly.
Seeing that Fang Han showed no fear of the coming hardship, but instead had a determined look in his eyes, the approval in Fang Yuan's gaze grew even stronger.
"Very good. As it happens, there is a mission for you now," he said.
"A wanted bandit named 'Black Rat' has recently appeared in Liangshui City. His strength is around the peak of the Flesh Refining Realm to the Early Stage of Muscle Refining."
"The man is extremely cunning and skilled at concealment. He has committed robbery and assault in a neighboring county, and the Government Office has a bounty of fifty taels of silver for him."
"The family's informants have roughly determined his hiding place, a deserted residence in the southern part of the city. Your mission is to go there and capture or kill him."
"A fifty-tael bounty…"
Fang Han's eyes lit up at the mention of that number.
Right now, silver was what interested him most.
'To think I could earn such a large reward just for catching a wanted criminal... This seems like an excellent way to make money.'
Too bad opportunities like this were surely rare. After all, it wasn't every day you ran into a wanted criminal.
"If you complete the mission, the fifty-tael bounty is yours to keep," Fang Yuan added.
The family didn't assign missions to the top ten for the bounty money, so naturally, they wouldn't claim it.
With that, Fang Yuan took a folded scroll from his sleeve and handed it to Fang Han.
"This contains the address of the bandit's hideout and other relevant information. Keep it safe."
Fang Han took the scroll and carefully placed it inside his robes.
Next, Fang Yuan picked up a sheathed longsword from the stone table beside him.
The Sword Scabbard was simple and unadorned, its color a dark cyan.
"SHIING!"
Fang Yuan drew the blade partway from its sheath. A cold glint of light flashed instantly, and a sharp aura filled the air.
The blade was like a pool of still autumn water, its surface so bright it was reflective. Faint, intricate patterns were visible upon it, a clear sign that this was no ordinary iron.
"Since you specialize in Swordsmanship, you can't keep using a practice Fine Iron Sword. This 'Cyan Blade Sword' is forged from Hundred-refined Steel. It's sharp enough to slice a falling hair and is considered a masterpiece among Low Grade Treasure Swords, worth several hundred taels of silver."
Fang Yuan sheathed the sword and offered it to Fang Han.
"This is a weapon bestowed upon you by the family. Use it well. Do not fail this sword, nor the family's expectations."
Fang Han took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement as he accepted the Cyan Blade Sword with both hands.
It felt heavy in his hands, weightier than the Fine Iron Sword he used for practice. The balance was superb, and the hilt fit perfectly in his palm, as if it had been custom-made for him.
He gently stroked the cool Sword Scabbard, clearly sensing the sharp power contained within.
"Thank you, Elder! And thank you to the family for this generous gift! This disciple will do his utmost to complete the mission. I will fail neither this sword nor the family's high hopes!"
Clutching the Cyan Blade Sword, Fang Han's voice rang out, firm and powerful as he made his promise.
A good sword can take a swordsman's power to the next level.
What swordsman wouldn't want a good sword? This one in his hands was more than enough to leave him deeply satisfied.
Elder Fang Yuan nodded, pleased.
"Go on, then. Be careful. If something seems wrong, prioritize your own safety. You can abandon the mission and return. We can strategize then."
"Yes!"
Gripping his new Cyan Blade Sword, Fang Han turned and strode away.
His eyes gleamed with anticipation for a real battle—and with a yearning for the fifty-tael silver bounty.