Chapter 134 - 133: Yun Muyao, Early Stage of Eighth Grade

"Someone’s coming?"

The sword’s gleam suddenly retracted.

Fang Han brought his stance to a close, his breathing steady as he looked toward the path at the edge of the clearing.

Two figures were slowly approaching. One, with a purple veil over her face and a slender figure, was none other than Yun Qianyue, who currently held the top spot in the Sub-Branch.

And slightly ahead of her was a woman dressed in an elegant True Inheritance Robe, her face concealed by a white veil.

The woman was tall, with a disposition as cool and clear as a spring under the moonlight. Though her features were hidden, her exposed eyes were as profound as starlight. Her every glance carried an indescribable air of pure elegance that was captivating.

A thought stirred in Fang Han’s mind. He immediately recalled the information Xiao Chen had mentioned before—Yun Qianyue’s sister was the Sect’s Second Senior Sister, ranked eighteenth on the Celestial Pride List: Yun Muyao, the "White Mist Sword."

This young woman before him with such an extraordinary aura was very likely Yun Muyao.

"Apologies for disturbing your cultivation."

Yun Qianyue spoke, her cool voice carrying a faint trace of apology when she saw Fang Han had stopped because of their arrival.

"It’s no matter. I was just practicing casually to ease my mind. I wasn’t at a critical point."

Fang Han shook his head, his tone calm.

Speaking of which, he and Yun Qianyue had already met at an inn in Qingxuan City before joining the Qingxuan Sect, but this was the first time they had spoken face-to-face.

His gaze shifted to the white-robed woman beside Yun Qianyue. After a moment of thought, he asked Yun Qianyue.

"And this Senior Sister is?"

Although he had his suspicions, he had never met her before and couldn’t be certain.

"This is my elder sister, Yun Muyao."

Yun Qianyue introduced her softly.

’It really is her.’

Fang Han thought. He quickly cupped his hands and bowed respectfully.

"Junior Brother Fang Han greets Senior Sister Yun."

His attitude was respectful but not servile.

"Junior Brother Fang, there’s no need for such ceremony. Qianyue and I came unannounced and disturbed your quiet cultivation."

Yun Muyao nodded slightly. Her expression was hidden beneath the white veil, but a very faint trace of admiration flashed through her clear eyes.

Her voice was gentle, like a light breeze strumming across zither strings—ethereal and pleasing to the ear.

Her gaze paused for a moment on the Cyan Blade Sword in Fang Han’s hand as she spoke.

"I just saw Junior Brother Fang practicing the Wind-Splitting Swordsmanship. Your Sword Momentum is sharp yet agile, and you have already grasped a good portion of its essence. To have such a high cultivation in the Sword Dao at your age... it seems you are quite talented on the path of the sword."

"Senior Sister Yun flatters me. I’ve only been practicing diligently."

Fang Han replied humbly.

"Junior Brother Fang, you’re being too modest."

Yun Muyao shook her head gently, then changed the subject with a question that took Fang Han by surprise.

"I heard you had a conflict with Chu Feng?"

"Indeed, I had a conflict with the True Inheritor Chu Feng."

Not understanding Yun Muyao’s intention, Fang Han braced himself and replied.

"Don’t be nervous. I have no friendship with Chu Feng; in fact, there’s some friction between us. I’ve never liked his arrogance and tyranny, but Sect rules prevent me from teaching him a lesson myself."

"I hope that in the future, Junior Brother Fang, you will... for my sake, and for the sake of the many others who can’t stand him, thoroughly deflate that rampant pride of his."

Yun Muyao’s words were direct, making no attempt to hide her dissatisfaction with Chu Feng.

Although Fang Han was full of confidence about his future achievements, he certainly wasn’t going to reveal it to a stranger he had just met.

He gave a wry smile and said helplessly.

"Senior Sister Yun thinks too highly of me. Senior Brother Chu is currently on the Celestial Pride List and has profound cultivation. I’m afraid I don’t even have the qualifications to be noticed by him, let alone deflate his ego."

"My judgment of people has never been poor. You have only been in the Sect for a short time, yet you’ve already distinguished yourself from the other disciples to rank among the top of the Sub-Branch. Moreover, you’ve cultivated a difficult swordsmanship like the Wind-Splitting Swordsmanship to the Mastery Level. This is more than enough to show your potential."

Hearing this, an imperceptible smile flashed in Yun Muyao’s eyes, as if she could see right through to the fighting spirit that still burned in Fang Han’s heart.

Her tone was nonchalant, yet it carried an unquestionable certainty.

"Chu Feng simply started his cultivation a few years earlier and got a head start. With your temperament and talent, it’s not impossible for you to surpass him in the future."

She looked at Fang Han calmly and continued.

"If you encounter any trouble in the Sect that you can’t resolve, you can come find me. As long as it’s within my power, I will not stand idly by."

"Thank you for your kindness, Senior Sister Yun. I will remember it."

Fang Han could feel that Yun Muyao’s words were no mere pleasantry, and he couldn’t help but feel surprised and grateful.

But he quickly calmed down. ’Behind this goodwill is an investment in my potential, and probably also her dissatisfaction with Chu Feng. In any case, this is a heavy favor.’

’Of course, it would be unwise to truly place my hopes in Yun Muyao.’

’The path of the Martial Dao must ultimately be carved by one’s own hand. Unless it was a last resort, I don’t want to rely on others.’

"There’s no need."

Yun Muyao said, shaking her head slightly.

With that, she gave a signal to Yun Qianyue and turned, gracefully departing along the path they had come.

Yun Qianyue glanced at Fang Han, her eyes holding an unreadable expression. She then followed her sister’s steps, and the two figures quickly vanished at the end of the tree-lined path.

Fang Han stood rooted to the spot, watching the direction they had disappeared in, silent for a long time.

...

「The next day, at the crack of dawn.」

Fang Han sat cross-legged on his bed, cast aside all distracting thoughts, and focused on circulating the Xunfeng Technique.

A stream of pale-green Inner Qi, under his guidance, surged like a tide, crashing time and again against the invisible yet tough barrier outside his Zhongfu Acupoint.

However, the barrier to the Eighth Grade Realm was far tougher than he had imagined.

For an entire day, his Inner Qi gathered again and again, striking the invisible barrier like a relentless tide.

The barrier trembled violently, sending out ripples, as if it could shatter at any moment. Yet it always lacked that final push, standing stubbornly in place.

’It’s been two days already!’

As night fell, Fang Han slowly ceased his efforts, opened his eyes, and gently exhaled a breath of turbid air.

There was little sign of discouragement on his face.

On the path of cultivation, bottlenecks were a common occurrence.

Within the Sect, countless talented disciples had been stuck at the threshold of the Eighth Grade for months, unable to break through.

Outside the Sect, there were even more people who were held back by this Eighth Grade bottleneck for years, or even decades.

Although his Root Bone Talent was exceptionally high due to the sixteen-fold enhancement, it was perfectly normal to have not succeeded after only two days of attempting the breakthrough.

He rubbed his slightly aching brow and stood up to stretch his stiff muscles and bones.

Continuously assailing the bottleneck at high intensity took a heavy toll on his mind.

He pushed open the window, allowing the cool night wind to blow into the room and carry away some of his fatigue.

He gazed out at the deep darkness of the night, his eyes remaining calm.

On the morning of the third day, just as the sky began to lighten, Fang Han once again entered a state of cultivation.

Time trickled by in the silence.

One hour, two hours...

Sunlight filtered through the window paper, its patches of light shifting across the room.

Fang Han was like an old monk in deep meditation. His aura was withdrawn, but the surging Inner Qi within his body revealed the intense breakthrough he was currently attempting.

Suddenly, at an unexpected moment, as his Inner Qi struck a seemingly ordinary spot on the barrier—

"CRACK—!"

A clear shattering sound, as if originating from the depths of his soul, suddenly rang out!

The obstruction was gone! The vast Inner Qi that had been building up for so long poured into the Zhongfu Acupoint like a raging flood from a broken dam, with unprecedented fury.

In an instant, the aura around Fang Han’s body exploded outward!

Between the four acupoints—the Qi Sea, Guanyuan, Mingmen, and Zhongfu—it was as if a wider, more stable bridge had been built. His Inner Qi flowed endlessly, circulating back and forth, forming a larger and more efficient system of circulation.

The color of his Inner Qi deepened, its texture becoming more condensed and pure. The sense of power it brought as it flowed far surpassed what he had felt at the Ninth Grade.

A feeling of being reborn spread throughout his entire body. His bones emitted a series of soft popping sounds, his blood surged like a tide, and all his senses seemed to have become sharper.

And with the opening of the Zhongfu Acupoint, a new Divine Treasure was also unlocked.

Fang Han felt a slight warmth in his arms, as if a steady, heavy power was quietly merging into his bones and fascia, causing the strength in his arms to multiply several times over.

This was the Divine Treasure ability of the Early Stage of Eighth Grade—Divine Power!

Once this Divine Treasure was opened, one’s arms would possess god-like strength. Without relying on Martial Techniques or even Inner Qi, a simple blow with a fist or palm could shatter stone tablets.

Historically, those with Innate Divine Power were often individuals whose Divine Treasure in this location was naturally open from birth, without needing to be unblocked.

’I’ve broken through to the Eighth Grade!’

Fang Han slowly opened his eyes. A glint of pale-green light flashed in their depths, appearing exceptionally bright in the dimly lit room before vanishing.

He gently clenched his fist, feeling the vast Inner Qi that far surpassed what he had before, as well as the brimming power in his arms. He couldn’t stop the corners of his mouth from curling up into a genuinely joyful smile.

Following Yun Qianyue, Li Feng, and Huang Ling’er, he had become the fourth disciple of his cohort to step into the Eighth Grade Realm.

From barely passing the assessment to join the Qingxuan Sect to becoming the fourth disciple to enter the Eighth Grade Realm, his growth in the past six months had been undoubtedly immense, far surpassing the other disciples.

’With my current strength, if I were to challenge the Martial Arts Stele again...’

Fang Han’s eyes gleamed.

The increase in his cultivation brought about an all-around enhancement.

His Inner Qi was more abundant and purer. The power, endurance, and speed of his Martial Techniques would all be greatly improved.

Combined with his Mastery Level in Wind-Splitting Swordsmanship, his overall strength would take a qualitative leap.

Huang Ling’er, being a year younger, had the shallowest foundation among the top three and had only recently broken through to the Early Stage of Eighth Grade.

’With my Early Stage of Eighth Grade cultivation, plus my Mastery in Wind-Splitting Swordsmanship, I might be able to surpass Huang Ling’er.’

’First, I need to stabilize my realm and familiarize myself with my new strength.’

Fang Han didn’t let the joy of his breakthrough go to his head.

Having just broken through, his realm still needed to be stabilized. He needed time to get used to and master his current strength. Now was not the time to rush off and test his ranking.

He suppressed the urge to go to the Martial Arts Stele immediately, closed his eyes again, and began circulating the Xunfeng Technique to consolidate his newly achieved Early Stage of Eighth Grade realm.

Sunlight shone through the window lattice, illuminating his calm and focused face, as if paving his future with a layer of golden light.