"He... he actually ran?!"

Fang Han stood with his sword in hand, a flash of astonishment crossing his eyes as he watched Yin Huang’s rapidly retreating figure.

He had expected Yin Huang to launch into a frenzied, fight-to-the-death assault after his outburst.

But he never imagined Yin Huang would be so decisive. Seeing the situation was untenable, he had suppressed his boiling rage and killing intent, choosing to flee without hesitation.

He took a slight step forward, but stopped instantly, his brow furrowed.

’Pursue him?’

Yin Huang’s strength was undeniable. His physical body was tough and his survival abilities were exceptional. Though he was retreating, it was by no means a rout; he still had the power to fight back.

’Though I gained a slight upper hand with my Body Technique and Swordsmanship, it would be extremely difficult to stop him, let alone kill him.’

More importantly, the recent intense clash had consumed a significant amount of his Inner Qi.

The Inner Qi reserves of a Late Stage of Fifth Grade cultivator were, after all, not as deep and enduring as Yin Huang’s Fourth Grade Cultivation. He had already used up more than half of his.

’If I give chase recklessly and fight him to the death, the outcome would be unpredictable.’

’So be it...’

Fang Han sighed internally, his expression regaining its composure.

Today’s battle had allowed him to gauge the bottom line of Yin Huang’s strength. It was now impossible for Yin Huang to kill him.

And while he couldn’t do anything to Yin Huang for the time being, time was undoubtedly on his side.

’With my talent, my Cultivation and strength will improve at a rate far beyond what Yin Huang can match.’

’Just because I can’t kill him today doesn’t mean I can’t kill him in the future.’

Once his strength was great enough to crush him, he would find an opportunity and cut him down with a single strike—just as he had done with Shen You, the Netherworld Pavilion disciple who once hunted him but ended up being killed by him instead.

The martial world was vast; they were bound to meet again.

As for whether Yin Huang would act against the Fang Family like Chu Feng did, that wasn’t a concern.

Yin Huang also had the Yin Family tying him down. As long as he didn’t want the Yin Family to be annihilated, he wouldn’t dare touch the Fang Family.

Chu Feng had attacked the Fang Family because he cultivated a Demon Skill that warped his personality, so he couldn’t be judged by common sense.

His mind made up, Fang Han no longer hesitated. He slowly sheathed his sword.

...

As dusk fell, the gates of the Netherworld Pavilion came into view.

Yin Huang, bathed in the last rays of the setting sun, passed hurriedly through the massive, iconic stone gates, which were wreathed in a sinister, chilling air.

His black robes were torn in several places, stained with dirt and dried blood.

Although he had regulated his breathing on the way back and calmed his inner circulation, the gloom and fury he couldn’t quite conceal were thicker than the evening mist in the mountains.

The disciples guarding the gate felt a chill run down their spines upon seeing his appearance. They quickly bowed in respect, not daring to look twice, let alone ask any questions.

Yin Huang paid them no mind, striding directly toward his own residence in the True Inheritance Courtyard.

His footsteps fell heavily on the stone slabs, making a dull thud with each step, as if he were stomping on the embers of his own unquenched rage.

He had ambushed Fang Han, only to be defeated. Not only had he failed to capture him, but he had even suffered minor injuries himself.

Worst of all, he had been forced to retreat. To him, this was an utter humiliation.

Fang Han’s slippery Body Technique and his tricky, sharp Swordsmanship made him feel an unprecedented sense of trouble and... a hint of dread he was unwilling to admit even to himself.

He had to admit it: he had underestimated Fang Han.

Upon returning to his residence, he waved away the servants who came to greet him and walked straight into his Quiet Chamber.

He needed to heal his injuries as quickly as possible, and more importantly, he needed to calm down and analyze the reasons for his failure.

However, he had barely sat down for the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea when a knock came from outside his residence, followed by a voice tinged with sycophancy.

"Senior Brother Yin, are you there? Junior Brother Gong Xing requests an audience."

Yin Huang’s brow instantly tightened, a flash of impatience in his eyes.

He was about to yell at Gong Xing to leave, but on second thought, Gong Xing was also a True Inheritor, not some ordinary disciple. He might be useful in the future, so he had to be shown some respect.

Suppressing his irritation, he said coldly:

"Enter."

The door was pushed open gently, and Gong Xing entered with a slight bow, a fawning smile plastered on his face.

He first swept a quick glance over Yin Huang’s expression and his slightly disheveled robes, and his heart sank. He dared not let it show on his face, however, and simply bowed respectfully.

"Senior Brother Yin, you’ve returned? It must have been a tiring journey. I was wondering... what about Fang Han...?"

He didn’t finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear. His eyes were filled with anticipation, waiting for Yin Huang to announce the "good news" of Fang Han’s death.

Looking at Gong Xing’s obsequious face, Yin Huang felt an inexplicable surge of annoyance.

Images of his failure flashed through his mind, and Fang Han’s chillingly calm eyes seemed to be staring at him from across the void.

To him, Gong Xing’s cautious inquiry was now dripping with sarcasm, as if questioning his ability.

He had originally planned to give Gong Xing some face, considering he might be useful in the future, but now he was in no mood for it.

"Hmph!"

Yin Huang snorted, his voice so cold it was bone-chilling. The temperature in the Quiet Chamber seemed to drop several degrees.

"That Fang Han is as cunning as a demon. He saw things weren’t going his way and managed to escape!"

In the end, he couldn’t bring himself to admit that he had been unable to win the prolonged fight and had chosen to retreat himself. He could only blame it on Fang Han "escaping."

The smile on Gong Xing’s face froze instantly. Disbelief and extreme disappointment flashed in his eyes as he blurted out:

"Escaped? How... how is that possible? With your strength, Senior Brother Yin..."

"What?"

Yin Huang shot his eyes up, his gaze like two ice picks stabbing straight at Gong Xing.

The oppressive aura of a Fourth-Grade Martial Artist, mixed with lingering killing intent, erupted from him.

"Are you questioning me?"

Struck by this imposing presence, Gong Xing’s face went pale with fright. He stumbled back two steps, his underclothes instantly soaked with cold sweat, and hastily waved his hands to explain.

"No! I wouldn’t dare! That’s not what I meant at all, Junior Brother! It’s just... for Fang Han to escape from you, Senior Brother, is truly... truly unexpected. Are you alright, Senior Brother?"

"What could possibly happen to me?"

Yin Huang’s tone grew even colder and harder, leaving no room for doubt.

"I have my own plans for this matter. You need not ask further. If there’s nothing else, then leave. I need to meditate and heal."

This was a direct order to leave.

Gong Xing, though his heart was filled with anxiety and a belly full of questions, didn’t dare say another word. He quickly bowed and said:

"Yes, yes, of course. Please rest and meditate in peace, Senior Brother. This junior brother will take his leave, take his leave."

He practically scrambled out of the Quiet Chamber, gently closing the door behind him.

It wasn’t until he had walked out of Yin Huang’s residence and was back on the mountain path, with the night wind blowing on him, that the suffocating pressure began to recede slightly. But his back was already drenched in a cold sweat.

’He... he actually failed? Fang Han actually escaped from Yin Huang?’

Gong Xing stood rooted to the spot, his expression shifting, his mind filled with confusion.

He knew Yin Huang’s strength. Ranked eighty-second on the Celestial Pride List, he was far beyond any ordinary Fourth-Grade Martial Artist. No matter how strong Fang Han was, he was only at the Late Stage of Fifth Grade. How could he possibly have escaped Yin Huang’s ambush?

’Did Yin Huang underestimate his enemy?’

’Or has Fang Han’s strength grown to the point where he can not only survive an encounter with Yin Huang, but even force him to retreat?’

The moment he considered the latter possibility, a chill shot up from the soles of his feet to the top of his skull.

If that were true, then the threat Fang Han posed was unimaginably great!

Yin Huang’s cold and harsh attitude just now also left him feeling uneasy.

Clearly, this failure had infuriated Yin Huang, and he had taken out his anger on him, the one who brought the news.

Hoping for Yin Huang to make another move anytime soon was probably impossible.

’As long as Fang Han lives, I’ll never have a day of peace!’

Gong Xing clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging deep into his palms.

He recalled his own conflict with Fang Han in Liangshui City, and he remembered what he had recently heard about the fate of the Chu Family, which belonged to Chu Feng, who had also clashed with Fang Han.

It was obvious that Fang Han was the type to seek revenge for the smallest grievance. Now that Fang Han’s strength far surpassed his own, how could he possibly spare him and the Gong Family?

Fear spread through his heart like a noxious weed.

’I can’t wait any longer! I can’t rely on Yin Huang; I have to find a way myself!’

A gust of night wind swept by, and the trees by the mountain path rustled, as if countless ghosts were whispering.

Conflict and ferocity flickered in Gong Xing’s eyes until, finally, a look of grim determination replaced all hesitation.

’The only option now is to hire an assassin to kill Fang Han.’

He muttered to himself, his voice nearly inaudible, yet carrying a desperate, all-or-nothing madness.

The Qingxuan Sect was one of the seven most powerful forces in Qingyang County, holding immense sway within its borders.

As a Celestial Pride True Inheritance of the Qingxuan Sect, few powers or individuals in Qingyang County would dare to accept a contract to assassinate him.

But it wasn’t impossible. Some of the most vicious criminals—wanted by the major sects and even the Government Office, who roamed between counties and specialized in killing for coin—had no such scruples.

They were ruthless and traceless. As long as one could afford their sky-high prices, they would dare to strike even a True Inheritor of the Seven Sects.

At worst, they would simply flee to another county after the kill. No matter how powerful the Qingxuan Sect was, its reach would be limited in other territories.

However, the cost to hire such people was astonishingly high.

It would not only drain Gong Xing’s personal savings but would likely force the Gong Family to bleed a significant portion of its assets, causing them to shrink drastically.

But compared to the catastrophic doom of being dealt with by Fang Han in the future, this was a price that had to be paid!

He lingered no longer. His figure melted into the night as he left the Netherworld Pavilion, hurrying toward the Gong Family to begin plotting his sinister scheme to hire an assassin.

...

「Deep in the mountains, a hundred li from Qinghe City.」

Inside a natural cave halfway up a cliff, half-hidden by vines, Fang Han sat cross-legged in the Five Hearts Facing Heaven posture.

The cave was dim, with only a few slivers of cold moonlight filtering through the cracks, illuminating his face, which was as placid as still water.

After being ambushed by Yin Huang, even though he had managed to repel him, the safest course of action would have been to return to the Sect as quickly as possible.

But he didn’t.

Instead, he had found this hidden spot and begun the arduous process of cultivating his Inner Qi.

The life-and-death struggle against a powerful enemy like Yin Huang had squeezed out a great deal of his potential.

Cultivating now, his efficiency far exceeded the norm. The growth rate of the Profound Wind Technique’s Inner Qi within him was several times faster than usual, roaring and surging like a mighty river.

Considering he was now extremely close to breaking through to the Fourth Grade, he decided to seize this opportunity and attempt to make the leap.