"This...?"

Fang Han gripped the cold hilt, first in surprise, then in dawning realization.

The Flowing Wind Sword was a fine example of Middle-grade Weapons. Its materials and forging were both top-notch. Logically, it should have been more than enough to withstand the full force of a Middle Third-Grade Martial Artist without issue.

However, his own combat prowess could no longer be measured by common sense.

Although he had only just entered the Fourth Grade, his Mastery Realm Nine Swords of Sky Splitting had pushed his true combat strength beyond that of an ordinary Late-Fourth Grade Martial Artist, bringing him to the very threshold of the Upper Three Grades.

The recent life-and-death struggle with Gou the Third had been exceedingly dangerous.

Especially at the final moment. He had faced Gou the Third’s desperate, life-burning strike and shattered it with the "Sky Splitting" Sword Momentum. However, the resulting shockwave and strain from the instantaneous collision of two extreme forces had far exceeded the limits of a Middle-grade Weapon.

In the end, faced with his tyrannical strength that surpassed his Realm, the sword had been unable to bear the burden and reached its limit.

’Thank goodness the fight is over!’

A thread of relief crept into Fang Han’s heart.

The relief was for it shattering after the dust had settled.

If the Flowing Wind Sword had suddenly disintegrated in the heat of battle...

...even a moment’s hesitation or a single opening would have been enough for a treacherous and ruthless Late Stage Fourth Grade expert like Gou the Third, a master of assassination, to drag him into an inescapable abyss.

The line between life and death often hangs on such minute details.

He slowly loosened his grip, letting the remaining hilt fall among the shards on the ground with a soft clink.

’Next time, I absolutely must get a sword of a high enough Grade. Something like this can never happen again.’

His gaze shifted from the broken sword back to Gou the Third’s corpse.

He crouched down and reached out to remove the black cloth from the man’s face, which was stained with sweat, blood, and filth.

Beneath the cloth was the face of a middle-aged man, his skin a sallow yellow, as if it rarely saw the sun.

A hideous scar ran diagonally across his left cheek, from his brow bone to the corner of his mouth, like a centipede.

Even now, with his life force extinguished, a lingering air of ferocity clung to him.

’A strange face...’

Fang Han had no memory of this person whatsoever.

It wasn’t that he hadn’t considered leaving him alive to interrogate him about the mastermind.

However, given the circumstances—his opponent fighting with deadly, ruthless moves and he himself already poisoned—

if he had hesitated for even a fraction of a second, he, Fang Han, would be the one lying dead.

Left with no other choice, he had to go for the kill.

’Who sent this middle-aged man to assassinate me?’

Fang Han’s brows furrowed as he fell into thought.

Why would a Late Stage Fourth Grade expert he had never met before set up an ambush here, intent on killing him? What was the objective?

The only possibilities he could think of were that the man was acting under orders or had been hired.

That was the most logical explanation.

Someone wanted him dead, so they hired or ordered this assassin.

’Could it be Yin Huang?’

As Fang Han’s thoughts raced, the image of Yin Huang’s face, filled with killing intent and resentment by the main road a few days ago, was the first to surface.

A True Inheritor of the Netherworld Pavilion, ranked eighty-second on the Celestial Pride List. They had clashed over the Vajra Fruit auction, and there was also the messy affair involving Shen You.

Yin Huang certainly had the motive and the financial resources to hire such an expert.

’But... was it really Yin Huang? Could it be someone else?’

He continued to ponder other possibilities.

’Remnants of the Chu Family?’

Chu Feng was executed for practicing a Demon Skill, and the Chu Family was investigated.

When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter. Even if there were survivors, they likely couldn’t muster the wealth needed to move a Late Stage Fourth Grade expert.

’The possibility is infinitesimal.’

’Dean Tu Baichuan of the Shen Courtyard?’

They did have a history of bad blood, and Tu Baichuan had tried to smooth things over, only to be rejected by him.

But their grudge hadn’t reached a life-or-death stage.

As a powerful Elder of the Sect with a respected position, Tu Baichuan had to weigh the pros and cons of his actions. Ordering the assassination of a Celestial Pride True Inheritance with boundless potential would bring catastrophic disaster upon him if exposed.

’Given his status and temperament, the likelihood of him taking such a risk is also slim.’

One by one, possibilities were raised, weighed, and eliminated in his mind.

Finally, one name leaped clearly into his thoughts—Gong Xing.

During the struggle for the Silver Mine in Liangshui City, Gong Xing’s younger brother and several Gong Family Martial Artists had died by his sword.

This feud ran deep.

Although the Gong Family wasn’t a major clan, they had been entrenched in their local area for many years, and the wealth they had accumulated was likely not to be underestimated.

More importantly, after he ascended to the Celestial Pride List, it was not impossible that Gong Xing and the Gong Family, driven by fear, would become desperate. They could have pooled the entire clan’s resources to raise a huge sum and hire an assassin.

And the possibility wasn’t small.

’I’ll set this matter aside for now.’

His thoughts flashed like lightning. Although he had no concrete proof, Fang Han already had a strong suspicion about the mastermind.

Delving deeper now was pointless. The most urgent task was to return to the Sect as quickly as possible.

Only by returning to the Qingxuan Sect would he be truly safe.

’Let’s see what I can find...’

Fang Han collected himself and began to carefully search Gou the Third’s body.

This wasn’t the first time he had done something like this. His movements were practiced and swift, leaving no potential hiding spot unchecked.

The lining of the clothes, the compartments in the belt, the hidden pockets in the boots... he checked them all.

’Something!’

In a hidden pocket of the man’s undergarments, Fang Han felt something hard.

He pulled it out. It was a tough, oilskin-wrapped package about a foot square.

Untying the thin cord, he found stacks of neatly arranged silver notes.

Each note had a denomination of one hundred thousand taels. The paper was new, and the smell of ink still lingered.

A quick count revealed there was over three million!

’Over three million taels of silver?!’

A flash of surprise passed through Fang Han’s eyes. ’Who carries such a huge sum of money on their person?’

After a moment’s thought, he guessed the reason.

The assassin before him lived a dangerous life, licking blood from the blade’s edge. After the assassination attempt, regardless of success or failure, he would have had to flee a thousand miles to escape the thunderous wrath of the Qingxuan Sect.

This money was likely his escape fund.

’All the better for me.’

’This blade is something else!’

Fang Han re-wrapped the oilskin package and carefully put it away.

He took off his Soft Armor, which now had a hole in it, and his gaze fell on the black Short Blade lying nearby.

The blade was long and narrow. Its faint blue, poison-laced sheen looked even more sinister in the darkening forest.

In the fierce battle just now, this blade had clashed with his Flowing Wind Sword multiple times. The Flowing Wind Sword had eventually shattered under the strain, yet this Short Blade didn’t have a single nick or chip on it.

The blade was still as smooth as new, radiating a chilling aura.

’A fine weapon.’

Fang Han praised it inwardly.

Though he didn’t use a blade, he could recognize quality.

The quality of this Short Blade was far beyond that of any Middle-grade Weapon.

Only a weapon that had reached the Top Grade could be so extraordinarily resilient, emerging unscathed from such a violent clash.

’It’s a pity I don’t use blades. I can only use it for a top-up. Panel.’

At his thought, a translucent system panel silently appeared before his eyes.

[Host: Fang Han]

[Root Bone Talent Amplification: 128x (Level 8 Amplification requires 1,000,000 gold)]

[Swordsmanship Talent Amplification: 128x (Level 8 Amplification requires 1,000,000 gold)]

[Stepping Talent Amplification: 128x (Level 8 Amplification requires 1,000,000 gold)]

[Secret Technique Talent Amplification: 64x (Level 7 Amplification requires 10,000,000 silver)]

[Wealth: 17,710,000 silver]

’Top-up Soft Armor.’

Fang Han first topped up the Soft Armor with the hole in it.

[Wealth: 17,710,000 silver → 17,800,000 silver]

As life-saving defensive gear, Soft Armor is often more expensive than a weapon of the same grade. Despite the hole, it still brought him ninety thousand silver.

This must have been Middle-grade Soft Armor. If it were Top-Grade Soft Armor, it would have been impossible for his full-power strike to pierce it.

’Top-up Short Blade.’

The thought formed, and the faintly glowing Short Blade in Fang Han’s hand instantly vanished.

On the panel, the number in the [Wealth] category began to jump again.

[Wealth: 17,800,000 silver → 18,600,000 silver]

’It actually increased by a full eight hundred thousand taels of silver!’

A look of surprise appeared on Fang Han’s face.

The top-up value roughly corresponded to the item’s actual worth.

That this Short Blade could be topped up for eight hundred thousand taels further confirmed its quality—it was indeed a Top-grade Weapon, and a fine one at that.

It was just a pity that it was a blade and not a sword, making it useless to him. Exchanging it for wealth was the best choice.

By now, the sun had completely sunk below the distant mountains, and the last ray of daylight had been swallowed by the twilight.

The light in the forest faded quickly. A chill began to set in, and the howl of an unknown beast echoed from the distance.

’I can’t stay here long.’

Fang Han glanced at the sky and thought to himself.

The commotion from the battle had been considerable. Although the area was remote, there was no guarantee it wouldn’t attract other trouble. He had to leave as soon as possible.

SWOOSH!

Without further hesitation, he executed the Wind and Cloud Escape. His figure became like a faint, imperceptible wisp of green smoke, melting into the deepening dusk and the shadows of the forest.

Pushing his speed to the absolute limit, he raced toward the Qingxuan Sect.

The night was as black as ink, steeping the sprawling mountain range of the Qingxuan Sect in solemn stillness.

The disciples on duty at the main gate stood ramrod straight, their bodies casting long shadows under the huge wind-lanterns.

Seeing Fang Han return, they all bowed respectfully, their eyes filled with the usual reverence.

Fang Han gave a slight nod in acknowledgment but did not stop, passing straight through the towering main gate.

The night wind, carrying the mountain chill, brushed against his cheeks, blowing away some of the fatigue from days of travel.

It also soothed his tense nerves, which had been on edge since the recent assassination attempt.

No matter how skilled someone was, it would be impossible for them to infiltrate the Qingxuan Sect to assassinate him. Back in the Qingxuan Sect, he was finally and completely safe.

Considering that Elder Zhou Jin was likely no longer in the Law Enforcement Hall at this hour, he decided to report back tomorrow morning.

He would also report the assassination attempt to the Law Enforcement Hall.

This was the advantage of being a Major Sect Descendant; he could turn to the Sect for help when wronged.

SWOOSH!

Following the familiar bluestone path, Fang Han headed toward the True Inheritance Courtyard and soon arrived back at Courtyard No. 35.

"Senior Brother, you’ve returned."

The attendant on duty saw Fang Han and hurriedly bowed in greeting.

As Fang Han stepped into the courtyard, the Maid, Qiu Lan, heard the commotion and immediately came to greet him with the other maids and attendants.

"Senior Brother, have you had dinner?"

Qiu Lan hurried forward and bowed.

"Mm? You’re injured? Is it serious?"

Her sharp eyes had noticed a distinct tear on the cuff of Fang Han’s green robe, and she could smell a faint scent of blood on him. It was clear he had been in a fight and was injured.

"It’s nothing, just a small wound. I haven’t eaten dinner yet. Have the kitchen prepare something,"

Fang Han said with a wave of his hand.

"I’ll go have the kitchen prepare it right away."

Qiu Lan hurried away, returning a short while later with a special Golden Wound Medicine and bandages.