Fang Lin remained seated for a long time after opening his eyes.
The faint pulse of the grey stone had already faded, yet the feeling it left behind lingered in his mind. It wasn't something he could clearly describe, but it felt… ancient, deep, and completely different from the Qi he had just begun to cultivate.
He exhaled slowly and steadied his thoughts.
"This isn't something I can understand right now."
Suppressing the curiosity, he shifted his focus back to cultivation. The wisps of Qi in the surroundings were faint, but with his current perception, he could guide them more efficiently than before.
Just as he began circulating the Qi again—
Knock knock.
Fang Lin frowned slightly and opened his eyes.
"Fang Lin, are you inside?" Xuo Mu's voice came from outside.
Fang Lin got up and opened the door.
Xuo Mu stood there, looking slightly uneasy, while Xue Ji stood beside him with a more composed expression.
"What is it?" Fang Lin asked.
Xuo Mu hesitated before speaking. "Something… happened after you left."
Fang Lin's gaze sharpened slightly. "What do you mean?"
"That senior you beat… he belongs to a group," Xue Ji said calmly. "And someone else has come looking for you."
Fang Lin's expression didn't change.
"Where?"
"At the square," Xuo Mu replied. "He's been waiting there for a while now."
Fang Lin nodded. "Let's go."
The outer disciple square was quieter than before, but the atmosphere was heavier.
A tall young man stood at the center, his arms crossed. Unlike the previous senior, his posture was steady, and the Qi around him was far more condensed.
Several disciples stood behind him, clearly from the same faction.
The moment Fang Lin stepped into the square, all eyes turned toward him.
"That's him…"
"The one who defeated Zhang Wei…"
"He's finished now…"
Whispers spread through the crowd.
The tall young man slowly opened his eyes and looked at Fang Lin.
"So you're Fang Lin."
His voice was calm, but there was an underlying pressure within it.
Fang Lin stepped forward.
"Yes."
The young man uncrossed his arms and took a step forward.
"I am Zhou Yan."
The moment the name was spoken, several people in the crowd reacted.
"Zhou Yan…"
"He's ranked within the top outer disciples…"
"Middle stage… no, almost late stage Qi Conjunction…"
Xuo Mu swallowed hard.
"Fang Lin… this guy isn't like the other one…"
But Fang Lin remained calm.
Zhou Yan's gaze was steady.
"Zhang Wei is from my faction."
Fang Lin replied, "Then he should learn not to extort others."
A faint murmur spread.
Zhou Yan's eyes narrowed slightly.
"You speak boldly for someone who just arrived."
Fang Lin didn't respond.
Zhou Yan continued, "Do you know what the outer disciple ranking is?"
Fang Lin shook his head.
"I don't."
Zhou Yan let out a faint chuckle.
"Of course you don't. You've just stepped into the sect."
He took another step forward.
"The outer disciple ranking determines status, resources, and survival. The higher you are, the more you get. The lower you are…"
He paused slightly.
"…the more you are stepped on."
The words were simple, but their meaning was clear.
Fang Lin listened quietly.
Zhou Yan continued, "Zhang Wei may be weak, but he represents our faction's face. When you defeated him, you weren't just fighting him."
"You were challenging us."
The air grew tense.
Fang Lin finally spoke.
"I only acted because he crossed the line."
Zhou Yan nodded slightly.
"Intent doesn't matter."
He raised his hand slightly, and a faint surge of Qi spread outward.
"I'll give you a chance."
The crowd leaned in.
"Apologize," Zhou Yan said calmly. "Kneel, admit your mistake, and this ends here."
Xuo Mu's fists tightened.
"This is too much…"
Xue Ji remained silent, but her gaze was fixed on Fang Lin.
Fang Lin stood still.
Then—
"No."
The single word fell clearly into the silence.
Zhou Yan's expression didn't change, but the air around him grew colder.
"You're refusing?"
"Yes."
A brief silence followed.
Then Zhou Yan nodded slowly.
"Good."
"Then I won't need to hold back."
Before anyone could react—
He moved.
Faster than Zhang Wei.
Much faster.
Fang Lin's eyes sharpened instantly.
The moment Zhou Yan stepped forward, Fang Lin felt the difference. This wasn't just raw speed—his Qi control was far more refined.
Fang Lin shifted his body.
Zhou Yan's strike brushed past him, but the residual force still grazed his shoulder.
A sharp pain spread.
Fang Lin retreated a step.
Zhou Yan didn't stop.
He pressed forward again, his attacks continuous, forcing Fang Lin on the defensive.
The crowd watched in shock.
"He's being suppressed…"
"As expected…"
"Zhou Yan is too strong…"
Xuo Mu's face turned pale.
Fang Lin stabilized his footing.
His breathing slowed.
His perception sharpened.
Every movement of Zhou Yan became clearer.
The flow of Qi.
The direction of force.
The timing of attacks.
He began to adapt.
Zhou Yan's eyes flickered slightly.
"Oh?"
Fang Lin dodged another strike and countered with a punch.
Zhou Yan blocked it easily—but his expression changed slightly.
"The strength increased…"
Fang Lin didn't stop.
He stepped forward again, his movements more precise than before.
Inside his mind, the Soul Metamorphosis Technique stirred.
A faint, invisible pressure spread.
Zhou Yan's movement slowed—just for a fraction of a second.
Fang Lin seized the moment.
Bang!
Their fists collided.
Both stepped back.
The crowd gasped.
"He actually matched him…"
Zhou Yan looked at Fang Lin, a hint of seriousness appearing in his eyes.
"You're interesting."
He rotated his wrist slightly.
"Let's see how long you last."
The pressure around him intensified.
Fang Lin felt it clearly.
This was his limit.
If this continued, he would lose.
He steadied his breathing.
Then, unexpectedly—
He stepped back.
"I concede."
The words stunned everyone.
Zhou Yan paused.
"You concede?"
"Yes," Fang Lin said calmly. "I'm not your match right now."
The honesty caught everyone off guard.
Zhou Yan stared at him for a moment.
Then the pressure around him slowly dissipated.
"You know your limits."
Fang Lin didn't respond.
Zhou Yan turned slightly.
"This ends here for now."
He glanced back once.
"But next time… it won't be so simple."
With that, he walked away, his group following behind him.
The tension in the square gradually faded.
Xuo Mu rushed forward.
"Fang Lin! Are you okay?"
"I'm fine."
Xue Ji looked at him carefully.
"You could still stand your ground."
Fang Lin shook his head.
"Not yet."
He glanced toward the direction Zhou Yan had left.
"I need to understand this place first."
The outer disciple ranking.
Factions.
Strength.
Everything was interconnected.
He had only seen a small part of it.
Fang Lin turned and walked back toward his room.
This time, no one stopped him.
But the looks he received—
Were no longer just curiosity.
They carried expectation.
And pressure.
Inside his room, Fang Lin sat down once more.
His mind replayed the fight.
Zhou Yan's movements.
His Qi control.
His pressure.
"I'm still lacking…"
His gaze slowly hardened.
"But not for long."
Outside, the sect remained as lively as ever.
But within Fang Lin—
A quiet resolve had already taken root.