Four months flowed by like a mountain stream,steady, relentless, and carving a deeper path with every passing day. Hanyuan used every hour to his fullest potential. In the silence of his Crest-Cloud estate, he practiced. He drilled the basic spear foundations until they were as natural as breathing, and then he layered the complex meridian flows of his Spirit grade manuals on top of them. After thousands of failures, he had finally reached a milestone, he could now execute Blizzard's Hidden Fang with perfect fluidity, even under the simulated pressure of active combat.
The midday sun poured down from the zenith, bathing the garden in a brilliant white light. Hanyuan lowered his spear, the blue metal cooling as he withdrew his Qi. Sweat soaked his training robes, and his muscles throbbed with a healthy, vibrant fatigue.
He walked toward the backyard, where the once tiny seed had transformed into a majestic ten meter tall tree. Its leaves shimmered with a metallic azure hue, and hanging from the sturdy branches were six ripe Azure Sky-Apples, each glowing with a soft, celestial light.
"Finally," Hanyuan smiled, the scent of the fruit filling his senses. "The tree has borne fruit."
He plucked all six carefully. Five were stored away in the cool darkness of his storage ring, but he kept the largest one for himself. He took a crisp bite. The flavor was an explosion of sweetness and juice, but that was merely the surface. As he chewed, a distinct spark danced across his tongue,a sensation like a tiny, harmless bolt of lightning that traveled up into his brain.
Instantly, the cloud of physical and mental exhaustion vanished. His mind became as clear as a winter morning, and a profound sense of calm settled over his soul.
"Incredible," Hanyuan whispered, finishing the fruit in seconds.
He didn't waste the heightened state of awareness. He immediately snatched up his spear and trained for four hours straight. In that span, he grasped three subtle variations of the Thunderclap Steps that had eluded him for weeks. As the effects of the fruit finally began to wane, Hanyuan gasped in genuine surprise.
"This single session... those four hours were more efficient than the last three days of training combined."
With his foundation solidified and his techniques sharp, a new ambition took hold. He pulled out the parchment detailing the Hidden Dragon Ranking.
"I am currently Rank 150 because I am new," Hanyuan mused, his obsidian eyes narrowing. "But my strength doesn't belong at the bottom. It's time to move up. I think I can handle Rank 145 for a start."
He let out a sharp, rhythmic whistle. From the heights of the pagoda roof, Lingxiao dove through the clouds. The eagle was larger now, its wingspan reaching twelve meters, its metallic feathers rattling like swords. Hanyuan mounted the beast and soared toward the Challenge Plaza.
The plaza was a specialized island reinforced with colossal defensive arrays that could withstand the power of late stage Mortal Core battles. In the center sat a long stone desk where a middle aged man was quietly reading through a stack of records.
Hanyuan landed Lingxiao nearby and approached the desk. "Greetings, Elder. I wish to issue a challenge for Rank 145."
The man looked up, his sharp eyes lingering on the amethyst jade hanging from Hanyuan's belt. Seeing the '150' carved into it, he nodded slowly. "A newcomer seeking to climb early. Bold." He tapped a communication token, sending a ripple of Qi through the Sect's network.
Thirty minutes later, a gust of wind signaled an arrival. A young man who looked to be in his early twenties descended on the back of a brown spirit vulture. He had a sharp, angular face and eyes filled with a deep seated arrogance. A heavy saber with a serrated edge was strapped to his back.
He looked at Hanyuan and a mocking sneer twisted his lips. "So, you're the little whelp who thinks he can take my spot? I hope you've said your prayers, brat. Rank 145 isn't for children."
"Enough talk, Mu Long," the Elder warned, his voice like grinding stones. "Go to the arena now. The laws of the Sect will judge your worth, not your tongues."
Mu Long snorted and leaped into the arena, drawing his saber with a flourish that sent sparks flying against the stone floor. Hanyuan followed, his steps silent and his face an unreadable mask of frost.
The two combatants stepped onto the cold stone of the arena, the atmosphere thick with the hum of the defensive arrays. The middle aged Elder watched them with a deep gaze before his voice cut through the silence like a blade.
"Start!"
Mu Long didn't waste a second on posturing. He gripped his saber with both hands, his Qi erupting in a muddy brown hue. With three rapid horizontal slashes, he sent three concentrated Qi rays whistling toward Hanyuan's vitals.
Hanyuan's expression didn't flicker. He raised the Cold Cloud Spear, his wrists moving in a blurring rhythm.
Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!
Three precise thrusts met the incoming rays, shattering them into harmless sparks of energy. Before the light had even faded, Hanyuan lunged forward, the blue runes on his spear glowing with a violent light.
"Star-Point Piercer!"
BOOM!
Spear tip and saber edge collided in a shower of sparks and a deafening roar of energy. The sheer force of the impact forced both of them back three steps, their boots leaving shallow gouges in the reinforced stone.
Mu Long's arrogant sneer faltered, replaced by a look of genuine shock. How can he be so strong? He's only a newcomer!
"My turn to attack," Hanyuan chuckled, his obsidian eyes flashing with a predatory light.
He didn't give Mu Long a moment to recover his stance. He swept the spear in a wide, punishing arc. "Silver Crescent Horizon!"
The freezing wave of Qi forced Mu Long to duck, but Hanyuan followed up instantly with another three rapid thrusts, each one faster and more lethal than the last.
"You bastard!" Mu Long roared as the third thrust bypassed his guard, tearing a jagged, bloody wound across his right shoulder. "Fine! If you want to die, I'll at least make sure you're crippled first!"
BOOM!
Mu Long's aura exploded outward, his Earth element Qi condensing into a massive, shadowy weight behind him. He leapt into the air, bringing his saber down with every ounce of his cultivation.
"Mountain Destroying Saber!"
As the blade descended, Hanyuan felt a crushing pressure, as if a literal mountain were pressing down on his head. He didn't retreat. He planted his feet, channeled the power of his core into his arms, and thrust upward with everything he had.
"Star-Point Piercer!"
BOOM!
The collision sent a shockwave that kicked up a dense cloud of dust and debris, obscuring the stage. Hanyuan was launched back five steps, a thin trickle of blood leaking from the corner of his mouth as he felt the heavy impact of Mu Long's Earth Qi.
But through the blood and the dust, Hanyuan smiled.
He swept his spear out again, his movement surprisingly fluid for someone who had just taken a heavy hit. "Blizzard's Hidden Fang!"
"What? You still haven't surrendered?" Mu Long sneered through the dust.
Seeing the visible ray of frost Qi flying toward him, Mu Long laughed and used his strongest defensive saber form to parry. The blade met the frost ray with a loud clack, shattering the ice.
But Mu Long's eyes widened in horror. Hidden perfectly within the shadow of the first ray, a second ray of needle thin frost Qi erupted from a completely different angle. It was too close and too fast.
SQUELCH!
The hidden ray pierced clean into Mu Long's chest. The impact sent him flying ten meters through the air like a discarded doll. He crashed against the boundary array and slumped to the floor, coughing up blood, his body trembling from the freezing Qi that was currently locking his meridians.
He was too injured to even lift his head.
The middle aged Elder stepped onto the stage, glancing at the fallen Mu Long before turning to Hanyuan.
"Bai Hanyuan wins. You are now Rank 145 on the Hidden Dragon Ranking."
The Elder waved a hand over Hanyuan's amethyst token, updating the runes. "As of this victory, your monthly allowance will increase from 20 to 25 Mid grade spirit stones."
"W-wait... Cough... it's not over!" Mu Long croaked from the dirt, his face pale and desperate. He tried to push himself up, but his arms buckled, and he fell back with a groan of agony.
Hanyuan didn't look back. He offered a respectful bow to the Elder. "Thank you, Senior."
He walked out of the arena, his steps steady and his heart light.