That evening, Li Yan sat cross-legged upon his bed. After calming his mind, his consciousness entered his Spiritual Consciousness.
Moments later, he appeared before the towering Sword Tower. Without hesitation, he stepped inside.
For the next several hours, he immersed himself in the Sword Tower. Every book within the Knowledge Hall further refined his understanding of the Sword Path.
After several hours, he withdrew from the Sword Tower. His consciousness returned to his physical body.
Night had already fallen outside.
Li Yan lay down on his bed and fell asleep quietly.
*****
Early the following morning, Li Yan finished his usual bath and breakfast before leaving his residence.
His destination today was the Tier-4 Hunting Ground.
Although his current cultivation was only at the Qi Channeling Realm (Stage-3), his true objective was to train himself with actual combat against stronger opponents while carrying the burden of the Training Rings.
Senior Yao's task required him to defeat ten Tier-5 Magical Beasts with an 18,000 jin burden, while staying at the Qi Harmonization Realm (Stage-1).
Compared with that objective, Tier-4 Magical Beasts would be ideal whetstones for sharpening his combat skills.
They were powerful enough to pressure him. Yet not so powerful that every battle became a life-and-death struggle.
Not long after, he arrived in the Tier-4 Hunting Ground using a teleportation portal. Unlike the lower-tier hunting grounds, this region was considerably quieter.
The entrance itself reflected that difference. The defensive formations were noticeably stronger. Even the disciples gathered outside carried significantly more powerful auras.
Several Brown-Rank disciples glanced toward Li Yan as he approached.
They immediately recognized him. "Li Yan Tian."
Soft discussions spread through the area.
Li Yan acknowledged them with a polite nod before walking toward the enormous stone monument standing beside the entrance.
Unlike the lower-tier hunting grounds, this monument displayed the Brown-Rank Leaderboard. Top 50 names shimmered across its surface. Each represented a disciple who had challenged the Tier-4 Hunting Ground.
Li Yan calmly extended a finger. Darkness Qi gathered at his fingertip before touching the ancient stone.
A ripple spread across the monument.
Moments later, a new name slowly appeared near the bottom of the leaderboard, then disappeared.
Li Yan Tian.
His registration was complete.
From this moment onward, every achievement he accomplished inside the Tier-4 Hunting Ground would be recorded on the Brown-Rank Leaderboard.
After that, Li Yan stepped through the entrance of the formation barrier of the Tier-4 Hunting Ground and looked around the rugged mountain range, which was blanketed in towering ancient trees.
Jagged cliffs rose toward the sky, while deep valleys disappeared into the distance. The surrounding Heaven and Earth Energy was noticeably denser, carrying a faint oppressive pressure.
Li Yan remained where he was for a moment, allowing his Spiritual Sense to expand.
His Spiritual Sense expanded one hundred and twenty-five meters in every direction, yet it found nothing.
He continued deeper into the hunting ground.
Unlike the lower-ranked areas, Tier-4 Magical Beasts possessed fixed territories. They rarely wandered unless provoked, making them more difficult to locate.
Nearly half an hour passed before Li Yan's footsteps slowed.
His Spiritual Sense had finally detected a powerful aura. "It found me before I found it."
A low growl echoed through the forest.
The next moment, a massive black panther emerged from the shadows between the ancient trees.
Its body measured nearly four meters from head to tail. Dense black fur covered powerful muscles, while faint strands of Darkness Qi flowed continuously around its limbs. Most striking of all were its crimson eyes, which stared at Li Yan without the slightest trace of hesitation.
A Tier-4 Shadowfang Panther.
Unlike the Fire Lion he had fought inside the Fire Mine, this beast possessed no laziness or arrogance.
Its entire body radiated the calm patience of an experienced hunter.
Li Yan quietly drew his sword.
"I'll use only Darkness Qi and Mortal-Tier Low- and Mid-Level techniques."
"No Sword Intent."
"No other elements."
This battle was not about defeating the beast as quickly as possible.
It was about tempering himself.
The Shadowfang Panther lowered its body before disappearing from sight.
The Shadowfang Panther's speed far surpassed that of any Tier-3 Magical Beast Li Yan had encountered before.
Li Yan's pupils contracted slightly.
His Spiritual Sense immediately locked onto the beast's position before he stepped sideways. A black claw tore through the space where he had been standing only an instant earlier.
Boom!
The ancient tree behind him exploded into countless splinters.
Li Yan immediately counterattacked.
Darkness Qi flowed into his sword.
"Shadow Fang Severance."
A crescent-shaped blade of Darkness Qi swept toward the panther.
Instead of meeting it head-on, the beast twisted its body in midair with astonishing agility, allowing the attack to graze its shoulder before landing silently several meters away.
Its expression remained unchanged.
The wound was shallow.
Li Yan's eyes narrowed. "So its battle instincts are much stronger."
The Shadowfang Panther attacked again.
This time, it did not rely solely upon speed.
Darkness Qi gathered around both foreclaws before dozens of black claw projections shot toward Li Yan from different angles.
Li Yan immediately activated Umbral Step Art.
His figure blurred through the forest.
One projection missed.
Then another.
Several shattered nearby, while others carved deep grooves into the surrounding trees.
Li Yan continuously adjusted his footwork. He neither retreated recklessly nor rushed forward. Instead, he calmly observed every movement of his opponent.
Every attack.
Every habit.
Every opening.
Several exchanges later, the panther abruptly disappeared again.
Li Yan's Spiritual Sense spread completely.
"There." He pivoted without hesitation.
Clang!
His sword intercepted the descending claw at the very last moment.
A tremendous force traveled through his arm, forcing him backward nearly ten meters.
Li Yan stabilized himself and smiled faintly. "As expected of a genuine Tier-4 Magical Beast."
"It isn't comparable to the Fire Lion."
The Fire Lion had relied almost entirely upon overwhelming strength.
The Shadowfang Panther relied upon patience.
Speed.
Timing.
Every attack sought to kill with a single strike.
The battle gradually intensified.
Minutes passed.
The surrounding forest became increasingly devastated. Ancient trees collapsed. Massive rocks shattered.
Deep scars covered the ground where Darkness Qi had repeatedly collided.
Li Yan's breathing gradually became heavier. Not because he had been injured. But because every exchange demanded complete concentration.
The Shadowfang Panther gave him no opportunity to relax. Every mistake carried the possibility of death. Exactly the kind of pressure he had come here to seek.
Gradually, Li Yan's movements became increasingly refined.
His footwork grew smoother.
His sword strikes became cleaner.
The Shadowfang Panther suddenly lunged once more. Both claws swept toward Li Yan simultaneously. Instead of retreating, Li Yan stepped forward.
The unexpected movement disrupted the beast's rhythm for a brief instant.
That instant was enough.
His sword flashed.
Shadow Fang Severance.
The attack was neither faster nor stronger than before.
Its timing was simply perfect.
The crescent-shaped blade of Darkness Qi slipped through the narrow opening between the panther's claws before striking directly beneath its jaw.
The Shadowfang Panther staggered backward several steps.
Before it could recover, Li Yan had already arrived. His sword pierced cleanly through its throat.
The enormous body froze. Several breaths later, the Shadowfang Panther collapsed heavily onto the forest floor. A dark orb emerged from its body: Tier-4 Beast Core.
Silence gradually returned.
Li Yan quietly exhaled before withdrawing his sword.
Although the battle had lasted only several minutes, it had demanded considerably more effort than his fight against the Fire Lion.
This opponent possessed both strength and experience.
Had he relied upon Sword Intent, the battle would have ended much sooner.
But that had never been today's objective.
He stored the Tier-4 Beast body and core inside his Storage Ring before reviewing the battle within his mind.
"My reaction speed still isn't fast enough while carrying the 2,600 jin burden of Training Rings."
"My footwork also wastes several unnecessary movements."
"There is still room for improvement."
After a short rest, Li Yan stood once more and continued deeper into the Tier-4 Hunting Ground.
****
News spread quickly throughout the Shadow Haven Sect.
Li Yan had entered the Tier-4 Hunting Ground.
The news itself was not particularly surprising.
What truly shocked everyone was his cultivation.
When disciples reach the Brown-Ranked disciples, which happens upon breaking through the Qi Harmonization Realm, they think of entering the Tier-4 Hunting Ground.
Even Peak Qi Channeling Realm disciples feared challenging it.
But Li Yan…
Had entered while only at the Qi Channeling Realm (Stage-3).
Many disciples found it difficult to believe.
"Can he defeat a Tier-4 Magical Beast?"
"Isn't the gap too great?"
"I heard he entered alone."
Discussions spread throughout the Sect.
Inside the Sect Leader's chamber, Ji Hong received the report from one of the elders.
A faint smile appeared on his face. "Li Yan, you're really pushing yourself to complete the Goddess's task."
He no longer found the young man's actions surprising.
After learning the true requirements of that impossible mission, everything Li Yan did suddenly made perfect sense.
If he intended to hunt Tier-5 Magical Beasts while remaining within the required cultivation limit, then fighting Tier-4 Magical Beasts now was undoubtedly the correct choice.
Meanwhile, Ji Xin had also heard the news.
She remained silent for a long time. Her gaze unconsciously drifted toward the sky. A complicated expression appeared in her eyes.
"He's already challenging Tier-4 Magical Beasts…" She lowered her head slightly. "At this rate…"
"Do I still have any chance of catching up to him?"
****
Li Yan looked at the Ice Fur Fox lying silently on the forest floor before storing its beast body and core in his Storage Ring. This was his fifth kill.
He continued deeper into the Hunting Ground.
Each battle with Tier-4 Beasts had exposed many shortcomings. His reactions and distance control against stronger opponents still needed refinement.
Most importantly, he had yet to fully adapt to fighting Tier-4 Magical Beasts without relying on Sword Intent.
Over the following days, Li Yan immersed himself completely in combat.
Every battle became another lesson.
Some Magical Beasts excelled in speed.
Others relied upon overwhelming physical strength.
Some possessed powerful elemental abilities that forced Li Yan to constantly adjust his combat style.
Rather than ending every battle as quickly as possible, Li Yan deliberately extended many of them.
He experimented with different weapons.
He practiced all his Mortal-Tier Mid-Level techniques.
Refined his footwork.
Improved his timing.
Tested the limits of his body.
Day after day, his combat style gradually evolved.
His attacks became cleaner. His movements became more efficient. The unnecessary motions that had once appeared during battle gradually disappeared.
The burden of the Training Rings started to feel light, as his body had fully adapted to the current load.
Nearly ten days and nights passed in this manner after he entered the Tier-4 Hunting Ground.
By the time Li Yan finally left the Hunting Ground, hundreds of Tier-4 Beast Cores rested quietly inside his Storage Ring.
More importantly, his combat experience had advanced significantly.
Although he still remained far from possessing the strength required to challenge Tier-5 Magical Beasts, he could clearly feel himself moving in that direction.
Upon returning to the Shadow Haven Sect, Li Yan headed straight back to his residence.
After washing away the dust and blood accumulated over the past ten days, he lay down upon his bed and quickly fell asleep.
*****
The following morning, he entered the Alchemy Chamber once again. The familiar Alchemy Furnace stood silently at the center of the chamber.
Without wasting any time, Li Yan took out another Tier-4 Low-Level pill recipe.
His routine resumed.
Study the recipe.
Analyze every detail.
Prepare the medicinal herbs.
Refine.
Record every mistake.
Improve.
One refining session followed another.
Days quietly slipped by.
The medicinal fragrance drifting from the Alchemy Room became increasingly stable as Li Yan's mastery over Tier-4 alchemy steadily improved.
By the time a little more than a week had passed, his understanding of Tier-4 pill refinement had advanced another step.
Although he had not yet mastered all twelve Tier-4 Low-Level pill recipes, his foundation had become increasingly solid.
Satisfied with his progress, Li Yan ended his alchemy practice.