"Your guidance, please!"
Lin Jiao's tone was flat, with a hint of impatience.
Fang Han's expression was composed. Under the worried gaze of Elder Fang Yuan and the curious eyes of the elders from the other three families, he steadily walked onto the dueling platform.
From the weapons rack presented by a Lin Family servant, he selected a Fine Iron Longsword.
"Fang Han of the Fang Family. I await your guidance!"
Fang Han cupped his fist in a salute, the tip of his longsword pointed diagonally at the ground.
At some point, the commotion had drawn the attention of many Lin Family Inner Hall Descendants. They gathered in the corridors and by the moon gates, pointing and whispering about the figures on the platform.
"Judging by his clothes, he's from the Fang Family. I heard that among the new Fang Family disciples in the Inner Hall, the strongest is only at the Late Stage of Flesh Refining."
"Late Stage of Flesh Refining against Lin Jiao? Ha! Lin Jiao already has one foot in the Middle Stage of Muscle Refining!"
"I bet Lin Jiao finishes him in three moves. I'll wager five Qi Blood Pills!"
"Three moves? You're giving that Fang Family disciple too much credit. If Lin Jiao gets serious, one slash will be enough!"
"Place your bets, place your bets! How many moves will it take?"
The crowd of Lin Family disciples was brimming with confidence in Lin Jiao. The possibility of him losing never even crossed their minds.
After all, he was a genius who'd had one foot in the Middle Stage of Muscle Refining the moment he entered the Inner Hall, hailed as the Lin Family's Qilin'er.
On the dueling platform, the clash between Fang Han and Lin Jiao had already begun!
"SWOOSH!"
Lin Jiao moved like lightning, instantly closing the distance.
It was the same seemingly casual slash that contained immense power, yet it was even faster than the one he had used against Fang Lin.
He intended to defeat Fang Han in a single move, ending this "exchange" with overwhelming force.
However, Fang Han moved.
Instead of retreating, he advanced. With swift footwork, he dodged the slash by a hair's breadth.
At the same time, the longsword in his hand seemed to come alive. It transformed into a swift streak of light, letting out a sharp whistle as it pierced the air, aiming with unerring precision for the vital point on Lin Jiao's wrist.
Its speed and tricky angle were far beyond what Lin Jiao had expected!
"Huh?"
Lin Jiao's eyes narrowed. He forced his slash to change direction, moving to intercept the incoming sword.
"CLANG!"
A wave of power, far exceeding the Late Stage of Flesh Refining, traveled up the sword's blade, making Lin Jiao's wrist, which had hastily brought the saber to bear, go slightly numb.
He was shaken to the core and blurted out, "Muscle Refining?!"
It wasn't just Lin Jiao. Down below, Lin Shan, who had been watching with the calm confidence of a fisherman reeling in his catch, felt the smile freeze on his face. It was replaced by sheer astonishment, his pupils contracting slightly.
"The Early Stage of Muscle Refining? How is that possible?!"
He snapped his head toward Fang Yuan, only to see that Fang Yuan's face was also filled with shock. But after the initial shock came an irrepressible, wild joy.
'You're stunned, aren't you, you old fool!'
Feeling Lin Shan's astonished gaze, Fang Yuan felt an incredible sense of satisfaction. All his previous regrets and frustrations vanished like smoke, replaced by silent derision.
Even he hadn't expected Fang Han to have quietly broken through to the Muscle Refining Realm in such a short amount of time.
'So what if he's reached the Muscle Refining Realm?'
On the dueling platform, Lin Jiao's astonishment lasted only for an instant before being replaced by an even stronger will to fight.
He admitted he had underestimated Fang Han, but so what if his opponent was at the Early Stage of Muscle Refining?
He himself was just a hair's breadth away from the Middle Stage of Muscle Refining. Whether it was strength, speed, or explosive power, he held the absolute advantage in every category.
Victory would still be his!
"Watch my blade!"
Lin Jiao let out a low shout. The long saber in his hand transformed into a gleaming curtain of blades, unleashing a torrent of attacks on Fang Han that shrieked as they tore through the air.
The saber's momentum was ferocious, its movements wide and powerful. This was the killing move from the Lin Family's Wind-breaking Blade Technique.
"CLANG—"
Fang Han instantly felt the pressure.
Lin Jiao's strength, speed, and explosive power were indeed a notch above his own. Every clash of their weapons sent a numbing jolt up his arm and made his blood roil.
However, he was not without his own advantages. His Swordsmanship had already reached the level of Mastery, while Lin Jiao's Saber Technique was likely only at Minor Achievement.
With his Mastery-level Swordsmanship, it was as if his sword had eyes of its own, always managing to parry the fatal blade at the most critical moments.
Other times, it would thrust from an unbelievable angle toward a point Lin Jiao was forced to defend, compelling him to pull back.
"CLANG! CLANG! CLANG—"
The fight grew incredibly intense. Flashes of their blades crisscrossed in a blur, and the ceaseless ringing of steel on steel dazzled the onlookers below.
'Mastery Level Swordsmanship?'
The more Lin Jiao fought, the more alarmed he became.
He was clearly stronger and faster, yet Fang Han's exquisite Swordsmanship clung to him like a persistent shadow, always managing to neutralize his attacks and strike back.
His opponent's control over the rhythm of battle and his grasp of timing far surpassed his own.
His opponent's Swordsmanship had definitely reached Mastery. In terms of technical application, he was clearly outmatched.
"How can he be this strong?!"
A wave of frustration and disbelief washed over Lin Jiao.
He was the acknowledged number one among his peers in Liangshui City! How could he be suppressed by Fang Han, who had just broken through to the Muscle Refining Realm?
Just then, Fang Han detected a trace of impatience in Lin Jiao, who was growing frustrated by his inability to land a decisive blow. A nearly imperceptible flaw appeared in his saber's momentum.
"Gentle Breeze Piercing the Sun!"
A sharp glint flashed in Fang Han's eyes. He instantly channeled the power of the Muscle Refining Realm through his longsword, condensing his entire body's Essence, Qi, and Spirit into a single point.
The flash of his sword was as sudden as a startled swan taking flight and as fast as lightning. Though he moved second, his strike arrived first, piercing with unerring accuracy through a gap in Lin Jiao's attack to stab straight for his left shoulder.
The sword was too fast! The angle too cunning! The timing too perfect!
Lin Jiao's pupils shrank. He had no time to bring his saber back to block and could only rely on instinct, twisting his body with all his might to evade.
"SHRIIIP!"
The sword tip tore through his clothes, leaving a shallow, bloody gash on Lin Jiao's shoulder.
Though it was only a superficial wound, the victor had been decided!
Lin Jiao staggered back a step, his saber hand frozen in mid-air. The color drained from his face, leaving only utter shock, humiliation, and confusion.
He... he had actually lost? Lost to Fang Han, who had only just broken through to the Early Stage of Muscle Refining?
The entire courtyard fell deathly silent.
"Hssss... Lin Jiao... lost?"
The brief, dead silence was broken by the sound of sharp intakes of breath.
The Lin Family Inner Hall Descendants, who had been drawn over by the fierce battle and were watching from a distance, were now all completely dumbfounded, looking as if they had been struck by lightning.
Just moments before, they had been guessing how many moves it would take Lin Jiao to defeat Fang Han. They never imagined it would be Lin Jiao who lost instead.
This outcome completely upended their understanding of the world!
At the head table, after a moment of astonishment, the three elders—Yue, He, and Sun—all turned their gazes in unison toward Lin Shan in the host's seat.
"The Fang Family has produced a Qilin'er. Congratulations, Brother Fang Yuan!"
Yue Lei said, clapping his hands. His voice was not loud, but it was clear.
"Brother Lin has been a 'marvelous' host, truly opening the eyes of the younger generation,"
He Xiong added, stroking his beard, his words laced with sarcasm.
"Your nephew Lin Jiao certainly served 'diligently' as a sparring partner."
Sun Kang let out a direct sneer.
Every word was like a resounding slap across Lin Shan's face.
His face was ashen, his chest heaving violently. He gripped his teacup so hard his knuckles turned white. The tea in the cup had long since gone cold, and in it, he could see the reflection of the churning shame, rage, and disbelief in his own eyes.
Elder Fang Yuan slowly took a sip of his own, now lukewarm tea. He looked at Lin Shan, whose expression was utterly foul, and sighed with a tone that was both deeply emotional and laced with a sharp, hidden edge.
"Brother Lin Shan, this sparring exchange your family arranged was truly... 'well-intentioned'."
"This unworthy boy from my Fang Family has gained a great deal from this 'tempering'. On his behalf... I thank you."
Lin Shan's chest heaved. He felt a hot, stinging pain on his face, as if he had been slapped dozens of times in public.
The grand display he had so carefully prepared to show off his family's prowess had unexpectedly become a stepping stone for a disciple from another family to make a name for himself.
He forced down the rage that threatened to erupt and squeezed out a smile that looked worse than a grimace.
"Good! Excellent! The Fang Family has truly produced a remarkable Qilin'er! Elder Fang, my congratulations! Today's exchange has been a real eye-opener for this old man. Come, come! Let the banquet be served! Serve the banquet!"