KLIANG, KLIANG...
Saat para penjaga dan Honor Guest Elders dari Paviliun Tohu Tenggap, yang telah mencapai batas tahanan mereka, tidak lagi mampu bertahan.
Mereka mendahatkan diri mereka sendiri di tempat datar.
Tersesat napas, mereka dikeluarkan oleh perasaan bahwa mereka hampir mati.
Bahkan dua Praktisi Martial Kelas Pertama, Lan Daoxing dan Shen Cangsong, tidak terkecoh. Mereka telah bertarung melawan Qi Zhen dan Han Kui, keduanya lebih kuat, dan telah mengalami cedera serius.
Berdoa sambil berdiri di depan pilar batu yang hancur, Lan Daoxing mengerutkan napas.
Luka di bahu kirinya masih meneteskan darah dan wajahnya pucat, namun mata di dalamnya mengejutkan cerah.
Dia menatap punggung Fang Han, pada pria yang berdiri dengan pedang, dan hatinya bergetar dengan campuran emosi yang tak terdengar.
"Qi Zhen, seorang master tingkat Late Stage Kelas Pertama, sebenarnya tidak bisa bersaing dengan pria ini."
"Dan pria ini baru berusia dua puluh tahun."
"Dia telah hidup lebih dari lima puluh tahun dan telah melihat banyak prodigy dengan bakat menakjubkan, tetapi ia tidak pernah melihat siapa saja seperti Fang Han."
"Paviliun Tohu Tenggap.*
Fang Han menenangkan diri, berbalik, dan berjalan ke arah Lan Daoxing.
"Bagaimana kondisi luka Anda?"
Lan Daoxing keluar dari ketidakpastian dengan mendorong dirinya ke atas pilar. Dia menggenggam tangan dalam salutation, suara terdengar tersedak namun tulus.
"Praktisi Martial Young Master Fang, saya tidak akan lupa hutang yang saya utamakan untuk menyelamatkan kita."
Fang Han menggerakkan kepala sedikit dan menenangkan Lan Daoxing.
"Tidak perlu itu, Honor Guest Eldern Lan. Paviliun Tohu Tenggap telah memilih untuk berserakah dengan Sekti Qingxuan. Secara alami, kami tidak akan menyaksikan Kelompok Tiejiang memperlakukan Anda dengan tidak adil."
Sikapnya sangat sopan. "Setelah itu," ia berpikir, "mungkin ini hari nanti ia akan menjadi ayah adikku."
Lan Daoxing tegakkan diri, matanya menyimpulkan ke wajah Fang Han selama sekejap. Pada saat itu, pikiran yang telah mengganggu sejak lama akhirnya solidify.
Dia telah lama mengetahui bahwa putrinya, Lan Yuexin, terkesan dengan Fang Han.
Dia tidak sepenuhnya mendukung ide tersebut. Dari yang ia tahu, hati Fang Han sudah sayangnya kepada orang lain. "Bagaimana bisa putra Paviliun Tohu Tenggap berpisah dengan seorang pria?" ia pernah berpikir.
Tapi hari ini, setelah menyaksikan kekuatan dan potensial Fang Han, rasa benci yang tersimpan itu menghilang dari udara.
"Seseorang seperti Fang Han adalah temuan yang langka, mungkin hanya terlihat sekali per abad."
"Untuk mendapatkan pasangan seperti ini bagi putranya itu adalah berkah yang besar sendiri. Apakah penting jika dia harus berbagi suami?"
...
"Selamat pagi."
Chen Wanjun muncul cepat di tengah puing-puing Paviliun Tohu Tenggap.
Fang Han berdiri di tengah puing-puing, berbicara dengan suara yang rendah, dengan Lan Daoxing.
"Fang Han berdiri di tengah puing-puing ini, berbicara dengan suara yang rendah. Saya sangat terima kasih karena telah memperjuangkan perlindungan ini selama beberapa hari terakhir."
"Anda terlalu baik, Honor Guest Eldern Chen."
Chen Wanjun mengangguk sedikit tetapi tidak mengatakan lebih.
"Lan Daoxing dan Shen Cangsong bersedia melindungi sini selama beberapa hari terakhir, dan karena itu, saya sangat terima kasih. Karena luka saya tidak lagi serius, sekarang saya dapat pergi ke Sekti Qingxuan untuk berkabul pada Siapkuda Master Chen."
"Anda terlalu baik, Honor Guest Eldern Chen."
Chef Wanjun kembali mengucapkan salutation.
"Dalam hal ini, mari kita pergi."
Grup meninggalkan puing-puing Paviliun Tohu Tenggap, meninggalkan Kota Komando, dan mengikuti jalan utama menuju Sekti Qingxuan.
Meski luka Lan Daoxing sebagian besar sudah sembuh, ia belum sepenuhnya pulih, sehingga kecepatan perjalanan mereka tidak terlalu cepat.
...
Tahun ke-548, pagi itu.
Kedekatan pagi menembus kabut tipis, menutupi puing-puing Paviliun Tohu Tenggap dengan cahaya emas pucat.
Lan Daoxing telah berubah menjadi baju brokat biru dalam warna gelap dengan tali sutra yang diikat di pinggangnya. Ia tampak jauh lebih semangat dibandingkan beberapa hari lalu.
Dia berjalan mendekati Fang Han dan yang lainnya, menggenggam tangan dalam salutation, dan berbicara dengan suara yang tersedak namun tetap tegas.
"Saya telah memaksa kalian semua bertahan selama beberapa hari terakhir, dan untuk itu, saya sangat terima kasih. Karena luka saya tidak lagi serius, sekarang saya dapat pergi ke Sekti Qingxuan untuk berkabul pada Siapkuda Master Chen."
"Anda terlalu baik, Honor Guest Eldern Lan."
Chef Wanjun kembali mengucapkan salutation.
"Dalam hal ini, mari kita pergi."
Grup meninggalkan puing-puing Paviliun Tohu Tenggap, meninggalkan Kota Komando, dan mengikuti jalan utama menuju Sekti Qingxuan.
Meskipun luka Lan Daoxing sebagian besar sudah sembuh, ia belum sepenuhnya pulih, sehingga kecepatan perjalanan mereka tidak terlalu cepat.
...
Kaca dinding pintu ruangan rahasia perlahan menutup di belakang Qi Zhen, memisahkan cahaya lampu koridor.
Yan Wuji duduk di kursi batu di ujung ruangan, baju brokat abu-abu di tangannya bersinar lembut di bawah cahaya lilin.
Dia memegang kertas yang kuning kusam di tangannya, sangat fokus padanya. Dia mendengar suara pintu batu tertutup tetapi tidak menoleh.
"Kamu kembali."
Suaranya kotor dan datar, seolah-olah menyatakan pernyataan paling biasa.
Qi Zhen berjalan maju dan menyulut.
"Kelompok Tiejiang memang menyerang, tetapi mereka sudah mundur."
Chef Wanjun berhenti.
Han Qing, Chen Tie, dan Jin Han juga berhenti, matanya bertemu secara serentak pada Fang Han.
"Kamu merusak Qi Zhen?"
Jin Han adalah yang pertama berbicara, suaranya tersedak dengan ketakutan yang dia ragu bahkan mengakui kehadirannya.
"Qi Zhen benar-benar terluka olehku."
"Elder Jin, saya tidak akan membuat klaim seperti itu dengan mudah."
Fang Han menatap mati mata Qi Zhen, suara kaku, penuh dengan ketegangan yang tersembunyi.
"Qi Zhen memang terluka."
"Itulah sebabnya ia mundur dengan pasukannya."
Jin Han diam.
Dia ingat beberapa bulan lalu, ketika ia dan Fang Han bertemu dalam misi bersama, kekuatan pertempuran mereka, meskipun tampak imporan, hanya setara dengan Praktisi Kelas Kedua.
"Sekarang, bahkan Qi Zhen dari Late Stage Kelas Pertama tidak bisa bersaing dengannya."
"Tingkat kemajuan ini..."
Chef Wanjun diam selama sebentar, kemudian menyentuh dinding batu dengan jari, suaranya penuh dengan analisis yang tajam.
"Apa yang terjadi?"
Qi Zhen menarik napas dalam-dalam dan menceritakan peristiwa malam Paviliun Tohu Tenggap yang diserang, tanpa menyembunyikan detail krusial.
Dia menjelaskan memburu ke pangkalan Paviliun Tohu Tenggap, resistensi mendadak dari Lan Daoxing dan Shen Cangsong, dan bagaimana situasi berbalik ke kebaikan, membawa mereka ke tepi kemenangan—dan kemudian tiba-tiba Fang Han muncul.
Dia bercerita bagaimana pria muda itu memblokir serangnya dengan satu pukulan pedang, bagaimana mereka bertarung selama puluhan ronde, dan bagaimana akhirnya ia terlewati dan terluka serius oleh Fang Han, memaksanya memerintahkan mundur.
Ceritanya ringkas dan jelas, tanpa pemborosan atau penghilangan detail kunci.
Yan Wuji mendengarkan diam.
Ketika ia mendengar bahwa Fang Han telah memblokir serangannya, raynanya sedikit bergeser.
Dan ketika ia mendengar bahwa Fang Han telah bertarung dengan ketelitian dan akhirnya melukai Qi Zhen secara serius, sepotong ketidakpedulian yang tidak bisa diterima muncul pada wajahnya yang berwarna tua.
"Fang Han?"
Dia berbicara perlahan, suaranya kini membawa nada serius.
"Itulah yang menyebabkanmu?!"
"Elder, pria itu sebenarnya menyembunyikan kekuatan yang jauh lebih besar dari yang normal."
Qi Zhen suaranya kotor, penuh dengan rasa takut yang dia ragu bahkan mengakui kehadirannya sendiri.
"Kekuatan cultivasi beliau memang sudah mencapai Early Stage Kelas Kedua, dan kekuatan pertempurnya jauh melampaui itu. Saya tidak bisa bersaing dengannya."
"Pada pesta grandmaster, meskipun saya bisa merasakan bahwa pria itu menyembunyikan sebagian dari kekuatannya, saya tidak pernah mempercayai bahwa dia menyembunyikan seberapa banyak ini."
Ia berdiri, menggenggam tangan di belakang punggungnya, dan berjalan ke dinding batu ruangan rahasia.
Di pesta grandmaster, ketika Fang Han bertarung dengan Yang Yuan, mata tajamnya secara alami melihat bahwa Fang Han sedang menahan kekuatannya.
Tapi dia hanya berasumsi bahwa Fang Han, setimalih, hanya menyembunyikan kekuatan dua atau tiga Realm Kecil. Dia tidak pernah mengharapkan—
—itu, pria itu telah menyembunyikan kekuatan hampir dua seluruhikman Realm Besar.
"Early Stage Kelas Kedua, tetapi dengan kekuatan pertempuran yang cukup untuk menekan Qi Zhen di Late Stage Kelas Pertama."
"Semangat, kekuatan, dan esensi..."
"Elder Elder."
Suara Qi Zhen, penuh dengan urgensi, datang dari belakangnya.
"Anak itu, Fang Han... kecepatan pertumbuhannya terlalu menakjubkan. Jika kita tidak membasmi dia sekarang sebelum dia sepenuhnya berkembang, dia akan menjadi ancaman serius bagi Geng Tiejiang kita di masa depan."
Ia berhenti sejenak, suaranya turun bahkan lebih rendah.
"Aku membuat permintaan berani ini... Aku memohon kepada Supreme Elder untuk bertindak secara pribadi dan membasmi anak ini."
CLANG, CLANG...
As the men from the Tiejiang Gang retreated, the guards and Honored Guest Elders of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, who had long since reached their breaking point, could no longer hold on.
They dropped their weapons and collapsed on the spot.
Gasping for breath, they were overwhelmed by the feeling of having narrowly escaped death.
Even the two First Grade Martial Artists, Lan Daoxing and Shen Cangsong, were no exception. They had fought Qi Zhen and Han Kui, both of whom were stronger, and had sustained serious injuries.
Leaning against a broken stone pillar, Lan Daoxing gasped for breath.
The wound on his left shoulder was still seeping blood and his face was ashen, but his eyes were surprisingly bright.
He gazed at Fang Han’s back, at the young man standing with his sword, and his heart churned with an indescribable mix of emotions.
’Qi Zhen, a Late Stage First Grade master, was actually no match for this young man.’
’And this young man was only twenty years old.’
’He had lived for over fifty years and had seen many prodigies of stunning talent, but he had never seen anyone like Fang Han.’
"Pavilion Master Lan."
Fang Han sheathed his sword, turned, and walked over to Lan Daoxing.
"How are your injuries?"
Lan Daoxing snapped out of his daze and hurriedly pushed himself up from the pillar. He cupped his hands in a salute, his voice hoarse but sincere.
"Young Master Fang, I will never forget the debt I owe you for saving us."
Fang Han shook his head slightly and steadied Lan Daoxing.
"There’s no need for that, Pavilion Master Lan. The Hundred Treasures Pavilion has chosen to align with the Qingxuan Sect. Naturally, we won’t stand by and watch the Tiejiang Gang bully you."
His attitude was exceptionally courteous. ’After all,’ he thought, ’this man might become my father-in-law one day.’
Lan Daoxing straightened up, his gaze lingering on Fang Han’s face for a moment. At that instant, a thought that had been nagging at him for a long time finally solidified.
He had long been aware that his daughter, Lan Yuexin, was smitten with Fang Han.
He hadn’t been entirely supportive of the idea. From what he knew, Fang Han’s heart already belonged to another. ’How could the daughter of the Pavilion Master of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion share a husband?’ he had thought.
But today, after witnessing Fang Han’s strength and potential, that lingering resentment had vanished into thin air.
’An outstanding young man like Fang Han is a rare find, perhaps only seen once a century.’
’For my daughter to secure such a fine match is a great blessing in itself. What does it matter if she has to share a husband?’
...
「The next morning, at the crack of dawn.」
Chen Wanjun and his three companions appeared outside the ruins of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion.
They had traveled through the night. Their robes were stained with dust, and their faces showed signs of fatigue.
Their steps faltered when they saw the rubble and ruined walls of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, where its guards were already cleaning up the aftermath.
"A battle... already happened here?"
Han Qing spoke in a low voice.
Chen Wanjun strode quickly into the ruins.
Fang Han was standing in the center of the ruins, speaking in a low voice with Lan Daoxing.
His green robes were dusted with dirt, but his aura was steady, showing no signs of injury.
"Fang Han."
Chen Wanjun approached, his eyes scanning Fang Han. Only after confirming he was unharmed did he ask,
"There was a battle here. Was it an attack by the Tiejiang Gang?"
Fang Han turned and cupped his hands in a salute to Chen Wanjun.
"Vice Hall Master Chen, the Tiejiang Gang did indeed attack, but they have already retreated."
Chen Wanjun’s eyebrow twitched slightly.
"How did they retreat?"
He didn’t believe the name of the Qingxuan Sect alone could force the Tiejiang Gang—a group with a Grandmaster backing them—to retreat.
"After I injured the Tiejiang Gang’s leader, Qi Zhen, he led his men away."
Fang Han’s voice was calm, as if he were stating a perfectly ordinary fact.
At these words, Chen Wanjun’s steps faltered.
Han Qing, Chen Tie, and Jin Han also stopped in their tracks, their gazes unanimously falling on Fang Han.
"You injured Qi Zhen?"
Jin Han was the first to speak, her voice hoarse with disbelief.
Qi Zhen, the Gang Leader of the Tiejiang Gang. According to their most recent intelligence, his Cultivation had reached the Late Stage of First Grade.
’Fang Han could injure Qi Zhen, a master at the Late Stage of First Grade?’
"Elder Jin, I would not make such a bold claim lightly."
Fang Han met Jin Han’s gaze, his voice steady.
"Qi Zhen was indeed injured by me, which is why he retreated with his men."
Jin Han fell silent.
She recalled how, just a few months ago, when she and Fang Han were on a mission together, his combat strength, while impressive, was only on par with a Second Grade Martial Artist.
’Now, even Qi Zhen of the Late Stage of First Grade was no match for him.’
’This rate of progress...’
Chen Wanjun was silent for a moment. His gaze rested on Fang Han for a long time before he finally spoke, his voice tinged with emotion.
"It seems we’ve all underestimated you."
"You’re too kind, Vice Hall Master Chen."
Fang Han shook his head slightly.
Chen Wanjun said no more, merely turning to survey the ruins.
...
For several days, the ruins of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion headquarters had been bustling with activity since the early morning mist began to lift.
Fang Han stood by a remaining pillar of a pavilion, his gaze sweeping over the rubble.
In the days following the Tiejiang Gang’s retreat, the Hundred Treasures Pavilion had pulled in manpower from its various branches. They cleared the debris, collected the bodies, and repaired the damaged walls in a busy but orderly fashion.
Lan Daoxing’s injuries were healing faster than he had expected.
After Qi Zhen’s retreat that day, Lan Daoxing must have taken some kind of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, as color returned to his ashen face at a visible rate.
Now, only a few days later, Lan Daoxing could walk freely. The wound on his left shoulder had scabbed over, and his movements showed little sign that he had been injured.
"As expected of one of the top three merchant guilds in the Commandery City. They certainly have plenty of good things for his injuries to heal so quickly."
Chen Wanjun’s voice came from beside him.
Fang Han turned his head to see Chen Wanjun standing on the other side of the pillar, hands clasped behind his back. His eyes, bright as morning stars, were fixed on Lan Daoxing in the distance, who was directing his subordinates to clean up the wreckage.
"When it comes to wealth, the Hundred Treasures Pavilion is likely richer than even some of the major powers,"
Fang Han said.
Chen Wanjun nodded slightly but said no more.
Han Qing, Chen Tie, and Jin Han stood a short distance away, each lost in their own thoughts.
They had been guarding the Hundred Treasures Pavilion for the past few days in case the Tiejiang Gang returned. Fortunately, there had been no sign of them since their retreat, so it had been a quiet few days.
「Another day passed.」
The morning light pierced the thin mist, coating the ruins of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion in a pale gold.
Lan Daoxing had changed into a deep blue brocade robe with a matching silk sash tied at his waist. He looked much more spirited than he had a few days prior.
He walked up to Fang Han and the others, cupped his hands in a salute, and spoke in a voice that was hoarse yet steady.
"I have troubled all of you to stand guard these past few days, and for that, I am deeply grateful. My injuries are no longer serious, so I can now set off for the Qingxuan Sect to pay my respects to Sect Master Chen."
"You’re too kind, Pavilion Master Lan."
Chen Wanjun returned the salute.
"In that case, let’s set off."
The group left the ruins of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, departed from the Commandery City, and followed the main road toward the Qingxuan Sect.
Although Lan Daoxing’s injuries had mostly healed, he had not yet fully recovered, so their traveling pace wasn’t very fast.
...
The stone door of the secret chamber slowly closed behind Qi Zhen, shutting out the dim lamplight from the corridor.
Yan Wuji sat on the stone chair at the head of the room, his gray cloth robe gleaming faintly in the candlelight.
He held a yellowed scroll in his hands, intently focused on it. He heard the sound of the stone door closing but didn’t look up.
"You’re back."
His voice was old and flat, as if stating the most ordinary of facts.
Qi Zhen walked forward and bowed.
"Supreme Elder."
His voice was hoarse, laced with suppressed exhaustion.
Catching the scent of blood, Yan Wuji lowered his scroll and looked up.
When he got a clear look at Qi Zhen, his turbid yet profound eyes paused for a moment.
Qi Zhen’s dark gold brocade robe was stained with large patches of dried blood. The fabric at his left shoulder was torn open in a long gash, revealing a bandaged wound beneath.
His right arm hung at his side, its movements clearly stiff.
The robes at his waist and thigh were also torn in several places.
Although his wounds had been treated, it was obvious they were serious.
Yan Wuji’s gaze lingered on Qi Zhen’s wounds for a moment, and his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.
"You were seriously injured?"
His voice was still flat, but a hint of surprise was slowly surfacing beneath the calm.
"Yes. I sustained some injuries during the operation."
Qi Zhen straightened up, meeting Yan Wuji’s gaze.
Yan Wuji was silent for a breath, then tapped his fingers twice on the stone armrest.
"The Hundred Treasures Pavilion headquarters only has two First Grade Martial Artists, Lan Daoxing and Shen Cangsong. With your and Han Kui’s strength, it should not have been difficult to take them down."
His voice was quiet, but it held a scrutinizing edge.
"What happened?"
Qi Zhen took a deep breath and recounted the events of the night the Hundred Treasures Pavilion was attacked, holding nothing back.
He described breaking into the Hundred Treasures Pavilion headquarters, Lan Daoxing and Shen Cangsong’s desperate resistance, and how the situation had turned in their favor, bringing them to the brink of victory—
—and then Fang Han’s appearance. He told of how the young man had blocked his attack with a single sword strike, how they had fought for dozens of rounds, and how he had ultimately been defeated and seriously wounded by Fang Han, forcing him to order a retreat.
His account was concise and clear, without embellishment or omission of key details.
Yan Wuji listened in silence.
When he heard that Fang Han had blocked Qi Zhen’s attack, his brow twitched slightly.
And when he heard that Fang Han had fought fiercely with Qi Zhen and ultimately wounded him severely, a trace of unconcealable astonishment finally appeared on his weathered face.
"Fang Han?"
He spoke slowly, his voice now carrying a grave tone.
"He was the one who injured you?!"
"Supreme Elder, that boy concealed his true strength at the Grandmaster’s banquet."
Qi Zhen’s voice was hoarse, tinged with a fear he was reluctant to admit even to himself.
"His true Cultivation is already at the Early Stage of Second Grade, and his combat power far exceeds it. I was no match for him."
"At the Grandmaster’s banquet, although I could tell the boy was hiding some of his strength, I never imagined he was hiding this much," Yan Wuji said after a long silence.
He stood up, clasped his hands behind his back, and walked to the stone wall of the secret chamber.
The candlelight cast his thin shadow onto the rough wall, stretching it long.
At the Grandmaster’s banquet, when Fang Han sparred with Yang Yuan, his keen eyes had naturally seen that Fang Han was holding back.
But he had assumed Fang Han was, at most, concealing his strength by two or three Minor Realms. He never expected—
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