One Year of Seclusion! Yan Ruyan!

A year had passed, fleeting like a white colt glimpsed through a crack.

Throughout that year, Han Feng had barely stepped outside, the stone door of his cave dwelling remaining tightly shut.

As if isolated from the world.

Outside Canglan Cave on Qingjiang Peak.

"It's been a year, and Elder Brother Han hasn't come out even once..."

A young girl in a pale yellow dress stood before the cave, idly kicking at small stones underfoot.

It was Xiao Yue.

A year had fully matured her once somewhat childish face.

Her figure had grown increasingly graceful, and she was already a budding beauty with charm.

After waiting for several hours outside the cave and seeing no movement from the stone door, she finally couldn't hold back.

Xiao Yue took a Sound Transmission Talisman from her Storage Bag, murmured a few words, and tossed it casually. The talisman transformed into a streak of fire and stuck to the stone door.

"Elder Brother Han, Yueyue needs to talk to you about something..."

No sooner had the talisman attached itself than the tightly shut stone door rumbled open with a loud crash.

Han Feng walked out of the cave.

"Elder Brother Han, you train way too hard. You're a role model for all of us disciples!"

As soon as Xiao Yue saw Han Feng, she happily bounded over, her lively, big eyes filled with undisguised admiration.

In the year apart, the girl had grown quite a bit taller.

"You said something came up in your transmission. What is it?" Han Feng asked.

"Elder Brother Han, you need to balance training with relaxation. You've been in seclusion for a whole year—aren't you bored? How about coming with me to browse the Market?"

Xiao Yue tugged at Han Feng's sleeve, gently shaking it with a hint of coaxing.

"Mm."

Han Feng thought briefly and then nodded in agreement.

He did want to check out the Market anyway.

He had run out of his medicinal pills.

Including the two bottles Zhou Qingning had given him back then, they had all been consumed in his relentless daily cultivation.

Of course, the gains from this year were enormous.

For an ordinary cultivator switching to a higher-grade Cultivation Technique, bringing it to the corresponding level would take at least two or three years of painstaking effort.

But Han Feng, in just one year, had not only fully stabilized his Foundation Establishment Early Stage cultivation but also pushed the Mysterious Sky Longevity Art to the Fourth Layer.

This had naturally consumed quite a few Attribute Points.

After cultivating the Mysterious Sky Longevity Art, Han Feng could clearly feel his energy growing more abundant and his Physical Body strengthening day by day.

Coupled with the foundation laid by the Elephant Armor Skill he had practiced in his mortal days, the attacks of ordinary Qi Refining cultivators probably couldn't even break through his Physical Body's defense.

As for the Qi Refining Stage technique "Azure Spirit Shield" and the Foundation Establishment Realm technique "Myriad Wood Cage" that came with the Cultivation Technique, he had also grasped them initially.

But lacking spare Attribute Points to max them out, their power was still quite limited.

Now, Han Feng had also gotten a preliminary glimpse into the Fifth Layer of the Cultivation Technique.

Once enough Attribute Points accumulated, he could directly use Attribute Addition to push his cultivation all the way to Foundation Establishment Middle Stage.

"Elder Brother Han, let's go right now then!"

Seeing Han Feng agree without hesitation, Xiao Yue looked very happy.

"No rush. Let's stop by Thousand Moon Hall first. I haven't collected a year's worth of my cultivation salary."

Han Feng said with a smile.

According to sect rules, Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators received a generous monthly allowance of spirit stones and pills as their salary.

"Elder Brother Han, if you're short on spirit stones, I can give you some. I have a lot."

Xiao Yue spoke very sincerely, already reaching into her Storage Bag to pull out some spirit stones.

"No, I have enough."

Han Feng shook his head in refusal.

Taking favors made one beholden, and accepting gifts left one vulnerable.

Besides, this girl Xiao Yue was a bit too enthusiastic toward him. It felt like she had ulterior motives.

Most likely, she was after his body.

The two flew on their artifacts and soon arrived at the square outside Thousand Moon Hall.

Inside Thousand Moon Hall, there were two places set up for collecting cultivation salaries.

One was prepared for Qi Refining disciples, while the other was a dedicated hall for Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Han Feng naturally walked straight toward the Foundation Establishment hall.

"Martial Uncle Han!"

"Disciple pays respects to Martial Uncle Han!"

Along the way, many Qi Refining disciples saw Han Feng and stopped to bow respectfully.

Such was the reality of a cultivation sect.

Perhaps a year ago, they still addressed each other as fellow disciples.

But the moment Han Feng succeeded in Foundation Establishment, his seniority rose by an entire generation.

Xiao Yue walked beside Han Feng. Whenever a disciple bowed to him, she unconsciously straightened her back, sharing in his glory.

Occasionally, a few beautiful female cultivators lingered a moment longer when bowing to Han Feng, and Xiao Yue would subtly move closer to him, as if staking a claim.

Just as they were about to reach the Foundation Establishment hall, they happened to pass by the Qi Refining hall.

Three cultivators were gathered there—two women and one man.

"That's Han Feng, Miss," said a young man in Yan Family robes, lowering his voice to the woman beside him.

His name was Yan Yu, and the girl next to him was his younger sister, Yan Ling. The one they flanked was a stunning woman in white palace garb, with an ethereal, otherworldly aura.

Yan Ruyan, a direct bloodline descendant of the Yan Family.

Like Han Feng, she possessed a Heavenly Spiritual Root.