Rain Listening Pavilion

"Add points!"

When the hour arrived, Fang Yuan returned to his private courtyard and began cultivating.

Today, he would be able to open all his acupoints!

[After a year of bitter cultivation, you have broken through two barriers in succession, strengthening all aspects of your body. However, you still lack condensed divine sense, and your cultivation base has not yet achieved a substantive breakthrough.]

After this line of text appeared on the attribute panel.

A surge of heat rushed through Fang Yuan's calves and soles, then spread throughout his entire body, as if the final two barriers had been breached.

All his acupoints faintly began to build invisible bridges, resonating with each other, instantly filling him with a sense of fullness from the surging power.

"My physical strength has broken through five thousand jin!"

This was without using true qi enhancement—pure physical strength alone could easily crush an early-stage Innate Realm cultivator.

"It seems the talent of the Heavenly Origin Earth Realm doesn't directly affect tempering the spirit or condensing divine sense."

This talent was more akin to directly boosting cultivation base improvement, while the spirit and even the body were merely nourished as a side effect.

"My spiritual power has grown a bit, but it's very limited."

If Fang Yuan wanted to break through to the Foundation Building Realm, the only obstacle now before him was condensing divine sense.

"I remember there are pills that can increase spiritual power. Paired with the Soul Art for cultivation, I should be able to make rapid progress."

"You didn't clash with Fang Yuan last night at the Drunken Dream Pavilion, did you?"

Fang Qian's dantian had been crippled, and he returned to the Fang Mansion that very night—first to heal his injuries, and second to complain to his father.

"I did not."

Fang Qian recounted the entire sequence of events truthfully, but judging by Fang Yiming's demeanor, it didn't seem like he would stand up for him.

"Fang Yuan went too far."

Fang Yiming was silent for a long time before slowly uttering these words.

Fang Qian was useless, but even without merit, he had put in effort. To cripple his dantian over such a trivial matter was somewhat excessive.

After all, he was an elder of the family. Even if one didn't respect the monk, one should respect the Buddha.

He probably never considered that Fang Yuan not killing Fang Qian was already giving him plenty of face.

"If you didn't defy Fang Yuan, I'll go talk to the family head later and see if I can secure some medicinal herbs to restore your dantian."

Striking a superior was a major taboo in the Fang Family!

"Thank you, Father!"

Seeing his father so confident, Fang Qian's expression immediately brightened, a glimmer of hope rising in his eyes.

As an elder, Fang Yiming was qualified to meet the family head. He soon arrived at Fang Zhongwu's study.

But before even a moment had passed, Fang Yiming walked out with a face ashen as iron.

Fang Qian, full of anticipation, waited at home. When he saw his father's expression, he didn't dare say a word and ran back to his quarters to rest.

At the same time.

Fang Yuan arrived at Fang Zhongwu's study almost at the same moment.

His father was still as busy as ever, having to manage the entire family's affairs with countless trivial matters.

Fang Yuan stated his purpose.

"Spirit Gathering Pills have a good effect when it comes to condensing divine sense."

Fang Zhongwu waved his hand, and several more jade bottles appeared on the desk, as if they had been prepared long in advance.

"Father, does your spatial ring have everything?" Fang Yuan asked with a strange look.

Fang Zhongwu shot Fang Yuan a sidelong glance without answering, then said, "Fang Yiming came to see me today."

There were only a few dozen elders in the family, so Fang Yuan naturally knew who Fang Yiming was.

"Did he come to confess his guilt?"

Fang Yuan thought his father wanted to use this matter to discipline him a bit.

But instead.

"Next time, don't be so gentle. Someone like Fang Qian—you could kill him and it would be fine. It would save the family from corrupting its reputation."

So domineering!

He had thought that sitting in this position meant one had to consider the bigger picture and play the balancing game.

"His father isn't even a Council Elder. No need to pay him much mind," Fang Zhongwu said indifferently.

All the elders of the Fang Family were at the Foundation Building Realm, but the authority they wielded was vastly different.

Those who truly had a seat at the table were the Council Elders, qualified to sit in the Council Hall and discuss major family affairs.

As the Young Master, Fang Yuan held a noble status and was qualified to sit in the Council Hall.

Thus, Fang Zhongwu dismissed Fang Yiming with just one sentence.

"Or should we hand this matter over to the Law Enforcement Hall?"

Some things, when not weighed, might seem as light as four ounces; but once on the scale, even a thousand pounds couldn't hold them down.

Behind every elder often stood an entire branch of the family.

That was precisely why Fang Yiming first asked whether Fang Qian had offended Fang Yuan, and only then brought up the matter of his dantian being crippled.

"That business with Qinggang Stockade should be nearing its end—it's a good opportunity to practice."

With these words, Fang Zhongwu was clearly pronouncing a death sentence on Qinggang Stockade.

"I'll raise my strength a bit more over these next two days."

Fang Zhongwu nodded slightly. The one hundred and eight acupoints of the Xiantian Realm were indeed a major hurdle, blocking many geniuses.

Returning to his private courtyard.

Fang Yuan summoned Xiao Zi and instructed her to invite the White Face Hand to the family estate to craft a few disguise masks of the Fifth Chief of Qinggang Stockade and others.

Xiao Zi had her doubts but wouldn't ask questions. Whatever the Young Master ordered, she would simply carry out.

"I'll need to have the family's martial instructors occasionally go and guide those taken-in girls."

Fang Yuan told himself he absolutely wasn't thinking about seeing Miao Yunshang—this was purely about cultivating his own power base.

After a moment's thought, Fang Yuan went to the training grounds and sought out a tall martial instructor at the seventh level of Xiantian Realm, named Fang Rong.

This man happened to be the biological younger brother of Steward Fang Zheng.

"Greetings, Young Master. Whatever you command, I shall obey without fail."

Fang Rong had never imagined earning the Young Master's favor. Connecting to this line meant a bright future ahead!

Teaching a few people who hadn't even stepped onto the martial path was no challenge at all.

With Fang Yuan's support, Miao Yunshang secured a residence in the inner city that very morning, not far from where the girls were staying.

The house had two bedrooms and a small courtyard—modest in scale, but exquisite and compact, with a very peaceful environment.

"Young Master, these disciples should be given a sense of belonging."

Miao Yunshang served Fang Yuan attentively, her considerations thorough.

"Why not call it the Rain Listening Pavilion? You'll be the Pavilion Master. When it grows larger, we can set up other positions. For now, I entrust it all to you."

Fang Yuan made his promise. "If you need cultivation resources or techniques and martial skills, you can contact Xiao Zi."

"But one thing—you must never come into conflict with the Fang Family. And not a hint of what you've learned may be leaked."

Miao Yunshang came from the Murong Family in the royal city, so she was well-versed in these rules. She nodded lightly.

Before long, Fang Yuan arrived at the Rain Listening Pavilion. All the disciples came out to greet him, their hearts filled with gratitude and their faces showing reverence.

Born into chaotic times, to have a place to live out one's life in peace—

To have food when hungry and clothes when cold—that was already the lifelong dream of most ordinary people.

And these people had been at the very bottom of society.

Now, hearing that they could study books and learn the immortal arts of cultivation, how could they not be excited? How could they not be inspired?

The Dao was not to be passed on lightly.

Even the ancient texts read by scholars were monopolized by the great noble families. Crossing class boundaries was nothing short of a fool's dream.

Becoming a martial artist, let alone a cultivator, was something they had never dared to imagine.

But now, Fang Yuan had given them a home. They would give their all, even die for him if necessary.

"From now on, there will be regular assessments. If any of you slack off in your training, you will be expelled from the Rain Listening Pavilion."