Defeating Lin Jiao

"Please enlighten me!"

Lin Jiao's tone was calm, carrying a trace of impatience.

Fang Han's expression was composed. Under Elder Fang Yuan's worried gaze and the curious scrutiny of the other Three Clan Elders, he steadily walked onto the Combat Platform.

From the weapon rack presented by a Lin Family Servant, he took a Refined Iron Longsword.

"Fang Han of the Fang Clan. Please enlighten me!"

Fang Han cupped his fists in salute, his longsword angled toward the ground.

At some point, many Lin Family Inner Hall Disciples had been drawn over by the commotion, gathering at the Corridor and Moon Gate, pointing and talking about the stage.

"Judging by his clothes, he's a disciple of the Fang Clan. I heard that among the Fang Clan disciples newly admitted to the Inner Hall, the strongest has only reached Flesh Refining Late-Stage."

"Flesh Refining Late-Stage against Lin Jiao? Ha, Lin Jiao already has one foot in Tendon Refining Mid-Stage!"

"I bet Lin Jiao takes him down in three moves. Five Blood Qi Pills!"

"Three moves? You think too highly of that Fang Clan disciple. If Lin Jiao gets serious, one slash will be enough!"

"Place your bets, place your bets! Bet on how many moves it'll take!"

The Lin Family disciples were all brimming with confidence in Lin Jiao. None of them had even considered the possibility of his defeat.

After all, he had entered the Inner Hall with one foot already in Tendon Refining Mid-Stage, a genius praised as the Qilin Child of the neighboring clan.

On the Combat Platform, Fang Han and Lin Jiao had already begun their exchange!

Whoosh!

Lin Jiao moved like lightning, instantly closing the distance.

Once again, he swung that seemingly casual slash, one that contained immense force, at Fang Han. It was three parts faster than when he had faced Fang Lin.

He intended to defeat Fang Han in one move and bring this "exchange" to an end with overwhelming force.

However, Fang Han moved.

Instead of retreating, he advanced. His feet shifted swiftly, and in the tiny gap between one instant and the next, he dodged the slash.

At the same time, the longsword in his hand seemed to come alive, transforming into a swift streak of light. Accompanied by a piercing howl through the air, it stabbed with unmatched precision at the pulse point on Lin Jiao's wrist.

Its speed and tricky angle far exceeded Lin Jiao's expectations!

"Hm?"

Lin Jiao's gaze abruptly sharpened. He forcibly changed the direction of his slashing blade, meeting the incoming sword.

Clang!

Blade and sword collided with a crisp, ear-splitting ring.

A force far beyond Flesh Refining Late-Stage traveled down the blade, making the wrist of the hastily reacting Lin Jiao go slightly numb.

His heart jolted, and he blurted out, "Tendon Refining?!"

It was not just Lin Jiao. Lin Shan, who had been sitting calmly below the stage as steady as a fisherman on his perch, saw the smile on his face freeze instantly into shock, his pupils narrowing slightly.

"Tendon Refining Early-Stage? How is that possible?!"

He abruptly turned to Fang Yuan, only to find Fang Yuan's face likewise filled with shock. Yet after that shock came irrepressible ecstasy.

Old fool, dumbfounded now, aren't you!

Feeling Lin Shan's astonished gaze, Fang Yuan felt incomparably satisfied. All his earlier regret and resentment vanished like smoke in the wind, turning into silent mockery.

Even he had not expected Fang Han to quietly Breakthrough to Tendon Refining in such a short time.

So what if he's reached Tendon Refining?

On the Combat Platform, Lin Jiao's astonishment lasted only an instant before it was replaced by even fiercer fighting spirit.

He admitted that he had underestimated Fang Han, but so what if Fang Han had reached Tendon Refining Early-Stage?

He himself was only a hair's breadth from Tendon Refining Mid-Stage. Whether in strength, speed, or explosive power, he held an absolute advantage.

The victor would still be him!

"Take my blade!"

Lin Jiao gave a low shout. The long blade in his hand turned into a sheet of snowy brilliance, assaulting Fang Han like a raging storm amid shrill cries that tore through the air.

The Blade Intent was fierce and broad, wide open and sweeping. It was a 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 truly surpassed his by a considerable margin. Every clash of blade and sword numbed his arms and sent his blood and qi churning.

But he was not without his own advantage. His swordsmanship had reached the Proficiency Realm, while Lin Jiao's blade technique was likely only at Minor Accomplishment.

Under his proficient swordsmanship, his sword seemed to have grown eyes, always managing to knock aside the fatal blade edge at the most dangerous moments.

Or it would stab toward a point Lin Jiao absolutely had to save from an inconceivable angle, forcing him to defend.

Clang clang clang—

The battle became incomparably fierce. Blade light and sword shadows crisscrossed, while the ringing of metal against metal continued without end, leaving the spectators below dizzy and dazzled.

Swordsmanship at the Proficiency Realm?

The longer 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 disease gnawing at the bone, always dissolving his attacks and striking back.

His opponent's control over the rhythm of battle and grasp of timing far surpassed his own.

That swordsmanship had absolutely reached the Proficiency Realm. In the application of technique, he was clearly at a disadvantage.

"How can he be this strong?!"

Irritation and disbelief welled up in Lin Jiao's heart.

He was the publicly acknowledged number one among his peers in Liangshui City. How could he be suppressed by Fang Han, who had only just broken through to Tendon Refining?

Just then, Fang Han caught the faintest trace of impatience that Lin Jiao revealed after being unable to break through for so long, exposing an almost imperceptible flaw in his Blade Intent.

Breeze Piercing Sun!

A sharp glint burst from Fang Han's eyes. The power of the Tendon Refining Realm within him instantly surged through his longsword, and all his essence, qi, and spirit converged at one point.

The sword light appeared like a startled swan, swift as lightning. Though launched later, it arrived first, piercing with peerless precision through a gap in Lin Jiao's Blade Intent and stabbing straight at his left shoulder.

This sword was too fast! Too tricky! Its timing was too precise!

Lin Jiao's pupils contracted sharply. He had no time at all to withdraw his blade to block it and could only twist aside with all his strength on instinct.

Rip!

The sword tip tore through his clothes, leaving a shallow bloody mark on Lin Jiao's shoulder.

Though it was only a superficial wound, victory and defeat had already been decided!

Lin Jiao staggered one step back. The hand holding his blade stiffened in midair, all color draining from his face, leaving only extreme shock, humiliation, and bewilderment.

He... he had lost? Lost to Fang Han, who had just broken through to Tendon Refining Early-Stage?

The entire Courtyard fell deathly silent.

"Hiss... Lin Jiao... lost?"

After the brief dead silence came the sound of sharp inhalations.

The Lin Family Inner Hall Disciples who had been drawn over by the fierce battle and were watching from afar were all now dumbstruck, as if struck by lightning.

They had just been guessing how many moves Lin Jiao would need to defeat Fang Han, never expecting that Lin Jiao would be the one to lose instead.

This outcome overturned everything they thought they knew!

At the seats of honor, after their brief astonishment, the gazes of Yue, He, and Sun, the three elders, all turned in unison toward Lin Shan in the central seat.

"The Fang Clan has produced a Qilin Child. Congratulations, Brother Fang Yuan!"

Yue Lei clapped his hands, his voice quiet yet clear.

"Brother Lin has made this host's gathering truly 'splendid.' The juniors have had their eyes opened."

He Xiong stroked his beard, his words carrying a double meaning.

"Worthy Nephew Lin Jiao has truly put his heart and soul into being a sparring partner."

Sun Kang even gave a direct sneer.

Every sentence was like a resounding slap, viciously striking Lin Shan across the face.

His face turned ashen. His chest heaved violently, and the fingers gripping his teacup had gone white at the knuckles from exertion. The tea in the cup had long since gone cold, reflecting the surging humiliation, anger, and disbelief in his eyes.

Elder Fang Yuan slowly took a sip of his now-cool tea. Facing Lin Shan, whose expression had become ugly beyond compare, he sighed in a tone full of feeling yet edged with hidden barbs.

"Brother Lin Shan, this sparring exchange at your residence was arranged with truly 'painstaking care.'"

"This disappointing boy of my Fang Clan has gained much from such 'tempering.' On his behalf, this old man... offers my thanks."

Lin Shan's chest rose and fell violently. His face burned with pain, as though he had been viciously slapped in public dozens of times.

The carefully prepared feast of boasting had instead become a stepping stone for disciples of another clan to make their names.

He forcibly suppressed the rage that was nearly bursting from him and squeezed out a smile uglier than weeping.

"Good! Good! The Fang Clan has truly produced an extraordinary Qilin Child. Elder Fang, congratulations. Today's sparring has truly broadened this old man's horizons. Come, come, prepare a feast! Prepare a feast!"