The night was as dark as ink.
Fang Han sat cross-legged on a futon in the Quiet Room, his Dark Green Internal Qi slowly circulating through his meridians, refining and absorbing the last wisp of medicinal power from the Danyao and returning it to his dantian.
He opened his eyes, a glint of light flashing in them before returning to calm.
With the threat of the Dark Abyss looming, he has stayed indoors for the past few days, devoting all his time to cultivation.
His cultivation level was stable at the Early First Grade, and his Internal Qi had become even more refined than when he first broke through.
However, it will take at least two more months before he can break through to the next level.
At the First Grade rank level, most martial artists take years to break through each minor realm, and it is common for them to struggle to break through even one minor realm for several years.
The fact that he can guarantee another breakthrough in two months already demonstrates the terrifying nature of his " Root Bone Talent."
He stood up, pushed open the door to the courtyard, and stood with his hands behind his back on the porch.
The True Transmission Courtyard was exceptionally quiet under the cover of night. The bamboo grove rustled in the evening breeze, and the moonlight spilled onto the bluestone ground, spreading out a layer of cool, silvery white.
The occasional chirping of insects in the distance only amplified the serene tranquility of the mountains.
"I will never leave the Azure Profound Sect until I possess the combat strength of a Grandmaster."
Fang Han muttered to himself, about to turn around and go back to his room to rest, when he suddenly stopped.
The cool aura of < Nether Guide >, which had been maintaining a minimum level of operation, suddenly fluctuated within the nasal cavity.
A faint, yet indescribably cold and dangerous aura appeared in his senses.
The person was now only a wall away, a mere tens of meters in a straight line. Clearly, the newcomer was extremely adept at concealing their presence, and it was only at such close range that he was not detected.
The aura, though faint, was as deep as an abyss, almost blending into the shadows of the night.
"Grandmaster!"
Fang Han's pupils suddenly contracted, and a chill rose from his tailbone, instantly spreading to his limbs and bones.
This is the aura of a grandmaster.
Its aura was similar in intensity to that of the Supreme Elder Gu Changqing, but it was cold and obscure, like a giant python lurking in the shadows.
Fang Han's breath almost froze at that moment.
He anticipated that Dark Abyss might send a Grandmaster-level assassin, but he did not expect that this Grandmaster-level assassin would be so bold as to directly infiltrate Azure Profound Sect to assassinate them!
"Escape?"
Fang Han's mind raced.
After the Perfection Realm the Wind God Step and breaking through to the First Grade, his speed was no slower than that of an ordinary grandmaster.
If we simply choose to flee towards the back of the mountain, we should be able to hold out until the Supreme Elder arrives.
However, before he could escape, a daring idea couldn't help but arise in his mind.
He wanted to weigh the pros and cons of himself to determine just how far he was from becoming a grandmaster.
To date, he has never actually fought a grandmaster.
The last time he encountered a Grandmaster-level demon in the secret realm, he didn't even dare to think about making a move, and only cared about fleeing for his life.
He wanted to know how far he was from becoming a grandmaster, now that his strength had greatly increased since his last encounter with a grandmaster-level monster.
This approach is not irrational.
The master-level assassin was extremely close to him; if he tried to escape, the master-level assassin would immediately detect it and give him a chase.
However, if a counter-ambush could cause trouble for this master-level assassin, it would buy some time for the escape to proceed more smoothly.
"Splash--"
Fang Han took a deep breath, and the Internal Qi of the Greenwood Poison-Avoidance Scripture > within his body surged and circulated at an unprecedented speed.
Take a step forward.
"Clang--!"
A clear, resonant sword cry, like the roar of a dragon, suddenly exploded in the night, carrying for miles.
The Silver-Gray Longsword was drawn.
The Dark Green sword light condensed on the sword's body as if it were solid, Wind Sword Intent was pushed to its limit, unleashing the < Great Void Wind God Sword > without reservation.
The sword light shone like a rainbow.
A ten-zhang-long, Dark Green Sword Qi shot out, carrying a sharp intent to tear everything apart.
He destroyed the backyard wall and ruthlessly slashed at the dark figure that was silently approaching from behind it.
"Huh?"
In the darkness, a hint of surprise appeared in Jia Four's deep-set eyes.
He infiltrated the Azure Profound Sect, intending to approach his target silently, eliminate him in one strike, and then immediately retreat.
Unexpectedly, before he could even make a move, the target had already spotted him and launched an attack.
Moreover, the power of this sword strike even made this grandmaster feel a sense of threat.
Of course, it was only a tiny bit.
After all, he is a genuine master, without any exaggeration!
"Overestimating yourself!"
He raised his right hand and struck out with his palm.
This palm strike, executed with effortless ease, was like brushing away a fallen leaf that had landed on one's shoulder.
But the moment the palm strike collided with the Dark Green Sword Qi, that Dark Green Sword Qi, which was enough to make even a martial artist who Break Three Passes flee in terror, shattered silently into countless fireflies as if it had hit an invisible wall.
A powerful shockwave rebounded and crashed into Fang Han.
"Bang--"
Fang Han let out a muffled groan, his body involuntarily flying backward.
In mid-air, he twisted his body and stomped hard on the trunk of an ancient tree, using the force to propel himself to the side.
"There is still a considerable gap..."
A thought flashed through Fang Han's mind.
Even when ambushed, his full-force attack was effortlessly neutralized by the master assassin with a casual palm strike.
Moreover, the remaining force struck, sending him flying.
This is the strength of a grandmaster!
Even though his combat strength far exceeds that of someone who has Break Three Passes, and he has gone very far down this path, there is still a considerable gap.
"Walk!"
Without the slightest hesitation, Fang Han pushed the < Wind God Step > to its unprecedented limit.
His figure moved like a willow catkin swept up by a gale, quickly scaling the wall on the other side of the backyard.
It traced a faint, almost imperceptible trail in the darkness, hurtling towards the back of the mountain.
Using the force of the recoil, he increased the distance between himself and the master-level assassin to thirty feet.
"Such speed!"
The look of surprise in Jia Four's deep-set eyes deepened.
The power of Fang Han Han's sword strike far exceeded his expectations.
Fang Han's speed of escape at this moment made him frown slightly.
"No wonder they needed to deploy top-tier assassins!"
He muttered to himself, his voice hoarse and low.
Then, his figure blurred, transforming into a black, smoky afterimage, crashing through the wall on the other side of the backyard, and giving chase.
"Whoosh--!"
"Whoosh--!"
Two figures, one in green and one in black, sped through the night.
Fang Han pushed the Wind God Step to its limit, each time his toes touched the ground, his body shot forward dozens of feet.
He deliberately chose to travel through the densest forests and the most complex terrain, attempting to slow down his pursuers by utilizing the terrain.
But Jia Four was extremely fast, like a real shadow, silently and relentlessly chasing after Fang Han.
In just a few breaths, the distance between the two had shrunk from thirty zhang to twenty zhang.
"Faster! Faster!"
Fang Han gritted his teeth, frantically channeling his internal Internal Qi into his legs, pushing the Perfection Realm < Wind God Step > to an unprecedented limit.
To achieve greater speed by bursting out beyond the limits of the meridians in a short period of time.
The speed has actually increased again.
A genuine look of surprise finally appeared on Jia Four's withered face.
Fang Han Han's speed is not only no slower than that of ordinary grandmasters, but is even slightly faster.
"This boy... is truly troublesome!"
In Jia Four's deep-set eyes, killing intent was as solid as a tangible substance.
His speed suddenly increased dramatically, transforming him into a streak of black light tearing through the night, closing the distance between him and Fang Han once again.
If it were an ordinary grandmaster, Fang Han would probably have escaped like this, but he is not an ordinary grandmaster, but a grandmaster who is skilled in assassination.
Assassins excel at two things: Breath Concealment Secret Technique Body Movement.
The former allows an assassin to get close to their target, while the latter allows an assassin to escape after the assassination or after being exposed.
"They've caught up!"
The increasing pressure from behind made Fang Han almost suffocate, and he bit his tongue hard.
Stimulated by the excruciating pain, it squeezed out the last bit of potential, increasing its speed by one step.
But the difference in speed cannot be made up for by pushing the body to its limits.
Eighteen zhang (approximately 33 meters).
Sixteen feet.
Fourteen zhang (approximately 33 meters).
The chilling aura behind him grew ever closer.
The commotion along the way had already alerted the entire Azure Profound Sect.
The disciples of the True Transmission Courtyard rushed out of their houses, some still sleepy-eyed, others already gripping their weapons.
When they saw the two figures streaking across the night sky at speeds far exceeding the limits of the naked eye, their expressions changed drastically in horror.
"What is that?!"
"Wow... such speed!"
"A fight has broken out between sects!?"
A night Deacon rushed out of the Corridor, his face turning deathly pale as he stared at the dark afterimage that swept across the rooftop.
The aura he sensed from that afterimage made his blood almost freeze.
"Grandmaster... that's a grandmaster!"
He shouted hoarsely, his voice carrying far into the night.
The commotion spread rapidly like ripples, and panic spread throughout the Azure Profound Sect.
More and more disciples rushed out of the houses, and Elder also emerged from the temples on the mountainside.
His expression was extremely grave as he watched the two figures rapidly moving towards the back of the mountain.
"Whoosh!"
Fang Han was anxious.
They were still far from the back of the mountain, but Jia Four had already caught up to a very close distance.
If he hadn't constantly changed direction, shifting left and right, causing Jia Four's attacks to miss repeatedly and preventing him from even escaping here, it would have been impossible.
"Die!"
Jia Four's voice came from behind, hoarse and low.
He raised his right hand, his five fingers slightly bent, and a jet-black claw-like light solidified, about to strike Fang Han's back from a distance.
At this very moment--
An aged yet powerful voice boomed through the night like thunder.
"Stop!"
The voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority, drowning out all the noise in the night wind.
The next instant, a dark blue figure shot out from the pine forest, so fast that it didn't even leave a afterimage.
It was none other than the Supreme Elder Gu Changqing!
He had a thin face, his hair was tied up with a wooden hairpin, and his dark blue robe fluttered in the night wind.
Those deep eyes gleamed coldly in the night, staring at Jia Four's figure, and he made his move in anger.
He quickly drew his sword and unleashed a slash.
Wherever the sword wind passed, the air was compressed into a visible white wave of energy, carrying a terrifying power capable of destroying mountains and shaking peaks, and it blasted straight toward the Jia Four soldier.
The pupils of Jia Four contracted slightly.
He had no choice but to abandon his attack on Fang Han and instead use his palm technique to meet the terrifying Sword Qi with a single strike.
Two master-level forces collided violently in mid-air.