Recruitment

The group from Thunderclap Martial Arts Academy had come quickly and left just as quickly.

Chen You walked in the middle of the group, his steps unhurried.

As he stepped out of the martial arts academy gates, he suddenly stopped and turned around. His gaze passed over the crowd and landed precisely on Fang Han.

Their eyes met.

The corners of Chen You's lips lifted slightly into a cold, sinister smile.

That smile was like a snake flicking out its tongue, eerie and terrifying.

He tilted his head slightly, as though looking at prey making its final struggles, his eyes filled with contempt and mockery.

Then he turned away and strode out of the martial arts academy, disappearing beyond the gates.

Fang Han stood where he was, his expression as calm as still water.

He had the panel, and his Martial Soul practiced martial arts tirelessly day and night.

When that time came...

Fang Han lowered his eyes, burying all the killing intent surging within him.

At dusk, as the setting sun sank low, on the training ground.

Fang Han finished packing and was about to leave the martial arts academy for home when a rough voice suddenly sounded behind him.

"Junior Brother Fang, wait."

Fang Han turned around and saw Cao Xuan striding over with several others.

The people behind him were all ranked near the top in the Minor Exam.

"Senior Brother Cao."

Fang Han cupped his fists, neither servile nor overbearing.

Cao Xuan approached and got straight to the point. "Junior Brother Fang, I came to discuss something with you."

Fang Han raised an eyebrow slightly. "Please speak, Senior Brother Cao."

Cao Xuan looked around. Seeing that only a few people remained on the training ground, he said,

"Junior Brother Fang, though you have not been here long, you still took fourth place in the Minor Exam. That alone proves your strength is exceptional.

"I, Cao Xuan, have always respected capable people, so I would like to invite you to join our little circle."

"We are all Outer Court apprentices. We can look out for one another, spar, and exchange insights. That is far better than fighting alone. If you and I join forces, we can look after each other in the Inner Court as well."

Hearing this, Fang Han understood.

Cao Xuan was trying to recruit him.

Among Outer Court apprentices, forming cliques was commonplace.

Zhao Jing's side consisted of a circle of Lineage descendants centered around him, while Cao Xuan's side was a small group of common-born apprentices centered around Cao Xuan.

Fang Han had taken fourth place shortly after arriving, so naturally he had become someone every side wanted to recruit.

After pondering for a moment, Fang Han politely declined.

"Thank you, Senior Brother Cao, but I prefer to keep to myself. I would only hold you back."

His tone was earnest, but his refusal was unmistakable.

Cao Xuan frowned slightly, surprise flashing through his eyes.

He had thought that a poor boy from Mud Bay Alley would be desperate for someone to take him in. He had never expected Fang Han to refuse without hesitation.

Cao Xuan nodded and said lightly, "If Junior Brother Fang changes his mind, you are welcome anytime."

With that, the group turned and left.

Fang Han watched them go, his expression unchanged.

With the panel, he only needed to bury himself in martial arts practice, and success would surely come.

Whether he joined these small cliques or not would not help him much. It might even tie his hands and cost more than it gained.

Rather than waste time cultivating relationships, he might as well devote all his energy to cultivation.

Fang Han withdrew his gaze, slung his bundle over his back, and strode out of the martial arts academy.

Cao Xuan and his group arrived at a small alley outside the martial arts academy.

One of them could not help saying, "Brother Cao, Fang Han is too ungrateful! You personally invited him—that was giving him tremendous face. Yet he rejected you outright. What is he acting so high and mighty for?"

Another chimed in, "Exactly. He is just a poor boy from Mud Bay Alley with inferior bones. He only got fourth place in the Minor Exam through dumb luck, and now he really thinks he is somebody? Brother Cao only calls him Junior Brother Fang because he thinks highly of him. If not, what is he worth?"

Cao Xuan glanced back at the two of them, his brows slightly furrowed.

"Everyone has their own ambitions. There is no point forcing him. If he does not want to join the circle, let him be."

He paused, his gaze turning sharp and his tone growing colder.

"Since he is unwilling to join us, he has no right to hold on to fourth place.

"The Minor Exam six days from now concerns the trial quota for hunting demonic beasts. We cannot let him take one for nothing."

"Brother Cao, you mean...?"

A cold smile curled across Cao Xuan's lips. "Fourth place should be ours."

By the time Fang Han returned to Mud Bay Alley, the sky was nearing dusk, and cooking smoke curled through the alley.

Fang Han pushed open the door, and the aroma of food washed over him.

"Han'er, you're back? Go wash your hands. Dinner will be ready soon."

Fang Han answered, washed his hands, and sat down at the table.

The family sat around the table, eating their simple meal.

Fang Ding swallowed a mouthful of rice and suddenly said in a muffled voice,

"A school of Spirit Fish has appeared in the Dragon King River these past two days! This afternoon, someone caught several Spirit Fish in one net by the river bend. He took them to the fish market and sold them for dozens of taels of silver!

"Everyone at the docks has gone crazy now. A lot of them have even stopped working and gone home to grab fishing nets to try their luck."

Fang Han's chopsticks paused slightly as he picked up some food.

His heart stirred. This was an opportunity.

Spirit Fish were extremely valuable and greatly beneficial to a martial artist's cultivation.

After silently finishing dinner, Fang Han left home and headed straight for the banks of the Dragon King River.

The night was as black as ink, with neither stars nor moon in sight. Mist hung thick over the Dragon King River.

Fang Han untied the small fishing boat moored beneath a willow by the riverbank. Taking up a bamboo pole, he lightly pushed off the muddy shore, and the boat silently glided into the river.

He rowed to the river bend, chose a spot where the current was gentler, and cast down his fishing net.

Fang Han sat at the bow and waited patiently, his eyes occasionally sweeping across the river's surface.

Yet after more than half an hour, Fang Han had not caught a single decent fish.

Leaning against the bow, he stared at the pitch-black river and could not help laughing at himself.

He had been too naive.

If Spirit Fish could be caught so casually, the entire river would already be crowded with fishing boats. How could it possibly be his turn?

The night breeze grew colder, and the mist over the river thickened.

Fang Han looked up. The surroundings were a vast expanse of white. Once the fog fully rose, he would not be able to see anything.

"One last cast."

Fang Han cast the net into the river once more.

The net was pulled from the water bit by bit, and it seemed heavier than it had been the previous times.

Fang Han's heart stirred, and he quickened the pace of hauling it in.

The instant the net completely emerged from the water, Fang Han's eyes lit up.

Inside the net, a silvery fish was struggling with all its might.

An Azure Jade Silverfish!

Fang Han could hardly believe his eyes.

This one was even larger than the one he had caught last time!

Overjoyed, Fang Han carefully pulled the net aboard. He gently removed the Azure Jade Silverfish from the mesh and slowly placed it into the wooden bucket beside him.

The bucket had already been filled halfway with river water. After entering the water, the Azure Jade Silverfish swam around in panic a few times before settling down. It floated quietly in the middle of the bucket, its gills opening and closing, its silver body glimmering faintly in the darkness.

Fang Han looked at the Spirit Fish in the bucket, the smile on his face never fading.

This Azure Jade Silverfish was much larger than the last one. It could sell for at least forty taels of silver at the fish market!

"I really do seem to have an affinity with Azure Jade Silverfish."

The mist on the river grew thicker and thicker, turning everything into a vast white blur. He could barely see his hand in front of his face.

Fang Han did not dare delay any longer. He grabbed the bamboo pole and slowly rowed the boat toward the shore.

Once dawn broke, he would take this Spirit Fish to the fish market and sell it for a good price.