For the next two months, Fang Han kept an unusually low profile. Apart from the last three days of each month, when he attended the lectures given by the Transmission Elders in the "Hall of Teachings," he spent all his time shut away in his cave dwelling's alchemy chamber. He neither spoke to anyone nor caused any stir — as docile and quiet as a lamb.
Though the elders' teachings mainly focused on the cultivation methods of the Fleshly Body Realm — of little practical use to Fang Han now — he still listened intently. He knew well that his breakthrough into the Divine Ability Realm had relied on the Sun and Moon Five-Star Bracelet. Without it, he would have needed at least another year to reach this stage.
That meant his foundation wasn't entirely stable. He still only half-understood how to convert spiritual will into mana. But over those days of lectures, things began to click. The relationship between spirit, energy, and power — how to transform one into the other — all became clear in his mind.
The lessons benefited him immensely.
He kept his true strength hidden, biding his time for the upcoming Mountain and River Ranking Tournament, ready to make a thunderous debut — quiet until the storm.
Meanwhile, the great Ashura — the White Demoness — remained in seclusion, assisting him in refining talismans, artifacts, and elixirs. With mana at her command, she could now refine practical tools such as the Concealment Talisman, Swiftwind Talisman, Adamantine Talisman, and Demon-Banishing Charm, as well as concoct Fasting Pills and Essence-Refining Pills.
Thanks to the Demoness's underground fortress, which contained not only vast stores of magic crystals but also rare herbs and minerals, there was no shortage of materials for her work. Fang Han left the manual labor to her — he had cultivation to focus on.
The spirit "Yan" coaxed the Demoness with promises: if she proved loyal, he would teach her the supreme arts of the legendary Yellow Springs Sect, the most powerful demonic order of the past, whose secret arts were even beyond the Inborn Demon Sect. Tempted by the chance of a lifetime, the Demoness eagerly complied.
Fang Han's own training was relentless. Each day he condensed his mana, then leapt into his alchemical furnace, bathing in boiling Yellow Springs Holy Water fueled by fire from magic crystals and jade.
Since stepping into the Divine Ability Realm, his mind had grown sharper, his potential fully unlocked. His Yama Golden Body advanced further — the golden light on his skin fading completely, leaving it appearing normal until he circulated energy. When activated, his flesh gleamed with divine gold, his body unbreakable — even spirit-grade flying swords could barely scratch him.
With mana reinforcing him, his body had surpassed even the armored scales of Ashura demons.
Princess Hongyi had also reached the tenth level of the Fleshly Body Realm — the Divine Transformation Stage. She trained quietly each day, occasionally visiting Fang Han's quarters to consult the Demoness about refining talismans and pills. Strangely enough, the two women got along rather well.
As for the Crane Fairy, it too had begun its true cultivation. Fang Han had taught it mental techniques such as the Void Swallowing Art and the Heaven-Earth Righteous Qi, both learned from the elders. After spending a month in the underground castle and bathing in the bracelet's energy, the creature underwent a startling transformation.
A few days ago, Fang Han took the Crane Fairy out in search of a century-old yellow serpent's gall to craft fasting pills. They encountered a mass of venomous snakes, thousands strong. Before Fang Han could strike, the crane gave a single cry that shook the heavens — and every serpent went limp, paralyzed and harmless.
Its spiritual power had grown so strong it could affect the minds of beasts, even project illusions to deceive humans. It had truly stepped onto the path of becoming a demon.
With further refinement and guidance, the Crane Fairy might one day shed its feathers and assume human form — though such a transformation was among the most difficult feats imaginable.
Two months passed, and everyone around Fang Han had grown stronger.
The day of the Mountain and River Ranking drew near.
Then, one morning, the weather suddenly turned cold. A fierce north wind swept in, and by nightfall, snow was falling thick as goose feathers — winter had come. Even at the Yuhua Sect, the changing of seasons was not exempt. Though Divine Ability masters could alter the weather, none wasted mana on such trivialities.
"What a heavy snow," Fang Han murmured, pacing his courtyard. The snow lay three feet deep, crunching beneath his boots. The biting chill filled his lungs with a refreshing purity — as if cleansing his spirit.
"Only a few days until the tournament," Yan's voice echoed in his mind. "You should consume that Star-Gathering Elixir now. I've soaked it in Yellow Springs Water for a month — all spiritual imprints are gone, only pure medicinal power remains."
"Very well."
Fang Han returned to his alchemy room, retrieved the crystal vial containing the elixir, broke its seal, and let his mana envelop the pill instead of swallowing it directly.
Boom!
The pill reacted at once — bursting into countless stellar vortices that wrapped around him in a dazzling storm.
"What potent energy! Brutal, but far less refined than the Nine-Aperture Golden Pill," he noted, steadying his breath.
An ordinary cultivator would have exploded instantly.
He sat cross-legged, forcibly channeling his mana to absorb the raging energy.
An hour passed. Then two. Then three, four… five.
The stellar vortices gradually merged with his mana, forming powerful internal whirlpools — spinning, condensing, strengthening his essence.
When at last he opened his eyes, twin beams of light flashed out. He stood, his presence towering and unshakable.
"As expected, the Star-Gathering Elixir is a high-grade pill. My mana now carries the strength of a hundred horses!"
At that moment, the distant tolling of bells echoed through the sect.
Red-robed Princess Hongyi and the White Demoness entered.
"Fang Han," the princess said, "that's the summons for the Mountain and River Tournament. You've been in seclusion for three days and nights."
"Three days?" he blinked, then nodded. "So it begins. Fang Xiaolin, stay within the Yellow Springs Diagram — don't show yourself. Once I become a True Disciple, your presence will no longer raise suspicion."
With that, Fang Han stepped out into the snow.
The Mountain and River Ranking had finally begun.