Jialan Peak —
To the west of the Yuhua Mountains stood the most revered place among the female disciples of the Yuhua Sect. Of the five great true disciples, there was Jialan of the West and Yaoguang of the North. Among them, Jialan's influence was the strongest. Yaoguang, on the other hand, cultivated in solitude and secrecy, seldom appearing before others; even many true disciples had never seen her in person.
Fang Han arrived at Jialan Peak, soaring through the air with his mastery of Qi flight.
The entire mountain shimmered in hues of light blue, its rocks formed of crystal-like minerals—almost like sapphire and aquamarine fused into one. It gave the illusion of a mystical realm detached from the mortal world. Even after visiting the Yuhua Celestial Palace, Fang Han couldn't help but feel a surge of envy. He secretly vowed that one day, he would have a mountain peak of his own—a place to cultivate, to build, and to call home.
"Who goes there?"
"Don't you know that male disciples are not allowed to fly near Jialan Peak?"
Before Fang Han could respond, a voice quickly corrected itself: "Ah! Senior Brother Fang Han! We've been waiting for you. Senior Sister Jialan and Senior Sister Long Xuan are expecting you."
Several female disciples rose into the air to intercept him. Fang Han recognized them immediately—it was Xu Yue'er, Ye Yu, and the others he had rescued from the Demonic Battlefield. Seeing him now, their expressions softened into warmth and respect.
All eight wore refined spirit-imbued robes and carried flying swords—clearly rewards from the sect, offering them both protection and pride.
"The Shanhe Ranking Tournament has just ended, and you're already here," Fang Han greeted them with a smile. His ties with Jialan Peak were strong now—relationships that would make future cultivation and exploration far smoother.
"This time, we performed well in the competition," Xu Yue'er said as she led the way. "We didn't make it into the top ten, but the sect still rewarded us, and Senior Sister Jialan even gifted us these spiritual robes." She landed gracefully atop the mountain. "But compared to you, Senior Brother Fang Han—being promoted to true disciple has truly shaken the sect."
"Just luck," Fang Han said humbly.
"Luck?" Ye Yu laughed, then her tone dropped to a whisper. "Senior Brother, you must be careful. The competition among true disciples is far more dangerous than among inner disciples. You've offended Senior Brother Hua Tiandu—many others won't be pleased with you."
"I know," Fang Han replied, a sharp smile curling on his lips. "If they don't provoke me, I won't provoke them. But if they do—then they'll learn what true retribution means."
"What divine ability did you learn from the Celestial Palace this time?" Xu Yue'er asked curiously.
"The Springwind Spiritwood Art," Fang Han answered plainly. "A minor ability. I'll need to refine pills for a year before they'll pass on the complete Heavenly Wood Scripture."
"That's strange," Xu Yue'er frowned. "Why would the sect only give you a lesser art? With your talent, even the full Heavenly Wood Scripture wouldn't be too much."
"Probably because of Hua Tiandu," Ye Yu murmured, fingers brushing the hilt of her sword.
Fang Han only smiled coldly and said nothing. Just then, a clear voice echoed down from the mountaintop:
"Fang Han, is that you? Come up."
It was Jialan.
They ascended together into a mist-shrouded palace that crowned the peak. As they stepped inside, a surge of spiritual force enveloped them and lifted their bodies effortlessly, carrying them into an immense alchemy chamber.
"This place…" Fang Han looked around in awe.
At its center stood a colossal cauldron, towering over ten men tall, engraved with glowing runes and entwined with dragons, phoenixes, and qilin. It radiated power like a deity upholding the heavens. Without question, it was a supreme-grade treasure.
Jialan and Long Xuan were seated beside the cauldron. Upon seeing Fang Han, Long Xuan rose at once and bowed deeply.
"Thank you, Senior Brother Fang Han, for your gift of the Yin-Yang Longevity Pill. I shall never forget your grace."
"I only made good use of what I had," Fang Han replied modestly. "No need for gratitude."
"One Yin-Yang Longevity Pill is a treasure of heaven and earth," Jialan said gently. "Gratitude is well-deserved. Still, after taking it, Long'er will need three days and nights under my supervision to refine the medicinal essence and complete her breakthrough."
As she spoke, she summoned a slender, jade-green needle into her palm—a divine artifact glowing with soft vitality.
"The Heavenly Wood Spirit Needle," she said with a faint smile. "I won this from Ling Xiao in a wager. I heard that the Transmission Elder only taught you the minor Springwind Spiritwood Art. It surprised me, though perhaps it shouldn't have. Still, since it derives from the Heavenly Wood Scripture, you'll need to condense your Spiritwood Qi first before advancing to Heavenly Wood Qi—a slow and consuming process. This needle will hasten that greatly. Refine it into your body, and you'll save years of effort—and gain immense benefits."
She waved her hand lightly, sending the glowing needle into Fang Han's palm.
Fang Han's heart leapt with joy. He might not know the full power of this treasure yet, but if Jialan said it could aid his cultivation, it must be invaluable. He silently praised his decision to ally with her.
"If you have questions in your cultivation, you may ask me," Jialan continued. "Though much of your foundation was built under Qingxue's guidance. When she emerges from seclusion, you should consult her again—she's mastered both immortal and demonic arts. While wandering the Vast Ocean of the Returning Void, she even obtained the Undying Lightning Talisman from the ancient Thunder Emperor. Her power is extraordinary. I'm sure when she hears you dared to challenge Hua Tiandu, she'll be quite pleased."
"May I ask, Senior Sister," Fang Han said, "what exactly is the 'Lesser Immortal Realm' you mentioned?"
"The Lesser Immortal Realm is one of the most mysterious places in the Yuhua Sect," Jialan replied. "I've entered it to cultivate, but even I don't fully understand it. It's one of the sect's deepest secrets—beyond what I can tell you now. When your cultivation reaches the proper level, the Sect Master's decree will naturally grant you entry." She smiled softly. "By the way, has your mountain peak been assigned yet?"
"Not yet," Fang Han admitted. "Perhaps in a few days."
"That's normal," Jialan nodded. "Each true disciple's mountain must be built by the sect's divine artisans and the great power demons under their command. Only when the palaces are complete will the peak be bestowed upon its master."
"While you wait," she continued, "you'll need to cultivate your Springwind Spiritwood Art. Training elsewhere would be slow—you need the pure essence of plants and trees. Here, on Jialan Peak, I have a Purple Bamboo Grove, nurtured personally over centuries. Train there. Absorb its essence. Your progress will soar."
Fang Han rose and bowed deeply. "Then I thank you, Senior Sister."