The cheers inside the arena did not fade quickly.
Even after Fang Lin stepped down from the battle platform, the disciples around the arena continued discussing the fight.
Sun Jie.
Rank 11.
A swordsman known for speed and precision.
He had lost.
And not because he was careless.
Not because he underestimated Fang Lin.
He lost after using one of his strongest sword techniques.
That meaning was completely different.
Fang Lin walked quietly back toward Li Shan's group while blood slowly stained his shoulder robe.
The wound was not fatal.
But it was deep.
Sun Jie's final sword had nearly cut through his defense.
If Fang Lin's body had been slightly weaker, or if his judgment had been slightly slower, the result might have changed completely.
Bai Qing stepped forward first.
"Sit down."
Her voice was gentle.
But there was no room for refusal.
Fang Lin glanced at her briefly, then sat.
Bai Qing took out a small jade bottle and poured pale green powder onto the wound.
A cool sensation spread across Fang Lin's shoulder.
The bleeding slowed almost immediately.
Murong Yue stood beside them with her arms crossed, her expression still tense.
"You call this not serious?"
Fang Lin looked at the wound.
"It did not touch bone."
Murong Yue stared at him.
"That is your standard?"
Luo Chen burst into laughter.
"Honestly, that sounds like him."
Murong Yue glared at him.
"You shut up."
Luo Chen immediately looked away.
Li Shan's gaze, however, remained on Fang Lin's black iron sword.
The blade had a visible crack running across the middle.
It was not broken yet.
But it was close.
Li Shan said calmly, "That sword will not survive another fight like this."
Fang Lin nodded.
"I know."
Zhao Feng leaned forward slightly.
"Sun Jie's sword technique is focused on one-point penetration. Your sword blocked most of it, but the material could not endure the pressure."
Han Zhi added, "If your weapon breaks during a fight, the opening may cost you the match."
Fang Lin looked down at the sword silently.
He had bought it because it was balanced, durable, and suitable for outer sect battles.
At the time, it had been enough.
Now it was not.
The opponents ahead were different.
Rank 10.
Rank 9.
Rank 8.
And beyond them, the true monsters.
If he continued relying on an ordinary black iron sword, he would suffer sooner or later.
Murong Yue suddenly said, "You should buy a new one."
Luo Chen nodded.
"A good one."
Fang Lin glanced at him.
"With what money?"
The group fell silent for a moment.
Then Murong Yue blinked.
"Oh."
Fang Lin had won gold from Zhou Yan, but much of it had already gone into resources, pills, weapons, and cultivation needs.
A proper weapon suitable for higher-ranked battles would not be cheap.
Li Shan smiled faintly.
"You are about to receive ranking rewards."
Fang Lin looked at him.
Li Shan continued, "Defeating Sun Jie should move you higher again. Once today's battles finish, the board will update."
Zhao Feng nodded.
"At minimum, you will be near Rank 11."
Murong Yue grinned.
"Senior Brother Fang is becoming rich."
Fang Lin calmly replied, "Not rich enough."
Bai Qing finished wrapping his wound and smiled softly.
"Then become stronger and take better rewards."
Fang Lin looked at her.
"That is the plan."
At that moment, the arena bell rang again.
The next battle began.
Fang Lin turned his gaze toward the stage.
Even though his shoulder still ached, his mind quickly became calm.
Watching.
Learning.
Analyzing.
That had become instinct.
The next match was between two ranked disciples below the top ten. Their battle was fierce, but after Sun Jie's sword, Fang Lin could see their weaknesses more clearly.
One had strong Qi but poor control.
The other had good movement but hesitated before attacking.
Fang Lin watched silently.
Every battle gave him something.
Every opponent revealed a path.
A mistake.
A habit.
A weakness.
As the day continued, the rankings began shifting.
Names rose.
Names fell.
Some disciples left the stage injured.
Others left in silence, their pride crushed more than their bodies.
By evening, the final match ended.
The white-robed elder stepped forward.
"The rankings will now update."
The massive stone board above the arena glowed.
Names slowly shifted.
Many disciples raised their heads immediately.
Fang Lin also looked up.
The old rankings faded.
Then the new list appeared.
Rank 14.
Lin Tao's name had already fallen.
Rank 13.
Xu Ren's name moved down.
Rank 12.
Guo Ming.
Rank 11.
Sun Jie.
Then above it—
Rank 10: Fang Lin.
The entire arena erupted.
"Rank 10!"
"He entered the top ten!"
"Fang Lin is now Rank 10!"
"From a newcomer to top ten in one competition!"
The noise surged like a wave.
Even many elders could not remain calm.
A disciple who had entered the sect not long ago had already reached the top ten of the outer sect.
This was no longer ordinary talent.
It was monstrous.
On the alliance side, Murong Yue jumped up immediately.
"Top ten!"
Luo Chen laughed loudly.
"Good! Now Bai Qing is in danger."
Bai Qing smiled gently.
"Why are you saying that so happily?"
Luo Chen's laugh stopped.
"I was supporting Fang Lin."
Bai Qing's smile became even softer.
"I see."
Luo Chen quietly moved behind Han Zhi.
Fang Lin looked at the ranking board calmly.
Rank 10.
He had climbed again.
But there was no excitement in his heart.
Only clarity.
The top ten had begun.
From this point onward, every opponent would be far more difficult.
Bai Qing.
Shen Ku.
Luo Chen.
Han Zhi.
Yue Fang.
Qiao Lei.
Mo Yun.
Chen Hao.
Su Wanqing.
Jian Wuji.
Each name carried weight.
Each one represented a different kind of danger.
And he was still not strong enough to relax.
On the faction side, the atmosphere was heavy.
Xu Ren's face was ugly beyond description.
Sun Jie remained silent.
Lin Tao lowered his gaze.
Chen Hao stared at the ranking board for a long moment.
Rank 10.
Fang Lin had entered the top ten.
This speed was too fast.
Far too fast.
Yue Fang spoke softly beside him.
"If this continues, he will reach you."
Chen Hao's expression did not change.
"He will try."
Shen Ku's cold voice sounded from the side.
"Let me fight him."
Chen Hao glanced at him.
Shen Ku's eyes were dark and calm, but killing intent quietly moved beneath them.
Chen Hao said, "Not yet."
Shen Ku did not reply.
Chen Hao looked back toward Fang Lin.
His eyes narrowed faintly.
"Let him climb."
Xu Ren clenched his fists.
"Senior Brother Chen—"
Chen Hao's voice turned cold.
"I said let him climb."
Xu Ren immediately lowered his head.
"Yes."
Chen Hao's gaze deepened.
The higher Fang Lin climbed, the more eyes would gather on him.
The more pressure would fall on him.
And the more hidden cards he would be forced to reveal.
Chen Hao did not fear Fang Lin's current strength.
What he feared—
Was what Fang Lin had not shown yet.
Far above the arena, Elder Feng stood quietly with his hands behind his back.
Beside him, the Sect Master watched the updated rankings.
"Top ten," Elder Feng said softly.
The Sect Master smiled faintly.
"Faster than expected."
Elder Feng's expression became more serious.
"The faction side will become impatient."
"They already are," the Sect Master replied.
His gaze moved toward Chen Hao's group.
"But impatience reveals flaws."
Elder Feng looked at Fang Lin below.
"And the boy?"
The Sect Master's eyes carried a deep light.
"He is still hiding something."
Elder Feng did not deny it.
He had sensed it too.
Fang Lin's body technique was shocking.
His movement was shocking.
His perception was shocking.
But sometimes, during battle, there was a subtle stillness around him.
As though he possessed another blade.
One he had never drawn.
The Sect Master said calmly, "Let us see how long he can keep hiding it."
Below, Fang Lin suddenly felt a faint sensation.
As though someone was watching him from very far away.
He raised his head slightly.
But he saw nothing.
Only the evening sky above the arena.
He withdrew his gaze.
Bai Qing walked beside him and asked, "Are you alright?"
Fang Lin nodded.
"Yes."
Murong Yue immediately said, "Then let's eat."
Luo Chen's eyes brightened.
"That is the best thing you said today."
Han Zhi sighed softly.
"You two are impossible."
Li Shan smiled.
"Bamboo Lotus Palace?"
Zhao Feng nodded.
"Fang Lin needs recovery food."
Murong Yue added quickly, "And we need celebration food."
Bai Qing looked at her.
"We?"
Murong Yue said confidently, "His victory is our victory."
Fang Lin glanced at her.
"I do not remember agreeing to pay."
Murong Yue froze.
Then she coughed lightly.
"You are Rank 10 now. You should be generous."
Fang Lin looked at her calmly.
"I am injured."
Murong Yue immediately looked away.
The group laughed lightly.
For a short moment, the pressure of the competition faded.
They walked together through the evening paths toward the Bamboo Lotus Palace.
The sky above the sect slowly darkened.
Illumination Pearls lit up one by one along the bamboo roads.
Disciples moved aside as Fang Lin passed.
Some bowed slightly.
Some whispered.
Some simply stared.
Rank 10.
That title had already changed how people looked at him.
But Fang Lin himself remained quiet.
His shoulder still hurt.
His sword was cracked.
His Qi had been consumed heavily.
And the battles ahead would only become worse.
Inside his spiritual sea, the grey stone pulsed faintly.
The smoky mist around it stirred slowly.
Fang Lin sensed it.
A strange hunger seemed to come from the stone.
Not hunger for food.
Not hunger for Qi.
Something deeper.
Something purer.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Spirit stones…"
The thought surfaced naturally.
The ranking rewards.
If the stone truly reacted to higher energy, then perhaps the rewards from the competition would help him understand it further.
Perhaps even awaken part of it.
Fang Lin's gaze became calm again.
He still did not know what the grey stone was.
He still did not know why it had chosen him.
But one thing was certain.
His current strength was not enough.
Not for the top ranks.
Not for the sect's hidden storms.
And not for the truth waiting beyond all of this.
That night, the Bamboo Lotus Palace was lively.
But while the others laughed and talked around the table, Fang Lin quietly looked out across the glowing outer sect.
Rank 10 was only a step.
Ahead of him stood stronger opponents.
Sharper swords.
Darker schemes.
And somewhere beyond the noise of the sect—
A path he could not yet see was slowly opening.
Inside his spiritual sea, the grey stone pulsed once more.
Softly.
Silently.
As if waiting for the moment Fang Lin would finally feed it enough to wake.