Chapter 181: Shadowfang Upgrade
Time flew by like an arrow loosed from a divine bow. In the blink of an eye, almost two weeks had passed, and the Qingyun Sect Exam now loomed just above the horizon—precisely nine days away.
The Verdant Mist Forest pulsed with wild life under the morning sunlight. Ancient trees towered into the heavens, their crowns reaching into clouds. Emerald mist clung to the undergrowth, giving the forest its ever-illusory quality.
Beyond the treeline, the Mistveil Mountain range loomed—ancient and foreboding like divine pillars holding up the sky itself.
Standing before this colossal natural fortress was a handsome young man clad in azure robes that fluttered gently in the cool mountain wind. Golden eyes gazed upward toward unseen peaks and distant kingdoms. Long black hair danced behind him like coiling wyrms, and the faint golden sheen beneath his flawless skin caught stray beams of sunlight, giving him an almost otherworldly aura.
This young man was none other than Su Tianhao.
After the destruction of Shadowfang, he had devoured the entire mutant wolf pack, using their essences to bring him one step closer to the 8th Level—which he eventually reached just a single day after the incident. Now, almost two weeks had passed, and Su Tianhao now stood at the Peak of the Martial Adept Realm.
During this time, apart from reaching Peak-stage, he had also achieved Small Success in Dragon Burst—increasing his speed significantly. If before the technique could only raise his speed by one minor realm greater than his natural potential, now it boosted his speed two minor realms beyond his overall peak.
Aside from that, Su Tianhao had spent time deepening his mastery of Sword Will. Although Shadowfang was gone, he was never one to stop trying just because of lack of resources—even during his Little Rogue days. Using his knowledge of weapon craftsmanship from his father's inherited memories, he resorted to crafting wooden swords from spirit wood found in the inner region of the Verdant Mist Forest. He even went as far as inscribing formations into the wooden blades using leftover materials from the Spatial Restoration Sigil used to unlock Blood Grin's spatial ring.
His reason was simple: ordinary wooden swords weren't enough to withstand the relentless might of his training. But under the aid of inscriptions, they became tougher, sharper, and more resilient.
Now nine days remained until the Qingyun Sect Exam.
Nine days until he stepped into the broader dimensions of the cultivation world.
Nine days until he announced his name to Longzhou.
To Su Tianhao, nine was an auspicious number. It represented the nine minor realms of every cultivation stage. The nine stages of the Nine Heavens Sword Scripture. And it was at nine years old that his life had taken its most drastic turn—when the streets of Oakwood City became his home and survival became his only teacher.
Exhaling softly, Su Tianhao's lips curled into a handsome, almost mesmerizing smile.
"I came here to grow stronger… and I have. Now it's time for my final preparation."
His words echoed in the air like a silent promise. The wind stirred as if the world itself took cognizance of his declaration.
While he didn't technically need any final preparations—after all, as long as one was a 7th Level Martial Disciple and was under twenty years old, they could easily qualify for the exam. But to Su Tianhao, it wasn't so simple.
The Qingyun Sect was one of the three great sects of Longzhou Country. Its entrance exam was not merely a test of strength—it was a crucible designed to separate geniuses from monsters, and monsters from legends.
Thousands would compete.
Hundreds would pass the preliminary trials.
Only a handful would be accepted as outer court disciples.
Fewer still would ever see the inner court.
And among those who did… some would one day stand at the peak of the continent.
His golden eyes narrowed. "I will not be among the handful. Only by standing above all the prodigies and monsters, only by defying all written legend—can I hold my head high and proclaim the legacy of my parents."
With a final glance at the towering Mistveil Mountains, he covered his face with a cloth mask before turning and walking away into the distance.
His destination? Cloudrise City.
"Shadowfang, my good companion… it's time for you to be reborn through the flames of my own hand."
The whisper carried across the wind as he walked solemnly toward Cloudrise City. His intentions were clear: return Shadowfang to its former glory… and more.
---
Cloudrise City buzzed with vibrant energy under the late morning sun.
Stone-paved streets teemed with life. Merchants loudly hawked spirit herbs, cultivation pills, and beast cores from crowded stalls. The air carried the aroma of sizzling spirit beast skewers and candied fruits. Cultivators and rugged mercenaries strode past with weapons clinking at their sides, while excited children darted through the crowd, pointing in wide-eyed wonder at spirit beast mounts and jade pavilions gleaming like jewels against the skyline.
Amid the lively chaos, a masked young man in simple azure robes walked with calm purpose—golden eyes quietly scanning the scene.
"The examination is drawing visitors earlier than I expected."
His gaze sharpened with quiet calculation.
He needed materials first. The Nightiron ore was already embedded in Shadowfang's remnants—that much was handled. What remained were the supplementary components for the upgrade. After that, he would need to rent a forge and hire a Spirit Rank weapon craftsman as an assistant.
With that plan settled in his mind, Su Tianhao strode purposefully toward the Thousand Beast Pavilion.
---
He arrived within minutes. After removing his cloth mask at the entrance, he stepped inside without issue.
The pavilion was as lively as ever—refined and well-organised despite the steady flow of customers, a quiet testament to its reputation. Su Tianhao's eyes swept the floor with practiced efficiency, searching for one figure in particular.
Lin Ming. The same attendant who had guided him during his visit a month ago.
Before he could locate him, a female attendant in grey robes approached with a professional smile.
"How may I assist you, sir?"
"I'm looking for an attendant named Lin Ming. Is he available?"
"Of course." She dipped her head. "I'll inform him of your arrival."
The wait was brief. A young man in light blue robes arrived moments later, his face brightening the instant he recognised his visitor.
"Young master! What a pleasant surprise."
"Lin Ming," Su Tianhao acknowledged with a nod. "I need your assistance."
"It would be my honour. What brings you in today?"
Su Tianhao considered his words briefly. "I'd like an audience with Master Wei Chang. I have business that concerns him."
Lin Ming's expression shifted—a slight, almost apologetic furrow of the brows.
"I'm afraid that won't be easy. My master is a busy man. The last time was an exception—I needed to verify your Token of Honor, which gave cause for the introduction. Under normal circumstances, the pavilion master doesn't receive customers directly. That falls to the attendants and appraisers."
"I understand."
Su Tianhao did. Wei Chang wasn't merely the branch pavilion master—he was a grade 4 alchemist. A man of that standing had no obligation to attend to walk-in requests. It would be beneath his station.
He was about to redirect the conversation when Lin Ming's expression changed entirely—brows shooting upward, eyes widening as though he had just heard something completely unbelievable.
"What is it?" Su Tianhao asked.
Lin Ming exhaled slowly, visibly composing himself. "The pavilion master has requested your presence."
Su Tianhao blinked. "Pardon?"
"I'm as surprised as you are." Lin Ming's smile turned rueful. "One moment I was declining your request—and then his voice came through directly: 'Bring him to my office.'"
Su Tianhao's expression relaxed into a faint smile. Relief, mostly. He could have asked Lin Ming to help him source the materials he needed—but certain questions required someone with Wei Chang's level of knowledge to answer correctly. This saved him the trouble of finding another way.
"Lead the way then."
As they moved deeper into the building, Su Tianhao's gaze drifted across the pavilion floor, noting the different robe colours among the staff.
"The attendants here wear different colours," he observed. "Grey and light blue, at least. What's the distinction?"
Lin Ming glanced down at his own robes with a small chuckle. "Grey robes are standard attendants—no formal backing. Light blue, like mine, indicates a senior attendant with a patron. In my case, my master is my backing."
Su Tianhao's thoughts drifted briefly to Lan Er—Lu Qingran's attendant.
'Her backing would have been Master Lu,' he noted inwardly.
---
They arrived at Wei Chang's office. Lin Ming knocked once and waited.
"Come in."
The voice was unhurried—casual, almost—yet it resonated with a quiet authority that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. Su Tianhao recognised it immediately.
Without waiting for Lin Ming, he pushed the door open and stepped inside.
The room greeted him with the mingled scent of spiritual herbs and the lingering fragrance of refined medicine—rich, layered, unmistakable.
Seated behind a broad desk lined with alchemical texts and jade vials was an elderly figure with flowing silver hair and sharp ember eyes that burned like the heart of a smouldering furnace. A midnight-blue robe bearing faint alchemical embroidery draped his frame, and a jade dragon pendant rested against his chest.
Wei Chang.
His lips curved into an easy, welcoming smile as his gaze settled on Su Tianhao.
"Welcome, young friend. It's been a while."