C14 Three Tragedies Gu Ba

Han Feng's fingers channeled his internal strength, only to find that Gu Ba had somehow managed to block his strike.

With a smirk, Gu Ba boasted, "I've got a sheet of iron hidden in my pants. Your internal strength can't pierce through that."

The onlookers were dumbfounded.

Han Feng's tactic was already quite crude, and to their surprise, Gu Ba's counter was equally unsophisticated—he had actually stuffed iron into his pants.

Instructor Lin was torn between amusement and exasperation. He was about to remind the two to behave more appropriately when Han Feng's voice rang out across the training field.

"Do you honestly believe your makeshift armor can withstand my strike?"

Han Feng recognized Gu Ba as a persistent nuisance, akin to a cockroach that refuses to die. Given the circumstances, Han Feng knew he had to escalate his efforts.

In an instant, Han Feng unleashed the full force of his internal strength. Gu Ba's pants were shredded, revealing the iron plates strapped around his groin and buttocks—custom-made iron underwear.

The sound of the metal tearing apart was followed by Gu Ba's third and most agonizing scream yet.

Gu Ba's iron underwear was several millimeters thick. In their previous encounter, Han Feng, using only his index fingers, would have struggled to break through. But now, Han Feng's internal strength had reached the peak of the early mortal rank, changing the outcome entirely.

Gu Ba had gravely miscalculated the speed of Han Feng's improvement.

Han Feng swiftly backed away as a jet of blood erupted from his hand.

Instructor Lin and everyone else shuddered. They could tell that Gu Ba's wounds were far worse than before, sensing Han Feng's growing impatience.

Gu Ba collapsed, his face ashen and twisted in pain.

Han Feng thought to himself with contempt, "Gu Ba's going to be out for about a month this time. A month is plenty for him to significantly improve his strength. I hope this serves as a wake-up call. If not, I won't hold back next time. I can't imagine the Han family elders will continue to support Gu Ba once they've witnessed my potential."

The elders of the Han family were the key figures who, alongside Han Yu, laid the foundations of the family. Once Han Yu established his position as the Family Head and secured a place for the Han family in Renzhong City, he bestowed upon them the Han surname, effectively making them an offshoot of the main family.

Their contributions to the creation of the Han family were significant. Indeed, they were also the ones leading the charge to condemn Han Tiancheng. The rise of the Han family was not solely Han Yu's doing; these elders played a pivotal role. Witnessing the decline of the Han family's power, it was only natural for them to harbor resentment.

Two individuals who had a good rapport with Gu Ba carefully carried him away. Having assisted Gu Ba twice before, they knew exactly how to lift him without causing discomfort. In an instant, they vanished from Han Feng's sight.

Instructor Lin paused, momentarily taken aback, before clearing his throat twice to capture the attention of the young Han family members gathered around.

"Pay attention," Instructor Lin announced with gravity. "I have an important announcement to make. In one and a half months, the Family Trials of Renzhong City will commence. Each family will send their best youths under fifteen to compete."

"Ten representatives from each family will participate."

"The trials will take place in the Jade Peak Mountain Range to the east of Renzhong City, under the watchful eye of the City Lord. The City Lord has decreed that the victor will receive a Human Origin Fruit. You all understand the significance of the Human Origin Fruit, I trust."

The faces of Han Lin, Han Feng, and the others darkened at the mention.

The Human Origin Fruit was a crucial component in concocting Level 5 Pills. For a Human Rank martial cultivator, successfully refining and consuming such a pill could lead to a substantial increase in strength.

Pills are classified by their potency, ranging from Level 1 to Level 12, and further into Earth-level and Heaven-level categories. Level 1 through Level 4 Pills are intended for Mortal-rank martial cultivators, while Level 5 through Level 8 Pills are designed for those of the Human Rank.

Pills ranging from Level 9 to Level 12 are designed for Mystic Rank Martial Cultivators.

In the several decades of Renzhong City's history, Alchemists have been exceedingly rare, with even Level 1 and Level 2 Pills scarcely found on the market.

While Renzhong City lacks Alchemists capable of utilizing Human Origin Fruit to craft a Level 5 Pill, swallowing the fruit raw, despite some waste of its potency, can still empower a martial cultivator at the peak of the Mortal Rank's late period to break through one of the twelve meridians, ascending to the status of a Human-rank Martial Cultivator.

The City Lord dispatched by the Great Jin Nation possesses a depth of resources that the Han family, with its brief history, simply cannot match.

The other two major families, renowned alongside the Han family, also lack Human Origin Fruit. Otherwise, between them and the Han family, there would surely be more than a hundred Human-rank Martial Cultivators.

Han Lin, Han Feng, and their companions were somewhat exhilarated. With the Human Origin Fruit in hand, they could bypass the Pill refinement process and still save a year or even more to achieve a breakthrough to Human Rank.

Han Feng was particularly eager. With the All Creatures Fire Cauldron, not an iota of the Human Origin Fruit's energy would go to waste. He could scarcely fathom the surge in strength he'd experience if he refined it into origin fluid and ingested it.

Unable to predict the precise outcome, Han Feng speculated that he would surpass the initial stage of the First Star of Human Rank, potentially reaching the mid-stage directly.

Before long, reality set in for everyone.

Despite the generous rewards of the family trials, each family was to select only ten participants.

Yet, their numbers far exceeded ten; they were nearly a hundred strong, and that was without counting the women's team.

Instructor Lin, noting their shifting expressions, couldn't help but smile. He then addressed them with gravity, "It appears you've come to the realization. Indeed, the majority of you won't even qualify for the trials."

"You have half a month," he continued. "After that time, you will compete on the training field. The top ten will join me on an intensive training expedition to the Jade Peak Mountain Range."

"Keep in mind that the Jade Peak Mountain Range is teeming with Devil Beasts. These creatures are far more formidable than any sparring partner you've faced before. A single misstep could cost you your life."

"You lack experience battling Devil Beasts, which puts you at a significant disadvantage during the trials."

"During this time, the Family Head has decreed that the family will provide you with Level 1 and Level 2 Pills to aid in your cultivation. Whether you receive a Level 1 or Level 2 Pill will depend on your performance. Over the course of the ten-day training, the top three performers will earn a Level 2 Pill, while the others will receive a Level 1 Pill."

"Five days following the conclusion of the training, the ten individuals chosen will be pitted against ten women brought forth by Instructor Mu. From these twenty contenders, only ten will be chosen to represent our family in the trials."

"For these ten, the family will bestow an additional Level 2 Pill."