C8 Innate Stage

Jiang Fann strode over to Han Qianxue's side, arching an eyebrow as he fixed his gaze on Qiao Sanyang.

"Old man! If the Qiao Family is hell-bent on destruction, who am I to deny them? If you're eager for more, I have no qualms about erasing your clan and striking the Qiao name from the annals of Loongze County!"

His audacity was unexpected, surpassing even that of Han Qianxue.

Qiao Sanyang, upon hearing these words, burst into laughter.

"Arrogant fool, do you really think you can?"

Jiang Fann gestured to the body on the ground.

"Is this the might of the Qiao Family's finest? Send as many as you like; I'll cut them down without hesitation! And if you step in? The outcome will be the same!"

Han Qianxue chimed in, "Young Master Jiang isn't just a friend; he's a distinguished guest of the Myriad Treasures Tavern. I suggest you recognize the gravity of the situation and spare your family any further trouble."

Qiao Sanyang, wary of Han Qianxue, was seething with rage. The Qiao Family had taken generations to build its current stature, and he couldn't bear the thought of being the one to ruin it, unable to face his forebears.

Jiang Fann alone wouldn't have fazed him, but Han Qianxue's intervention gave him pause. Offending the Myriad Treasures Tavern was out of the question, especially considering there was more to Han Qianxue than met the eye.

A murderous glint flickered in Qiao Sanyang's eyes as he glared at Jiang Fann.

"We're not done here. I'm curious to see how often the Myriad Treasures Tavern will come to your aid. For today, I'll respect Miss Han Qianxue's presence. I'll have someone collect the remains of my kin. The future will tell the rest."

With those final words, he dissipated his energy and strode away.

The onlookers parted ways, none daring to provoke further conflict with someone as formidable as Qiao Sanyang.

A murmur rippled through the crowd.

"What in the world has happened to Jiang Fann lately? Why is Han Qianxue backing him like this?"

"Who knows? But it's clear their families are at a breaking point. Looks like Loongze County is headed for turmoil."

Jiang Fann regarded Han Qianxue with respect, clasping his fists. "Consider me in your debt."

Han Qianxue's laughter was light behind her hand. "Young Master Jiang, you've truly taken me by surprise with your tactics—quite astonishing. But be warned, Qiao Sanyang won't back down so easily. You'd best prepare early."

Jiang Fann's gaze followed the path Qiao Sanyang had taken, his eyes icy. "The Qiao Family doesn't even register on my radar."

Han Qianxue nodded, recognizing the mark of Jiang Fann's exceptional nature.

"On to another topic," she proposed. "The Loongze Lake Secret Realm is set to open in under two months. I'd like to extend an invitation for you to join me. Should we return safely, we'll consider my favor repaid. What do you say?"

Jiang Fann hadn't anticipated her divulging such a secret, yet he found it difficult to decline. "No problem. Just let me know ahead of time."

Han Qianxue glanced past Jiang Fann. "Then it's agreed. With Patriarch Jiang Tianhai arriving, I'd rather not entangle myself with too many others. I'll take my leave now."

Jiang Fann nodded, watching her depart. He couldn't quite discern Han Qianxue's true power; clearly, she possessed a protective talisman of no small significance. But given her status, it seemed only fitting.

As Jiang Fann turned back, Jiang Tianhai arrived swiftly with his entourage.

After a thorough once-over of his son and seeing no harm done, Jiang Tianhai's tension eased. The sight of the corpse, however, left him taken aback.

"My son! What on earth transpired?"

Jiang Fann recounted the events to his father, including Han Qianxue's timely intervention, withholding no detail.

Jiang Tianhai was incensed. "Outrageous!"

With that, he strode toward Jing'ann Garden, his followers dispersing the onlookers. Jiang Fann chose that moment to depart, heading back to the Jiang residence with no further intention of venturing out.

Until he achieved the Innate Stage, he resolved to focus on concocting medicines and honing his cultivation at home.

Jiang Fann silently vowed, "He's merely in the Later Period of the Innate Stage. Once I've made my breakthrough, I'll seek him out even if he doesn't come looking for me."

Meanwhile, on her way back to the Myriad Treasures Tavern, a shadowy figure materialized beside Han Qianxue, shrouded in black robes, his features indiscernible.

His voice was raspy, betraying a hint of age.

"Miss, are you sure you won't give that young man a heads-up? The Guangnan King's men are nearly upon Loongze County."

Han Qianxue shook her head, "Jiang Fann is stronger than I anticipated. A little hardship will make our assistance all the more valuable to him. Just keep a close watch on his movements for me."

"Miss, your foresight is impeccable!"

Han Qianxue replied with composure, "He's a complex one. I mentioned the Loongze Lake Secret Realm to him, yet he remained unfazed. Either he's a complete novice with no clue, or he's already in the know. I'm certain it's the latter. When you have a moment, keep an eye on him; he might have powerful backing."

"Understood! I shall take my leave," the old servant acknowledged.

With that, the shadow vanished as if it had never been there at all.

Han Qianxue mused to herself, "Forbidden Divine Pill! To think someone could actually concoct it! Jiang Fann, your secrets are abundant. It seems I must earnestly work to gain your alliance."

Time flew, and another half month passed in the blink of an eye. Jiang Fann swallowed the last Ten Thousand Spirit Pill in the solitude of his room. Spiritual Strength coursed through his Qi Sea and meridians, steadily widening them and accelerating their flow.

The Nine Stars Pill materialized before him and he ingested it. The potent medicinal force made his body shudder, and he promptly engaged the Arts of Pill Dao to contain it, ensuring not an iota was squandered.

Within mere moments, Jiang Fann sensed a wild transformation within himself. His Spiritual Sense and all five senses intensified rapidly. With no bottlenecks to hinder him, he seamlessly ascended to the Innate Stage.

The potency of the Ten Thousand Spirit Pill and the Nine Stars Pill remained largely intact.

Their medicinal power flowed ceaselessly into every nook and cranny of his body, laying a solid foundation for Jiang Fann during this critical post-breakthrough period. By maximizing his potential now, his future cultivation efforts would yield results much more efficiently, greatly enhancing his combat prowess.

At this juncture, numerous Innate Stage masters of the Jiang Family sensed the breakthrough aura and converged towards the location. This event was significant for the Jiangs, as the Innate Stage represented the pinnacle of combat strength in Loongze County.

The revelation that Jiang Fann was the one who had achieved this breakthrough left almost everyone in disbelief.

No one dared to interrupt, choosing instead to wait patiently in the courtyard.

An elder expressed his awe, "Jiang Fann is truly a dragon that has been swimming in shallow waters. Considering his age, he's even a year younger than Yueyao when she reached this stage. Our lineage is surely on the rise."

"Such a shame about the tension between them. If they could unite, our line might have the opportunity to reclaim our place in Jiang Mansion, instead of being relegated to standing guard here. Such a waste," he lamented.

Jiang Tianhai stood just outside the door, eyes closed, attuning himself to the fluctuations in Jiang Fann's aura, effectively acting as a guardian. He had always known that Jiang Fann's breakthrough was inevitable, but its swift arrival was unexpected.

He also marveled at the skill of the herbalist behind Jiang Fann, who had transformed his son from someone of average talent into a prodigy.

For a full hour, there was no change in Jiang Fann's aura as the power of the Nine Stars Pill slowly faded away.

The energy of the Ten Thousand Spirit Pill retreated back to his dantian, releasing Spiritual Strength and causing his aura to climb once more.

This surge lasted only a few minutes, but it was enough time for Jiang Fann to stabilize his new realm. The breakthrough was now complete. While the Ten Thousand Spirit Pill still held benefits for those in the Innate Stage, its effects were no longer as pronounced as they were during the Body Transformation Stage.

Once Jiang Fann had gathered his Qi, he took a moment to acclimate to his transformation. Now at the Innate Stage, his strength had soared. Should Qiao Sanyang confront him at this point, with the aid of the pill, Jiang Fann was confident he could send him packing without a chance of retaliation.

After tuning into the remnants of the Universe Creation Art within his Qi Sea, Jiang Fann found that his Spiritual Sense had gained a modicum of control. With just a slight effort, his search radius had expanded to nearly a hundred meters—a significant increase from before.

Having reached the Innate Stage, he now possessed just enough power to defend himself. The Loongze Lake Secret Realm was a place he was determined to explore.

As he pushed open the door, numerous eyes settled on him. The Jiang Family's masters all greeted him with a fist salute.

"Congratulations!" they exclaimed, following the family's tradition.

Jiang Fann returned the gesture as a sign of respect.

Jiang Tianhai stepped forward, clapping him on the shoulder. "You continue to amaze me. You've been in seclusion, and I've made sure not to disturb you. Rest assured, the incident at Jing'ann Garden won't happen again. That's a promise."

Jiang Fann was unfazed. His recent decisive action had terrified Qiao Qingzhu to her core. He knew that even if she were freed now, she wouldn't dare cause further trouble.

Jiang Tianhai then added, "Also, there's no news of Zhenglong's whereabouts..."

Jiang Fann cut him off. "His fate is of no concern to me. Father, I plan to leave Loongze County soon. My only concern is for my mother. I trust you understand."

"I do! Where will you go?" Jiang Tianhai inquired.

Without a moment's hesitation, Jiang Fann declared, "To Leehuo Academy!"

Admiration shone in Jiang Tianhai's eyes. "Excellent. A true man should have such ambition."

Leehuo Academy was the pinnacle of learning within the Leehuo Dynasty, drawing the brightest minds from across the realm. Each year, only a thousand students were admitted to its outer court, with the inner court selecting the top one percent from those ranks. As such, countless gifted youths found themselves barred, unable to gain entry.

Jiang Fann's desire to attend was straightforward; Gu Ling'er would be there, as would a close friend. However, any plans would have to wait until after his venture into the Loongze Lake Secret Realm.

The courtyard was still abuzz when a disciple burst in, breathless and clearly agitated, signaling that something was amiss.

"Master, there's a disturbance at the gate. Someone is demanding to see Young Master Jiang Fann," came the report.

Jiang Tianhai's brow furrowed.

"Who is it?"

"They claim to be a young lord from some king's household, and they don't seem to have good intentions!"

With a swift motion, Jiang Tianhai gathered the Jiang Family's experts and hurried towards the main entrance, eager to find out who would dare to show up at their doorstep demanding to see someone.

Trailing behind, Jiang Fann's mind raced with recent events, and a particular group of people came to mind.

A crowd of Jiang Family disciples had already assembled at the gate. It was unprecedented for someone from Loongze County to come knocking, especially someone of significance. The news that it involved Jiang Fann only added to their astonishment. His return had indeed stirred up a continuous stream of excitement within the Jiang Family.

Stepping outside, Jiang Tianhai was met by a group of over a dozen individuals. The majority were clad in armor, likely bodyguards. Among them stood three Innate Stage masters, one at the very pinnacle of that stage, exuding formidable strength.

Another figure caught Jiang Tianhai's attention, his level of power indiscernible, yet an unmistakable sense of danger emanated from him—a true force to be reckoned with.

All of them stood behind a young man who was clearly their leader.

Jiang Tianhai addressed them, "Where do you hail from? What business do you have with my son?"

"The Guangnan King is my father. Your son stole something from me a few days ago. Hand him over; I'd rather not complicate matters for the Jiang Family."

At the mention of the Guangnan King, Jiang Tianhai inwardly groaned, well aware of the king's reputation.

He retorted, "You expect me to surrender him just like that, without a shred of proof? Besides, I doubt the esteemed Guangnan King wishes to quarrel with the Jiang Family, does he?"

The young lord sneered, "The Jiang Family, you say? Spare me the talk. If you don't deliver him, I'll have my men find him myself."