After forty-eight hours of isolation, Fang Yuan pushed open his door. He was no longer the boy who had entered two days ago. His skin was as pale as wax, and his sunken eyes were rimmed with deep shadows, yet his movements possessed a terrifying, mechanical precision.
Fang Yuan's Mental Calculations:
"Rank 1: Middle Stage. Successfully reached. Spirit meridians damaged by 22% but stabilized. Skeletal structure increased in density by 15%. Now, my physical strength alone is sufficient to shatter a mortal's ribcage without needing primeval essence. Efficiency: Optimal."
In the academy corridors, Fang Zheng was walking with a group of students. He was trying to regain his confidence after being praised by his Uncle and Aunt, but the moment he saw Fang Yuan approaching, the blood froze in his veins.
"Brother...?" Zheng whispered. He felt as if a monster wearing his brother's skin was walking toward him. No life force radiated from Fang Yuan; instead, there was a faint scent of death and burnt impurities.
Fang Yuan didn't stop. He walked past his brother as if he were a mere piece of furniture. This "absolute indifference" hurt Zheng more than a physical blow. Zheng felt insulted and confused: "Why won't he look at me? I have A-grade talent! I am the future of the clan! Why do I feel like an ant beneath his boot?"
Inside the hall, Elder Gu Yue Mo was inspecting the students. When his eyes landed on Fang Yuan, his pupils dilated.
"Impossible! How did he reach the middle stage so quickly?" the Elder thought, a chill running down his spine. "Did he consume all the stones he extorted yesterday in a single night? That's suicide! The meridians can't take that pressure... unless he's using forbidden demonic techniques."
A student named Gu Yue Gao, a close friend of the "Bei" whom Fang Yuan had previously tortured, stepped forward. He carried a dagger and was filled with adolescent rage. "Fang Yuan! You've gone too far. My father is an elder, and you won't get away with—"
Before Gao could finish, Fang Yuan's hand was already clamped around his throat. No one saw him move. It was swift, silent, and final.
"Your father is not here to protect your neck," Fang Yuan whispered, increasing the pressure. Everyone heard the sickening crack of laryngeal cartilage. "And the stones you paid yesterday... were merely a down payment. Today, I want your 'souls' as well."
With utter coldness, Fang Yuan snapped Gao's neck in front of everyone. He didn't blink. He didn't hesitate. The corpse hit the floor with a dull thud. The students scrambled back, girls screaming in terror.
Fang Yuan's thought: "This student possessed a 'Larva Gu.' By killing him now, I can extract the Gu before it dies with him. Laws? The clan will protect me because I am the fastest cultivator in their history. Talent grants immunity to killers."