C25 He Fought the Devil Beast

Half an hour later, Han Lieh collapsed to the ground, gasping for air, completely drained of strength.

"I've finally taken down a Level 2 Devil Beast," Han Lieh exclaimed with a surge of excitement.

Instructor Lin, along with the others, approached, and with a nod of approval, he remarked, "Not bad at all. You've managed to uphold the honor of the Han family's younger generation."

"Now you should realize that Level 2 Devil Beasts aren't the real threat—it's the lack of willpower that's truly frightening."

"Without a resolute will, fear will always hold sway over you, preventing you from tapping into your full potential."

"Given your cultivation foundation and abilities, you should have dispatched the Golden Armored Pangolin in a mere three moves. Instead, you found yourself on the run, sustaining serious injuries."

"Ultimately, you overcame the challenge, but not without bearing the scars of a prolonged battle to defeat the Golden Armored Pangolin."

Han Lieh nodded vigorously, "Thank you for the lesson, Instructor Lin. Next time I face a Level 2 Devil Beast, I'm confident I won't make a fool of myself."

"Should I encounter the Golden Armored Pangolin again, I'll definitely take it down in ten moves or less."

Han Lin and the others felt a mix of anxiety and envy.

Instructor Lin surveyed the group, a sly grin playing on his lips, "Rest assured, not one of you will get off easy."

True to his word, each person took their turn in combat, facing off against Level 2 Devil Beasts. Most were on par with the Golden Armored Pangolin, ranking at the lower end of the Level 2 spectrum.

Among them, Han Rong and Han Zheng stood out for their performance. As masters who had unlocked two Main Bloodlines, they handled their battles with greater ease than Han Lieh.

Still, they didn't escape without a few minor wounds.

Now, only Han Lin and Han Feng remained to face their trials.

Before long, the group came upon another Level 2 Devil Beast—a Greedy Wolf Snake.

Instructor Lin briefed them, "The Greedy Wolf Snake is a Devil Beast akin to the Gluttonous Wolves. A fully grown Greedy Wolf Snake possesses the power of a Level 3 Devil Beast. Some Greedy Wolf Snakes undergo mutations, giving them the potential to evolve into a Level-four Devil Beast."

An adult Greedy Wolf Snake measures ten meters in length, but this one is only eight meters, clearly indicating it's still a juvenile and falls within the Level 2 Devil Beast category.

Yet, this Greedy Wolf Snake ranks as upper-grade among its peers. Its prowess rivals that of a martial cultivator who has unlocked three main meridians, and it might even hold its own against one with four main meridians unlocked.

"Han Lin, the Greedy Wolf Snake is yours to handle."

"Understood!"

Han Lin stepped forward, his fighting spirit palpable.

A prodigy highly valued by the Han family, Han Lin briefly faltered in the face of the Greedy Wolf Snake, but quickly regained his composure. He didn't wait for the beast to strike; he launched the first blow.

"Claw Condensation Technique!"

His technique was nearing perfection, just shy of the Great Completion Stage. As Han Lin's four main bloodlines' internal strength surged, a rustling filled the air.

The Greedy Wolf Snake's tail lashed out in a swift attack, but Han Lin performed an incredible mid-air twist, evading the strike. He then counterattacked with ferocity.

Blood flew in a flash.

The Greedy Wolf Snake's anguished scream echoed as its massive body writhed, its tail shredded into segments by Han Lin's assault.

Seizing the moment of the beast's agony, Han Lin wasted no opportunity, rapidly targeting the Greedy Wolf Snake's head with his Claw Condensation Technique.

Sensing imminent peril, the Greedy Wolf Snake frantically tried to shake its head free, but Han Lin's left hand had already plunged into the twisting belly of the beast, yanking it closer.

With a forceful thrust of his right claw, Han Lin pierced the Greedy Wolf Snake's head, ending its life in an instant.

The onlooking youths swallowed hard, awestruck by Han Lin's formidable strength. They struggled even with the weakest Level 2 Devil Beasts, often emerging victorious only after a prolonged battle and at the cost of sustaining injuries.

Han Lin had astonishingly claimed the life of the Greedy Wolf Snake in a mere moment—a beast that was a Level 2 Upper-grade Devil Beast, no less.

Before, they had merely regarded Han Lin's cultivation foundation as formidable. But now, the young ones among them had come to the stark realization that there was a vast difference between their willpower and Han Lin's. All things considered, the disparity between them was even more pronounced.

Han Feng quirked an eyebrow. "Han Lin has truly surpassed my expectations. It seems the future progress of the Han family might very well hinge on him."

"But I'm not too shabby myself," Han Feng said, his excitement palpable. It would soon be his turn to shine.

On the other side, Han Yongxing was visibly thrilled. "I wasn't nearly as composed as Han Lin when I first battled a Devil Beast. His mental fortitude and willpower are commendable."

"With the right Cultivation Methods, it's not out of the question for Han Lin to even surpass the Family Head."

"It's a pity that the Han family's Cultivation Methods aren't of a higher caliber."

Lin Da chuckled nearby. "No worries. Have you forgotten about the event in over half a year?"

Han Yongxing smacked his forehead. "That's right, I nearly forgot. In just over six months, the Mystic Sect will come for their inspection. If Han Lin catches their eye, he's guaranteed to reach at least a Twelve-star Human Rank in the future, and he might even break through to the Mystic Rank."

When it comes to breaking through in strength, a person's aptitude and willpower are crucial.

These factors can significantly boost the odds of advancing to the next level.

Han Lin's aptitude might be a Lower-grade Fifth level—neither exceptional nor poor—but his mental resilience and willpower are on par with someone of a Lower-grade Upper Third Grade. With the right opportunity, he has a fifty percent chance of ascending to the Mystic Rank.

And that opportunity hinges on the Cultivation Method.

Without a superior Cultivation Method, talent alone is insufficient.

Take, for example, a Lower-grade Human Rank Cultivation Method, which can only take you as far as a Four-star Human Rank. To progress further, you'd need to either acquire a more advanced Cultivation Method or enhance your existing one.

The most advanced Cultivation Method the Han family possesses is merely an Upper-class Human Rank.

In theory, the Han family's cultivation was capped at the Nine-star Human Rank. Yet, after years of diligent research, Han Yu managed to refine their Cultivation Method. While it couldn't hold a candle to the top-tier Human Rank Cultivation Methods, it did enable Han Yu to advance to the Ten-star Human Rank, though his cultivation foundation plateaued there.

This explains why the Han family, with its storied lineage, boasts numerous prodigies who swiftly ascend to levels most Martial Cultivators can only dream of. The secret lies in the high-grade Cultivation Methods passed down through these venerable families.

Fann Lee, tinged with envy, remarked, "The Mystic Sect is of Mystic Rank, and I've heard they might ascend to Earth-level within a few years. The sect is teeming with masters. Even the known Twelve-star Mystic Rank experts exceed a dozen."

"In such a sect, there's no shortage of Mystic Rank Cultivation Methods and Martial Skills."

"It's a pity we lack such methods; otherwise, we'd have reached the Late Period of Human Rank by now, or even the Peak of Human Rank."

Han Yongxing gave Fann Lee a reassuring pat on the shoulder and sighed, "Once Han Lin returns from his training, will you still worry about us lacking high-grade Cultivation Methods?"

"As for me, I've let go of the ambition to break through to the Mystic Rank in this lifetime. My only wish is to one day possess a Mystic Rank Cultivation Method and reach the Peak of Human Rank. That would be enough for me."