The Han Family The Rules of Tianyuan Continent

Zhao Feng led the three people down the mountain.

The courtyard fell silent.

Lin Yan leaned back in his rocking chair, pinching the half-slice of green tangerine in his hand, not bringing it to his mouth.

He didn't immediately use the three trait extraction opportunities given by the system.

Counting Zhao Xiangru's from before, he now had a total of four outer disciple trait extraction opportunities.

Lin Yan felt that secretly attaching traits to his disciples was too boring.

He had to think of a way to let them know clearly that this power was given by him, their sect master.

Only in this way could he demonstrate his capability as the sect master and conveniently harvest a wave of loyalty.

Lin Yan already had a rough idea in his mind.

...

The capital of the Daqian Dynasty.

Deep within the Han family estate, inside the discussion hall paved with thousand-year cold jade, the air was chilling, and the atmosphere was so heavy that it felt as though water could be wrung from it.

Below the main seat, twelve purple sandalwood chairs were filled with the core elders of the Han family.

Everyone exuded the spiritual pressure of the Golden Core realm or above, and the few sitting deepest within the hall faintly emanated even more powerful auras.

The four top aristocratic families of the Daqian Dynasty—Jiang, Shen, Han, and Yang—had legacies spanning thousands of years. They held immense military power, so much so that even the royal family had to yield to them to some degree.

On the main seat, the Han family head, Han Zhentian, sat upright and motionless. He wore a dark brocade robe, his face resolute and his temples slightly frosted with gray. Whenever his tiger-like eyes opened and closed, sharp glints of light shot forth.

"News has come from the Biluo Sect in Cangwu Commandery. Han Lie has been detained at Qingyun Mountain, forced to accompany a Qi Condensation realm disciple in sword practice every day."

The hall fell silent for a moment.

Some lowered their heads to sip tea, some stroked their beards, and others stared at the floor, but no one spoke up.

They already knew the entire course of events.

To put it nicely, Han Lie was detained at Qingyun Mountain to practice swordsmanship with a Qi Condensation disciple daily.

But to put it bluntly, they didn't even have the face to say it out loud!

Having lived for hundreds of years, they had never seen such a thing!

More importantly, it was said that the sect master of the Tianyan Sect didn't even show his face. With just a formless burst of power, he immobilized Han Lie and ten Golden Core experts.

What kind of method was this?

At the very least, he was a Soul Formation Venerable!

Although the Han family was strong, they did not dare to easily fight to the death with a Soul Formation expert of unknown depths.

While the Han family had a Soul Formation ancestor holding the fort, that was the family's final trump card. Unless facing the danger of extermination, he would absolutely never be deployed lightly.

No one was willing to fight to the death with an unfathomable Soul Formation Venerable just for a Nascent Soul cultivator from a branch family.

"Han Lie is from the Cangwu Commandery branch. They branched out nearly two hundred years ago and originally didn't have much affection for the main family, but he is, after all, in the mid-Nascent Soul realm."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone fell silent.

A Nascent Soul True Lord, even for a top aristocratic family like the Han family, was an extremely precious resource.

Cultivating a Nascent Soul expert required the consumption of massive amounts of spirit stones, pills, and heavenly materials and earthly treasures, as well as hundreds of years of time.

"Furthermore," Han Zhentian's expression darkened a bit more, "the Shen family recently produced an Innate Spirit Body."

At the mention of the Shen family, the atmosphere in the discussion hall grew even heavier.

As two of the four great families, the Han and Shen families had been fighting openly and secretly for hundreds of years.

An Innate Spirit Body, to ordinary people, meant that as long as no accidents occurred, they were guaranteed to cultivate to the Nascent Soul realm.

But for a top family like the Han family, an Innate Spirit Body meant a future Soul Formation Heavenly Venerable!

That was a foundation capable of deciding the family's destiny for the next hundred years.

With the Shen family gaining an Innate Spirit Body, the ebb and flow of power meant the pressure on the Han family instantly multiplied.

At a time like this, they could even less afford to lose a single Nascent Soul combatant.

"Then... Patriarch, what should we do?"

"We can't just watch Han Lie be humiliated, can we?"

Han Zhentian pondered for a moment before speaking slowly, "Then let's handle it according to the rules of the Tianyuan Continent."

"The Three Realm Martial Competition!"

Upon hearing this, everyone's eyes lit up.

This was an unwritten rule among the top factions of the Tianyuan Continent.

If the ancestors of both sides were unwilling to personally take the field and fight to the death, they would send their disciples to engage in three martial matches.

In the Daqian Dynasty, this typically involved the three realms of Qi Condensation, Foundation Establishment, and Golden Core, in a best-of-three format.

The winning side would have the final say.

The losing side must accept their defeat and not pester the other party any further.

This way, they wouldn't suffer any severe damage, could test the other party's foundation, and could still preserve the aristocratic family's dignity.

"Good! Let's do that!"

"I don't believe that a recently emerged Tianyan Sect could have disciples stronger than the geniuses of our Han family!"

"We can take this opportunity to see exactly how much foundation that Tianyan Sect has!"

"It's settled then! If the Tianyan Sect wins, Han Lie is theirs to deal with, and the Han family will no longer intervene. If we win, the Tianyan Sect must release him!"

The crowd below echoed their agreement, the previous heaviness swept away, replaced by brimming confidence.

The geniuses of the Han family were raised on piles of spirit stones since childhood; within the same realm, they rarely met their match.

What kind of decent disciples could a sect that had just opened its doors to take in students possibly have?

Han Zhentian looked at an old man standing at the very bottom: "Eighth Brother, I leave this matter to you!"

"Select one person each from the Qi Condensation, Foundation Establishment, and Golden Core realms within the clan, and make a trip to Qingyun Mountain."

"Go meet... that Tianyan Sect Master!"

"Tell him that this is the face our Han family is giving him."

"If he knows what's good for him and accepts the Three Realm Martial Competition, and wins, we will turn around and leave. If he loses, he must hand the person over to us, and from then on, we will mind our own business."

"If he doesn't appreciate the favor and dares to refuse the Three Realm Martial Competition..."

A fierce glint flashed through Han Zhentian's eyes.

"Then even if we have to risk using the family's foundational reserves, we must let him know that the wrath of the Han family is not something just anyone can endure!"

Han Tieyi bowed to receive the order, the spiritual pressure of the late Nascent Soul realm exploding outward from his body.

"Yes! Rest assured, Patriarch!"

"Tieyi will definitely bring Han Lie back! And along the way, I'll let that Tianyan Sect experience what the foundation of a top aristocratic family truly is!"

...

The Han family's backyard.

The martial arts arena was as expansive as a public square, paved with bluestone slabs. Stone pillars stood at its four corners, carved with array formation patterns, allowing it to withstand full-force attacks below the Nascent Soul realm without sustaining damage.

Three people stood in the center of the arena, lined up in a row, their backs straight and their gazes steady.

Han Tieyi stood before them with his hands behind his back. His late Nascent Soul spiritual pressure slowly spread out, pressing down on the airspace above the arena like an invisible mountain.

He didn't intentionally release his aura, but having reached his realm, simply standing there was enough to leave people breathless.

"Do you three know why I called you here?"

Han Qing raised his head and cupped his fists, "To reply to the Eighth Elder, it is to go to Cangwu Commandery and meet that Tianyan Sect."

Han Tieyi nodded.

His gaze swept across the faces of the three people one by one.

Han Qing, twenty-eight years old, peak of Qi Condensation.

Clad in a green martial outfit, a short sword hung at his waist, its scabbard inlaid with a cyan gemstone.

His features were handsome and refined, but his eyes were as sharp as knife blades.

He came from a branch of the Han family. His spirit root aptitude wasn't considered top-tier, but his temperament and mental fortitude were excellent. Since childhood, he had been favored by the clan elders and heavily cultivated.

He had remained at the peak of Qi Condensation for three years not because he couldn't break through, but because he was suppressing his realm to polish his foundation.

The Patriarch had said that once Han Qing broke through to Foundation Establishment, he would be an invincible existence among his peers.

Han Feng, eighty-seven years old, peak of Foundation Establishment.

He had a slender figure and a pale, beardless face. Dressed in a moon-white robe, he held a folding fan in his hand. As the fan opened and closed, faint array patterns carved into its ribs could be seen.

He was a direct descendant of the Han family's main branch. Having cultivated the family's core technique since childhood, he had reached the peak of the Foundation Establishment realm at the age of eighty-seven. Even among the Four Great Families, he was considered top-tier.

His combat style was renowned for its speed. He drew his sword without a sound and sheathed it without a trace. Very few cultivators of the same realm could withstand three strikes from him.

The last person was Han Yue, one hundred and ninety years old, at the late stage of the Golden Core realm.

He had a burly, bear-like physique, and his large hands were as rough as tree bark.

Standing at the very back, he looked like an iron tower when he remained silent.

Han Yue was a famous martial arts fanatic within the Han family. He disliked political maneuvering, stayed away from women, and was obsessed with cultivation his entire life.

Being a late-stage Golden Core cultivator at one hundred and ninety wasn't considered the absolute pinnacle in the Han family, but his combat prowess far exceeded others at the same level.

His boxing style was bold and expansive, using absolute power to overwhelm all techniques. He had once shattered a high-grade defensive artifact with a single punch while only at the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm.

The Three Realms Martial Discussion also had its unwritten rules. Generally, Qi Condensation disciples had to be under thirty years old, Foundation Establishment disciples could not exceed one hundred, and Golden Core experts could not be over two hundred.

Two hundred years old sounded terrifying, but within the Golden Core realm, they were still considered the younger generation!

Han Tieyi looked at the three of them and said in a deep voice, You three are the strongest in the family within your respective age groups!

Han Qing, you have suppressed your foundation for three years just for today!

Han Feng, you reached the peak of Foundation Establishment at eighty-seven. No one in your generation within the clan can surpass you!

Han Yue, even the clan's peak Golden Core elders have to give your fists a wide berth!

The three straightened their backs, a gleam of pride flashing in their eyes.

But you must remember, Han Tieyi's voice grew heavier.

You are not just representing yourselves, you represent the Han family! A thousand years of foundation and the face of the family rest upon your shoulders.

That Tianyan Sect in Cangwu County is nothing but a small, newly established sect that just started taking in disciples. Even if their sect master is suspected to be a Soul Formation expert, so what?

It is not as if our Han family lacks Soul Formation Venerables! The Three Realms Martial Discussion does not compare the patriarchs, but the foundation of the younger generation! Do they have this foundation?

The corners of Han Qing's mouth curled up slightly, revealing a disdainful smile.

Rest assured, Eighth Elder. What kind of decent disciples could a small place like Cangwu County possibly produce? They would be lucky to find a single Qi Condensation disciple under thirty with the potential for Foundation Establishment. I have suppressed my foundation for three years, and they are the perfect targets for me to test my blade.

Han Feng closed his folding fan, tapping the ribs against his palm with a crisp sound.

Using an eighty-seven-year-old peak Foundation Establishment cultivator to fight them might make people say our Han family is bullying others, but...

He smiled, a hint of coldness in his expression. Once we step onto the arena, there is no such thing as bullying. I will let them know what a true gap in power looks like.

The late-stage Golden Core Han Yue did not speak. He simply clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking loudly.

Han Tieyi nodded in satisfaction and waved his large hand.

Good! With those words from you, I am at ease!

We set out immediately! To Qingyun Mountain!

Let those frogs at the bottom of the well witness the foundation of a top-tier noble family! Let them see what true geniuses are!

The three of them agreed in unison.

Three Realms Martial Discussion, complete victory in all three battles!

Flatten the Tianyan Sect!

Spread the prestige of our Han family!