Today, the morning was a bit special — it snowed. As the white motes fell from the sky and children looked up in wonder and joy, in the center of the village, where the white flag was usually raised every month, stood two people.

It was none other than Liyue and Han Li. The place was rather empty today and there was no hubbub or audience, just them both, waiting. Liyue's nerves were taught and she was in a bit of a panic, but Han Li's hands rested on her back, making her more confident.

"Ah! Really! Finally, it was damn time the snow came and you guys had to pick this exact day to take the test? Bloody…" Said a voice from the side, which suddenly grew silent.

Han Li looked sideways and frowned inwardly. The person overseeing the test was Li Ming. Coming to the flag area after reporting it to an Evolved was the way of inner circle testing. He had already gone in the morning to meet the iron-masked Fang Li and was told to wait here for the test taker to come.

Silently walking in front of them, Li Ming looked at them with wide eyes and pointing fingers. "You…You…!"

Han Li calmly said, "She is here to take the test. I am not."

Li Ming's heart pained slightly. In front of him was a woman he was supposed to marry, with another man. But more than that, a man he had affection for.

Eyes twitching. Han Li glared at him with his piercing red eyes. "Are you the one here to oversee the process?"

Li Ming pushed down his building anger and nodded. He was someone trained from a young age. Someone believed to have the talent to reach Evolution safely; his mind was quite different from ordinary people.

He nevertheless glared at the woman, his emotion once again stirring.

The Shan Liyue in front of him didn't exactly look like the woman he was supposed to marry some days ago. The current her was like a spear. Silent and ready to move at a word. She wasn't exactly the most beautiful out there but her long black hair and night-like black eyes even made someone like him — who had come to know of his own liking for men — notice it.

She even seemed to have gained some confidence in her brows.

Liyue looked back at him with an awkward face. Still, she tried as hard as she could not to look down at the ground. Han Li had told her not to look down like that.

Feeling the man's gaze was about to move into improper areas of his woman, Han Li said lightly, "We should start the test if you are the overseer."

Li Ming cleared his head and once again turned to look at Han Li. He had somehow become much more handsome than some days ago. His neck had slight curves and he seemed somehow more manly overall.

How cool! How handsome! Look at those eyes, I almost want to kiss him. Thought Li Ming as he finally nodded and looked at the big flagpole to the side.

"Brother Han, please don't misunderstand me. I was just shocked that you were the one who married Liyue. No wonder, I don't even feel defeated if it's you!"

Han Li just pointed his gaze at the flagpole, his eyes calm.

Smiling wryly, Li Ming put the subject to the back of his head and became a businessman. Just like he had some days ago when he willingly let go of Liyue for the money Pang Li had given him.

"So, to pass the Inner Circle test is very simple for capable people. The flagpole here is the bone of an Ice Bear Transformation Cultivator who was at the Power Birth Stage. All three clan heads joined to kill that Demon years ago and these bones were left behind. Each clan's flagpole is a part of his body."

Liyue was relieved she had less attention on her than she expected and looked at the flagpole. 'What do I do to it?' she wondered. Not surprised that it was human bones in front of her. Some Transformation Type Cultivators could grow in size and a big bone like this was not really too unbelievable.

"What you have to do is, hold on to it and and don't take your hands off for 30 counts. Don't worry, it is not harmful and the part put to test is your mind."

Han Li gave her a slight push and she reached near the flagpole. She could already feel a slight coldness emanating from it. Nodding, Li Ming looked at him curiously. "Yes, as long as she can stay like that for thirty counts, I will add her as an inner sect disciple."

In her mind, it was basically impossible for her to win. After all, people much better than her had failed at it. How was she supposed to win? But Han Li had told her he would make her win and she hadn't seen a reason not to trust his words till today.

Han Li on the other hand was calm as he pondered. In one way, the fact that the overseer was this kid was a small blessing in disguise. "As long as she stays like that for 30 counts, she wins, right?" he asked meaningfully.

Nodding, Li Ming looked at him curiously. "Yes, as long as she can stay like that for thirty counts, I will add her as an inner sect disciple."

Liyue gently put her hands on the pole and as the coldness spread in her palms, held on.

It was as if her soul was freezing. An extreme coldness started to penetrate her hands and into her brain, making her feel frozen.

1, 2, 3, 4… 7, 12, 13, 14....

Liyue was almost at her limits and she felt as if her hands were tearing apart.

Han Li smiled and taking an Earthen yellow fruit the size of a berry from his sleeve, fed it to her mouth. She swallowed it instinctively and her body started to feel lighter and warmer but at the same time, heavier.

Earth Root Berry. A magical resource of the Earth Dao that makes a person's endurance like that of a bull after being eaten. It wouldn't have helped her here had she eaten it earlier but since the sudden warmth calmed her down, the seconds passed as she endured.

20, 25, 27, 30!

Liyue held on for some seconds more just in case and was then forced back with heavy and pained breaths. Li Ming nodded from the side while Han Li supported her.

This was a hidden method but not something against the law. As long as someone knew it, they were allowed to take advantage of this flaw, but almost no one knew the weakness of the iron bars — knowing that and having a magical resource alone was proof of someone's worth.

He didn't even mind how Han Li got another magical resource, as long as someone can get it, he can have it. just that no open transactions were allowed outside the clan.

"You pass. Now Shan Liyue can visit the library's higher floor to read more valuable books and also buy magical resources from there. But you have to tell me how you know about the flagpole's weakness. And you are also to keep silent about it."

Han Li nodded calmly, his eyes shining.

"I was eating the magical resource you gave me some days ago and as it melted inside me, the cold surrounding me vanished. Then I thought about this trial and had a feeling this would work."

Nodding thoughtfully. Li Ming took a wooden medallion from his sleeves and gave it to Han Li. "This is carved with one of our Evolution Stage cultivators. Don't lose it."

Han Li nodded but Li Ming didn't let go of the medallion yet. "And Brother Han, I don't mind you having a relationship with women."

Irritation building up. Han Li took the medallion and with a sigh, walked away with the faint-headed Liyue in tow. Had it been a safe place, that kid's head would have rolled today for being too weak and too irritating.

But he was someone usable. A pawn in the making if he actually Evolves.

Taking Liyue on his back, he chuckled as he walked away. Some day, someday he will have such power again. Where he could go on murder sprees whenever he felt like it.

Behind his back, Liyue was feeling a situation of cold and warmth all over her body and was feeling drowsy. So she gently laid on his back and with a smile, Han Li headed to the library of the inner circle. Only people with a medallion were allowed to buy a magical resource and he could buy one there.

Liyue asked, feeling a sense of surreality, "Big Brother Han… did I become an inner circle member?"

"Yes, you became one."

"So..So I am also one of those young people said to have a chance at Evolving now?" she asked hesitantly, her voice filled with disbelief.

Han Li shook his head inside. 'Minor achievements that can't even be called an achievement.'

But still, he smiled, somehow, this girl made him calm down slightly.

Maybe because of her slight resemblance to Yue Li or maybe he was just becoming less wary of people in general and loosening his hold over himself.

"So…So, I and Li Ming are now equals?" she asked, her hands wrapped around his neck.

"No, that Li Ming kid will kill you in one blow. His body is top-notch in every angle and by his posture, he should also have 'High' proficiency at either a war blade or a Saber. Take either of them and add his experience to the mix. My little fiancee doesn't stand a chance."

Liyue blinked. Feeling embarrassed, but then realized she was literally on his back. She blushed fiercely and tried to calm down. Big Brother Han had already touched me down there and we're going to become husband and wife. I don't have to be shy!

Soon, they reached a small building. Entering inside, Han Li smirked as he saw an old man with flaring nostrils. "Old Man Book, you are as energetic as ever, I see?"

The old man looked up from the scroll in his hands and looked at Han Li. "Oh, Han Li?" The old man blinked tiredly. "What book do you need this time?"

"I don't need books. I need a Fire Burst Fruit and Air Soft Berries. I have 3700 sacred coins at hand. Give me as much as you can!"

That was the whole coin savings Pang Li left behind added with his own. Now, he was officially broke.

Of course, he still had a stall in the outer circle which he could run or sell. And with Liyue's medallion, they could even move to the richer part of Starlight Zone if they wanted to.

Old Man Book looked at him with wide eyes and then sighed. "What a lucky man you are to marry a useful wife. Mine was so useless when it lived. Ugh, bad experience, bad experience!" He cursed and went behind a curtain to take the said resources.

Luckily, everything mentioned was in stock.