Hearing Madam Yun suddenly say this, Shen Han was startled for a moment.
He hadn't expected that his matter of picking up medicine dregs had spread...
"Third Madam, I...indeed went to pick up medicine dregs...
Are they saying I'm disgracing the Shen Family?"
Shen Han could roughly guess what those people were saying, anyway, it shouldn't be anything good.
Especially after the Imperial Family arranged his marriage with Su Jinyu, the people in the mansion disliked him even more.
Privately, they said he was stealing his elder brother's lover.
This neglected member of the Shen Family was like the villain in those storybooks.
Always disturbing the protagonists' happy lives, making trouble for others, seeking discomfort.
But who ever thought from his perspective?
Shen Han looked up at Madam Yun in front of him, realizing that at least Madam Yun was thinking of him.
Hearing Shen Han's response, a trace of pain appeared on Madam Yun's face.
"The Seventh Miss spent a hundred taels on a fancy dress a few days ago.
The Third Young Master was pleased listening to music on the seventeenth of July, rewarding fifty taels of patterned silver with a wave of his hand.
Which of the young masters and misses in the Shen Mansion isn't one to spend lavishly?"
As Madam Yun spoke, she felt a rush of anger in her heart.
"Despite being a member of the Shen Family, why is it so hard for you, Han, to get a medicinal bath?"
Seeing Madam Yun so angry that her body trembled, Shen Han gently tugged at her hand.
"Third Madam, don't be upset, I have some good news to share."
As he spoke, Shen Han picked up a piece of stone from the ground, pinched it between his fingers, and it instantly crumbled into powder.
"Han, you are...?"
"Third Madam, you're not mistaken. Although it was picked-up medicine dregs, they were surprisingly effective. I am now a Ninth-Grade Martial Artist."
Madam Yun's eyes suddenly brightened, especially at the words "Ninth-Grade", which delighted her.
"Really? Truly Ninth-Grade?"
"Absolutely, I haven't been working these days, just diligently cultivating at home.
The Senior Sister Liu from Xiaoyao Peak even offered me some secret cultivation technique manuals; I will only get stronger."
In front of Madam Yun, Shen Han tried to say as many comforting words as possible so she wouldn't worry.
Moreover, only upon hearing such good news would Madam Yun's tightly knitted brows relax a bit.
"That Fairy Liu indeed is kind-hearted, and she's quite beautiful..."
As soon as she mentioned Liu Xilan, Madam Yun seemed to realize something inappropriate and stopped speaking.
"Han, you achieving this makes me truly happy, truly..."
Seeing Shen Han's considerable achievements on the Martial Path, Madam Yun felt relieved.
It was as if she saw Shen Han departing from the bitter confines of the Shen Family, living freely from then on; she felt glad for Shen Han.
"Han, let's work harder so they can see you're no less than anyone else.
That Su Jinyu, our Shen Han will marry her too!"
As Madam Yun said this, Shen Han stood by with a smile, echoing her words.
The two of them, like a mother and son, spoke happily, envisioning the future.
"Let me tell you, Han, later, don't forget your mother when you have a wife. If your wife ever has a conflict with me, you must take my side~"
As they spoke, the conversation naturally drifted to building a family and raising children.
Shen Han nodded to all of Madam Yun's requests with a smile on his face.
Inwardly, his determination was even stronger, vowing never to let the future be as poor.
"Oh, right, news came from the Su Family, originally set for August 20th, the wedding date has been postponed to December 15th...
They say Su Jinyu recently had some insights and needs to enter seclusion for comprehension.
The Imperial Family has also agreed to postpone the engagement..."
Shen Han was not surprised; such news was within his expectations.
The Shen and Su families could never agree for him to marry Su Jinyu.
And the Imperial Family actually has no intention of forcing Su Jinyu to marry Shen Han. What the Imperial Family wants is for the Shen and Su families to cede some interests, and they conveniently dissolve the engagement.
Postponing the wedding was inevitable.
"Third Madam, do you know what Su Jinyu's current strength is?"
Suddenly, Shen Han was a bit curious.
Bearing the title of genius, what level of strength should that entail?
Madam Yun hesitated for a moment but decided to tell the truth.
"The youngest daughter of the Su Family, seventeen years old this year, the same age as you, Han, two months older than you.
She held a sword from a young age, stepped into the Martial Path at age six, entered Ninth Grade at age seven, Eighth Grade at age ten, Seventh Grade at age thirteen.
Currently, she has stepped into the Sixth-Grade realm in the Martial Path..."
After speaking, Madam Yun kept her gaze on Shen Han, somewhat worried he would lose his fighting spirit upon hearing this.
Yet Shen Han remained calm, not feeling it was out of reach at all.
"Han, you don't need to set Su Jinyu as your goal. Those geniuses aren't for us to compete with.
Just cultivate well, aim for a life of freedom.
It's best to join the military, leaving the doors of the Shen Mansion, life should improve."
Nodding, not wanting Madam Yun to worry, Shen Han absorbed all her teachings.
After eating, Shen Han helped clean the dining utensils and let Madam Yun take them back.
After Madam Yun left, Shen Han continued his cultivation and improvement.
The time he spent seriously cultivating wasn't even a month and a half.
Being able to go from a novice to a Ninth-Grade Martial Artist, that kind of talent was already astonishing.
In the eyes of outsiders, it seemed Xiaoyao Peak accidentally helped him with bone tempering, giving him a stroke of luck.
But Shen Han knew it was the profound cultivation technique he held, coupled with the pill gifted by Senior Sister Liu Xilan, that brought such an improvement.
Such rapid progress indicated there was no issue with his cultivation methods before.
Sitting cross-legged in the room, he continued his dedicated cultivation.
After entering Ninth Grade, the cultivation of the "Mountain and River Body Refining Skill" became smoother.
Previously, there were occasional prickling pains, but now, discomfort rarely occurred.
The enhancement in physical strength was palpable.
Besides the basic cultivation improvement, Shen Han recently spent a lot of time visualizing the "Celestial Dao Sword Momentum" in his mind.
Sword techniques are primarily applicable to Martial Artists; sword cultivators follow the path of Martial Artists, then comprehend Sword Intent to become top-tier sword cultivators.
But this "Celestial Dao Sword Momentum" was fundamentally different from any sword techniques Shen Han had known.
Not to mention using it, even visualizing the sword techniques in his mind was extremely mentally taxing for Shen Han.
Using spiritual power to perform techniques, this was no mere sword technique.
Clearly, it was the path of scholars, cultivating spiritual power, techniques of Law and fortune.
Although it seemed strange, Shen Han had no intention of stopping.
After several visualizations, although his spiritual power was depleted, he could clearly feel the significant increase in his spiritual power's limit.
Moreover, those profound Sword Momentums in his mind made Shen Han look forward to the day when he could effortlessly wield them.
He cultivated for about two hours.
"Young Master Han, are you at home?"
Outside the house, a servant from the mansion called for him.
Shen Han opened the door and stepped out; he should be a servant from the second branch.