Chapter 486 - 482: Handing it Over to the Sect

Chapter 486: Chapter 482: Handing it Over to the Sect

"A Middle Grade Mental Swordsmanship?"

Chen Wanjun’s head snapped up, his eyes, as bright as morning stars, filled with utter disbelief.

As a well-traveled and knowledgeable First Grade Martial Artist, he naturally knew that Grandmaster Techniques were also known as Mental Techniques.

He understood even more clearly just how precious a Middle Grade Mental Swordsmanship was.

A Middle Grade Mental Swordsmanship?

That was a type of Martial Arts that only the absolute best among top-level influences and Overlord-level Influences were qualified to possess!

Across the entire Qingxuan Sect, and even among all Seven Sects of Qingyang County, the Grandmaster-Level Martial Arts treasured in their Library Pavilions were nothing more than Low Grade Realm Martial Arts.

And yet, Fang Han had actually obtained a Middle Grade Mental Swordsmanship as a reward from the Ancient Ruins. The sheer wealth of the rewards from those ruins was far beyond his expectations.

"You actually obtained a Middle Grade Mental Swordsmanship?"

Chen Tianyuan’s fingers froze on the armrest.

He and Chen Wanjun had long suspected why the Thunderlight Pavilion and the Red Flame Sect would take such a desperate risk. It must have been because they coveted the treasures Fang Han had acquired in the ruins.

It was impossible for the Sect not to be tempted by the treasures Fang Han had obtained.

However, with Fang Han’s talent, it was highly likely he would become a Grandmaster in time.

If the Sect were to forcibly demand the treasures, it would only create a rift with Fang Han, and the loss would outweigh the gain.

Therefore, he had no intention of asking.

But he never expected Fang Han to voluntarily hand over his gains from the Ancient Ruins. Moreover, what he turned in was so precious—a Middle Grade Realm Cultivation Technique that even the Qingxuan Sect could not afford.

"Fang Han."

Chen Tianyuan spoke slowly, his voice laced with a barely concealed tremor.

"Do you know the value of this Swordsmanship?"

"I do," Fang Han replied, meeting Chen Tianyuan’s gaze with a calm expression.

He knew.

Of course he knew.

Given how precious Realm Cultivation Techniques were, if a Middle Grade Mental Swordsmanship manual were to be made public, it would be enough to drive the top-level influences of Qingyang County, and even several surrounding counties, into a frenzy.

Still, he had chosen to hand it over.

He had obtained a total of four treasures in the Ancient Ruins: the Storage Ring, the Wind Shocking Sword, the Treasure Map, and this manual, the "Void Wind God Sword."

The ring and the sword were useful to him, and the potential wealth from the Treasure Map was needed for his system panel. Only this Swordsmanship was something he could offer back to the Sect.

Ever since he joined the Qingxuan Sect, he had never been shorted on resources, Cultivation Techniques, or protection.

Especially this time. If the Supreme Elder hadn’t personally intervened to stop the pursuers from the Thunderlight Pavilion, he wouldn’t have just lost these four treasures—he might have lost his life in Donglu County.

He had etched this debt of gratitude into his heart.

It was time to repay the Sect.

"Good. It was thoughtful of you."

Chen Tianyuan looked at Fang Han, at his sincere and tranquil eyes. After a long moment, a smile graced his lips.

The smile held relief, sentimentality, and most of all, a deep, heartfelt admiration.

He reached out and took the dark brown Beast Hide Booklet.

It was slightly heavy in his hand. On the cover, the four large words in ancient seal script—"Void Wind God Sword"—gleamed faintly in the afternoon sun.

He opened the cover, his gaze sweeping over the line of text on the title page that described the grading system for Mental Realm Martial Arts, then flipped a few more pages.

The archaic and profound sword techniques, the impossibly complex diagrams of the sword forms, all came into view.

The moment he saw the words and diagrams, his breathing grew slightly heavier.

This was indeed a Middle Grade Mental Swordsmanship.

It was even a cut above the swordsmanship he had once seen an elder from an Overlord-level influence use.

There were differences even among Mid-grade Realm Martial Arts, and this was clearly a technique that could be considered top-level even within that category.

He slowly closed the booklet and looked up, his gaze falling upon Fang Han.

"Fang Han."

His voice was solemn, carrying a rare gravity.

"The ’Void Wind God Sword’ you have submitted is unquestionably a Middle Grade Mental Swordsmanship. The value of this technique is of extraordinary significance to our Qingxuan Sect."

He paused before continuing.

"The Sect has always been clear in its rewards and punishments. Since you have performed such a great service, the Sect will naturally not treat you unfairly."

His fingers tapped twice on the booklet’s cover, as if he were deliberating.

"First, you are awarded six great merits," he announced slowly and clearly.

"Second, your Fang Family is awarded three top-level Cultivation Techniques and ten Top Grade Cultivation Techniques."

Fang Han’s pupils contracted slightly.

’I originally thought the Sect would grant two great merits at most as a reward. I never expected the reward to be three times that amount—a full six great merits.’

"Furthermore—"

Chen Tianyuan’s voice rang out again.

"You may come to the Library Pavilion to study and practice this ’Void Wind God Sword’ at any time."

"I thank you, Sect Leader. I thank the Sect."

Fang Han took a deep breath, suppressed the turmoil in his heart, and bowed solemnly.

Chen Tianyuan nodded slightly, his gaze resting on Fang Han. His gentle eyes were practically overflowing with gratification.

He carefully put away the "Void Wind God Sword," lifted his teacup for a small sip, the look of satisfaction still lingering on his brow.

Fang Han sat back down in the pearwood chair.

Six great merits.

That was enough merit to exchange for six Grandmaster Techniques or other equally precious resources. Their value went without saying.

As for the three top-level and ten Top Grade Cultivation Techniques awarded to the Fang Family, they were more than enough to elevate the family from a clan in a small, remote city into a Martial Dao family with a deep foundation in Qingyang County.

This reward was truly substantial.

"Sect Leader."

Chen Wanjun, sitting beside Fang Han, turned his gaze to Chen Tianyuan, his expression becoming grave. "On our return journey, we discovered Demon attacks in many villages and towns within the county."

He paused, then recounted everything they had seen along the way.

Chen Tianyuan listened quietly, the look of satisfaction on his face gradually fading, replaced by a deep solemnity.

"It’s not just what you saw."

After Chen Wanjun finished, Chen Tianyuan finally spoke, his voice low.

"Over the past few days, urgent reports have come in from every city in the county. Demon attacks on villages and towns are now occurring all over Qingyang County. The scope of it is wider than anything seen in the last hundred years."

Fang Han’s brow furrowed slightly.

’There must be some deeper reason behind it.’

"Sect Leader."

Fang Han looked up to meet Chen Tianyuan’s gaze.

"Has the Sect determined the cause of this Demon mobilization?"

"According to the Sect’s multi-pronged investigations," Chen Tianyuan began, his voice heavy, "this Demon mobilization is very likely related to the Grandmaster-level Demon that escaped from the Cloud Mist Mountain Range."

As soon as he said this, a brief silence fell over the hall.

Fang Han’s pupils contracted slightly.

The Grandmaster-level Demon from the Cloud Mist Mountain Range.

Of course he remembered.

During the Demon Hunting operation at the beginning of the year, the Seven Sects and the County Army had ventured deep into the Cloud Mist Mountain Range to exterminate Demons, only to be ambushed at night, suffering heavy casualties.

And behind it all, it was highly likely that a Grandmaster-level Demon had been pulling the strings.

He never imagined that, after several months, its name would be brought up again.

He spoke, a hint of confusion in his voice.

"There is something I don’t understand."

Chen Tianyuan turned, his gaze falling on Fang Han.

"The Supreme Elders of the Seven Sects once joined forces to enter the mountains and lay siege to that Grandmaster-level Demon."

Fang Han met Chen Tianyuan’s gaze, his speech steady.

"With seven Grandmasters joining forces to besiege a single Grandmaster-level Demon, it shouldn’t have been difficult, logically speaking. So why... was this Grandmaster-level Demon able to escape?"

"With the Seven Sects’ Grandmasters joining forces, besieging a Grandmaster-level Demon is indeed not difficult," Chen Tianyuan said slowly, a rare note of helplessness in his voice.

"But that Demon is extremely cunning."

"It seemed to have sensed the danger in advance. Before the seven Grandmasters even arrived at the Cloud Mist Mountain Range, it had already fled the area, its whereabouts unknown."

Fang Han fell silent.

’Sensing danger ahead of time and escaping before seven Grandmasters could surround it—such keen intuition truly is cunning.’

’In terms of intelligence, it’s probably no less than a human’s. No wonder they once dominated this land in the distant past.’

A powerful Demon isn’t scary. What’s scary is a Demon that is both powerful and intelligent.

He pondered for a moment before asking again.

"After the Demon escaped, didn’t the Seven Sects try to track it?"

"Of course they tried."

Chen Tianyuan shook his head slightly, a hint of regret in his voice.

"Each of the Seven Sects dispatched Elders skilled in Tracking to follow the Demon’s residual aura. But the creature was exceptionally good at concealing its presence, leaving behind very few traces."

He paused, then continued.

"The pursuit lasted for a month, but in the end, all the trackers failed. They couldn’t find a single trace of the Demon."

At this point, Chen Tianyuan sighed softly.

"Since then, there has been no news of the Grandmaster-level Demon. Although the Seven Sects remain vigilant, they could only shelve the matter for the time being."

Silence fell upon the hall once more.

Fang Han lowered his eyes, his mind racing.

’Cunning, and also skilled at concealing its aura, enough to evade the perception of the Seven Sects’ tracking experts—that Grandmaster-level Demon is even more troublesome than I imagined.’

"Sect Leader."

Just then, Chen Wanjun suddenly spoke up.

His voice was steady, yet it carried an imperceptible gravity.

"Speaking of Tracking, there is something I believe the Sect Leader should know."

Chen Tianyuan turned his head slightly, his gaze falling on Chen Wanjun.

"On the way back from Donglu County this time," Chen Wanjun said slowly, "the Supreme Elder secretly intervened to stop the pursuers from Thunderlight Pavilion for us."

Chen Tianyuan nodded slightly. Chen Wanjun had already reported this to him, so he was aware of the matter.

"You know of the Supreme Elder’s breath concealment methods," Chen Wanjun continued.

"A Grandmaster Powerhouse, even without practicing an advanced Breath Concealment Secret Technique, can restrain their aura to the absolute limit just through control over their own body. An ordinary First Grade Martial Artist would have no way of detecting it."

He paused, his gaze turning to Fang Han.

"But Fang Han... detected it."

"Fang Han?"

Chen Tianyuan’s brow twitched slightly.

He turned to Fang Han, a flash of surprise in his gentle eyes.

"You detected the Supreme Elder’s aura?"

Fang Han nodded, his voice steady. "Yes, Sect Leader."

"The Tracking Secret Technique I practice happened to have a breakthrough at that time. My perception range expanded and its precision increased, which is how I fortunately managed to detect the Supreme Elder’s aura."