Chapter 492 - 488: The Path of the Secret Technique is Severed

Chapter 492: Chapter 488: The Path of the Secret Technique is Severed

A moment later, Fang Han opened his eyes and moved.

SWOOSH—

In the courtyard, the cyan-robed figure transformed into a barely perceptible streak of light.

There was no whistle of rushing air, no rustle of fluttering robes. Even his afterimages were too faint to see.

He was like a true wisp of wind, weaving silently between the bamboo grove and the courtyard walls.

His turns were seamless, and his movements were utterly silent.

Achieving the Minor Achievement Realm in the Sky-Splitting Sword Technique had elevated his Wind Realm.

In terms of his comprehension of the Wind Realm alone, he already met the requirements for the Minor Achievement Realm of the Wind God Step. All he lacked was a deeper understanding of the Body Technique itself.

Naturally, his training progressed at an incredible speed, as if he were strapped to a rocket.

’If it weren’t for that ten-day delay recovering from my injuries...’

A trace of regret flashed through Fang Han’s mind.

Given the rocket-like speed at which his Wind God Step was progressing, he figured it would have already reached the Minor Achievement Realm without the delay.

However, there were no ’what ifs’ on the path of the Martial Dao. A delay was a delay. The only thing he could do was redouble his efforts to make up for lost time.

He focused his mind, immersing himself completely in his Body Technique training.

Once, twice, three times—

His figure flickered back and forth across the courtyard, from the east wall to the west, from the edge of the bamboo grove to the door of his Quiet Chamber.

His Wind Realm and the principles of the Wind God Step continued to meld and fuse. The sensation of becoming one with the wind, of harmonizing with the world, grew ever stronger.

He could feel the barrier to the Minor Achievement Realm thinning until it was almost non-existent.

’Maybe tomorrow, or the day after, I’ll break through.’

’I’ll break through in a few days at most!’

Fang Han could clearly sense that only a thin membrane separated his Wind God Step from the Minor Achievement Realm.

A single moment of insight was all it would take to break through.

Even without a sudden epiphany, steady practice would get him there in a few days at most.

Dusk deepened, and the last vestiges of sunset were swallowed by the night.

The light in the courtyard faded. The dappled shadows of the bamboo grove blurred, then dissolved completely into the darkness.

Fang Han finally stopped, standing in the courtyard and catching his breath.

Beads of sweat dotted his forehead, and the back of his cyan robe was soaked through, clinging to his skin.

But his eyes were astonishingly bright.

’Time for dinner.’

He steadied his breath and turned toward the lit side hall.

His stomach was long empty. Four hours of Swordsmanship practice followed by over two hours of Body Technique drills was no small expenditure of energy.

"Senior Brother."

Qiu Lan had already set the table. When she saw Fang Han enter, she quickly bowed.

Fang Han nodded slightly, sat down at the table, picked up his chopsticks, and ate slowly.

After dinner, instead of returning to the Quiet Chamber to cultivate, he went to his bedroom and turned in early.

「The next day, at first light.」

Fang Han awoke from a deep sleep feeling refreshed and clear-headed, the accumulated fatigue from his recent days of cultivation completely gone.

He rose, washed his face, and changed into a clean cyan robe. Then, he sat cross-legged in an open area of the courtyard, consumed a Celestial Essence Pill, and began his daily Inner Qi Cultivation.

The Cyan Profound Technique began to circulate slowly. Cyan-gold Inner Qi coursed through his meridians, absorbing and refining the pure Medicinal Power of the Celestial Essence Pill.

More than two hours later, he slowly ceased his cultivation and opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing within them for an instant before vanishing.

’Time to visit the Library Pavilion.’

Fang Han stood up, straightened his robes, and fastened the Cloud Splitting Sword to his waist. He left his private courtyard and followed the stone path up the mountainside.

The morning sun filtered down. The grass and trees lining the mountain path were beaded with crystalline dew, which refracted the early light into tiny, glittering specks.

The disciples he passed along the way stopped to bow, and Fang Han acknowledged them with a slight nod, never breaking his stride.

Before long, the imposing silhouette of the Library Pavilion came into view.

Its upturned eaves and ornate brackets gave it an air of antiquity, and it seemed to glow with a gentle luster in the morning sun.

He stepped inside the pavilion and made his way up the familiar, winding wooden staircase.

His steps were steady, and he soon reached the fourth floor.

At the entrance to the fourth floor, the familiar figure of Elder Mo was leaning against a sandalwood desk, engrossed in an ancient scroll.

Sunlight streamed through the window lattice, casting a soft, warm golden hue on his graying hair and beard.

Hearing footsteps, he slowly looked up. When he saw it was Fang Han, a hint of warmth flickered in his world-weary eyes.

"Fang Han, you’re here."

Elder Mo set down the scroll, his voice aged but resonant.

"Elder Mo."

Fang Han stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

"What brings you here today?"

Elder Mo nodded, his gaze lingering on Fang Han for a moment. An almost imperceptible flicker of approval passed through his eyes.

Fang Han straightened up, met Elder Mo’s gaze, and spoke in a steady tone:

"Elder, I came today to ask if the Sect possesses any top-level Tracking Secret Techniques or Breath Concealment Secret Techniques."

Hearing this, Elder Mo slowly shook his head.

"Fang Han, the Sect is not known for its Secret Techniques."

His voice was level, yet tinged with a hint of regret.

"The best Secret Techniques in the Library Pavilion’s collection are merely Top Grade. We have none that are truly top-level."

He paused for a moment before continuing,

"If you wish to find High Grade Secret Techniques, I’m afraid you’ll have to look elsewhere."

Fang Han was silent.

’The Sect was the most likely place to find top-level Tracking and Breath Concealment Secret Techniques. If the Sect didn’t have any, getting them would be much more difficult.’

’From what I know, the Netherworld Pavilion excels in Secret Techniques. They must have top-level Tracking and Breath Concealment Secret Techniques in their collection.’

’But the Qingxuan Sect and the Netherworld Pavilion are like fire and water. The two have been fighting, both openly and in the shadows, for decades. Expecting the Netherworld Pavilion to simply hand over its treasured Secret Techniques is pure fantasy.’

"I understand."

Fang Han took a deep breath to suppress his disappointment and cupped his hands.

"Thank you for telling me, Elder."

Elder Mo gave a slight nod. Without another word, he picked up the scroll from the desk, his eyes returning to the text.

Fang Han turned and walked down the stairs.

The sound of his footsteps echoed softly in the empty pavilion, growing fainter as he descended.

As he stepped out of the Library Pavilion, the morning light washed over him.

Fang Han stood at the top of the steps, hands clasped behind his back, and gazed at the rolling mountains in the distance, silent for a moment.

’The Sect doesn’t have any top-level Tracking or Breath Concealment Secret Techniques. That’s a fact, and there’s no changing it.’

’And as for the Netherworld Pavilion... given my history with them, getting Secret Techniques from them is even more impossible.’

’The Treasure Map...’

A thought suddenly flashed through Fang Han’s mind.

’If the Ancient Ruins contained a Middle Grade Mental Swordsmanship, could the location marked on the Treasure Map also hide High Grade Secret Techniques?’

Once the idea took root, he couldn’t shake it.

’Once the Demon infestation in Qingyang County is dealt with, and once I’m strong enough to protect myself, I have to make a trip to Wangxi County. I’ll go to the spot marked on the Treasure Map and see for myself what’s hidden there.’

By the time he returned to Villa No. 35, the morning sun had completely flooded the stone-paved courtyard. The bamboo cast dappled shadows that rustled in the breeze.

Fang Han crossed the courtyard and came to a stop in the central clearing, his right hand falling to the hilt of his sword.

SHING—

The Cloud Splitting Sword slid from its scabbard. Its dark cyan blade seemed to drink in the morning light, shimmering with a subdued glow.

Without delay, he thrust his sword, the blade a blur of watery light.

The thrust was neither fast nor slow, yet it possessed a certain harmonious fluidity.

Wherever the sword tip passed, faint, almost imperceptible ripples spread through the air—ripples that were nevertheless a fraction more solid than the day before.

He performed the Sky-Splitting Sword Technique over and over, each strike more harmonious and fluid than the last.

The Transformations of the Sword Techniques, the circulation of his Inner Qi, the fusion of his Wind Realm and Sword Momentum—everything became clearer than ever before.

Fine beads of sweat broke out on his forehead, and the back of his cyan robe gradually grew damp, but his eyes only shone brighter.

Four hours slipped by in a flash of intersecting sword light.

Fang Han sheathed his sword and stood still, slowly letting out a breath. The faintest hint of a smile touched his lips.

At this rate, it wouldn’t be long before he reached the Mastery realm in the Sky-Splitting Sword Technique.

After lunch and a short rest, Fang Han returned to the Quiet Chamber.

From his robes, he produced a Jade Bottle. He uncorked it and tipped a dark-red, longan-sized Vajra Pill into his mouth.

The Elixir dissolved the moment it touched his tongue. A warm, immense Medicinal Power spread from his stomach, surging through his limbs and into every corner of his body.

’Xuanwu True Skill.’

Fang Han focused his mind. The qi and blood in his body stirred, beginning to circulate slowly according to the Cultivation Method of the Xuanwu True Skill.

His body twisted into a bizarre posture, his muscles tightening and his bones letting out soft CRACKING sounds.

The warm sensation rose from deep within his body, as if countless tiny hammers were pounding and tempering his very flesh.

The Medicinal Power of the Vajra Pill was refined strand by strand, fusing with his muscles, bones, and skin, making his already formidable body even tougher.

More than two hours later, Fang Han slowly concluded his practice. The bulging muscles across his body gradually relaxed, and his contorted posture returned to normal.

’This is worth several days of normal practice!’

Fang Han let out a soft breath and stretched his slightly sore limbs, feeling a sense of solidity and power throughout his body.

The effects of the Vajra Pill combined with the Xuanwu True Skill were truly remarkable.

This single session was worth at least several days of his previous training.

Pushing open the door to the Quiet Chamber, Fang Han walked to the center of the clearing and closed his eyes, centering himself.

The Heart Method of the Wind God Step flowed through his mind. The incantations, the Step Technique, the key to circulating Inner Qi—he knew them all by heart.

He opened his eyes, and his figure blurred into motion.

SWOOSH—

In the courtyard, the cyan-robed figure transformed into a barely perceptible streak of light, weaving silently between the bamboo grove and the courtyard walls.

His turns were seamless, his movements silent. He was like a true wisp of wind, free and graceful.

His Wind Realm permeated every minute detail of the Body Technique. His footwork grew lighter, his turns smoother.

The sensation of becoming one with the wind, of harmonizing with the world, grew ever stronger.

He executed the Wind God Step over and over, each execution more harmonious and fluid than the last.

The barrier to the Minor Achievement Realm was now so thin it was practically non-existent, as if a single errant step could break right through it.

The sun dipped westward, its light taking on a warm, golden hue.

Fang Han’s figure flickered back and forth across the courtyard, from the east wall to the west, from the edge of the bamboo grove to the door of his Quiet Chamber.

His speed grew ever faster, his movements more erratic. The feeling of ’becoming one with the wind’ intensified to its absolute peak.

Then, in a certain moment—

HUMMM...

A soft hum, audible only to him, resonated from deep within his body.

In the next instant, his understanding of the Wind God Step underwent a qualitative leap. The movements that had once required conscious effort now came to him as easily as breathing.

The enhanced Wind Realm he had gained from achieving Minor Achievement in the Sky-Splitting Sword Technique had finally, perfectly integrated with his Body Technique.

His speed exploded.

He was moving so fast he couldn’t even react to his own speed.

He had been several yards from the courtyard wall, but this sudden burst of speed sent his body flying like a cyan lightning bolt, straight into it.