Chapter 178: Chapter 177: 32x Swordsmanship Talent Amplification
The next morning, as the sky began to lighten, Fang Han settled his bill, left the inn, and resumed his journey.
By afternoon, the familiar, majestic silhouette of Qingxuan Mountain was visible on the distant horizon.
The mountain range stretched on and on, its highest peak piercing the clouds with breathtaking grandeur.
Instead of returning directly to the Sect’s gates, he changed direction and headed toward Qingxuan City at the foot of the mountain.
Qingxuan City was as bustling and noisy as ever, with carriages coming and going and crowds weaving through the streets.
After entering the city, he walked into a Money Shop called Huitong Bank. The Shopkeeper behind the counter saw Fang Han’s calm demeanor and the Qingxuan Sect Disciple’s Robe he wore, and not daring to show any disrespect, he quickly rose to greet him.
"Young Master, how may I help you?"
Fang Han took a stack of silver notes from his robes and said calmly, "Shopkeeper, I’d like to exchange these twenty thousand taels of silver notes for gold."
"Twenty thousand taels?"
A flicker of surprise crossed the Shopkeeper’s eyes. Such a large exchange was not a common occurrence.
He carefully inspected the authenticity and amount of the silver notes. After confirming everything was in order, his smile grew even wider.
"Please wait a moment, Young Master. The amount is quite large, so I’ll need to retrieve it from the vault. Please, come to the inner room and have some tea while you wait."
Fang Han nodded slightly and followed the Shopkeeper into the inner room.
About the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a clerk came in carrying a heavy cloth bag. He opened it to reveal glistening gold ingots that shimmered brilliantly in the light.
Fang Han inspected the purity and weight. After confirming there were no issues, he put the gold ingots back in the bag and left Huitong Bank.
He then did the same at three other Money Shops, exchanging twenty thousand taels of silver notes for gold at each one.
He chose not to exchange it all at once, instead splitting the sum among four Money Shops to avoid attracting unwanted attention and becoming a target.
And it worked; he wasn’t followed or confronted with any other trouble.
Of course, it was also possible that his Qingxuan Sect Disciple’s Robe had a deterrent effect. After all, this was the territory of the Qingxuan Sect.
Carrying the cloth bag full of gold, Fang Han didn’t linger. He quickly left Qingxuan City and headed for the gates of the Qingxuan Sect.
The towering mountain gates came into view. After a Mountain Guard Disciple inspected his Identity Jade Token, he was allowed to pass.
Fang Han strode quickly up the familiar stone steps, heading straight back to Room C-7 in the Sub-Branch.
He pushed open the door and was met with the faint smell of dust. He had been gone for over half a month, and a thin layer of gray had settled on the table, chairs, and bed.
He put down his travel bag and the wooden box, then called over a servant who was cleaning nearby.
"Clean this room thoroughly."
"Yes, Senior Brother Fang Han!"
The servant recognized Fang Han and didn’t dare to be slow. He quickly grabbed his tools and began cleaning with brisk, efficient movements.
Fang Han, meanwhile, set down the bag of gold and stood by the window, gazing at the familiar scenery outside as he waited.
After the servant finished cleaning and respectfully withdrew, Fang Han latched the door and double-checked the windows to make sure they were secure.
He walked to the center of the room and, with a thought, summoned the system panel.
A translucent screen of light silently unfolded, displaying the data clearly:
[Host: Fang Han]
[Root Bone Talent Amplification: 32x (Level 6 Amplification requires 1,000,000 silver)]
[Swordsmanship Talent Amplification: 16x (Level 5 Amplification requires 100,000 silver)]
[Stepping Talent Amplification: 16x (Level 5 Amplification requires 100,000 silver)]
[Wealth: 27,512 silver]
His gaze fell on the "Wealth" section, a hint of anticipation in his eyes.
’Deposit.’
He reached out to touch the gold, focusing his mind on the bag.
WHOOSH!
The gold in the bag vanished instantly.
The wealth value on the panel began to jump rapidly.
[Wealth: 47,512 silver]
[Wealth: 67,512 silver]
[Wealth: 87,512 silver]
...
Finally, the number settled at a new high:
[Wealth: 107,512 silver]
One hundred seven thousand, five hundred twelve taels!
His wealth had once again broken the one-hundred-thousand-tael mark. He could now afford another Level 5 Amplification for one of his talents.
’Swordsmanship Talent and Stepping Talent...’
Fang Han’s gaze grew intense as his eyes slowly swept between the[Swordsmanship Talent Amplification]and[Stepping Talent Amplification]sections.
In terms of practical combat importance, a Step Technique was a matter of life and death, governing mobility, and was in no way inferior to Swordsmanship.
However, there was a very practical issue at hand. The Sect’s resource allocation, especially the monthly Contribution Points reward, was determined by the rankings on the Martial Arts Stele.
And the Martial Arts Stele tested one thing: Power of Attack!
Improving his Swordsmanship Talent would undoubtedly be the most direct and effective way to increase his Attack Power, allowing him to achieve a higher rank on the Martial Arts Stele and earn more Contribution Points.
More Contribution Points meant he could exchange them for more resources, accelerate his Cultivation, and create a virtuous cycle.
’At this stage, upgrading my Swordsmanship Talent offers a greater return.’
Fang Han quickly made his decision.
He focused his consciousness on the "Level 5 Amplification requires 100,000 silver" option next to[Swordsmanship Talent Amplification]and recited inwardly.
’Activate!’
In an instant, the wealth value on the panel plummeted by one hundred thousand!
[Wealth: 7,512 silver]
The text in the[Swordsmanship Talent Amplification]section blurred for a moment before becoming clear again:
[Swordsmanship Talent Amplification: 32x (Level 6 Amplification requires 1,000,000 silver)]
The 32x Swordsmanship Talent Amplification was active!
There were no world-shaking phenomena. Clearly, this amplification was like an amplifier, its effects only manifesting when he was cultivating his Swordsmanship.
’Time to test it out!’
Fang Han eagerly picked up his Cyan Blade Sword, pushed the door open, and went to the forest clearing where he usually practiced.
The clearing was quiet. The early spring sunlight filtered through the bare branches, casting dappled shadows on the ground.
He took a deep breath, cleared his mind, and his Cyan Blade Sword shot out of its sheath!
SWISH! SWISH! SWISH—
As the blade flashed, he naturally began to execute the Wind-Splitting Swordsmanship.
The moment he started practicing, Fang Han immediately felt the astonishing effects of the 32x amplification.
His comprehension of the "Wind Momentum" deepened rapidly. As the sword whistled through the air, the intent to tear everything apart grew more focused, as if the very air around the blade was trembling and wailing.
His Swordsmanship had already reached the Great Success Realm, and his progress had slowed to a crawl. Yet now, as he practiced, he could clearly perceive subtle flaws he had previously overlooked and quickly find ways to correct them.
His cultivation efficiency hadn’t just doubled—it was many times greater!
’At this rate, my Wind-Splitting Swordsmanship will reach Perfection in half a month at most!’
Fang Han sheathed his sword and stood tall, a brilliant light erupting in his eyes.
Based on his current rate of comprehension, he was absolutely confident he could bring this Middle Grade Sword Technique to the Realm of Perfection within half a month.
However, along with his joy, a new worry surfaced.
’Once the Wind-Splitting Swordsmanship reaches Perfection, I’ll need to cultivate a Top Grade Sword Technique to keep improving... and the Contribution Points required to exchange for a Top Grade Sword Technique is no small number.’
He frowned slightly.
For Sect Martial Arts, the difference in Contribution Points required for Low, Middle, and Top Grade techniques was enormous.
A Middle Grade Sword Technique only cost around one hundred Contribution Points, but a Top Grade Sword Technique could easily cost over a thousand!
His Identity Jade Token currently held just over one hundred Contribution Points, a far cry from what he needed for a Top Grade Sword Technique.
’Even with this month’s ranking reward, it won’t be enough. It seems I’ll have to find a way to earn more Contribution Points before my Swordsmanship reaches Perfection!’ he thought.
After he finished cultivating, Fang Han returned to his room. He quickly wiped the sweat from his body and had just changed into a clean set of clothes when he heard hurried footsteps and a familiar voice outside.
"Fang Han! Fang Han, are you in there?"
It was Xiao Chen’s voice.
Fang Han opened the door to see Xiao Chen standing outside with an urgent expression.
"Fang Han, Li Feng’s Cultivation broke through to the Late Stage of Eighth Grade! He just tested himself at the Martial Arts Stele, and his rank has surpassed yours. He’s back in second place!"
Xiao Chen spoke quickly upon seeing Fang Han, his rapid speech tinged with anxiety.
"Tomorrow is the day they distribute Contribution Points after the new year holiday. If you don’t want to be stuck with the third-place reward, you have to go retest at the Martial Arts Stele right away!"
"It’s a good thing you reminded me. Otherwise, I might have really forgotten!"
Fang Han was slightly taken aback by the news.
If Xiao Chen hadn’t come to remind him, lost in the thrill of his enhanced Swordsmanship Talent, he probably would have forgotten to retest at the Martial Arts Stele.
"Let’s go," Xiao Chen said teasingly. "Time to see something amazing."
He had already heard the rumors that Fang Han’s Cultivation had broken through to Seventh Grade, so he wasn’t just expecting Fang Han to surpass Li Feng again—he was hoping Fang Han would go even further and take first place.
"Alright."
Fang Han and Xiao Chen headed toward the plaza where the Martial Arts Stele was located.
Along the way, they encountered many disciples who looked at Fang Han with complicated expressions and whispered among themselves.
"Fang Han is back?"
"Li Feng broke through to the Late Stage of Eighth Grade and retook second place. I’m afraid Fang Han will have to settle for third."
"Third place is still incredible..."
Fang Han heard their discussions but his expression remained unchanged.
Xiao Chen pouted, looking unconvinced, but seeing that Fang Han didn’t seem to care, he didn’t say anything more.
The two walked at a brisk pace and soon arrived at the plaza.
The massive Martial Arts Stele stood in the center of the plaza, its surface glowing with a soft luster under the winter sun.
There were quite a few disciples in the plaza at the moment, all there to test their progress. When Fang Han arrived, many eyes turned toward him.
Fang Han ignored the surrounding stares and walked straight to a spot about ten feet from the Martial Arts Stele, where he stopped.
Xiao Chen automatically stepped to the side, holding his breath as he watched Fang Han with a burning gaze.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Fang Han slowly closed his eyes, regulated his breathing, and calmed his mind.
A few breaths later, his eyes snapped open!
CLANG!
The Cyan Blade Sword flew from its sheath with a clear, resonant ring.
At the same time, a surge of Inner Qi—far more powerful and profound than that of any Eighth Grade Martial Artist—erupted from his body without reservation.
With seven acupoints open, his Inner Qi surged like a mighty river!
"Seventh Grade! It’s the Seventh Grade Inner Qi Realm!"
"My heavens! Fang Han... he broke through to Seventh Grade?!"
Feeling this completely different and tyrannical aura, the crowd of disciples erupted in cries of disbelief. Many of their eyes went wide, their faces filled with shock and astonishment.
One year! In just one year since joining the sect, he had gone from the Early Stage of Ninth Grade all the way to Seventh Grade!
What kind of terrifying cultivation speed was this?!
Even Xiao Chen, who had already heard that Fang Han had broken through to Seventh Grade, couldn’t help but feel his heart pound violently as he felt the powerful aura of the Seventh Grade Realm. He clenched his fists in excitement.
