Chapter 335 - 332: News of the Howling Moon Spirit Deer’s Antler
Chapter 335: Chapter 332: News of the Howling Moon Spirit Deer’s Antler
"Since you put it that way, Senior Brother Fang, then we won’t hold back!"
The words had barely faded when the five of them erupted with power. Blades were drawn and fists flew as they attacked Fang Han from all sides.
Though they were only new disciples, their teamwork was flawless. Their assault was surprisingly fierce, drawing gasps of alarm from the crowd below.
Yet, faced with their combined assault, Fang Han remained motionless. Only when their attacks were about to land did he subtly sidestep and shift his position.
His movements seemed slow, yet they were executed with such perfection that he dodged every single attack by a hair’s breadth.
Their attacks hit nothing but air. Aghast, they changed tactics and attacked again, only for Fang Han to evade them with ease once more.
After several dozen exchanges, Fang Han had gauged their strength. He flicked his fingers.
THWACK, THWACK, THWACK, THWACK, THWACK!
Five barely perceptible streams of Qi Force shot out, striking faster than the eye could follow. They precisely hit each of the five on their wrists or joints.
A numbing sensation shot through their arms. Their weapons clattered to the ground, their assault instantly fell apart, and they staggered backward.
The entire arena fell silent!
Most of the disciples hadn’t even seen Fang Han make a move before the five top-level new disciples from Hai Courtyard were defeated.
Zhao Lie and the other four steadied themselves. They stared at Fang Han, whose breathing was perfectly even, their faces masks of utter disbelief and shock.
They had thought that by joining forces, the five of them might cause Fang Han at least a little trouble. The reality, however, was that even with all five of them working together, they couldn’t trouble him in the slightest.
They finally understood, firsthand, the immense gap between themselves and a true Celestial Pride!
"Thank you for the guidance, Senior Brother Fang!"
The five took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in their hearts. They bowed in unison, completely and utterly convinced of his superiority.
After a moment of silence, the crowd below erupted into even more fervent cheers.
Fang Han gave a slight nod. His gaze swept over the five as he said in a deep voice,
"Victory and defeat are temporary. Find your path, cultivate diligently, and in the future, your names might just appear on the Celestial Pride List."
His words struck them like a heavy mallet. The five had been dejected ever since their poor performance in the Seven Sects’ tournament, and his encouragement hit home.
As they looked at Fang Han, the flame of their fighting spirit reignited in their eyes.
Watching this unfold, Xu Jing breathed a silent sigh of relief. ’The goal of inviting Fang Han to teach today has been achieved,’ he thought.
After the class, Fang Han politely declined Xu Jing’s banquet invitation and returned directly to the True Inheritance Courtyard.
To him, this was a trivial matter.
In the days that followed, he once again threw himself into intense Cultivation.
...
In the courtyard, the afterglow of the setting sun stretched Fang Han’s shadow long across the bluestone slabs.
He was holding an extremely bizarre posture. His body was twisted at an angle difficult for an ordinary person to even imagine. He stood on one foot, the other leg coiled up, while his arms—one high, one low—seemed to embrace an invisible sphere.
Every muscle in his body was tensed. Veins writhed faintly beneath his skin, and the sound of his blood and qi rushing through him was barely audible.
This posture corresponded with the complex circulation route of Inner Qi required by the Xuanwu True Skill.
His Inner Qi, as dense and heavy as mercury, circulated slowly along specific meridians and acupoints.
With each complete cycle, he felt a subtle tempering, as if countless tiny hammers were forging his flesh, sinews, and bones, compacting them.
Sweat had long since drenched his green robes. It dripped continuously from his temples and sideburns, forming a small, dark puddle on the stone slab beneath him.
His breathing was long and rhythmic. With each inhalation and exhalation, his chest and abdomen rose and fell in perfect harmony with the principles of the Cultivation Technique.
After a long while, Fang Han slowly relaxed, his twisted body returning to a normal stance. He let out a long, turbid breath tinged with the scent of blood. The breath was so dense it shot out like an arrow, only dissipating after traveling a foot.
He stretched his sore and stiff limbs, feeling the significant strengthening his body had undergone from this Cultivation session.
’It will likely take several more months to reach the Entry Level...’
Even with a staggering 128-fold Body Hardening Talent Amplification, the Xuanwu True Skill, being a Grandmaster Level Body Hardening Technique, was far more difficult to cultivate than he had ever imagined.
Fang Han estimated that even at his current rate of Cultivation, it would take at least several more months of steady, patient effort to truly reach the Entry Level of this technique.
However, once he reached the Entry Level, the resulting boost in power would be immense.
When that time came, his physical defenses would skyrocket, granting him a toughness that even those in the Middle Three Grades would struggle to breach.
Paired with his incomparably sharp Nine Swords of Sky Splitting and his unpredictable Wind and Cloud Escape, his overall combat strength was bound to soar.
This made him look forward with great anticipation to what he would be like after reaching the Entry Level of the Xuanwu True Skill.
Back in his Quiet Chamber, Fang Han changed out of his drenched robes. Just as he was about to meditate to recover the energy expended during his Cultivation, the soft voice of his maid, Qiu Lan, came from outside.
"Senior Brother, someone from the Jinhuang City branch of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion delivered a letter. They said it was personally written by Manager Lan Yuexin."
Fang Han’s heart skipped a beat. "Bring it in," he said immediately.
Qiu Lan entered and presented a letter sealed with wax. The stationery was of high quality and carried a faint, pleasant fragrance.
Fang Han took the letter. With a slight pressure of his fingertips, he cracked the wax seal, pulled out the paper within, and unfolded it.
As his eyes swept across the elegant script on the page, Fang Han’s expression instantly brightened, an irrepressible look of joy spreading across his face.
The letter was penned by Lan Yuexin herself. The message was brief but crucial—
"I have definite news regarding the Howling Moon Spirit Deer Antlers. The matter is of great importance and cannot be detailed in a letter.
I ask that Master Fang Han come to the Hundred Treasures Pavilion in Jinhuang City at his earliest convenience to discuss this in person."
’Finally, some news!’
Fang Han clutched the letter, taking a deep breath to suppress the excitement welling up inside him.
The Howling Moon Spirit Deer Antlers were directly related to improving his Stepping Talent. It was the key to overcoming the bottleneck in his Cultivation of the Wind and Cloud Escape.
He had been waiting for this news for a very, very long time.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Fang Han began his preparations.
From a hidden compartment, he retrieved a Wooden Box filled with silver notes. He counted out a full ten million taels worth and secured them carefully on his person.
The Howling Moon Spirit Deer Antlers were a miraculous item for improving one’s Body Technique Talent. They were exceptionally rare, and the price was bound to be astronomical. It was better to be safe than sorry and bring extra silver.
Considering he was now being targeted by the Netherworld Pavilion, he needed to be extra cautious.
He changed into a set of plain, blue-green robes. He carefully wrapped his customary Cloud Splitting Sword in cloth strips and slung it across his back. He now looked like a common wandering martial artist, not a True Disciple of the Qingxuan Sect.
He gave Qiu Lan a few instructions, then, under the cover of evening, quietly left Courtyard Thirty-Five.
Without alerting anyone, he executed the Wind and Cloud Escape. His figure became a blur of green smoke as he swiftly descended Qingxuan Mountain and raced toward Jinhuang City.
Two days later, a travel-worn Fang Han once again set foot in the bustling city of Jinhuang.
He didn’t delay, heading straight for the Jinhuang City branch of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion in the center of the city.
After announcing his name, a maid respectfully led Fang Han to an elegant and tranquil parlor in the rear courtyard.
Lan Yuexin was already waiting for him in the parlor.
Today, she wore an aqua-blue gown, her beauty as indescribable as ever.
A flicker of joy lit up her bright eyes as she saw Fang Han enter, and she rose to greet him.
"Master Fang Han, you’re here."
"Miss Yuexin, about the matter in the letter..."
Fang Han returned the greeting with a clasped-fist salute, getting straight to the point. His tone was laced with urgency.
Lan Yuexin smiled softly. She gestured for Fang Han to sit and personally poured him a cup of hot tea. Her voice was gentle as she said,
"There’s no need to rush, Master. Have some tea and rest from your journey. The news is confirmed, and I assure you, you won’t be disappointed."
Fang Han did as she said and sat, but his gaze remained fixed on Lan Yuexin’s face, waiting for her to continue.
Lan Yuexin didn’t keep him in suspense. Her smile faded, and her expression turned serious.
"After extensive inquiries through the Hundred Treasures Pavilion’s channels outside the county, we have finally confirmed it. An upcoming auction in Donglu County, which neighbors Qingyang County, will feature the item you require—the Howling Moon Spirit Deer Antlers!"
"Donglu County?" A sharp glint flashed in Fang Han’s eyes as he quickly pictured its location in his mind.
Donglu County was one of the three counties that bordered Qingyang County, situated to its east.
"When does the auction begin? And where, exactly?"
Fang Han pressed for details.
"The auction will be held on the first of next month,"
Lan Yuexin replied crisply.
"The location is Cuihua City, within Donglu County."
She paused, a shrewd light glinting in her eyes, and added,
"Donglu County isn’t within the Qingxuan Sect’s sphere of influence. If you go in your capacity as a Qingxuan Sect True Inheritor, you might not be able to secure an invitation. Therefore, I’ve prepared two things for you."
As she spoke, Lan Yuexin produced two items from her sleeve and pushed them toward Fang Han.
One was a highly detailed map of Donglu County. It specifically marked several routes from Jinhuang City to Cuihua City, as well as the various powers to be wary of along the way.
The other was an exquisite, gilt-edged invitation. The cover bore the four words "Golden Scale Commerce Association" in ancient seal script, with a unique flame insignia below it.
"This is a VIP invitation to the Golden Scale Commerce Association’s auction,"
Lan Yuexin explained.
"With this, you can attend and participate in the bidding. The Hundred Treasures Pavilion acquired it through our many years of partnership with the Golden Scale Commerce Association. It’s fortunate we can put it to good use now."
Looking at the map and invitation on the table, Fang Han felt a surge of gratitude.
Lan Yuexin’s thoughtfulness and preparation far exceeded his expectations.
The map would keep him from getting lost, but the invitation solved his most pressing problem.
Without it, an outsider like him would have had to go through a great deal of trouble to attend an auction of this caliber, and might even have been denied entry due to his identity.
"Miss Yuexin, I will never forget this kindness!"
Fang Han rose and gave her a solemn, clasped-fist salute.
"These are exactly what I needed. The invitation, in particular, has solved my biggest problem. Thank you!"
Lan Yuexin returned the gesture with a graceful curtsy and a radiant smile:
"You’re too kind, Master. There’s no need for thanks between us. It brings me joy to be of assistance. I only hope your journey is successful and you acquire the item you seek."
Her gaze shifted, a hint of concern in her eyes.
"The situation in Donglu County is complicated, and Cuihua City is teeming with factions of all kinds. You must be extra careful on your trip. I wish you swift success."
"I appreciate the kind words, Miss Yuexin."
Fang Han collected the map and invitation, tucking them carefully inside his robes.
"Time is of the essence. I’ll set out for Donglu County at once!"
After leaving the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, Fang Han didn’t linger in Jinhuang City. He bought some dry rations and fresh water before heading straight out the city gates.
Once he had his bearings, he activated the Wind and Cloud Escape. His figure moved like the wind, racing toward Donglu County.