Chapter 457 - 454: Sky-Splitting Sword Technique: Minor Achievement
Chapter 457: Chapter 454: Sky-Splitting Sword Technique: Minor Achievement
「Half a month later.」
The morning sun filtered through the gaps in the bamboo grove, casting mottled patterns of light and shadow on the courtyard’s stone floor.
Fang Han stood in the center of the open space, his Cloud Splitting Sword angled toward the ground, his eyes closed in concentration.
The Heart Method of the *Sky-Splitting Sword Technique* flowed through his mind. The Sword Techniques, Transformations, and Force Manipulation Methods he knew by heart were now bolstered by his 256x Swordsmanship Talent Amplification. Like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea, they converged, collided, and merged within his thoughts.
For the past half-month, he had spent a great deal of time every morning comprehending this Grandmaster-level Sword Technique.
He could feel himself getting closer and closer to that threshold.
Now, that membrane was so thin it was practically nonexistent.
He opened his eyes.
The Cloud Splitting Sword slowly thrust forward.
"SWISH—!"
The thrust was slow.
It was so slow that every inch of movement was clearly visible; so slow that as the sword tip cut through the air, one could even see the subtle ripples of displaced air.
Yet, the instant the thrust was executed—
"HUMMM..."
An indescribable aura suddenly emanated from him.
This aura was more condensed, more profound than before. It carried a sharpness that could tear through anything, and a mysterious quality that resonated with the heavens and the earth.
At that moment, his Wind Sword Intent underwent a fundamental evolution.
It was no longer the slightly raw intent from when he had first reached Entry Level, but a state of seamless, fluid control that he could command at will.
Wherever the sword tip passed, the air silently split open, leaving a thin gash.
The gash was more solid and lasting than before, lingering long after the sword had passed.
’This is it!’
In a flash of insight, Fang Han’s understanding of the *Sky-Splitting Sword Technique* took a quantum leap.
The Transformations of the Sword Techniques, the circulation of his Inner Qi, the fusion of the Wind Realm and his Sword Momentum—
Everything became unprecedentedly clear, unprecedentedly transparent.
"*Sky-Splitting Sword Technique*, Minor Achievement," Fang Han murmured to himself, a faint smile touching his lips.
He didn’t stop. The Cloud Splitting Sword slashed out once more.
He activated the *Sky-Splitting Sword Technique*, now at the Minor Achievement Realm, and unleashed a strike.
"BOOM—!"
A wild wind suddenly erupted in the courtyard.
The wind was abrupt and fierce, like a sudden clap of thunder on a clear day.
The bamboo grove swayed violently in the gale. Leaves rustled down, spinning in the air before being shredded by an invisible Sword Qi.
The stone slabs on the ground were plowed open by the aftershocks of the Sword Qi, creating deep gullies. Debris shot out, and dust filled the air.
Crisscrossing sword marks appeared on the courtyard walls, an inch deep and shocking to behold.
Even the roof tiles of the distant houses rattled, with a few even sliding off and shattering on the ground.
Fang Han stood with his sword withdrawn, his gaze sweeping over the wreckage in the courtyard.
The bamboo grove was in disarray, the ground was crisscrossed with gullies, and the courtyard wall was scarred and broken—the entire backyard looked as if it had been ravaged by a hurricane.
’The power... it’s increased by more than ten times.’
Fang Han muttered to himself, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes.
This was the *Sky-Splitting Sword Technique* at the Minor Achievement Realm. Compared to the Entry Level, its power had increased more than tenfold.
And for that last strike, he had barely used any Inner Qi. ’If I went all out, just how powerful would it be?’
A faint smile touched his lips, but he didn’t try again.
The commotion in the courtyard was too great; it had already alerted those outside.
"Senior Brother!"
Qiu Lan’s voice, tinged with nervousness, came from the courtyard gate.
Fang Han turned to see Qiu Lan and two maids standing at the entrance, their faces pale and their eyes filled with shock and confusion.
Their gazes swept across the devastated courtyard—the broken bamboo, the cracked ground, the scarred walls—and the confusion in their eyes deepened.
"Senior Brother, are... are you all right?"
Qiu Lan hurried forward, her eyes scanning Fang Han carefully. She relaxed slightly upon seeing he was unharmed.
"I’m fine."
Fang Han shook his head slightly, his expression calm.
"I was just practicing my Swordsmanship and made a bit of a mess."
Qiu Lan paused for a moment, then a look of understanding flashed in her eyes.
She looked at the wreckage in the courtyard again, an indescribable shock welling up in her heart.
’Senior Brother’s strength has grown again.’
’And he’s so much stronger than before.’
"Congratulations, Senior Brother! Your Swordsmanship has improved immensely!"
Qiu Lan bowed, her voice filled with sincere joy.
The two maids behind her quickly followed suit, their eyes full of reverence and admiration.
"Congratulations, Senior Brother! Your Swordsmanship has improved immensely!"
Fang Han nodded slightly, not saying much.
"Have someone clean this up."
His gaze swept over the wreckage as he spoke calmly.
"Yes, Senior Brother."
Qiu Lan replied and turned to instruct the two maids to fetch some tools.
She herself remained where she was, her eyes fixed on Fang Han, filled with an unconcealable delight.
As maids who served Fang Han, they rose and fell with him.
Over the years, as Fang Han’s status in the Sect had continuously risen, their own treatment and status had also improved, even surpassing that of ordinary disciples.
When they walked through the Sect, others would treat them with a measure of respect.
All of this was because of Fang Han.
Now that his strength had taken another great leap forward, she was naturally overjoyed.
"Senior Brother, you’ve been cultivating for so long. Are you hungry? I can go get you some snacks."
Qiu Lan asked.
"No need."
Fang Han shook his head. His eyes were on the wreckage, but his mind was on something else.
The backyard was originally quite spacious, more than enough for practicing Martial Techniques.
But now that his *Sky-Splitting Sword Technique* had reached Minor Achievement, the power of his Swordsmanship had soared. Even activating it with just a sliver of Inner Qi had caused immense damage to the courtyard.
This backyard was no longer big enough.
"Looks like I’ll have to find a bigger practice area," Fang Han muttered to himself.
Hearing this, Qiu Lan quickly said, "Senior Brother, should I go ask the Steward of the courtyard to get you a larger one?"
"That won’t be necessary."
Fang Han shook his head slightly.
"Switching courtyards is too much trouble. I’ll just find a secluded open space to practice."
Qiu Lan nodded and said no more.
She knew that with Fang Han’s current status, finding a quiet, empty spot to practice within the Sect was not a difficult task.
The two maids soon returned with tools and began cleaning the courtyard.
---
In the afternoon, sunlight streamed through the window lattice into the Quiet Chamber, casting bright patterns on the floor.
Inside the Quiet Chamber, Fang Han was practicing the *Xuanwu True Skill*, a Body Hardening Technique.
WHOOSH!
The Technique of the *Xuanwu True Skill* flowed through his mind as the Inner Qi in his body circulated slowly, washing over his muscles, bones, and skin along a specific path.
A warm sensation rose from the depths of his being, as if countless tiny hammers were pounding and compacting his flesh and blood.
It made his already formidable physical body even stronger.
More than two hours later, Fang Han slowly concluded his Cultivation.
The bulging muscles all over his body gradually relaxed, and his contorted posture returned to normal.
He let out a long, turbid breath and stretched his slightly sore muscles and bones.
’Next, it’s time to practice the *Wind God Step*.’
He walked out of the Quiet Chamber and into the courtyard.
Most of the wreckage in the courtyard had been cleared. The broken bamboo was removed, and the debris on the ground was swept clean.
Only the deep gashes on the courtyard wall remained, silent testaments to the morning’s explosion of Sword Intent.
Fang Han paid it no mind. He stood in the center of the open space with his hands behind his back, closing his eyes in concentration.
The Heart Method of the *Wind God Step* flowed through his mind.
The incantations, the Step Technique, the key points of Inner Qi circulation—he already knew them all by heart.
He opened his eyes and his figure moved.
"SWOOSH—"
In the courtyard, the green-robed figure transformed into a barely perceptible streak of light, darting rapidly between the bamboo grove and the wall.
His speed was astonishing, yet, strangely, he produced almost no sound of rushing wind.
"Hm?"
However, the moment Fang Han moved, a strange feeling surfaced in his mind.
His Body Technique felt exceptionally smooth today.
It wasn’t just an increase in proficiency, but a deeper, indescribable sense of fluidity.
It was as if a once-sluggish riverbed had suddenly been dredged, allowing the water to rush forward unimpeded.
He continued to execute the Body Technique, and the feeling of smoothness became more and more apparent.
There was no hesitation in his turns, no sound as he rose and fell.
His figure grew faster, more erratic, and the feeling of "merging with the wind" was stronger than ever before.
’How can this be?’
A trace of doubt rose in Fang Han’s heart.
He stopped, standing in the courtyard with a slight frown.
That feeling just now was definitely not an illusion.
His Body Technique practice today was indeed far smoother than usual.
But what was the reason?
’Is it because... of the breakthrough in my Swordsmanship?’
He remembered that just this morning, his *Sky-Splitting Sword Technique* had broken through to Minor Achievement.
A breakthrough in his Swordsmanship meant his level of understanding of the Wind Realm had risen another step.
And the practice of the *Wind God Step* happened to require the aid of the Wind Realm.
Using a higher level of the Wind Realm to help him practice the *Wind God Step* toward the Minor Achievement Realm was just like when he had first used the Wind Realm to reach the Entry Level.
Naturally, it yielded twice the results with half the effort.
"So that’s how it is," Fang Han murmured, a look of realization in his eyes.
He stopped thinking about it and moved again.
This time, he focused even more on experiencing that sense of smoothness.
He activated his Wind Realm, letting it permeate every minute detail of his Body Technique.
His footsteps became lighter.
His turns became more fluid.
His speed was more than just a notch faster than before.
He was like a gust of wind, freely weaving and drifting through the courtyard.
There was no deliberate gathering of Momentum, no awkward turns.
Everything was natural, as if he was always meant to be there, as if he himself were a free wisp of wind in the world.
Time slipped away quietly during his Cultivation.
The sun slanted westward, its light gradually tinged with a warm gold.
Fang Han never stopped.
He performed the *Wind God Step* over and over, and with each repetition, it became more seamless, more fluid.
Transformations that once required conscious control could now be performed effortlessly, at will.
The feeling of merging with the wind, of becoming one with the heavens and the earth, grew stronger and stronger.
’A month at most,’ Fang Han estimated.
At this rate, he would reach Minor Achievement in the *Wind God Step* in a month at most.
When that happened, his Body Technique speed would reach a new level.
Combined with the *Sky-Splitting Sword Technique* at the Minor Achievement Realm, his overall strength would leap forward once again.