Chapter 162: Chapter 161: Breakthrough to the Late Stage of Eighth Grade

Fang Han cultivated, his mind at peace.

Based on past experience, he expected to break through the bottleneck and reach the Late Stage of Eighth Grade in a few hours.

He was confident he would be able to break through to the Late Stage of Eighth Grade within the day.

However, he had clearly underestimated the heaven-defying power of his Root Bone Talent, improved as it was by the Earth Core Stone Milk and boosted by a thirty-two-fold Root Bone Talent Amplification.

After just a few moments of his Inner Qi striking the barrier, the seemingly solid blockage was already covered in fine, almost imperceptible cracks!

"Hm?"

Fang Han’s heart stirred as he sensed the bottleneck loosening far faster than he had anticipated.

He also realized that his current Root Bone Talent had undergone an earth-shattering transformation compared to before.

’I can’t rely on my old assumptions anymore.’

He immediately focused his mind, mobilizing all of his Inner Qi and forging it into an even more condensed and ferocious torrent. He then launched a final assault on the barrier, which was already on its last legs!

CRACK—!

A clear cracking sound, seeming to originate from the depths of his soul, suddenly rang out.

The obstruction vanished. The vast Inner Qi, which had been building up for so long, surged like a river bursting its banks, pouring into the newly opened Shenshu acupoint with unprecedented joy.

In that instant, the aura around him skyrocketed!

It was as if a broader, more stable bridge had been erected between the six acupoints—the Qi Sea, Guanyuan, Mingmen, Central Mansion, Weijing, and Shenshu. His Inner Qi now flowed ceaselessly through them, forming a far larger and more efficient circulatory system.

The color of his Inner Qi deepened, and its texture became more refined and pure. The sense of power it generated as it flowed far surpassed what he had felt in the Middle Stage of Eighth Grade.

The feeling of being completely reborn once again spread throughout his body.

And with the opening of the Shenshu acupoint, a new Divine Treasure was also unlocked.

Fang Han felt a slight warmth in his kidneys, as if a steady, nourishing power was quietly merging with his internal organs, significantly enhancing their functions. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

In particular, his ability to resist and neutralize all kinds of toxins rose to an entirely new level.

This was the Divine Treasure ability of the Late Stage of Eighth Grade—"Poison Resistance"!

Unlocking this Divine Treasure strengthened his internal organs and greatly increased his resistance to poison.

Although his current Cultivation was far from making him immune to all poisons, ordinary knockout drugs and toxins could no longer pose a threat to him.

Furthermore, this ability would continue to grow stronger as his Cultivation increased. It wasn’t impossible that he could one day become truly immune to all poisons.

’Late Stage of Eighth Grade... I made it!’

Fang Han slowly opened his eyes. A faint cyan glint flashed through their depths, looking exceptionally bright in the dimly lit room before vanishing.

He clenched his fist lightly, feeling the vast, surging Inner Qi coursing through him like a great river and the brimming vitality in his organs. He couldn’t help the slight upward curl of his lips.

The breakthrough process had been far faster than he’d expected, making him once again appreciate the terrifying power of his Root Bone, improved by the Earth Core Stone Milk, and the thirty-two-fold Root Bone Talent Amplification.

’Just over half a month...’

All told, it had only been a little over half a month since he had broken through to the Middle Stage of Eighth Grade.

To break through another realm and step into the Late Stage of Eighth Grade in just over half a month.

If word of this advancement speed got out, it would be enough to shock the entire Qingyang County.

It might not be unprecedented in all of history, but at the very least, no disciple among the current Seven Sects had such a cultivation speed.

If any disciple had such a cultivation speed, word would have surely spread, and he would have heard of it.

Therefore, when it came to Root Bone Talent, his was now absolutely the best in the Seven Sects.

’With my current Cultivation, if I go test myself at the Martial Arts Stele, could I... surpass Yun Qianyue and take first place in the Sub-Branch?’

The increase in his Cultivation brought with it a sense of fulfillment from his surging power, as well as an irrepressible, sharp ambition.

The thought surfaced in his mind almost subconsciously.

Reaching the top of the list and earning more Contribution Points each month—that was all secondary.

Most importantly, it would undoubtedly improve his terrible situation in the Sect, which had been caused by offending Chu Feng.

He had already heard from Elder Chen Xuan that a Sect Elder had actually tried to withhold his basic benefits and ranking rewards. Although they hadn’t succeeded, it was an extremely dangerous sign.

He had to increase his own importance within the Sect to gain more of its attention and respect.

’Now is not the time!’

After careful consideration, Fang Han gave up on the idea of going to the Martial Arts Stele for a test.

It wasn’t that he wanted to hide his strength; from the very beginning, he’d had no intention of doing so.

In a place like the Sect, hiding one’s strength was an extremely foolish thing to do.

In a clan, where you had family ties, the clan would still look after its ordinary members to some extent, even those with little potential.

But here, with no ties of kinship, if you couldn’t display sufficient value, on what grounds would the Sect take care of you?

Why would they suppress a direct disciple on the Celestial Pride List with immense potential for his sake?

Wasn’t the reason Elder Chen Xuan had stood up for him precisely because he saw the value Fang Han had displayed?

The reason he gave up on going to the Martial Arts Stele wasn’t because he wanted to hide his strength, but because, by his own estimation, he still couldn’t surpass Yun Qianyue yet.

’Although I’ve caught up to Yun Qianyue in terms of Cultivation, there’s still a certain gap between us when it comes to Martial Techniques...’

Fang Han mused to himself.

When Yun Qianyue first joined the Sect, she had cultivated a Middle Grade Sword Technique to the Mastery level. Now, that Swordsmanship had not only reached Great Success but was likely not far from Perfection.

And while his Swordsmanship had also reached Great Success, it was still a very long way from Perfection.

If he went to test himself at the Martial Arts Stele now, he wouldn’t be able to surpass Yun Qianyue’s rank.

’Compared to the rapid progress of my Cultivation, the improvement speed of my Swordsmanship and Body Technique seems much slower.’

A thoughtful glint flashed in Fang Han’s eyes.

These days, his Inner Qi cultivation was advancing a thousand miles a day.

As for his cultivation of the Wind-Splitting Swordsmanship and Wind Shadow Step, although his progress was far faster than that of an ordinary disciple, it couldn’t compare to the speed of his Cultivation improvement.

One reason for this was that his Root Bone Talent had a thirty-two-fold amplification, while his Swordsmanship and Stepping Talent were still at a sixteen-fold amplification.

Another reason was that consuming the Earth Core Stone Milk had fundamentally improved his basic Root Bone, but his basic comprehension for Swordsmanship and Step Techniques had not improved.

’If a Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure like the Earth Core Stone Milk that can improve one’s Root Bone exists in this world... then do rare treasures that can improve one’s comprehension of Swordsmanship and Step Techniques also exist?’

In a world where even something like the Earth Core Stone Milk, which could improve one’s Root Bone aptitude, existed, it stood to reason that rare treasures capable of changing one’s comprehension for Swordsmanship and Step Techniques might also exist.

If such a treasure truly existed, then with the sixteen-fold amplification from his comprehension talent, the effects after consuming it would surely far exceed those for anyone else.

’I’ll have to keep an eye out for information on this in the future!’

Fang Han knew that even if such Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures existed, he probably wasn’t qualified to obtain them anytime soon.

However, he could still pay attention to any information about them and then figure out a way to acquire them once he was strong enough.

...

It was nearly noon, and the rare warmth of the winter sun dispelled some of the chill.

After a simple lunch at the cafeteria, Fang Han picked up his Cyan Blade Sword and strolled toward the forest clearing where he usually practiced.

Not far from the cafeteria, he saw several disciples walking briskly toward him, their faces alight with excitement and urgency as they talked amongst themselves.

"Hurry! Someone just saw Yun Qianyue heading toward the plaza!"

"Heading toward the plaza? Is she going to the Martial Arts Stele?"

"Definitely. If we hurry, we might get to see Yun Qianyue make her move at the test!"

Calling out to their friends, the group of disciples brushed past Fang Han and hurried toward the White Jade Plaza, their voices gradually fading into the distance.

’Yun Qianyue is going to the Martial Arts Stele? Perfect. I can see her current strength for myself!’

Fang Han paused for a moment, then changed direction. He too began heading toward the White Jade Plaza in the center of the Sub-Branch, using his Body Technique to move quickly.

When he arrived at the plaza, a large crowd of disciples who had heard the news had already gathered. They surrounded the Martial Arts Stele, murmuring in low voices, their gazes all fixed on the slender, purple-clad figure before the stele.

Fang Han found a spot a little farther away with an unobstructed view and looked toward the center of the crowd.

Yun Qianyue was not wearing a Disciple’s Robe, but a purple dress. Her face was covered by a light veil, and her posture was as elegant and aloof as a lone winter plum blossom.

Her aura was restrained, yet she naturally exuded a captivatingly refined air that set her apart from the surrounding clamor.

Suddenly, she moved.

Not with the speed of a thunderbolt, but with an exceedingly natural grace, she slowly raised her right hand, which was gripping her sword.

SHIIING—

With a clear, long ring, the sword slid from its sheath.

The blade wasn’t a dazzling silver-white; instead, it shimmered with the luster of clear autumn water, rippling with soft circles of light under the winter sun.

An incredibly terrifying Sword Momentum spread out!

Under this terrifying Sword Momentum, invisible water vapor gathered and condensed on the surface of the sword, forming wisps of misty, aqueous light.

This aqueous light was not static; it flowed slowly, coiling around the blade as if it had a life of its own.

Refracted by the sunlight, it displayed the seven brilliant colors of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet, weaving together into a dreamlike rainbow bridge that encircled the blade.

It was breathtakingly beautiful, yet it emanated a deadly chill that seeped deep into one’s bones.

As Martial Artists, they should have been impervious to heat and cold, but many of the spectating disciples couldn’t help but shiver.

It was their bodies sensing the dangerous aura and instinctively sounding an alarm.

’This kind of Sword Momentum... it’s definitely not something a Middle Grade Sword Technique at the Great Success level could possess. She’s reached Sword Technique Perfection!’

Fang Han’s pupils contracted sharply, and his heart trembled.

He had guessed that Yun Qianyue’s Swordsmanship might have reached the Peak of Great Success, close to Perfection.

But he had never imagined that she had already silently taken that final, crucial step, cultivating a Middle Grade Sword Technique to the Realm of Perfection.

Clearly, he had still underestimated Yun Qianyue.

WHOOSH—!

Just as Fang Han’s thoughts were racing, Yun Qianyue moved.

With a gentle flick of her wrist, the sword, carrying that brilliant yet deadly seven-colored rainbow of aqueous light, moved like an antelope hanging by its horns—leaving no trace—and like the tide of a spring river, naturally tapping toward the Martial Arts Stele.

Her movements were graceful and nimble, without the slightest hint of worldly effort, as if she weren’t executing a tremendously powerful Sword Technique, but performing an elegant ceremony.

VMMMM—!

The moment the sword tip touched the stele’s surface, there was no deafening explosion, only a low hum that seemed to shake one’s very soul.

Immediately after, the entire Martial Arts Stele erupted in brilliant light!

The light was so intense and pure that it far surpassed anything Fang Han had ever seen in a test before. It was as if a slumbering behemoth had been fully awakened, erupting with an unprecedented, dazzling radiance.

It illuminated the entire White Jade Plaza, making even the winter sun in the sky seem dim in comparison.

The immense Sword Momentum crashed against the Martial Arts Stele like a tidal wave. Ripples spread wildly across the stele’s surface, and behind Yun Qianyue’s name, the character for "one"—representing first place—shone with immense brilliance, as steady as a mountain.