Losing one’s sight and one’s sense of smell were both significant forms of physical damage.

But when weighing the two, the impact of losing one’s sense of smell on a Martial Artist’s overall strength was undoubtedly far less than that of losing one’s sight.

In a confrontation between Martial Artists, being aware of one’s surroundings was crucial. Losing keen eyesight would inevitably lead to a great reduction in strength.

The sense of smell, on the other hand, was relatively secondary in a direct fight, even if it could have miraculous effects in certain specific situations.

’I’ll just choose a Low Grade, smell-based Tracking Secret Technique, then.’

Fang Han made up his mind.

He continued to browse, his eyes eventually locking onto the description for a Secret Technique called the "Spirit Nose Technique".

This technique didn’t simply enhance the sensitivity of one’s smell; it focused more on the analysis, memory, and tracking of scents. The method for circulating Inner Qi was relatively moderate and stable, and its noted Cultivation risk was among the lowest for similar Secret Techniques. It cost 40 Contribution Points to redeem.

’This is the one.’

Fang Han closed the book and walked back to the counter.

"Senior Brother, I’d like to redeem this Spirit Nose Technique."

He handed back the book while also presenting his Identity Jade Token. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

The disciple on duty took the Jade Token and swiped it over an inkstone-shaped device. A faint light flashed, and 40 Contribution Points were deducted, leaving a balance of 400.

He then skillfully retrieved the corresponding manual, a booklet of several dozen pages with "Spirit Nose Technique" on the cover.

"You may borrow the manual for half a month. Do not copy it or share its contents."

Fang Han accepted the manual, then turned and left the Library Pavilion without lingering, heading straight back to Room C-7.

After closing the door, he immediately sat at his desk and eagerly opened the "Spirit Nose Technique" manual.

The booklet wasn’t long. Besides a foreword and some cautionary notes, the core content explained how to circulate Inner Qi, stimulate specific, tiny meridians in the nasal cavity, and concentrate one’s mind to cultivate a profound "scent sense."

It was richly illustrated, and the explanations were fairly detailed.

Fang Han read it carefully, word by word, his mind completely absorbed.

’Without Talent Amplification, trying to understand this kind of Secret Technique is like a struggling student tackling advanced math. It gives me a massive headache.’

It took him over an hour to finish the entire book, and that was just a quick skim to temporarily commit it to memory.

’System Panel.’

With a flicker of his thought, a translucent screen of light quietly unfolded before Fang Han’s eyes.

[Host: Fang Han]

[Root Bone Talent Amplification: 32x (Level 6 Amplification requires 1,000,000 silver)]

[Swordsmanship Talent Amplification: 32x (Level 6 Amplification requires 1,000,000 silver)]

[Stepping Talent Amplification: 16x (Level 5 Amplification requires 100,000 silver)]

[Secret Technique Talent Amplification: 0x (Level 1 Amplification requires 10 silver)]

[Current Wealth: 7,512 silver]

His gaze quickly swept past the first three familiar talent categories, then his pupils constricted slightly.

A new line had appeared right below [Stepping Talent Amplification].

[Secret Technique Talent Amplification: 0x (Level 1 Amplification requires 10 silver)]

’It’s appeared...’

Fang Han breathed an inward sigh of relief, and the slight furrow in his brow eased.

The difficulty he had just experienced while studying the manual proved that his Talent for Secret Techniques was mediocre, if not downright poor.

If he were to rely solely on his own aptitude to forcibly cultivate the "Spirit Nose Technique", the risks mentioned in the manual of "burning the nasal mucous membranes and damaging the olfactory nerves" were by no means just alarmist warnings; they would very likely have come true for him.

Fortunately, the Secret Technique Talent Amplification option appeared after just one complete read-through; he didn’t need to begin his Cultivation for it to show up.

If it had been the latter, there was a high probability his sense of smell would have been damaged.

’7,512 silver...’

Fang Han’s gaze shifted downward to the [Current Wealth] category. After activating the Level 5 Amplification for his Swordsmanship Talent last time, he had 7,512 silver remaining.

It was far from enough to amplify his other Talents, but it was more than enough for the Secret Technique Talent.

His mind made up, he no longer hesitated.

He focused his consciousness on the option next to [Secret Technique Talent Amplification]: "Level 1 Amplification requires 10 silver."

’Activate Level 1 Amplification!’

The instant he gave the command, the wealth value on the panel decreased by 10.

[Current Wealth: 7,502 silver]

And the [Secret Technique Talent Amplification] category changed accordingly:

[Secret Technique Talent Amplification: 2x (Level 2 Amplification requires 100 silver)]

The effect was immediate!

When Fang Han recalled the contents of the "Spirit Nose Technique", he immediately felt that the parts he had struggled to understand earlier had become slightly clearer, as if a corner of a thin veil had been lifted.

’Continue!’

Having tasted the benefits, Fang Han pressed on without hesitation.

’Activate Level 2 Amplification!’

silver vanished.

[Current Wealth: 7,402 silver]

[Secret Technique Talent Amplification: 4x (Level 3 Amplification requires 1,000 silver)]

His mind grew even clearer, and his understanding of the "Spirit Nose Technique" leaped to another level.

The meridian circulation diagrams and Secret Technique principles, which he previously had to mull over repeatedly just to barely understand, now felt as if they were falling into place; looking at them again, many of the key points gave him a sense of sudden clarity.

’Activate Level 3 Amplification!’

Without pausing, Fang Han continued to increase the amplification multiplier, and the number in his wealth category jumped.

[Current Wealth: 6,402 silver]

[Secret Technique Talent Amplification: 8x (Level 5 Amplification requires 10,000 silver)]

An 8x Secret Technique Talent Amplification!

In that instant, Fang Han felt as if a clear spring was flowing through his mind. His thinking speed, comprehension, and intuitive grasp of Secret Techniques all soared to an entirely new level.

Recalling the contents of the "Spirit Nose Technique" manual, which had once seemed profound and obscure, he found it was now perfectly organized and clear. Many details he had previously overlooked and the deeper meanings hidden between the lines now presented themselves with perfect clarity.

The feeling of overwhelming confusion was completely gone, replaced by a sense of effortless, thorough understanding.

’This is as far as the amplification can go for now!’

Fang Han felt a little unsatisfied, wanting to continue amplifying his Secret Technique Talent.

Although he still had over 20,000 in silver coins, most of it was in the form of silver notes that couldn’t be used for the top-up. To deposit it, he would have to wait until he could exchange them for physical gold or silver.

For the time being, there was no way to continue amplifying his Secret Technique Talent.

’Time to keep studying!’

Without a moment’s delay, Fang Han picked up the "Spirit Nose Technique" manual again, immersing himself in a careful second reading.

This time, the experience was completely different.

The words and diagrams in the manual seemed to come alive. The subtle turns in the circulation of Inner Qi, the profound state of spiritual sensing, the key points for avoiding Cultivation risks... everything became crystal clear and effortless to understand.

In less than half an hour, he had read, understood, and memorized the entire "Spirit Nose Technique" manual from beginning to end once more.

Not only did he no longer have any questions, but he had also faintly grasped the core essence of this Secret Technique and several of its key versatile applications.

’I can start trying to cultivate it now!’

Fang Han put down the manual, took a deep breath to calm his turbulent emotions, and slowly closed his eyes.

Following the manual’s instructions, he began to carefully guide his body’s Inner Qi, separating an extremely fine wisp and attempting to direct it toward the incredibly subtle and unfamiliar meridians near his nasal cavity.

At first, his movements were extremely clumsy.

Controlling the Inner Qi required Microscopic precision; a fraction too much, and he risked damaging the meridians, but a fraction too little, and it would fail to produce a stimulating effect.

The circulation path was even more complex and winding, far more so than the Inner Qi pathways of an ordinary Martial Technique.

On his first attempt, the Inner Qi circled near his nasal cavity for a long time, but he couldn’t accurately inject it into the target meridians, let alone achieve any effective stimulation. Naturally, it failed to produce any enhancement to his sense of smell.

Fortunately, under the 8x Secret Technique Talent Amplification, his Talent in this area was extremely high.

He could keenly sense the threshold that would avoid damaging his sense of smell. He hadn’t succeeded, but he also hadn’t caused any harm.

He continued his Cultivation, failing again and again.

With every failed attempt, he could instantly and clearly perceive where he had gone wrong, how much the Inner Qi had deviated, and how he should adjust.

He didn’t grow discouraged. With a calm mind, he adjusted, guided, and tried again and again.

Fail, perceive, adjust, try again...

And so the cycle repeated.

Time slipped by unnoticed during his focused Cultivation. Outside the window, the sky turned from bright to dusk, then was gradually stained with the color of ink.

Inside the room, an oil lamp had long since been lit, its dim yellow light casting Fang Han’s long, still shadow onto the wall.

His breathing was long and steady, the aura around him contained. Only the occasional, almost imperceptible twitch of his nostrils betrayed the subtle circulation of Inner Qi.

The Cultivation process was far more difficult and tedious than he had imagined.

Even with an 8x Talent Amplification, precisely controlling his Inner Qi to stimulate those unfamiliar, tiny meridians while simultaneously maintaining a special state of mental focus was no easy task.

Several hours passed. Outside the window, the night was deep and still, with only the sporadic chirping of insects punctuating the silence.

Fang Han remained seated and motionless, beads of sweat on his brow, his expression one of ultimate concentration.

Suddenly!

After another painstaking attempt at guidance, the fine wisp of Inner Qi finally managed to touch a key node of the target meridian and trembled lightly with a peculiar frequency!

HUMMM...

An extremely faint hum, seeming to originate from the depths of his soul, resounded.

Fang Han felt a slight warmth in his nostrils, as if some barrier had been quietly broken.

Immediately after, an unprecedentedly vast and complex stream of information, like a bursting dam, flooded violently into his perception!

The musty scent of settled dust, the faint natural fragrance of wood, the weak smell of char from the burning oil lamp, the clean aroma of the soapberries on his clothes, and even the subtle fragrance of night-blooming flowers drifting in from the distant window...

Countless scent molecules, so faint they were utterly undetectable before, were now magnified more than tenfold, presenting themselves with absolute clarity to his sense of smell!

This sudden informational assault made Fang Han’s head throb, nearly knocking him out of the state required by the Secret Technique.

He hurriedly stabilized his mind and, following the method in the "Spirit Nose Technique", tried to rein in and differentiate the complex olfactory information.

He was fumbling at first, but with the support of his 8x Talent, he quickly adapted to this state and began to be able to filter and focus on specific scents.

’Success... I’ve reached the Entry Level of the Spirit Nose Technique!’

A trace of joy appeared in Fang Han’s eyes, but it vanished in a flash.

He sniffed gently, experiencing a sense of smell that was countless times more acute than usual.

Although he had only just crossed the threshold and was still far from the Realm of "scent tracking" described in the manual, he had at least taken the first step.

And, most importantly, he had relied on his extraordinary control to avoid any damage to his sense of smell throughout the entire Cultivation process.

’That’s enough Cultivation for today.’

Fang Han gently exhaled a breath of stale air. Feeling a slight mental exhaustion, he knew he had reached his limit for today’s Cultivation.

He blew out the oil lamp and lay down in his clothes, repeatedly savoring the insights from the moment he reached the Entry Level until he drifted off into a deep sleep.