Free Web NovelChapter 266: Chapter 265: Wind and Cloud Escape
Fang Han took in Xiao Chen’s subtle change in demeanor and sighed inwardly. Outwardly, however, he wore a gentle smile as he stepped forward and clapped Xiao Chen on the shoulder.
"I was passing by the Sub-Branch and thought I’d drop in to see you. What’s this? Am I not welcome?"
Sensing the familiar and unchanged warmth in Fang Han’s tone, the stiffness in Xiao Chen’s heart mostly melted away, and a genuine smile spread across his face.
"Of course not! Senior Brother Fang, I couldn’t be happier that you came! Quick, come inside and sit."
He stepped aside, ushering Fang Han into the room.
The room was sparsely furnished, a far cry from the accommodations in the True Inheritance Courtyard. Fang Han couldn’t help but be reminded of his own time living in the Sub-Branch.
The two sat down at a wooden table in the room. Xiao Chen bustled about, ready to boil water for tea, but Fang Han stopped him.
"Don’t trouble yourself. I just came from Elder Chen’s place and had my fill of tea. Let’s just sit and talk for a bit."
Only then did Xiao Chen relent. After sitting down, he asked curiously about the trip to the Commandery City.
Fang Han briefly recounted what he had seen and heard at the banquet and described his clashes with Qin Xiaoran and Su Yu.
Xiao Chen listened with great interest, his eyes filled with yearning.
"A clash between geniuses on the level of the Celestial Pride List must have been spectacular. It’s a shame I couldn’t be there."
His tone carried a hint of unconcealable envy and gloom.
He knew very well that his own aptitude was only average within the Sect. The gap between him and Fang Han would only continue to widen.
Fang Han smiled and said, "There will be plenty of opportunities in the future. I’ve come to realize that the Celestial Pride List is just a source of trouble. I’m sure to face no shortage of challenges from now on."
As he spoke, he took out three Jade Bottles from his robes and handed them to Xiao Chen.
"Here are three bottles of True Spirit Pills. They will be beneficial for your Cultivation. Brother Xiao, you must not refuse them."
During their time in the Sub-Branch, Xiao Chen had looked out for him quite a bit.
Three bottles of True Spirit Pills were only worth 300 Contribution Points, which was nothing to him now.
"Thank you, Senior Brother Fang! I, Xiao Chen, will never forget this kindness!"
Xiao Chen looked at the Jade Bottles, his eyes growing a little hot.
He certainly knew about True Spirit Pills. A single bottle cost 100 Contribution Points. For him, who only received 30 Contribution Points a month, they were an extreme luxury he had never been willing to purchase.
After a moment’s hesitation, he gave a firm nod and accepted the Jade Bottles with both hands.
"There’s no need for such formalities between us."
Fang Han chuckled.
"I’m in Villa 35 of the True Inheritance Courtyard. If you have time, feel free to drop by. I have some rather good tea there."
"Definitely! I will!"
Xiao Chen quickly agreed.
After chatting for a while longer, Fang Han saw that it was getting late and stood up to leave.
Xiao Chen walked Fang Han all the way to the edge of the Sub-Branch. Watching Fang Han’s tall, straight back as he departed, a warm current flowed through his heart.
After parting with Xiao Chen, Fang Han wasted no more time and headed straight for the Library Pavilion, located halfway up Qingxuan Mountain.
His main purpose today was to exchange for a top-level Body Technique.
Stepping into the Library Pavilion, the familiar scent of books and the solemn atmosphere washed over him.
Fang Han ignored the many disciples reading on the first floor and went straight up to the fourth.
The fourth floor was as quiet as ever, with only the faint scent of sandalwood wafting through the air.
Behind the counter, Elder Mo was just as before, holding a scroll and reading quietly.
Hearing footsteps, he looked up. When he saw Fang Han, a flicker of almost imperceptible surprise crossed his eyes before he returned to his calm composure.
"Elder Mo."
Fang Han took a few steps forward and bowed respectfully.
"It’s you, kid. Your Cultivation has improved again. Not bad."
Elder Mo set down his scroll, his gaze sweeping over Fang Han as he nodded slightly.
"Are you here to exchange for a Cultivation Technique?"
"The Elder sees clearly. This disciple has come today hoping to exchange for a top-level Wind Element Body Technique."
Fang Han stated his purpose directly.
Elder Mo wasn’t surprised. He stood up and said, "Follow me."
The two once again ascended to the fifth floor and opened the heavy metal door.
There were only a few manuals on the fifth floor. Elder Mo walked straight to a bookshelf marked "Body Techniques" and took down two quaint-looking metal boxes.
One box was streamlined and dark cyan, with patterns of clouds flowing across its surface.
The other was squarer, silver-white, with faint patterns resembling lightning.
"The Sect possesses two top-level Wind Element Body Techniques."
Elder Mo placed the two boxes on a jade table and opened their lids, revealing manuals made of a material that was neither silk nor paper, exuding an ancient aura.
He pointed to the dark cyan, cloud-patterned box and said,
"This is the ’Wind and Cloud Escape.’ It takes its meaning from the phrase ’wind is formless, clouds are ever-changing.’ When used, the Body Technique is like clouds and wind—unpredictable and mysterious. It excels at concealment, maneuvering, and evasion in group battles. It costs eleven thousand Contribution Points to exchange for it."
Next, he pointed to the silver-white, lightning-patterned box.
"This is the ’Wind Thunder Flash.’ Although it’s a Wind Element technique, it contains a trace of the true meaning of lightning’s extreme speed. It pursues absolute velocity and explosive power. Its linear charges and short-distance dashes are supreme, but it lacks in transformations. It also costs eleven thousand Contribution Points."
Fang Han listened with rapt attention, quickly weighing his options.
’The Wind and Cloud Escape is unpredictable and excels at concealment, making it suitable for skirmishes and drawn-out fights. It offers better survivability in group battles.’
’The Wind Thunder Flash, on the other hand, is all about extreme speed and astonishing explosive power, better suited for a single decisive strike or a quick escape.’
"This disciple chooses to exchange for the ’Wind and Cloud Escape’."
Fang Han had already made his decision and handed over his Identity Token.
Compared to the ’Wind Thunder Flash’ with its ultimate burst of speed, the ’Wind and Cloud Escape’ was undoubtedly a better match for his Swordsmanship.
Moreover, its strength in concealment was extremely practical and perfectly suited for infiltration.
Elder Mo took the Token and placed it on the Inheritance Jade Inkstone. A faint light flashed, and eleven thousand Contribution Points were deducted.
He then solemnly handed the dark cyan, cloud-patterned box containing the ’Wind and Cloud Escape’ manual to Fang Han.
"Here is the manual. You are not to copy or circulate it, and you must return it within half a month."
"This disciple understands. Thank you, Elder!"
Fang Han accepted the heavy metal box with both hands, a hint of joy in his heart.
The exchange complete, Elder Mo locked the fifth floor, and the two went downstairs.
After thanking him again, Fang Han left the Library Pavilion, carrying the newly acquired top-level Body Technique manual.
The afterglow of the setting sun cast a golden-rimmed halo over Qingxuan Mountain. Fang Han walked with a light step, returning to Villa 35 in the True Inheritance Courtyard.
In the courtyard, the maid Qiu Lan had already prepared dinner.
After finishing his meal and instructing Qiu Lan not to disturb him unless it was important, Fang Han eagerly entered the Quiet Chamber.
He lit a stick of Soothing Sandalwood Incense.
He sat down on a meditation cushion, placed the dark cyan, cloud-patterned box on his lap, and gently opened the lid.
A manual, dark silver in color and made of a special material that felt slightly numbing to the touch, lay quietly inside.
On the cover, the four ancient words for "Wind and Cloud Escape" were written in a fluid, powerful script, seeming to flow like wind and clouds, exuding an indescribable sense of ethereality and mystery.
Merely looking at them made the surrounding airflow seem to stir and become more active.
Clearly, the Martial Artist who had written these words must have been exceptionally powerful.
"A top-level Body Technique..."
A glimmer of anticipation flashed in Fang Han’s eyes. He carefully took out the manual and slowly opened it to the first page.
The beginning was not a Stepping Technique Atlas, but rather a general outline. The calligraphy was vigorous and the ink deep, explaining the philosophy and core principles behind the Body Technique’s creation.
"Wind is formless, clouds are ever-changing. When wind and cloud combine, one escapes without a trace. Gather to take form, scatter to become qi. Merge with the world, leaving no shadow, no trail..."
Fang Han studied it sentence by sentence, his mind gradually becoming immersed.
As he read deeper, his brow unknowingly furrowed slightly. His gaze grew more focused, even taking on a hint of gravity.
The depth and complexity of this ’Wind and Cloud Escape’ truly far surpassed the Top Grade Body Technique, ’Flowing Wind Shadowless Step’!
Its Inner Qi circulation paths were strange and unpredictable, and many of its Luck Manipulation Skills were exquisitely complex, demanding an extremely high level of control to channel, combine, and transform Wind Momentum and the Will of Clouds.
At first glance, many of the key points were obscure and difficult to understand, as if veiled by a thick fog.
If he hadn’t already cultivated ’Flowing Wind Shadowless Step’ to the Realm of Perfection, giving him a deep foundation and understanding of Wind Body Techniques, and if he didn’t have the Sixty-Fourfold Stepping Talent Amplification, he would have found it exceptionally difficult to even comprehend this opening summary.
’Not only does it require a Cultivation of at least the Middle Three Grades, but it also demands extremely high comprehension.’
Fang Han understood.
Without sufficient Cultivation, a solid foundation in Martial Arts, and extraordinary comprehension, one would likely fail to even reach the Entry Level with this manual. Forcing the Cultivation would only lead to cultivation deviation.
And this was only the beginning.
When he flipped to the detailed Stepping Technique Atlas, Breathing Technique Mantras, and various subtle Transformations later in the manual, he found them more obscure and difficult to understand than anything he had encountered before.
The ’Wind and Cloud Escape’ wasn’t about simple linear acceleration or quick dodges; it pursued a supreme Realm of "gathering and scattering at will, merging with the world."
It required one to simulate the state of shifting wind and clouds with their own Inner Qi, creating a profound resonance with the surrounding air currents and even the energy of the world, thereby achieving a miraculous effect close to "invisibility" or "dematerialization."
Its cultivation difficulty was no less than that of the ’Nine Swords of Sky Splitting’!
’Worthy of a top-level Body Technique. The difficulty... is truly astounding.’
Fang Han gently ran his fingers over the incredibly complex Qi circulation diagrams and step-by-step illustrations on the page, a trace of amazement in his eyes.
But beyond his amazement was an even stronger sense of anticipation.
’The higher the difficulty, the greater the power once it’s mastered!’
He focused his mind and, relying on the extraordinary comprehension granted by his Sixty-Fourfold Stepping Talent Amplification, began to study the manual again, word by word, diagram by diagram.
Whenever he encountered a difficult passage, he would put down the manual and test his understanding inside the Quiet Chamber, repeatedly deducing and verifying his theories by combining them with his own understanding and insights into Wind Body Techniques.
At times his brow would be tightly furrowed, and at others, it would relax in a moment of sudden realization.
He was completely immersed in the profound world of the ’Wind and Cloud Escape.’
Time slipped by quietly in silent reading and contemplation, and soon it was late at night.
Fang Han put the manual away, returned to his bedroom to rest, and then took it out again to study early the next morning.
All of his focus was poured into comprehending the manual.
It wasn’t until the afternoon that Fang Han slowly put down the manual and gently massaged his slightly throbbing temples.
After more than a day of intense reading and memorization, even as a Middle Stage Fifth Grade Martial Artist with a strong spirit, he felt a trace of exhaustion.
The rewards, however, were immense. He had now fully understood and memorized the general outline, Stepping Technique Atlas, Breathing Technique Mantras, and numerous subtle key points of the ’Wind and Cloud Escape,’ impressing them deeply into his mind.
’I’ve finally... reached a preliminary understanding.’
Fang Han let out a long, turbid breath. Although his eyes showed fatigue, they were filled more with excitement and clarity.
The difficulty of cultivating a top-level Body Technique was truly no small matter.
Even with the terrifying boost from his Sixty-Fourfold Stepping Talent, it had still taken him over a day to just preliminarily understand and memorize the ’Wind and Cloud Escape.’
One could only imagine that an ordinary Martial Artist with average Stepping Talent wouldn’t even be able to comprehend this manual.
’Time to return the manual.’
Fang Han carefully placed the manual back in the metal box and stored it properly.
He stood up, stretched his slightly stiff muscles, and left the Quiet Chamber with the box.
He went to the Library Pavilion and returned the ’Wind and Cloud Escape’ manual.
After confirming it was undamaged, Elder Mo gave Fang Han a faint nod.
Fang Han clasped his hands in a farewell salute and left the Library Pavilion.
Returning to Villa 35 in the True Inheritance Courtyard, he didn’t delay and immediately began packing his belongings.
A few changes of clothes, some gold and silver valuables, essential healing and Antitoxic Pills, and a detailed map of the commandery.
Once everything was ready, he summoned the maid, Qiu Lan, and instructed her.
"I need to go out to train for a period of time. My return date is uncertain. You will continue to manage the affairs of the villa in my absence."
"Yes, Senior Brother. Please be careful."
Qiu Lan replied respectfully, her eyes filled with concern.
Fang Han nodded slightly and said no more.
The next day, with the Flowing Wind Sword hanging at his waist and a simple travel bag in hand, he left the villa and headed down the mountain.
After passing through the main gate of the Qingxuan Sect, Fang Han took out the map and found the location of the Cloud Mist Mountain Range.
He determined his direction, activated his Body Technique, and set off towards the Cloud Mist Mountain Range.
The Cloud Mist Mountain Range was the place where Zhang Hao had said he discovered a thousand-year-old ginseng. He was going to try his luck and see if he could find it.
According to the Sect Leader, ascending to the Celestial Pride List granted one a boost in luck. His chances of finding the thousand-year-old ginseng should be higher than others.
If he could find it and deposit it into the system panel, he would immediately have enough to reach ten million silver and activate the Level 7 Amplification once more.
