Gale Step Minor Accomplishment

Several days flashed by.

Swish, swish, swish—

Inside Grade A No. 10 Martial Dao Room, Fang Han shifted through changing forms, his feet treading an abstruse footwork as he practiced Gale Step.

Compared to several days ago, the movements beneath his feet had clearly become smoother and more natural.

Every shift and turn carried the rhythm of drifting clouds and flowing water, with none of the initial awkwardness or obstruction remaining.

His movement speed had also become faster, and the sound of wind he raised grew ever clearer and more urgent.

Swish—

At one moment, inspiration struck him. The blood vitality within his body surged naturally, pouring into his legs.

The footwork beneath him abruptly changed, and his speed increased by thirty percent.

His figure became like a blur of green smoke, flashing across several zhang in an instant and appearing soundlessly in another corner of the Martial Dao Room.

The entire process was incomparably fluid, his control over his body reaching a new level.

"Gale Step has reached the Beginner stage!"

Fang Han came to a stop, satisfaction showing in his eyes.

Although Gale Step was only the most basic footwork, successfully reaching the Beginner stage in just a few days was already an extremely astonishing rate of improvement.

After all, when he had practiced Breeze Sword Art, it had taken him a full seven months to go from nothing to the Beginner stage.

One could imagine just how exaggerated it was to reach the Beginner stage in only a few days.

"It's all the effect of the Fourfold Footwork Talent Amplification!"

Such rapid progress naturally came from the miraculous effects of the Fourfold Footwork Talent Amplification.

As for the possibility that he himself was a genius at practicing footwork, that could be completely ruled out.

Before his footwork talent had been amplified, his practice could only be described as stumbling along; he had not felt the slightest talent for footwork.

Suppressing the joy in his heart, Fang Han continued devoting himself to footwork practice.

On a morning at the end of the month, Fang Han had just finished his morning training when the door to the Martial Dao Room was lightly knocked on.

A Fang Clan servant stood respectfully outside, holding two wooden boxes bearing the Fang Clan crest, both noticeably heavier than before.

"Young Master Fang Han, these are your monthly resources for ranking third on the Martial Dao Stele this month."

The servant respectfully presented the wooden boxes, undisguised reverence in his eyes.

The young man before him had entered the Inner Hall less than a year ago, yet had already risen into the top ranks of the Inner Hall. His reputation as a genius had long spread throughout the Fang Clan and had even gained considerable renown in Liangshui City.

He was almost destined to become an important figure in Liangshui City in the future.

If he could leave even the slightest impression on him, it would certainly be of immense benefit to a Fang Clan servant like himself.

"Thank you for your trouble."

Fang Han accepted the wooden boxes and gave a slight nod.

After the servant withdrew, he returned inside, placed the two wooden boxes on the table, and opened them in turn.

Inside the first wooden box were four neatly arranged blue-and-white porcelain bottles.

Pulling the cork from one of them, a rich and pure medicinal fragrance instantly spread through the room, invigorating his spirits.

"Forty Blood Vitality Pills!"

A trace of surprise appeared in Fang Han's eyes.

The number of Blood Vitality Pills he could receive each month had increased again, from thirty per month to forty.

This was already a considerable amount, more than enough to support his current cultivation expenditure in the Bone Refining Realm, with plenty left over each month.

His gaze shifted to the second wooden box.

When the lid was opened, it revealed six ten-tael ingots of Snowflake Official Silver, stacked in perfect order. Their brilliant silver gleam dazzled the eyes.

"Sixty taels!"

Fang Han's breathing involuntarily paused.

Sixty taels of silver a month—this was already three times his father Fang Zheng's monthly salary!

At market price, a single Blood Vitality Pill could sell for one tael of silver. Adding forty Blood Vitality Pills, the total value of the resources he received each month reached a hundred taels!

"The reward for third place is actually this generous..."

Fang Han muttered softly, a sharp light flickering in his eyes.

Compared to the other ranks within the top ten, the reward for third place was clearly far more generous—a near cliff-like increase.

Clearly, even among the top ten, there were different tiers. The top three and everyone after them were obviously treated as two separate grades.

"If third place is already like this, then what resources could second place—and especially first place—receive each month?"

At that thought, intense anticipation rose in Fang Han's heart.

He anticipated what resources he could receive if he continued improving his rank, rising to second place or even first.

"I absolutely cannot be satisfied with my current rank!"

Fang Han clenched his fist, a powerful drive welling up within him.

The higher his rank, the more resources he would receive. That would allow him to accumulate silver more quickly and activate higher-level Talent Amplifications.

He absolutely could not be content with his current rank. He still had to keep striving for a higher one.

Over the following days, Fang Han cultivated even more diligently.

With his Eightfold Root Bone Talent, his cultivation efficiency with Crane Stance was astonishingly high. His blood vitality surged like the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, continuously tempering the bones throughout his body as he steadily advanced toward Bone Refining Late-Stage.

Under the Fourfold Sword Art Talent Amplification, his progress in Gentle Wind Sword Art, a Sword Art far more difficult than basic sword techniques, was no longer as explosive as it had been at first, but it still vastly exceeded ordinary comprehension. His sword moves grew increasingly proficient and fierce, their power increasing by the day.

And under the Fourfold Footwork Talent Amplification, the progress of Gale Step was even more jaw-dropping.

More than ten days later.

Huff—

Inside the Martial Dao Room, Fang Han moved like the wind, his footwork shifting unpredictably—at times swift as lightning, at times light as a feather.

As he moved, he even faintly left behind blurred afterimages, making it difficult to catch his exact position.

A smoother, freer sense of moving as his heart desired arose naturally within him.

"Gale Step has reached Minor Accomplishment!"

Fang Han slowly withdrew his stance, delight bursting from his eyes.

Feeling the exhilarating sensation of his blood vitality perfectly melding with his footwork, as well as the movement speed that had clearly increased by another thirty percent, a smile inevitably appeared on his face.

"From the Beginner stage to Minor Accomplishment, it took less than twenty days in total..."

After calculating the time, even Fang Han found it somewhat unbelievable.

In less than twenty days, he had raised a footwork technique from the Beginner stage to Minor Accomplishment!

No one would likely dare believe such speed if it spread.

It made him sigh once more at just how exaggerated the Fourfold Footwork Talent Amplification was.

"With my current swordsmanship paired with Gale Step at Minor Accomplishment..."

Excitement at his increased strength flashed through Fang Han's eyes.

Now that Gale Step had reached Minor Accomplishment, combined with Breeze Sword Art at the Perfected level, his strength would surely rise to another level.

Knock, knock, knock—

Just then, the door to the Martial Dao Room was lightly knocked on, interrupting Fang Han's thoughts.

"Hmm? At this time..."

Fang Han raised an eyebrow slightly, gathered his thoughts, and walked to the door, pulling open the heavy door panels.

Outside stood a Fang Clan servant, his expression respectful, holding in both hands an exquisitely crafted gilded invitation.

The invitation was backed with an unknown dark-red material, its edges outlined with intricate cloud patterns made from genuine gold powder.

Under the light, it shimmered with a restrained yet luxurious luster. One glance was enough to tell it was no ordinary item.

"Young Master Fang Han."

The servant bowed and raised the invitation high, his voice carrying an almost imperceptible solemnity.

"Young Master Fang Hong ordered this servant to deliver this invitation into your hands and asks that you open it personally."