Twofold Sword Art Talent

At dusk, Fang Han returned to his family's courtyard, carrying his heavy haul.

"How was the Inner Hall?"

Seeing Fang Han return, Fang Zheng and Lin Wan hurriedly asked.

"It wasn't much different from the Martial Arts Arena, but the treatment was far better. Not only was I rewarded with thirty taels of silver, but I can also receive five taels of silver and ten Blood Vitality Pills every month."

Fang Han did not hide anything.

"They directly rewarded you with thirty taels of silver? And you can receive five taels of silver and ten Blood Vitality Pills every month?"

"I'd long heard that the Inner Hall's treatment was excellent, but I never expected it to be this good."

After learning of the Inner Hall's treatment from Fang Han, Fang Zheng and Lin Wan were so delighted that their eyes and brows relaxed.

Leaving aside the direct reward, a single Blood Vitality Pill sold for one tael of silver outside. The five taels of silver and ten Blood Vitality Pills each month were worth a full fifteen taels of silver combined.

What did fifteen taels of silver per month mean?

It was already more than Fang Zheng earned in a month.

And as a member of the Fang Clan, Fang Zheng's salary and treatment ranked among the upper-middle tier in Liangshui City.

After dinner, Fang Han returned to his room.

After bolting the door, he carefully took a slender-necked white-and-blue porcelain bottle from his robes.

The moment he pulled out the cork, a rich and inescapable medicinal fragrance, as though it contained the concentrated essence of countless medicines, instantly spread through the room and refreshed his spirit.

As he tilted the bottle, several pills the size of longans rolled into his palm. They were jet-black throughout, with faint dark gleams shimmering across their surfaces.

They felt warm and smooth in his hand. They were precisely the ten Blood Vitality Pills distributed by the Inner Hall.

He carefully placed them back into the porcelain bottle and tightly stoppered it.

Next, he poured the thirty-five taels of silver ingots he had received today, along with the two taels of loose silver remaining in his small wooden box, onto the table.

The silver ingots shone softly beneath the oil lamp, while the loose silver had lost some of its luster and bore the marks of everyday life.

Thirty-seven taels in total—an enormous sum of wealth to him.

"Level-two Root Bone Talent Amplification requires one hundred taels of silver. I'm still far short, and it won't be possible to gather it anytime soon. I should use it to activate Sword Art Talent Amplification first!"

Fang Han made his decision.

Although Sword Art Talent could not increase the cultivation speed of Stance Training like Root Bone Talent could, its importance was not much less.

That was because Sword Art Talent was tied to the strength of one's combat techniques, and the strength of one's combat techniques determined how much of one's power could be unleashed.

Someone who did not understand combat techniques could only bring out twenty or thirty percent of his strength, even if he possessed ten-tenths of it.

Meanwhile, someone with extremely powerful combat techniques could not only unleash ten-tenths of his strength, but even exceed that limit through the amplification of technique.

One could well imagine the importance of a combat talent like Sword Art Talent.

"System Panel."

Fang Han called out to the System Panel, and it appeared in his field of vision.

[Host: Fang Han]

[Root Bone Talent Amplification: 2x (Level-two amplification requires 100 silver)]

[Sword Art Talent Amplification: 0x (Level-one amplification requires 10 silver)]

[Possessed Wealth: 0]

"Recharge ten taels."

Fang Han picked up two five-tael silver ingots. With a thought, the two ingots silently vanished.

[Possessed Wealth: 10 silver]

At the same time, the "Possessed Wealth" entry on the System Panel changed.

"Amplify Sword Art Talent!"

Fang Han looked at the [Sword Art Talent Amplification] option and chose to upgrade it.

The System Panel rippled like water and changed once more.

[Host: Fang Han]

[Root Bone Talent Amplification: 2x (Level-two amplification requires 100 silver)]

[Sword Art Talent Amplification: 2x (Level-two amplification requires 100 silver)]

[Possessed Wealth: 0]

"Twofold amplification!"

Fang Han's eyes burned with excitement. Just like his Root Bone Talent, his Sword Art Talent had also received a twofold amplification.

Although he did not feel any changes in his body, having experienced this once before, he knew that he would naturally feel the difference once he began practicing sword arts.

The next day, at the Inner Hall Martial Arts Arena.

"Almost there!"

After completing his Crane Stance training, Fang Han clearly felt his strength increase by another fraction.

With twofold Root Bone Talent, even after reaching the Flesh Refining Realm, his improvement each day remained visible to the naked eye.

He felt that if this continued, he would soon break through from the Flesh Refining Early-Stage to the Flesh Refining Mid-Stage.

Walking to the weapon rack, he took down a Refined Iron Longsword.

There was no unusual sensation when the sword entered his hand.

However, when he slowly thrust out according to the opening stance of the Breeze Sword Art, "Breeze Brushing Willow," an unprecedented feeling of clarity suddenly descended upon him.

All sorts of insights regarding the sword moves, the subtle techniques of exerting force, and the intricacies of changing angles became incomparably clear in his mind, like pearls wiped clean of dust.

The places where he had once felt sluggish and confused during sword practice now suddenly opened up before him.

The sound of the blade cutting through the air was no longer heavy and sluggish. Instead, it carried a faint, almost imperceptible light rhythm.

"So that was it!"

Fang Han was overjoyed.

For this move, "Breeze Brushing Willow," the timing for shifting one's center of gravity should be the instant the wrist turned, rather than having the arm's exertion of force take the lead as he had previously understood.

With his thoughts flowing freely, the sword move in his hand immediately changed.

With a nimble flick of his wrist, the sword tip traced an arc smoother and swifter than before, truly gaining a touch of the suppleness and agility of willow branches brushing in the wind!

Over the next several days, Fang Han immersed himself in sword art cultivation and thoroughly experienced the terrifying effects of twofold Sword Art Talent Amplification.

Every round of practice brought forth fresh insights.

Every swing of his sword became more precise and fluid than the last.

His understanding of the sword moves no longer floated on the surface. Instead, it penetrated deep into their essence, as though he had formed a subtle connection with the sword in his hand.

Several days later.

Fang Han stood in a corner at the edge of the arena, casting aside every surrounding noise as his mind fully immersed itself in the sword.

He was still practicing that same Breeze Sword Art, but it was vastly different from before.

The sword moves were plain and unadorned, yet they carried a rhythm like drifting clouds and flowing water.

To those who did not understand, it would likely seem as though the sword art he used before and the one he used now were two entirely different sword arts.

Whoosh!

He thrust out with "Breeze Piercing Forest," and sword light flashed like lightning.

At the very instant the sword tip reached its limit, the strength of his entire body flowed naturally. The force of flesh and skin joining as one, the momentum of his waist and hips twisting, and the finesse of his trembling wrist perfectly aligned, all converging at a single point on the sword tip.

Buzzz—!

The Refined Iron Longsword gave an unprecedentedly crisp and lingering hum.

A condensed sword wind suddenly erupted, violently scattering the thin layer of dust across the ground several feet ahead.

"My sword art has reached Minor Accomplishment!"

A dazzling light burst from Fang Han's eyes.

His Sword Art broke through from the Beginner stage to Minor Accomplishment as naturally as water flowing into a channel, without the slightest obstruction.

He had remained at the Beginner stage for a long time, yet under the boost of twofold Sword Art Talent, he had broken through in only a few days.

Once again, he could not help but marvel at how outrageous twofold Talent Amplification was.

"If I went to the Martial Dao Stele for testing now, my ranking should rise by one or two places!"

Fang Han could feel that the power, speed, and piercing force of his sword art were all stronger than before.

With stronger sword art, his ranking on the Martial Dao Stele would certainly improve.

"Only the top ten receive rewards... there is no essential difference between fifty-seventh and fifty-ninth."

Fang Han had no urge to go to the Martial Dao Stele to verify it.

According to the Inner Hall's rules, only disciples ranked within the top ten on the Martial Dao Stele could receive additional rewards each month.

Those below them did not receive such treatment.

Going to retest his combat power would bring him no additional benefit aside from making himself slightly more conspicuous.

"Keep practicing the sword!"

Suppressing the thoughts in his heart, Fang Han continued immersing himself in sword art cultivation.

Minor Accomplishment was merely the second level of martial skill cultivation. Beyond it lay Proficiency Realm, Greater Accomplishment, and Perfection Realm.

His Sword Art still had enormous room for improvement, and he still needed to work hard.

However, not long after he began practicing, a voice filled with surprise and shock suddenly rang out.

"Your Sword Art broke through... to Minor Accomplishment?"