Martial Dao: I Can Enhance My Talents

As if sensing the dangerous aura emanating from Fang Han, the Cyan Wood Demon Ox’s crimson eyes snapped toward him. Its snorting grew heavier, its front hooves pawing the ground more urgently, flinging mud and water everywhere.

It sensed a threat, and its frenzied state quickly turned to aggression.

"MOO—!"

A low, violent roar pierced the sound of the rain. The Demon Bull kicked off powerfully with its hind legs. Its massive body, like an out-of-control war chariot, charged viciously at Fang Han, carrying immense force and a spray of muddy water.

The ground trembled faintly beneath its hooves. Its momentum was terrifying.

"Senior Brother Fang, be careful!"

The young servant cried out in alarm from a distance.

Facing the brutish charge, Fang Han’s eyes sharpened, but he didn’t meet it head-on.

He instantly executed the Startled Swan Step. Wind seemed to gather at his feet as his figure, like a wisp of green smoke, drifted backward and to the side.

His movements were graceful and agile, a stark contrast to the Demon Bull’s clumsy charge.

BOOM!

The Demon Bull brushed past the corner of Fang Han’s clothes and slammed headfirst into a tree as thick as a thigh behind him.

CRACK—

With a sharp snap, the tree broke in two, sending splinters flying.

The Cyan Wood Demon Ox shook its head, looking slightly dazed. But it immediately turned, locking onto Fang Han once more, the violence in its crimson eyes only intensifying.

Missing its target had only enraged it further.

The Cyan Wood Demon Ox whipped its body around, its crimson eyes locked onto Fang Han. Its heavy breaths were like a bellows, the white steam it exhaled starkly visible in the rain.

Its front hooves pawed violently at the ground, splashing mud everywhere. Its massive body gathered power once again and, like a moving mountain, charged forward with a deafening roar.

This time, it was faster and more ferocious. The vibrations from the ground grew even more distinct.

SWISH!

Fang Han’s gaze was calm. Faced with this powerful and heavy impact, he once again chose to evade its brunt.

The instant the Demon Bull was about to reach him, he pushed the Startled Swan Step to its limit. His body, like a willow catkin in the wind, floated erratically to the side, narrowly avoiding the most ferocious part of the direct charge.

This time, however, he didn’t just retreat.

In the instant he dodged, he swung the sheathed Cyan Blade Sword in his right hand. He wasn’t slashing, but rather using skillful force, as if wielding a club.

The Sword Scabbard cut through the rain, creating a dull whoosh as it precisely struck the side of the Demon Bull’s enormous head.

BANG!

A muffled thud echoed as the scabbard made solid contact with the hard bull’s head.

Fang Han felt a slight tremor run up his arm, followed by a massive rebound force.

The Cyan Wood Demon Ox’s skull was far tougher than he’d expected, almost as if it were encased in refined iron armor.

His blow, powerful enough to shatter stone tablets, hadn’t even managed to stun the Cyan Wood Demon Ox. It merely caused the beast’s charge to falter for a moment.

It shook its head and let out an even more furious "MOO," the savage glint in its crimson eyes growing stronger. It was about to toss its head and charge again.

’Such a tough hide!’

Fang Han thought to himself, his movements not pausing for an instant.

Executing a series of shifting movements with the Startled Swan Step, his figure left faint afterimages in the rainy night. He maintained a precise distance from the Demon Bull, never getting too far away, but never letting it hit him head-on.

He circled the Demon Bull, looking for the perfect opportunity to strike.

The Demon Bull charged again and again, but missed every time. It grew increasingly agitated, and openings began to appear in its movements.

Fang Han spotted a gap and closed in again, his Cyan Blade Sword Scabbard striking like a viper leaving its den.

Another vicious strike landed on the relatively vulnerable spot behind the Demon Bull’s ear.

BANG!

The Demon Bull cried out in a short, pained roar. Its charge was interrupted once more, and it shook its head, appearing dazed.

Pressing his advantage, Fang Han followed up like a phantom, the true finesse of his Startled Swan Step on full display.

He darted left and right, his scabbard either jabbing or striking, aiming exclusively for the softer spots on the Demon Bull’s head and neck.

Every blow was powerful and heavy. The sound of muffled impacts echoed one after another in the rainy night.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

After several more precise and powerful strikes, the Cyan Wood Demon Ox’s movements clearly slowed. Its charges became erratic, the crimson in its eyes started to fade to white, and its huge body swayed as if it were drunk.

Finally, after Fang Han landed another heavy blow to the side of its head, the Cyan Wood Demon Ox let out an unwilling wail.

Its four legs gave out. With a thunderous crash, it collapsed into the mud like a toppled mountain, sending a huge splash of muddy water into the air before falling completely unconscious.

Fang Han, breathing lightly, took a few steps back with his sword. He watched it warily for a moment before confirming that the Cyan Wood Demon Ox was indeed unconscious.

"S-Senior Brother Fang... is... is it dead?"

The young servant approached, his voice still trembling.

"Just knocked out."

Fang Han shook his head.

"Go find some strong, durable rope. Quickly."

"Yes, yes! I’ll go right now!" Upon hearing this, the young servant scrambled off toward the Beast Garden’s tool shed.

Fang Han remained where he was, his gaze sweeping over the gap in the fence that had been smashed open.

At the opening, a few bold Cyan-horned Deer were peeking out, seemingly considering an escape of their own.

His eyes narrowed. He released the aura of an Inner Qi Realm Martial Artist, and the few Cyan-horned Deer were instantly frightened, whimpering as they shrank back into the depths of their enclosure.

He stood before the gap with his sword, forming a barrier to prevent any more Demon Beasts from escaping.

Before long, the young servant returned, panting, carrying a large bundle of thick ox-tendon ropes.

Fang Han took the ropes and securely bound the unconscious Cyan Wood Demon Ox’s four hooves together, ensuring that even if it woke up, it wouldn’t be able to break free anytime soon.

"I’ll stand guard here. Go find the Steward and ask him to send people to repair the fence."

Fang Han said to the young servant.

"Yes, Senior Brother!"

The young servant nodded vigorously and hurried off toward the Steward’s residence.

About the time it takes to burn an incense stick, Steward Zhang arrived in a straw raincoat, along with more than ten sturdy servants carrying tools, also clad in raincoats.

He first carefully inspected the unconscious and tightly bound Cyan Wood Demon Ox, then looked at the destroyed fence.

The serious expression on his face softened slightly, and a hint of approval appeared in his eyes as he looked at Fang Han.

"Fortunately, Nephew Fang handled this in time. Otherwise, I fear it would have caused an even bigger mess."

Steward Zhang nodded, his tone softening.

"This Cyan Wood Demon Ox was just overly frightened. It’s not seriously injured. Once it wakes up, we’ll lock it back in its enclosure to rest for a few days, and it will be fine."

He then turned and ordered the dozen or so servants:

"What are you standing around for? Hurry up and bring the spare fence materials over. We’ll repair this tonight! Make sure to reinforce it properly. We can’t have any more mistakes!"

"Yes, sir!"

The servants answered in unison and immediately got to work.

They were clearly experienced. Some cleared away the broken wood debris while others brought over new ironwood fence sections. The clang of hammering soon rang out in the rainy night.

Steward Zhang personally supervised from the side, occasionally shouting out instructions.

Fang Han assisted nearby, mainly by preventing other Demon Beasts from approaching and interfering with the repair work.

The downpour gradually subsided, turning into a steady, light rain.

The repairs continued for nearly two hours. Finally, the new fence stood firm, looking even sturdier than the original.

At this point, the Cyan Wood Demon Ox on the ground slowly regained consciousness. It groaned and struggled a few times, but the ropes held it fast, and it couldn’t get up.

"Carry it back into the enclosure."

Steward Zhang ordered.

More than ten servants came forward and worked together to lift the heavy Demon Bull.

Although they were servants, they also had some Cultivation. Those with exceptional Talent even had a chance to become Official Disciples, so lifting the beast was not a strain for them.

They carried the Demon Bull through the fence gate, returned it to its original enclosure, and untied the ropes.

The Demon Bull, back in its familiar surroundings and surrounded by the scent of its companions, gradually calmed down. It stopped struggling and simply lay down on the dry grass.

Seeing this, Steward Zhang let out a final sigh of relief and turned to Fang Han.

"Dawn is about to break. You’ve worked hard all night. Go back and get some rest."

"Yes, sir. This disciple will take his leave."

Fang Han bowed and turned to walk toward his stone house.

「...」

After the downpour, the Beast Garden was filled with the fresh scent of earth and plants.

Having slept for just over two hours, Fang Han pushed open the wooden door of his stone house. He took a deep breath of the cool, crisp air, which cleared his head considerably.

After eating the breakfast brought by a servant, he began his daily patrol. When he reached the newly repaired fence, he took a special look and noted it was very sturdy.

After completing his patrol, he found an empty clearing and slowly drew the Cyan Blade Sword.

The blade reflected the rising sun, shimmering with a faint golden halo.

The insights he had gained from fighting with Xunfeng Swordsmanship last night now surged into his mind like a tide.

He didn’t perform any fixed techniques. He simply stood there casually, flicking his wrist. The Cyan Blade Sword followed, tracing what seemed to be random arcs.

The tip of the sword cut through the damp air, making a soft "CHHH" sound.

His mind was completely immersed in the feedback from the sword. He felt the subtle changes as the air flowed over the blade, and experienced every transformation as his Inner Qi surged through his meridians and finally poured into the sword’s tip.

This state was mysterious and profound. It wasn’t deliberate Cultivation, but more like a natural settling and sorting of his experiences after the battle.

It was as if he could "hear" the sound of the wind, sensing its flow and resistance.

Gradually, the speed of his swings increased. The Sword Techniques were no longer random; the fundamental forms of Xunfeng Swordsmanship were naturally incorporated into his movements.

SWISH SWISH SWISH—

The light from his sword grew faster and denser, gradually blurring into a cyan haze.

The sound of the blade cutting through the air was no longer just a sharp whistle. It now carried a peculiar rhythm, as if it were resonating with the surrounding airflow.

Suddenly, a brilliant light flashed in Fang Han’s eyes. It was as if a shackle that had long bound his mind was instantly shattered.

He flicked his wrist, and the Cyan Blade Sword let out a clear, long-lasting hum.

Covered by his cyan Inner Qi, it transformed into a streak of cyan light as he slashed forward.

BUZZ—

This slash was not only fast, but its power had also surged, far stronger than before. It emanated an extremely dangerous aura.

The reason was that a fierce wind was coiling around the blade, a wind that became both a propelling force and the Power of Destruction for the sword.

This phenomenon was the hallmark of grasping Sword Momentum—specifically, Wind Momentum.

’Is this the Realm of Perfection for Xunfeng Swordsmanship?!’

Fang Han held his striking pose for a moment before slowly retracting his sword. His chest heaved slightly, and an irrepressible look of utter surprise and excitement flashed in his eyes.

He could clearly feel that the power of that last slash was several times stronger than when his swordsmanship was at the Great Success stage.

Most importantly, when he had struck, a fierce wind had coiled around the sword.

All these phenomena pointed to one thing: his Xunfeng Swordsmanship had reached Perfection. He had touched the threshold of "Momentum" and successfully grasped Wind Momentum.