Martial Dao: I Can Enhance My Talents

The afternoon sun cast a lazy warmth upon the winding stone paths of the Qingxuan Sect.

Fang Han and Yun Qianyue walked side by side, heading toward the plaza where the Overall Martial Arts Stele was located.

Neither was particularly talkative, so they walked in silence, the only sound being the soft echo of their footsteps on the quiet path.

Yun Qianyue, her face hidden by a purple veil, carried herself with a poised and graceful bearing.

Only when she occasionally glanced at the placid Fang Han beside her would a flicker of subtle curiosity flash in the bright eyes above her veil.

As they reached a wider fork in the road flanked by ancient pines, a figure suddenly appeared before them, blocking their path completely.

The newcomer was about twenty-five or twenty-six, tall and thin. At his waist hung a long, sheathed saber of antique design.

His narrow eyes were slightly squinted, glinting with malicious intent.

It was Zhao Kun, ranked seventieth on the overall list.

"You’re Fang Han from the Sub-Branch?"

Zhao Kun spoke, his voice dripping with condescension and scrutiny.

Fang Han stopped.

He didn’t recognize the man, but from his posture and gaze, it was clear he was here for him.

"I am. May I ask what business you have with me, Senior Brother?"

Fang Han’s tone was level, betraying no emotion.

"Business? I wouldn’t dare."

The tall, thin disciple sneered, his chin tilting upward.

"I hear Junior Brother Fang has been making quite a name for himself lately. First in the Sub-Branch, eighty-seventh on the overall list? Tsk tsk. For someone who’s only been at the Entry Level for a year, you certainly know how to make a splash."

He continued, his voice laced with mockery.

"But while it’s good for a young man to be ambitious, you also need to know your place and respect your elders. Don’t think a little bit of Talent gives you the right to be disrespectful to your senior brothers."

Hearing this, Fang Han was certain the man was deliberately looking for trouble.

The one pulling the strings was obvious. Who could it be but Chu Feng?

Within the Sect, Chu Feng was the only one who would go to such lengths to deal with him.

’Trying to provoke me and start a fight?’

Fang Han’s eyes turned cold, but he didn’t get angry. His tone remained as level as before.

"Some senior brothers are worthy of respect, and some are not. If you have no other business, please step aside. We are on our way to the Martial Arts Stele for a test."

Seeing that Fang Han remained composed and completely unfazed by the taunts, a flash of annoyance crossed Zhao Kun’s eyes.

He was under orders to cause a scene. If he couldn’t even manage to anger the guy, how was he supposed to complete his mission?

His gaze shifted to the silent Yun Qianyue beside Fang Han. A lecherous smile spread across Zhao Kun’s face, and his words grew even more venomous.

"Oh? In such a hurry to leave for your test? I don’t think so. Are you just anxious to have a little private rendezvous with this... junior sister of yours?"

He deliberately drew out his words, his eyes roaming unabashedly over Yun Qianyue’s slender figure.

"Does this junior sister cover her face with a purple veil because she’s too ugly to be seen? Or is she just pretending to be pure to seduce idiots like you?"

The words were a blatant insult!

The eyes above Yun Qianyue’s purple veil turned frosty. The aura around her became bone-chillingly cold in an instant, and her fingers tightened slightly on her sword hilt.

Fang Han’s normally placid gaze finally wavered upon hearing Zhao Kun’s disgusting insults directed at Yun Qianyue.

A cold rage began to bubble up from within him.

He could ignore the provocations aimed at himself, but Yun Qianyue had nothing to do with this. That she was being subjected to such filth because of him crossed his bottom line.

There was no way he could let this slide!

He slowly raised his head, his gaze like two ice picks stabbing straight at Zhao Kun. His voice was as frigid as a winter wind.

"Is Chu Feng your master? Is that why you’re so eager to go around biting people for him?"

"You little bastard, you’re courting death!"

Zhao Kun was instantly enraged by Fang Han’s merciless rebuke. Though he worked for Chu Feng, he considered it a transaction between equals.

Now, being called Chu Feng’s dog by Fang Han, his face flushed beet-red with fury, and a murderous glint flashed in his eyes!

Overcome with shame and anger, he could no longer hold back.

CLANG!

The aura around him erupted, revealing the Inner Qi fluctuations of the Early Stage of Sixth Grade.

The long saber at his waist was drawn with a ferocious flourish, unleashing a brilliant, cold gleam. A sharp saber energy tore through the air with a piercing shriek.

"Die!"

He roared, lunging forward. The light of his saber was like a bolt of white silk, cutting through the air with a vicious howl as he slashed mercilessly at Fang Han.

"Be careful!"

Yun Qianyue cried out in alarm, instinctively reaching to draw her sword.

But Fang Han was faster!

The moment Zhao Kun drew his saber, Fang Han had already activated the Flowing Wind Shadowless Step. His figure drifted back half a step like a phantom, narrowly avoiding the sharpest point of the blade.

At the same time—

SHING!

The Cyan Blade Sword slid from its sheath with a clear ring.

The body of the sword shimmered with a deep, inky-cyan light as Inner Qi from his Early Stage of Sixth Grade Profound Wind Technique surged into it.

He then executed his Mastery Level Wind Shadow Annihilation Sword. The sword light, wrapped in a powerful Wind Momentum, formed a bizarre and cunning arc to meet Zhao Kun’s descending saber.

CLANG!

Saber and sword met, erupting in a shower of blinding sparks.

Zhao Kun felt a tremendous force travel up the blade of his saber. It contained a peerlessly sharp power that felt as if it could tear through anything, making his arm go numb and his blood churn.

THUMP, THUMP, THUMP! He stumbled back three steps before barely steadying himself, his face a mask of utter shock!

"You... You’re also Sixth Grade?!"

He stared at Fang Han in disbelief. The guy had clearly been at the Late Stage of Seventh Grade during the test a month ago. How could he have broken through so quickly?

Fang Han had no intention of wasting words on Zhao Kun.

Having gained the upper hand in a single move, he pressed his attack!

He unleashed the Wind Shadow Annihilation Sword. The sword light was like wind and lightning—unpredictable and treacherous, enveloping Zhao Kun completely with its sharp, killing intent.

Zhao Kun, both shocked and furious, swung his saber desperately to parry.

But while his Saber Technique was impressive, how could it possibly compare to a Top Grade Sword Technique at the Master Level?

SHINK! SHINK! SHINK!

The sword light flickered. In just over ten moves, Zhao Kun was already on the defensive, in a perilous situation. His robes were sliced open in several places by Sword Qi, dripping with fresh blood.

PSHCHT!

With a soft sound, Fang Han found an opening. The Cyan Blade Sword struck like a viper’s tongue, instantly piercing through the web of saber strikes and leaving a wound on Zhao Kun’s chest so deep the bone was visible.

"Aargh!"

Zhao Kun let out a piercing scream. The long saber fell from his grasp as he was sent flying backward like a broken sack.

He slammed heavily onto the stone ground several yards away, kicking up a cloud of dust. He struggled twice but couldn’t manage to get back up right away.

From the moment Zhao Kun drew his saber to his utter defeat from a single, grievous wound by Fang Han, the entire exchange had taken no more than a dozen breaths.

The surrounding disciples who had been drawn by the commotion were now watching, dumbfounded and completely silent.

No one had expected Zhao Kun, ranked seventieth on the overall list, to be defeated so decisively, and at the hands of a disciple who had joined the sect just over a year ago and was ranked far below him.

Fang Han slowly sheathed his sword. He glanced coldly at Zhao Kun, whose chest bore a gruesome wound from which blood was gushing, but he felt little emotion.

Although Zhao Kun was also at the Early Stage of Sixth Grade, the gap between their strengths was already as wide as a chasm.

"Who dares to fight here in private!"

Just then, a stern, authoritative shout came from the distance.

Several figures were seen speeding over. The one in the lead was an old man with a rigid face and eyes as sharp as an eagle’s, dressed in the robes of a Law Enforcement Hall Elder. It was Elder Yan Lv of the Law Enforcement Hall.

Following behind him were several Law Enforcement Hall disciples with solemn auras.

Elder Yan Lv’s gaze swept across the scene. When he saw Zhao Kun lying grievously injured and bleeding from the chest, while Fang Han and Yun Qianyue stood with their swords, his expression darkened.

"Take them away!"

He waved his hand, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Several Law Enforcement Hall disciples stepped forward. They helped up the barely conscious Zhao Kun and "escorted" Fang Han and Yun Qianyue to the Law Enforcement Hall.

...

「In the solemn main hall of the Law Enforcement Hall.」

Elder Yan Lv sat in the seat of honor, his expression grave, exuding an aura of authority without being angry.

Zhao Kun, his wounds roughly bandaged, sat pale-faced in a chair below, glaring at Fang Han with a venomous look.

Fang Han and Yun Qianyue stood silently in the middle of the hall, their expressions calm.

"Speak. Why were you fighting in private?"

Elder Yan Lv’s voice was deep and carried a sense of pressure.

Zhao Kun spoke first, his voice weak but filled with hatred.

"Elder Yan, I was just passing by when I ran into Fang Han. I approached with good intentions to greet him, but who would have thought he would be so insolent as to insult Senior Brother Chu Feng."

"I couldn’t stand it and tried to reason with him, but he suddenly attacked and injured me! I implore the Elder to seek justice for me!"

He twisted the truth, placing all the blame on Fang Han.

Elder Yan Lv turned his gaze to Fang Han.

"Fang Han, what do you have to say for yourself?"

Fang Han’s expression remained unchanged. He cupped his hands and said,

"Replying to the Elder, he is twisting the truth. First, he blocked our path and provoked us. Then, he verbally insulted Yun Qianyue, who was with me."

"Finally, he was the first to draw his saber and attack. I was forced to defend myself. I ask the Elder to see the truth."

Yun Qianyue also spoke up, her voice clear.

"Elder, what Fang Han said is true. Zhao Kun’s words were vulgar and unbearable, and he was the one who attacked first."

After hearing both sides, Elder Yan Lv questioned the few disciples who had been brought in as witnesses and basically pieced together what had happened.

He pondered for a moment before speaking slowly, his voice carrying an unquestionable finality.

"Zhao Kun, you provoked him first, spoke improperly, and were the first to attack. You cannot escape responsibility for the provocation."

"Fang Han, though you acted in self-defense, you were too heavy-handed. To grievously injure a fellow disciple in a dispute is also improper."

"This Elder rules: Zhao Kun, you are fined three months of Sect contributions. Fang Han, you are fined one month of Sect contributions. This will serve as a punishment. I hope you both learn from this!"

The punishment, while seeming to blame both sides equally, was clearly biased in favor of Zhao Kun, who had initiated the attack and insulted a fellow disciple.

Fang Han’s brow furrowed slightly. He had a faint feeling that this Elder Yan probably had a personal relationship with Chu Feng.

A hint of triumph flashed in Zhao Kun’s eyes.

Just then, a woman’s voice—as cold as shattering jade yet tinged with anger—drifted in from outside the hall.

"Elder Yan, isn’t your judgment a bit unfair?"

Before the words had even faded, an elegant and slender silhouette in a water-blue dress stepped into the main hall.

The newcomer was breathtakingly beautiful, with an aura as cold as a lotus on a snowy mountain, yet her features held an imposing and heroic air.

It was none other than Yun Muyao, ranked eighteenth on the Celestial Pride List and the Sect’s Second Senior Sister!

She had clearly arrived in a hurry, as her hair was slightly disheveled, but when her clear, cold eyes swept across the hall, the temperature of the entire room seemed to drop by several degrees.