Martial Arts: My talent multiplier increased

Fang Yuan was holding a withered branch in his hand.

The ground was grayish-white soil.

The withered branch drew an arc on the ground.

"Entrance to the core area".

Fang Yuan raised his head and glanced at the people around the fire.

The old servant stood behind Lin Qingxue, his hands tucked into his sleeves, like a lifeless wooden sculpture, but the pressure of the peak Bone Refinement realm subtly locked onto Fang Yuan.

Lin Qingxue sat on the rock, and after the chill on her body subsided, her face regained some of its pale color.

Tie Meng sat cross-legged opposite Fang Yuan.

"Shi Potian, late-stage peak of the Bone Refining Realm. Earth-rank cultivation technique, 'Mountain Splitting Fist'." Fang Yuan's voice was flat. "Including four personal guards and three from the outskirts of Blackstone City, that's eight people in total."

"Over here." Fang Yuan tapped several circles on the ground with his branch. "Miss Lin, Brother Tie, me, plus the two from the Fang family, and this old gentleman. Six of us."

The old servant snorted coldly. "This old servant is only responsible for protecting Miss. Competing for opportunities is your business."

Fang Yuan ignored him. His mental simulation had already taken this variable into account. The old servant's priority was Lin Qingxue's life; expecting him to fight Shi Potian to the death was unrealistic. He was merely a safety net.

"A head-on confrontation is suicide," Fang Yuan continued. "The core area is narrow, and Shi Potian won't bring all eight of them into the deepest part."

Two crosses were drawn on the dead branches at the entrance to the core area.

"He'll leave some men to guard the perimeter. Sir, these men are yours; just clear the area. Not difficult, right?"

The old servant didn't reply, but the disdain in his eyes spoke volumes. He could easily kill two of those mid-stage Bone Refinement weaklings with a single slap.

The branch continued to slide inwards.

"The most crucial location, the essence blood of the Beast God. Shi Potian will definitely go there personally. He will at most bring one or two personal guards with him."

Fang Yuan looked up at Tie Meng.

"Brother Tie, you're in charge of luring Shi Potian away from the core area. Or, intercept him."

Tie Meng's breath caught in his throat for a moment.

His bloodshot eyes were fixed on Fang Yuan. Their gazes met above the flickering firelight.

"Just keep them occupied?" Tie Meng's voice was rough, like sandpaper scraping against a stone. "Or can we kill them?"

Fang Yuan paused for a moment.

He looked at Tie Meng's dented iron arm guards and at the madness that had been suppressed in the old mercenary's eyes for more than two years.

If he were being rational, he should have said, "Just keep them occupied; preserving your life is the most important thing."

But Fang Yuan knew that this kind of person didn't need appeasement. What they needed was a spark.

"If there's a chance," Fang Yuan threw the dry branch into the fire. "Kill."

Tie Meng slammed his fist into the ground. The ground shook, and dirt flew everywhere.

That's enough.

Lin Qingxue did not interrupt the entire time.

At this moment, her clear eyes finally moved. Her gaze fell on the simple topographical map, then moved to Fang Yuan's face.

What is the basis for your analysis of Shi Potian's weaknesses?

His tone remained cool, but carried a subtle, almost imperceptible scrutiny.

What makes a mid-stage Bone Refining Realm cultivator dare to scheme against a peak Bone Refining Realm monster with an Earth-rank cultivation technique?

Fang Yuan's gaze met hers.

"Yesterday at noon. At the west observation platform." Fang Yuan spoke steadily. "He crippled three Bone Refinement Realm cultivators from Yunyan City with a single punch."

The old servant's eyelids twitched. He had heard of Shi Potian's name, but to cripple three people of the same level with a single punch? Was he even human?

"The power generation structure relies heavily on the absolute stability of the lower body. There's no preparatory movement when punching, but the speed is half a beat slower than a typical Bone Refining Realm cultivator," Fang Yuan continued. "The explosive power is five times that of an ordinary person. The body surface has a layer of grayish-white bone-like patterns, providing extremely high defense. But—"

Fang Yuan paused for a moment.

"When he crouched down to loot the spoils, his knees didn't bend more than 90 degrees. He was deliberately avoiding large folds of his joints."

Lin Qingxue raised her eyebrows slightly.

This is the second micro-expression she showed emotional feedback tonight.

The first time was when I took that Yangyan Pill.

She looked at Fang Yuan, the scrutiny in her eyes fading slightly, replaced by something called "approval".

Under such terrifying pressure, he was still able to calmly observe the opponent's extremely subtle physiological habits and turn them into tactical basis.

This person's intellect is far more terrifying than his cultivation level.

Lin Qingxue didn't ask any more questions. She closed her eyes and continued to regulate her breathing.

The tactical simulation has ended.

The camp fell silent.

Fang Yuan walked alone to a sheltered rock wall at the back of the camp.

There was no one around.

He spread out his right palm.

A semi-transparent panel, visible only to him, emerged in the night.

Host: Fang Yuan

Realm: Mid-stage Bone Refining Realm

Root Bone Talent: 4x (Level 4 amplification requires 10000 taels of silver)

Stance Training Talent: 4x (Level 4 amplification requires 1000 taels of silver)

Comprehension Talent: 2x (Level 3 amplification requires 10000 taels of silver)

Divine Soul Talent: 2x (Level 2 amplification requires 1000 taels of silver)

Current savings: 897 taels of silver

897 taels.

Stuck in an in-between position.

Fang Yuan looked away from the panel and quickly started working on the abacus in his mind.

These are the medicinal herbs I collected in the secret realm these past few days.

Three stalks of Bone-Tempering Grass, in excellent condition. Market price is approximately two hundred taels.

The Crimson Flame Flower, after using a portion of the purified Yangyan Pill, the remaining remnants and roots are worth at least three hundred taels.

Ice Silkworm Grass, perfect quality. Sell it to a merchant house in the county town for a guaranteed minimum of five hundred taels.

In addition, there were a few common medicinal herbs that he picked up along the way.

The total expected income is 1,100 taels.

With the existing 897 taels, we can break through the 2,000 taels mark when we get back.

The monthly revenue from Baicaotang is still rolling in.

The path to the goal of increasing one's 10,000 taels of silver to the fourth level of the Root Bone enhancement is now extremely clear.

Fang Yuan closed the panel.

Money is a good thing. But only if I can get the stuff out alive tomorrow.

He took a deep breath of the cold night air.

He turned and walked back to the camp.

Lin Qingxue remained seated on the rock. The old servant leaned against a tree trunk not far away, dozing off, but Fang Yuan knew he wasn't asleep at all.

Fang Yuan walked up to Lin Qingxue.

Stop.

He pulled the tin medicine bottle from his pocket.

There is only one Yangyan Pill left inside.

He didn't say anything, but simply placed the medicine bottle on the flat stone surface next to Lin Qingxue.

Lin Qingxue opened her eyes.

Looking at the medicine bottle on the stone surface.

"Aren't you afraid I'll take the medicine and then deny it tomorrow?"

Fang Yuan's expression remained unchanged.

"Your life, Lin Qingxue, is worth more than just these few pills," Fang Yuan said, then turned and walked towards his rest area.

Lin Qingxue watched his retreating figure.

Her innate arrogance made her accustomed to others' flattery and scheming.

But this was the first time she had ever seen Fang Yuan so open about the deal, yet so confident that it was impossible to refuse.

The old servant opened his eyes at some point, staring at Fang Yuan's back, his brows furrowed into a tight knot.

"Miss, this man is too cunning."

Lin Qingxue's fingers toyed with the tin medicine bottle.

The pure yang medicinal energy was radiating a slight warmth even through the iron sheet.

"As long as his target is Shi Potian, it doesn't matter how deep his intentions are."

late at night.

The campfire at the camp was reduced to a pile of dark red embers.

Except for the old servant on night watch, everyone else went into hibernation.

Fang Yuan lay on the straw mat.

His breathing was extremely long and deep.

The ultimate physical control brought about by the fourfold standing meditation allowed him to maintain a certain level of physiological alertness even while asleep.

The perception network, enhanced by twice the divine soul talent, stretched like an invisible spider web, covering the air twenty feet above the camp.

Extremely slight fluctuations.

It's not the wind.

The wind's path is scattered.

This fluctuation has a clear directionality.

A tiny, almost invisible thread of vital energy swept across the sky above the camp.

Extremely fast.

Less than half a breath.

If it weren't for the perception of the divine soul, no martial artist at the peak of the Bone Refining Realm would be able to detect it.

Fang Yuan's breathing rate remained unchanged.

But his mind was already on edge.

The direction that wisp of silk flew off to.

northwest.

Entrance to the core area.

Shi Potian.

The other party wasn't asleep either. Not only was that monster going to take the Beast God's essence blood tomorrow, he had also figured out the locations of all potential opponents tonight.

Fang Yuan silently gripped the short knife under the straw mat with his right hand.

The texture of the knife handle pressed against my palm.

tomorrow.

core area.

A life-or-death situation.