Chapter 451 - 448: 1.1 Million Gold

Chapter 451: Chapter 448: 1.1 Million Gold

The evening sun was soft and weak, casting a dim glow over the mountain range.

Fang Han’s figure appeared amidst the continuous mountain range. He slowed his pace, his gaze sweeping over the surrounding terrain. After confirming that his location matched the intelligence from Tingyu Hall, he concealed himself in a thicket of bushes.

Several miles ahead, a massive mining complex was built into the side of a mountain.

Unlike the mine he had plundered before, this one covered a vast area. Its perimeter was fortified with high walls made of bluestone, complete with crenellations and a watchtower at each of the four corners.

Inside the walls, dozens of wooden houses and workshops were arranged in neat rows. The gaping, dark entrances to several huge mine shafts were visible, with signs of carts frequently moving in and out.

This was the Netherworld Pavilion’s largest Spirit Iron Mine.

"Thousand-Mile Soul Lock."

Fang Han concealed his breath and fully activated Thousand-Mile Soul Lock. The auras within the mining complex appeared clearly in his perception.

Dozens of Martial Artists’ auras, varying in strength, were scattered throughout the area.

Deep within the mine, however, one aura was exceptionally powerful—it was cold, heavy, and carried a heart-pounding pressure.

Second Grade. The owner of this aura was most likely a Second Grade Martial Artist.

’A Second Grade Martial Artist is indeed stationed here.’

Fang Han’s expression grew tense.

Just as Tingyu Hall’s intelligence had indicated, this mine was one of the Netherworld Pavilion’s major sources of income, and a Second-Grade Elder was stationed here year-round.

The sun sank in the west, and dusk began to fall.

The disciples in the mining complex started to get busy. Some lit fires to cook, some pushed carts full of ore out of the mines, and others were in the workshops, hammering away with a CLANG CLANG CLANG.

Fang Han remained motionless, like a statue.

Choosing this mine was a risk; he had to be even more cautious than before.

「Night fell.」

The moonlight peeked out from behind the clouds, casting down a cold, clear radiance.

One by one, lanterns in the mining complex were lit. The figures of patrolling disciples could be seen pacing back and forth within the walls.

Fang Han observed the patrol patterns while monitoring the state of the Second-Grade Elder.

「The night deepened.」

The lights in the mining complex gradually went out, leaving only a few windproof lanterns on the walls swaying in the breeze.

The patrolling disciples’ footsteps began to drag, and their yawns could be heard from a great distance.

Meanwhile, the Second-Grade Elder’s aura had also changed—it shifted from steady to deep, his breathing becoming long and rhythmic.

A change like this indicated that the Elder had either entered a state of Cultivation or had fallen asleep.

’It’s time!’

A sharp glint flashed in Fang Han’s eyes.

Now was the moment.

SWOOSH—

He shot out from the bushes without a sound. Executing the Wind God Step at full power, his body became like an invisible wisp of night wind, drifting toward the mining complex close to the ground.

There was no sound of tearing through the air, no rustle of clothing, not even the faint sound of his feet touching the ground.

His feet touched the wall as if he were walking on flat ground, and he silently vaulted over the top.

Two patrolling disciples walked past a few dozen yards away, completely unaware that someone had already infiltrated the complex.

’The warehouse should be deeper inside!’

Sticking to the shadows of the buildings, Fang Han darted deeper into the mining complex.

He moved quickly yet was exceptionally quiet, each step landing precisely in the patrolling disciples’ blind spots.

Along the way, a patrol team rounded a corner ahead of him. With a flicker, he was already pressed against the side of a wooden house, his entire body hidden in the dark shadow cast by the eaves.

The disciples passed just a few feet away, yet none of them noticed anything amiss—a testament to how powerful his Breath Concealment Ability had become.

SHH!

Once the footsteps faded, Fang Han darted out again.

In just a few moments, he had penetrated deep into the heart of the complex.

Ahead, a building constructed of bluestone, which appeared to be a storehouse, came into view.

The building covered a vast area, several times larger than the storeroom at the mine he had raided before.

The door was made of ironwood—thick and sturdy—and a huge iron lock hung on it.

In front of the building, eight Netherworld Pavilion disciples stood guard at various posts.

’Eight guards! So many!’

Fang Han paused for a moment, his gaze falling upon the eight figures.

Eight guards—exactly double the number at the mine he had plundered before.

’It seems the Netherworld Pavilion is on alert.’

The thought flashed through Fang Han’s mind.

Having lost two properties in a row, the Netherworld Pavilion couldn’t possibly do nothing. They must have sent out warnings to their other assets, ordering them to assign more men to guard their storehouses.

Under the effect of Thousand-Mile Soul Lock, the Cultivation of these eight disciples was clearly revealed.

The strongest was at the Fifth Grade, the two weakest were at the Seventh Grade, and the rest were at the Sixth Grade.

’Killing these eight wouldn’t be hard, but...’

Fang Han’s brow furrowed slightly.

Killing them wouldn’t be hard, but doing so without making a sound would not be easy.

The eight were positioned at various posts, separated by distances ranging from a few feet to over ten feet.

Even with his swift Body Technique, he couldn’t possibly kill all eight of them in the same instant.

If even one of them made a sound, the Second-Grade Elder would be alerted.

If that happened, the heist would surely end in failure.

’What should I do?’

Crouching in the shadow of a wooden house, Fang Han scanned the positions of the eight guards, rapidly running through various scenarios in his mind.

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him.

’Sword Intent.’

Fang Han muttered to himself, his voice so low only he could hear.

Sword Intent could not only tear apart tangible objects but also shock the intangible spirit.

The highest Cultivation level among the eight was only Fifth Grade. The Spiritual Shock carried by his Sword Intent would be enough to instantly stun, or even kill, all eight of them.

The Spiritual Shock from Sword Intent was formless and intangible. It would make no sound and leave no visible trace.

As long as he controlled it properly and strictly limited the range of his Sword Intent, he could deal with all eight in an instant without alerting anyone.

’This is the best way!’

A decisive look flashed in Fang Han’s eyes. He decided to give it a try with his Wind Sword Intent.

However, he didn’t act immediately. Instead, he used Thousand-Mile Soul Lock again to check on the condition of the Second-Grade aura.

The aura remained deep and steady with no unusual fluctuations. The person was likely still in Cultivation or asleep.

He also scanned the area around the warehouse to confirm there were no hidden lookouts.

SHIIING—

Fang Han slowly drew the Cloud Splitting Sword.

The blade left its sheath without a sound. Its dark cyan body gleamed with a restrained luster under the moonlight.

He took a deep breath, and his Wind Sword Intent silently flowed onto the blade, which he pointed at the eight Netherworld Pavilion guards from a distance.

The next moment—

The Sword Intent erupted.

HMMMM—

It wasn’t Sword Qi, nor was it a flash of the blade, but an invisible, pure Spiritual Shock.

The shock was silent, formless, and intangible, yet it carried a sharpness that could tear through anything. It instantly crossed the distance of several dozen feet and enveloped the eight disciples.

Among the eight, one who had been dozing against a doorpost suddenly slumped his head and went silent.

Another, who had been whispering with a comrade, stopped mid-sentence and his body slid limply to the ground.

A third disciple, who had been pacing back and forth out of boredom, suddenly froze. His whole body went boneless and crumpled silently to the floor.

The remaining five, whether standing or sitting, lost consciousness at almost the exact same moment, their bodies collapsing limply.

Without exception, all were dead.

This was the terrifying power of Sword Intent.

To Upper Three Grades Martial Artists, the Spiritual Shock of Sword Intent might only cause a moment of daze.

But to these Middle Third-Grade Martial Artists, whose strongest was only a Fifth Grade, it was like being an ant in a hurricane—their souls were shattered in an instant.

SHH!

With a flash, Fang Han appeared before the warehouse door.

Before the eight bodies could make a sound by falling, he reached out and steadied them, gently laying them on the ground.

His movements were fast yet light, making no sound at all.

PFFT, PFFT, PFFT—

Then, using the Cloud Splitting Sword, he stabbed each corpse once.

The tip of the sword pierced their hearts with precision and efficiency. The wounds were minuscule, and very little blood seeped out.

This was not an unnecessary action.

Among Upper Three Grades Martial Artists, few could comprehend a Mental State, and even fewer could comprehend Sword Intent.

If the Netherworld Pavilion discovered these men had died from Sword Intent, they would likely grow suspicious of him.

But by adding this stab wound, the injury from the sword could cover up the traces of Sword Intent.

Even if the Netherworld Pavilion sent investigators, they would only assume the men were killed by a Fast Sword, not by Sword Intent.

’I hope the haul doesn’t disappoint me!’

After finishing all this, Fang Han turned and grabbed the iron lock.

He channeled a bit of Inner Qi and gave it a gentle twist.

CLICK.

The iron lock snapped.

He pushed the door open, stepped inside, and closed it behind him.

The light inside the warehouse was dim, and the faint scent of ore filled the air.

Fang Han’s gaze swept across the room, and even with the Eye Power of a Third Grade Martial Artist, he couldn’t help but be slightly moved.

The warehouse was immense, at least several hundred yards square.

Along the walls, rows of wooden crates were stacked neatly from floor to ceiling—at least a hundred of them.

He walked over and casually opened one of the crates.

Inside were neatly arranged chunks of Spirit Iron Ore. Their color was dark, their texture heavy, and their quality was a cut above the ore from the previous mine.

He opened a few more crates. Some contained Spirit Iron Ore, others Spirit Copper Ore, and a few held extremely high-quality rare ores that gave off a cold glint in the darkness.

’With this much ore, I should be able to get the 300,000 gold all at once.’

The corner of Fang Han’s mouth curved into a very faint smile.

Without delay, he focused his mind and called out the system panel.

A translucent screen appeared before his eyes.

[Host: Fang Han]

[Root Bone Talent Amplification: 256x (Ninth Level Amplification requires 10,000,000 gold)]

[Swordsmanship Talent Amplification: 128x (Level 8 Amplification requires 1,000,000 gold)]

[Stepping Talent Amplification: 128x (Level 8 Amplification requires 1,000,000 gold)]

[Secret Technique Talent Amplification: 128x (Level 8 Amplification requires 1,000,000 gold)]

[Body Hardening Talent Amplification: 128x (Level 8 Amplification requires 1,000,000 gold)]

[Wealth: 700,000 gold]

He placed his hand on a wooden crate.

"Deposit."

The crate and the ore within it vanished instantly.

He didn’t stop, walking a lap around the warehouse, his hands continuously touching the wooden crates.

With every touch, another batch of ore disappeared.

His movements were fast yet steady, making no extraneous noise.

In just a few moments, all one hundred-plus crates in the warehouse had vanished.

The numbers on the panel changed accordingly.

[Wealth: 700,000 gold → 1,100,000 gold]

’1,100,000 gold.’

Fang Han’s gaze fell upon the line of numbers, a trace of satisfaction in his eyes.

This amount had already surpassed the one million gold required to unlock Level 8 Amplification.