Flying Over the Grass

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Swift Step Over Grass (Third Rank Lightness Skill)
After mastering this, the body feels light, allowing one to dash across grass as if galloping on horseback.
When activated, speed increases by 18%, consuming 8 points of internal energy each time.

Tang Xuan gazed at the martial arts skill book dropped by the Blackwind Stronghold’s Second-in-Command, momentarily stunned. Unlike swordplay, saber techniques, or boxing, skill books for internal energy and lightness skills were considerably rare. He hadn’t expected the second-in-command of Blackwind Stronghold to drop a third-rank lightness skill book. It seemed the technique this man had displayed earlier was precisely “Swift Step Over Grass.” It was clearly superior to the skills of the third-in-command outside.

“This first kill of the dungeon on hard difficulty was well worth it—I’ve profited handsomely,” Tang Xuan smiled. Third and fourth-rank martial skills were already considered mainstream superior techniques in the martial world, with lightness skills being especially rare. As it happened, he was in need of such a skill.

“Ding! Swift Step Over Grass has reached perfection.”

After learning the skill, Tang Xuan immediately raised it to the perfect level and checked the skill details.

Swift Step Over Grass (Perfect): Increases speed by 216%, consuming 8 points of internal energy each time.

A 216% speed boost far surpassed the 120% of basic perfect-level lightness skills. With an additional 60% increase from the “Arhat Thousand-Pound Skill,” he could achieve a total of 276% speed increase when activated! To dash across grass as swiftly as a horse—how could that be something ordinary? Only true masters of the martial world could match such feats!

“Ding! You have received a carrier pigeon message.”
“Ding! You have received a carrier pigeon message.”
“Ding! You have received a carrier pigeon message…”

Tang Xuan had just finished learning the skill when several carrier pigeon messages arrived. Opening them, he saw they were from his beautiful female fans who rented from him.

Wang Yajun, code-named “A Touch of Red Dust,” was now an inner disciple of Mount Hua Sect and a student of Ning Zhongze. In her message, she first congratulated Tang Xuan on his first dungeon kill, then shared that she had learned several martial arts skills from Ning Zhongze. The most important was an internal art: “Mount Hua Orthodox Internal Skill” (Third Rank Internal Art).

Third and fourth-rank skills were already considered superior, and players joining Mount Hua Sect typically started as outer disciples, learning only the “Mount Hua Introductory Internal Skill” (Second Rank Internal Art). Additionally, Wang Yajun had learned a palm technique, a lightness skill, and a sword technique.

The palm technique was “Tiger Subduing Palm” (Third Rank Palm Technique), a superior style with 108 moves, each with variations, totaling 334 changes—complex and endlessly miraculous.

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The lightness skill was “Mount Hua Introductory Lightness Skill” (Second Rank Lightness Skill), featuring steps like Great Roc Spreads Wings, Breeze Carries Purple Mist, Swallow Circling the Sun, Parting from Ancient Pines, and Rising Sun.

The sword technique was Ning Zhongze’s own expertise, “Lady’s Swordplay” (Third Rank Sword Technique), also a superior style!

It was evident that Wang Yajun, under Ning Zhongze’s tutelage, had been well favored, learning four martial skills in one go. Third-rank internal art, palm technique, and sword technique. Only the lightness skill began at the second rank, as she was just starting out.

It seemed her outstanding appearance and bearing won her favor, not just with other players, but also with NPCs, granting her special attention. Ning Zhongze possessed many advanced martial skills, enough for Wang Yajun to study for a long while.

Mount Hua Sect, known as one of the Five Mountain Sword Sects, was famed for its sword techniques. Although it followed the Qi tradition, it still boasted numerous superior sword skills. Besides Ning Zhongze’s “Lady’s Swordplay,” she had her own creation, “Peerless Ning’s Sword,” likely a fourth-rank technique. There was also the “Jade Maiden’s Nineteen Sword Forms,” available only to women, which was also formidable.

If the Qi tradition was so strong, the Sword tradition’s techniques were even more impressive. Styles like “Thirteen Linked Fatal Swords,” “Gale Swordplay,” and “Thirteen Styles of the Clear Breeze” often exceeded third rank, reaching fourth or even fifth rank. Especially the “Thirteen Styles of the Clear Breeze”—the signature of Mount Hua Sword Sect and a fifth-rank ultimate skill!

No matter which sect, when it came to sword techniques, none dared rival Mount Hua, for its “Thirteen Styles of the Clear Breeze” was truly unparalleled—even Kunlun Sect’s “Nine Forms of the Soaring Dragon” paled in comparison.

It was said that the marvel of “Thirteen Styles of the Clear Breeze” lay in the subtlety of its “clarity”—existing yet not, real yet illusory, changing yet unchanged, like the horns of an antelope leaving no trace. As the symbol of the Sword Sect, it could match Mount Hua’s Qi tradition’s “Purple Mist Divine Skill.”

In “The Great Wuxia,” Mount Hua Sect, though weakened by the division between Sword and Qi traditions, had lost the Five Mountain Alliance Leadership to Zuo Lengchan of Songshan Sect, yet still retained significant strength. Unlike in “Smiling Proud Wanderer,” where Mount Hua declined and Yue Buqun struggled alone, here Yue Buqun was only the Qi tradition leader, with Xianyu Tong heading the Sword tradition.

Yue Buqun was known in the martial world as the “Gentleman Sword,” while Xianyu Tong was called the “Master of Stratagem.”

After reading Wang Yajun’s message, Tang Xuan replied to congratulate her.

Luo Qingqing, Qin Yanran, and Li Weiwei had their own achievements as well.

Luo Qingqing had joined the Five Poisons Sect as the personal disciple of the sect leader, “Blue Phoenix,” learning the sect’s superior internal art, as well as skills in poison, gu cultivation, and medicine.

Qin Yanran joined Emei Sect as an inner disciple under Abbess Miejue, with Ding Minjun and Zhou Zhiruo as her senior sisters. Her gentle and refined demeanor seemed to please Abbess Miejue, who taught her two fourth-rank martial skills!

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One was an internal art: “Three Yang Skill” (Fourth Rank Internal Art), a level above the third-rank skills of Wang Yajun and Luo Qingqing, and a top-tier Emei internal art.

The other was “Divine Dragon’s Triple Appearance” (Fourth Rank Lightness Skill), a rank above Tang Xuan’s newly acquired “Swift Step Over Grass” (Third Rank Lightness Skill). Abbess Miejue clearly favored Qin Yanran, urging her to focus on internal energy and lightness skill training. Only after mastering these was she to choose her preferred styles of boxing, palm, or sword techniques.

This showed Abbess Miejue’s instruction was both reasonable and exemplary—she was truly a worthy mentor.

As for Li Weiwei, who joined the Quanzhen Sect, her gains were nearly on par with, if not surpassing, Qin Yanran’s. She studied under Sun Bu’er, the “Serene Wanderer,” one of the Seven True Disciples of Quanzhen.

Founded by Wang Chongyang, the Quanzhen Sect’s martial arts were almost all his creations, and the Seven True Disciples each practiced only the “Quanzhen Heart Method,” a fourth-rank internal art. Outer disciples could only practice the “Quanzhen Introductory Heart Method,” a second-rank internal art.

As an inner disciple, Li Weiwei learned the full “Quanzhen Heart Method” at fourth rank. Her lightness skill was “Golden Wild Goose Skill,” also created by Wang Chongyang and of fourth rank.

Besides fourth-rank internal and lightness skills, Li Weiwei also acquired the “Quanzhen Introductory Swordplay,” a second-rank sword technique. The complete “Quanzhen Swordplay” was a superior fourth-rank technique. Combined with the Ancient Tomb Sect’s “Jade Maiden Swordplay,” they could merge into “Jade Maiden’s Pure Heart Swordplay,” wielding Quanzhen Sword in the left and Jade Maiden Sword in the right. The resulting power nearly reached fifth or even sixth rank.

However, this required mastery of “Ambidextrous Skill,” as with Little Dragon Maiden, to use both hands independently.

Tang Xuan replied to each of the four women with a carrier pigeon message.

Afterward, he began grinding levels.

He repeatedly challenged the Blackwind Stronghold dungeon (hard difficulty, levels 11-15, 1-10 players), leveling up from 11 to 16! He now met the requirements for “Blackwind Stronghold Nightmare Difficulty” (levels 16-20, 1-10 players).

Although he could now attempt the nightmare difficulty dungeon, it was already late into the night.

Tang Xuan logged out of the game, preparing to get some rest and sleep.