Chapter 645: Half-Step Human Realm (7/20, Autumn Subscription)

Madam Wan, she's only slightly stronger than a Xiantian Realm cultivator.

She's human, yet she doesn't qualify as Human Realm—best she can be called is half-step Human Realm!

Because the Heart Method she cultivates isn't a conventional Human Realm Heart Method, but a heretical one that deliberately suppresses her cultivation and power, taking a deviant path!

This Heart Method weakens the cultivator further the more they practice; the only benefit is breaking through the shackles of the boundary, advancing from Xiantian Realm to Human Realm.

This breakthrough should bring a surge in power, but due to the heretical Human Realm Heart Method, her power plummets first, then gains the augmentation of the Human Realm realm.

Amid this increase and decrease, her overall power naturally rises, but only slightly.

Compared to ordinary Xiantian Realm martial artists, she can crush them effortlessly, dominating without rival.

But if she faces a normal Human Realm expert, she'll be shattered in an instant—even a powerful Xiantian Realm martial artist can match her.

This is the drawback of heretical Heart Methods, the cost of taking a deviant path; worse, this method even erodes her innate talent, making power growth extremely difficult.

Yet despite this, many still flock to this heretical Heart Method.

Because Human Realm Heart Methods are simply too precious, too rare.

For those without an organization or lineage, obtaining a proper Human Realm Heart Method is nearly impossible.

No, not even proper Human Realm Heart Methods—low-grade or inferior ones are equally hard to find!

But this kind of heretical method to ascend realms? It's possible to buy it from black markets and other channels, becoming one of the few upward paths available to lone cultivators.

Thus, even though this heretical Human Realm Heart Method raises one's realm through power suppression, it still deeply entices people.

Being permanently stuck in Xiantian Realm, and becoming a lowly Human Realm cultivator through diminished status—these are two entirely different concepts.

Human Realm, even in a big city like 【Chunuan City】, is a formidable figure; Xiantian Realm receives nowhere near such treatment.

Thus, Human Realm is the lifelong pursuit of many, and the final barrier where many halt.

Below Human Realm, one can still strive with effort as the foundation.

Above Human Realm, it's a dual battle of talent and resources—neither can be missing!

Madam Wan is a classic example of a martial artist who rose from the bottom, with barely enough resources to get by.

At Human Realm, she should have chosen a supreme technique to directly reach Yu Realm, securing a glorious future.

But reality is, she couldn't even afford a decent Human Realm technique—couldn't buy one—so she was forced onto the heretical path, forcibly advancing her realm.

After doing this, her power became stuck here.

Now she can only hoard resources, seeking another way to obtain a Human Realm technique, or buy rare heavenly treasures to nourish her body and slowly recover, to continue improving her power.

Madam Wan wanted to join the Government, but no one would take her.

Whether 【Qingsi】 or 【Lanshan】, as Government forces, they have their own talent pipelines—directly promoting promising individuals from counties and villages, plus abundant martial arts treasuries—they don't lack people.

Someone like her, a lone cultivator with unclear origins and tainted history, has no qualifications to enter the Government's system.

Outside Government forces, only the Tian Shang Alliance, intelligence organizations, underground factions, and guard groups care nothing for her background—only her power matters, and they pay for it.

"Once I save enough money to buy a good Human Realm Heart Method, I'll find a way to infiltrate a sect and secure a position."

This was Madam Wan's ideal before tonight.

Now, Madam Wan only wants to escape Fang Yue's grasp and survive.

But fate defied her—she turned back in terror and saw the shadows coiling around Fang Yue's feet suddenly drenched in thick black aura, his speed exploding.

It seemed his earlier pursuit had merely been controlling distance, waiting for this instant burst—closing the gap in the blink of an eye.

Before Madam Wan could react, the black blade slashed into her chest.

Blood sprayed as a massive wound opened on her chest, hurling her backward.

Fang Yue unleashed black aura again, closing in instantly, catching the flying Madam Wan and slashing her neck—severing her head clean off.

Her head rolled onto the ground; the headless corpse kept flying forward until it landed, kicking up dust, then finally stopped moving.

System Prompt: Congratulations, player 【Yese Liming】, you have slain 【Wan Rujun】. Comprehension increased by 0.1 points.

System Prompt: Congratulations, player 【Yese Liming】, you have slain 【Wan Rujun】. Reward: Control Power +100, Dissipate Power +100, Yang Life +1 year, 【Weird Realm】 progress +1%.

Nice!

Fang Yue's face lit up with joy.

Earlier, when he went on a killing spree, his inner energy and Weird Value drained heavily, leaving him sluggish—so he couldn't catch up to Madam Wan, a Human Realm expert.

After taking pills, his inner energy slowly recovered, but Weird Value only regenerates slowly over time; each kill restores some, but he uses it too fast—the recovery can't keep up with consumption.

Fang Yue plans to use 【Weird Value】 sparingly from now on; in a way, it's one of his trump cards.

He rummaged through Madam Wan's corpse and found only a pitiful bag of 【Blood Stone】 and one 【Hunxiao Flower】—a heavenly treasure that, whether consumed directly or refined into pills, boosts cultivation.

Probably one of the rewards from the Kongshan Caravan.

Fang Yue noticed a few empty small bottles, their medicinal scent still strong, looking brand-new—likely another reward, but Madam Wan had already consumed them all.

Is she a beggar reborn?

Fang Yue was dissatisfied. After all, she was a Human Realm expert—how could she be this poor? She was easily the poorest, most destitute Human Realm martial artist he'd ever seen; no wonder she lived so miserably and ran the moment she saw him.

Fang Yue's power is fully comparable to low-tier Human Realm, even a very formidable one.

Thus, half-step Human Realm Madam Wan was no match for him whatsoever.

"Lord Yese!"

As Fang Yue finished looting, the young lady's voice came from behind.

He turned to see the young lady approaching with her entourage.

Surprisingly, her spirit and vigor were far better than the past two days—radiant, fully energized.

Seeing Fang Yue, she smiled sweetly, stopping right beside him.

She glanced at the corpse on the ground and said, "Congratulations, Lord Yese, on slaying a Human Realm martial artist!"

Fang Yue waved his hand—had he not drained his inner energy and Weird Value so recklessly earlier, he wouldn't have taken so long to catch and kill her.

(End of Chapter)