Chapter 103: Chapter 101: Sword Pointed at Suspended Mountain! My Talent Is a Bottomless Pit

Han Feng’s gaze fell upon his own attribute panel.

[Sword Bone Transformation Progress: 52/100]

The progress bar had just passed the halfway mark.

A look of genuine distress appeared on his face as he let out a long sigh.

"Captain, don’t even mention it. I’m still a long way off."

"I feel like this Talent of mine is a bottomless pit. I’ve only just started to fill it, and I have no idea when it’ll ever be complete."

He said this from the bottom of his heart.

Looking at the 52% progress bar, Han Feng was truly worried.

This meant that to complete his Sword Bone Transformation, he would need at least two more Tier Two Upper Grade Spirit Plants of the same quality.

Or even more.

’How much would that cost?’

The thought made him ache for the Contribution Points he had barely had a chance to enjoy.

He looked at Zhang Hao, his eyes practically screaming ’Get money!’

"Captain, are there more missions like the one at Golden Ears Farm?"

"The kind with great rewards, where you can also get Spirit Plants!"

Zhang Hao’s expression froze for a moment.

He looked Han Feng up and down, then rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"In your dreams!"

"Do you think attacks from Third Level Evil Cults are like cabbages by the roadside, something you see every day?"

Zhang Hao’s retort was blunt.

"Something like that might not happen even once in several years!"

"The fact that you ran into one and even managed to earn such immense merit means a reishi mushroom must have sprouted on your ancestors’ graves!"

"As for Spirit Plants," his tone deepened, his voice turning serious, "those are even harder to come by."

"Every single Spirit Plant of Tier Two or higher is a strategic resource, subject to extremely strict controls."

The light in Han Feng’s eyes dimmed a little.

"Then what should I do?"

"I can’t just sit around and wait."

"Well, it’s not like there are no options."

Seeing his impatient look, Zhang Hao stopped beating around the bush.

"The most reliable way is to depend on yourself."

"The first thing you should do when you get back to the academy is get your Talent evaluated."

"If your Talent is assessed as B Level or higher, the academy will naturally treat you like a treasure."

"Each year, you’ll receive a certain quota of Spirit Plants, which you can redeem from the academy’s official channels using Contribution Points at a price far below the market rate."

"Of course, this quota is limited."

Han Feng’s eyes lit up again.

"What if that’s still not enough?"

"Still not enough?"

Zhang Hao shot him a glance.

"Then your only other option is the Black Market."

"The underground Black Market in East Sea Fortress City holds regular auctions for Spirit Plants. As long as you have the money, you can buy anything."

"But let me warn you," Zhang Hao’s tone was cautionary, "the Black Market is a shady place, full of crooks. It’s hard to tell if what they’re selling is real or fake."

"Many Spirit Plants are artificially ripened using special methods, greatly reducing their medicinal efficacy. Some are even fakes made from ordinary plants."

"It all comes down to your own judgment. One wrong move, and you could lose everything."

’The Black Market?’

’No guarantee of quality?’

The thought flashed through Han Feng’s mind, only to be immediately replaced by a wave of irrepressible excitement.

Others might be afraid of that, but he wasn’t!

His Spiritual Vision could clearly perceive the flow of Energy and the density of Spiritual Qi.

Real or fake, superior or inferior—nothing could hide from his eyes.

’This Black Market is practically a treasure-hunting Holy Land tailor-made for me!’

Zhang Hao saw the flash of ecstasy on Han Feng’s face and knew exactly what the kid was thinking.

He shook his head and poured a bucket of cold water on his excitement.

"Don’t get too excited."

"Even if you’re lucky and have a sharp eye, and you manage to buy something real at the Black Market, how many plants do you think you can afford with that handful of Contribution Points?"

"A single Tier Two Upper Grade Spirit Plant starts at over fifty thousand Contribution Points at a Black Market auction. For anything even slightly in demand, it’s normal for the price to double."

"Your one hundred thousand won’t even make a splash."

The smile on Han Feng’s face froze.

Only then did he realize that the "huge sum" he had just acquired was utterly insignificant in the face of true cultivation resources.

Seeing Han Feng’s crestfallen expression, Zhang Hao actually smiled.

"However, the path isn’t completely blocked."

"If you really want to get your hands on a large number of Spirit Plants in a short amount of time, there’s actually a massive opportunity coming up. It just depends on whether... you can seize it."

That sentence instantly captured all of Han Feng’s attention.

"What opportunity?"

Zhang Hao’s expression became exceptionally solemn, and he even subconsciously lowered his voice.

"The Suspended Mountain Secret Realm."

"It’s a Tier Two resource Secret Realm controlled by East Sea Fortress City, and it only opens once every three years."

"Counting the days, the next opening is in just over a month."

"Inside the Secret Realm is a world of its own, rich with Spiritual Qi and teeming with Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures."

"Forget Tier Two Spirit Plants—if your luck is heaven-defying, it’s not impossible to even find a Tier Three treasure."

A trace of undeniable longing crept into Zhang Hao’s voice.

"That place is a trial ground specially prepared for the young elites of East Sea Fortress City who are under thirty and below the Meridian Passage Realm Early Stage. It’s also a massive opportunity."

"As long as you can get in and stay there for a month, forget just completing your Talent’s transformation—it’s highly possible you could break through directly to the Meridian Passage Realm!"

Han Feng’s breath hitched.

’A Secret Realm overflowing with Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures!’

’Isn’t that just a private treasury prepared just for me?!’

He immediately pressed, "Captain, how can I get in?"

"Difficult!"

Zhang Hao said just one word.

"First, the minimum requirement for entering the Secret Realm is to be a B Level Student, or hold an equivalent B Level title, like a B Level Engineer or researcher."

"Second, and most importantly, you need a recommendation slot."

"These slots are only held by highly respected mentors at the academy, or powerful figures like Lin Hao, the A Level supervisor of the Celestial Craft Maintenance Department."

Zhang Hao looked at Han Feng and shook his head.

"But it’s only a little over a month until the Secret Realm opens. Those slots are all spoken for, assigned long ago."

"It’s almost impossible for you to get a slot through that route."

A chill rose from the bottom of Han Feng’s heart.

It sounded like this path was completely blocked.

"Of course, it’s not a total lost cause."

Zhang Hao’s tone shifted.

"Rules are rigid, but people are flexible."

"If you want to get in, you have to accomplish two things within one month."

"First, get promoted to B Level Student!"

"Second, find a way to pry a recommendation slot out of some big shot’s hands!"

Zhang Hao’s gaze turned as sharp as a knife.

"If you want someone to give you a chance, you first have to show them your unparalleled value!"

"Make those big shots feel that giving the slot to you is more profitable than giving it to their own personal disciples!"

"That’s why I said the first thing you need to do when you get back is get your Talent tested!"

"As long as you can test as B+ or even A Level in Talent! This whole thing will become much easier!"

Every one of Zhang Hao’s words was like a heavy hammer, striking Han Feng’s heart.

A scorching torrent surged within his chest.

’In the end, this world is still ruled by strength and Talent!’

"Captain, I understand!"

"It’s good that you understand."

Zhang Hao nodded.

"This can’t be rushed. Focus on improving yourself first."

"When you get back to the academy, you can also ask Engineer Zhao Yu from your project team. He has a wide network in the academy; he might know a way."

"As for me," Zhang Hao smiled self-deprecatingly, "I’m just a grunt. A man of low rank with little say. I’m afraid I can’t be of much help."

"But I’ll ask around for you. Don’t get your hopes up, though."

"Thank you, Captain!"

Han Feng’s gratitude was sincere.

Zhang Hao’s words had cleared the fog from the path ahead, pointing him toward a crystal-clear road to the heavens!

"Alright, you think it over."

Zhang Hao waved his hand.

"I need to go practice. I didn’t get a satisfying fight in today."

With that, he turned and left the dormitory, heading straight for the farm’s temporary training ground.

In the empty dormitory, only Han Feng remained.

He looked down at his hands, then glanced out the window at the newly repaired and smoothed runway.

’B Level Student...’

’Suspended Mountain Secret Realm...’

’A Level Talent...’

The words swirled in his mind, finally converging into an unstoppable, immense driving force.

He turned, stuffed the remaining twenty-odd Middle Tier Recovery Potions into the pockets of his Flight Suit, and strode out of the dormitory.

「Half an hour later.」

Airplane Graveyard, Hangar Three.

The engine of the Initial Training-3 let out a familiar roar.

Sitting in the cockpit, Han Feng twisted open a Middle Tier Recovery Potion and chugged it down.

[Host has connected to the "(Pseudo) Magical Artifact" Flying Sword: Initial Training-3.]

[Human-Machine Unity state initiated!]

The moment the system prompt faded, he slammed the control stick forward!

The old propeller plane transformed into a sharp arrow, tearing through the air and soaring into the clouds!

This time, he held nothing back.

Reaching a high altitude, he pushed his Sword Control Technique to its absolute limit!

The plane performed an unbelievable vertical climb, followed by a perfect mid-air hover.

He continuously poured the Qi Blood Power, which surged within him like a great river, into the vessel he regarded as his Flying Sword.

[Spiral Charge]!

[Reversal of Heaven and Earth]!

One after another, Sword Control Body Techniques from the Cultivation Immortality World were unleashed without hesitation.

In his hands, the old Initial Training-3 seemed to transform into a legendary, spiritual immortal’s Flying Sword, performing a frenzied yet elegant dance of death tens of thousands of meters in the sky!

[Ding! Sword Control Technique·Mastery Skill Proficiency +3!]

[Ding! Eighth-Layer Body Tempering Cultivation +2!]

[Ding! Body Technique·Spiral Charge Skill Proficiency +1!]

...

When his Qi Blood was depleted, he would chug another Potion.

The moment the Medicinal Power took effect, another round of extreme flight would begin!

Amidst the roar of the engine and the constant stream of system notifications, Han Feng’s Cultivation was soaring at a speed incomprehensible to the rest of the world!