"Wow, is this the kind of power-up I always read about in xianxia novels?" Han Ye thought to himself.

  The sensation running through his body was exhirating—a surge of raw power unlike anything he had ever felt before. His limbs felt lighter, his breath steadier, and his senses sharper.

  But along with the strength came a deep, stinging pain in his left hand.

  Frowning, he raised his hand to inspect it.

  There, another mark had appeared, identical to the one on his right hand. The intricate lines pulsed slightly, as if alive, before sinking into his skin, vanishing completely as if it had never existed.

  Yet, he could feel it inside him.

  Like something shifting in his very bones, altering, strengthening, reshaping his body in ways he couldn’t comprehend.

  "What the—why is it multiplying?" Han Ye grimaced. This wasn't normal. He had heard of cultivators forming spirit contracts, gaining tattoos or runes that enhanced their power, but his marks acted on their own. He didn’t cultivate them, he didn’t form a contract—so what exactly was happening to him?

  Before he could think further, he felt a heavy sp on his shoulder.

  SMACK!

  "Who the hell are you?! How dare you go against me?!"

  Han Ye sighed. Here we go again.

  Turning around, he came face-to-face with a young man his age, but wearing far too extravagant robes for someone standing in the middle of a dusty training field. Golden embroidery lined the silk fabric, and expensive jade ornaments decorated his waist. The way he carried himself screamed arrogance.

  Han Ye blinked. "Uh… Who are you?"

  The young man froze, as if Han Ye had just insulted his entire lineage.

  "You don’t know who I am?!" he shouted. "I am Lan Ji of the Lan Cn!"

  Han Ye continued staring at him, unimpressed. "...Okay. And?"

  Lan Ji’s face twitched in disbelief. "You—! Do you even understand the significance of my family name?!"

  Han Ye scratched his chin, pretending to think deeply. "Hmm… Let’s see… Are you a noble? No? Oh, maybe a member of the royal family?" He squinted at Lan Ji before shaking his head. "Nah, I don’t think so. So why should I care?"

  Lan Ji turned red with rage. "You insolent—! My cn’s name alone should make you kneel!"

  Han Ye yawned. "Look, I only respect one thing: effort. What have you worked for? What’s your greatest achievement? Becoming a master archer? Or…" He paused, smirking slightly.

  "Spying on women while they bathe without getting caught?"

  The surrounding disciples immediately burst into ughter.

  Lan Ji’s face went from red to pale white. "What the hell are you implying—"

  "Oh, don’t act so innocent," Han Ye cut him off. "You’ve done it before, haven’t you?"

  Lan Ji stiffened. "I—I don’t know what you’re talking about!"

  Han Ye folded his arms, raising an eyebrow. "So? How was it?"

  "...What?"

  "The ones you saw bathing," Han Ye continued nonchantly. "Good view? Upper or lower?"

  Lan Ji froze completely.

  "...Upper," he muttered after a long pause.

  Han Ye nodded. "Good taste. Over or under 17?"

  Lan Ji gulped. "...Over… way over 30."

  Han Ye blinked. Then his lips curled into a grin.

  "Oh? Milf?"

  Lan Ji coughed, gncing around in panic. "...Yeah."

  Han Ye extended a hand.

  "oh my we have same taste. We’re friends now."

  Lan Ji hesitated for a second, then shook Han Ye’s hand. "Damn right we are."

  The two of them shook hands firmly, much to the utter confusion of everyone around them.

  Han Ye turned to the other disciples nearby, fshing a mischievous grin.

  "So, gentlemen, since we’re already on this topic… what about you guys? Upper or lower?"

  A heavy silence fell upon the group. Several disciples exchanged wary gnces, some coughing awkwardly, while others pretended not to hear the question. However, a few braver souls decided to engage.

  "Ahem… obviously, upper," one disciple decred, crossing his arms as if making a statement of great importance. "It’s the natural choice, the refined taste of a gentleman!"

  Another disciple scoffed, shaking his head. "Coward. Real men go for lower. That’s where the true excitement is!"

  A third disciple, who fancied himself a schor, stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Hmph. You simpletons ck the depth to see the full picture. A true connoisseur knows when to appreciate both. One must consider the time, pce, and mood."

  The moment those words left his mouth, the conversation exploded.

  "Hah! So you're saying you're just greedy?!"

  "And you're saying you're just a coward who never dared to explore?!"

  "Listen here, boy, experience is what defines a man! You can’t just pick one—life is about variety!"

  What had started as a casual exchange turned into a battlefield of pride and masculinity. Each disciple desperately tried to one-up the other, boasting about their past encounters—whether real, exaggerated, or outright fabricated.

  One disciple smirked, flicking his sleeve dramatically. "Hmph. I once had the honor of catching a glimpse of Senior Sister Mei bathing in a secluded hot spring. She never even noticed me."

  Gasps filled the air as the other disciples looked at him with a mix of admiration and envy.

  Another scoffed. "Tch, that’s nothing! I not only saw but even heard women singing while she bathed… she thought she was alone."

  A few disciples shuddered. "Was it a beautiful melody?"

  The boasting disciple fell silent for a moment before looking away. "...It was terrifying."

  The group burst into ughter, but before they could fully recover, Han Ye casually chimed in, still keeping his expression deadpan.

  "At least yours were women."

  Silence.

  Slowly, every disciple turned toward him, their eyes wide with pure horror.

  "…Wait. Don’t tell me…"

  Han Ye sighed dramatically. "Yeah… it was man. And it was too te to look away."

  A collective shudder rippled through the group. Even Lan Ji winced.

  "…Brother, you win."

  The group erupted into raucous ughter, some patting Han Ye on the back in sympathy while others tried desperately to erase the mental image from their minds.

  And despite the intensity of the test they were about to face, for a brief moment, none of them cared. They were just a bunch of young men, ughing at life's absurdities.

  It was at this moment that Elder Meng—one of the examiners—facepalmed.

  "Why… Why are there always idiots in every generation?"