Laughter erupted from all around. Anyone with a bit of knowledge about Lingyang Lake knew that its climate was unlike any ordinary body of water.

  No one had thought much about it before, but as soon as Han pointed it out, many suddenly found it made sense.

  Being submerged in scalding water all the time—was it really that surprising if one’s brain got boiled?

  Yang Teng’s expression darkened instantly as he glared at Han.

  "Human, you're finished. You've angered me."

  "Kneel down now, admit your mistake, and I’ll grant you a dignified death."

  Han looked at Yang Teng as if he were an idiot.

  "Are you serious right now?"

  "Hahaha!"

  The laughter grew louder. While most didn’t understand Han’s exact words, his tone and expression made his meaning crystal clear.

  Yang Teng's fury skyrocketed, his dragon tattoo pulsing violently on his neck, causing the surrounding temperature to rise.

  Han’s sharp eyesight caught an interesting detail—the tattoo wasn’t even complete, only a third of the way done.

  So, it was an incomplete dragon mark.

  "I don't care who you are. No matter where you run, I will hunt you down!"

  "Oh, please."

  Han smirked. "Are you dumb? You’re already planning to come after me, and you’re asking who I am? Do you think I’ll just tell you?"

  "You ever consider going outside and asking around instead of just demanding answers?"

  "And what’s this 'no matter where you run’ nonsense? If you’re so capable, fly up into the sky right now. Go ahead, find me there!"

  "Pfft!"

  Li Lingxiu couldn't hold back anymore. She burst into laughter, doubling over and clutching her stomach.

  From an overhead perspective, her once-white aura had completely turned green with amusement.

  Yang Teng’s rage reached its breaking point, his eyes burning red as a crimson glow flickered around his hands.

  "Argh! I’m going to kill you!"

  Han, unfazed, remained rooted in place.

  "Go on then, dumbass, hit me!"

  "Third Prince, calm down! Please!"

  Several figures rushed in from behind, grabbing Yang Teng by the shoulders and trying to restrain him.

  Breathing heavily, Yang Teng forcefully suppressed his anger.

  "Fine. Fine. Very well." He spoke coldly. "The Shuiyuan Gathering forbids private fights on Jiudong Lake. I can’t do anything to you now, but if I ever see you again, I’ll make sure you experience the true wrath of Lingyang Lake!"

  Han sighed in disappointment.

  What a coward.

  He had been hoping Yang Teng would attack him right here.

  On the way to Jiudong Lake, the Dragon Maiden had explained many details about the Shuiyuan Gathering to him.

  One of its most unshakable rules was that no one could start a fight privately—this applied not just to this event but to every Shuiyuan Gathering in history.

  This was a law upheld by all aquatic tribes, enforced by the immense power of the Jiudong Lake Dragon Lord.

  If Yang Teng dared to make a move, he’d be thrown out before he even got close to Han.

  "You want that spirit mud, don’t you?" Yang Teng sneered.

  "Whatever you offer, I’ll bid higher. That spirit mud is mine."

  "One celestial artifact."

  Han’s voice was light. "I bid one celestial artifact. If you want it, bid two."

  Yang Teng scoffed. "As if you even have one celestial artifact."

  "That’s none of your concern," Han replied lazily. "Didn’t you say you’d outbid me no matter what? Well, I’ve bid one celestial artifact. If you’re serious, put down two."

  Yang Teng glared at him. "Are you just messing with me?"

  "No, you’re the one messing around." Han shot him a sidelong glance.

  "If you can’t afford it, step aside."

  "Some ‘Third Prince’ you are. Is this all you’ve got?"

  Yang Teng's anger flared up again as the crowd erupted into laughter once more.

  "Fine! I bid two celestial artifacts!" he declared with a cold smirk.

  Talk was cheap—anyone could bluff.

  "Great! Then the spirit mud is yours."

  Han’s voice rang out, loud and clear. "Everyone heard that, right? The Third Prince of Lingyang Lake has bid two celestial artifacts for a piece of spirit mud! Let’s all bear witness."

  "Surely, a prince of such noble status would never go back on his word. Once he bids, he follows through!"

  "Such generosity! Such wealth! The Third Prince is truly a rare benefactor of the world!"

  Han’s booming voice carried far and wide, reaching many ears.

  The declaration left many stunned.

  Two celestial artifacts… for a piece of spirit mud?

  What kind of mud was this?

  Wait—did Lingyang Lake even have two celestial artifacts to spare?

  Han pointed at the spirit mud, his smile widening.

  "Alright, Third Prince, let’s see those two celestial artifacts. No problem, right? One hand for the goods, one for the payment."

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  "Wow, what a day! I never thought I’d get to witness real celestial artifacts. Thanks, Third Prince!"

  "Come on, Third Prince, we’re all waiting. What’s the hold-up?"

  "Wait a second… The Third Prince wouldn’t be trying to back out, would he? Was he just bluffing?"

  Gasps rippled through the crowd.

  "Hold on—did Lingyang Lake’s Third Prince actually try to swindle everyone?"

  "You… you… I—!"

  Yang Teng pointed at Han, trembling with rage but unable to form a coherent sentence.

  "You what? I what?"

  Han cut him off. "Can you pay up or not? Everyone's waiting."

  Yang Teng’s fists clenched tight, his attendants struggling to restrain him.

  Han muttered under his breath, "Broke-ass prince, acting like a big spender."

  "Seriously, what’s so impressive about being the Third Prince?"

  "You’re shameless!" Yang Teng finally managed to spit out.

  Han grinned, flashing his teeth.

  "Thanks, but I’m fully aware."

  Li Lingxiu was now rolling on the lotus leaves, laughing until she could barely breathe.

  At that moment, the crowd suddenly parted, and the Dragon Maiden stepped forward.

  She shot Yang Teng a cold look.

  "Yang Teng, you dare cause trouble again?"

  "Gu Xuanwei, it was your Yunjiang Dragon Palace that started this!" Yang Teng roared.

  "Correction," Han interrupted, "you were the one who spoke out of turn first."

  "You’re the instigator here."

  "Third Prince, let’s go. There’s no need to waste time with them," someone urged from Yang Teng’s side.

  Yang Teng shot Han a murderous glare before finally turning away.

  He couldn’t stand another second in this place.

  Han had completely humiliated him, and now he felt the eyes of the entire crowd mocking him.

  Spirit mud?

  Who cared about some lousy spirit mud?

  He never even wanted it—he had only jumped in because he saw Li Lingxiu.

  And now, his interference had completely backfired.

  "Hey, did you hear? The Third Prince of Lingyang Lake bid two celestial artifacts for a piece of spirit mud!"

  "Whoa, what kind of spirit mud is that? Worth two celestial artifacts?"

  "Actually, it's just ordinary spirit mud, nothing special."

  "Huh? Then why did he bid for it? Wait… did he actually pay?"

  "Nah, he was bluffing. Backed out afterward."

  "…"

  Even after leaving, Yang Teng kept overhearing whispers like these. His expression grew darker by the second.

  That damn human!

  Why was everyone talking about him and not the one who started the bid?

  Damn him!

  Han: "How did I frame you?"

  Yang Teng: "You repeated exactly what I did out loud!"

  "Find out who that human is," Yang Teng ordered his men.

  "Before the Shuiyuan Gathering starts, I want every detail on him."

  "This is bad!"

  Yang Teng suddenly halted in his tracks. Under the puzzled gazes of his followers, he clenched his fist and swung it fiercely.

  "My Spirit Sunflower!"

  Blinded by anger, he had stormed off without a second thought—only to realize he had forgotten his soul plant!

  Earlier, in a show of dominance, he had tossed the plant straight at that loach spirit.

  Now, his face turned an ugly shade of blue.

  Instead of causing trouble for the Yunjiang Dragon Palace, he had ended up frustrating himself.

  He had suffered both emotionally and materially—what a loss!

  "Third Prince, should we turn back and retrieve the Spirit Sunflower?"

  "Go back and get laughed at again?"

  Yang Teng felt like coughing up blood.

  He had been completely outplayed.

  At the Sacred Spirit Lotus Pond, Han handed the Soul Fruit to the loach spirit in exchange for "Spirit Mud."

  The loach spirit had originally been willing to trade with Han, and now that Yang Teng was no longer causing trouble, he saw no reason to refuse.

  Upon seeing the Yunjiang Dragon Princess appear, the others hesitated to compete any further.

  Storing the Spirit Mud in his spatial pouch, Han toyed with the Spirit Sunflower in his hand, a knowing smile on his lips.

  This soul plant was far more valuable than the Soul Fruit. In this back-and-forth exchange, he had essentially given up nothing yet obtained the Sacred Spirit Essence for free.

  What a deal!

  "Young Master Zhou, I must apologize for involving you in the dispute between Yunjiang Dragon Palace and Lingyang Lake," the dragon princess, Ao Xuanwei, said apologetically. "Rest assured, I will not allow Yang Teng to harm you in the slightest."

  She didn't even need to think to understand why Yang Teng had interfered—he had simply been swept up in the ongoing feud between the two sides.

  Han waved his hand dismissively. "No worries."

  "Young Master Zhou, you truly have a way with words," Li Lingxiu said gleefully. "Yang Teng was practically foaming at the mouth with anger."

  "I only spoke the truth."

  Han then turned to Ao Xuanwei. "Is there a long-standing grudge between Lingyang Lake and Yunjiang Dragon Palace?"

  "Yes, and it runs deep," the dragon princess nodded.

  "Is the Dragon Lord of Lingyang Lake strong? How does he compare to your father?"

  "Far inferior—like night and day," she replied coldly. "But the old dragon of Lingyang Lake has backing from other aquatic clans, specifically to oppose Yunjiang Dragon Palace. If he didn't have a powerful benefactor, my father would have crushed him long ago."

  So that was the case. Han had wondered how Lingyang Lake, despite its size, could possibly contend with Yunjiang. Generally, the size of a domain directly reflected its ruler’s strength and status.

  Turns out, Lingyang Lake had a hidden supporter—someone feeding it scraps so it could keep barking at Yunjiang Dragon Palace.

  Disgusting.

  Clearly, Yunjiang Dragon Palace had no shortage of enemies, and the situation was far from simple.

  But Han understood.

  After all, a towering tree catches the wind.

  Han and his companions continued browsing the impromptu market.

  As expected, with aquatic beings gathered from all corners of the world, the variety of rare and peculiar items was staggering.

  Beyond the Sacred Spirit Essence, Han uncovered several hidden treasures using his "God’s Eye" ability.

  He found two soul-related artifacts—one at the Sun Roaming level and another at the Manifested Saint level—as well as a martial cultivation relic, a Marrow Cleansing Treasure.

  This was exactly the kind of place where "God’s Eye" shined. Just a few discoveries like these were enough to sustain him for years.

  However, Han noticed something curious—his "Treasure-Seeking Resonance Stone" had not reacted to the Sacred Spirit Essence, though it had buzzed for the other finds.

  This suggested that the stone had an upper limit.

  After all, it was merely a secondary item derived from his cheat ability, nowhere near as potent as "God’s Eye" itself.

  Aside from these lucky finds, Han also conducted several regular trades, exchanging treasures suited for humans rather than aquatic beings.

  Many treasures had different effects on different races. Some were mediocre for beasts but highly beneficial for humans, and vice versa.

  Since most of the traders here were aquatic creatures, there was no shortage of such items.

  Back in Black Mountain, Han had obtained a few treasures specifically for demon beasts. Selling them here had yielded excellent returns.

  This Water Elemental Grand Assembly was proving to be incredibly worthwhile.

  As time passed, the dragon princess and Li Lingxiu returned to the ship, leaving Han to continue browsing alone.

  On the way back, Li Lingxiu curiously asked, "Sister, what do you think Young Master Zhou is planning to do with those seemingly ordinary items he bought?"

  She wanted to ask Han directly but feared it would be too abrupt.

  Ao Xuanwei hesitated. "Those items… are likely treasures."

  "Huh? No way!" Li Lingxiu was astonished. "Did you notice something special about them?"

  "No," the dragon princess shook her head. "But he wouldn’t buy something useless. Perhaps he has his own method of identifying hidden treasures."

  Li Lingxiu was baffled. Dragons were naturally attuned to sensing treasures, yet a human had managed to discern something she couldn’t.

  How unreal did that sound?

  "This Young Master Zhou is quite intriguing."

  Ao Xuanwei remained silent, but her desire to recruit Han into Yunjiang Dragon Palace grew even stronger.

  As the princess of Yunjiang Dragon Palace, she had been pampered since birth—cherished by her parents, indulged by her brothers, and revered by other aquatic clans. She had never known rejection.

  She always got what she wanted.

  But Han had rejected her. And he had done so outright, without hesitation.

  The more unattainable something was, the more she wanted it.

  And Han was only growing stronger.

  She had observed his progress since the Dragon King’s banquet a month ago and found his rapid growth astonishing. Her father had placed high expectations on Han, and he had exceeded them at a frightening pace.

  Ao Xuanwei was always straightforward—if she needed to apologize, she would. If she wanted something, she would express it openly.

  And she had made up her mind.

  Han, you will be mine.

  Midnight arrived, marking Han’s final day with his "God’s Eye" ability.

  Unlike when he had lost "Tree Brother," he remained composed.

  The foundation laid by "Tree Brother" and the treasures obtained through "God’s Eye" meant that even if his next cheat ability was weak, it wouldn’t hinder his rapid progress.

  Of course, if possible, he still hoped for a powerful cheat ability.

  The sooner he soared, the better.

  Just then, Ao Xuanwei contacted him.

  "The Water Elemental Grand Assembly is about to begin."

  Han immediately returned to the treasure ship and rejoined the group.

  As they waited, the heart of the lake began to glow. Ethereal jade ribbons extended from the light, drifting toward the ships like bridges.

  "The Nine Caverns Lake Water Elemental Grand Assembly… begins!"

  A deep, commanding voice echoed through the night. Led by the dragon princess, Han and his companions stepped onto the jade paths, walking across the sky.

  Under the dreamy moonlight, the vast lake shimmered. Beams of light stretched across the heavens, where all manner of mystical beings tread.

  If mortals witnessed such a scene, countless myths and legends would surely be born, passed down through the ages.

  The starlit sky over Nine Caverns Lake shimmered like a celestial river, as spirits and sages crossed into the mystical realm beyond.