Clear, resonant verses flowed from Han’s lips, and the peach grove under the night sky lit up.

  Words seemed to leap in the air, weaving a beautiful tapestry that carried an ethereal, almost otherworldly aura, evoking deep reverence.

  An Lang, the ghost, had already retreated far from this place. The energy in the air made her uneasy. She hid behind a tree, cautiously peeking over at the scene.

  Han held the scripture in his hands, fully absorbed, his mind calm and free of distractions, completely immersed in the teachings of the text, in the wisdom of the world.

  Each word and sentence echoed as if alive.

  Lu Qingmo, watching from a distance, reached out to steady herself against the doorframe.

  This was overwhelming. The intensity of it made it hard to stand still.

  Under her watch, new phenomena began to appear.

  A dazzling seven-colored light surged from Han’s body, casting a more brilliant glow over the scripture, enhancing its magnificence.

  Simultaneously, Han himself began to change, his form shrouded in a holy aura.

  The chanting grew louder, echoing throughout the night.

  An Lang, who had been far off, suddenly felt at ease, as if the discomfort had been replaced by a strange sense of comfort.

  Lu Qingmo could clearly see a sphere of seven-colored light expanding and contracting near Han's chest, almost as though it were nurturing something.

  This was a manifestation of the “Great Beyond” — a heavenly force enveloping Han, making him appear as if he were a being of divine nature.

  After a long while, Han’s chanting gradually faded to silence. He closed his mouth and his eyes, appearing to savor the experience of what had just occurred.

  Lu Qingmo silently approached, looking at Han, her eyes unknowingly filled with anticipation.

  Could it be… really?

  Moments later, Han opened his eyes.

  The faint seven-colored light in his eyes disappeared, and he returned to his usual state.

  "Mo Yi, what’s wrong?" Han asked casually.

  Lu Qingmo was still trying to process everything, her gaze serious.

  "What's going on here?" she asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.

  "Did reading this scripture really give you any insight?"

  Han shook his head. "No, this ‘Great Beyond’ is as mysterious as they say, difficult to describe."

  "I didn’t grasp anything... yet."

  Lu Qingmo’s heart calmed down a bit.

  How could one expect to gain such insights from just reading a text? That would be too extraordinary, almost mythical.

  "But I do feel like I might have glimpsed the threshold of the ‘Great Beyond.’"

  "…"

  Half a sentence, huh?

  "Glanced the threshold of the ‘Great Beyond’… Isn’t that already incredible?"

  Lu Qingmo stared at Han in shock and confusion.

  How could he have discovered something like this?

  It’s true that studying is one way to possibly gain insight into the ‘Great Beyond’ energy.

  But the probability is so low — how many scholars have tried, and how many have actually succeeded in comprehending it?

  Only a handful of extraordinary individuals in history have achieved such a feat, which is why this path is considered a possibility for some.

  However, even those rare individuals didn’t just glance at a scripture and immediately get a glimpse of the threshold!

  Even if "glancing" at the threshold doesn’t necessarily mean one has entered the realm, having the potential to see the threshold from merely reading a text… doesn’t that suggest that, with further practice, Han might eventually grasp the ‘Great Beyond’ energy?

  That would make him someone with an exceptional aptitude for the technique!

  Lu Qingmo felt a moment of self-doubt as she thought of Han’s immense potential.

  I was really foolish to doubt him earlier…

  "Mo Yi, what’s wrong? Is something off?" Han asked, noticing her distracted look.

  Lu Qingmo snapped back to reality, shaking her head. "Nothing’s wrong... or maybe I’m not sure if anything is wrong at all."

  "This ‘Great Beyond’ energy is so rare. I’ve never seen it before. There are only a few records about it in the Xuan Du Sect, and everything depends on you figuring it out on your own."

  "Maybe in the future, if you get the chance, you should visit the Academy of the Saints in Eastern Zhou. They’re the authorities when it comes to understanding the ‘Great Beyond’ energy."

  She could guide him in normal techniques, but this? She was completely out of her depth.

  If Han had already glimpsed the threshold, that meant he had surpassed her in this area.

  Han chuckled, "It’s not like if I go there, they’ll just hand me all their knowledge about the ‘Great Beyond’ without a second thought."

  He was from Qi, not the same country.

  Even if he wanted to join the Academy of the Saints, they would have to investigate if he was an undercover agent from an enemy nation.

  Lu Qingmo went silent for a moment, then couldn’t contain her curiosity.

  "How did you do it?"

  Her voice held a genuine sense of wonder.

  Han shrugged nonchalantly. "Just reading, really. As I read, I felt like I saw something, like a new force had appeared."

  "Why don’t you give it a try, Mo Yi?"

  Lu Qingmo rejected the idea immediately. "I’ve seen writings infused with the ‘Great Beyond’ energy, and even interacted with them before. The Xuan Du Sect has them. The Black and White Tower in Yunlong City has them. A large sect like Xuan Du Sect certainly wouldn’t lack them."

  The writings in the Xuan Du Sect had even stronger ‘Great Beyond’ energy than Han’s scripture, and she had studied them before without gaining any such insight.

  Lu Qingmo knew her own limitations — she didn’t have this kind of aptitude.

  But Han’s talent... that was something else entirely.

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  "There’s nothing you can’t do, is there?" she marveled.

  Han smiled. "There’s still plenty I don’t know."

  "Try using the ‘Great Beyond Handprint’ again, now that you’ve experienced all of this. See if anything changes."

  Han’s spirit left his body, and as he raised his hands, a faint seven-colored glow surrounded them.

  There was definitely a difference now.

  The ‘Great Beyond Handprint’ now emanated a unique aura, as though it had undergone a subtle refinement, releasing a purifying energy.

  Lu Qingmo observed closely, then nodded.

  "If there’s such a change, it means you’ve indeed made progress. You’re on the right path."

  If Han’s perception had been wrong, or if he had practiced incorrectly, there would be no change in the ‘Great Beyond Handprint’.

  This transformation was proof that he had gained some insight.

  Of course, Han hadn’t yet fully grasped the ‘Great Beyond’ energy, and this technique was still in its early stages.

  "But if you continue down this path, truly understanding the ‘Great Beyond’ energy is highly possible."

  "This seven-colored aura... it certainly looks unique."

  "I’m not sure."

  Han feigned ignorance.

  "Keep reading, though. I need some quiet time."

  Lu Qingmo returned to her room, her mind still swirling with thoughts.

  With unparalleled martial and spiritual aptitude, countless extraordinary gifts, and immense fortune, Han was now showing his brilliance in the ‘Great Beyond’ energy.

  Who exactly is he...

  Alone in his room, Han closed the scripture, feeling quite pleased with himself.

  This was definitely the right exchange.

  When he had first seen the scripture at the Black and White Tower, Han had hesitated before deciding whether to trade for it.

  After careful consideration, he’d gone ahead with it.

  He was genuinely intrigued by the ‘Great Beyond’ energy and the complete ‘Great Beyond Handprint.’

  The Earth Fire Seal had shown him the power of a supreme technique, sparking his desire to master the full ‘Great Beyond Handprint.’

  Using some treasures to trade for a scripture and delve into the ‘Great Beyond’ energy seemed like a good deal.

  And Han had been well-prepared for it.

  This preparation was his "Seven Apertures Clever Heart."

  It had been almost two months since Han obtained it, and he had never stopped studying it.

  With each increase in his cultivation, his Seven Apertures Clever Heart grew, enhancing his comprehension.

  During this time, Han had recalled something.

  According to legend, those with the Seven Apertures Clever Heart were born sages.

  Whether or not that legend was true, Han could already feel the increase in his comprehension.

  If the ‘Great Beyond’ energy was something that could be comprehended, why couldn’t Han understand it too?

  Even if he didn’t fully grasp it, this scripture was a valuable treasure.

  And if he did understand it... that would be an incredible gain.

  Han couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride—he really was born to be a sage.

  He tried chanting the sacred text a few more times, each attempt bringing him deeper understanding. But he could tell the effects were starting to fade, so he decided to stop for the night.

  It was almost midnight, and Han prepared to enter his dream state, where he would once again deepen his path to enlightenment.

  Tonight marked the last night of the month. After tonight’s dream, when the clock struck twelve the next evening, his “cheat code” would refresh, and Han would receive his fifth life-altering ability.

  As Han observed his fellow disciples diligently training, they had no idea that this dream was coming to an end.

  Just as Han was about to immerse himself in his own training, Lu Qingmo called out to him.

  “Let’s go to the county city tomorrow.”

  “To the county city?” Han asked, puzzled. “Is there something important happening there?”

  “Your sword and armor need reforging, don’t they?” Lu Qingmo glanced at him. “There are a few other matters too.”

  “Oh, right,” Han nodded, still not entirely catching on. “We’ll leave in the morning then.”

  “I’m coming too!” Bai Ruoyue’s voice rang out from a distance.

  She had been keeping an eye on them, and upon hearing that Han and Lu Qingmo were about to leave, she immediately wanted to join them.

  “You’re about to break through, aren’t you?” Lu Qingmo said, looking at her. “Stay here and focus on your cultivation. There’s no point in going to the county city right now.”

  “This trip doesn’t involve anything like the Wanxing Merchant Guild. It won’t be interesting for you.”

  Bai Ruoyue was about to say something, but in the end, she only muttered and retreated to continue her training in silence.

  “Hmph. Always taking little junior with you, but never inviting me... Am I a hindrance or something?” The senior sister felt a bit powerless. She couldn’t exactly ask Lu Qingmo to stop caring for Han.

  After all, in front of Lu Qingmo, she was still the younger disciple.

  So frustrating!

  Han silently watched all of this unfold, trying to remain inconspicuous.

  He couldn’t laugh too loudly, or Bai Ruoyue would hit him.

  But he also couldn’t show any signs of disappointment, or Lu Qingmo would catch on.

  Being human is hard.

  In the corner of his dream, Han pulled in Long Yun from the Tenglong Martial Arts School.

  With a swift motion, his sword struck, and Long Yun’s head flew from his body.

  “Yunzi, this may be our last farewell in this dream. Farewell. Take care.”

  Next, he summoned Gao Yuan from the Gao family. His chest exploded, and he fell to the ground, lifeless.

  “Yuanzi, we won’t be able to speak again in the dream. I hope one day we’ll be able to have a heart-to-heart in the real world.”

  Two bodies disappeared.

  Han didn’t torture his enemies every day to avoid suspicion. In a world like this, dreaming once or twice was fine, but if a martial artist kept having dreams of themselves being killed, it would raise too many questions.

  Han glanced around the dream world.

  There were still many abilities he hadn’t explored yet. For example, he still didn’t understand the full extent of his dream powers, including what dream energy could really do.

  He had already accumulated 249 dream energy points, but they were useless for now.

  “Goodbye, dream enlightenment.”

  In an instant, his consciousness faded, and when he woke up, Han was back in the real world.

  He didn’t plan to tell Lu Qingmo that his dream-based enlightenment ability was no longer usable. That was something he’d have to “explore” later to fully understand.

  After all, he had no idea about the origins of this ability.

  During the day, Han and Lu Qingmo didn’t leave immediately. They waited for Han to finish his martial arts lessons before setting off.

  There was no rush—nothing urgent in the county city.

  “Master, senior sister, I’m leaving!” Han waved at the two of them.

  “Be careful on the road,” Bai Ruoyue said.

  Senior sister maintained a serious face. “Come back soon.”

  Han chuckled inwardly—his senior sister’s emotions were always written all over her face.

  The familiar flying carpet of Taoist magic appeared, and Han easily climbed onto it, sitting right next to Lu Qingmo.

  Lu Qingmo glanced at the distance between them but said nothing. She remembered that the first time they went to the county city, Han had sat stiffly on the carpet, keeping a considerable distance from her. But now…

  Sigh. Never mind.

  She no longer had the authority of an elder in his presence.

  At least he didn’t bully her anymore.

  “Mo Yi, why are you just sitting there?”

  “Move!”

  “…”

  Lu Qingmo wanted to kick him off the carpet.

  “Sit tight,” Han teased.

  “Whoosh!”

  The flying carpet shot forward, heading for the county city.

  Once they arrived, the first stop was the Ghost Gods Division to meet Ye Chong.

  After a brief conversation with Ye Chong, who was in charge of the county city’s Ghost Gods Division, his attention shifted to Han.

  “Truly a young prodigy. Thanks again for your help during the incident in Yinhua County.”

  “If it weren’t for Zhou Xunyou, the Tianmu Sect’s plans might have gone exactly as they wanted.”

  “It was just part of the job,” Han replied humbly.

  “However, I feel bad for Zhou Xunyou. We still haven’t uncovered the mole in the city. It’s my fault for not being able to get to the bottom of it.”

  Ye Chong believed there was a mole in the county city but, unfortunately, no one had found any leads so far. Lu Qingmo had mentioned Luo Hui and Sun Tong, who had been under investigation, but no progress had been made.

  Han shook his head, not saying anything. He no longer expected the Ghost Gods Division to uncover anything.

  Just then, Yuan Fang walked in. Upon seeing Han, he seemed surprised.

  After exchanging pleasantries, Ye Chong smiled and spoke.

  “You’ve come at the right time. Zhou Xunyou is heading to the Qianbing Workshop. Go with him.”

  Lu Qingmo had already mentioned part of their purpose for the trip.

  “Qianbing Workshop?” Yuan Fang asked, surprised, but then he nodded and smiled at Han.

  “Zhou Xunyou is leaving now?”

  “If it’s convenient for you, let’s go now,” Han replied.

  After leaving the Ghost Gods Division, Yuan Fang smiled.

  “I heard from my third uncle that Zhou Xunyou forged an excellent weapon with him. Are you going there to forge another weapon?”

  “Third uncle?”

  “Yes, the head of Qianbing Workshop, and a member of the Yuan family. He’s my third uncle.”

  Now it made sense. Han wasn’t too surprised.

  “Don’t worry, Zhou Xunyou. As long as my third uncle can help, he’ll do everything he can.”

  “Thank you, then.”

  It feels great to have connections.