The atmosphere of the Dragon King Festival took a drastic turn.

  The priest, convinced that Han was favored by the Dragon King, regarded him as the deity’s emissary. His reverence for Han bordered on fanaticism.

  In truth, he was mistaken—Han wasn’t the Dragon King’s chosen one. It was the Dragon Princess who had taken an interest in him…

  At one point, the priest attempted to take the Dragon King's silk scripture, but the moment Han handed it over, it inexplicably flew back into his hands.

  It seemed that, apart from Han, it would stay with no one else.

  This only deepened the people’s reverence for Han. They bowed repeatedly in awe.

  Naturally, such blind devotion came mostly from ordinary mortals.

  From that moment on, Han became the centerpiece of the entire ceremony.

  Initially, he had just been another figure on the altar, standing alongside representatives of various factions—a mere ceremonial mascot. Yet, against all expectations, he ended up becoming the main attraction.

  After the festival concluded, a crowd escorted Han back to the Taibai Martial Hall, where they arranged for the scripture to be enshrined with the utmost respect. Even the hall elders made no objections.

  After all, this was irrefutable proof of the friendly ties between Taibai and the Yunjiang Dragon Palace.

  In this era, divine favor was a formidable force.

  Though cultivators and mortals coexisted in the same world, their realities were largely separate.

  Cultivators were privy to hidden truths, but mortals neither knew nor cared.

  From this day forward, in the eyes of most common folk, Han was the Dragon King’s emissary. With him in Black Cloud Town, the Dragon King would surely watch over them and protect their people.

  A distant deity was one thing—but this emissary was real, right before them!

  Han’s reputation in Black Cloud Town soared to an untouchable height.

  Previously, he had made a name for himself as the town’s most talented cultivator, renowned throughout the Black Cloud cultivation community. Yet, his fame had barely concerned the average townsfolk.

  Now, even the common people spoke of him with admiration.

  A true celebrity—this was the making of a legend.

  Many cultivators, however, viewed Han’s rising status through a different lens. His growing association with the Dragon Princess fueled rampant speculation.

  “Hah! Living off a woman? Disgraceful! No true warrior would stoop so low!”

  “Exactly! We martial artists must stand on our own. Relying on a woman? Pathetic!”

  “….”

  Many scoffed openly, deriding Han’s supposed lack of independence.

  Yet, when left alone, these very critics would seethe with jealousy, grinding their teeth in frustration.

  Damn it! Why wasn’t the Dragon Princess interested in me?! I want to be the Dragon Palace’s son-in-law too!

  Why does this brat get all the luck?!

  After finally extricating himself from the relentless townspeople, Han made his way to the Yunjiang River alone.

  As expected, the Dragon Princess was still waiting for him.

  “Your Hi—” Han began, but the look in her eyes made him pause. He quickly corrected himself and called her by name instead.

  “Was that really necessary?” Han sighed. “You’ve made too much of a spectacle. This is too high-profile.”

  “You don’t like it?” she asked, tilting her head.

  “…”

  He did.

  “Did you come here for something specific?” he asked.

  “Can’t I visit just to see you?”

  Xiao Ao, can we act normal for once? You’re making me nervous.

  “The town hasn’t been peaceful lately,” the Dragon Princess explained. “Since today was the Dragon King Festival, my father sent me to observe and ensure no trouble arose.”

  She glanced at Han. “If necessary, I was to intervene—to remind everyone that the Yunjiang Dragon Palace is ever-present.”

  “I only did what my father instructed. If you have any concerns, why not visit the palace? I can introduce you to him, and you can speak with him directly.”

  Ah. So she was trying to lure him into the Dragon Palace again.

  Han had a fair idea of why the Dragon Princess had become so proactive after their first physical contact.

  The answer lay in the True Dragon Bloodstone.

  That mystical relic had likely altered his body in a way that triggered some kind of instinctual reaction in her, shifting her attitude dramatically.

  This only made Han even warier of entering the Dragon Palace.

  What if she actually wanted to eat him?

  Suddenly, the Dragon Princess remarked, “I heard from the crab guards that you can move underwater as freely as a water-dweller.”

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  “For a limited time, yes.”

  “Show me.”

  “That’s not really—”

  Before Han could finish, she grabbed his hand and leapt into the river with him.

  From a distance, onlookers mistakenly assumed a tragic love pact was unfolding before their eyes.

  Beneath the water, they moved as effortlessly as they would on land.

  Though Brother Tree had disappeared, Han still found himself able to equip weapons and artifacts, which meant his abilities remained undetected.

  This included the Water Repelling Pearl. Even under the Dragon Princess’s scrutiny, she failed to spot any external aids or traces of sorcery.

  She swam closer, peering at him curiously.

  “You’re a water-dweller, aren’t you?” she asked.

  “No, I’m pure human.”

  Just then, a Water Brute Beast caught sight of them and charged aggressively—only to cower and flee with a whimper the moment the Dragon Princess shot it a glare.

  Han sneered at the creature.

  Coward. Where’s that thick-headed confidence you had before?

  “We…” Han gestured toward their joined hands.

  Since she had pulled him into the river, she had yet to let go.

  This world was so unfair—why was he being subjected to this kind of treatment?

  The Dragon Princess showed no intention of releasing him.

  “Han,” she murmured, “aside from my father and brother, I’ve never held hands with any other man before.”

  “You’re the first.”

  Han wanted to protest, but technically… she had initiated it. What was he even supposed to object to?

  Abruptly, she leaned in, eyes filled with fascination.

  “Han, what exactly are you?”

  “When I hold your hand, my blood reacts—it craves something from you.”

  Han remained silent for a moment before replying, “Perhaps it’s just an illusion.”

  “The bloodline’s response doesn’t lie,” she insisted, drawing even closer.

  “You carry no visible dragon artifacts, yet you stir something in me. Your bloodline is anything but ordinary.”

  She paused before asking, “Will you give me a drop of your blood?”

  “Sorry,” Han refused without hesitation.

  She looked disappointed but didn’t press him, knowing her limits.

  Holding hands was one thing. Forcibly taking blood? That would be another matter entirely.

  She didn’t want to ruin their relationship.

  They continued exploring the river together, hand in hand. The Dragon Princess even led him to gather several spiritual herbs.

  At one point, she offered him a peculiar aquatic creature, a kind of natural snack among water-dwellers.

  She personally fed it to him.

  She was too forward—Han had no idea how to handle this. But in the end, he ate it.

  It was sweet and sour, bursting with juice upon biting into it.

  Every Water Brute Beast they encountered scurried away in terror at her mere presence.

  Yet, her immense pressure didn’t affect Han at all—it felt like a gentle breeze.

  This only reinforced her suspicions.

  Once they resurfaced, their clothes remained pristine. The Dragon Princess finally let go of his hand.

  “I’m returning to the palace. Are you sure you won’t come with me?”

  “Next time, definitely.”

  She rolled her eyes. She had heard that excuse too many times.

  “Take this,” she said, handing him a white conch.

  “What’s this?”

  “If you submerge it in water, you can contact me directly.” She held up another conch. “They’re a pair—I can reach you, too.”

  I have a transmission snail; you have a magic conch. Got it.

  Han accepted the conch, and the Dragon Princess dove back into the river, disappearing into the depths.

  Upon returning to the martial hall, he was greeted by Bai Ruoyue’s sarcastic voice.

  “Well, well, the Dragon Palace’s esteemed son-in-law has returned.”

  She passed by him expressionlessly, then sniffed the air.

  “You reek of the river.”

  It’s seafood. I ate seafood. The kind that squirts when you bite it.

  “…Senior Sister, did your training go wrong or something?”

  With a sharp bang!, Bai Ruoyue landed a punch on Han, snorted, and walked away.

  As Han looked around the martial arts school, he noticed that the place seemed livelier than usual. Parents were bringing their children in to sign up, a sight uncommon at this hour.

  Catching up to Bai Ruoyue, he asked, “What’s going on? There usually aren’t this many people around now.”

  Hearing this, Bai Ruoyue's mood visibly improved.

  “This is all thanks to you, little junior.” She grinned. “Word about the Dragon King Festival has spread, and everyone knows you’re from the Taibai Martial Arts School. They’re convinced our school is the real deal.”

  “So now, a lot more people are sending their kids here.”

  “Heh, our school is growing!”

  More students meant more income and a greater chance of discovering talented disciples.

  In the past, Taibai’s tuition was the most affordable, but it also had the fewest students. After all, the other two schools had long-established reputations, whereas Taibai was still relatively new.

  Han was momentarily taken aback. He hadn’t expected to gain fame among common folk, let alone that it would benefit the school.

  By modern standards, wasn’t this basically an endorsement for Taibai?

  Bai Ruoyue grabbed his arm. “Come on, little junior, help me with the bone evaluation. Let’s see if we’ve got any promising talents.”

  “It’s getting a bit overwhelming with all these new applicants.”

  “Oh… alright.”

  Bone evaluation and physique assessment weren’t particularly advanced techniques—Han had already learned them.

  That evening, Han recounted the day’s events to Lu Qingmo, who had no objections.

  It was all trivial matters.

  As for the encounter with the Dragon Maiden, Han simply skimmed over it.

  It wasn’t important, so there was no need to mention it to Aunt Mo.

  The next day, when Han arrived at the martial arts school, Bai Ruoyue was nowhere to be seen.

  “Senior Sister went out,” Shen Yu explained. “The authorities entrusted Taibai with a task—to take down a criminal at the Zangfu realm. Senior Sister went to handle it.”

  “I see.”

  For a job of that level, Bai Ruoyue was the only disciple in Taibai qualified to take it on.

  Two hours later, Han’s snail communicator rang—it was Bai Ruoyue.

  “Hello?”

  “Hello, my ass! Little junior, that thing you gave me before—it's called a Zhaoming Talisman, right?”

  The sound of rushing wind came from her end—she was clearly moving at high speed.

  “Yes, the Zhaoming Talisman.”

  “It just turned to ash! And… there’s someone—he ran the moment he saw me! I’m chasing him now!”

  Han’s expression darkened.

  If the Zhaoming Talisman had burned to ash, that could only mean…

  A Deathborn Wraith was nearby!

  “Where are you?”

  “I’ve crossed Yunjiang, heading towards—” Bai Ruoyue quickly gave her location.

  “I’m coming now!”

  Han ended the call, dashed out of the martial arts school, and contacted Lu Qingmo.

  “One of the talismans has activated. I sensed it,” Lu Qingmo said before he could even explain. “Was it yours?”

  “No, it was Senior Sister’s. She’s at—I'm heading there now.”

  As Han sprinted out of Black Cloud Town, a sudden gust of wind wrapped around him, lifting him into the air.

  Turning his head, he saw Lu Qingmo’s spirit form floating beside him.

  “I’ll take you there.”

  Han fell silent.

  Of course, flying was faster than running.

  At the very least, he was now experiencing what it felt like to "fly" with his physical body.

  In the blink of an eye, they spotted Bai Ruoyue dashing across the land.

  From Han’s aerial perspective… Senior Sister looked rather clumsy.

  Ahead of Bai Ruoyue, a man in black robes was fleeing. Every step he took corroded the ground beneath him, leaving a trail of darkened, decayed earth.

  “It really is a Deathborn Wraith.”

  But in just the short time it took them to arrive, the wraith had already reached the edge of Black Mountain—and was still running!

  “What is he doing? Is he trying to enter Black Mountain?”

  Lu Qingmo didn’t hesitate. She struck with a celestial hand seal, her overwhelming power surging forward.

  Yet, just as her attack reached Black Mountain’s border—

  A sudden change occurred.

  Her power scattered into nothing.

  That brief delay allowed the Deathborn Wraith to charge straight into Black Mountain!

  Lu Qingmo’s face darkened.

  “Elder Yun, what is the meaning of this?”

  Only the Mountain God of Black Mountain could have interfered.

  But why?

  Why would the Mountain God allow such a vile creature into Black Mountain?

  A Deathborn Wraith entering the mountain meant disaster.

  It would provide the wraith with an ideal place to grow stronger, plunging the region into chaos.

  Logically, the Mountain God should never permit this—Black Mountain’s creatures would be the first to suffer.

  It was practically aiding the enemy.

  Suddenly, the earth at the mountain’s edge shifted, forming a line of characters in the soil:

  "The rules are set. Lu, do not interfere."

  “That thing is a Deathborn Wraith!”

  The wind howled.

  The Mountain God vanished, leaving no further explanation.