"Heh heh heh..."

  A sinister laughter echoed through the air, immediately drawing the attention of Huang Tianba, who was desperately trying to extinguish the flames engulfing his body.

  The Infernal Yin Fire was not entirely undefeatable. If the difference in power was vast enough, or if the afflicted individual possessed some unique countermeasures, it could be overcome.

  However, under normal circumstances, this peerless Daoist technique was nearly impossible to counter. A cultivator in the Contemplation Realm might master such an ability, but they would never be able to use it to defeat a Saint Manifestation Realm expert.

  Yet, such exceptions were rare. More often than not, a technique like the Infernal Yin Fire was an absolute death sentence.

  As Huang Tianba struggled, Han approached from the sky, his presence looming over him like an omen of death. Faint remnants of the Yin Fire still flickered at the edges of his soul.

  Han gazed down at him, shaking his head. "You look quite miserable."

  A faceless mask still concealed Han’s expression—an artifact known as the Mask of No Fate.

  "This is all your doing?!" Huang Tianba quickly pieced things together, his heart filled with rage.

  "Despicable wretch! You dare plot against me?!"

  "Who are you?! I have never seen you before, nor have I wronged you!"

  A slight smirk played on Han’s lips. "Curious to know why?"

  "I won’t tell you."

  With a surge of violent energy, a tidal wave of power erupted. The overwhelming force of the Supreme Solar Palm, a high-level daytime Daoist technique, crashed down, carrying the majesty of the heavens themselves.

  Dust was flattened beneath the sheer pressure, and even the ground sank under its might.

  "A mere Night Wanderer dares think that some underhanded tricks will let him stand against me?"

  "I am of the Day Wanderer Realm!"

  Boom!

  Huang Tianba was sent flying by Han’s attack. His hastily gathered resistance shattered in an instant—the Infernal Yin Fire was no mere illusion; it burned relentlessly and spared nothing.

  His very soul and state of being had been severely compromised.

  Han could already sense it—Huang Tianba was only at the early stage of the Day Wanderer Realm.

  At this level, Han, who was at the late stage of the Night Wanderer Realm, was not far behind.

  Not just in realm, but in strength as well!

  "How are you this powerful?!" Huang Tianba was utterly shaken.

  He had seen martial artists defy ranks to challenge stronger opponents, but he had never heard of a Night Wanderer fighting a Day Wanderer on equal footing.

  It defied all logic!

  "Since you're the first Day Wanderer I've battled, I’ll grant you a dignified death."

  Han strode forward, forming another Yin Fire Seal. Torrents of infernal flames burst forth once more, surging toward Huang Tianba in an unending assault.

  "Ahhh!"

  Huang Tianba screamed in agony, struggling frantically, but the nameless Yin Fire only grew stronger, devouring him mercilessly.

  "What is this sorcery?!"

  Panic gripped him. A powerful cultivator, an unfathomable technique—his instincts screamed at him to flee. He turned to run, releasing three ghostly apparitions and tossing a Soul Refining Banner to them.

  "Hold him off!"

  The Huang family was renowned for their mastery of spirit control. With his status and cultivation, it was only natural that he had refined such techniques.

  Whatever command he issued, the three ghostly entities instantly grew more menacing, their aura surging dramatically.

  In an instant, a dense fog of malevolent energy enveloped the battlefield. Hundreds of wailing spirits charged at Han in unison.

  Han furrowed his brows at the sight.

  The Soul Refining Banner—an unmistakably heretical artifact. That a Huang family elder would use such a thing was not surprising, yet seeing the surname "Huang" alongside this accursed tool stirred some unpleasant memories in Han’s mind.

  Without hesitation, Han soared through the air. Brilliant white light radiated from him, illuminating the spectral entities.

  Their ghastly forms began to fade, their hostility dissipating as their souls were purified, returning to their original state.

  It was the light of the Trilight Spirit-Blessing Mirror.

  By the time Han emerged from the spectral battlefield, not a single ghost remained—all had been exorcised.

  Even Huang Tianba’s three controlled spirits, who were merely at the Night Wanderer level, stood no chance against Han.

  Pure soul energy rose into the air, which Han swiftly collected.

  For him, only the energy from those three controlled spirits was of use—the rest was too insignificant to be of value.

  Huang Tianba, who had been stumbling away, suddenly found himself overtaken once more. Despair filled his eyes.

  "I am an elder of the Huang family in Tianyue County! Must you truly make an enemy of me?! An enemy of the Huang family?!"

  His soul had grown visibly dimmer under the prolonged assault of the Yin Fire, and his vitality was nearly drained.

  Han ignored his threats. With a combination of artifact and technique, he struck down mercilessly.

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  "If you want to kill me, then be prepared to pay the price!"

  Huang Tianba roared defiantly, realizing he could not escape. Abandoning his flight, he turned to fight with everything he had.

  But it was futile.

  With a final earth-shattering explosion, Huang Tianba was completely annihilated by Han’s onslaught.

  Han had considered capturing him alive, but at the Day Wanderer level, even if one could not cling to life, they could at least choose death.

  The higher the cultivation, the harder it was to take someone alive.

  The infernal flames receded into Han’s body as he let out a sigh.

  "No wonder it’s considered a supreme Daoist technique."

  Against the Infernal Yin Fire, someone at Huang Tianba’s level barely had any resistance. He was simply too fragile.

  Of course, Han’s own strength played a crucial role, but the sheer potency of the technique itself was undeniable.

  For that, he silently thanked Aunt Mo.

  After swiftly clearing the battlefield, he collected the Winged Serpent Longevity Scroll.

  It was a curious artifact. Even after enduring the residual shockwaves of Huang Tianba’s techniques, it remained completely unharmed.

  With everything settled, Han took to the skies, heading toward the most remote corner of the mountain forest. There, hidden from all eyes, he called out:

  "Anlang, I’m back."

  Boom!

  A cloud of dust erupted as a large crater formed. From within, Anlang emerged, dragging Han’s physical body with him.

  "Master, is the enemy dealt with?"

  "Not yet," Han replied with a solemn expression.

  "It's your turn now."

  Anlang rolled his eyes. "You’re full of it."

  Han re-entered his physical body. "Once I take action, it’s over in an instant."

  This was Han’s true plan: luring the snake from its hole.

  If he couldn’t sneak into the valley under Huang Tianba’s watchful eye, then eliminating him outright was the simplest solution.

  And the bait? Han had exactly what he needed.

  The aura of a Bone Refining Beast appearing in the Three Yin Valley—it was something Huang Tianba could never ignore.

  Now, another elder of the Huang family had fallen.

  "Let’s go back."

  Han and Anlang moved swiftly toward the valley, using hidden paths to bypass all defensive lines.

  By nightfall, Three Yin Valley had changed. The place was shrouded in a thick mist, and spectral figures drifted eerily within.

  Han remained patient, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

  When the last of the guards entered the caves, he made his move, slipping unseen into the valley.

  The mist rippled, and as it parted, Han was gone—vanished beneath the lake’s surface.

  The small patch of land at the center of the lake remained firmly rooted, extending deep into the water.

  As they descended closer to the lakebed, the water took on a dark crimson hue, as if something had been seeping into it over time.

  Beyond this eerie red water, the lakebed was completely barren.

  "Master, it’s this crimson water that has been drawing me in," An Lang said.

  Han surveyed the surroundings, carefully checking for any signs of Taoist techniques or formations left behind by the Huang family. Finding nothing out of the ordinary, he finally released An Lang.

  "This water…"

  Han scooped up a small strand of the red liquid and examined it closely. It was pure yin energy, interwoven with an unfamiliar force.

  Upon his silent signal, An Lang tentatively drew in a wisp of the crimson water and slowly absorbed it.

  Han could tell she wasn’t drinking the water—she was merely extracting the energy contained within it.

  After a moment, An Lang’s expression brightened with excitement.

  "Master! My strength has increased slightly!"

  Han nodded. "So this is why the Huang family’s ghost cultivators keep coming here."

  Yet, he felt no attraction to the energy himself.

  He sent a slow snail message to Lu Qingmo, describing the situation. However, with just this crimson energy as evidence, she couldn't determine what it was either.

  One thing was certain—Tree Bro’s creations never disappointed. Even in the water, they worked flawlessly.

  As An Lang continued refining the red energy, Han kept a close watch on her. She showed no signs of discomfort—on the contrary, her aura steadily grew stronger.

  It made sense. The Huang family had occupied this place for decades. If there were any hidden dangers, they wouldn’t have repeatedly sent their people here for cultivation.

  Han attempted to lift the crimson water to the surface, but the energy immediately dispersed and sank back into the depths.

  Next, he tried collecting some in a spatial bag. Yet, what he retrieved was nothing more than ordinary water, completely devoid of its special properties.

  "It can’t be taken away?" Han muttered, surprised.

  Was there something unique about the lakebed itself?

  He wandered around, searching for clues, but found nothing and eventually returned to guard An Lang.

  Unexpectedly, the wait stretched into an entire night. An Lang continued refining the energy for eight full hours.

  Her appetite was astonishing.

  When she finally stopped, she shook her head. "No more. This energy doesn’t work on me anymore—I’ve reached my limit."

  She clenched her fists and grinned. "But my strength has grown a lot. I’ve definitely gotten stronger!"

  "As long as there’s progress, it’s worth it." Han nodded. Spending time wasn’t an issue.

  Clearly, the lake’s benefits for ghosts weren’t infinite. Otherwise, the Huang family members stationed here would have reached the Manifestation Realm long ago and dominated Tianyue.

  Based on the memories of the Bone Refining martial artist, the Huang family’s cultivators usually only stayed in the Three Yin Valley for an hour or two before leaving.

  By comparison, An Lang’s consumption rate was a bit excessive.

  Then again, being able to absorb more was a blessing—especially when it wasn’t his own resources being drained.

  "Master, did you find anything else?"

  "No." Han shook his head. "But there must be a reason why this energy gathers here. It’s not without cause."

  "What could it be…?"

  Han fell into deep thought. Whatever the answer was, the Huang family had likely pondered it as well.

  But had they discovered anything?

  At that moment, An Lang dove deeper into the red water. A moment later, her voice echoed back.

  "Master, the bottom isn’t covered in mud—it’s a neatly paved stone floor!"

  Han was surprised and descended as well.

  The crimson water surrounded them, but it didn’t impair Han’s vision.

  Sure enough, the lakebed was composed of square-cut stone slabs, and some of them showed signs of being pried open before.

  "This must be man-made."

  If the stone slabs were artificial, then the disturbances on them had to be intentional—likely the work of the Huang family.

  Clearly, they had explored this place thoroughly.

  As he moved to a corner, Han suddenly stopped.

  A strange heat rushed through his eyes, blurring his vision for a moment. Then, when his sight cleared, he saw a single red character inscribed on one of the stone slabs.

  Bi (碧).

  An Lang floated over. "Master, why did you stop?"

  "What does this character mean?"

  "What character?"

  Han turned to her and pointed at the inscription. "This one."

  "There’s nothing there." An Lang looked confused. "Master… you weren’t hurt when you dealt with that Daylight Realm cultivator, were you?"

  She hesitated before adding, "You’re not losing your mind, are you?"

  Han was taken aback. "You really can’t see it?"

  "There’s nothing there—just an ordinary stone slab."

  Han fell silent. The character was clearly visible to him, yet An Lang had no reason to lie.

  "The Yin-Yang Eyes…?"

  He recalled the peculiar sensation in his eyes earlier and contemplated the possibility.

  Was this the awakening of his Yin-Yang Eye ability?

  He flipped the stone slab over, but the underside revealed nothing unusual. Beneath it was just mud. Even after probing it with his weapon, he found no hidden mechanisms.

  But… the character…

  Han started searching the other slabs and soon discovered additional inscriptions.

  Spring (泉), Huang (黄), Down (下), Desolate (穷), Fallen (落), Up (上).

  Including Bi (碧), there were seven characters in total.

  "Spring, Huang, Down, Desolate…" Han muttered, piecing them together.

  An Lang instinctively edged away from him.

  Master is acting weird… Is he possessed?

  Wait, no. I am a ghost. Why am I even scared?

  Suddenly, realization struck Han like lightning. "This is a phrase!"

  Arranged in the correct order, the characters formed the sentence:

  ‘To the Ends of the Heavens and the Depths of the Underworld.’

  Han understood its meaning—but why had they been carved onto separate, invisible slabs?

  He contemplated briefly before extracting the seven inscribed stones and shifting other slabs to make room for them to be placed together.

  Fortunately, all the stones were uniform in size and shape.

  As he arranged them in the correct order, a strange phenomenon occurred.

  The seven characters began to glow faintly. Then, in the blink of an eye, they lifted off the stone surface and shot toward Han’s hand.

  Seven crimson marks materialized on the back of his hand, forming a seven-pointed star.

  The next instant, the star projected a shadowy light toward An Lang, imprinting a similar mark on her forehead.

  "Ah!" she yelped in alarm.

  She hadn’t been able to see the characters, but she had definitely witnessed what happened next.

  "Master, what is this?!"

  Han didn’t answer. He simply watched as the seven-pointed star slowly faded from his hand.