Han waited until dawn, but there was no second drifting wish bottle appearing in his Soul Realm.

  What a pity. Truly, what a pity.

  As he stepped out of his room, he ran into Lu Qingmo, and her first question was:

  “Did you go in last night?”

  “No, it seems to have disappeared completely.”

  “Then we’ll just have to wait until we return to check again.” Lu Qingmo said, “You've accumulated quite a bit of merit recently. If possible, you can visit the Ghost and Divine Bureau’s treasure vault to see if there’s anything you need.”

  The matter of Yinhua County was no small feat.

  Coupled with An Lang’s daily efforts toward promotion and salary increases, Han was well off in terms of merit.

  Han thought back to his last visit to the vault and asked, “Do the items in the vault get updated quickly?”

  “Not quickly,” Lu Qingmo replied.

  Han shook his head. “Then I won’t go. There’s nothing in there I need at the moment.”

  “Better to keep the merit for now and decide later. If I can, I’d rather go to the state city and exchange for the second volume of the Great Hand Seal of Haoran.”

  Lu Qingmo nodded. “That’s also a good choice.”

  Especially since Han now had the potential to comprehend the Haoran Qi, that second volume was practically essential.

  “Since we can’t enter for now, let’s stay in the county city for three days to avoid more back-and-forth later,” Lu Qingmo suggested. “You can go and explore. Compared to Black Cloud Town, the county city has a lot of interesting things.”

  At this point, Lu Qingmo glanced at him.

  “Remember to come back in the evening.”

  “...”

  What was that supposed to mean?

  Did she think he would go somewhere else in the evening?

  Did she think he was the type to frequent brothels or something?

  Han parted ways with Lu Qingmo, knowing she wouldn’t join him in sightseeing.

  After leaving the Ghost and Divine Bureau, Han made a beeline for the Wansheng Trading Guild; he had some things to purchase.

  He directly approached Manager Lin, who remembered him.

  “Young master, we meet again,” Manager Lin smiled. “What can I help you with this time?”

  “Do you have any Heavenly Fire for sale here?” Han got straight to the point.

  Manager Lin chuckled bitterly and shook his head.

  “You truly overestimate us.”

  “Not only our county’s trading guild but even the Wansheng Trading Guild in Yujing doesn’t sell such treasures.”

  “Every Heavenly Fire is a natural treasure, and even if someone happens to acquire one, it’s rare that they’d be willing to sell it.”

  “Only a higher-tier Wansheng Trading Guild might have a chance to offer such an item.”

  The county-level Wansheng Trading Guild clearly wasn’t of a high enough tier.

  Han nodded, not disappointed as he had anticipated this outcome.

  “Then do you have any news of exotic or rare fires?”

  “Sorry, none.”

  Han sighed lightly. No wonder Lu Qingmo had only collected three Yin Fires when she came to Black Cloud Town. Such things were truly rare.

  Of course, if Lu Qingmo had stayed in Xuandu Temple these past fifteen years, given the temple's influence, she would have surely been able to acquire more types of flames.

  Fifteen years had passed, and in terms of refining exotic fires with the Earth Fire Seal, Lu Qingmo’s progress had essentially stagnated, relying solely on internal cultivation.

  “Do you have any Yin attribute treasures?” Han asked.

  “We do have a Yin Wind Branch and a piece of Soulstone.”

  Neither were high-grade Yin treasures.

  “I’ll take them.”

  “Is there anything else you need, young master?”

  Han took out some incense and offerings made by An Lang and sold them to the Wansheng Trading Guild.

  They were items both he and An Lang no longer needed, though he hadn’t sold everything. Even the things he didn’t use, Han kept some for himself.

  After selling the incense, he bought some new materials for incense making, leaving a surplus.

  An Lang had become self-sufficient by now, so Han no longer felt any burden.

  She was even studying incense-making for the Day Touring Realm.

  Although she wasn’t much help in battle, An Lang had indeed started assisting Han in other ways.

  Having settled his needs, Han left the Wansheng Trading Guild.

  This time, everything was calm, no troublemakers in sight.

  Han thought back to his previous visits to the guild, once with Yuan Fang and once with Senior Sister. Both times, there had been small incidents.

  By the principle of controlled variables, there could only be one true cause.

  It wasn’t that he was prone to trouble!

  Next, Han wandered around the county city alone. Compared to Black Cloud Town, the county city had many things he had never seen before.

  There weren’t any exciting events, but he had visited only respectable places.

  After a while, Han returned to the Ghost and Divine Bureau and began practicing martial arts in the yard in front of their room.

  Lu Qingmo was present to ensure that no one could spy on his training.

  He was practicing secret martial arts, and although it was a style that most wouldn't recognize, it was still better to be cautious.

  After finishing his training, Han used a purification talisman and approached Lu Qingmo.

  “Aunt Mo, today when I was at the Wansheng Trading Guild, I saw a material for refining weapons. It’s a feather from a flying creature with the bloodline of a Phoenix.”

  Han’s face showed curiosity. “Do Phoenixes really exist?”

  Han didn’t actually see any bird feathers, but he had made it up. But it didn’t matter.

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  Lu Qingmo wouldn’t go to the Wansheng Trading Guild to verify.

  “Of course they exist. Where there are dragons, there are Phoenixes,” Lu Qingmo nodded.

  “Do you remember I told you that the Eastern Zhou royal family has ties with the demon tribes?”

  “I remember.”

  “The demon tribe that is friendly with the Eastern Zhou royal family is the Phoenix clan,” Lu Qingmo said. “The Eastern Zhou even uses the Phoenix as their totem.”

  “Further east of the Eastern Zhou lands lies the Shanhai Region, where various demon tribes gather.”

  “The Phoenix clan is the ruler of the Shanhai Region, and their friendship with the Eastern Zhou ensures the safety of the people along the borders.”

  Though, this only prevented large-scale demon attacks; smaller incidents couldn’t always be avoided.

  “That feather you saw, even if it truly has Phoenix blood, it’s probably extremely diluted.”

  “The Demon Tribe rulers, huh. They must be incredibly strong.”

  Han fell into deep thought. Luo Miaomiao came from such a dominant clan, and her enemies were said to be the future of the Phoenix clan. That sounded incredibly difficult.

  “Very strong,” Lu Qingmo said seriously. “Otherwise, the Eastern Zhou wouldn’t treat them as a totem, and wouldn’t have experts from the Mountain and River Changsheng List stationed there.”

  “The current leader of the Phoenix clan is also ranked on the Mountain and River Changsheng List. She’s so powerful that other experts at the same level don’t dare to oppose her.”

  Han gasped. She was a real powerhouse.

  No, wait, she was a powerhouse bird.

  “This Mountain and River Changsheng List includes not only humans but also demons?” Han asked curiously.

  “Right. It includes every race. As long as they reach that level, they’ll be listed,” Lu Qingmo explained. “The breakthrough to that level makes such a stir that it can’t be hidden from other experts.”

  “Actually, the Phoenix clan isn’t exactly a demon tribe,” Lu Qingmo shook her head. “Just like the Dragon clan, no one categorizes them as demons. The Phoenix clan was once independent, but that changed when the current clan leader rose to power.”

  “Strictly speaking, it’s not that the Phoenixes are demons, but that the Phoenix clan now rules the demons in the Shanhai Region.”

  “Ruling over the demon tribe, now that’s some great ambition and incredible power,” Han marveled, then realized something.

  “Doesn’t the demon tribe itself have any strong experts?”

  Otherwise, how could they tolerate foreign rule?

  “No,” Lu Qingmo answered. “The Mountain and River Changsheng List has ten spots. Humans occupy five, and the other five are taken by the Dragon, Phoenix, Barbarian, Ghost, and Beast clans, but there are no demons.”

  At this point, Lu Qingmo spoke with a touch of pride.

  “It’s precisely because our human race has five strong figures on the Mountain and River Changsheng List that we can dominate the central lands, the richest and most prosperous region in the world.”

  “Unfortunately, that Heavenly Mother Sect leader acts in a sinister manner, colluding with all manner of outside races. She’s unpredictable and can’t be trusted, even when it comes to race issues.”

  “The Guild Leader is fond of freedom and often disappears, wandering around with connections in all corners of the world. The Wansheng Trading Guild even operates in the territories of other races. The Guild Leader is vague about many matters.”

  “So, most of the time, our human race essentially only has three strong figures on the Mountain and River Changsheng List.”

  Those three being the Head of Xuandu Temple, the Eastern Zhou Sub-Saint, and the Lord of Zixiao Tian.

  Han asked, “What about the Barbarian and Beast clans?”

  "The 'Man' refers to the northern barbarian tribes from the grasslands. Although they may appear similar to humans, they actually carry different bloodlines and claim to be descendants of the demon gods." Lu Qingmo said seriously.

  "The barbarians have always wanted to invade the Three Kingdoms, plunder people, and occupy land. They are a common enemy of all three kingdoms."

  "The High Priest of the barbarians is one of the ten strongest in the world."

  "The 'Beast' refers to the barbarian beasts."

  Han paused, confused. "Beasts can give rise to such powerful beings?"

  Aren't they just a bunch of tough-headed brutes?

  "Don't underestimate the barbarian beasts. When they reach a certain level of power, they gradually gain intelligence." Lu Qingmo explained.

  "A high-level barbarian beast's physical strength surpasses that of most warriors, and they possess intelligence, making them incredibly difficult to deal with. This is completely different from demons, as these creatures never take human form, even as they grow from weak to extremely strong—they remain in their beastly state."

  "There are records in the Xuan Du Temple, where the temple master himself documented that the Beast God's physical body is among the most powerful among beings of the same level."

  So, barbarian beasts aren’t to be underestimated after all. Even those tough-headed brutes have their glory.

  "Wait a second," Han suddenly realized something.

  "Aren't there any powerful figures from South Jin listed among the Heroes of the World?"

  The Five Greatest Warriors of the human race are from Qi and Zhou, with one for each; the Heavenly Mother and the Lord of the Ten Thousand Stars are free to roam, while the Lord of the Zixiao Sky sits at the border of the three kingdoms.

  Looking at it this way, South Jin doesn't seem to have any role in this at all.

  When Han mentioned South Jin, Lu Qingmo sneered.

  "The Sima family of South Jin came to power through unjust means. They are disloyal, untrustworthy, and powerless. Their national strength is the weakest among the Three Kingdoms. They are content with stagnation and internal strife."

  "When South Jin was founded, the Sima family first assassinated their ruler in the streets to seize the throne, then publicly beheaded a genius who had helped them rise to power and was on the verge of transcending to immortality."

  "If the world had been divided only between Qi and Jin, or between Zhou and Jin, the lands would have already been unified."

  "Beheading a genius?"

  "Yes, it was documented by many forces. This was a peerless genius, who was about to ascend to immortality. But because the Sima family feared he would threaten their rule, they killed him."

  "The most absurd part was that the genius, facing the Sima family's ambush, never resisted. He believed all along that the Sima family would clear his name, because he was an orphan raised by them and was utterly loyal."

  "Unfortunately, he never received that trust. Instead, he met a slaughterer’s blade. Later, when people asked why he was executed, the Sima family provided a baseless reason."

  "Such a royal family would never have any true geniuses willing to serve them."

  Han was dumbfounded. What kind of bizarre operation was this?

  Which power would have such a genius and not treasure him, but instead kill him?

  This was like when Han was a child and was taken in and raised by Bai Tian, only for Bai Tian to suddenly kill him when Han was ready to set out on his own.

  The reason would be: "Perhaps you are plotting to take over the Lord’s position, so I had to kill you."

  Crazy!

  The South Jin Sima royal family was truly defying the heavens.

  "The world is truly full of wonders," Han muttered to himself.

  He quietly processed the information Lu Qingmo had shared. These matters, once reaching a certain level, were no longer secrets.

  The Ten Strongest figures in the world and the Sima family’s history were all clearly recorded in the Xuan Du Temple for disciples to read.

  While the hidden secrets of the top ten might remain out of reach, their names and backgrounds were open information for disciples of the major factions.

  Unfortunately, Han had been a simple town boy before, so he had no idea about these things.

  A while later, Han casually remarked, "The Dragon and Phoenix bloodlines are so powerful. If I could get even a part of them, like Dragon or Phoenix blood, it must be of great help to cultivation, right?"

  "You’re daydreaming," Lu Qingmo responded.

  Lu Qingmo, you don’t need to be so roundabout. I know you’re saying I’m just dreaming.

  But! This time, you’ve miscalculated!

  The man before you doesn’t just have Phoenix blood, but also true Dragon blood—true Dragon bloodline!

  Dragon and Phoenix together!

  Our children are definitely going to be Dragon-Phoenix twins in the future.

  "Dragon and Phoenix bloodlines indeed have great benefits for cultivation. Ordinary blood can be used in many ways—alchemy, talismans, or to assist in cultivation. They are all great materials."

  "But if it’s true blood, especially the blood of the purest origin, that is even more extraordinary."

  Even the best treasures depend on their level.

  The blood of the Dragon Tribe from the Zangfu Realm wouldn’t be much use to a warrior at the Washing Marrow realm.

  Lu Qingmo added, "If you could obtain a higher-level Dragon or Phoenix blood, it would probably grant you some special abilities."

  "As for enhancing your physique and talent..." Lu Qingmo shook her head. "Both of those are already impressive. To improve any further would be extremely difficult. You’d probably need high-level true Dragon or Phoenix blood for that."

  But something like that is basically impossible to obtain.

  "Is Phoenix blood consumed directly?" Han asked.

  Lu Qingmo glanced at Han, as if questioning why he was asking such a thing, making it sound as though he actually had it.

  "It depends on the situation. If the power in the blood is gentle enough and you can withstand it, you can consume it directly. Otherwise, a blood bath would be required."

  Han nodded. When I get back, I’ll use that drop of Phoenix blood.

  I just wonder what level of Phoenix blood is contained in this drop brought by the Drifting Wish Bottle.

  If it’s from the current Phoenix clan leader... that would be perfect...

  "By the way, Mo Yi, do you know about the Ancient God Palace?" Han asked.

  "You’ve been asking quite a few questions today," Lu Qingmo remarked.

  Han didn’t change his expression; it was just his thirst for knowledge.

  Lu Qingmo sighed, "Where did you hear about the Ancient God Palace? Aside from me, no one around you should know such things, not even Bai Tian."

  "At the Ten Thousand Stars Merchants' place, beside the materials for forging Phoenix blood weapons, there was a manual, said to be the martial arts of the Ancient God Palace."

  Han continued to make things up.

  If it were anyone else, he would have been more cautious with his words, but since Lu Qingmo trusted him so much, he could speak freely.

  Lu Qingmo seemed deep in thought. "Martial arts from the Ancient God Palace, and materials for the Phoenix bloodline... that makes sense."

  "I didn’t expect these things to have even spread to the Great Qi."

  ...

  I was just casually making things up, and it still makes sense?

  "So, Mo Yi, you know about the Ancient God Palace?"

  "I do. I went there when I was younger."

  "Where is it?"

  "In the Eastern Zhou. But it no longer exists."

  "It no longer exists? What do you mean?"

  "It means it’s gone. The Ancient God Palace was destroyed five hundred years ago."

  Han suddenly froze, leaning back in his chair, his face showing a strange expression that Lu Qingmo couldn't understand.

  "The Ancient God Palace was destroyed five hundred years ago..." Han felt an eerie sensation rise from the depths of his heart, his scalp tingling.

  Five hundred years ago?