Rain, full moon, cold stones, golden dragons.

  These were the four major martial arts schools in the capital city.

  Fengming, Lingxuan.

  Apart from the County Taoist Temple, these were the two largest Taoist temples.

  The Great Thunderstorm Temple.

  The only Buddhist temple in the capital, which had relocated from Black Cloud Town.

  The Yuan brothers were well-connected, and in the past few days, they had introduced Han to many important figures, spreading across the major forces of the city.

  Many small events had occurred during this time, but they are not worth going into detail about.

  As time passed, one day Han went to the Thousand Weapon Workshop to retrieve his two newly forged weapons.

  When he gripped the sword and felt its edge cutting through the air, Han immediately sensed the difference.

  Sharper. Stronger. It gave him a sense of confidence and certainty.

  "Master Yuan, thank you," Han sincerely expressed his gratitude, handing over a generous amount of gold and silver as payment.

  Although gold and silver were universally valuable and commonly used by both common folk and cultivators, especially for certain rituals and techniques, it was almost impossible to use gold or silver to pay someone like Master Yuan.

  After all, with his status as a master blacksmith and the Yuan family's background, they would never lack such material wealth.

  But Han was special, and Master Yuan seemed to understand that.

  Han made sure to remember this kindness.

  Then, Han and the Yuan brothers boarded their Taoist flying carpet and headed toward Black Cloud Town.

  Lu Qingmo glanced at Han’s sword and nodded in approval.

  "It has indeed improved a lot. The three materials you chose are highly compatible, producing a very good enhancement effect."

  "This sword will be enough for you until you reach the Bone Refining stage."

  "Wouldn’t it be unsuitable for the Marrow Cleansing stage?" Han asked.

  Lu Qingmo shook her head. "Weapons can’t withstand the true essence of the Marrow Cleansing stage. You’ll need a more advanced weapon."

  "That means a Yuan-grade weapon. You have one already, and once you break through, it will still suffice."

  "Common weapons, hundred refinements, martial weapons, and Yuan-grade weapons..." Han repeated the terms and then asked, "How long can a Yuan-grade weapon last?"

  "For a typical Marrow Cleansing warrior, it should last them a lifetime," Lu Qingmo explained. "As for you, it should last a few years at least."

  "I wonder when I’ll get a celestial weapon..." Han sighed dreamily.

  "If you’re tired, you can take a nap," Lu Qingmo teased.

  "..."

  Han seriously replied, "I’m not talking nonsense."

  "Mo Aunty, wait for me. One day, I’ll show you the celestial weapon that belongs to me."

  Brother Tree, you better deliver!

  As the flying carpet sped into Black Cloud Town, it was still early, so Han decided to stop by the martial arts school first.

  "Junior Brother is back!"

  Shen Yu was the first to spot Han, greeting him happily.

  Then, a figure like the wind rushed out from the back courtyard and stood in front of Han.

  "Hey, Senior Sister, what are you doing?" Han jumped, thinking for a moment that Bai Ruoyue might strike him down.

  Bai Ruoyue looked at Han with her chin raised, deliberately ignoring him. One hand rested on her hip, and she huffed, extending her hand with a smug expression.

  Han was confused. He shook her hand, then let go. Was this her way of welcoming him back?

  Clearing throat!

  Bai Ruoyue made a dramatic sound to get Han's attention.

  "What's going on with Senior Sister?" Han asked Shen Yu, who was about to answer, but was quickly silenced by a sharp glare from Bai Ruoyue, signaling her to keep quiet.

  Shen Yu, under Bai Ruoyue's subtle threat, kept silent and only gestured with her eyes to Han.

  "Take a good look, look carefully," Bai Ruoyue said, her tone mysterious.

  Han thought for a moment, then had an epiphany. He placed a hand on Bai Ruoyue and carefully examined her, before smiling and saying,

  "Congratulations, Senior Sister, on your breakthrough! Your internal organs have been refined perfectly, and you’ve reached the perfection of the Internal Organ Realm."

  "Senior Sister is amazing, Senior Sister is formidable."

  Bai Ruoyue’s face lit up with joy, and she gave Han a playful, but proud, look.

  "You have good eyes," she said with a smirk.

  "I broke through yesterday. Impressive, right?"

  "Impressive, impressive."

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  Han truly admired her at this point.

  This breakthrough to the Internal Organ Realm meant Bai Ruoyue would almost certainly break through to the Bone Refining stage before turning twenty.

  A Bone Refining warrior under twenty—no one from Black Cloud Town had ever done that before. Bai Ruoyue would be the first.

  This was something Han couldn’t compete with, considering he was already twenty-two when he started practicing martial arts...

  Bai Ruoyue’s breakthrough also meant that she was now truly on the path to having Bone Refining-level combat power.

  Although her realm wasn’t quite there yet, her status at Taibai Martial School now made her a formidable Bone Refining figure in training.

  "I still have to thank Junior Brother for your help," Bai Ruoyue continued, becoming modest.

  "Last month felt like three months. Without your abilities, I probably would have had to wait a few more months to break through."

  "That’s mostly because of your extraordinary talent and abilities, Senior Sister."

  Han showered her with compliments without hesitation.

  "An empress in the making."

  At this, Bai Ruoyue puffed out her chest proudly.

  "Ha! The female emperor is here."

  "You keep flattering her, and she’ll forget her own name," Shen Yu teased.

  "Father, what are you talking about?" Bai Ruoyue retorted playfully.

  "If you keep talking nonsense, I’ll just take over as the head of the school!"

  After all, other schools only had Bone Refining warriors as their heads. Bai Ruoyue felt she could do the same!

  Bai Tian smiled faintly and added,

  "If you’re willing, you could take the vice-master position for now."

  "Vice is boring. If I’m going to do this, I want to be the master."

  Bai Ruoyue’s eyes gleamed as she looked at Han, her expression suddenly serious.

  "Junior Brother, do you think I should become the head of the school? Isn’t it what everyone expects?"

  "Maybe start with the vice-master," Han advised.

  The master position can wait until he finds a way to get it later.

  Bai Tian gently inquired, "So, how was it in the capital? Did anything unusual happen?"

  "Everything went smoothly. I got everything done that I needed to," Han replied, and then filled Bai Tian in on the upcoming arrival of Yu Jing and the news of Huang family casualties spreading throughout the city.

  "Yu Jing’s people..." Bai Tian paused thoughtfully, "This is beyond our control. When soldiers come, we fight; when floods come, we dam them. As long as it doesn’t affect us, we’re fine."

  Bai Ruoyue, curious, chimed in, "I’ve never met anyone from Yu Jing. I wonder what they’re like?"

  Rain fell steadily under the round moon, casting a chill over the stones, while a golden dragon soared across the sky.

  These were the four great martial halls of the city: Falling Rain, Golden Dragon, Wind's Call, and Ling Xuan.

  In addition to the county Taoist temple, these were the other two major Taoist establishments.

  The Great Thunder Temple, the only Buddhist temple in the county, had been relocated from Black Cloud Town.

  The Yuan brothers were well-connected, introducing Han to many influential figures across the city’s various factions over the past few days.

  Though several trivial matters happened along the way, they were hardly worth mentioning.

  As time passed, Han went to Thousand Weapons Forge to collect his two newly crafted weapons.

  The moment he gripped his sword and felt its edge, Han immediately sensed a difference.

  Sharper, stronger—instantly, a surge of confidence and resolve filled him.

  “Master Yuan, thank you.” Han expressed his sincere gratitude, handing over gold and silver as payment.

  Although gold and silver were universally accepted currency in this world—used by both common folk and cultivators alike, with some special techniques or rituals even requiring large amounts—the status of Master Yuan meant that such payment was almost negligible.

  However, for Han, this was a way of showing respect.

  Han kept the kindness in his heart.

  Afterward, he and his companion boarded the Taoist flying carpet, heading toward Black Cloud Town.

  Lu Qingmo glanced at Han's sword and nodded approvingly.

  “Indeed, it has improved significantly. The three materials are extremely compatible, leading to an excellent enhancement.”

  “This sword will be sufficient for you until you reach the Bone Refining realm.”

  “Wouldn’t it be unsuitable for the Bone Cleansing Realm?” Han asked.

  Lu Qingmo shook his head. “Weapons can’t handle the true essence of the Bone Cleansing Realm. You’ll need higher-level weapons.”

  “Such as the Essence Weapons. Once you break through, you’ll have one for yourself.”

  Han repeated the terms to himself: Common weapons, Hundred-forged, Martial weapons, Essence weapons...

  “Then how long can the Essence Weapon last?” he asked.

  “An ordinary Bone Cleansing cultivator would use it for their entire life.” Lu Qingmo explained. “For someone like you, it should last for several years.”

  “I wonder when I’ll get an Immortal Artifact...” Han mused.

  “If you’re tired, you can rest for a bit now,” Lu Qingmo suggested.

  “...” Han responded seriously. “I’m not just daydreaming.”

  “Aunt Mo, wait for me. I’ll show you my Immortal Artifact one day.”

  The flying carpet zipped through the air and into Black Cloud Town early in the morning. Han first returned to the martial hall.

  “小师弟, you’re back!” Shen Yu was the first to see Han, greeting him with joy.

  In the back courtyard, a shadow rushed toward Han like the wind.

  “Hey, what’s up, Senior Sister?” Han was startled, thinking he was about to be beaten by Bai Ruoyue.

  Bai Ruoyue looked Han up and down, raising her chin with a smug expression. One hand rested on her waist, and the other reached out in a mock greeting.

  Han, confused, shook her hand, wondering if this was her way of welcoming him back.

  “Ahem!” Bai Ruoyue cleared her throat dramatically.

  “What’s going on with her, Senior Sister?” Han asked Shen Yu beside him.

  Before Shen Yu could answer, Bai Ruoyue shot her a sharp look, signaling her to stay silent.

  Intimidated by Bai Ruoyue’s glare, Shen Yu kept quiet and exchanged a look with Han.

  “Take a good look,” Bai Ruoyue said, her voice triumphant.

  Han paused, then smiled knowingly. He placed a hand gently on Bai Ruoyue’s shoulder, inspecting her closely. Then, with a grin, he said:

  “Congratulations, Senior Sister. You’ve successfully refined your organs and achieved the Great Completion of the Internal Organs Realm.”

  “Senior Sister is amazing!”

  Bai Ruoyue finally smiled, casting a playful glance at Han.

  “Not bad, you’ve got some eyes on you.”

  “I broke through yesterday. Pretty impressive, right?”

  “Impressive, impressive,” Han praised sincerely.

  Reaching the Great Completion of the Internal Organs Realm meant Bai Ruoyue would likely breakthrough to the Bone Refining Realm before she turned twenty.

  No one in Black Cloud Town had ever reached the Bone Refining Realm before the age of twenty, making Bai Ruoyue the first.

  It was a record Han couldn’t even contest, considering he only started cultivating martial arts at twenty-two.

  Bai Ruoyue’s breakthrough meant she was likely already at Bone Refining combat power, though her realm hadn’t fully progressed yet. However, it was clear she was now as formidable as a Bone Refining fighter in practice.

  “I really must thank Junior Brother for helping me,” Bai Ruoyue said modestly.

  “Last month, it felt like it passed three months. Without your ability, it would have taken me several more months to break through.”

  “It’s all thanks to your talent, Senior Sister,” Han said, sweet-talking her effortlessly.

  “Such an emperor-like presence.”

  Hearing that, Bai Ruoyue puffed out her chest proudly.

  “Ha! I am the Empress.”

  “You keep flattering her like that, she’ll forget her own name,” said someone teasingly.

  “Father, what are you saying?” Bai Ruoyue retorted confidently.

  “If you keep talking like that, I’ll become the hall master!”

  After all, the other martial hall masters were only at the Bone Refining Realm. Bai Ruoyue could handle it!

  “Come on, you could be the vice-master for now,” Bai Tian said casually.

  “The vice-master is boring. If I’m going to do it, I’ll go for the main seat.”

  Bai Ruoyue’s gaze turned serious, locking eyes with Han.

  “Junior Brother, what do you think? Wouldn’t it be natural for me to become the hall master?”

  “Let’s stick with the vice-master for now,” Han advised.

  The main seat could wait for him to work his way up through the back door.

  Bai Tian smiled at Han, asking softly, “Did you encounter any trouble in the county?”

  “Everything went smoothly, and I accomplished what I needed to do,” Han replied.

  He then informed Bai Tian about Jade Capital’s envoy arriving soon and the Yellow Family’s disaster that had shaken the city.

  “Jade Capital’s envoy...” Bai Tian grew quiet for a moment. “There’s nothing we can do about it. We’ll handle things as they come. As long as it doesn’t affect us, we’ll be fine.”

  “I’ve never met anyone from Jade Capital. I wonder what they’re like?” Bai Ruoyue asked curiously.

  Han chuckled. “You’ll find out soon enough.”