The five organs and six bowels are interconnected—both externally and internally.

  The heart and the small intestine are paired, sharing a connection and belonging to the fire element.

  The mystical phoenix blood Han absorbed not only granted him the Phoenix Flame but also significantly boosted his cultivation.

  Refining an organ in just ten days? Such an accomplishment would surely shock many if they knew.

  The Phoenix Flame and the perfected small intestine are not the only gifts the Phoenix blood brought Han. His true energy became more refined, his physical body strengthened, and naturally, other changes occurred.

  The phoenix is the symbol of life itself.

  Han could feel his vitality had greatly increased, particularly his ability to recover from injuries—it had improved dramatically.

  At that moment, footsteps echoed from behind, and Bai Ruoyue walked down. Upon seeing Han, her face lit up with surprise.

  "I’ve checked on you several times, little martial brother, and you were still asleep. You’ve been in seclusion for a whole day and night without waking up."

  "You didn’t go to the peach grove last night. Mo Yi even called me, asking if you were okay."

  Han stood up, smiling.

  "Sorry to worry everyone. I didn’t expect it to take this long."

  Seeing the happiness in Han’s eyes, Bai Ruoyue stepped closer and asked, "Big gains?"

  "Very big. You’ll see for yourself." Han grinned.

  Bai Ruoyue reached out, and the moment her fingers touched his body, she gasped. "Freak."

  In the Peach Grove, Lu Qingmo had been observing Han closely, making him a bit uncomfortable.

  "Mo Yi, what’s wrong?" Han asked.

  "You’ve changed," Lu Qingmo said slowly. "You seem... more majestic."

  "Majestic?" Han didn't take long to realize why.

  The phoenix is the king of all birds, incredibly noble. It made sense that refining its blood would bring such a change.

  Bai Ruoyue had mentioned Han’s body burning with flames during his seclusion. "Did you really ignite your body like a golden body refining process?"

  "Yes, I think I’ve awakened some abilities," Han admitted, as he turned to face her, showing his back.

  Lu Qingmo hesitated but then took a deep breath, preparing to inspect Han’s back.

  Upon seeing it, she was taken aback. "You have... wings on your back?"

  The golden-red markings seemed to form a pair of wings, burning with fire.

  "I felt something on my back too," Han said. He channeled his true energy into his back, and the winged markings began to glow slightly, almost as if they were about to burst out of his skin.

  But in the end, nothing happened. "My current strength isn’t enough to bring out their full potential."

  Lu Qingmo thought for a moment, then said, "These markings resemble the Phoenix wings I saw in the ancient texts from the Xuan Du Temple."

  "If you can make them evolve further, they might truly become wings, allowing your body to soar through the sky."

  "Phoenix wings... Why would such things appear on you?"

  Han turned around, raising his hand, and summoned the Phoenix Flame.

  "This should be Phoenix Flame," Han explained.

  Lu Qingmo turned her head slightly, looking away. "Put your clothes back on first."

  It was a little awkward.

  After a closer inspection, Lu Qingmo confirmed that it was indeed Phoenix Flame. The realization left her silent, struggling to understand the situation.

  She recalled the strange things Han had said about the Ancient God Palace and the Age of Emperors...

  Could it be that Han was the reincarnation of a Phoenix?

  It seemed plausible.

  "Mo Yi, you should use my Phoenix Flame to cultivate the Sun-Earth Fire Seal," Han suggested. "It should be useful for you."

  As long as Han remained alive, the Phoenix Flame would regenerate continuously. It would grow stronger with his power, and could even be cultivated through other methods.

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  Han didn’t mind helping Lu Qingmo, as he would also use the flame to cultivate his Sun-Earth Fire in the future.

  Lu Qingmo paused, then shook her head.

  "Let’s wait a little longer. You’ve only just awakened the Phoenix Flame. If I absorb it now, it might cause harm to you."

  "Once your cultivation level increases and the flame grows stronger, we can discuss this again."

  Although the flame wasn’t yet fully developed, its essence could help Lu Qingmo with her Sun-Earth Fire transformation.

  But for now, her priority was ensuring Han's safety. She didn’t want to drain him dry.

  "That’s fine," Han nodded.

  Lu Qingmo’s expression turned complex as she sighed lightly.

  "I never expected to be helped by you so many times."

  This man seemed to have an endless supply of good fortune.

  "Did you hear that Senior Sister has reached the major completion stage of her internal organs?" Han asked.

  "Yes, she told me," Lu Qingmo replied.

  "With that, Senior Sister should be able to break through to the Bone Refining stage before she turns twenty," Han remarked. "She really is gifted."

  "Indeed, Ruoyue has good talent," Lu Qingmo agreed. "But more importantly, she has a lot of opportunities."

  "If it weren’t for you taking them to Black Mountain to obtain those treasures, and if it weren’t for your dream, she would never have been able to reach Bone Refining before twenty."

  In Lu Qingmo’s eyes, Han’s presence had been crucial in Bai Ruoyue’s progress.

  Han smiled humbly. "I didn’t help that much."

  "You’ve played a crucial role," Lu Qingmo replied. "Reaching the Bone Refining stage before twenty is an extraordinary achievement, even among the martial arts elites."

  "In the martial arts world, having disciples advance to the internal organs stage before twenty is considered good talent."

  "But to reach Bone Refining before twenty? That’s the mark of a true prodigy. At least when it comes to cultivation speed, you’d meet the standard for an exceptional talent, and your status would skyrocket. You’d be treated as a future heir to the sect’s legacy, and all the top forces in the world would nurture you."

  "If it weren’t for you, Ruoyue would never have crossed that threshold."

  Lu Qingmo acknowledged Bai Ruoyue’s talent but emphasized that raw talent alone isn’t enough for success in cultivation; one also needs resources.

  The trip to Black Mountain had provided Bai Ruoyue with many rare and precious treasures. Even for top martial prodigies in great sects, such treasures would typically be the best resources available. And even those are not easy to obtain.

  Martial sects have abundant resources, but they also have many talented disciples. Those with strong connections, wealth, and power often dominate the scene.

  The dream realm also granted Bai Ruoyue the ability to experiment endlessly—one month felt like three, enabling her to progress rapidly.

  The Yulong Stone and the Five Organs and Six Bowels Elixir further boosted her abilities, offering dual enhancements.

  Only with Han’s help did Bai Ruoyue stand a chance to break through to Bone Refining before twenty.

  Without him, it would have been impossible.

  "Reaching Bone Refining before twenty is one of the standards for a world-shaking genius..." Han’s expression suddenly changed.

  "Uh-oh."

  "What’s wrong?"

  "Doesn’t that mean I’ll never become an exceptional genius?" Han sounded a bit downcast.

  "I’m already twenty-two, still stuck at the internal organs stage. I’ll never meet that requirement now."

  "..."

  It made sense, though somewhat illogical.

  "Anything else?" Lu Qingmo asked.

  "No, that’s all."

  "Then go read," she said, standing up to leave, clearly wanting some space.

  Han’s words had gotten on her nerves a little.

  Under the moonlight, Han first focused on cultivating his soul, and once he felt saturated, he began reading.

  Lu Qingmo had brought back many scriptures and books collected by Ye Chong, and with three days' worth of work, there was a significant amount to read.

  Han finally had something to study.

  While reading, Han noticed that reciting these ancient texts did help him gain insights into the vast energy of the universe, bringing him closer to a certain threshold. It was also starting to cause subtle changes in his "Seven Apertures Sensitive Heart."

  This heart would naturally grow stronger as Han’s cultivation progressed, but he could also choose to actively develop it and trigger its evolution ahead of time.

  But before, Han hadn’t figured out how to unlock its potential. Now, however, he had a clearer direction.

  "You’re going into seclusion?" Han was surprised, but then, a bit excited.

  He had just arrived at the martial arts hall today, not expecting to hear such news from Bai Ruoyue.

  "Yes," Bai Ruoyue nodded, a gleam of excitement in her eyes.

  "Thanks to your dream realm, after some time of experimenting, I finally feel ready to make this breakthrough."

  "Once I enter seclusion, you and the others will have to take care of the martial arts hall."

  "Don’t worry, Master," Zhang Yuantao nodded. "We’ll manage everything here and won’t let anyone interfere with your process."

  Bai Ruoyue turned to her father and asked, "Dad, how long do you plan to stay in seclusion?"

  "I’m not sure," Bai Tian shook his head. "This breakthrough is quite complex, so it will likely take a long time."

  "If anyone asks, just tell them I’ve left Black Cloud Town for a while on business. I’ll make an appearance later, leaving the town so they can see me leave."

  If people found out Bai Tian was secluding himself to further his cultivation, it would likely create unnecessary complications.

  He already outranked the other martial hall masters by a level. If he broke through again, the other halls might not be able to function properly.

  Tenglong, the major forces, would never ignore this and would try to interfere.

  It would be better to create the illusion that Bai Tian had simply left town for a while.

  Bai Tian looked at his daughter and said, "Once I enter seclusion, you’ll be the strongest in the martial arts hall. You’ll have a lot of responsibilities, so don’t act recklessly. Protect everyone."

  Bai Ruoyue nodded seriously, signaling that she understood.

  Her once fragile shoulders were now bearing the heavy burden of responsibility.

  After giving some final instructions, Bai Tian left Black Cloud Town, probably intending to circle back secretly at some point, unnoticed.

  The rest of the group also dispersed to attend to their tasks.

  "Senior Sister, did Master ever say where he’s going into seclusion?" Han suddenly remembered.

  Bai Ruoyue froze for a moment. "Oh no, could it be that my dad is faking the seclusion as an excuse to leave for good?"

  "..."

  Having a daughter like you is truly Master’s fortune.

  After Han relayed this news to Lu Qingmo, she wasn’t surprised at all.

  "It’s probably about time for a breakthrough," she said calmly.

  "Didn’t Master say this breakthrough would take quite a while?"

  "That’s right," Lu Qingmo nodded. "After purifying the marrow, one enters the True Blood stage."

  "To enter this stage, one needs to refine and elevate their blood, creating True Blood. This is a tedious process, requiring repeated blood refinement before one can reach the martial blood stage."

  "Spending months on this is normal."

  True Blood is the sacred origin of power.

  Only those with True Blood can truly wield the strength of their bloodline.