"Let me take a look."

  "How is it, Aunt Mo? Should be fine, right?"

  "Mm, not bad. Strong and solid. Few can compare to you."

  This was a conversation about Han's soul.

  What else could it be?

  Lu Qingmo carefully observed Han's soul and nodded.

  "You should be close to feeling the pull of the moonlight. You're not far from being able to roam the world with your spirit."

  "In fact, your progress in two and a half years is almost catching up to Yun Duo’s."

  "Just luck," Han humbly replied.

  Lu Qingmo fell silent for a moment, then spoke again.

  "Never say that again."

  "Okay."

  "And never say 'just a little progress' either."

  "Alright."

  Curious, Han asked, "How does Yun Duo's talent compare to other cultivators?"

  Two and a half years—what level was that?

  "Very good," Lu Qingmo answered. "Among several districts, Yun Duo can be considered a prodigy."

  "But the next stage, the Day Roaming realm, won’t be so simple."

  "Some spend years trying to reach it but never succeed."

  The sun’s power is a natural restraint on the soul, and the Day Roaming stage requires the soul to absorb the sun's energy—it's akin to swallowing dynamite, incredibly dangerous.

  Most cultivators are injured by the sun's rays during this transition.

  And once the soul is harmed, recovery isn't simple. There's a real risk of it affecting the very foundation of one’s cultivation.

  This hurdle blocks most cultivators.

  The Day Roaming realm represents a qualitative change—a watershed moment.

  Just then, Yun Duo walked in calmly, greeted Lu Qingmo, and happily waved at Han.

  "Uh, Aunt Mo, is there another mission from the Ghostly Gods Division?" Han asked, surprised.

  It was rare for Yun Duo to be here at this hour. The previous two times had been for assignments.

  "No," Lu Qingmo shook her head.

  "Actually, Han, I'm here to invite you," Yun Duo said.

  "Invite me?"

  "Yes! My father wants to invite you to our house."

  "Your father wants to invite me? But I don’t know him."

  Yun Duo answered earnestly, "Yesterday, my father asked about you and said young people should interact more. He said he'd like to invite you to our house when possible."

  "..." Han was silent.

  So, if I’m not mistaken, isn’t this just a polite way of saying "maybe sometime"? Why are you taking it so seriously?

  Looking at Yun Duo, Han suddenly understood.

  If it were Yun Daidai, she would have believed this without question, which actually seemed normal?

  "Go ahead," Lu Qingmo suddenly said.

  Han was taken aback. Since Lu Qingmo had said it, he agreed to go along with Yun Duo, but he needed to head back to the martial hall first.

  Yun Duo, looking pleased, left early to prepare, telling Han to just head to the Yun household later.

  "If you refuse her today, she’ll keep inviting you," Lu Qingmo said. "It’s better to just satisfy her."

  "Yun Duo... she really is quite cute."

  "And the relationship between the Taibai Martial Hall and the Yun family is good. Building a good relationship with them would benefit you."

  "Is the Yun family more powerful than you, Aunt Mo?"

  Lu Qingmo smiled and asked, "Do you know the origins of the Yun family?"

  Han shook his head.

  "The Black Mountain Mountain God’s surname is Yun."

  "The Yun family is the bloodline of the Mountain God before he ascended to divinity, which is why such a cultivator family exists here in this remote place."

  Lu Qingmo spoke with solemnity. "On the surface, the Yun family may seem no different from other factions in Black Cloud Town, but you should be able to sense something more."

  On the surface, it might seem the same, meaning the Yun family likely has hidden strength.

  But with the Mountain God’s bloodline, Han now found this completely understandable.

  Impressive. Respect, respect.

  As Han’s figure faded into the peach forest, Lu Qingmo’s gaze lingered, her thoughts cloudy.

  The fragrance of plum blossoms drifting from the soul... what does that mean?

  The body and soul both emitting a fragrance that’s almost intoxicating—what state is that?

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Or is it just my imagination?

  But how could I have such an illusion?

  Lu Qingmo gently touched her forehead.

  I must be sick.

  Back at the martial hall, Bai Ruoyue immediately called Han over.

  "Junior Brother, the compensation from Tenglong Martial Hall arrived this morning."

  "Together with the compensation from the Gao family yesterday, we’ve received sixteen plants of spiritual herbs. Though they’re all the most common ones."

  "We’ll give you the herbs that might be useful. The others, we’ll give to Xiao Yu’er. What do you think?"

  "What about Senior Brother San?"

  "These herbs won’t help him advance to the Zangfu stage. Senior Brother Si and Senior Brother Wu both said to give them to you, but I thought of giving some to Xiao Yu’er too."

  "That’s not right."

  Han shook his head. "Everyone risked their lives to help me, so naturally, they should get a share."

  "Even if Senior Brother San can’t use them, Senior Brother Si and Senior Brother Wu should get some. Senior Sister Liu’s share is also rightfully hers."

  "We're all fellow disciples. After just fighting the Gao family together, it wouldn't be right for me to take everything for myself."

  Besides, the spiritual herbs I’m getting daily are rare even among the low-tier ones. One is worth several, so I’m not lacking these common herbs.

  Bai Ruoyue patted Han’s shoulder, saying nothing. The trust was understood.

  Good Junior Brother, I knew I hadn’t been wrong about you. You’re truly someone I can rely on.

  At first, I even thought about trying to persuade you to leave. It’s something I’ll never want to remember in my life.

  "There’s also the weapon compensation—a hammer and an axe," Bai Ruoyue said, shaking her head.

  "They intentionally gave us two weapons no one here will use."

  Not every disciple of Taibai uses swords; take Shen Long, for example, who specializes in the blade. He has a natural talent with it. However, hammers and axes are relatively uncommon.

  "I've got a staff weapon here, one I confiscated from a killer," Han said.

  "That's your trophy, but even a staff is something none of us here would use," Bai Ruoyue sighed. "How about this—I'll hand it over to my father, and he can work his connections in the city to trade it for a weapon you can actually use."

  It's not that no one could use it. Bai Ruoyue continued, "You probably won't believe it, but I have some basic skills in using axes, hammers, and staves myself..."

  "That's fine," Bai Tian, their master, chimed in. "I was planning on waiting until you all reached the Organ Realm before providing you with weapons, but Han, given your current strength..."

  "I'll be heading to the county city soon to prepare one for you," Bai Tian added.

  "Master, I’ve already gathered two materials and even went to the county city with Mo Yi to commission a sword from a blacksmith, though it’s not ready yet," Han explained.

  "Oh? You found some materials? You’re in luck. In that case, I'll prepare you some inner armor as well; it’s extremely important and even more precious."

  "Master, I already have inner armor," Han revealed, showing off his Haixin Armor.

  Bai Tian paused, clearly noticing that this armor was likely one of Han's key advantages in battles beyond his level.

  "Where did you get this inner armor from?" Bai Tian asked.

  "I found it."

  "Found it?" Bai Tian was taken aback.

  "I also found a weapon-grade bow and arrows."

  "... Found them?" Bai Tian was starting to feel a little jealous. With a sword, a bow, armor, and a spatial bag—all of which Han had found—he couldn't help but feel that he, as a teacher, might not be needed here after all.

  Bai Ruoyue was clearly envious. "Junior Brother, take me with you next time. I want to go find treasures too!"

  Han hesitated and replied awkwardly, "Senior Sister, it's a matter of talent."

  "Besides, finding things like that also depends on luck."

  Bai Tian went silent for a moment, pondering what to give Han. "I’ve thought of something. How about you swap that staff for a hammer?"

  "A sword is sharp, but it lacks the brute force. A hammer might suit you better."

  "Swords are sharp weapons, but hammers are heavy hitters!" Han thought. Sometimes, after getting tired of using a sword, it would feel nice to pull out a hammer and smash things instead.

  "One close-range weapon should be enough," Bai Ruoyue said. "No need to trade, just take it with you."

  Just then, Shen Long and the others arrived.

  "There's something I forgot to mention to you yesterday," Bai Tian said. "The Black Mountain will shift again, and there will be more earthquakes to come."

  "After the next earthquake, Ruoyue, you should lead them into the Black Mountain."

  "Why?" Ruoyue asked.

  Bai Tian sighed. "Although the Mountain God failed to defy the heavens, it still had a positive impact on the Black Mountain. Many rare treasures will appear there, and various spiritual plants will grow much faster—some may even mature overnight, undergoing a transformation."

  "Entering the Black Mountain will yield great rewards and be beneficial for cultivation."

  "This is the final gift the Mountain God left for Black Mountain before his fall."

  Han and the others felt a surge of reverence upon hearing this.

  "The next earthquake will come soon, so be prepared," Bai Tian reminded them. "However, Chang'an, Xiao Feng, and Xiao Yu can stay out—it's too dangerous for them right now."

  "Han... you should go with Ruoyue and the others."

  This disciple of his had grown freely, and Bai Tian feared that any interference from him might steer Han down the wrong path.

  With the strength to kill two in the Organ Realm, who knew what Han would be capable of in the future? He didn’t dare to imagine. When Han reached the Bone Refining Realm, he might even be strong enough to defeat him.

  "This information is known only by me and Lu Dugong for now, and Meng Hao and the others know as well. Keep it to yourselves," Bai Tian added.

  He paused before continuing, "The Yun family might know, but they certainly won’t share it with anyone else."

  This was still exclusive information, but Han understood that it couldn’t be kept secret forever. Even after the previous earthquake, some people still took the risk to venture into the Black Mountain, although the numbers were fewer now.

  Han thought to himself that he needed to train hard and aim for a breakthrough before the next earthquake.

  If he could reach the small completion of the Tendon Realm, he would no longer be afraid of any challenges within it.

  However, he could clearly feel that the difficulty of training in the Tendon Realm was much greater than in the Flesh Realm.

  "If the news leaks after the earthquake, there might be a lot of people heading into the Black Mountain."

  "It doesn't matter. Everyone will be competing fairly," Bai Tian replied.

  "Master, won't you go into the Black Mountain?" Han asked.

  Bai Tian shook his head. "I can’t go in. Not just me, but anyone in the Organ Realm or higher, including Night Walkers, is forbidden from entering. It’s a rule set by the Mountain God."

  "Wait, even cultivators from Black Cloud Town are restricted?" Han was surprised.

  "Yes," Bai Tian nodded. "Because after the second earthquake, the Black Mountain will be open to cultivators outside of Black Cloud Town, but the condition is that those with too high a cultivation level cannot enter."

  "Who did the Mountain God make this agreement with?" Han asked.

  "I don’t know. It’s what the Mountain God said. He made some compromises with certain beings," Bai Tian explained.

  The Mountain God was dead, but others feared him. At the same time, the Mountain God also had his own concerns—after all, he had things he cared about, including his descendants.

  In light of these mutual concerns, the current situation had come to be.

  For Han and the others, though, this was good news.

  As Han left the martial hall to meet Yun Duo, he was surprised to encounter Meng Hao and Mu Bo.

  "Big Brother Zhou, it's good to see you again!" Meng Hao greeted him warmly.

  "I thought you had left Black Cloud Town?" Han asked.

  "Hehe, I changed my mind. Where are you headed, Big Brother Zhou?" Meng Hao asked.

  "To the Yun family."

  Meng Hao seemed a bit disappointed. He had hoped to accompany Han and chat more.

  "This Meng Hao really doesn't put on airs. He’s so friendly, despite coming from a big family," Han thought as he made his way to the Yun family.

  On the way there, Han thought about Meng Hao. Despite having a father who ranked in the top ten in the world, Meng Hao was still very kind.

  "Just goes to show, a person’s nature isn't defined by their background," Han thought, recalling the old saying.

  At the Yun family, Han received a warm welcome and met more members of the family.

  The family head, Yun Yuan Nan, also made an appearance. After meeting Han, he praised him profusely, especially for taking care of Yun Duo during their mission. Han’s first impression of him was very positive.

  Yun Duo led Han around the Yun family estate. As they passed through a plum orchard, they ran into a graceful woman in her twenties with a stunning appearance. Her demeanor was calm and refined, her figure graceful and commanding, but still gentle—second only to their Senior Sister.

  "Senior Sister!" Yun Duo called out.

  The woman looked up with a serene smile. "Who is this?"

  "This is my friend Han—the famous Han," Yun Duo introduced him.

  "Ah, Han," the woman acknowledged him with a warm smile.

  "Wait, Yun... what?" Han thought, suddenly recalling something.