Since entering the caverns, Han and Bai Ruoyue had ditched several spatial pouches—items considered rare outside. Now, Han casually tossed aside an even rarer spatial ring.


    That’s just how they rolled—bold and unbothered.


    “Tianlong Gate disciples sure have deeper pockets than those from the Golden Dragon Martial Hall,” Han remarked. After tidying up any loose ends, he transferred the haul into his own spatial ring.


    Li Hai’s pouch was decent but unremarkable. Beyond a handful of Tianlong Gate’s exclusive cultivation pills, nothing caught Han’s eye. Most of it would probably end up pawned off at the Black-and-White Tower.


    Fang Cheng’s ring, though? A goldmine. Alongside the Heaven and Earth in Harmony spear manual, it held a trove of treasures: cultivation pills spanning Flesh Refining to Bone Refining—leftovers from his early days and prepped by his parents for his next breakthrough. There were several martial weapons too, plus high-quality materials Han figured could forge Origin-grade gear. He even found rare items to speed up true qi’s conversion to true essence and bolster it—gifts from Fang Cheng’s folks for his Bone Refining ascent. Stuff like that didn’t show up at the county’s Ten Thousand Stars Chamber.


    The rest of the loot was plentiful and valuable too. Best of all, nearly everything suited Han and Bai Ruoyue at their current level—perfect synergy.


    From Fang Cheng’s memories, Han learned he’d been ready to break into Bone Refining but held off for this Black Cloud Town trip. A big score here, paired with his connections, could’ve netted him major rewards back at Tianlong Gate—maybe even a shot at true disciple status. Too bad for him, it all went up in smoke.


    Han toyed with a token in his hand, inspecting it closely. Cast from iron, one side bore a twelve-petaled flower, the other a single word: “Incense.”


    “What’s that? Another treasure?” Bai Ruoyue asked.


    Han shook his head. “No clue. Fang Cheng’s soul didn’t spill anything about it, and it’s not a Tianlong Gate token. Looks ordinary—no special vibe—but he kept it stashed carefully.”


    “Might as well hang onto it and see,” she suggested.


    As they chatted, they reached their destination: a sealed chamber, its door shut tight. Bai Ruoyue slammed her palm against it, aiming to force it open.


    Bang! Her hand stung red, but the door didn’t budge.


    “Wow, that’s tough!” she exclaimed, surprised.


    “Brute force won’t cut it here,” Han said, stepping up. He traced his fingers along the door in a specific pattern—the “key.” With a rumble, it swung open.


    “You little sneak! Making me look dumb!” Bai Ruoyue’s cheeks flushed, embarrassed by her earlier reckless swing.


    “You were just too eager,” Han teased.


    Inside, a blood-red flower swayed gently, its allure almost hypnotic. “What’s that plant?” Bai Ruoyue asked.


    “Ten Thousand Blood Spirit Flower,” Han replied. “Back when the Beast Arena was active, this room processed dead beasts—countless dragged here, from Flesh Refining to Marrow Cleansing tiers.”


    The floor, worn by time, still bore faint red stains. “Sealed for who-knows-how-long, this flower finally bloomed. Maybe it’s not the first—others could’ve sprouted and withered in the dark, unseen.”


    The flower’s emergence wasn’t a fluke; the Tianming Sect had planned for it. Ding Liuling’s records noted that beast graveyards like this could spawn various spirit plants—identifiable once they appeared. Plus, it was a safe zone—no beasts wandered in. A cultivated treasure, courtesy of Tianming’s foresight.


    Bai Ruoyue wrinkled her nose, imagining a whiff of blood despite the centuries. “What’s it do?”


    “Big stuff,” Han said with a grin. “Not for now, though—we’ll need it when we hit Marrow Cleansing to forge True Blood. It supercharges the process, yielding stronger, faster results. This thing’s the essence of blood spirit energy.”


    Her eyes widened. “A True Blood-grade spirit plant?”


    “Pretty much.” Tianming didn’t mess around with their projects. It’s why Han zeroed in on this spot—nothing else he’d seen on the “monitors” matched its worth.


    He plucked the flower and stowed it carefully. The Legacy Mandate and this flower—the Beast Arena’s top prizes—landed in his lap without a fight. “Life’s lonely at the top,” he sighed dramatically.


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    “Huh?” Bai Ruoyue tilted her head.


    “Why’s grabbing treasure as easy as eating or drinking for me? No challenge at all,” Han lamented, feigning distress. “I’m constantly plagued by how smooth things go—makes me feel inadequate. You get that, Senior Sister? It’s tough on the soul—no thrill, no fun. I’d love a taste of nightmare mode!”


    Just a thought, though—if it got real, he’d rather not. Hey, don’t take it seriously—I’m kidding!


    Bai Ruoyue clenched her fists, itching to pin him down and teach this smug, gloating brat a lesson. She had more than one hard spot to show him!


    “Should we head out, Little Brother?” she asked.


    “Can’t yet,” Han said, shaking his head. “If I leave, this place collapses instantly—burying everyone inside. We’d step out, and boom, mass grave. Too obvious—it’d scream I’m up to something.”


    “So we’re stuck?”


    Han flashed a sly smile. “Relax, I’ve got a plan.”


    “Come on—there’s more loot I spotted. Let’s see if it’s still up for grabs.” At the mention of treasure-hunting, Bai Ruoyue perked up. Cultivation, fighting, and scavenging were her holy trinity. She’d drag Han to the county or Yunlong City, banking on his “gut” to snag deals.


    Fifteen minutes later, they ran into a group—the Dong family from the state capital. Han tensed, wary of another Huang Mingri type from a big clan.


    Dong Weiyu, their leader, seemed surprised to see them but offered a warm smile. “You two must be the Taibai Hall’s star pupils from Black Cloud Town. Real standouts—cream of the crop. I’m Dong Weiyu from the state capital’s Dong family. I’ll be in Black Cloud Town for a bit—hope we can be friends and chat more down the line.”


    Han returned the grin. “You’re pretty impressive yourself, Young Master Dong. Black Cloud Town’s happy to have you.”


    Dong Weiyu laughed and stepped aside. “Won’t hold you up. Catch you later!”


    They parted amicably—no sparks flew. As Han and Bai Ruoyue faded into the distance, a Dong disciple asked, “Brother Yu, why so polite with them?”


    Dong Weiyu shook his head. “Word from Tianyue City says these Taibai kids aren’t small fry. One’s rumored to match Bone Refining while still in Visceral, the other hit Visceral in months and caught Xuandu Temple’s eye. Even if the hype’s off, they’re rare talents. No grudge, no stakes—why stir trouble?”


    “You think they’ve got the Legacy Mandate?” another asked.


    They all shook their heads. “It’s barely been a day in the Realm of Destiny. No way someone’s nabbed it already.” The Dong crew moved on, still hunting the beast legacy.


    “Little Brother, he seems decent enough,” Bai Ruoyue noted.


    “World’s big—gotta run into a normal guy eventually,” Han quipped. Not every pompous jerk could cross his path, right?


    They zipped around, nabbing treasures Han had memorized from the “monitors.” They met others—no fights—until the Huang family showed up. A few quick moves, and Han added more kills to his tally. Two Visceral Huang fighters? Child’s play—done in moments, effortless.


    Satisfying.


    Half a day later, someone found Ding Liuling’s room and the missing legacy. Word spread fast, along with a message: The Mandate is taken. One day from now, the caverns collapse!


    Panic hit. The disappointed and furious—those who’d missed out—felt the clock ticking. This cavern was deep and strange. If it caved in, burying them, survival odds were slim. Cautious types bolted; others raced to scavenge what time allowed.


    Han had left that note to nudge everyone out, setting up his clean exit—no suspicion. Those who ignored it and got trapped? Not his problem. His safety came first.


    With the “monitors” as his guide, he and Bai Ruoyue snagged more loot and took down several Bone Refining beasts. Ding Liuling had tipped him off—their stones were versatile, so he stocked up.


    Half a day flew by. They reached the cavern entrance early, joining a crowd waiting to see if the collapse was real. Spotting a few head topside, Han seized the moment, leading Bai Ruoyue up.


    Boom! As they surfaced, a roar erupted below. The ground quaked, caving in chunk by chunk.


    “It’s collapsing!” someone yelled. People swarmed up, then bolted away from the sinking earth. Staying near a crumbling cavern was a death wish.


    From a distance, they watched the ground buckle, explosions ringing out—dazzling bursts amid the chaos. Beyond natural collapse, some internal Taoist arrays had detonated too. The pit deepened—one foot, ten, dozens—until a massive crater yawned, dozens of yards deep and vast across.


    Soon, groundwater and rain would turn it into a lake—a dramatic mark in Wangfeng County’s history. Seas turn to fields, fields to seas—time’s relentless dance.


    “Senior Brother Fang and Li didn’t make it?!” a shocked voice cut through.


    It was Xiao Zhi from Tianlong Gate, disbelief etched on his face. Four had entered; only two stood here. Murmurs rippled—Tianlong disciples, dead below? Greed, maybe, keeping them too long?


    Whatever the reason, it was big news. “Where’s Junior Brother Jin Shui?” Golden Dragon Martial Hall folks stirred, their headcount off too. “Huang Fenghua’s group? Yuan Li’s squad?” Most factions had losses—tension thickened the air.


    In the caverns, missing allies could’ve been elsewhere. Now, with the collapse, they were likely gone. That giant pit didn’t look survivable.


    Yu Ren’s face twisted. “How could Senior Brother Fang fall here? Bone Refining beasts were the worst down there—with his strength and backing, he couldn’t outrun them?”


    With Fang Cheng MIA, how’d they explain this to Deacon Fang Zhenxing? Yu Ren and Xiao Zhi traded looks, scanning the Shenhua Sect, Dong family, and Han’s duo. “Min Xing, Dong Weiyu, Han—did you see Senior Brother Fang in the Realm?”


    All shook their heads.


    Yu Ren zeroed in on Han and Bai Ruoyue—rivals with the power to pull it off. “You’d better not have touched him, keeping him from escaping, or else…”


    Han’s brow furrowed. “Which eye of yours saw us go after Fang Cheng? We’ve been treasure-hunting the whole time—met plenty of folks. Ask around. Any scratches on us? If we’d fought him, you think we’d be spotless? Use your head!”


    Yu Ren paused. Fang Cheng’s prowess was no secret. Even with Bai Ruoyue’s Bone Refining edge, a clean kill was unlikely—both sides would’ve taken hits. Han and Bai Ruoyue looked unruffled—no wounds. Maybe it wasn’t them.


    He snorted, clamming up, his mood stormy. Han shot him a chilly glance. “I’ll let your rudeness slide this time.” No proof, and you’re barking at me? Yeah, I did it—bite me.