Han sat down with Lu Qingmo to catch up on everything that had happened in the seven days he’d been away.


    Surprisingly, as more—and stronger—factions poured into Black Cloud Town, the chaos had actually dialed down a notch. Three top-tier powers and five first-rate factions had arrived, each bringing Yin Spirit or True Blood-level venerables. Add Bai Tian into the mix, and with so many heavyweights around, no one dared stir up trouble. The last thing anyone wanted was to annoy one of those venerables.


    Bai Tian had played a big role in this. He’d paid visits to the elders of each faction, speaking as a local True Blood warrior. Some scoffed, dismissing him as a lone martial artist with no backing to rival their prestige. But others agreed that keeping things calm made sense—too much noise and disorder would only grate on everyone’s nerves.


    Then there were the true disciples and dao seeds who’d arrived with these factions. Unlike the rowdy inner disciples from before, their demeanor was a cut above. They didn’t mingle much, rarely showing their faces—ordinary folks wouldn’t catch a glimpse of them.


    As Lu Qingmo put it, they oozed confidence.


    A first-rate faction was a sprawling machine, teeming with inner disciples of all stripes—some good, some bad, a mixed bag. That was par for the course. But true disciples and dao seeds? They were a rare breed, raised on the finest resources and the best guidance. Their mindset and conviction set them leagues apart from the rank-and-file below them. Good or bad in character, they all shared one trait: they didn’t waste time on small fry.


    “I need to swing by the martial hall,” Han said.


    “You should,” Lu Qingmo agreed.


    “An Lang, you stay here!”


    With that, Han left the peach grove and headed straight for the Tai Bai Martial Hall.


    Lu Qingmo stayed behind, sitting alone, lost in thought.


    “Sky-Mending Vine, source energy…”


    She whispered the names of the two treasures, a spark of light gradually igniting in her eyes.


    Now, she could see a real, tangible hope of recovery—no longer trapped in her current state. And if her soul’s wounds healed, the worries that had once weighed her down would vanish like smoke.


    Han had a long road ahead, with plenty of lifespan to spare. If she recovered, she could match that. The biggest barrier between them would crumble. No more fears of a beauty fading into twilight—they could roam the world together, side by side through the long years, growing old in each other’s company.


    A decade or so age gap? That was nothing.


    A smile crept onto Lu Qingmo’s face. She felt lighter than ever, as if most of the shackles binding her spirit had snapped. The dark clouds overhead seemed to part, sunlight streaming down, warm and comforting.


    Just one more treasure to go. Once they had it, they could refine the Heavenly Saint Revival Elixir, and she’d be free of all her burdens.


    Lu Qingmo wasn’t one to dither or second-guess. Her past actions—preparing to burn her lifespan to break through, leaving for Black Cloud Town, entrusting her divine artifact to the Xuandu Temple—showed her decisiveness. But some problems couldn’t be ignored, no matter how resolute she was.


    She didn’t care what others thought and trusted her master would back her. Yet her own predicament had gnawed at her, dimming her spirit. If that could truly be resolved, she wouldn’t hesitate.


    The Xuandu Temple had no rules against marriage, after all.


    Deep down, Lu Qingmo knew the source stone’s appearance was a bit fishy. Han’s current cultivation level shouldn’t have let him detect source energy. And the odds of finding both the Sky-Mending Vine and source energy in Black Mountain? Slim, even with heaven’s luck on his side.


    But it didn’t matter. She trusted Han.


    If he didn’t want to explain, that was fine. She knew he had her best interests at heart—he was looking out for her.


    “You found both treasures for me… How am I supposed to thank you?”


    “An Lang.”


    “Here!”


    “Come over for a sec.”


    At the Tai Bai Martial Hall, Bai Ruoyue and the others had gathered around Han, fussing over him and asking if he’d run into any danger in the mountains.


    Han shared some of the more thrilling bits of his adventure—luring beasts, fleeing for his life, identifying demons, battling wolves. His tales were packed with excitement, drawing gasps and wide-eyed stares from the group.


    “Did you find what you were looking for?” Bai Ruoyue asked.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    “With me on the job, how could I fail?” Han replied with a grin.


    They didn’t know exactly what he’d gone into the mountains for—just that it was something Lu Qingmo needed. Shen Long and the others didn’t pry; it wasn’t their place.


    In hindsight, it was better they didn’t know. After all, Zuo Tianzheng had been after the Sky-Mending Vine too. One slip of the tongue could’ve spelled trouble.


    A little later, Han asked, “Is Master upstairs?”


    “Yeah,” Bai Ruoyue nodded. “Just him up there.”


    “I just got back—I should go see him.”


    When Han stepped into Bai Tian’s presence, his first words made the older man’s hand tremble.


    “Master, I killed Zuo Tianzheng.”


    Bai Tian, who’d been scribbling something, snapped his head up.


    “What?”


    “You heard me right. The imperial envoy from Jade Capital’s dead. I did it.”


    After Han laid out the whole story, Bai Tian’s expression turned grave.


    “So the one behind your ambush was him. Despicable.”


    He sighed. “Well, what’s done is done. But you have to follow Lu Qingmo’s lead on this. It can’t get out—don’t breathe a word of it to Ruoyue or the others.”


    “No need to panic. Just act like it never happened.”


    Han nodded. He wasn’t rattled—his mind was calm as ever. He hadn’t done anything wrong, after all.


    “He died yesterday… No idea if his escorts outside know yet.”


    “Your trip out of the mountains won’t stay under wraps. If someone comes asking questions—or tries to haul you in—don’t go with them alone,” Bai Tian warned. “Let me know right away, or tell Lu Qingmo. Don’t give them a chance to strong-arm you.”


    “Relax, Master. I’m sticking around this time—martial hall to peach grove and back. Even if they want me for questioning, I won’t let them pull anything shady.”


    “Good, as long as you get it,” Bai Tian said with a nod.


    “Black Mountain’s crawling with wild beasts. The places you went? Marrow Cleansing-level beasts roam there. Zuo Tianzheng and his crew were just Bone Refining and Day Roaming realm—dying to a beast isn’t unusual.”


    It really wasn’t. They didn’t have something like the [Longevity Dao Fruit] to burn through in a pinch. Nature and chaos beasts didn’t care about titles or status.


    Even Meng Hao, son of the Purple Sky Heavenly Lord, would get devoured by a beast if he wandered into Black Mountain alone. Was Zuo Tianzheng somehow more special than a Heavenly Lord’s kid?


    After wrapping up the rundown, Han went to find Bai Ruoyue again.


    Watching his disciple’s retreating figure, Bai Tian let out a quiet sigh.


    This youngest disciple of his was full of surprises—some delightful, others downright shocking.


    “Killing an imperial envoy’s no small thing. Even if no one knows, suspicion’s bound to creep in…”


    Bai Tian mulled it over alone. For the imperial court, suspicion alone could be enough to pin a crime. Zuo Tianzheng’s two Manifestation and Marrow Cleansing-level guards knew about the ambush—that was the root of the grudge and the doubt.


    When the court came for someone, they didn’t always bother with reason. They’d drag you off, torture a confession out of you, or use cultivation techniques to rip the truth from your mind.


    To make them play fair, you needed one of two things: raw strength or powerful backing.


    Only then could you avoid being hauled off and “persuaded” into guilt.


    Zuo Tianzheng had it coming, but Han couldn’t afford to get caught up in this.


    Bai Tian shook his head, feeling a flicker of relief. Good thing he’d broken through to the True Blood realm—it gave him some room to maneuver. With Lu Qingmo, a Xuandu Temple disciple, in the mix, things should stay under control.


    At least here in Black Cloud Town, even an investigation into Zuo Tianzheng’s death wouldn’t spiral into blatant injustice.


    Han tracked down Bai Ruoyue and handed her three Guardian Stones.


    “What are these?” she asked.


    “Something tasty,” he teased.


    Bai Ruoyue shot him a skeptical look.


    “They’re rocks. Seriously edible?”


    She’d read plenty of books—he wasn’t fooling her. Sure, at the highest levels of the Sun-Swallowing Technique, you could absorb rocks and dirt to survive. But who’d actually eat stones just to get by?


    “Would I trick you? These are treasures,” Han said, popping one into his mouth.


    It was wild—once the Guardian Stone hit his tongue, it didn’t feel hard or dry. It turned soft and chewy. Han refined three in a row, then channeled his true essence. A faint gray glow spread over his skin.


    With a thought, he could shift the glow wherever he wanted—covering his whole body, pooling in his hands, or anywhere else. It was flexible.


    This was Stone Skin—a battle-ready shield against enemy attacks, like wearing an extra layer of armor. According to Hu Tutu, it’d hold up through the Marrow Cleansing realm.


    Bai Ruoyue reached out, touching the Stone Skin, feeling it carefully before marveling, “It’s so tough!”


    “Pretty cool, right?” Han said. “With Stone Skin, plus inner armor and true qi shielding, that’s three layers of defense.”


    “Attack power aside, this seriously ups your odds of staying alive.”


    You had to survive to fight another day—living was the top priority.


    Bai Ruoyue started munching on her own Guardian Stones while Han slipped off to the underground chamber.


    Time to crank up the heat!


    No denying it—seven days in Black Mountain had thrown a wrench into his cultivation routine. But it was just a week, no big loss.


    After finishing his session, Han made a quick trip to the Yun family.


    The two missing ingredients for his Reverse Fate Pill had been entrusted to the Yun family to gather. It’d been over ten days—surely they’d tracked them down by now. Plus, he had something to discuss with Yun Yuannan.


    The cheerful Little Cloud floated over to greet him. Han swapped some fun Black Mountain stories with her, then scored the two pill-making materials he needed for the Harmful Body Fruit. There was plenty—more than enough for his needs.


    The ingredients weren’t especially rare, just obscure and off the beaten path.


    Little Cloud led him to Yun Yuannan.


    “Seeing you back safe and sound finally puts my mind at ease,” Yun Yuannan said with a smile. “I was worried I’d have no way to explain myself to your master otherwise.”


    “Got to thank Senior Mountain God for looking out for me,” Han replied politely, before getting to the point.


    “Uncle Yun, I came today with a request.”


    “Go ahead, speak your mind.”


    “When Aunt Mo and I came asking about the Sky-Mending Vine, please don’t mention it to anyone outside. It ties into something private for her—not something we can share.”


    “If anyone asks, just say I went into Black Mountain to temper my martial skills.”


    Yun Yuannan agreed without hesitation. He wasn’t the type to gossip.


    Han breathed a little easier. That knocked out one more potential loose end. He trusted Yun Yuannan’s word—the Yun sisters were tight-lipped too. When they promised to keep a secret, it stayed locked down, not even reaching their own father.


    If word got out that he and Zuo Tianzheng were both after the Sky-Mending Vine, he’d be the prime suspect.


    Luckily, Zuo Tianzheng hadn’t blabbed to many—only a handful knew his goal.


    Leaving the Yun family, Han ran through everything again in his head, making sure he’d covered all his bases.


    He’d done everything he could. It should be solid now.