At the Ghost God Division, Jiang Hengchuan was grilling Lu Qingmo with a question not unlike what others were pondering, his tone thick with confusion.


    “Junior Sister Lu, Han started cultivating under your wing, right?”


    “Yeah,” Lu Qingmo nodded. “I’ve never privately taught him any Xuandu Temple dao arts.”


    Not just dao arts—she wouldn’t casually spill Xuandu’s exclusive secrets either.


    The knowledge she’d shared with Han might be high-level, obscure stuff, not common chatter, but it was all fair game for anyone who reached a certain tier. No breach of Xuandu’s rules there.


    She could confidently say she hadn’t crossed a single line.


    “Then why not teach him Xuandu’s dao arts?” Jiang pressed.


    “…”


    “Senior Brother Jiang, I haven’t forgotten the temple’s rules.”


    “You could take him as a disciple—then it wouldn’t break any regs,” Jiang Hengchuan said, genuinely stumped. “He’s been by your side, learning from you. You know his talent, his strength better than anyone.”


    “A prodigy like that, and you haven’t roped him into Xuandu Temple? I don’t get it.”


    “Any lineage would kill for a genius like him. He’s tight with us already—what’s your play here, Junior Sister Lu?”


    That first night in the peach grove, Jiang hadn’t clocked Han’s deal—didn’t care. Sure, the kid seemed close to Lu Qingmo, but so what?


    Then he dug into Black Cloud’s scene, heard Han’s story, and bam—he cared a lot.


    A nowhere town like this birthed a talent like that?


    And he’s cozy with a Xuandu disciple?


    Jackpot!


    It’s like a free prodigy fell into their lap!


    But finding out Han wasn’t Lu Qingmo’s disciple or in Xuandu Temple? Jiang was floored.


    What the hell?


    A genius lands right next to you, and you don’t reel him in?


    To Jiang, getting Han into Xuandu was the no-brainer move.


    The temple scores a top-tier talent, Lu Qingmo gets a stellar disciple—future backup—and Han gets primo training.


    Win stacked on win.


    So what was this Junior Sister Lu up to?


    Lu Qingmo’s eyes flickered as she met his gaze. “I’ve got my own plans for Han, Senior Brother Jiang. No need to worry.”


    Jiang frowned. “You don’t want him in Xuandu Temple?”


    Before she could answer, he barreled on. “I get it—back when some folks in the temple screwed up over the Thunder and Earthfire Seals, it left a bad taste. Pissed you off.”


    “But they paid for it. You didn’t get hurt, didn’t lose anything. The temple still has your back.”


    “You can hate them, even despise them, but Xuandu’s still your home.”


    “I’m a straight shooter, you know that. Bringing Han in is what’s best for him.”


    Her response stayed flat. “I’ve got my plans.”


    Jiang sighed, shaking his head. “Fine, if you’ve got it figured out, I’ll shut up.”


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    They were just peers—not boss and subordinate, not even under the same master. He couldn’t sway her.


    He turned to leave but paused at the door. “If you don’t want to head back to Xuandu, I could take Han there myself.”


    Lu Qingmo didn’t bite. Jiang left.


    “Take him to Xuandu…”


    She zoned out, lost in thought.


    Han was a walking riddle—maybe some big shot’s chess piece, maybe a reincarnated powerhouse.


    Too messy. For his future, his safety, she had to play it careful.


    Not long after, Wang Zai, the Xuandu dao seed, called from outside. With her nod, he stepped in.


    “Uncle Lu.”


    “What’s up?”


    “I’ve got some cultivation questions—mind if I pick your brain?”


    Her expression stayed cool. “Ask Senior Brother Jiang. He’s Yin Spirit—knows more than me.”


    “Well, if you’ve got stuff going on here, I could—”


    She cut him off. “The deputy handles Ghost God Division tasks. Find her—she’ll assign you something fitting.”


    “Anything else? If not, you can go.”


    Wang Zai fumbled, words failing him, and finally bailed.


    Lu Qingmo didn’t spare him a glance, face blank.


    “Impatient, huh? Fifteen years, and they’re still hung up. Hmph…”


    A “washed-up” Manifestation cultivator, fifteen years off Xuandu’s grid—no fame, no clout. Why would a hotshot dao seed bother sucking up?


    Respecting elders? Sure. But groveling? Pointless.


    She saw through his game in a heartbeat.


    Shen hour rolled around. Han hauled Bai Ruoyue to the Yun family to watch Yunduo’s disciple ceremony.


    What threw him? The crowd. Yun Yuannan had invited a ton of folks.


    Made sense after a second—Xuandu Temple’s clout in Great Qi was no joke. Joining it was a big deal, worth a blowout.


    Becoming an Xuandu disciple outranked landing a cushy Qi official gig by miles.


    Not every Xuandu disciple’s apprentice got the temple stamp.


    Only grown true dao seeds or elders could take disciples straight into Xuandu.


    Regular deacons? Non-true bigwigs just had recommendation rights—entry still hinged on passing the temple’s test.


    Random disciples’ students? No chance of Xuandu recognition—otherwise it’d be too easy to sneak in.


    Lu Qingmo’s accident aside, her Manifestation realm marked her as a matured true dao seed. Her disciples got the green light.


    Catch: not too many.


    Take dozens outside the mountain gate? No limit. But scoop up scores out here, and Xuandu’s coming to audit you for selling slots.


    Han and Bai Ruoyue arrived early. He sent her off with the Yun sisters, then tracked down Yun Yuannan to thank him proper for tying up Black Mountain’s loose ends.


    “Nephew, I’m not quite following,” Yun Yuannan said, all smiles. “What’d you do in Black Mountain? Nothing, right?”


    “My Yun family clean up for you? Nope, didn’t happen.”


    “Seems like all you did in there was grind your martial skills, start to finish.”


    Han cracked a grin, nodding along. “Uncle Yun’s got it right.”


    “Get ready, though,” Yun Yuannan added. “Five days from now, the ancestor’s making a move. That’s your chance to shine, you young folks.”


    “With your talent and strength, you’ll tear it up—put Black Cloud on the map.”


    “Five days? I’ll do my best—won’t let Senior Mountain God down,” Han said, then probed, “What kinda test’s the Mountain God cooking up?”


    Yun Yuannan gave a wry smile. “Still no word on that. Whatever you’ll face lives in the ancestor’s head. Could be a spur-of-the-moment call—who knows?”


    The Mountain God called the shots—could slap a decision together on a whim.


    “But one reward’s locked in—I’ve got the scoop.”


    “What is it?”


    “It’s a group perk—called the Origin Divine Pool. Something only gods can forge.”


    Yun Yuannan broke it down: “Dip in, refine its power—tons of perks.”


    “Boosts your foundation, bumps your cultivation, helps with special techniques—all of it.”


    “If the ancestor wasn’t about to fall, this pool’d be toast too. Normally, no god’s letting outsiders tap its juice.”


    But with the Mountain God on the way out, the pool couldn’t hold.


    No legacy for the Yun family to keep.


    “Origin Divine Pool…”


    Han hadn’t heard of it, but Yun Yuannan’s pitch alone made it sound drool-worthy.


    “It’s a prize for anyone who passes the ancestor’s test,” Yun Yuannan said. “Plus other goodies from Black Mountain’s depths—haven’t told me what, but they’ll be solid.”


    “You’re Black Cloud’s poster boy—counting on you out there.”


    “Duty calls,” Han said. “But our local talents—how’re they gonna stack up against those outside hotshots? They’re outclassed.”


    “Black Mountain’s thought of that—set some rules to tilt things for Black Cloud folks, give the hometown a leg up.”


    “What rules?”


    “Outside factions want in on the ancestor’s test? They’ve gotta bring Black Cloud people along. Say Pure Truth Palace passes—they drag a local with ‘em, that kid gets the Origin Divine Pool too.”


    “But it’s not a free ride. The ancestor’s not just handing out goodies—those tagging along with outsiders gotta face their own challenges during the test. No slackers cashing in.”


    Yun Yuannan laid out Black Mountain’s rough plan.


    “The ancestor wants to give the hometown one last boost, but not to losers. They’ve gotta show talent, prove their chops.”


    “It’s a loose framework—details aren’t ironed out. Black Mountain’s still tweaking it to make sure outside prodigies and ours both get a fair shot. Final call’s theirs.”


    Han chewed it over, nodding. “Even just the rough idea sounds like it’s got Black Cloud’s back.”


    “Guess I’m waiting for five days.”


    “Keep it under wraps,” Yun Yuannan warned. “Tell your Tai Bai crew, but no one else. Once Black Mountain goes public in five days, act like you’re hearing it fresh. Leak early, and it could stir up trouble.”


    Like factions doping up Black Cloud talents with shady tricks to puppet them.


    “I’m tipping you off so you can prep. Want to hook your Tai Bai pals up with this? Last chance to get ‘em ready.”


    Han’s expression twitched.


    Backroom deal, huh?


    He loved a good backroom deal.