After watching the Yun family leave, Han and his companions had a brief discussion and quickly came to a decision.

  It was time to leave.

  Since the divine blessing of the Mountain God had run its course, there was no longer any reason to stay.

  Without the Mountain God’s favor, treasures would no longer emerge in abundance, and their quality would return to ordinary levels.

  This meant the competition for resources would only intensify, while the rewards would diminish. Staying any longer would be a losing game. It was far wiser to return to Black Cloud Town and focus on cultivation in peace.

  Having a bird’s-eye view of everything was useful, but only if there were treasures to find. One couldn’t conjure them out of thin air.

  The half-month opportunity had lasted twelve full days for them, and their goal of honing their martial skills had already been met.

  News of the Yun family and the Taibai Martial Hall withdrawing from Black Mountain spread quickly, sparking various speculations.

  At the same time, reports of valuable finds within the mountain dwindled, yet this did little to deter adventurers from venturing in.

  At its core, the reason was simple—poverty.

  For Black Cloud Town’s people, Black Mountain had always been open. They could enter at any time to hunt beasts and seek treasures.

  But for those from other counties, such opportunities were scarce.

  Take Qinghua County, for example—its surroundings were nothing more than barren hills and wilderness. Spirit plants were rare, and even wild beasts were few and far between.

  Martial artists there had to rely solely on slow, arduous cultivation. Some couldn’t even afford beast meat, let alone find places to temper themselves in real battle.

  With the Mountain God’s blessing gone, Black Mountain might lose its appeal to the locals of Black Cloud Town.

  After all, it was dangerous, and competition for resources had become fiercer than ever—far more difficult than before.

  But for outsiders, who had never even had the chance to set foot in such a resource-rich battleground, none of that mattered.

  To them, just having a place to fight and grow stronger was already a blessing.

  Regardless of the Mountain God’s favor, Black Mountain remained a promised land for desperate outsiders.

  Over the past half-month, some of the original residents of Black Cloud Town had even begun to look down on these foreign opportunists.

  "Hmph, a bunch of beggars from out of town, crawling to our Black Cloud Town for scraps."

  "So much for being from the county or even the prefecture city. Guess they weren’t as high and mighty as they thought."

  In a secluded peach grove, Han handed over Lian Cheng’s soul and his storage pouch to Lu Qingmo.

  The corpses had already been laid to rest in Black Mountain, and the vengeful spirits had been pacified and purified by Han himself.

  “No useful information,” Han reported.

  “These Heaven Mother Cultists truly have no fear of torture.”

  Lu Qingmo nodded, unsurprised.

  “For the Heaven Mother Cult to survive despite being hunted on all fronts, their strength isn’t the only reason. Their secrecy is what truly keeps them standing.”

  “Even if you manage to break the soul-binding restraints on a cultist, you’ll gain little meaningful intelligence.”

  In a normal sect, even low-ranking disciples had some knowledge of their faction’s workings. But a sinister cult like this? They thrived on secrecy.

  Lu Qingmo examined some of the dark artifacts within the storage pouch before returning the rest to Han.

  This had long been their understanding—Han could take anything useful, except for objects that could lead one astray.

  Of course, White Ruoyue and the others would also get a share this time.

  Lian Cheng had been wealthy. His collection included spiritual herbs, alchemical pills, weapons, martial arts manuals, and even Daoist techniques. However, a significant portion clearly belonged to others.

  Just within Black Mountain, Lian Cheng had ambushed and killed at least dozens of people. A predator like him would have been nearly impossible to catch without Han’s special insight.

  But reality had given him no such luck.

  Now, everything he had stolen belonged to Han and his companions. A major windfall.

  “Aunt Mo, what rank would someone like him hold in the Heaven Mother Cult?” Han asked.

  “A martial artist and soul cultivator, both at the third stage, in his twenties—he’d be considered a disciple of some standing, but still an ordinary one,” Lu Qingmo replied.

  “This is just an ordinary disciple?” Han was taken aback.

  “‘Ordinary’ doesn’t mean weak. It means his talent isn’t remarkable.” Lu Qingmo shook her head.

  “Having aptitude in both soul cultivation and martial arts doesn’t automatically make one a prodigy.”

  “Believe it or not, his talent is actually quite poor.”

  She continued, “Their cultivation methods differ from the norm—most rely on rapid, unnatural progress, riddled with hidden dangers.”

  “The Heaven Mother Cult nurtures its disciples like venomous insects, throwing them into a blood-soaked survival race. If they make it through to the Bone Refinement Realm, they earn a chance to switch to higher-tier techniques and receive greater support.”

  “As for their ‘Heavenly Maidens,’ they train directly in supreme demonic arts that lead straight to the path of their dark god. They would never waste time on lowly techniques like his.”

  “But don’t underestimate those who survive this process. Anyone who emerges from the Heaven Mother Cult’s brutal system is never simple.”

  Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

  Han understood. These were disposable pawns—poisoned blades meant to be thrown away.

  “Demonic techniques grant rapid progress but are also ruthless, often at the cost of one’s own future,” Lu Qingmo warned seriously.

  “If you ever encounter such practices, do not fall for them. You’d only be ruining yourself.”

  Han grinned. “Don’t worry, Aunt Mo. If anything, these techniques seem even slower than my own progress. Why would I bother with them?”

  Lu Qingmo fell silent.

  He… wasn’t wrong.

  For most people, these forbidden arts were shortcuts. But for Han? They might actually be a hindrance.

  A ridiculous thought crossed her mind.

  For others, demonic arts accelerated progress.

  For Han, they might slow him down.

  There was no evil technique greater than Han himself.

  “If we’re not returning to Black Mountain, then let’s focus on cultivation for a while,” Lu Qingmo suggested.

  “Training requires a balance of exertion and rest.”

  “Don’t push yourself too hard.”

  Han nodded in agreement. “I’ll come by tonight for some peaceful meditation.”

  After all, what better way to ease one’s worries than the warmth of Aunt Mo’s guidance?

  “….”

  Returning to the martial hall, Han found the place filled with excitement.

  “What’s the good news?” he asked.

  Zhang Yuantao grinned. “Chang’an has broken through—he’s now at the peak of the Meridian Stage.”

  A solid foundation, coupled with precious resources, had finally pushed him past this critical barrier.

  “Congratulations, Fourth Senior Brother!” Han offered his heartfelt congratulations.

  Su Chang’an smiled. “It’s all thanks to you, Junior Brother.”

  “If I didn’t make my breakthrough soon, you’d surpass me before I even noticed.”

  Everyone had been keeping track of Han’s meteoric progress. Having him as a junior brother was… stressful.

  Shen Yu had already resigned herself to being left behind. But the others? They still had some fight left in them.

  At the very least, they wanted to delay the inevitable for a few more days.

  Han waved his hands. “No need to flatter me.”

  “Where’s Master?”

  “The Yun family sent someone to invite him over,” Bai Ruoyue answered.

  “They have something important to discuss.”

  Later that night, after his meditation, Han found Lu Qingmo walking in the peach grove.

  “Aunt Mo, I have a question.”

  “What is it?”

  “Has the investigation into the Heaven Mother Cult’s stronghold in Qinghua County been completely wrapped up?”

  Han could no longer wait.

  His reward was stuck at 99% completion.

  It had been ages.

  That last 1% refused to budge.

  What was taking so long? Were they conducting an investigation or writing a novel?

  "How long will it take to resolve this matter completely?"

  "It should be soon," Lu Qingmo replied. "Most of those associated with the Tianmu Sect have been captured. Only one county remains unsettled—though I’ve heard it’s particularly troublesome."

  "Which county?"

  "Yin Hua County."

  "It feels like these counties are as porous as a sieve," Han remarked sarcastically.

  Lu Qingmo sighed slightly. "With so many mystical Daoist techniques and martial arts in this world, and an endless stream of evildoers, such things are inevitable."

  "And besides, the Great Qi has stood for four hundred years..."

  Han fell silent, understanding the deeper implication.

  Four centuries is a long time for a dynasty. If it were an ordinary mortal kingdom, surviving beyond that would be nearly impossible.

  A newly established empire is full of vigor, but as time passes, it grows stale, weighed down by mounting problems.

  Time corrodes all things, turning brilliance into decay.

  How much of the Great Qi’s founding ideals still remained after four hundred years?

  Most of it had likely been swallowed by the pursuit of power.

  Back at the pavilion, Lu Qingmo resumed instructing Han in Daoist techniques.

  Hao Ran Palm, Thousand-Mile Shadow Step...

  Though she couldn’t perform them herself, her superior cultivation and studies at Xuandu Temple allowed her to offer valuable guidance.

  During their sessions, Han would occasionally slip in questions about the techniques he had learned from the Grand Immortal Tree, subtly seeking her insights.

  "Aunt Mo, how exactly does one cultivate Hao Ran Qi?" Han asked curiously.

  Hao Ran Palm was already a formidable day-level Daoist art, but if infused with Hao Ran Qi, its power would increase exponentially, granting it extraordinary effects.

  "There are two well-established methods," Lu Qingmo replied.

  "One is to travel to the Eastern Zhou and enroll in the Academy of the Sages."

  "The other... is to read extensively."

  "However, those who can attain Hao Ran Qi purely through vast knowledge are exceedingly rare."

  "Legends speak of born sages, reincarnations of ancient philosophers who naturally possess Hao Ran Qi—but in the end, those are just myths."

  That night, Han remained in the Peachwood Grove.

  Going home was too risky—if some lunatic was lurking in the shadows, trying to uncover his secrets, it could spell disaster.

  At least here, under Aunt Mo’s watchful eye, no outsiders could spy on him.

  Han had made up his mind: as long as Heiyun Town remained unstable, he wouldn’t return home. Instead, he’d treat this place as his temporary sanctuary.

  This was purely for safety reasons—nothing else. Don't overthink it.

  Three Days Later

  Lu Qingmo brought Han some troubling news.

  "There’s been a complication in Yin Hua County."

  "The Constable of Dingwu Division there was colluding with the Tianmu Sect. They tried to arrest him, but he escaped."

  "Then just capture him again," Han said, puzzled. "How is this a major issue?"

  "They can’t find him," Lu Qingmo shook her head. "That traitor possesses a mystical artifact that allows him to alter his appearance and suppress his aura, making him almost impossible to track."

  "A search is underway in Yin Hua County, but it may take time—there’s even a chance he might slip away entirely."

  "And now, the Constables from Qinghua County are caught up in this mess too."

  "..."

  Damn it, those Zhao family members never fail to amaze.

  An hour later, Han rode out of Heiyun Town.

  Relying on others was pointless.

  He needed that last 1% of progress—and he was determined to claim it himself.

  A disguise-altering artifact, huh?

  Let's see how well it holds up before the heavens!

  Han resolved to personally assess the situation in Yin Hua County. Staying in Heiyun Town only invited more trouble—he might as well go out and take action.

  Lu Qingmo, after some thought, agreed with his decision.

  If he could continue to rack up achievements as a Ghostly Patroller, it would benefit both of them in the long run.

  For the sake of a brighter future for himself and Aunt Mo—time to go!

  As a Ghostly Patroller, his unwavering dedication to the Great Qi was undeniable, as clear as the sun and moon!

  Yin Hua County lay far from Heiyun Town. Even with a steed infused with beast blood, night had fallen by the time Han arrived.

  Compared to Qinghua, Yin Hua was more prosperous. Han led his horse into the city, heading straight for the local branch of the Ghost Division.

  This time, there was no need for discretion or undercover work.

  Dressed in his official Ghostly Patroller uniform and wielding his patrol token, Han walked through the gates unimpeded, soon facing the person in charge.

  A lean, scholarly-looking middle-aged man.

  "Deputy Constable Yuan," Han greeted with a respectful bow.

  Yuan Yihan, Deputy Constable of the County Ghost Division, was a member of the Yuan family in the county seat and the overseer of this operation against the Tianmu Sect.

  In most counties, the Deputy Constable was a local powerhouse, unlike the Constable, who was appointed from above.

  It was a balance—both an act of imperial control and a concession to local influence.

  The Yuan family, a dominant force in the region, had deep roots in every government sector.

  "I have long heard of Patroller Zhou’s reputation," Yuan Yihan said with a cordial smile. "My nephew Fang has spoken of you more than once—your talent is truly outstanding."

  "Not as much as Brother Yuan Fang’s," Han replied with a polite smile.

  Yuan Yihan's authority in this operation was one of the reasons Han had come here.

  This man was Yuan Fang’s second uncle and held him in high regard.

  Han and Lu Qingmo had looked into the matter beforehand.

  If the Huang family were in charge here instead, Han wouldn’t have come within a hundred miles of this place.

  After brief pleasantries, Han got to the point. Yuan Yihan explained the situation in detail.

  Over the past month, the city’s effort to purge the counties had gone relatively smoothly.

  The counties were far weaker than the provincial capital, making it nearly impossible for those linked to the Tianmu Sect to resist the city’s power.

  Yin Hua County, however, had become a problem when its Dingwu Division Constable, Zhu Zhangting, betrayed them.

  Under the guise of following a lead, Zhu took a small team, including the Qinghua Constable, to investigate.

  Then—

  News broke that Zhu had turned traitor, ambushing and slaughtering his own men.

  By the time Yuan Yihan’s forces arrived, only one survivor remained—the Qinghua Constable.

  The rest, all cultivators, had perished instantly under Zhu’s sudden onslaught.

  Given the circumstances, the Qinghua Constable appeared to be a victim, but the situation raised suspicions.

  Both he and Zhu were at the same visceral cultivation level. How had he failed to stall Zhu, even briefly?

  His defense was that Zhu’s power was far beyond a normal visceral cultivator’s, leaving him unable to resist.

  But that excuse wasn’t convincing enough to clear his name.

  Since then, the city had been hunting Zhu Zhangting—but he remained elusive.

  As for the Qinghua Constable, he was under constant surveillance.

  Unless something unexpected happened, his career was over.

  He would be spending the rest of his days in prison, eating cold fish and rice.