During the day, Bai Tian was deep in thought, practicing in the backyard when he suddenly heard a commotion outside. His brows furrowed, then relaxed.

  “Dad!”

  It was the energetic voice of Bai Ruoyue.

  “You’re back?” he asked, seeing the seven of them, all in one piece and visibly stronger, their spirits lifted. Bai Tian nodded with satisfaction.

  Zhang Yuantao had broken through in cultivation, which he had already sensed.

  But what pleased him the most was that everyone had returned safely.

  “Very good, well done, you’ve all grown stronger,” Bai Tian praised sincerely.

  It was only right to praise his disciples for their accomplishments.

  He was one of the few, apart from the Yun family, who knew about the situation at Black Mountain.

  The fact that the seven had made it back safely was the greatest surprise of all.

  As for the treasures they had gained—if they hadn’t found anything valuable, it didn’t matter. Bai Tian didn’t place too much importance on that.

  Bai Tian was already thinking about how to comfort Han and the others.

  No treasures? Well, it’s still possible to reach greater heights through hard work. Maybe it takes longer, but it’s not about rushing—it’s about lasting in the long run.

  However, Bai Tian needed to clarify that this didn’t include his little disciple.

  “Dad, you have to reward us properly this time,” Bai Ruoyue said with her head held high, looking extremely proud.

  “Well, a reward is deserved. What would you like? Just tell me,” Bai Tian responded gently.

  “Hmph! Your stuff? I wouldn’t even want it,” Bai Ruoyue said, her arrogance evident, while the others just laughed and said nothing.

  Bai Tian was momentarily stunned, then guessed what had happened. “You’ve all brought back something good from the mountain, haven’t you?”

  “You could say it’s pretty impressive,” Han smiled. “Master, is it safe here?”

  “Of course it’s safe. No one from Black Cloud Town can spy on us here.”

  “Heh, then let us show you what we got today.”

  Bai Ruoyue felt as though she were floating in the air, almost forgetting who was the father and who was the daughter.

  “Oh?” Bai Tian smiled, “Well, I’ll certainly be interested to see.”

  Though he had some guesses, Bai Tian didn’t believe that his disciples could have obtained a large amount of precious items.

  Perhaps a few medicinal plants or a bone-refining treasure?

  But what he saw next was beyond belief.

  Bai Ruoyue pulled out spirit plants and treasures from her storage tools, one by one.

  Han and the others did the same, pulling out parts from fierce beasts that could be used to forge weapons or aid cultivation.

  For many martial artists who ventured into the mountains, failing to find spirit plants could be forgiven, as long as they hunted some wild beasts. The materials from the beasts were considered a rare treasure.

  Some of the more unique beasts had essence parts that could be as valuable for cultivation as spirit plants.

  Spatial bags were incredibly convenient, allowing one to pull out everything with just a thought. But Han and the others insisted on taking things out one by one.

  Bai Tian first smiled, but then his smile faded, his expression gradually turning blank, then stiff, and finally, an incredulous look appeared on his face.

  As Han and the others displayed their haul, filled with spirit plants, treasures, and beast corpses, it was truly a spectacular sight.

  “I…”

  “You all…”

  “This…”

  Bai Tian stammered, finally falling silent. With his experience, he could recognize most of the treasures.

  For the ones he didn’t recognize, he could still feel the immense medicinal power emanating from them.

  But how could this be possible?

  Was I making a mistake in my cultivation? Did I fail to break through and instead began to lose control?

  Could it be that when I went into Black Mountain last time, I fell under an illusion? That everything after I left Black Mountain is just a dream?

  His little disciple had broken through his meridians in less than a month, and in just ten more days, had made significant progress. It was hard to explain—unless it was all an illusion.

  The progress in his cultivation, all of it, was a mirage.

  So, had he succeeded in his practice, or not?

  Slap!

  Bai Ruoyue punched him on the arm. “Dad, why are you daydreaming?”

  Bai Tian took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, and looked at Han, his expression complicated.

  He had seen all sorts of situations, but this one was unlike anything he’d ever encountered.

  “Did… did you do all of this?” Bai Tian asked.

  He didn’t need to think long to know that this couldn’t be anything but the work of his incredibly extraordinary disciple.

  No one else could pull off such an impossible feat.

  It certainly couldn’t have been his daughter—fiery, combative, and full of bloodlust—could it?

  Impossible, absolutely impossible!

  Bai Tian not only knew himself well, but he also knew his daughter’s capabilities all too well…

  Han raised two fingers, gesturing modestly. “I did a little bit, but it was mainly everyone’s effort. It’s all of our success.”

  Modesty was a virtue, and Han was overflowing with it.

  “Dad, don’t listen to the little junior brother. He’s just being humble,” Bai Ruoyue immediately interrupted.

  “I’m telling you, little junior brother is amazing! You can’t even imagine how powerful he is!”

  Bai Tian silently nodded, agreeing with her words. Yes, he really couldn’t imagine it.

  After all, he was just a country bumpkin who had never seen much of the world.

  “How did you manage to do it?” Bai Tian asked.

  “We’ll tell you later,” Bai Ruoyue shook her head.

  “Huh?” Bai Tian was taken aback. “Aren’t you going to tell me now?”

  “We’ve informed Aunt Mo. We’ll wait for her to come over and explain everything together,” Han replied. “There are some other matters we need to discuss with you as well.”

  Stolen story; please report.

  “I’m here.”

  The voice of Lu Qingmo rang out as she entered the backyard, nodding toward Han and Bai Tian. After the others greeted her, she acknowledged them in return.

  As for Bai Tian, he simply acted like he wasn’t there.

  After the greetings, Lu Qingmo’s eyes were immediately drawn to the pile of treasures.

  Her expression changed in a similar way to Bai Tian’s earlier, but with more restraint, as was fitting for a mature woman.

  Once she grasped the value of these items, her beautiful eyes turned to Han, glimmering with intrigue.

  “Did you do all this?”

  “I played a small part,” Han replied humbly.

  Once again, a virtuous young man overflowing with humility.

  Lu Qingmo gave Han a long, deep look. What else are you hiding?

  She felt sure there would be even more surprises waiting for her.

  It was strange, though. When her father immediately believed it was Han’s doing, Bai Ruoyue was actually happy. There was a sense of pride as she explained Han’s modesty.

  But when Lu Qingmo had the same reaction, Bai Ruoyue suddenly felt a little jealous.

  Hey, I’ve been by your side since you were young! How come you always think of little junior brother first?!

  Even though junior brother had countless merits, aside from his tendency to make others mad with his words, he had no flaws. But still, she couldn’t help but feel a little annoyed!

  “How did you do it?” Lu Qingmo asked. “To obtain all of these, not to mention the fierce beasts guarding them, just finding their location isn’t something anyone could easily do.”

  Han’s face remained calm as he answered, “It’s my intuition again.”

  Lu Qingmo and Bai Tian both froze. “You found all of this just by following your intuition?”

  So many items, all found through intuition? That intuition must be unbroken, right?

  No, wait, what kind of intuition is this?

  “Yes, exactly,” Han nodded. “Maybe it’s a bit frequent, but when it comes, I just can’t help it.”

  You guys aren’t seriously thinking I’m cheating, are you?

  I, Han, am not cheating!

  “It’s true. We can vouch for it,” Bai Ruoyue supported Han enthusiastically.

  “Little junior brother just stood still for a moment, and he could accurately sense where the treasures were, where the beasts were, and how strong they were.”

  “Thanks to his premonitions, we never encountered any danger. We just picked up treasures as we went along, until we reached the Black Mountain’s heart.”

  The group shared their experiences, making it sound like a vivid and exciting story.

  To Lu Qingmo and Bai Tian, however, it seemed like… a dream.

  This wasn’t what they had expected, nor was it what other martial artists going to Black Mountain experienced.

  After other cultivators entered the Black Mountain, it didn’t take long before they encountered wild beasts, constantly pursued by these creatures. Hardly had they found a treasure when they were ambushed by guardian beasts, forced into bloody battles to seize their spoils.

  The seven of Taibai entered the Black Mountain, already predicting the location of treasures, charting the safest route with the least number of wild beasts. They leisurely walked along, effortlessly claiming treasures as they went.

  Their battles were calm, their knowledge of the guardian beasts’ movements giving them an advantage. They launched coordinated strikes, sometimes driving away wolves to catch tigers, casually collecting rare gems, and leaving without a care in the world.

  The first group was venturing into dangerous territory, where life and death hung in the balance, while the second group felt more like they were strolling through their own backyard.

  Bai Tian was envious. Had he known that his junior disciple had such an intuitive sense, he would have taken Han into the mountain much sooner to search for treasures. But now, it was too late for that.

  No, not just that—if he had known, he would have waited outside Han’s door, eager to take Han in as a disciple the moment he turned twelve.

  If Han had been cultivating since then, ten years would have passed by now.

  Wouldn’t that have meant Han would have soared to unimaginable heights?

  Lu Qingmo, on the other hand, was pondering Han’s intuition. The first two premonitions had been surprising but acceptable.

  But this was different. Han had been receiving these premonitions far too often, and she couldn’t quite wrap her head around it.

  Black Mountain... premonitions... mountain gods... Han... a genius...

  A light bulb went off in Lu Qingmo’s mind. Could it be...?

  “Perhaps it’s the mountain god guiding you, subtly offering you hints that allow you to sense treasures and dangers in Black Mountain with your innate intuition,” she said thoughtfully.

  Everyone was taken aback. It seemed to make sense.

  “No, Aunt Mo, you’re wrong,” Han said, shaking his head with a grin. “It’s not the mountain god helping me—it’s God. He gave me His perspective.”

  But Lu Qingmo’s reasoning was compelling enough that Han couldn't help but appreciate it.

  “Why would the mountain god help me, though?” Shen Yu asked curiously. “I don’t even have the surname Yun.”

  “Well, that’s something only the mountain god knows. Considering Han’s talent, a being of such caliber would have easily noticed his abilities,” Lu Qingmo said, shaking her head. “But this is just a guess. It’s not definite.”

  If it wasn’t the mountain god, then it must have been something unique about Han himself.

  Lu Qingmo leaned toward the former explanation, but she didn’t rule out the possibility of the latter.

  After all, Han had repeatedly proven his extraordinary nature.

  “Who knows?” Han said, shaking his head. “When I have premonitions, I don’t sense any external power.”

  I use a cheat code, but how to turn the anomalies in me into something rational—that’s up to Aunt Mo and my master.

  It’s an old tradition.

  But the mountain god...

  Han realized that he had another potential way of communicating with the mountain god.

  One of the Eight Great Divine Incantations of the Dao Sect was the Land God Incantation, which allowed communication with mountain and land spirits. Han knew this incantation.

  However, just because he attempted to make contact didn’t mean the spirits would respond.

  “The mountain god is too far-reaching, and not something we should overthink,” Lu Qingmo said, shaking her head. “What are your plans once you leave the mountain?”

  “We’ll send Sister Yu and the others out first, then head back in to continue treasure hunting!” Han said confidently.

  “Master and I, along with Senior Sister, will be able to cover a wider range of space. Even if we encounter other teams from the Zangfu Realm, we can retreat if we can’t win.”

  This was too good an opportunity for Han to waste, a chance to use his divine perspective to its full potential.

  Though many treasures had already been taken, there were still some less valuable spiritual plants to collect.

  Brother Shu had left temporarily, so no wild spiritual plants should go to waste.

  What’s mine is mine.

  Bai Tian was dumbfounded. “You’ve already taken most of the good stuff. If other people find out, they’ll probably come after you.”

  “Lucky for you, others didn’t run into you in the middle of the mountain, or you wouldn’t have made it out alive.”

  “Maybe the treasures will grow back,” Bai Ruoyue said with a sly grin. “After all, this is a huge opportunity.”

  “And when we go back into the Black Mountain, we can do so openly, which will prove that we didn’t really gain much before.”

  Bai Ruoyue proudly lifted her chin. “Pretty clever, right?”

  “The mountain god’s blessings can’t work miracles every time. It’s not like rare treasures just grow overnight,” Bai Tian said, shaking his head.

  “There’s a special event that causes the ground to shake, which makes spiritual plants mature overnight.”

  “Other times, there’s some acceleration, but it’s not instantaneous.”

  “However, the three of you are in the Zangfu realm, and Han’s strength is not to be underestimated. Even if it’s not for resources, you can still continue to hone your martial arts and improve yourself.”

  Bai Tian didn’t oppose them going back in. After all, with Han’s exceptional abilities, he would be able to help them handle most crises.

  “Rest first, then head back in.” Lu Qingmo spoke up.

  “That’s our plan too,” Han nodded.

  “But we have one question: If we meet other cultivators in Black Mountain, what’s the best course of action?”

  “Don’t pick fights, but don’t let anyone harm you either,” Bai Tian said without hesitation.

  “If they show malice, don’t hold back.”

  “Do what you need to do. I can handle the pressure.”

  That was clear enough for Han.

  “Tonight, come to the peach orchard. I’ll see if you’ve been slacking in your cultivation,” Lu Qingmo added.

  “Yes, Aunt Mo.”

  Looks like Aunt Mo was going to personally guide him, offering advice and pushing him forward!

  Afterward, Lu Qingmo left.

  Han and the others had important business to attend to—dividing up the treasures!

  “Master, is there anything here you could use?” Han asked, offering up the spoils.

  If Bai Tian could make use of anything, it would be even more meaningful.

  Bai Tian shook his head. “If this were a few years ago, some of these treasures would have been useful for me, but now they’re of no use. You should take them.”

  Han was disappointed but shared the treasures with the others.

  Most of the rare items like Bone Cleansing and Spirit Purification were not yet useful to anyone, as they needed specialized cultivation methods to maximize their effects. Without those techniques, they would only provide partial benefits.

  The focus was on treasures for the Meridian and Zangfu realms.

  Without a doubt, Han had earned the most from this treasure hunt, and he was taking the lion’s share, so the others prioritized his needs.

  The highest-quality treasures went to Han.

  Although Han hesitated a little, everyone agreed that this was the right choice.

  These treasures would be enough for Han to enjoy a steady supply of spiritual plants for a long time.

  They divided the spoils into three groups, and within a few days, each team had covered a route and collected at least seven or eight spiritual plants.

  There were even several bounties of Dragon Vein Grass!

  The life of freely collecting spiritual plants had returned.

  The remaining Meridian realm treasures were claimed by Su, He, and Shen, all of them in high spirits.

  As for the Zangfu treasures, they couldn’t all go to Bai Ruoyue and the others—especially not to Han.

  “Without you, and without all of you, we wouldn’t have been able to get these things. If you don’t want them, we don’t want them either,” Bai Ruoyue said firmly.

  “Right,” Shen Long and Zhang Yuantao echoed.

  Bai Tian watched on, pleased to see that no arguments arose over the treasures, and the group remained united. He couldn’t help but feel satisfied.

  He had made the right choice when taking Han as a disciple.

  Though it had been a swift decision, he hadn’t taken it lightly. Others like Zhang Yuantao had come from humble beginnings, but Bai Tian had observed and ensured they were worthy before bringing them into his fold.

  So, Taibai disciples—good character was guaranteed.

  After the treasure distribution, everyone went off to rest and continue their cultivation, brimming with energy.

  Especially Su Chang’an and He Feng, both filled with ambition and ready to push themselves to the limit in their training.

  Though they didn’t possess Han’s talent, the two of them had been building up their cultivation for a while and were now on the brink of a breakthrough.

  At that moment, Taibai presented a thriving, vibrant scene.

  The future was bright!

  Soon, the news of the Taibai Seven leaving the mountain spread through the Black Cloud Town.

  Han’s words at the Black Mountain’s edge, spoken to Lin Fan, were also quickly shared among the people.

  There were those who didn’t believe, those who mocked, those who celebrated, and those who remained indifferent. Some even felt a surge of excitement in their hearts.

  Help me up—I can do this!