Han's eyes were filled with anticipation, clearly showing that tonight, he was eager to stay the night in the Peach Grove.

In the past, when he had to chop wood, he had no choice but to return home.

Now that the "Tree Brother" was gone, there was no reason he had to go home anymore.

Lu Qingmo had thought a lot about it, and in the end, agreed. It was all for Han's safety after all; he had been trained and mentored by her, and if anything were to happen to him, it would be a great loss.

Since he called her "Aunt," it seemed only natural that she would protect him and let him stay the night.

That was what Lu Qingmo told herself as she thought about it.

The attic contained more than just one room, with even a secret chamber. According to Lu Qingmo, Bai Ruoyue and Yun Duo had also stayed here before.

Han was the third person.

After one night, Han left the Peach Grove feeling refreshed.

To be honest, with Lu Qingmo’s Taoist techniques in place, resting here was far more comfortable than at his own home. Even if it was just a simple rest, it was much more relaxing than being at home.

At the martial arts hall, Bai Ruoyue greeted Han with a smile but quickly sniffed the air, noticing something.

“You went to Aunt Mo’s place again?”

“I stayed there last night.”

Bai Ruoyue was surprised. “How could you sleep at Aunt Mo’s place?”

Han was puzzled. “She allowed it.”

Bai Ruoyue didn’t respond.

She could do the same, of course. But if she stayed there, would it be the same as Han staying there?

Her chest tightened.

Today, someone else came to challenge them.

Lately, there had been visitors coming to Black Cloud Town almost every day, each one causing a stir. Yesterday’s silence was shattered, and today’s silence too was broken by a new commotion.

As long as they offered treasures, Han agreed to fulfill their request for a defeat—provided the treasure wasn't something too obscure.

The rest of the time, Han was busy cultivating, digesting the spirit plants he had obtained from Black Mountain.

Meanwhile, he kept an eye on the external situation, as the state of affairs seemed to change every day.

Yesterday, a powerful figure from a certain faction had brought their disciples to Black Cloud Town.

Today, it was a renowned genius from a nearby county who had ventured into Black Mountain.

News about certain factions and individuals obtaining treasures from Black Mountain had become frequent.

Some people had both the strength and luck to obtain rare treasures within the Black Mountain, though Han and his team had still not managed to sweep it clean.

The appearance of a rare bone-refining elixir caused a stir; such treasures were so rare in Tianyue County that they hadn’t been heard of in years, sometimes even decades.

A single elixir with side effects was enough to cause a scramble—let alone the much rarer heavenly treasures.

But the casualties were unavoidable.

People perished in the bellies of wild beasts, or were killed in the scramble for treasures. The number of deaths was staggering.

Yet, none of that seemed to dampen the excitement of treasure hunters.

What surprised him, however, was that there had been no news of any Cloud Clan practitioners.

The Cloud Clan in town had always kept a low profile, and no one from the clan had shown up. There were no reports from Black Mountain either.

Han had also heard that many of the outstanding geniuses from various factions had pulled back from Black Mountain, with some leaders of the next generation never even setting foot inside.

This made Han a little disappointed. It seemed that the person he had hoped to meet wouldn't be showing up after all.

Tonight, late at night...

Han looked at Lu Qingmo.

“Aunt Mo, may I…”

“Tonight is fine,” she replied.

Later that night...

“Aunt Mo, I want…”

“Sure.”

When Han arrived at the martial arts hall, Bai Ruoyue’s eyes lingered on him.

The scent of Aunt Mo was stronger than before.

“Junior Brother, you’ve been coming to the martial arts hall later and later these past three days.”

“The soul cultivation task has been heavy,” Han casually offered an excuse.

“We’ve already rested for three days.”

Han nodded. “It’s about time.”

Bai Ruoyue had called for Shen Long and Zhang Yantao, and then went to meet Bai Tian.

Three days of rest had passed.

Today, they were heading into the mountains!

“Be careful,” Bai Tian reminded them as the four of them left the martial arts hall and joined the flow of people heading toward the mountain.

The Mountain God restricted many of the faction leaders from sending large numbers of people into the mountain, but for martial artists in the flesh and bone realm, there was no issue.

However, they were the ones who suffered the most casualties.

When the three warriors from Taibai Martial Hall, along with the number one genius, formed a team to enter the mountain again, it sparked much discussion.

The purpose of such a team was obvious.

But to Han, it seemed like a weak setup.

The difference between the extreme power of the Meridian Realm and the Bone and Flesh Realm wasn’t just a small gap—it was an entire level.

Wasn’t this basically assigning three caretakers to Han, like feeding him “milk”?

One had to admire how Han really was the “prince” of Taibai.

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Along the way, many martial artists tried to strike up conversations with Han’s group—some were gathering intelligence, others were hoping for a free ride—but all were rejected.

With a god’s-eye view, Han surveyed the outskirts of Black Mountain. The spirit plants he hadn’t picked earlier were gone, but in some hidden corners, new plants had appeared.

“Junior Brother, do you sense anything?” Bai Ruoyue asked.

“Nothing valuable. Too many people have come through the outer areas these past few days,” Han shook his head.

The four chose a different route this time. Though there were no extraordinary treasures, Han chose to focus on areas where there were still valuable items.

This time, their goal was twofold: to refine their martial arts and collect more common spirit plants.

Trying to remain hidden was difficult now, but no one dared to take action against Han and his team in this area. They could only watch as Han’s group “occasionally” found treasures and continued their journey deeper into the mountain.

With their strength, the four moved quickly, no longer hindered by caution.

As they approached the middle of Black Mountain, Han’s spirits lifted.

“I’ve found something good!”

“What is it?”

“A three-colored deer at the Bone and Flesh Realm.”

Through the god’s-eye view, a three-colored deer was heading quickly toward their position.

“A three-colored deer?” Bai Ruoyue and the others exclaimed. “It really is a good find.”

This rare beast carried a special essence that greatly aided cultivation in the Bone and Flesh Realm. Just one piece of its essence was more valuable than seven or eight regular spirit plants.

Apart from its essence, every part of the deer was valuable for cultivation—it was a treasure beast.

The four immediately decided to capture it.

“Wait, someone else has found the deer. Someone is chasing it!” Han’s expression darkened.

When he saw the identity of the pursuers, he sneered.

“Those chasing it—though I don’t know who they are—something about them feels off. They’re probably enemies, not friends.”

In truth, Han knew who they were, but he couldn’t be too clear. Officially, he claimed it was just a gut feeling. It would be too unbelievable if he could even sense their identities.

Those marked with deep red borders on their portraits were from the Gao family.

Three in the Bone and Flesh Realm, two in the Meridian Realm!

Such strength ensured their safety in this area.

“Enemies, not friends?” Zhang Yantao said. “Junior Brother, you barely have any enemies, it’s mostly just those few factions.”

Indeed, Lord Zhou had always been friendly with others.

“Right, let’s do it!” Bai Ruoyue made the call.

Han took the lead, charging toward the three-colored deer. They quickly covered the distance, and soon they could see the deer ahead.

“Senior Sister, you and Third Senior Brother hide in the shadows, Second Senior Brother and I will make our move,” Han instructed.

Bai Ruoyue and the others followed his orders.

Han drew his Sky Bow, nocked an arrow, and aimed at the swiftly running three-colored deer.

With his enhanced vision, archery skills, and various innate talents, Han was a master of the bow.

“Whoosh!”

The sound of the arrow cutting through the air was sharp, and it flew far, directly into the three-colored deer’s eye, causing it to stop abruptly and stumble backward.

Then the arrow exploded with a burst of fiery sparks.

The Sky Bow’s special abilities—long-range shots and immense power!

Enchanted with explosive powder!

The three-colored deer let out a mournful cry as the sound of an explosion reverberated through the air. Just as Han loosed his arrow, Shen Long had already dashed forward and was now closing in on the deer.

He wasn’t surprised by the power of the shot—he had seen Han’s archery before.

Shen Long gripped his weapon, a battle blade, and swung it with devastating force. A shockwave erupted, tearing through the ancient trees around him.

The beast, though bleeding profusely, managed to avoid a fatal blow, though it wasn’t unscathed.

"Impressive agility," Shen Long muttered with a grin, continuing his pursuit. But then, he heard the familiar sound of an arrow cutting through the air—this one came dangerously close, sending a chill down his spine.

The arrow hit the very wound he had just inflicted on the three-colored deer.

"Accurate!" Shen Long shouted, seizing the opportunity to end the deer’s life.

Han, from a distance, smiled and nocked another arrow, releasing it with explosive speed.

In this moment, Han was no longer just a warrior—he was a master archer, a true "mage" of the bow.

Close combat? That was for brutish warriors.

As for archers being called mages... well, let's just say the explosive powder on his arrows might count.

"Tai Bai Shen Long? And Han?!" A voice suddenly shouted from afar.

"Stop!"

Ignoring the command, Shen Long cleaved the deer’s life away with a single stroke.

In the distance, five figures were rapidly approaching, their expressions darkening as they saw the deer’s corpse.

"Gao Feng, Gao Mu, Gao Huo?" Shen Long called out, recognizing three of them as middle-aged warriors from the Gao family.

"Shen Long, what’s the meaning of this?" Gao Feng shouted, anger rising in his voice. "That’s our prey."

"Call out to it and see if it responds," Han replied casually, walking over to retrieve his arrows.

These arrows, crafted for the Sky Bow, were reusable until they broke—an invaluable resource.

"Han, you dare show yourself before the Gao family!" Gao Mu glared at Han.

"These three are Gao Hong's uncles," Shen Long whispered, explaining the situation.

"Why shouldn’t I?" Han retorted. "Is this Black Mountain the Gao family's property?"

As he spoke, Han maintained his divine perspective, unaware that there were any other members of the Gao family nearby.

Meanwhile, the expressions of Gao Feng and the others were growing more and more hostile.

The five Gao family members seethed with fury. Gao Mu suppressed his rage and said, "Hand over our prey, and we’ll let you go."

Han didn’t even look their way, casually storing the deer’s corpse in his spatial bag.

"When we fought it, there wasn’t a single wound on it. Your 'prey'?" Han scoffed. "Ridiculous!"

It seemed the Gao family had noticed the deer and had been chasing it ever since, though they had yet to catch up. The beast, though fierce, feared death, and five people pursuing it was enough to make it flee.

If simply spotting it meant claiming ownership, then this Black Mountain belonged to Han.

Gao Mu and Gao Feng exchanged a few quick words via spiritual communication, debating whether to take action. They weren’t afraid of Han and Shen Long, but they feared Tai Bai might still be nearby—especially Bai Ruo Yue.

However, if they left now, they wouldn’t be able to stomach it. The three-colored deer was a rare opportunity.

Five people had been scared off by just two? That was unacceptable.

"Shen Long is still a novice, I can easily deal with him," Gao Feng sneered.

"Han’s archery looks impressive, but at this distance, he won’t have a chance. We’ll rush him together, and he’ll fall in an instant."

"Then let’s move!"

With a decision made, the three advanced explosively, the other two warriors from the Gao family following closely behind.

The majority of the Gao family had long been itching to kill Han.

"We gave you a chance, and you failed to take it," Gao Mu shouted. "Now, you’ll pay the price!"

As the five lunged forward, Han and Shen Long couldn’t help but smile.

"Hey, Gao, do you know who I am?"

Bai Ruo Yue’s voice rang out, and she, along with Zhang Yuan Tao, appeared from the shadows.

The five Gao family members froze, their faces going pale.

"Despicable Tai Bai warriors!" Gao Mu spat.

In an instant, the five retreated at a speed faster than when they had advanced, realizing that it was too late to escape now.

"Hehe, leave them to me!" Han’s voice rang out, his bow already drawn, while Shen Long charged forward alongside him.

"Whoosh!"

An arrow shot through the heart!

One of the Gao family’s warriors from the Meridian Realm was pierced through the chest by Han’s Sky Bow, falling dead to the ground.

Han’s expression remained cold and unaffected, no trace of remorse on his face.

Back at the encirclement near Yunjiang, he never believed that Gao Hong was the only one behind the ambush.

At the time, he couldn’t take on the entire Gao family, as they were one of the Black Cloud overlords, with far-reaching connections. Even Lu Qingmo and Bai Tian couldn’t openly take action against them.

But now, here, he had a chance to reclaim something of value.

Taking out three of the Gao family’s key fighters was a blow they couldn’t easily recover from.

Killing wasn’t about justice—Han wasn’t interested in morals.

"You tried to kill me, but failed. Now I’ll finish you off," Han muttered coldly.

Two more arrows flew, tearing through the air with razor-sharp precision. As they flew, Han vanished from his position, reappearing somewhere else.

"Third Brother, help Second Brother!" Han called out. "That old man is mine!"

Zhang Yuan Tao smiled and struck Gao Huo with a palm, stopping him in his tracks, and then joined Shen Long in confronting Gao Feng.

Gao Mu and Gao Huo had just entered the Flesh and Bone Realm, while Gao Feng had reached a small level of mastery.

The gap between the initial stages and the small mastery stage was immense.

In the Flesh and Bone Realm, the strength, endurance, and explosive power were incomparable to the initial stages.

"Old pig dog, where do you think you’re going?"

The Tai Bai sword flashed through the air, its countless sword shadows shimmering with overwhelming power.

Gao Huo’s expression darkened as he raised his blade to counter.

"You little bastard, I couldn’t kill you before, but now you’ve come right to me."

"A mere Meridian Realm warrior thinking of challenging the Flesh and Bone Realm? You’re clueless!" Gao Huo sneered.

"If I can take you down, even dying will be worth it."

Clang!

The sword and blade collided, and Han retreated a few steps, but there was no injury—his fighting spirit only grew fiercer.

The Flesh and Bone Realm—this was a fight Han was eager for.

The sword’s brilliance illuminated the area, and the forest seemed to tremble as the battle raged on.

Their moves were swift and powerful, with every strike shaking the earth and shattering ancient trees.

For days in the Black Mountain, Han had fought many beasts in the Flesh and Bone Realm, but fighting a human was entirely different.

He gave his all, fiercely clashing with Gao Huo.

Boom!

In one exchange, Gao Huo was sent flying, shocked beyond belief.

"Meridian Realm small mastery?! Fighting at Flesh and Bone Realm level?!!"

The words slipped out before he could stop himself.

"How is that possible?!"

Han sneered coldly, giving chase.

Since he began cultivating, the most common phrase he’d heard was, how is that possible?

"Go ask the King of Hell about it!" he spat.

Tai Bai flashed with a cold, icy gleam, reflecting Han’s chilling gaze.