"You've recovered quite well."

Bai Tian glanced at Han and noticed that his condition had improved significantly.

"The academy's healing medicine has been very effective."

Han quickly shifted the topic.

"Master, are you familiar with soul cultivation?"

Bai Tian nodded. "When I was younger and traveling outside, I studied it a bit."

"Physical cultivation and martial arts are for warriors."

"Spirit cultivation and Taoist practices are for cultivators."

"There’s no superiority between the two paths; both lead to the ultimate road. It’s said that if you reach the deepest levels, you can gain extraordinary abilities."

Han asked again, "Can martial arts and Taoist practices be practiced together?"

"Of course, as long as you have the talent for it," Bai Tian replied.

"However, martial arts are easy to see, while cultivators are much rarer. The threshold for Taoist practices is much higher than martial arts."

"Are you interested in Taoist practices?" Bai Tian asked.

Han nodded.

"Your talent in martial arts is exceptional. I wouldn't recommend you focus on Taoism. Plus, whether you have the talent for Taoist cultivation is still unknown."

"Perhaps the incident with the ghosts sparked your interest in Taoism, but warriors are no less than cultivators. In fact, in the early stages, warriors hold an advantage. You don't need to be overly fixated."

Practicing both martial arts and Taoist practices sounds impressive, but each of them requires a lifetime of dedication.

Pursuing both would significantly slow your progress, and the demand for resources would be immense.

While the future may be bright for someone who practices both, the reality is brutal.

Bai Tian’s advice made sense, but Han’s situation was far from typical.

"Master, I believe I have some talent in Taoist cultivation as well," Han said seriously.

"Oh?"

"I’ve already sensed the Soul Homestead—it happened the night before last."

"???"

Bai Tian knew what the Soul Homestead was, but was this even possible?

"After the ghost attack that night, I started sensing the Soul Homestead, but before I obtained the Night Demon Contemplation Technique, I didn’t know what it was."

"Born with a strong soul, the Soul Homestead opens naturally…"

Bai Tian murmured, gazing at his disciple with an indescribable expression.

"So, you're a genius in Taoist practices? A natural born genius whose Soul Homestead opened on its own?"

Is this really the disciple I, Bai Tian, have taken in?

After a long pause, Bai Tian said,

"If that’s true, then your Taoist talents are indeed excellent, no less than your martial arts talents."

Taoist practices: Soul Homestead opens on its own.

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Martial arts: Born with vitality.

Both are naturally at their peak, without the need for special training, already at the pinnacle of the entry level.

Bai Tian sighed regretfully.

"It’s a shame that you’ve been through the ghost incident, and both your body and soul foundation were damaged. Otherwise, your talents would be even more astounding."

"What a pity—you can’t cultivate with your peak talent, and you’ll never see the best version of yourself. It’s truly unfortunate."

Han remained silent.

The misunderstanding was growing larger.

"Master, do you know about the Contemplation Diagram?" Han chose to avoid the subject and asked about what concerned him.

"I know a little, though I don’t have a Contemplation Diagram," Bai Tian replied.

"By contemplating certain things within the Soul Homestead, cultivators can strengthen their soul power and even imbue their soul power with specific traits. If they can achieve flawless contemplation, they can break through to the next realm."

"Mountains, rivers, objects, living beings—anything can be an object for contemplation. It’s said that some top-tier Contemplation Diagrams involve legendary deities and have incredible effects."

At this point, Bai Tian shook his head. "But that's just a legend. I’ve never seen such a diagram."

"The Night Demon Contemplation Diagram you have is acceptable."

"What if I contemplate the sun directly?" Han’s mind began to race.

Bai Tian chuckled and said,

"Contemplation is not about wishful thinking."

"If you attempt to contemplate the sun without any preparation, what will appear in your Soul Homestead is just a ball of light—neither the shape of the sun nor the essence of the sun itself. Unless you have a Contemplation Diagram that captures the true form and divine essence of the sun."

"I don’t have a Contemplation Diagram, but if I could get close to the sun, leaving no part of it unseen, would it be possible to contemplate successfully?"

"Of course, it’s possible. After all, the ancestors didn’t have Contemplation Diagrams either. How did they contemplate?"

"They faced the real world and all its things directly."

Han got the answer he wanted, feeling invigorated.

Contemplating the Great Immortal Tree was possible!

"Master, you really know a lot," Han said with admiration.

"Once you travel to many places and meet many people, you’ll acquire a lot of knowledge too," Bai Tian replied, suddenly looking lost in thought.

"Since you have such outstanding talent in Taoist practices, make good use of it," Bai Tian continued, returning to the conversation.

"As for that Night Demon Contemplation Diagram, don’t practice it for now. I’ll see if I can find a better one."

"The government might have something useful."

Han looked at Bai Tian, feeling a mixture of emotions swirling inside him.

His master, who had only taken him in just two days ago, had been incredibly kind to him—so kind that Han felt a little uneasy.

He really wanted to tell his master that he didn’t need the Contemplation Diagram, but he wasn’t sure how to say it.

Han decided to step away and think about how he could explain things to Bai Tian.

“Master, I won’t disappoint you.”

Bai Tian smiled but didn’t say anything.

Han left his master’s side and went to find Bai Ruoyue.

As per Bai Tian's arrangement, Han was supposed to spend some time each day learning from Bai Ruoyue.

When he found her, she was practicing martial arts in the backyard. Upon noticing Han’s arrival, she didn’t stop her movements.

Han stood off to the side, observing for a while, and silently praised her skills—impressive!

The martial arts uniform at the academy was loose, often concealing Bai Ruoyue's figure.

But as she performed various movements, her shapely, curvy figure became more apparent.

He hadn’t expected her to be such a "plump" beauty!

Han, with the purest mindset of learning martial arts, watched her with unblinking eyes, filled with genuine admiration.

Martial arts practice, after all, was completely about focus!

"Senior Sister, is there a way to quickly temper the body and enhance internal energy?"

In between lessons, Han seized the opportunity to ask a question.

"Of course," Bai Ruoyue nodded and replied.

"Consuming higher-level beast meat or taking spirit plants can help achieve that effect."

"Spirit plants?"

"Plants that contain abundant vital energy and special powers. They're rare, but they have remarkable effects on cultivation."

"I’ve consumed a few in the past, and every time, my cultivation level improved greatly in a short period."

"Where can I find such spirit plants?" Han asked eagerly.

"They can be found in places like Black Mountain and beneath Yunjiang, but the former is the main source."

Bai Ruoyue glanced at Han and gently tapped his head with a book.

"How long have you been practicing martial arts? Why are you already thinking about such things?"

"If my father acquires any more spirit plants, you’ll certainly get your share. You don’t need to rush."

Han nodded to himself. It seemed that although spirit plants were useful, they weren’t extremely rare.

"Senior Sister," Han called again.

"What is it now?"

"I went back to practice a bit last night, and I feel like my internal energy has increased a lot. Do you think I’ll be able to reach the 'minor success' stage soon?"

Han was trying to bolster his image as a genius. This way, when he eventually did something extraordinary, Bai Ruoyue and the others would be more likely to accept it.

"Just one night of practice and your internal energy has increased? Really?" Bai Ruoyue smiled, not quite believing it. She thought maybe her junior brother hadn’t fully woken up yet.

Even geniuses have their limits.

"Let me see."

She placed a hand on Han's shoulder, and immediately, her smile froze.

How could he have so much?

So much… and it was burning hot.

Bai Ruoyue truly couldn’t handle it anymore.