It was clear that all the injuries Han had sustained were caused by that ghostly entity.

The first two were physical injuries, while the last one was related to his spirit and soul.

Since the original body had already perished, Han’s soul now took its place. In other words, within just a short time, Han’s soul had already been damaged.

What would happen if he spent an entire night with that ghost? Han didn’t dare to imagine.

"Yellow-bellied coward, just wait!" Han gritted his teeth.

The original body had been a simple, honest person, never involved in anything strange or sinister. The ghost’s relentless pursuit was certainly the work of someone behind the scenes.

From the memories of the original body, Han now knew who was responsible for this scheme—someone who had already tried to kill “Han” once and almost succeeded.

After “Han’s” parents passed, they left behind a house, one that Huang Shiren from the town had been coveting for a long time. Ten days ago, after his failed attempt to take possession of it, he had even threatened Han’s life.

Han closed the data panel and turned his attention back to the celestial tree in front of him. Today, he only had one chance to chop it down.

With so little stamina left, that meant he could only make one strike for the day.

Although this game was similar to a game Han played back on Earth, it was still quite different.

Back in his Earth life, all Han needed to do was tap on the screen, control a character, and use various items at his disposal.

As long as the screen didn’t break, he could tap away as much as he wanted.

But now, Han was in the real world, wielding an axe to chop down a giant celestial tree. It made sense that there would be limitations.

Given his current physical state, if he were to chop a tree outside, he’d probably wear himself out before even making a dent. The fact that he had any stamina left at all was already a small victory.

The field might not be ruined by plowing, but the ox could still be overworked and die.

At least this Great Immortal Tree secret realm wasn’t one of those that demanded in-game purchases.

Han examined the axe in his hand. It wasn’t heavy. Without any more hesitation, he aimed at the celestial tree.

This would be the strike that would decide his fate.

He raised the axe with determination.

Half-step Breakthrough Fist!

Wait, wrong scene.

Heavenly Cleaving Axe!

"Boom!"

The axe struck the tree with a shockwave, and Han was forced back several steps, panting heavily. The axe fell from his hand.

But the spot where the axe had struck the tree was completely unharmed. No scratches, no marks.

Awkward.

Suddenly, two glowing orbs flew out from the celestial tree, hovering in front of Han.

One orb contained a droplet of water, and the other contained a mirror.

"Is this my reward for chopping down the tree?" Han let go of the axe and grabbed the objects. The data panel automatically popped up.

[Magical Artifact: Three Lights Blessed Spirit Mirror]

[A magical artifact formed by the power of the Great Immortal Tree, transforming into the combined force of the Sun, Moon, and Stars, and imbued with the aura of blessing and spiritual energy. It has the ability to calm the soul, ward off evil, protect homes, dispel all malice, and purify restless spirits.]

[Bound to Player Han. Can be unbound upon request (Magical artifacts and items of higher grade are automatically bound to the player upon acquisition).]

[Acquired: Later-Stage Mortal Essence]

[A product of the Great Immortal Tree’s power, this Essence of Life can strengthen the foundation of life, enhancing both physical body and soul.]

[This is a special drop from your first tree-cutting.]

Han’s eyes lit up as he read the information.

A magical artifact! And Life Essence!

These two items came at just the right time—exactly what he needed.

Han wasn’t sure exactly how valuable this magical artifact was yet, but from its abilities, it seemed to be precisely what he needed.

From the memories of "Han," he knew that there were special beings known as Warriors in Black Cloud Town.

The weapons they used were powerful, surpassing ordinary tools, but from what Han understood, none of those weapons could compare to this magical artifact.

The Life Essence, a treasure capable of directly enhancing both mind and body, was even rarer. It involved the very essence of life and could save Han’s life.

It was priceless.

Truly, the reward for this special drop was extraordinary.

Without hesitation, Han consumed the Life Essence.

Instantly, Han felt warmth spread through his body. Every part of him seemed to radiate comfort, as though his entire being had been restored.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

He silently savored the sensation, a bliss like no other. It was a feeling that nothing else could compare to.

Once the pleasant sensation faded, Han opened his data panel again.

[Player: Han]

[Life: Acquired]

[Realm: Mortal]

[Stamina: 0/1]

[Items: Three Lights Blessed Spirit Mirror (Magical Artifact)]

His stamina was completely drained, but now he had an additional item, the magical artifact. More importantly, his Life Essence was no longer depleted, his soul was healed, and he had fully recovered.

Not only that, but Han felt that his body was in the best condition it had ever been, reaching a new peak, even surpassing his state before the encounter with the vengeful ghost.

He felt strong enough to defeat the person he used to be.

This cheat was definitely worth it.

Han then reached down to pick up the axe that had fallen to the ground, but to his surprise, the once-lightweight axe was now too heavy for him to lift.

"No stamina left…" Han understood, but wasn’t surprised.

Afterward, Han spent some more time in the Great Immortal Tree realm, exploring it further. However, he didn’t make any new discoveries.

Looking at the magical artifact in his hand, Han hesitated for a moment before deciding to leave the realm. He needed to see if this artifact could help him deal with that evil ghost.

He couldn’t stay here forever. As long as the ghost remained alive, he would be constantly under threat. Instead of waiting passively, it was time for him to take the initiative.

Han wasn’t one to be easily pushed around.

If this magical artifact couldn’t deal with that evil ghost, then Han would just retreat into the secret realm and lay low for a while… It wasn’t like he didn’t have options.

But as soon as Han disappeared, the axe that had fallen to the ground suddenly rose into the air, returning to its original position in the stone trough, as if nothing had changed.

…

Back in the room, Han materialized out of thin air.

The warmth and ease he had felt moments before quickly vanished, replaced by the chilling atmosphere and growing tension.

Han felt a sudden coldness on the back of his neck, a slight itch, and his left shoulder began to feel heavy.

Without even needing to look in a mirror, Han knew what had happened. That ghost was back.

But now, Han was no longer the fragile, timid version of himself!

Without a second thought, Han slapped his left shoulder with his right hand.

The Three Lights Blessed Spirit Mirror was already bound to him, and to his surprise, he realized that he could “equip” the artifact—essentially merging it into his body.

However, since Han was still just a mortal with no spiritual energy to activate the artifact’s full potential, he could only use it in the most basic way, letting the artifact passively exert its power.

That meant… smashing it.

“Ah!”

A sharp scream echoed. Han felt as if he had struck something tangible, unlike before when he had hit his own shoulder.

Bright white light erupted from the surface of the Three Lights Blessed Spirit Mirror, and the air around him filled with the sound of crackling fire and an overpowering stench.

Suddenly, Han felt his body lighten, as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

He turned to look. The ghostly face was sent flying by the artifact’s light, shrinking in size and releasing clouds of black smoke.

Simultaneously, a soft glow began to radiate from Han’s right hand, surrounding his entire body.

Han’s heart leapt with excitement.

It worked!

Courage surged through him, and the terror he’d felt earlier—when that ghost had nearly made his heart leap out of his chest—now seemed distant. The ghost didn’t seem so frightening anymore.

Han stepped forward, his right hand striking down with force.

This time, it was his turn!

Seeing Han act so arrogantly, the female ghost let out a terrifying shriek and lunged at him. But the artifact’s power knocked her back with greater force, causing her form to shrink even further.

The power of the artifact was truly terrifying!

The female ghost continued to howl, but surprisingly, she chose to turn and flee.

Han immediately gave chase, his heart racing with exhilaration as he felt a surge of strength course through his body.

You think you can run after crossing paths with me?

Die!

With one last burst of speed, Han broke through the door and was no longer bothered by fear.

He was no longer the ordinary Han, but Ghost-Hunting Celestial Master Han!

Well, he had coined the title himself.

She ran. He chased.

After being struck by Han twice, the ghost was already gravely injured. With the artifact’s power still at play, her attempt to escape was futile.

Perhaps due to her injuries, the ghost was now unable to control her own breath, and the dark, oppressive energy of the underworld leaked out uncontrollably.

This didn’t affect Han, who was protected by the artifact. However, this uncontrolled release of negative energy was easy for other cultivators to sense.

Chasing her into the yard, Han took another heavy swing. The ghost, unable to move anymore, collapsed to the ground.

Han stood over her, his gaze unwavering. The female ghost glared at him with malice.

“Can you understand me?” Han asked, but the ghost merely responded with a weak, ineffective attack.

Han shook his head. He didn’t understand how this creature came into being, but it seemed to lack any real intelligence, making communication impossible.

He had hoped to confirm if his suspicions about the mastermind were correct.

But it didn’t matter. The ghost couldn’t be reasoned with, and Han had already made up his mind about who was behind it.

Han raised his hand again and delivered a final slap. The ghost let out a wail as she began to shrink and fade away.

Just before she disappeared, a moment of clarity appeared in her murky, frenzied eyes. Her gaze seemed to carry a hint of gratitude—or perhaps relief.

Han remained silent, his thoughts heavy.

It seemed like this ghost had a story to tell.

But there were countless others in this world with their own stories.

Besides, when a person dies, it’s like a lamp going out. Go to where you belong.

Finally, the ghost’s face vanished, and the artifact’s glow receded back into the mirror. But Han noticed something floating in his palm: a small, milky-white light orb, about the size of a soybean.

Upon seeing the orb, Han felt an overwhelming desire deep within himself to consume it.

He fought to suppress the urge, but to his surprise, the light orb seemed to follow the rim of the mirror and instantly entered his body.

Han was shocked, but then he felt a surge of spiritual pleasure. His body grew lighter, as if he were about to ascend into the heavens.

“Pop!”

In a daze, Han found himself in an entirely different place.

It was a small, dimly lit space surrounded by a gray mist, making it impossible to see what was inside.

At the center of the space, there was a small “puddle” of liquid, shimmering in a brilliant array of colors.

Han realized that his current state was strange—he wasn’t exactly human here. It was more like he was a consciousness observing the scene from an external perspective.

“What is this place? How do I leave?”

Just as the thought crossed his mind, Han was suddenly pulled out of that space.

Without hesitation, he returned to the Immortal Tree Realm and checked his changes on the data panel.

This was more reliable than guessing.

[Player: Han]

[Life: Acquired]

[Soul Realm: Sensory Stage]

[Physical Realm: Mortal]

[Stamina: …]

Everything else was unchanged, except that the realm had now split into two categories: Soul Realm and Physical Realm.

His body was still at the Mortal level, but his soul had reached the Sensory Stage!

“Could that place have been the Sea of Consciousness?” Han suddenly realized.

“That light orb… Could it have been a form of spiritual power?”

The original body’s memories only contained information about warriors, not soul cultivation.

But as a transmigrator, Han could easily make the connection.

In this world, there were countless legends about Taoist priests and evil spirits, and based on his own experiences, those stories… were likely true.

Soul cultivation was probably a path distinct from that of warriors.

Although the process of unlocking his “Sea of Consciousness” and entering the Sensory Stage had been a bit confusing, Han was still thrilled.

“If I look at it this way, I owe a big thanks to Huang Shiren. If it weren’t for him, I might not have stumbled upon this path of soul cultivation so easily.”

The very thing that threatened his life had become the key to his breakthrough—a total reversal. Han’s negative emotions were swept away, and nothing felt more refreshing than that.

From now on, Han decided he would definitely "pay back" Huang Shiren in the future!