"It’s like how you handle affairs related to the gods and spirits under your title as the God-Guardian Officer," Bai Ruoyue explained. "The Town Guard occasionally enlists the help of martial artists for various tasks."

"In Black Cloud Town, the martial artists from our three major martial arts schools are the primary partners of the Town Guard."

"They often come to us first for help with certain matters, and in the process, both the battles and treasures are up for grabs."

"Fighting, after all, is the greatest pleasure for martial artists!"

Han was about to protest, but then realized—this was the enjoyment Bai Ruoyue was talking about?

Sister, you're really disappointing me!

Han couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed. He finally understood—this was just outsourcing, wasn't it?

Damn, how enviable these big powers’ leaders must be.

In the future, I, Han, will be the one in charge! I’ll be the boss!

"Next time there's a suitable commission, I’ll take you along to see it for yourself. Martial artists grow the fastest in the heat of battle," Bai Ruoyue continued.

Han didn’t have much desire to go, but his senior sister was so thoughtful. She really did have his best interests in mind.

Compared to the naive Yun Duo, Bai Ruoyue was much more likable.

She was beautiful, kind-hearted, and easily amused. Although she had a bit of a violent streak, it wasn’t a major issue.

The most important thing was, Bai Ruoyue made perfect sense.

Bai Ruoyue added one more thing before leaving, "By the way, Yun Duo is the daughter of the current head of the Yun family. She's really spoiled, and while we’re not afraid of the Yun family, don’t go out of your way to bully her."

Han felt insulted. "How could I bully a fifteen-year-old girl?!"

"You speak so provocatively; I’m worried you'll upset her," Bai Ruoyue said, tapping her hands before walking off.

Han wanted to chase after her and argue, but just then, a hand landed heavily on his shoulder.

Han turned around and saw a large face staring back at him.

"Little Junior Brother, what are you doing here?"

"Second Senior Brother..." Han’s heart sank.

Now he understood why Bai Ruoyue left in such a hurry. If she stayed any longer, she would’ve been harassed by Shen Long again.

But now, it was Han’s turn to be "harassed."

From talking to the other seniors, Han learned that Shen Long was absolutely obsessed with fighting.

Not only did he enjoy sparring with the other disciples, but he would often go to other martial schools under the pretense of "exchanging ideas"—but in reality, he just wanted to fight.

This had made the martial artists from other schools terrified.

Sparring wasn’t weird, but constantly showing up to "exchange ideas"? That was a bit much.

Han left the martial school, stretching his neck. Despite everything, he was in a pretty good mood.

After finishing his martial arts practice for the day, he had sparred with Shen Long multiple times, gaining quite a lot from it.

Han had noticed yesterday that during their fights, the medicinal energy of his Nine Aperture Golden Pill would flow out more intensely, and he could absorb it more thoroughly.

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Every hit to his body would trigger a response from the Nine Aperture Golden Pill.

So while Han found Shen Long’s obsession with fighting a bit exhausting, his behavior was actually playing into Han's hands.

Fighting... makes me go crazy.

After several rounds of sparring, Shen Long was growing increasingly satisfied with his little junior brother.

During this time, Han had also made another trip to Yunjiang, where Shen Long even sent Shen Yu to keep an eye on him. Shen Yu, as lively as ever, excitedly followed Han around.

...

[Item: Spirit Pill - Feather Soul Pill]

Consuming this pill can nourish the soul and restore mental energy.

[Artifact: Water Repelling Pearl (Fragment)]

A fragment of the Water Repelling Pearl, inheriting some of its ability to repel water. The water-repelling effect lasts for a limited time.

The player already has a fragment of the Water Repelling Pearl. Two fragments can be fused.

Han’s spirits lifted when he saw the drops from his recent battle.

The Feather Soul Pill was a versatile elixir, useful in both battle and cultivation.

Visualization techniques could be mentally taxing, and once his mental energy was exhausted, he couldn’t continue until it slowly recovered. But with the Feather Soul Pill, Han could recover quickly and continue his practice.

The second drop made Han even more excited—he had obtained another fragment of the Water Repelling Pearl!

Without hesitation, he fused the two fragments.

[Artifact: Water Repelling Pearl (Fragment)]

A more complete fragment of the Water Repelling Pearl. Its water-repelling ability has been slightly enhanced, and the duration has increased. It can now control regular water to a limited extent.

Han was slightly disappointed. Still not a complete artifact?

How many fragments does it take to complete the Water Repelling Pearl?

If he had a fully functional Water Repelling Pearl, he could survive underwater indefinitely, as long as he could secure food.

[Mystical Item: Soul Cleansing Pearl]

Placed in the Soul Realm, it can purify the spirit and cleanse the soul. (There is a limit to how much purification it can provide.)

[Magic Talisman: Radiant Light Talisman]

A talisman that contains a Radiant Light spell. When activated, it releases a powerful burst of otherworldly sunlight, obscuring the vision of all beings within its range except for the talisman’s holder. One-time use.

Han was ecstatic as he looked over the items that had dropped during his second tree-cutting session.

The Soul Cleansing Pearl looked like an excellent item for training. It could help refine his mental energy and purify his soul, making it highly beneficial for both cultivation and combat.

This would allow him to improve faster than others in his realm and become stronger than other cultivators at the same level.

The Radiant Light Talisman reminded Han of a flashbang. It could blind opponents by obscuring their vision—and in this case, even their soul sight.

The next morning, Han spent an hour learning from Lu Qingmo. As promised, Lu Qingmo began teaching him Daoist techniques.

The first technique was Ghost Control, one of the easiest Daoist arts to learn.

This technique involved both incantations and talismanic drawings. However, with enough mastery, it could be performed without the use of talismans.

"‘Heaven has three wonders: Sun, Moon, Stars; they reach heaven and penetrate the earth, terrifying the gods and spirits…’"

Lu Qingmo explained the Ghost Control technique carefully, and Han felt as if a veil had been lifted from his mind. All the parts he had previously struggled to understand now made perfect sense.

Han was learning quickly, without much need for Lu Qingmo’s guidance. This pleased his teacher greatly.

A good teacher and a good disciple made for the perfect match.

At the end of the lesson, Lu Qingmo told Han, "In the future, if you have the opportunity, you can also cultivate a spirit to serve you."

Han was puzzled. "With my current cultivation level, even if I raise a spirit, it won’t be of much help, right?"

Lu Qingmo shook his head. "That’s not the case. If you travel the world in the future, carrying a spirit with you can be extremely useful."

"While you're cultivating, it can warn you with incense. When you perform rituals, it can help set everything up. Some cultivators even teach their spirits to make incense or craft magical items for use or sale."

"If you raise a spirit well, it might not help in combat, but it can assist with cultivation. Besides, you can’t handle all the menial tasks yourself."

Han’s expression turned thoughtful. Wait... so you’re telling me I can get a spirit to work for me without paying them?

He suddenly became intrigued.

As long as his cultivation didn’t lag behind, he wasn’t worried about not having anyone to keep up with him.

He didn’t choose friends based on talent, after all—nobody had better potential than him.

Han made a mental note of this.

After finishing his martial arts and Daoist lessons for the day, Han eagerly headed to Yunjiang.

With the Water Repelling Pearl fragment upgraded, he was itching to test it out.

Going on an adventure in Yunjiang meant he could harvest spiritual plants and battle water beasts, both of which would greatly help his cultivation.

This time, Bai Ruoyue joined him, curious about Han’s unique abilities.

When Han dove into Yunjiang and demonstrated his newfound powers, Bai Ruoyue was in awe.

"That’s incredible! I want one too!"

Han dove deeper, but just as he was about to begin exploring, he noticed two strange creatures.

One was a red crab, the other a massive blue shrimp. What stunned Han was that both of them were wielding weapons—spears and forks!

They immediately noticed Han, their eyes gleaming with intelligence as they locked onto him.

A crab and a shrimp, armed with weapons and full of cunning—what a sight to behold.