Early the next morning, Han Yu accompanied Senior Sister Li Yunxia to the Main Peak once again.

Today marked the start of the Inner Disciple Grand Competition, and Senior Sister Li had signed up to test her mettle.

However, the hierarchy within the Inner Sect was rigid. There were several disciples stuck at the peak of the ninth layer of Qi Refining, unable to break through the bottleneck to Foundation Establishment. Their accumulation of power was dense and terrifying, making them nearly unbeatable by anyone in the lower layers. The top ten rankings were essentially a closed game reserved for these elites.

Han Yu watched from the sidelines all morning. He saw Senior Sister Li, Senior Brother Jin Qi, Sheng Yan, and other familiar faces swiftly dismantled by these ninth-layer seniors.

Realizing that the top ten would be entirely populated by strangers whose techniques were far beyond his current scope of analysis, Han Yu lost interest. He returned to the Spirit Field Department with a dejected Senior Sister Li shortly after noon.

Back at the Spirit Field Department, Han Yu stood alone in the practice field. He drew his sword, his mind focusing on the legacy left behind by Supreme Elder Yin Hong.

The Yin Style Sword Art.

It contained only four moves, but each was a distillation of a Golden Core master’s lifetime of combat.

Azure Edge. Flowing Cloud. Plum-Breaking. Piercing Rainbow.

Han Yu moved slowly, letting his Spirit Breath flow into the steel.

Azure Edge was a technique of maintenance and enhancement. It taught the swordsman how to circulate qi along the blade’s edge to nurture its lethality. It was superior to the standard Sharp Gold Technique; once mastered, the blade would cut through standard defenses like parchment.

Flowing Cloud was a sweeping technique, designed to flow like water around obstacles, perfect for engaging multiple enemies or creating a defensive perimeter.

Plum-Breaking was the art of precision. A light, technical tap to the wrist, a flick to the throat—attacks designed to disarm or subdue with minimal effort.

Piercing Rainbow was the finisher. It demanded a total eruption of power, condensing all of one’s spirit into a single, linear thrust capable of piercing the strongest armor.

On paper, these descriptions seemed standard. But as Han Yu practiced, he realized the genius lay in the specific qi circulation pathways described in the manual. They maximized speed and penetration, turning a simple iron sword into a lethal fang.

The manual also contained extensive footnotes on anatomy and the philosophy of killing—where to strike, how to predict movement, and how to end a fight in one breath. Han Yu absorbed it all, his movements gradually becoming sharper, colder.

He practiced until sunset, then returned to his room to meditate.

The routine continued for several days. Patrol the fields, practice the sword, cultivate.

The attitude of the surrounding disciples had shifted. Laborer and Outer Disciples alike bowed with genuine respect when he passed. He was no longer just the quiet farmer; he was the First Disciple of the Outer Sect.

A few nights later, Han Yu sat cross-legged on his bed, a piece of Thousand-Year Sunkwood Heart clutched in each hand.

He drew the ancient wood energy into his meridians, guiding it through a complete Circulation Cycle. As the energy settled into his Dantian, he felt a tremor deep within his core.

The spiritual sprout in his energy center shivered. Slowly, agonizingly, a second leaf unfurled.

Boom.

A silent shockwave rippled through his body. He had crossed the threshold.

Qi Refining, Fifth Layer.

To reach the sixth layer, the sprout would need to grow a full segment, transforming from a mere sprout into a seedling. The road ahead was long, but he had taken another solid step.

Han Yu spent the rest of the night stabilizing his foundation, cementing the breakthrough.

Early the next morning, Han Yu stepped out of his cottage to find Hua Qi staring up at the roof, mouth agape.

“Junior Brother Han! Look quickly!” Hua Qi pointed excitedly. “Your big crow brought a friend! You have the devil’s own luck!”

Han Yu followed his gaze.

Perched on the roof ridge, his large raven sat with its tail feathers drooping lazily. Beside it stood a second raven—slightly smaller, but still significantly larger than a common bird. Its feathers possessed the same metallic, ink-iron sheen. A spirit beast.

“The standard Beast Taming Technique can only bind a single spirit beast,” Han Yu mused aloud, feigning trouble. “I don’t know how I can control this extra one…”

Senior Sister Li walked out, attracted by the noise. She squinted at the new arrival. “It is indeed a spirit beast. Why not ask Master? He might have a solution.”

She tapped her chin. “You also have plenty of Minor Merits. You could check the Technique Pavilion for a generic control art, or perhaps exchange them for a Beast Ring or Spirit Beast Pouch.”

Han Yu nodded thoughtfully, though internally he dismissed her suggestions.

Beast Rings were clumsy tools. What he needed was a precedent—a sanctioned reason to practice forbidden arts.

While they were discussing, a shadow fell over the courtyard.

A flying boat descended rapidly from the direction of the Medicine Garden. Elder Lu stood at the prow, his face grim, flanked by several grim-faced Inner Disciples.

Han Yu and Hua Qi immediately stepped forward to receive them.

“Master,” Han Yu bowed. “Has something happened?”

“Trouble,” Elder Lu spat, stepping off the boat. “An Outer Disciple in the Medicine Garden was caught colluding with a Spirit Beast Sect spy. He was selling our secrets. We executed him on the spot.”

The air in the courtyard grew cold.

Elder Lu glanced around. “Where is Li Yunxia?”

“Senior Sister Li is cultivating inside,” Han Yu replied.

“And why aren’t you?” Elder Lu frowned, his gaze sharp.

“I finished my patrols and was about to begin,” Han Yu explained smoothly. “Senior Sister Li has Dual Spirit Roots; her meditation sessions are naturally longer. I have Four Spirit Roots. Even with Qi Gathering Pills, my meridians saturate quickly. My sessions are shorter by necessity.”

It was a perfect, self-deprecating excuse. Elder Lu’s expression softened.

“True. But do not use your aptitude as an excuse to slack off. Cultivation must remain your priority. Do not let the trivialities of the Spirit Field Department distract you.”

Elder Lu sighed, rubbing his temples. “I came for another matter. I inquired about the ‘Qi Refining Spirit Boosting Pill’ you asked for.”

He shook his head. “It does not exist in the Southern Region. Not in our market, nor in our neighbors’. You will have to choose a different reward for the Grand Competition.”

Han Yu nodded, hiding his lack of surprise. “I understand.”

He didn’t rush to name a substitute. Instead, he pointed toward the roof.

“Master, before you go… look. My raven brought back another of its kind. It is also a spirit beast.”

“Oh?” Elder Lu glanced up, his interest mild. “Your luck with beasts is decent.”

Han Yu hesitated, then lowered his voice. “Master, may I have a word in private?”

Elder Lu raised an eyebrow at the secrecy but nodded. He waved his hand, creating a privacy barrier as they stepped into the steward’s hall.

“What is it? Why so mysterious?”

“Master,” Han Yu whispered earnestly. “My raven communicated with me. It says it has befriended a whole flock of these spirit crows. It can bring them all to me. This seems like a rare opportunity to build a reconnaissance network, and I don’t want to waste it.”

Elder Lu looked surprised, then nodded slowly. “A flock of loyal spirit beasts… that is indeed a significant advantage. It would be a waste to turn them away.”

“Exactly,” Han Yu pressed. “But the sect’s standard Beast Taming Technique only allows for a single bond. Using artifacts is clumsy and unreliable for a flock.”

He took a breath, acting as if he were proposing something daring. “Master… is there a way for me to cultivate a technique that allows for multiple bonds?”

Elder Lu looked at him sharply. “A multi-bond technique? That is the specialty of the Spirit Beast Sect.”

Han Yu nodded. “Could I… perhaps buy a Spirit Beast Sect manual from the Green Grain Market? And cultivate it secretly?”

Elder Lu stared at him for a moment, then let out a snort. He shook his head.

Han Yu’s heart sank. Did he refuse?

“Buy it?” Elder Lu scoffed. “Why waste money on trash from the market?”

“The Spirit Beast Sect has been sending disciples to stir up trouble in our territory for two years. We’ve killed plenty of them. The Sect Vault has several copies of their Beast Heart Psychic Pact on jade slips. I can get one for you.”

Han Yu’s eyes widened.

“However,” Elder Lu raised a finger, his tone turning deadly serious. “This is enemy arts. I must first clear this with the Sect Leader and Elder Yan. I need to make sure every Elder knows you are practicing this under my direct orders.”

“If I don’t, and someone sees you using their techniques, they will take you for a spy and kill you before you can open your mouth.”

“Wait until I have the official approval. Do not start cultivating until then.”

Han Yu felt a surge of triumph. “Yes, Master!”

“One more thing,” Elder Lu warned, his voice heavy. “The Beast Heart Psychic Pact is a tool, nothing more. It is not to replace your main cultivation method. If I find that this distraction is delaying your progress in Qi Refining, I will personally cripple your beast meridians and force you back to the orthodox path.”

“Do you understand?”

“Yes! This disciple understands!” Han Yu bowed deeply.

This was exactly what he wanted.

The Beast Heart Psychic Pact was the wedge. Once the sect accepted that he practiced one “forbidden” technique for the greater good, they would be desensitized. If his Blood Refining Technique was ever discovered later, he could frame it as another “necessary tool” rather than an act of betrayal. It would mean the difference between punishment and execution.

A day later, Senior Sister Li returned from the Main Peak.

She handed Han Yu a jade slip and a formal Sect Decree.

The terms were strict.

Han Yu was authorized to cultivate the Beast Heart Psychic Pact, but solely for the purpose of controlling spirit beasts.

He was forbidden from using it for any other purpose. He was forbidden from learning any subsequent techniques from the Spirit Beast Sect lineage. He was forbidden from teaching the technique to a single soul.

Furthermore, a grim warning was attached: If he privately increased his beast flock without reporting it; if he used the beasts to spy on the Sect; or if he colluded with outsiders, the penalty would be summary execution without mercy.

In short, the Sect had granted him a singular, highly restricted privilege. He was the only disciple in Wanchun Valley allowed to walk this path.