Han Yu lowered the jade slip, his brow furrowed in thought.

The manual was undoubtedly genuine.

But it was definitely missing something.

There was no introduction, no explanation, and most importantly, no specific method of cultivation.

Did the Sect Leader overestimate Han Yu’s “Universal Comprehension”?

It didn’t matter how talented one was; “Universal Comprehension” didn’t mean “Divination.” One could not master a technique from a fragmented text that lacked instructions.

Unless…

Han Yu’s eyes narrowed. Unless the opening twenty characters are the mantra itself?

“The Stars deploy their formation; the Myriad Phenomena are tethered. The Dipper’s radiance cycles the heavens; Heaven, Earth, Man, and Mechanism—nothing remains unguided.”

Even if this was the mnemonic, how was one supposed to circulate their Spirit Breath? Where was the pathway?

That had to be the missing piece.

Han Yu pondered for a moment longer, finding no other leads. Tentatively, he tried reciting the phrase aloud.

“The Stars deploy their formation…”

He repeated it several times. Not only did nothing happen, but a vague sense of restlessness began to claw at his mind. His breath grew short, his thoughts scattered.

He immediately retrieved a Mystic Heart Fruit and swallowed it. The cool medicinal energy washed over him, clearing his mind and calming his spirit.

Once his pulse settled, Han Yu analyzed the reaction.

This isn’t right.

These twenty characters were binary: either they were a mantra he could use, or they were gibberish he couldn’t. Merely reciting a useless sentence shouldn’t trigger a physiological reaction.

Why would he feel such intense agitation just from speaking the words?

Han Yu was not a person prone to impatience. His mind was usually a still lake.

There is a problem here.

Relying on the lingering effects of the Mystic Heart Fruit, Han Yu tried again. He recited the mantra.

The more he spoke, the more irritable he became. It felt like ants crawling inside his skull. The calming effect of the fruit began to fracture under the pressure of his rising anxiety.

He stopped abruptly. He took a deep breath and consumed a second Mystic Heart Fruit to suppress the backlash.

He needed to think. Why was this happening?

Once the cool clarity returned, Han Yu calculated the variables.

Reciting the mantra had an effect. That meant the words were the key.

But a condition was missing.

If the conditions were met, the Star Luo Traction Technique should activate.

Initially, he thought he lacked the internal circulation route. But now, he suspected the missing factor was external, not internal.

Stars. Dipper. Heaven, Earth, Man.

He dissected the terms again.

“Heaven, Earth, Man, and Mechanism”—this implied a connection between the cultivator and the environment.

“Stars deploy,” “Dipper’s radiance”—this clearly pointed to the night sky and the constellations.

Cultivators were creatures of caution. When training, they sought absolute safety—secluded chambers, underground caves, protected arrays. Han Yu had never heard of anyone cultivating out in the open, exposed to the elements.

Reciting the mantra indoors caused agitation. The technique demanded “Heaven and Earth.” It demanded the “Stars.”

To cultivate this, one had to defy common sense. One had to stand under the open night sky, exposed to the cosmos.

Perhaps that is why the Sect Leader failed to master it?

I will test this theory tonight.

Having formulated a plan, Han Yu stood up and walked to the door.

Dusk was settling over the mountains. It had been a long day. He had killed three enemies, confessed his secrets to the Sect, been cleared of suspicion, and relocated to the Main Peak.

“Immortal Master Han, do you have any instructions?”

An elderly servant approached, bowing respectfully.

Han Yu waved his hand. “No instructions.”

He paused, looking at the old man. “How should I address you? And how did you come to be a servant here?”

The elderly servant smiled humbly. “My surname is Shang, given name Lu. Immortal Master Han may simply call me by my name. I entered the Sect as a servant because my father was a Wanchun Valley disciple stationed in the mortal world. He fathered me and brought me back to the valley.”

“Unfortunately, I lacked Spirit Root aptitude. I was unwilling to return to the mortal dust, so I found a way to stay as a servant.”

“Although I cannot cultivate, living within the spiritual density of Wanchun Valley prolongs life and wards off disease. Furthermore, whether serving Inner Disciples, Deacons, or Elders, we are rarely mistreated. Aside from our annual ration of Spirit Rice, we often accumulate tips and rewards.”

Shang Lu’s eyes crinkled with contentment. “I have children and grandchildren living comfortably in the Green Grain Market. When a descendant with Spirit Roots is eventually born, they can be sent directly to Wanchun Valley to become an Immortal Master. That is a blessing even mortal kings cannot buy.”

Han Yu nodded. It made sense.

Wanchun Valley was not a cruel master. Servants gained health, longevity, and a lottery ticket for their bloodline’s future. It was a fair trade.

As they spoke, the sky turned a deep indigo.

Footsteps approached the gate. Shang Lu hurried to greet the visitor.

“Is Master here? I have urgent business!”

Recognizing the voice, Han Yu walked over with a smile. “Senior Sister Li. Master isn’t here. What’s wrong?”

Li Yunxia saw Han Yu and let out a dramatic sigh of relief. Then, her expression shifted to annoyance.

“You! Little Eighteen!”

“Weren’t you going to the market? How did you end up at Master’s courtyard on the Main Peak? You made me worry for nothing! It was getting dark and you hadn’t returned, so I came to see if you had been eaten by a spirit beast.”

Han Yu smiled and explained the day’s events—the ambush, the triple kill, the report to the Master, and the subsequent reward of residency on the Main Peak.

Li Yunxia’s eyes widened. “You made another contribution?”

“Are you not coming back to the Spirit Field Department?”

“No,” Han Yu replied. “Staying on the Main Peak gives me easier access to the Battle Hall and Master’s guidance.”

“Please say goodbye to Senior Brother Hua for me.”

Li Yunxia nodded, still processing the news. Just then, Elder Lü walked in.

Li Yunxia laughed. “Master! You finally couldn’t resist teaching Little Eighteen personally, could you?”

Elder Lü shook his head helplessly. “I wouldn’t call it teaching. He has his own path. I’m just here to make sure he doesn’t walk off a cliff.”

Li Yunxia didn’t quite understand the subtext, but seeing that Han Yu was safe and settled, she prepared to leave. Han Yu asked her to bring three of his spirit crows the next day, and she agreed before departing.

Once she was gone, Elder Lü didn’t lecture Han Yu. He simply told him to cultivate.

Han Yu was direct. “Master, I suspect the Star Luo Traction Technique requires starlight. I am waiting for nightfall to attempt it.”

Elder Lü stared at him, stunned. “You figured out the key in a single afternoon?”

“I cannot be certain yet. I need to test it,” Han Yu replied calmly.

Elder Lü didn’t say more, but internally, his conviction deepened. Whether he succeeds or not, his perception is terrifying. This “Universal Comprehension” is real.

Intrigued, Elder Lü decided to wait with him.

They sat in the courtyard as the last light of the sun vanished. The stars began to puncture the velvet darkness, shining brighter and clearer here on the peak than anywhere in the mortal world.

Han Yu took the opportunity to ask, “Master, do the terms ‘Star Luo’ and ‘Dipper Radiance’ have any hidden meanings?”

Elder Lü listened to the mantra again and pondered. ” ‘Star Luo’ likely just refers to the arrangement of the stars forming a ‘momentum’ or domain. As for ‘Dipper Radiance’… it must refer to the Big Dipper, but I cannot see which specific star it targets.”

The night deepened. The galaxy sprawled overhead, a river of silver light.

“Disciple,” Elder Lü said softly. “Try it. I will guard you.”

Han Yu nodded. He stood under the open sky, looked up at the stars, and began to recite.

“The Stars deploy their formation…”

As the first phrase left his lips, his body trembled.

Han Yu’s eyes widened in surprise. The agitation was gone. The restlessness that had plagued him indoors had vanished, replaced by a strange resonance.

Delighted, he continued without pausing.

“…the Myriad Phenomena are tethered. The Dipper’s radiance cycles the heavens; Heaven, Earth, Man, and Mechanism—nothing remains unguided.”

He finished the twenty words in one breath.

Suddenly, a searing heat radiated from his chest.

He reached into his robe. The silver-white jade slip of the Star Luo Traction Technique was rapidly losing its luster. The divine silver glow faded, leaving behind a dull, ordinary piece of jade.

At the same moment, a strand of his Spirit Breath transformed. It turned into a shimmering silver thread, navigating a complex, previously unknown route through his meridians.

The jade slip had transferred its essence.

The Star Luo Traction Technique was initiated.