Staring at the two phantoms standing before him—identical to him in every detail—Han Yu finally grasped why Tian Qing and Ling Hui had been so insistent that he exchange his merit for illusion-based spells.

So, this was the true potency of the Thousand Illusions Secret Art.

The fidelity of these doppelgängers was far superior to anything the Phantom Body Technique could produce alone. Moreover, he could manifest two figures instantly. With further mastery, that number would likely increase.

In battle, an enemy would struggle to distinguish truth from falsehood, granting Han Yu a critical layer of safety. He could advance to kill or retreat to survive at his leisure.

The thought brought a peculiar expression to Han Yu’s face.

This was exactly the logic Tian Qing had used to persuade him: create chaos to seize an opening, or use the confusion to flee.

Now that Han Yu had mastered both the Thousand Illusions Secret Art and the Phantom Body Technique, he had effectively brought Tian Qing’s vision to life.

He wondered if Tian Qing, having already fled Wanchun Valley, would be happy to know his advice had been taken so seriously.

After all, Han Yu had always been good at listening to sound advice.

Time seemed to compress during cultivation. Between practicing Qi Refining, the Blood Refining Technique, and mastering his three new spells, the hours vanished. By the time Han Yu snapped out of his trance, the sky outside was pitch black.

He hadn’t used his duplication ability today, choosing instead to let it accumulate.

If used daily, the ability could copy relatively simple items like Mystic Heart Fruits, Blood Essence, or Jade Slips. However, if he abstained for a period, the power would pool together, allowing him to replicate far more complex and precious treasures.

As his cultivation base rose, the daily charge of this ability grew stronger. Saving it for a few days now yielded significant potential.

At the moment, he lacked any singular item worthy of a high-level duplication. The residual medicinal energy from the Qi Gathering Pills was enough to sustain his current progress. It was better to bank the charge for a rainy day.

As the night deepened, a fluttering of wings announced the arrival of his guests. One large crow and one small one glided through the window.

Han Yu reached out and stroked the large crow’s feathers.

“Caw.”

The bird crooned softly, narrowing its eyes in sheer comfort.

Han Yu turned his attention to the smaller crow, petting it as well. It chirped low and happily.

However, after a single sound, the small crow shot a fearful glance at its larger companion. Seeing the large crow staring daggers at it, the smaller bird immediately shut its beak and hopped to the side, daring not to compete for their master’s favor.

“I learned the Beast Taming Technique today,” Han Yu told them. “It will make things much more convenient for us going forward.”

He paused, looking between them. “Which of you wants to be my bonded beast?”

As the words left his mouth, both crows stretched their necks out, eager for the honor.

The large crow immediately turned and gave the small crow a warning look.

The little bird let out a wronged whimper but obediently shrank back, ceding the opportunity to its leader.

Han Yu wasn’t surprised. The hierarchy between the two was strict, and they understood the concept of seniority well.

Besides, the large crow commanded the rest of the flock; it was only logical to use the Beast Taming Technique on the leader first.

Han Yu raised his hand, channeling his Spirit Breath into the large crow’s body as he activated the spell.

The bird trembled. Its internal spiritual energy instinctively flared to resist the intrusion, but the crow forcibly suppressed its own instincts, allowing Han Yu in.

Moments later, Han Yu withdrew his hand.

The connection was fundamentally different from the Spirit Nurturing Technique found in the Blood Refining Technique. This new bond was deep, allowing for a profound telepathic resonance.

The Spirit Nurturing Technique merely involved feeding a creature Blood Essence to make it fierce and physically robust. It didn’t turn animals into true Spirit Beasts, but rather into loyal, vicious monsters.

But with the Beast Taming Technique, the world opened up. Within a mile, Han Yu could pinpoint the large crow’s location even if it was completely hidden from sight. Within sixty feet, they could exchange complex thoughts instantaneously.

This meant the crow could now act as a seamless extension of Han Yu’s will. They could coordinate attacks without a single spoken word, drastically increasing his combat potential.

And this was only the beginning. As Han Yu’s cultivation improved, the range of their sensory link and telepathy would expand.

Crucially, the technique all but eliminated the risk of betrayal. If the beast harbored even a flicker of disloyalty, the master would sense it immediately and could punish or kill the creature with a thought.

For Han Yu, this was the definition of a practical spell.

While perhaps slightly inferior to the Beast Heart Psychic Pact, it was perfectly sufficient for his current needs.

Looking at the large crow now, Han Yu could feel waves of loyalty, protectiveness, and an almost childlike admiration radiating from it. He couldn’t help but smile.

He had known they were loyal before, but feeling it directly was a different experience.

He smoothed the bird’s feathers again, enjoying the double resonance of his Spirit Breath and Blood Essence mingling with the creature’s energy.

“Right, there’s one more thing to handle,” Han Yu murmured.

He glanced at the large crow. The bird understood instantly, taking flight and returning moments later with a Storage Bag.

Han Yu took the bag and retrieved two items: the Spirit Beast Sect Keepsake Token he had taken from Wei Xiaoluo, and the Jade Slip for the Beast Heart Psychic Pact. He tossed them into the Storage Bag and handed it back to the crow.

“Take this away.”

Over the last two days, when his survival in Wanchun Valley seemed uncertain, he had kept these items close. They were his exit strategy—tools to potentially confuse his pursuers or even bluff his way into the Spirit Beast Sect.

Back then, he couldn’t guarantee the Blood Refining Technique would remain a secret. He had to be ready to run at a moment’s notice.

But now, with the Thousand Illusions Secret Art, the chance of exposure was infinitesimal.

Han Yu wanted these incriminating items far away from him. He wouldn’t be needing them anytime soon.

The large crow grabbed the Storage Bag and flew into the night. The small crow hopped onto Han Yu’s shoulder, let out a sad little chirp at being left out, and then took off to follow its leader.

Han Yu smiled, his heart feeling lighter.

Unless absolutely necessary, he had no intention of leaving Wanchun Valley.

Early the next morning, just as the sky turned a pale grey, Ji Yida and Hua Qi began rousing the disciples.

“Everyone up! Move it!”

There were too many participants to transport via Magical Artifacts. Instead, the massive group of Laborer Disciples had to march.

They trekked out of the valley near the Spirit Field Department, skirted the Medicine Garden, climbed over the hills of the Alchemy Department, and passed the towering plantain trees before finally arriving at the foot of the sect’s main peak.

One by one, they passed through the cyan light of the Guardian Formation, ascending to the competition platforms situated halfway up the mountain.

The area quickly became a sea of heads. Nearly two thousand Laborer Disciples were gathered, creating a bustling, noisy atmosphere.

Most were there to fight for a spot in the Outer Sect, while a minority had come just to watch and cheer.

Overseeing the chaos were Purple-Robed Deacons, along with various Inner and Outer Disciples tasked with maintaining order.

Of course, plenty of senior disciples were just there to watch the show, treating the event as entertainment.

As soon as Han Yu and the Spirit Field group came to a halt, he spotted a familiar figure. Zhong Yue was standing on higher ground across the crowd, waving enthusiastically at him.

She had actually come to support him.

Scanning the crowd further, he saw Sun Kang, his thick eyebrows and large eyes crinkled in a simple, honest smile. Nearby, the petite Liu Lan was standing on her tiptoes, waving her hand frantically. Han Yu nodded to them with a smile.

He even spotted Zhu Laosan—Pig—shirtless and sweating, slipping through the tight crowd like a fat, greasy loach.

When the appointed time arrived, a Purple-Robed Deacon levitated into the air, his voice booming as he announced the start of the Grand Competition.

At each platform, Inner and Outer Disciples held thick lists, calling out names to begin the matches.

Han Yu’s name wasn’t called in the first wave. He stood below the stage, watching the other Laborer Disciples fight.

To be honest, the combat standards of Wanchun Valley’s lower rung were abysmal.

Most matches devolved into two people spamming the Wind Control Technique, trying to blow each other out of bounds. Many disciples simply cast spells until their Spirit Breath ran dry, leaving them standing on opposite sides of the stage, staring at each other in awkward silence.

When that happened, the Deacons or guarding disciples would simply kick both of them off. Neither deserved to advance.

It took a full hour before Han Yu finally heard his name ring out from one of the platforms.

“Spirit Field Department Laborer Disciple, Han Yu!”

“Versus… Medicine Garden Laborer Disciple, Fang Dawei!”