“Junior Brother Han, impressive!”

As soon as Han Yu’s plantain leaf touched down at the Spirit Field Department, Hua Qi poked his head out with a wide grin.

“Truly impressive! First place in the Grand Competition!” Ji Yida chimed in.

Han Yu smiled modestly. “Both Senior Brothers watched the Laborer Disciple Grand Competition. You should know that my victory was pure luck—a very close and dangerous thing.”

“Besides, a competition for Laborer Disciples below the third layer of Qi Refining isn’t exactly a world-shaking event…”

“No need to be modest,” Senior Sister Li said, stepping out and casting an appreciative glance at Han Yu. “Though your Spirit Root is poor, your talent for spells is truly rare among the disciples of Wanchun Valley.”

She then turned to business. “Junior Brother Han, pack up your belongings and move everything to the Steward’s office. We have vacant rooms here.”

“Senior Sister Li, I planted that spirit field some time ago. Should I assign it to another Laborer Disciple, or wait until after the harvest?” Han Yu inquired.

“Since you planted it yourself and you are now stationed here at the Spirit Field Department, you might as well harvest it yourself when the time comes,” she replied.

Han Yu nodded in agreement. He packed his meager belongings and moved into a room within the Steward’s quarters, set slightly apart from those occupied by Senior Sister Li, Hua Qi, and Ji Yida.

He then informed Senior Sister Li, “I plan to go to the woods to look for my crow. I want to see if I can find it and apply the Beast Taming Technique.”

“You are an Outer Disciple now, with much more freedom of movement. You don’t need to report every little thing to me,” she reminded him. “However, be careful. The Sect’s security has become much stricter recently. If you encounter a patrol team, you must submit to inspection. Do not resist under any circumstances to avoid misunderstandings.”

“And it is getting late. Return before dark.”

Han Yu acknowledged her warning. Activating the plantain leaf, he circled the perimeter of the Spirit Field Department before sensing the large crow’s location in a dense forest not far from the valley.

Summoning the bird, Han Yu brought it back to the Spirit Field Department and presented it to Senior Sister Li, Hua Qi, and Ji Yida.

All three were surprised. “This crow carries spiritual energy; it counts as a spiritual beast!”

“Junior Brother Han, your luck is good. Even the pet you brought into the Sect is a spiritual beast. You’ll have a helper from now on!”

Han Yu’s intention was precisely for them to see the crow, establishing a legitimate reason for it to follow and assist him in the future. Having achieved his goal, he released the bird back into the wild.

“Junior Brother Han, aren’t you keeping it by your side?”

“Now that I know where it is and have applied the Beast Taming Technique, it will be easy to find later. Keeping it by my side and feeding it all day would consume quite a few resources,” Han Yu explained.

Senior Sister Li considered this. “That choice has its pros and cons. The benefit is saving your resources and time. The drawback is that if you aren’t careful and someone else—or another beast—kills your crow, you might not discover it in time.”

“If you have energy to spare beyond cultivation, it is generally better to keep your spiritual beast close.”

“Yes, Senior Sister Li, I understand.”

After the large crow spread its wings and vanished into the twilight, Han Yu returned to his room to cultivate in silence.

The Spirit Root Refining Art would have to wait until he reached the Foundation Establishment realm.

For now, he practiced the Green Grain Qi Cultivation Method and the Blood Refining Technique daily without fail.

The Thousand Illusions Secret Art and the Phantom Body Technique still required much more practice to be truly effective.

He was not yet proficient in the Beast Taming Technique or the Sharp Gold Technique. The Beast Heart Psychic Pact, Wind Blade Technique, and Ice Condensation Technique remained unlearned.

However, he had achieved relative mastery over the Blood Droplet, Spirit Nurturing Technique, Flame Technique, Wind Control Technique, and Water Control Technique. As for the Bloodlust Technique, he had learned it but never used it…

Ending his cultivation session for the day, having reached the daily growth limit for the Spirit Breath of his Metal, Water, and Wood Spirit Roots, Han Yu began to calculate his replication capacity.

Having accumulated two days’ worth of replication energy, what could he create?

He estimated he could replicate about four talismans or three Qi Gathering Pills.

Alternatively, he could produce three Mystic Heart Fruits, four sections of Spirit Blood Vine, or six drops of his own essence blood. These were figures he had verified through practice.

The plantain leaf could not be replicated yet; it would likely require three days of accumulation.

A storage bag would probably take seven or eight days.

Han Yu had gradually discerned the rules governing the golden light in his right hand. With so many items now in his possession, he could confirm it: the smaller the object, the less spiritual energy it contained, and the fewer refining processes it had undergone, the easier it was to replicate.

Once the size increased—even for something as simple as a plantain leaf, which wasn’t worth many Spirit Stones—it became laborious to copy, requiring the same amount of energy as Li Tonghai’s flying sword.

It seems my priority should be unrefined spiritual plants and medicines—small in size but potent in effect, Han Yu mused. Next would be consumables like pills and talismans. Large Magical Artifacts are actually very cost-ineffective.

The night was deep as ink. Elder Bai, Elder Yan, and Li Tonghai stood silently in the high sky, unmoving as statues.

Nearly six hours had passed. Their emotions had shifted from anticipation to restlessness, and finally to a heavy, sinking disappointment.

The Sword Talisman had been sent out, but there was no response.

A moment later, ripples disturbed the main peak’s formation and the Guardian Formation.

A faint, lingering floral fragrance wafted through the air as Elder Wen’s flower carriage arrived, followed closely by the Magical Artifacts of the Sect Leader, the Supreme Elder, and several other Elders.

“Has Mr. Ye still not responded to the Sword Talisman?” the Sect Leader asked.

“Master’s Sword Talisman has never gone unanswered,” Li Tonghai replied, his expression grave and anxious. “It seems the situation in Wanchun Valley is far worse than we imagined.”

“This means someone is deliberately blocking the Sword Talisman, preventing Mr. Ye and the Spirit Sword Sect from learning the truth,” the Sect Leader said slowly. “The enemy clearly knows Wanchun Valley has not colluded with Demonic Cultivators. They are intentionally framing us, aiming to put us to death!”

“Moreover, there is at least one Golden Core cultivator lurking outside, severing our communications and leaving us to sit and wait for death.”

The Sect Leader’s words weighed heavily on the Supreme Elder and the others. Under the night sky, the group stood in silence atop their artifacts.

Who was so meticulously plotting the extermination of Wanchun Valley? And for what reason?

They had no answers.

“Let me return to the Spirit Sword Sect. I must personally tell Master of this conspiracy so he does not fall for these villains’ schemes!” Li Tonghai urged, his voice frantic.

“If you leave alone, you will be killed immediately, and your death will be framed as Wanchun Valley’s doing!” the Supreme Elder shot down the idea instantly. “Right now, immense peril lurks just outside our borders!”

“Then what should we do? We can’t just sit here and wait for them to come knocking on our door!” Elder Yan grit his teeth, his patience fraying.

The Sect Leader gently shook his head. “Naturally, that will not do.”

“Elders, return immediately to your posts. Guard the Guardian Formation and the main peak formation. If necessary, summon all Inner and Outer Disciples to defend the arrays.”

“The Supreme Elder and I will personally escort Li Tonghai to the Spirit Sword Sect. As long as the message gets through, the Spirit Sword Sect and Mr. Ye will not stand by idly while a conspiracy unfolds.”

“With the Spirit Sword Sect as our ally, Wanchun Valley can still be saved!”