Jumi sat quietly near the edge of the training ground, her eyes staring blankly at the sky above, though her heart was in turmoil. She pulled her knees close to her chest, her fingers tracing patterns in the dirt.
The breakthrough she had achieved the night before still echoed through every pore of her body—the surge of power, the expansion of her meridians, the immense clarity of reaching elder rank cultivation. Yet, there was no joy on her face. Instead, guilt and confusion warred inside her.
The sound of footsteps crunched on the gravel. A shadow fell across her.
"Jumi?" A voice cut through her thoughts.
She looked up to see a young woman dressed in the violet robes of a senior disciple, her long braid swinging as she stood proudly with a frost-blue sword strapped to her back. It was Yu Lan, one of her peers, known for her cold temper and ruthless blade.
Jumi stood up awkwardly. "Yu Lan."
Yu Lan's sharp eyes scanned her from head to toe before suddenly widening. "You… your aura. It's completely different. You… advanced?" She stepped closer, her expression a mixture of surprise and disbelief. "Elder rank? Impossible! Just last week you were struggling at ninth-class disciple!"
Jumi bit her lip. She couldn't hide it—the change in her cultivation was obvious. "Yes," she admitted softly.
"How?!" Yu Lan's voice dropped to a whisper, but her urgency was clear. "What did you do? Did Elder Park give you a secret method? Did you find some rare treasure?"
Jumi shook her head, her fists trembling. She looked around to make sure no one was listening, then leaned in close to Yu Lan. "No treasure. No secret technique." She hesitated, her heart pounding, but the words spilled out. "It was Mo Han."
Yu Lan's eyes narrowed. "That servant-turned-disciple from the Pink Blossom Tree sect? The one everyone gossips about as the… pleasure healer?"
"Yes," Jumi said, shame coloring her cheeks. "He… he didn't touch me, not the way you're thinking. But he has something—an aura, a constitution. Heavenly-ranked, dual cultivator's body. Just being in his presence, just that one clash of energy… it transformed me. It broke through the wall I had been trapped against for years."
Yu Lan's grip tightened on her frost sword. "Are you saying this openly? Do you realize what you're confessing?"
"I'm trusting you," Jumi whispered, eyes pleading. "Don't tell anyone. If Elder Park knows I revealed this, she will—" She broke off, shaking her head violently. "I only told you because I don't know how to bear this alone. Mo Han isn't ordinary. If the others find out… they'll tear him apart to use him."
Yu Lan stared at her for a long moment, then finally exhaled. "I see. Don't worry, I'll keep it. But Jumi…" She leaned in, her voice like ice. "Be careful. If this is true, Mo Han is no longer just your enemy or your elder's pawn. He's a weapon. And everyone wants weapons."
Jumi closed her eyes, her heart heavy. "I know."
The next morning, Mo Han walked toward the wide courtyard of the Alchemy Division. The rising sun gilded the roofs of the Eternal Night Mansion in gold, but his mind was calm, focused.
The Alchemy Hall was different from the Healing Division. Instead of narrow classrooms and cramped rows of seats, this was a grand chamber built in a crescent shape, with rows of polished stone benches rising upward like tiers of an arena. At the front, dozens of large bronze cauldrons glowed faintly with inscriptions, each surrounded by shelves filled with rare herbs, minerals, and crystals. The faint scent of crushed blossoms and burning incense lingered in the air.
Mo Han entered quietly, his black robes fluttering as he stepped inside. He ignored the glances of the disciples already seated. Some whispered to each other—his reputation as the so-called "pleasure master" of the Healing Tower had already spread even here.
"The one who made women scream in the tower."
"He dared to reject Elder Park's division… and Elder Bogi accepted him? What madness…"
Mo Han paid no attention. He walked to the far back, choosing a seat against the wall. From there, he had a clear view of everything without drawing too much attention to himself. He sat cross-legged, resting his sword across his lap, his expression calm and unreadable.
Moments later, the air shifted. A wave of authority swept over the hall as Elder Bogi entered. ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ꜰʀᴏᴍ novel※fire.net
Unlike Elder Park's sharp-edged beauty, Bogi was an old man with snow-white beard and stern eyes that gleamed like polished jade. His robes were plain, yet the golden token of the vice-patriarch hung from his belt, radiating undeniable power.
The disciples immediately stood and bowed deeply. "Greetings, Elder Bogi."
"Sit," Bogi said simply, his voice calm but commanding.
Everyone obeyed instantly.
Bogi strode to the front, raising a hand. With a flick of his sleeve, one of the bronze cauldrons flared to life, fire erupting beneath it. The scent of herbs intensified as he tossed in a handful of green stalks.
"Today's lecture will cover advanced fusion techniques," Bogi began. His voice echoed in the hall, steady as an unbroken stream. "The art of merging three essences into one pill without disrupting their natural balance. Most alchemists fail here, not because of lack of skill, but because of impatience."
He gestured, and the cauldron hissed as three colored liquids merged into a single swirling orb of mist.
"Alchemy is not just fire and herb. It is patience, balance, and harmony. Remember this: a pill that heals one person may poison another, if crafted without discipline. Do not chase speed. Chase perfection."
Mo Han leaned forward slightly, his eyes gleaming. As Bogi explained the method of layering heat in stages, Mo Han compared it with Leo Reynold's memories stored in his mind. Every phrase Elder Bogi spoke connected with the vast alchemical knowledge Mo Han already carried.
"So he uses Three Flame Rotation for stability…" Mo Han muttered softly. "But if one uses Five Breath Flow instead, the yield would double with less strain…"
The disciple beside him glanced over in shock. This fellow just arrived yesterday, and he's already criticizing Elder Bogi's technique?
Down below, Elder Bogi's eyes swept the crowd. His gaze lingered briefly on Mo Han before moving on. He didn't comment, but there was a flicker of interest in his expression.
The lecture continued. Disciples scribbled frantically on parchments, trying to grasp the elder's words. Mo Han, however, simply closed his eyes, replaying the technique in his mind, his fingers tracing invisible patterns of heat control.
By the end of the lesson, Bogi clapped his hands once. The flames beneath the cauldron died instantly.
"Enough for today. Those who wish to prove themselves may stay behind and attempt the fusion yourselves. Failures will clean the cauldrons for a week."
A collective groan rose from the disciples, but Mo Han's lips curved faintly. Perfect. A chance to test my understanding.
As the hall emptied slightly, he remained seated, calm as ever, while murmurs filled the air around him.
"Does he really think he can do this?"
"He's just here for show."
"Watch him burn the cauldron to ash…"
But Mo Han ignored them all, his eyes fixed on the glowing cauldron at the front. His path was set.