I'll make you the furnace and the cauldron, so you can refine Yin and Yang and prove the Great

The vortex of Yin energy slowly dissipated, and a beam of black light streaked out from the depths of the ancestral land, landing in front of Li Hanshan.

Xiao An's soul body was several times more solidified, and the Yin energy swirling around him was restrained and profound, faintly exuding a chilling pressure. It was the true pressure of a Golden Core level cultivator, although different from the aura of a cultivator when forming their Golden Core, it was equally awe-inspiring.

"Senior, I've broken through." Xiao An's voice remained calm, but the joy in her eyes was impossible to hide.

"Alright." Li Hanshan smiled sincerely. "From this day forward, you are a Golden Core level Yin Soul."

Xiao An bowed solemnly: "I am entirely dependent on your guidance, senior. Otherwise, no matter how much soul power I absorbed, I would never have been able to cross this threshold."

Qin Muyue stood aside, coldly watching this scene. Her face remained expressionless, but her heart was in turmoil. Golden Core level Yin spirits were not uncommon, but for such a being to willingly submit to the command of this old man, Li Hanshan!

Where did this Li Hanshan come from?

"Senior," Xiao An suddenly spoke up, "I want to stay here."

Li Hanshan raised an eyebrow.

"Deep within the Yinming Ancestral Land, there are still many remnants of Golden Core Yin Souls that have not completely dissipated," Xiao An explained. "These soul powers are still of great use to me. Moreover, I want to explore the deepest part of the ancestral land. It is no coincidence that those Golden Core Yin Souls have been imprisoned underground for hundreds of years. I always feel that there is some secret hidden deep underground."

Li Hanshan pondered for a moment, then nodded: "Very well. Now that you're at the Golden Core level, nothing in this Ghost Domain can threaten you. But remember, don't venture too deep. If anything unusual happens, retreat immediately."

"Don't worry, senior," Xiao An replied.

Li Hanshan then took out a few more Mind-Clearing Pills from his storage bag and handed them to Xiao An: "These pills also have a nourishing effect on the body of a Yin spirit. Keep them for future use."

Xiao An took the pill, hesitated for a moment, and then suddenly asked, "Senior, aren't you afraid that I'll stay here and never come back?"

Li Hanshan looked at her and said calmly, "Can you?"

Xiao An was silent for a moment, then solemnly shook his head: "No. Senior saved me from suffering and taught me martial arts. I will never forget this kindness and gratitude."

"That's fine then." Li Hanshan waved his hand. "Go on."

Xiao An bowed again, then transformed into a streak of black light and flew back into the depths of the Yinming Ancestral Land.

Li Hanshan watched her disappear into the black mist before turning to Qin Muyue: "Let's go back to the sect."

Qin Muyue said coldly, "You're quite carefree. You just let go of a Golden Core level Yin spirit like that."

"Trust those you employ." Li Hanshan summoned his flying sword and took the lead in flying out of the Ghost Realm.

Qin Muyue watched his retreating figure, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes. This old man was ruthless towards his enemies, yet remarkably generous to his own people. The little beast was like that, and so was the vengeful spirit. Perhaps, this was precisely why they were willing to follow him?

She shook her head, suppressing these thoughts, and transformed into a streak of light to follow after them.

The two flew out of the Netherworld one after the other, passed through the sealing array, and returned to the sunlight. The long-awaited sunlight shone on them, and Li Hanshan took a deep breath of the air, free of Yin energy, feeling a sense of relief wash over him.

After flying for about half a day, Qin Muyue suddenly spoke.

"After we return to our sect, I will explain everything. You just need to cooperate."

Li Hanshan looked at her: "How exactly do you mean it?"

"It's very simple." Qin Muyue's voice returned to its languid tone. "Wu Zhanlong fought valiantly to the death in the battle against the Golden Core Yin Spirits, perishing together with a late-stage Golden Core Yin Spirit. Wu Tianxiong was also ambushed and killed by a Yin Spirit. This Holy Maiden fought to the death without retreating, and finally annihilated all the Golden Core Yin Spirits that surged out of the ancestral land."

She paused, a faint smile appearing on her lips: "As for you? You stayed hidden on the periphery the whole time, only coming over after I, the Holy Maiden, had slaughtered all the Yin spirits. Do you understand?"

Li Hanshan was silent for a moment, then nodded.

Although this demoness was ruthless, her storytelling was impeccable. She claimed Wu Zhanlong died in battle, and that she single-handedly annihilated his spirits. This not only provided a plausible explanation for Wu Zhanlong's death but also allowed her to claim the credit for herself. The Holy Maiden's solo expedition into the Ghost Realm to annihilate dozens of Golden Core cultivators was a feat sufficient to establish her authority within the sect and vie for the position of official Holy Maiden.

As for why she was unwilling to share the credit with him, it was most likely to avoid being exposed.

Wu Tianxiong is dead, it's good enough that Li Hanshan is still alive. His current cultivation level hasn't been revealed yet; the concealment technique that the girl taught him makes it difficult even for Golden Core cultivators to see through his true cultivation level.

"By the way, do you know anything about Chu Mengyao's situation?" Li Hanshan suddenly asked.

Qin Muyue's face suddenly darkened.

"Chu Mengyao." She gritted her teeth as she spat out the name, her eyes filled with undisguised hatred. "If it weren't for her, would I, this Holy Maiden, be so eager to increase my strength, to the point of resorting to any means to search for a Pure Yang Furnace?"

Li Hanshan remained calm: "Your and her secret techniques both come from the supreme secret techniques of our patriarch, don't they?"

Qin Muyue sneered, "You seem to know quite a bit. That's right, the reason I've set my sights on you is partly because of your Pure Yang Sacred Body, and partly because I want to break through to the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm as soon as possible so that I won't be overshadowed by Chu Mengyao. Otherwise, if I had just absorbed a few breaths of your Pure Yang Qi, you might not have died."

Li Hanshan said, "But she gave the secret technique to Hua Nongying. Isn't she afraid that Hua Nongying will surpass her?"

"Did she give the secret technique to Hua Nongying?"

Qin Muyue was somewhat surprised, and then said, "She may not have any good intentions. This woman is very scheming and afraid that others will harm her. In my opinion, she is probably worried that there is something wrong with that secret method and is using Hua Nongying as a test subject."

Test subject?

Chu Mengyao is indeed very cautious; she doesn't even trust the sect's secret techniques.

Li Hanshan's heart stirred, but he didn't reply. The power struggles within the Hehuan Sect were far more complex than he had imagined. However, these were irrelevant to him; he only needed to mind his own business.

Several days later, the mountain gate of the Hehuan Sect came into view in the distance.

Qin Muyue stood at the bow of the flying boat, with Li Hanshan standing behind her. She suddenly turned around and said, "Before entering the mountain gate, let me remind you one more time. If you slip up and the Third Elder or the Sect Master notices something amiss, don't blame me for not being able to protect you."

Li Hanshan looked at her calmly: "Before I die, I will definitely take you with me."

The two stared at each other for a moment, and then Qin Muyue suddenly laughed, a laugh full of charm, as if the woman who had just been gritting her teeth was not her at all.

"That's settled then, old man. From now on, you're mine."

The flying boat passed through the protective array and slowly landed in the square in front of the sect's main hall.

The Third Elder had already received the message and was sitting upright in the main hall. Beside him sat two stewards whom Li Hanshan didn't recognize, presumably responsible for recording the details of the mission.

"Disciple Li Hanshan greets the Third Elder." Li Hanshan stepped forward and bowed.

The Third Elder's gaze swept over the two of them, lingering for a moment on Qin Muyue's tattered purple dress before landing on Li Hanshan, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

"How did your mission go? What about Elder Wu and Wu Tianxiong?"

Qin Muyue remained calm and delivered her prepared speech.

"Elder Wu fought valiantly against the late-stage Golden Core Yin Spirit, ultimately perishing together with it. Wu Tianxiong was ambushed and killed shortly after entering the Ghost Realm; by the time we arrived, it was too late. The Holy Maiden single-handedly wiped out all the emerging Golden Core Yin Spirits. As a disciple, my strength is too low; I could only assist from the outside and couldn't offer much help."

He paused, then lowered his head: "It is because this disciple is incompetent."

After listening, the Third Elder remained silent for a long while. The atmosphere in the main hall was so heavy that it almost bent people's backs.

"Wu Zhanlong had only recently advanced to the Golden Core stage, and he's already perished like this." The Third Elder spoke slowly, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger. "It's a real pity."

He looked at Qin Muyue: "Holy Maiden, you've worked hard. This uprising of the Yin spirits was no small matter, and you were able to quell it all on your own. I, the elder, will certainly report this achievement to the sect leader."

Qin Muyue nodded slightly: "Third Elder, you flatter me. This is simply my duty as a Holy Maiden."

The Third Elder glanced at Li Hanshan again, seemingly displeased with his largely passive performance, but ultimately refrained from saying anything harsh. A Foundation Establishment stage core disciple truly couldn't offer much help in a Golden Core stage battle; it was fortunate he even survived.

"You may all leave," he waved his hand.

The two left the main hall. Li Hanshan felt his back was soaked with cold sweat. Although Qin Muyue's story was flawless, he still felt considerable pressure facing the Third Elder's all-seeing eyes.

Fortunately, we passed the test.

Qin Muyue didn't even glance at him, and transformed into a streak of light, flying straight towards her cave. In the blink of an eye, she disappeared into the clouds.

Li Hanshan didn't care and summoned his flying sword, heading towards Hua Nongying's cave.

The stone door to the cave was tightly shut. He took out the token and waved it gently, and the stone door opened with a bang.

The door had barely opened a crack when a red figure rushed out.

"Hanlang!"

Hua Nongying was still the same Hua Nongying. She clung tightly to Li Hanshan's waist, burying her face in his chest, her voice trembling slightly. Li Hanshan looked down at her, a warm feeling welling up in his heart. No matter how many life-and-death experiences she had gone through outside, returning here was like coming home.

"I'm fine," he said softly.

Hua Nongying raised her head, her eyes slightly red, but she smiled brightly. Just as she was about to speak, another person walked out of the cave.

Sparse clouds and a bright moon.

She was wearing a moon-white long dress, her long hair cascading over her shoulders, standing at the cave entrance with a relieved smile on her face.

"Junior Brother Li, it's good that you're back." She paused, pursed her lips, and spoke in a softer tone than usual. "Nongying has been talking about you every day, and she can't even eat."

Hua Nongying rolled her eyes at Yun Shuyue, but did not refute her.

Li Hanshan led Hua Nongying into the cave, with Yun Shuyue following behind. The stone door slammed shut behind them, shutting out the outside world. Candlelight flickered, and a faint fragrance filled the cave. Li Hanshan sat down by the stone couch, Hua Nongying sat beside him, and Yun Shuyue sat on the futon opposite him.

"Hanlang, where is that vixen?" Hua Nongying suddenly asked.

Li Hanshan knew she was asking about Qin Muyue.

"We've returned to her cave." He briefly recounted his experience in the Netherworld, but omitted some details, such as some of his core secrets.

"So now, Qin Muyue's life or death is in your hands?" Hua Nongying took a deep breath.

"Mm." Li Hanshan nodded.

Hua Nongying remained silent for a moment, then her expression turned serious: "Hanlang, Qin Muyue is ultimately a Golden Core cultivator. She has cultivated for many years and is deeply cunning; she is not so easy to control. Although the three-petaled flower can sever her life force, if she has some special means of self-preservation, or if she is willing to perish together with others at a crucial moment, you may not be able to prevent it."

"I know." Li Hanshan squeezed her hand. "That's why I didn't push her too hard. Once a month, leaving her with a little hope, would prevent her from taking any risks."

"Once a month?" Hua Nongying was taken aback at first, then burst out laughing, her laughter shaking her body. "Han Lang, you even haggled over the price of the Holy Maiden, you're such a shrewd businessman."

Li Hanshan said calmly, "She brought it on herself."

After laughing enough, Hua Nongying's eyes showed concern again: "Hanlang, your most important task now is to break through to the Golden Core stage as soon as possible. Only when you truly enter the Golden Core stage can you completely suppress that vixen. At that time, no matter what tricks she tries, they won't work."

Li Hanshan nodded: "I know." He looked at Hua Nongying, then at Yun Shuyue, and said, "During this time, you two also need to intensify your cultivation. I need you to improve your cultivation level as soon as possible."

Hua Nongying's eyes sparkled as she said sweetly, "Then we'll have to see what Han Lang is capable of~"

Yun Shuyue lowered her head, a faint blush rising on her cheeks, but she remained silent.

Li Hanshan said no more. His cultivation had reached the ninth level of Foundation Establishment, only one step away from the tenth level. This step required more accumulation.

Hua Nongying was the first to approach. Yun Shuyue hesitated for a moment, then got up and walked to his side as well.

The candlelight flickered, and the silk curtains hung down.