As Han Yi gradually calmed down, his greatest fear was whether official Cultivators would trace his movements and come knocking. Murder, after all, was difficult to explain away. But he waited until late into the night and still saw no sign of activity, gradually easing his worries.
Truthfully, even after transmigrating to this world, Han Yi's understanding remained superficial. Deep down, he was still the engineer and tech enthusiast from his previous life, deeply ingrained in the legalistic norms of his former world. In his past life, murder was a serious crime. But in Great Qian, as long as one acted swiftly and didn't violate the kingdom's laws, killing a Cultivator was of no consequence.
Convinced the authorities wouldn't investigate, Han Yi began to reexamine the day's events. On the surface, Jiang De had tried to kill him. He was certain of the Mana surge and murderous intent that had erupted first.
But why? What was the motive? They had barely interacted, meeting only two or three times and exchanging little more than nods. They had never even spoken a single word to each other. What feud, what grudge could possibly exist between them? Han Yi racked his brain, but no explanation came to him.
The outcome of their sudden clash was clear: Han Yi had turned the tables and killed Jiang De.
There was no question about it. Whether in this Cultivation World or the law-governed society of his previous life, if someone tried to kill him, he would defend himself.
Han Yi felt no remorse for taking a life.
Moreover, the encounter in the alleyway had been so brief that after killing Jiang De, he had only glimpsed through the chaotic swirl of Spirit Qi the man's body gradually bursting apart into pieces.
This was the primary reason he felt nauseous upon returning to the courtyard.
"This is too dangerous," he muttered.
"The last time I went out, I inexplicably encountered a death threat."
"And this time, I was ambushed by Jiang De himself."
"No, wait... perhaps that previous death threat had also originated from Jiang De. I only survived because I used the crowd to obscure my tracks and evade him."
Han Yi's mind raced, a growing sense of a conspiracy targeting him taking root.
Something wasn't right.
Something was terribly wrong.
"Since arriving in Mengshan City, I've only interacted with a handful of people," he thought.
"Guan Sheng, Jiang De, Xiao Yi, Xia Qingyi, and that shopkeeper at the Lei Family Market."
"Jiang De's assassination attempt likely has nothing to do with the Lei Family Market."
"Jiang De is dead. Of everyone else in Mengshan City, Guan Sheng is the only one I can truly trust..."
Han Yi's thoughts came to an abrupt halt. His brow furrowed deeply, and he shook his head.
"No, that's a preconceived notion. In theory, the only person I can trust in Mengshan City is myself."
"Let's start with that assumption and work backward, discerning the truth. Everyone else is untrustworthy."
A faint unease settled in Han Yi's heart. He had no idea what kind of scheme awaited him.
But as long as he remained steadfast, enduring in seclusion, all their treacherous tactics would inevitably unravel.
Endure.
Endure for six months until the Sect Assessment. Once I leave Mengshan City and return to Little Spirit Void Peak, I'll be safe.
With this plan firmly in mind, Han Yi breathed a sigh of relief.
"It seems I have no choice but to betray Guan Sheng's trust. From now on, I'll remain in seclusion until the six months are up."
"As for the Evil-Repelling Pills, once I reach the Sect, I'll have Senior Brother Guan Di forward them to Guan Sheng. I'll even waive my share of the profits as compensation. Surely, Guan Sheng will understand."
"At most, I'll compensate them with some Medicinal Pills when I become stronger," Han Yi resolved, determined to lie low from that moment onward.
He retrieved the object he had inadvertently kicked before leaving the alley: a bloodstained Storage Pouch.
He attempted to channel his Mana into it. As expected, he encountered a slight resistance, but it wasn't overwhelming. This indicated that the pouch's owner, Jiang De, while possessing a higher Cultivation Realm than his own, was only marginally ahead.
Based on his analysis of their alleyway skirmish, Jiang De's realm was likely Qi Refining Fourth Layer. However, Jiang De's overconfidence led him to attempt a sneak attack, only to encounter Han Yi, who had unlocked a cheat-like ability by mastering the Spirit Void Finger technique to the Hall Entry realm. His defeat was simply a matter of fate and timing.
Han Yi persisted in channeling Mana for a full hour before Jiang De's Storage Pouch finally opened. When he glimpsed its contents, his eyes widened with excitement.
He quickly stashed all his own belongings in the Meditation Chamber before sweeping Jiang De's Storage Pouch clean. The chamber was instantly overflowing with loot, every corner piled high with treasures.
The familiar and unfamiliar scents of spirit medicines and herbs flooded Han Yi's nostrils, each vying for his attention.
Medicinal herbs, the very foundation of pill refinement.
Though these herbs were in their raw state, requiring cleaning, sorting, and storage in jade boxes, their sheer quantity represented a colossal windfall for him. Exchanged for spirit stones, they would undoubtedly fetch well over a hundred.
Jackpot, Han Yi thought.
Then, a few old sayings surfaced in his mind:
Kill and plunder, wear golden belts; repair bridges and roads, find no corpses.
Men prosper through unexpected wealth; horses grow fat on stolen night fodder.
As the sun rose and set, Han Yi felt no fatigue. He only finished sorting all the spirit medicines and herbs by the next sunrise.
Next, he turned his attention to the other items he had organized:
Spirit stones: seventy-eight pieces, not many. Spirit sand: approximately thirty pounds. Spirit charcoal: around three hundred pounds. An octagonal silver pill refinement furnace. A collection of jade bottles containing both familiar and unfamiliar medicinal pills: Evil-Repelling Pills, Qi Sustaining Pills, Qi Nourishing Pills, Mind Gathering Pills, Breakthrough Pills, Soul-Nourishing Pills...
And finally...
Han Yi examined the last item.
They were three ancient bronze daggers, handleless and no longer than the span of a man's hand.
Han Yi stared at them, his initial solemnity quickly giving way to a wave of belated fear.
This was a set of Magic Artifacts.
If, in that narrow alley, Jiang De hadn't ambushed him with spells but had instead activated these artifacts from dozens of meters away, the outcome might have been drastically different.
Upon realizing what they were, a wave of dread washed over Han Yi.
This incident proves that in a desperate confrontation, one must give their all.
There can be no room for complacency. Otherwise, you'll be the one who dies.
Han Yi now had a profound new understanding of what it truly meant to "give one's all."
First, he transferred the Spirit Stones, Spirit Sand, Medicinal Pills, Spirit Charcoal, and other valuables into his own Storage Pouch. He then placed the remaining miscellaneous items, including the Eight-Cornered Pill Refinement Furnace, into Jiang De's pouch.
Next, he focused his attention back on the dagger artifacts and attempted to infuse them with Mana to activate them. Unfortunately, his Qi Refining Third Layer cultivation was only sufficient to maneuver the blades within a three-meter radius around his body, and he could control no more than two at a time.
Han Yi understood the limitations all too well.
The three daggers were clearly a set, designed to unleash their full power only when wielded simultaneously. Though merely low-grade magic artifacts, they excelled in both offense and defense.
After practicing with them for half the day, Han Yi suddenly had an idea. He retrieved the Sword Control Technique Transmission Jade Disk he had purchased for eighty-five spirit stones at the Lei Family Market the previous day. His eyes lit up as a thought struck him: could he use the Sword Control Technique to wield these daggers as flying swords?
The moment this idea took root, Han Yi found it plausible. However, he refrained from hasty experimentation. Mastering the Sword Control Technique would undoubtedly require considerable time. Moreover, his recent ambush in the alley had demonstrated the terrifying power of the Spirit Void Finger.
He desired both breadth of skills and depth of mastery. Given his current circumstances, specializing in one technique first before diversifying to increase his strategic options seemed most prudent.
Thus, he resolved to continue his relentless training! He would focus on advancing the Spirit Void Finger to the next cultivation realm before attempting to learn the Sword Control Technique.
As for the disruptive noise generated by practicing the Spirit Void Finger in the courtyard, he devised a solution: he would practice in his bedroom, directing his attacks downward. The worst that could happen was accidentally excavating a basement. And if that happened, he could compensate the Sect for the damage upon his return.