The evening sun cast long golden streaks through the latticed windows of Mo Han's stone house when a knock sounded at the entrance. Jia Kai moved to open it, and the familiar face of the senior servant lady from the Healing Tower appeared, her brows furrowed with unease. She stepped inside quickly, bowing politely before Mo Han, who sat cross-legged with a calm but sharp gaze.

"You came again?" Mo Han asked, his tone even, but his eyes scanning her expression.

"Yes," the lady replied, her voice low. "I could not sit quietly after what I saw today. More and more people are coming, some of them the wealthiest in Red Silk City. A few even came from neighboring regions. They demanded your personal visit to their mansions. One family even tried to offer a thousand stones in advance. I turned them away, but…" She hesitated, biting her lip. "Young master Mo Han, I fear this popularity may draw unwanted eyes. Fame this bright is like a torch in the dark—moths, snakes, and predators will all gather."

Mo Han leaned back slightly, his eyes narrowing but calm. "I told you before—I am not someone who bends for coin or lust. If people think I can be bought like a vase from the market, they are mistaken." He paused, then added, "Tomorrow, when the next group arrives, tell them this: 'Mo Han has gone on vacation and will not return for a week.' Let them chew on their coins and keep their patience. If they are truly desperate, they will wait. If not, they were never worth my time."

The senior servant lady blinked, surprised at his decisiveness. "You mean to stop treating for a full week?"

Mo Han nodded. "Yes. This week is not for them—it is for me." His gaze shifted to the flickering lamp beside him. "Healing others sharpens skill, but cultivation builds the foundation. Without a strong foundation, all these games are meaningless."

The woman sighed in both relief and worry. "As you wish. But… please stay vigilant. You are already too visible."

Mo Han offered her a rare smile, faint but genuine. "Do not worry. I've weathered storms far worse than gossip and greed."

The senior servant lady bowed deeply and left, her footsteps echoing in the courtyard.

—

That very night, Mo Han returned to his cultivation mat. The manuals of the Pleasure Healer Sutra and the countless techniques he had memorized from Leo Reynold's memories aligned perfectly in his mind. With steady breathing, he began guiding the essence within his meridians.

From deep inside, the lingering traces of Pure Yin energy he had absorbed pulsed like pearls hidden in the sea. He guided them carefully, blending them with his own yang qi, each circulation striking against the bottleneck of the 10th class disciple level.

The days blurred into silence. Outside, Fatty Lambu muttered about food, Chi Kai sharpened her techniques, and Jia Kai kept watch, but within Mo Han's chamber the world was reduced to nothing but breath, aura, and the endless whirl of qi.

On the third day, sweat rolled down his brow as a storm brewed inside his dantian. His meridians quivered under the force. On the fifth, his aura grew heavy, spreading faint golden ripples across the room, enough to make the sisters glance at each other nervously.

And by the seventh day, when dawn broke and the birds of the sect cried out over the riverbanks, Mo Han finally opened his eyes. A sharp golden light flashed in them before dimming back to calm black. He exhaled a long breath, and the stone floor beneath him cracked faintly from the release of qi.

"I've reached the peak," he murmured. His aura now carried the unmistakable weight of a 10th class disciple. One more step, and he would pierce into the elder rank.

The door creaked softly. Jia Kai entered, her expression a mixture of relief and restrained worry. She sat down opposite him.

"You've been in cultivation for seven full days," she said. "Do you know how many people came to see you in that time?"

Mo Han shook his head. "It doesn't matter."

Jia Kai leaned closer, her voice serious. "The senior servant lady came twice, always worried for you. She said the line outside the Healing Tower grows like wildfire. And it wasn't only her. Elder Mei herself came to visit—she even sent a messenger to wait here, but you did not respond."

Mo Han's eyes flickered. "Elder Mei?"

"Yes," Jia Kai confirmed. "And… that girl named Jumi also came, once. She stood here with a strange look, but when she saw you were in closed cultivation, she left."

Mo Han's brows lifted faintly, but he didn't comment.

"There's more," Jia Kai continued, her tone tightening. "Another warning notice arrived. Elder Park is furious. She's accusing you of neglecting your duties in her division. She wants you punished."

Fatty Lambu, who had been nibbling on a bun in the corner, piped up nervously. "Brother Han, I told you! These crazy women will one day gang up and kick us out. Why can't you just stay low-key?"

Mo Han chuckled softly. "Low-key? If a man hides under a rock, snakes will still slither to bite him. Better to stand in the open with a sword in hand."

He rose to his feet, his black robe flowing lightly as if his aura itself lifted the cloth. His presence now carried a weight that made even Fatty swallow his complaints.

"So, what will you do now?" Jia Kai asked, her eyes searching his face.

"I'll start where it matters," Mo Han replied. "If Elder Mei sought me out, there's a reason. Better to meet her first before Elder Park tightens her claws."

Jia Kai nodded, though her lips pressed tight with unease. Chi Kai, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke, her voice soft but steady. "Whatever you do, just… remember you're not alone anymore. We're with you."

Mo Han gave her a brief look, and a rare softness touched his expression. "I know."

He stepped out of the stone house, the golden light of evening spilling across his path.

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