Lu Han, who listened carefully to every word the fairy said, did not show agreement right away.
His mind worked at high speed, weighing the pros and cons.
The downside was that he would become tied to this fairy—without knowing exactly what she wanted.
She was difficult to read.
At times, she treated him like an insect; at others, she exposed him—and now, she wanted to recruit him.
All of these changes felt strange to Lu Han.
But as someone seeking power, he had already made his decision.
"I swear to the heavens that I will never kill a human to absorb their blood."
As he made this vow, Lu Han did not feel that he had lost anything.
Even without it, he would never break that taboo in the future.
His morals were not those of a saint—but neither were they those of a demon.
If he had to describe himself, he would say he was someone who followed only his own heart.
And being devoted to himself, he knew he would never accept gaining strength at the cost of losing his humanity.
Hearing this, the fairy smiled faintly, an unusual glint in her eyes.
"Good."
Her smile widened, revealing teeth as white as snow.
Seeing that, Lu Han—still only fifteen—felt something strange, his heart quickening.
But he quickly calmed himself with a deep breath.
He would not fall because of beauty.
As long as he remained a wretch that anyone could bully, he would not stray from his goal.
With sharp eyes, he began looking at her as if she were a potential enemy.
"What?"
The fairy was left speechless.
What was going on in this boy's mind?
He was not trustworthy—she knew that. And precisely because of that, she chose to invest in him.
A young man who might stab her in the back depending on the circumstances was more predictable than those who smiled all the time.
She compared it to experience.
Lu Han was like a cat: grateful for what he received and willing to repay it, but also capable of striking if provoked.
As for "smiling tigers," they were dangerous. They could receive everything and still betray out of greed.
"Calm down, boy. The worst has already passed."
She spoke calmly, trying to reassure him.
'This damn woman!'
Lu Han grew irritated.
What did she take him for?
Not understanding her thoughts, he interpreted it as mockery.
'What does she mean, "the worst has passed"? Is she planning something even worse?'
That unpleasant feeling returned.
Shaking his head, he decided to end the conversation as quickly as possible.
"Fairy, thank you for everything, but I don't need help from others. I'll rely only on myself to enter the sect. That's also fairer to the other participants."
"And what about your origins? Do you think the elders and peak masters of my sect are fools? If they find anything strange about you, they won't react the same way I did."
That was a clear warning.
Lu Han clenched his teeth.
"What is your goal?"
He stopped avoiding the issue and faced reality.
"I already told you—I will help you. There's no need to keep your guard so high. I'm just a lazy fairy."
She let out a light laugh, still seeing him as a wary cat.
"Okay… I'll cooperate."
Lu Han extended his hand toward her.
"What is the meaning of this?"
"In the mortal world, I've seen that when wealthy people make agreements, they shake hands. If the fairy finds it offensive, you may punish me."
Lu Han explained with a serious expression.
But who did he think he was fooling?
She was a genius with a heavenly-grade water spiritual root.
She clearly sensed that something was hidden behind that gesture.
'What is this brat planning with a handshake?'
Curious, she wrapped her hand in spiritual energy and accepted.
But to her surprise…
Nothing happened.
Absolutely nothing.
To her, it felt like holding the hand of a corpse, he was so thin.
Lu Han, however, felt something different.
It was like dipping his hand into flowing water—soft and smooth.
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
This confident fairy would never imagine that she had been marked the moment they touched.
Lu Han finally felt at peace.
He was no longer in the dark.
Now, he was the darkness.
And she was a puppet who believed herself to be in control.
'Was I tricked?'
The supervisor frowned.
But no matter how she thought about it, she found nothing wrong with that gesture.
Without answers, she concluded that perhaps the boy simply wanted a handshake.
Yet…
He showed no suspicious behavior or perverse intent.
She truly couldn't understand what went on in his mind—which only deepened her interest.
Since childhood, as a genius, she had been treated with great importance by her master, but had also faced hostility from other peaks.
This taught her how to read people—and use them when necessary.
Lu Han was someone she could read… but not completely.
"Good. Our cooperation is established. Remember, this isn't free. Everything has cause and effect, right?"
"A farmer who doesn't tend his crops loses them. But if he takes care—removes weeds, protects against pests—he'll have a good harvest. However, that requires investment."
"No farmer invests expecting a poor harvest."
"Lu Han, do you understand what I mean?"
She gave him a serious look.
"I am the harvest, and the fairy is the farmer. If I don't produce results, I'll be discarded."
Hearing that, she smiled.
Smart people were easier to deal with.
"But in your case, it won't be simple disposal. There will be a thorough investigation into how you obtained information about the sect."
"I know."
Lu Han understood.
If he wanted control over his fate, he had to grow stronger as quickly as possible.
"Fairy, what is your name? And how do you plan to help me avoid suspicion? And what must I do to maintain our cooperation?"
A man needed to know when to bow—and when to strike.
For now, Lu Han needed to keep a low profile.
Fulfilling her demands was the best way to escape his current situation.
He did not fear unforeseen variables.
The fairy had already been marked.
Looking at her palm, he thought:
Who is manipulating whom?
The fairy, unaware of his hidden thoughts, replied calmly:
"Su Qingyue. First, tell me where you are from."
That question caught Lu Han off guard—but not by much.
"A young man adopted by an elder from Stone Village, who, at the age of ten, after his death, left for Black Star City."
That was the truth.
His life experience had been exactly that.
Su Qingyue, sensing no lie, found things even simpler.
"Your situation is easy to resolve. Just say that five years ago, when you left your village, you met a strange old man with a shabby appearance who took a liking to your cooking. In exchange, he granted you an immortal opportunity five years later."
"That story may sound absurd, but believe me, it works within the sect because of a certain individual—who, coincidentally, returned two years ago after being away for eight."
"I'll help you support that story with a favor that person owes me. Also… it's best if you actually know how to cook."