Ling, Jing, Biyu, Ziyan, Zidi, Boji, and Lixue were known as the 7 Minor Realms of cultivation. Despite the power a cultivator could gain while climbing through them, anyone within these realms was still considered mortal. This entire period was known as the Mortal Stage, where cultivators wrestled with their Dao Hearts and built the foundations that would shape everything that came afterward. A weak foundation could limit someone forever, while a strong one could open paths that others could never reach. Tian had heard plenty about the seven realms before, but the Green Oak Codex explained them differently. It treated the Mortal Stage as more than the beginning of cultivation. According to the Codex, it was where a cultivator decided what kind of existence they might eventually become.
For thousands of years, very few humans had managed to advance beyond the Mortal Stage. That failure had caused humanity to fall further behind the older races, many of which had produced powerful cultivators for generations. Humans were the last race to come into existence, yet the Codex claimed their late arrival might have a purpose. The Devils never rested. They remained a threat to every race and constantly searched for another opportunity to seize all of creation. According to the opening chapter, humanity might hold the key to defeating them. Tian found that claim difficult to understand. Humans struggled to produce cultivators beyond Lixue, while older races possessed histories stretching far beyond their own. Still, the Codex presented humanity's importance as though there was something deeper left unexplained.
This was only the opening chapter of the Green Oak Codex. Following the instructions written on its 1st page, Tian had placed a single drop of blood upon the book. The moment it touched the page, the Codex bonded with him and entered his Soul World. It no longer behaved like an ordinary book. Tian could sense it within himself like a living spirit, presenting knowledge directly to his mind and guiding him through each section. For someone with his near-perfect cultivation memory, the experience was almost unbelievable. Generations of Green Oak ancestors had left their knowledge inside this Codex, and Tian had been given access to all of it.
Tian spent an entire year exploring the wonders hidden within the Green Oak Codex. He witnessed recorded battles between masters from different generations and received lectures from cultivators who had died hundreds or even thousands of years ago. Some explained the 7 Minor Realms, while others focused on Dao Hearts, combat, spiritual energy, and the mistakes they made during their lives. Tian absorbed everything he could, storing each lesson within his near-perfect memory. Eventually, he reached the final chapter and discovered that it contained 2 great inheritances. He could choose only one: Divination or World of Dao. Tian barely considered the first. The moment he encountered World of Dao, something within him responded, and he knew immediately which inheritance belonged on his path.
With the final chapter completed, Green Oak Sect honored its promise. Tian received a Wandering Permit, granting him the freedom to leave and return whenever he wished while also accepting missions beyond sect territory. Several elders expected the Green Oak Codex to be returned afterward, but Master Huai quickly corrected them. "He has already become the Sect Preceptor. How can he give up the Codex?" Huai explained that neither he nor any elder possessed the authority to demand it back. Attempting to take the Codex by force was even worse. Its protections would activate, and both the Codex and Green Oak Sect would punish the offender by wiping out their entire bloodline. That warning immediately ended any thoughts of challenging Tian's ownership.
Master Huai then revealed something the elders had not fully understood. Tian's position as Sect Preceptor placed his authority beneath only the Sect Leader himself. Even the 12 Guardians technically stood below him now. There was just one problem: Tian had no idea. Huai intended to keep it that way for the moment, allowing him to experience the outside world without becoming consumed by sect affairs. Tian was now 20 years old, and the enlightenment gained during his year with the Codex had brought his cultivation to Half-step Jing Realm. One final push would carry him beyond Ling entirely. With his Wandering Permit finally in hand, Tian packed what little he needed and prepared to leave Green Oak Sect, eager to see where his first journey would take him.
Of course, Tian was not going anywhere before hearing his teacher's recommendation. After speaking with Master Han, he decided his first destination would be Kati Village, a small settlement that served as one of Green Oak Sect's outposts. It was also Master Han's hometown and the home of the Han Clan. Master Han wanted Tian to help his family and, if possible, revitalize the entire village. Tian agreed without needing much convincing. Everything he had enjoyed since joining Green Oak Sect had come through Master Han's care and guidance. His teacher had fought for his mission privileges, supported him before the elders, and recognized his abilities before most others. Tian could hardly refuse the first personal request Master Han had ever made of him.
The mission also happened to be exactly what Tian wanted. He had little interest in wandering around looking for powerful beasts or fighting other cultivators just to prove himself. Helping a struggling village sounded far more useful. Tian had spent most of his life working farmland, improving harvests, hunting beasts, and helping his own clan rise to Level 1 Noble status. Those experiences gave him skills that could benefit ordinary people beyond cultivation. Kati Village already had a connection to Green Oak Sect, so he would not arrive as a complete outsider either. Master Han explained what he knew about the village, its current problems, and the Han Clan's declining influence.
Master Han could not handle the matter himself. As a teacher of Green Oak Sect, directly interfering with the affairs of his hometown could raise questions about impartiality, especially when local government was involved. Tian faced no such restriction. His Wandering Permit gave him freedom to accept outside missions, and helping an established Green Oak outpost fell well within his authority. Master Han only asked that Tian judge the situation for himself before making any major decisions. With that settled, Tian gathered supplies, stored what he needed, and prepared for the road ahead. At 20 years old and Half-step Jing Realm, this would be his first real journey beyond the life he had always known.
Kati Village was one of the last remnants of the Mhan Empire, a human power that fell 4,000 years ago, long before Green Oak Sect existed. The Han Clan was among the few noble families that survived its destruction, holding their ground against endless attacks from Devils and their demon armies. Generations of Han cultivators fought to protect the people who remained, even as everything around them collapsed. After the Great Rip 3,000 years ago, the Han Clan rebuilt Kati and helped its surviving residents create a new home. They never tried to restore the Mhan Empire or crown themselves rulers. Their focus remained on protecting Kati, feeding its people, and ensuring that another generation could grow up behind walls defended by the Han name.
That changed when Green Oak Sect was founded by Green Sage Li Chen. During his travels, Li Chen came across Kati and became impressed by the Han Clan's history and determination. He personally taught several Han members, giving them knowledge that allowed the clan to eventually produce Ziyan Realm masters. A close relationship developed between the two powers, eventually leading to a pact. Kati would become an ally and outpost of Green Oak Sect, while Green Oak promised to protect the Han Clan for life. The Hans respected that agreement for generations. They supported Green Oak cultivators traveling through the region, provided supplies when needed, and continued protecting the surrounding lands. For centuries, the arrangement benefited both sides and made challenging Kati a dangerous decision for nearby powers.
Times had changed, however. More humans were becoming cultivators, new clans were rising, and sects were appearing across lands that once had few powers capable of challenging Green Oak. As Green Oak's influence declined over the last 200 years, some began questioning whether its protection still meant anything. Several nearby clans had already challenged the Han Clan's authority, while newer sects were pushing into territory historically protected by Kati. Some wanted farmland, others wanted resources, and a few wanted to replace the Hans entirely. Their actions were also an open challenge toward Green Oak Sect and the ancient pact established by its founder.