Han Yu looked at the Jiangshi again.

"This level belongs to high grade constructs."

For such behavior, detailed instructions were usually required. Step by step command layering, each action defined precisely to prevent deviation. And yet this one had done it naturally.

Han Yu's gaze turned thoughtful.

"The soul…"

He focused inward slightly, sensing the presence again.

It was faint, new and unrefined. But it was there.

He nodded slightly.

"That explains it."

The existence of a soul changed everything.

It allowed interpretation.

It allowed adaptation.

It allowed learning.

Han Yu decided to test that further.

"What is this?" he asked, pointing at the box.

The Jiangshi looked at it.

Silence followed.

No response.

Han Yu was not surprised.

It had no prior knowledge.

"Box," Han Yu said.

He pointed again.

"Box."

The Jiangshi remained still, observing.

Han Yu continued.

He picked up the box.

"Box."

He set it down.

"Box."

He pointed to the latch.

"Latch."

He repeated the process several times.

Words.

Objects.

Associations.

He kept it simple.

Basic.

Then he moved to letters.

Simple characters formed with Qi.

He spoke them.

Repeated them.

Directed the Jiangshi's attention toward them.

Time passed.

Hours.

Han Yu did not stop.

He continued teaching, observing and testing.

Three hours later, he paused.

"Tell me," he said, pointing at the box.

"What is this?"

The Jiangshi looked at it.

Then at Han Yu.

"Box," it said.

Clear.

Correct.

Han Yu's eyes flickered.

He pointed at the latch.

"Latch."

The Jiangshi responded.

Han Yu increased the difficulty.

"Open the box and tell me what you did."

The Jiangshi moved.

Opened the box.

Then spoke.

"Opened… box."

The sentence was simple.

Broken.

Yet complete.

Han Yu felt a faint chill.

"…so fast."

This level of learning was abnormal.

Even among high grade Jiangshi, such development required special resources. Rare materials that enhanced cognitive function, treasures that nurtured intelligence.

For example Brain Fungus and Mind Clarifying Holy Lotus. Such items were precious beyond measure. They were reserved for cultivators or powerful beasts, not wasted on constructs. Han Yu had used none of them.

And yet the result stood before him.

He slowly stepped back, his mind racing.

"If this becomes known…"

He did not finish the thought.

He did not need to.

The implications were too great.

This was not just a new Jiangshi.

This was a new path.

One that could disrupt the balance of power within entire continents.

Han Yu looked at the Jiangshi again, his expression turning serious.

"No one can know."

That decision came instantly and without hesitation.

He extended his hand slightly.

"Release your aura."

The Jiangshi obeyed.

A faint ominous presence spread outward. It was cold, unsettling and carrying the edge of violence. Just like a normal Jiangshi.

Han Yu nodded.

"Good."

It could mask itself allowing it to blend in and appear ordinary. That made things easier for him.

Han Yu continued testing, this time durability.

He struck its arm with controlled force.

DENG

The impact produced a dull sound.

The surface resisted.

;Steel Skin level.' Han Yu thought. 'Perhaps even slightly higher.'

He increased the force but the Jiangshi held firm.

Minor damage appeared as he further increased the force.

But then… It began to recover.

Han Yu paused and his eyes narrowed.

The Jiangshi absorbed ambient Blood Qi from the surroundings slowly and naturally. A few seconds later the damage repaired itself. Han Yu felt a moment of genuine surprise.

"It heals on its own?"

That ability belonged to specialized types.

Blood Jiangshi.

High grade variants.

Constructs designed for prolonged combat.

And yet this one possessed it by default.

Han Yu lowered his hand.

For a moment, he simply looked at it.

Silent.

Thinking.

Then a faint smile appeared.

"A new kind of Jiangshi…" he murmured.

Not just stronger.

Not just smarter.

Different.

Fundamentally different.

Han Yu turned slightly, his gaze drifting toward the distance.

"This changes everything."

Han Yu stood quietly in front of the Jiangshi for a long moment after finishing his tests, his gaze steady yet filled with a depth that went far beyond simple observation.

What stood before him was no longer just a construct or an experiment. It was the result of a breakthrough, one that had the potential to reshape everything he understood about Jiangshi creation.

For the first time since he began this path, he felt something close to satisfaction.

He folded his arms slightly, then looked directly at the Jiangshi.

"You need a name," he said.

His voice was calm, but the decision carried weight.

In the sect, Jiangshi were rarely given names. They were tools. They were categorized by type, strength, and function. At most, they were labeled with numbers or simple identifiers for convenience. Naming implied recognition, and recognition implied value beyond utility.

Han Yu did not follow that convention this time.

This Jiangshi was different.

It deserved more than a number.

He thought for a moment, recalling the foundation of what had made this creation possible. The green Dao Script symbol that had formed within its Dantian. The emotion that had shaped it. The connection that had stabilized it.

Trust.

He nodded slightly.

"From now on," Han Yu said, "your name is Xinren."

The Jiangshi remained still for a brief moment, as if processing the word.

Then it bowed its head slightly.

"Xinren…" it repeated softly.

The pronunciation was clear, deliberate.

Han Yu watched closely.

"Do you understand?" he asked.

The Jiangshi lifted its head and looked at him.

"Yes… Master," it replied.

Han Yu gave a small nod.

"Good."

Then something unexpected happened.

The Jiangshi lowered its head once more and spoke again.

"Thank… you… Master."

Han Yu's eyes narrowed slightly.

He had not taught that.

He certainly did not teach it gratitude nor this expression. And it definitely should not be able to give this particular response.

For a moment, he remained silent, observing the Jiangshi carefully.

"Innate behavior?" he murmured.

It had learned more than just words.

It had understood context.

That realization only deepened the significance of what he had created.