With the test of the Emotion Severing Slash done and his Soul Qi running a bit low, Han Yu settled back down on the bamboo steps of his courtyard, arms resting over his knees as he let his mind drift.
He wasn’t just recovering.
He was thinking.
The tranquil ripples of the pond nearby were a far cry from the noisy chaos that used to define his every day—back when he had to dodge accusations, duck flying soup bowls in the servant quarters, and mask his sches behind an innocent smile.
Now? He had Soul Skills, a growing understanding of cultivation, and more importantly... he had influence.
He cast his gaze toward the distant Twin Leaf Peak.
The Eight Emotions energy that had once erupted from the various peaks of the sect had dwindled. Where once there had been waves upon waves flooding the ambient qi with emotional resonance, now there were only faint flickers—one or two every hour, no more.
But those few lingering sparks...
Han Yu’s lips curled up slightly.
It didn’t take much deduction to guess the cause.
His mission report.
More specifically—the shock it had caused.
He had only handed it to the elder in charge. He hadn’t broadcast it. He hadn’t made a public show. But the energy had still been flowing toward him like spiritual smoke drawn to a candle.
Why?
Because it was still his report.
It was his influence.
Whether it was read aloud or passed around, his na was stamped on every word. His observations, his theories, his conclusions about the Mist Eye Sect’s actions, the secret altar, and the Magma Ancestor were all his work.
And the emotions generated?
He could feel them clearly even now.
Surprise.
Anticipation.
Joy.
Anger.
Fear.
Even a dash of Trust.
It painted a vivid picture. Elder Hei must have passed it on to the upper echelons. Other elders, deacons, maybe even soone from the sect’s main council. Every new reader added to the collective reaction.
Which ant more Eight Emotions Energy for him.
Han Yu tapped his chin thoughtfully.
"So that’s how it works..."
It had always been vague—this chanic of emotional resonance feeding into his Soul Qi pool. The basic premise was easy enough to grasp: provoke strong emotions in others, gain energy. But this was different.
This was passive. Indirect.
He hadn’t seen those elders. Hadn’t spoken to them. Hadn’t even been in the sa room. And yet, their reactions were nourishing him.
It made sense now. Emotion wasn’t bound by distance. If soone felt sothing because of him, even if they didn’t know him, it counted.
And more importantly—it ant that mission reports, especially ones with impactful or unexpected results, were a potential goldmine.
A sly grin crossed his face.
Not only would he get rits, resources, and sect reputation, he also got an extra boost to his soul cultivation.
He tapped his fingers together, eyes alight.
"If I keep turning in reports like that... I might just prank my way to the Soul Adept Realm."
He paused. Then chuckled.
Alright, maybe not prank. Not entirely. But shock? Surprise? Revelation?
That he could do.
All it would take was discovering things no one else expected, or presenting them in a way that made jaws drop and elders stroke their beards in existential dread. He was already good at that. All he needed was a little more flair.
Of course, there was one other thing.
He frowned slightly, glancing toward the horizon again.
"I still haven’t gotten a reward notice."
For a mission of that scale—disruption of a major Mist Eye Sect operation, survival against impossible odds, successful return with key intelligence—there should have been sothing. A token. A jade slip. A note from Elder Hei.
But so far... silence.
No ssage had co. No summons. No grumpy elder shouting from above with a spirit beast courier in tow.
Nothing.
Han Yu tilted his head, brow furrowing.
"Maybe it’s still processing?" he muttered. "Or maybe they’re preparing sothing grand?"
He certainly hoped so.
He’d put in the work. Gotten scarred, ntally and fake-physically. Built an entire persona. Nearly died several tis. He was not about to let that go unpaid.
"Maybe they’re just taking their sweet ti," he added, rolling his eyes.
The sect could be like that—especially when bureaucracy was involved. Reports got passed up. Approvals had to be signed by ten people who were possibly all in secluded cultivation. And Elder Hei, for all his gravitas, wasn’t exactly the fastest ssenger when he thought he could make soone wait longer for dramatic effect.
And Han Yu wasn’t wrong.
The reason he hadn’t been given a reward right away was due to the nature of his report. Sure he could’ve been given the reward stipulated right away, but he wouldn’t have accepted it. That would be the sa as dropping an axe on his foot.
The results he had brought back were worth a lot more. The elder’s knew this too and they wouldn’t attempt to short change him for that. As such they needed to assess the accuracy of the report then decide on new rewards.
Still, a part of him itched.
He didn’t like waiting.
Waiting ant uncertainty. And Han Yu preferred control. He liked knowing the board, the pieces, and especially the hidden traps.
Maybe he should visit Elder Hei?
Or leave a subtle note?
Or disguise himself as a confused junior disciple and "accidentally" overhear soone talking about reward allocations?
He’d consider it.
For now, though, he had enough to keep him busy. His Soul Qi needed rest. His techniques needed practice. And his next steps—whatever they may be—would likely need so careful staging.
After all, if he wanted more energy, he needed more eyes. More readers. More reactions.
And that ant choosing missions that could stir the pot just enough to make the elders reach for their ergency tea stash.
Han Yu leaned back, arms behind his head, smiling at the sky.
"Let’s see what outrageous tale I can uncover next..."
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