Having handed the mission to Chitterfang, Han Yu watched as the small rat scampered down into the network of tunnels deep beneath the courtyard floor. The little creature’s tiny paws disappeared beneath the wooden boards with barely a sound, and Han Yu allowed himself a brief mont of satisfaction.
Then, with a practiced motion, Han Yu pulled the talisman ng Jueyan had given him from his inner pocket. It was a delicate, yellow paper slip inscribed with intricate runes glowing faintly in the soft light of the afternoon.
His fingers brushed over the talisman, activating the hidden formation within it. A pale, ethereal glow emanated from the jade slip as it humd softly, the runes flickering like distant stars in a night sky.
Han Yu felt the familiar pulse of energy—the signal being sent instantly, traveling vast distances to reach ng Jueyan, wherever she might be at that very mont.
The weight of the talisman seed to lighten as the connection was made, a promise of communication bridging the many hundreds of kiloters that separated them.
With that final confirmation done, Han Yu exhaled slowly and tucked the talisman away.
Now, all that remained was to wait for ng Jueyan response.
His mind shifted imdiately to the next pressing task at hand—securing the ingredients he needed to advance his cultivation and complete the Undying Life Charm.
The Jade Heart Silk and the Reverse Blood Fruit were vital components, and the only place to reliably acquire them within the sect was at the Herb Pavilion’s rit exchange counter.
"Let’s get those first."
Determined, Han Yu rose and made his way through the twisting paths of the Twin Leaf Peak Sect’s outer grounds, passing fellow disciples busy with their own errands and studies.
The sect was always alive with energy—so vibrant and youthful, others solemn and intense—but Han Yu’s pace was steady, confident. He had spent too long waiting in his courtyard; now was the ti to act.
At the Herb Pavilion, the air was thick with the mingled scents of dried herbs, dicinal roots, and faintly sweet incense burning in the corners.
The rit exchange counter sat beneath an archway of polished wood, behind which a young disciple sat with a neat bun and sharp eyes, sifting through piles of parchnt and tokens.
Han Yu stepped forward and laid his identity token on the smooth counter surface.
"I’d like to purchase two strands of Jade Heart Silk and a Reverse Blood Fruit," Han Yu stated clearly, his voice calm but firm.
The disciple paused mid-sift, blinking with visible surprise. His brow furrowed as he studied Han Yu for a mont.
"Those aren’t typical requests," the disciple replied carefully, his tone holding a note of caution. "Generally, only cultivators in the Nascent Soul realm seek those items. They’re rare and valuable, especially for soone at your current level."
Han Yu offered a faint, rueful smile.
"Li i," he said simply.
The na seed to hold weight. The disciple’s face shifted instantly from suspicion to understanding, and he gave Han Yu a gentle pat on the shoulder.
"You’re brave to have endured her pill tests," the disciple remarked with a knowing grin. "I’ve heard her concoctions are... unconventional, to say the least. I suppose these are the ingredients for her next experint."
Han Yu said nothing more, letting the excuse settle between them. It was the perfect cover story—soone who knew Li i’s eccentricities would never doubt the reason for the purchase.
And the crazy alchemist was infamous with the sect.
The disciple quickly set about his task, disappearing briefly into the storage rooms behind the counter.
Han Yu watched as other disciples bustled about, so haggling over prices, others exchanging whispers about the latest sect news. The atmosphere was lively yet disciplined, a testant to the well-ordered life of the Twin Leaf Peak Sect.
After what felt like a patient twenty minutes, the disciple returned, carrying the items with a careful hand.
The Jade Heart Silk was neatly wrapped into two small spools, each coil almost three ters long.
Han Yu lifted the silk carefully, feeling the smooth, almost ethereal texture beneath his fingers. The silk shimred faintly with a jade-green luminescence, as if infused with latent spirit energy.
Next, the disciple presented the Reverse Blood Fruit, cradled delicately inside a small wooden box.
The lid was opened just enough to reveal the mysterious fruit nestled within.
It was far smaller than Han Yu had imagined—barely the size of a lychee.
Its skin was a deep blood-red, patterned with thin, bright green veins that snaked across its surface like a living map.
Han Yu’s gaze lingered on the fruit, sensing its potent energy even through the wooden container.
"It’s smaller than I expected," Han Yu admitted softly.
The disciple smiled knowingly. "Its power isn’t in size, but in essence. Handle it carefully—it’s fragile but imnsely valuable."
Han Yu nodded, tucking both items securely into his travel pouch.
"Thank you," he said sincerely, his voice carrying an edge of gratitude that was rare for him.
As he turned to leave the pavilion, Han Yu’s mind was already working through the next steps.
The Jade Heart Silk and Reverse Blood Fruit were crucial pieces of a larger puzzle—his Undying Life Charm.
That charm, once completed, would grant him the extraordinary power to cheat death itself, to endure and rebuild no matter the calamity once more.
It was no small ambition, but Han Yu’s eyes glead with the stubborn determination of soone who refused to be ordinary.
Outside the Herb Pavilion, the afternoon sun was dipping lower, casting long shadows across the sect’s courtyards.
Han Yu moved with purpose, feeling the weight of progress with each step.
He was not rely surviving—he was beginning to bloom, despite the odds stacked against him.
But even as hope stirred within, Han Yu remained vigilant.
The sect’s quiet watchfulness was never far from his thoughts.
Sowhere, hidden eyes tracked his movents, waiting for a misstep or a spark to ignite into chaos.
Yet Han Yu refused to be caged.
His journey was just beginning.
User Comments
0 comments from readers