Once prepared, Han Yu sat by his table and allowed himself a long exhale.
The temptation of the mine tugged at his mind again—those glimring spirit stones, warm with qi, potent enough to act as both resource and material for the Undying Life Charm.
’Even a sliver of that wealth would be enough, he thought.’
He closed his eyes, focused, and going over the plan one last ti.
Then, without any fanfare, he stepped out of his courtyard and began his journey south.
To others, he was just another disciple on low-tier missions.
But to Han Yu, he was already stepping into the next shadow of his grand design.
Before leaving the sect’s boundaries though, Han Yu made a final stop just beyond the last pagoda arch that marked the edge of the Outer Court’s influence. He sat beneath a pale willow tree, the wind gently ruffling the leaves overhead.
Pulling out the high-grade communication jade slip, he channeled a thin thread of soul qi into it, activating its ssaging function.
He considered his words carefully before beginning the ssage.
’To: ng Jueyan
A pawn of mine will be heading toward the Ending Spine Mountains to investigate a mission related to the mine.
His identity is important. Ensure he is kept safe if encountered.
Avoid confrontation.
Additionally, if possible, have soone collect so Black Snake Vine from the southern foothills and take care of the Bronze Tribe wolf pack reported near the villages there.
Their corpses—if secured—can be traded for rit points. It will save ti for the mission.
Lastly, conceal your identity. If you et him et, it’s best he does not recognize you. Han Yu may not respond favorably to seeing a Mist Eye Sect Disciple. He does not know my true affiliations.’
He allowed himself a sly smile at the end of the note. Playing both sides was never simple, but sotis it could be entertaining.
There was a risk ng Jueyan might get suspicious or act recklessly. But Han Yu had chosen his phrasing carefully.
By calling himself a "pawn" of Elder Yi, he retained the mask. By labeling his identity as "important" and requesting protection, he created an obligation—without revealing that "Han Yu" and "Elder Yi’s pawn" were one and the sa.
Not even ng Jueyan could be certain of every secret he held. And she had much to lose by being careless.
With that done, he sealed the ssage and sent it.
The jade slip dimd, its surface returning to calm.
He leaned back against the tree trunk, head tilted to the sky as he let the breeze wash over him. Behind his casual appearance, his mind continued to plot and calculate.
’This should give enough coverage to act. If ng Jueyan does help with the missions, I’ll be in and out of that area before anyone gets suspicious. And if I bump into her while in disguise? All the better. She’ll play along... for now.’
He left the sect’s gate and headed to a hidden spot just within the edge of the forest nearby. He lifted a rock, revealing a wooden box under it. Opening it, Han Yu revealed a set of black robes.
"These might co in handy." Han Yu stored the robes in his borrowed Spatial Storage Pouch.
These were none other than the Shadow ld Robes he had stolen from the vault. He had hidden them here a long ti ago, just in case he might need them in the future and also to prevent the sect from discovering them.
Having taken them he made his way to the main path.
Just an hour later, while he was preparing to descend the hill path toward the foot of the mountains, the jade slip buzzed softly.
He activated it without hesitation.
’From: ng Jueyan
Understood. I’ll take care of the herbs and the Bronze Tribe wolves. Shouldn’t be too difficult.
As for your... pawn. I’ll be looking forward to eting another of Elder Yi’s mysterious tools.
Don’t worry. I’ll play my part. Let’s see how clever your little pawn really is.’
Han Yu let out a short chuckle. She was clearly amused, but not hostile. That was good.
He tucked the jade slip away and stood up, brushing the dust off his robes. With ng Jueyan aiding him in the background, the burden of collecting herbs and hunting down the wolves would be significantly lighter. He could focus on scouting the mine’s surroundings, analyzing the caravan’s movents, and perhaps—if luck favored him—interfering just enough to claim so spirit stones for himself.
More importantly, this approach allowed him to maintain both identities without conflict. Should the two ever clash, Han Yu had plausible deniability ready on both ends.
His feet crunched along the stone trail as he began his journey. He passed several disciples heading down similar paths—so returning from failed missions, others eager to earn their next string of rit points.
No one paid him much attention. Just another solitary Outer Court disciple on a low-level assignnt.
But beneath the humble robes, hidden behind the tired-yet-determined gaze, was a predator moving through the tall grass.
And he had scented blood.
The first leg of his journey took him through a winding mountain pass that connected the Twin Leaf Valley to the southern slope regions. Birds cawed in the distance, and spirit butterflies occasionally flitted by, their wings glowing faintly under the dappled light.
Han Yu didn’t hurry. He kept to a moderate pace, occasionally stopping at roadside shrines or small trade outposts to maintain appearances. He even bartered for a smoked boar jerky stick from a wandering rchant, exchanging a minor grade spirit talisman as paynt.
By nightfall, he’d reached the small border town of Emberthistle—the target of his pill delivery.
The rchant, a plump, balding man with an embroidered vest and worry-lined eyes, greeted him anxiously at the gate of his courtyard.
"You’ve brought it?" the man asked, his voice a tremble of hope as he looked at Han Yu dressed in the robes of Twin Leaf Sect.
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