The maps together ford an area almost five ters by ten ters wide, sprawling across the slightly less disgusting section of the cave floor. Han Yu crouched down, staring at the details.
The calligraphy and precision were remarkable, almost artistic. The peaks, valleys, rivers, and forbidden zones were all labeled. Small annotations explained which court occupied which area and even ntioned guard posts and transport formations.
Han Yu had not expected Ju Fan to have such a collection of detailed maps, and the thought crossed his mind that perhaps these had been provided when Ju Fan joined the sect. After all, large sects often gave orientation materials to their new disciples.
The Twin Leaf Peak Sect did the sa, though their version was a single humble booklet.
The sheer size and intricacy of these maps made it clear how ancient and massive the Slaughtered Moon Divine Blood Sect truly was.
Han Yu muttered, "If the Twin Leaf Peak Sect was a pond, this place is the ocean."
He traced his finger along the wide river that ran through much of the sect.
It was marked as the Bleeding Moon River.
The smaller branches and tributaries snaked outward like veins, connecting to various peaks and courtyards. Even now, the image of that blood-red water flowing under the night sky returned vividly to his mind. He shuddered.
Han Yu realized that having these maps physically spread out was both impractical and risky. If soone walked in, they would certainly question what a supposed Outer Court disciple was doing with such detailed sect maps, especially one that had been in sect for years.
He needed a safer way to keep them.
Taking out his High Grade Jade Slip, Han Yu carefully began to copy the information. His consciousness focused into the jade slip as he recorded each portion of the map, rging the five large scrolls into one continuous ntal image.
It took ti, nearly an hour of precise spiritual imprinting, but when he finished, he exhaled with satisfaction.
"Now that's better," he said, leaning back. "No more cartography lessons on the floor."
He tapped the jade slip against his forehead, linking it to his spiritual sense.
With a small pulse of energy, he confird that the image was perfectly stored. The entire sect map was now at his ntal fingertips. He could easily check routes and peaks whenever needed, pretending to be deep in thought while secretly consulting his invisible guide.
For added caution, he even created a smaller version highlighting the major paths, key rivers, and all known Outer Court regions. That took another hour, but Han Yu felt the investnt was worth it. He had no intention of getting lost again while wandering the endless peaks of this absurdly enormous sect.
Once the work was done, he sat down on the least dirty-looking rock and began reading through the first book. The more he learned, the more astonished he beca.
The sect's history stretched back at least fifty thousand years, perhaps longer.
The founder was a terrifying figure known only as the Ancestor of the Slaughtered Moon, who was said to have been born from a pool of divine blood during the age of primordial slaughter.
The sect was founded in the aftermath of a great battle, where the moon was said to have been pierced and bled across the heavens, staining the night for seven days and nights. From that crimson light, the ancestor gained enlightennt and created a path of cultivation that blended blood and divinity.
He had no idea how much of this was real and how much was just made up propoganda.
Han Yu frowned at the dramatism. "These people really love their blood."
Still, as he turned the pages, sothing else caught his attention: the structure of the sect itself. It was organized in an elaborate, symbolic design, one that mirrored the form of a colossal skeleton.
Han Yu blinked and quickly cross-checked it with the map.
The naming sche he had noticed earlier: the Rib Peaks, the Spine Ridge, the Heart Chasm, all fell into place. The entire sect layout was shaped after the skeleton of so great being. It was not a loose resemblance either.
It was exact.
In fact, the maps showed it more clearly than words ever could. The massive Bleeding Moon River served as the arterial flow, connecting the various bone-like mountains. The peaks ford the ribs, while the deepest valleys aligned where internal organs might have been.
The skull, however, was absent. Instead, where it should have been, a massive crater-shaped structure stood. And at the heart of the map was a great peak, the biggest Han Yu had seen, labeled as the Moon's Remnant Altar.
It looked like the center of everything, as if the entire sect was built around that one point.
Han Yu leaned closer, tracing the markings. The skeleton was flayed open, its ribs shattered and splayed apart, as if soone had taken a titan's remains and reshaped them into a ritual circle. It was both fascinating and horrifying.
"Who designs sothing like this?" Han Yu whispered. "What kind of architectural maniac looks at a skeleton and says, 'Yes, let's build a city inside it'?"
The more he looked at it, the more disturbed he beca, yet he could not deny the chilling artistry behind it. The precision, the proportions, the way the rivers aligned with what should have been the veins... it was as if the entire sect was alive, pulsing faintly with spiritual blood.
Han Yu sat back with a sigh. "No wonder everyone here is insane."
Still, he had to admit, it was brilliant in its own terrifying way. Every inch of the sect was connected by spiritual flows that mirrored the flow of blood within a body. The founder had literally turned the sect into a living organism.
After several monts of silence, Han Yu rolled up the maps, placed them back carefully, and leaned against the wall. "At least I know where I am now," he muttered. "Eastern Fifth Rib Peak… part of a skeleton. Perfect. Just perfect."
He glanced around the cave once more, the faint glow of the illumination talisman flickering against the blood-stained walls. The grotesque surroundings, the ancient madness of the sect, and the mystery of the world he was trapped in... all of it felt heavier than before.
Still, he could not help but chuckle softly. "Well, Han Yu," he told himself, "welco to the anatomy lesson from hell."
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