'No wonder he slaughtered the bandits so easily.' She thought as Ju Fan was already stronger than most of the elders of her clan.
Then she asked another question, biting her lip nervously. "I have heard many frightening tales about the Slaughtered Moon Divine Blood Sect. I have never t anyone from your sect before. Can you tell what it is really like?"
Han Yu t her gaze.
Then he spoke.
"It is a place where the weak die, the strong thrive, and rules are written in blood. Cultivators fight over resources daily. Betrayal is normal. Punishnt is cruel. Even the air feels heavy. The entire sect is gloomy. The sky above never brightens. Killing is common. Pain is expected."
Qing Luan paled slightly. But she did not look away.
Han Yu continued. Hearing this was part of his plan.
"Compared to that, your clan politics are nothing. If you wish to survive in the future, you will need to beco stronger. Much stronger. Only then can you protect yourself and your mother, if she still lives."
Green strands of trust energy flowed off her again.
Just as he wanted.
Qing Luan lowered her head. Her hands curled into fists. She whispered softly.
"I want to beco strong."
Han Yu's lips curved the slightest bit.
He spoke quietly, almost like a promise.
"Then follow my guidance. And I will show you how."
The journey for the next two days passed in relative calm. The carriage rolled across the winding forest roads while the driver took care of everything from steering the horses to preparing als at night.
Whenever a beast wandered too close, Han Yu stepped out, killed it in a few breaths, and dragged it back by the leg like a butcher casually bringing ho at. The driver's jaw repeatedly dropped during these monts, while Qing Luan watched with growing awe.
She had rarely seen this level of decisiveness and efficiency. Each kill reinforced the image she now held of Ju Fan: a terrifyingly strong cultivator who acted with an almost lazy dominance.
Every evening they rested by their campfire. The driver grilled the fresh spirit beast at while Qing Luan quietly cultivated nearby. Han Yu often sat cross legged watching the flas, his mind drifting to his plans for the Qing clan.
Occasionally he asked Qing Luan questions about the clan's internal structure or daily life. Each answer helped him piece together a more complete picture.
He also noticed sothing else. Qing Luan's trust grew with every passing hour. Green trust energy flowed steadily from her whenever she looked at him. It was a passive stream of power that nurtured his Eight Emotions cultivation without him having to lift a finger.
Qing Luan was not subtle either. She constantly stole glances at him with a look of admiration, respect, and barely suppressed hope. Han Yu could see her thoughts quite clearly.
She was already relying on him.
He smirked inwardly. 'Perfect. Things will move faster like this.'
By the ti the second morning ca, the driver straightened his back, pointed ahead and announced loudly:
"Young Miss, Honored Disciple, we are close to White Peacock Town."
Han Yu opened the window flap and looked outside.
Unlike the simple farm villages and scattered hamlets they had passed before, White Peacock Town was much larger. A tall stone wall circled the settlent, complete with guard towers and arrow slits. A few patrols walked along the top.
The most notable difference was the atmosphere. The village from earlier had a raw, earthy simplicity. White Peacock Town had structure and order.
"Not bad," Han Yu muttered quietly.
As they approached the gate, the guards barely glanced at the carriage before waving them through.
The polished wood, reinforced rims, and high quality spirit beast leather curtains marked it as sothing of noble ownership. No one in their right mind would stop such a carriage without reason.
"Honored Disciple," Qing Luan said softly, "this is my first ti in this town."
Han Yu raised a brow. "You have never visited the birthplace of your mother?"
Qing Luan shook her head, her expression slightly lancholic. "Mother never returned after marrying Father. She never spoke of her past much either. The only things I know are from the letters she received when I was small."
Driver Yun added quietly from the front, "The Fen clan was not very large. They were already declining before Madam Hualing married into the Qing clan. When the marriage happened, the town celebrated for a while, but their decline continued all the sa."
Han Yu had heard a little about the Fen clan already. Fen Hualing's family had once been respected. But as generations passed, they slowly dwindled in both strength and influence. The marriage to the Qing clan had been their last attempt at stabilizing their future.
It clearly had not worked.
The driver cleared his throat before speaking again. "Ten years ago the letters stopped coming. Madam Hualing did not ask for news either. She said that her clan should not trouble her now that she had joined the Qing clan. She wished to focus on raising the young miss."
Qing Luan lowered her head, sadness leaking from her spiritual presence. Han Yu could feel her sorrow clearly, like a faint blue mist in the air. It mixed with traces of fear, worry, and growing dependence.
'Perfect fuel for future manipulation.'
Driver Yun then turned the carriage down the central street of the town.
Han Yu noticed that the town was well maintained. Stone roads, brick houses, multiple shops, food stalls, even a central fountain near the middle plaza. It was lively, far more than the villages they had crossed.
"We are close to the Fen clan residence, Young Miss," the driver said with a calm but confident tone.
But the mont they turned the corner into the street branching from the town center, Driver Yun abruptly froze.
His hands trembled. His eyes widened. His face went completely pale.
"What is wrong?" Han Yu asked, narrowing his eyes.
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