Senior Brother Duan's movents were precise.
Too precise.
There was no hesitation, no wasted motion. But there was also no will. The curse seal had stripped him of it. His spirit sense was being used, but not by choice.
It was guided.
Controlled.
Han Yu clenched his fist internally.
But outwardly, he remained calm.
He moved from one section to another, occasionally crouching, occasionally tapping lightly at the rock, all while continuing his silent assessnt.
After a few minutes, footsteps approached.
Han Yu did not turn imdiately.
He waited.
Letting the other party speak first.
"Senior disciple, may I ask who you are?"
The voice was respectful, cautious.
Han Yu turned slowly.
Before him stood a man in inner court robes, his expression attentive but not hostile. His aura was steady, his cultivation at a respectable level.
Han Yu replied calmly.
"Ju Fan. Personal disciple of the Second Kidney Peak Head."
The man's eyes widened slightly.
Surprise.
Respect.
A hint of wariness.
"I see…" the man said, bowing lightly. "This junior is Ran, an Inner Court disciple of the Curse Peak."
Han Yu gave a small nod.
Disciple Ran's posture beca more accommodating imdiately.
"If senior has any questions, feel free to ask. I am quite familiar with this section."
Han Yu did not waste ti.
He gestured lightly toward the cavern.
"This area seems larger than the others."
Ran nodded.
"Indeed. This is currently the most productive section. Nearly twenty percent of the total yield so far has co from here."
Han Yu pretended to observe the walls again.
"And the slaves?"
Ran sighed lightly.
"They are better than most. Their spirit sense control is stable, and their precision is higher. That is why they were assigned here."
Han Yu's eyes flickered slightly.
He asked casually.
"Where are they from?"
Ran did not hesitate.
"Most are from the purge. Forr righteous sect disciples. The rest are local cultivators from the Blood Continent."
He chuckled faintly.
"Honestly, the righteous sect ones perform better. If we had more like them, progress would be faster."
Han Yu's expression remained unchanged.
But inside, sothing turned colder.
Still, he nodded as if in agreent.
"I see."
He paused, then added in a thoughtful tone.
"I am studying the mineral composition for a mining puppet currently under developnt at the Puppet Peak. Observing different types of workers would help in refining its functions."
Ran's eyes lit up slightly.
Understanding.
Interest.
"That makes sense," he said. "In that case, you might want to observe other sections too. There are more of these righteous sect slaves spread out."
Han Yu inclined his head.
"Oh? Where are they assigned?"
Ran began listing locations without suspicion.
Several tunnels.
Multiple chambers.
Different zones of the mine.
Han Yu morized every single one.
Flawlessly.
"Thank you," Han Yu said.
Then, with a casual motion, he took out a few Blood Crystals and handed them over.
Ran's eyes brightened.
"Senior is too generous."
Han Yu waved it off.
"We will be working here often."
That single sentence changed everything.
Ran's attitude shifted instantly.
More respectful.
More eager.
More cooperative.
"Of course, of course," Ran said quickly. "If senior needs anything, just ask. I know this mine well. Even better than Disciple Cao in so aspects. I was among the first assigned here."
Han Yu nodded slightly.
'Perfect.'
Then, as if continuing his technical inquiry, he asked,
"What about underground water channels? Aqueducts? Any instability risks?"
Ran answered without hesitation.
"There are several. Natural aquifers beneath the mine. So connect to the old lake that used to be above this area."
Han Yu's eyes narrowed slightly.
"They had to be sealed before draining the lake," Ran continued. "Otherwise, the entire area would have flooded."
Han Yu nodded thoughtfully.
"And their locations?"
Ran gestured toward the talisman.
"You can check using that. Switch to layered mapping."
Han Yu activated the talisman.
His spirit sense flowed into it.
The map shifted.
Expanded.
Layers unfolded.
And then, he saw them.
A network.
Thin blue lines weaving beneath the mine.
Hidden channels.
Underground aquifers.
So sealed.
So partially active.
So dangerously close to mining zones.
Han Yu's gaze deepened.
'This…'
This was important.
Very important.
He morized everything.
Every channel.
Every connection.
Every weak point.
Then he deactivated the map and returned to his calm deanor.
"Understood."
Ran smiled, clearly pleased with himself. He hoped that he would form a good connection with this senior and get more rewards along the way.
Han Yu turned slightly, casting one last subtle glance toward Senior Brother Duan.
Still working.
Still silent.
Still alive.
Han Yu turned away.
For now… that was enough.
But in his mind, plans had already begun to form.
Han Yu moved deeper into the tunnels, guided not by instinct alone, but by themulti-layered map within the talisman.
With each subtle pulse of spirit sense he fed into it, the terrain unfolded before him in precise detail, revealing not only the paths that had already been explored, but the hidden veins beneath them.
The thin blue lines representing underground aquifers appeared faint at first, but the more he focused, the clearer they beca, spreading like a concealed network of arteries beneath the mine.
Finding them was not difficult.
Understanding them was.
The first aquifer he approached lay beneath a narrow bend in the tunnel. The ground there felt different underfoot. Slightly softer. Slightly hollow. Moisture clung to the edges of the rock, forming a thin sheen that reflected the dim light of the spirit lamps.
Han Yu crouched and pressed his palm lightly against the surface, allowing his spirit sense to seep downward.
Cold.
It was flowing chill of moving water.
His eyes narrowed slightly as he traced the current beneath the stone. It was shallow. Narrow. More of a trickle than a true stream. Even if one were to break through into it, there would be no passage forward. Only confinent.
'Too small.'
He stood and moved on without hesitation.
The next aquifer was larger, but unstable. The walls above it had been reinforced heavily with reinforcent and stabilizing formations, their glow stronger than usual. That alone was enough to tell Han Yu what he needed to know.
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