Hong Yura’s rapier had pierced one of his fellow disciples back then.
The image remained clear even now.
As for Hong Yao, Han Yu had encountered him later in the mines. After becoming a Legacy Disciple he barely saw the man again. The two disciples moved within different circles now.
Yet fate had brought them back.
Hong Yao stood at the Infant Soul Stage of the Nascent Soul Realm while Hong Yura had already reached Adult Soul Stage. The latter was even being considered for elder promotion. If the tournant had continued peacefully, there was a good chance he would already have beco one.
The timing suited Han Yu perfectly.
More importantly...
Their background was clean.
Han Yu had investigated them carefully.
No clans.
No family influence.
No major lineage.
Their master, High Elder Zhongli, shared the sa history.
Two thousand years ago he had entered the sect as a commoner.
No backing.
No inheritance.
Nothing.
He rose entirely through talent and hard work.
Later he recruited Hong Yao and Hong Yura from outside during his travels.
The three of them practically ford their own independent line.
Han Yu smiled faintly.
’No background...’
Then he would give them one.
The timing was excellent too.
High Elder Zhongli had brought both disciples into Heart Peak after the recent disasters. He feared the hidden enemy might target them otherwise.
Ironically that only helped Han Yu.
Both disciples now lived inside Heart Peak.
Both possessed special responsibilities.
Both remained among the few disciples allowed movent throughout the sect.
Their status gave them access.
Their duties gave them freedom.
Their lack of background gave them isolation.
"Perfect."
Han Yu closed his eyes again.
The plan slowly ford.
He would not simply accuse them.
No.
That was crude.
The sect would investigate.
He needed history.
Evidence.
Layers.
A story.
Thus the preparations began.
Deep beneath Heart Peak, hidden within storage areas, workshops, abandoned passages and servant routes, Han Yu’s Jiangshi quietly moved.
So carried scroll fragnts.
Others moved old records.
Several transported corpses.
One Jiangshi entered a forgotten archive and quietly copied old mission reports.
Another slipped through a docunt repository and morized personnel assignnts.
The preparations spread.
Han Yu directed everything silently.
The first step was identity.
The sect believed an ancient faction existed.
Good.
Then the faction needed a na.
History.
Purpose.
He spent nearly half a month considering it.
Finally he settled on one.
The Ashen Moon Remnants.
A fabricated organization supposedly descended from survivors of one of the sect’s ancient enemies.
Old enough to fit the narrative.
Obscure enough to avoid imdiate contradiction.
The second step required evidence.
Within abandoned storage rooms several Jiangshi began planting hidden items.
Ancient style robes.
Fragnts of symbols.
Half burned records.
Coded notes.
Nothing obvious.
Everything subtle.
Enough that investigators could piece things together themselves.
The third step...
Was the hardest.
Connection.
Hong Yao and Hong Yura needed ties.
Han Yu began watching them more carefully.
Their movents.
Habits.
Schedules.
Conversations.
Hong Yura spent much of his ti outside.
Patrols.
Investigations.
Escort duties.
Hong Yao handled logistics and records.
The irony made Han Yu almost laugh.
One gathered information.
One moved around.
The roles practically fit the image already.
Three weeks later, Han Yu finally began.
One night Hong Yao entered a storage hall to retrieve docunts.
He never realized Han Yu stood beside him in soul form.
Possession ca swiftly.
Han Yu took control.
The disciple moved quietly.
He opened a hidden compartnt beneath a shelf.
Inside he placed a sealed scroll.
Then left.
Minutes later control ended.
Hong Yao blinked.
He frowned slightly.
A faint headache.
Nothing more.
Two days later the sa happened with Hong Yura.
This ti a hidden token was planted.
Ancient design.
Deliberately weathered.
Marked with a symbol Han Yu had created himself.
The cycle repeated.
Small actions.
Tiny inconsistencies.
Traces.
Nothing suspicious individually.
Together...
They would beco a noose.
Months passed.
The sect remained tense.
The investigations continued.
No one knew that all this ti a hidden network was quietly being born beneath their eyes.
One evening Han Yu sat within his room while Chitterfang rested nearby upon a cushion.
The fat rat munched spirit nuts happily while several female rodents attended him.
Han Yu looked at him briefly.
"Your life is too comfortable," he muttered.
Chitterfang proudly puffed his chest.
"Great Chitterfang deserves greatness!"
Han Yu ignored him.
His gaze shifted toward the distance.
The preparations were nearly complete.
Soon the sect would find evidence.
Soon nas would erge.
Soon suspicion would beco certainty.
And when that happened...
The Blood Sect would finally have its hidden faction.
A faction that never existed.
A faction born from fear.
Created by one man sitting quietly inside Heart Peak.
Far away, High Elder Zhongli sat within his residence discussing duties with Hong Yao and Hong Yura.
The old man looked pleased.
His disciples had perford well recently.
Reliable.
Steady.
Capable.
He trusted them completely.
None of the three had the slightest idea.
A shadow had already fallen over them.
And Han Yu was preparing to give it a na.
Three months passed quietly.
To everyone else within the Slaughtered Moon Divine Blood Sect, those months appeared uneventful. The investigations continued, the restrictions remained, and the fear that had once gripped the sect slowly settled into an uncomfortable routine. P
eople no longer jumped at every little sound. Elders still remained vigilant, but the sharp edge of panic had dulled. The hidden faction remained unfound. The libraries remained ashes. The culprit remained unknown.
And Han Yu waited.
Patience had always been one of his strengths.
He spent those months refining details, watching reactions, and planting the last pieces of evidence. Hidden records had been moved. Tokens placed. False traces established. The groundwork was complete.
Now all he needed was blood.
A hidden faction that only left clues and evidence would not be enough. People needed enemies. They needed attacks. They needed sothing tangible.
Thus Han Yu finally moved.
This ti he would sacrifice Jiangshi.
Of course, officially these Jiangshi belonged to the sect.
More precisely, they belonged to one of the guard divisions operating beneath High Elder Zhongli’s authority.
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