The brand of a traitor was unmistakable, even from a distance. It was etched across the back, faintly visible through the torn and worn clothing that covered the slave's body. The mark signified more than just status. It indicated origin. This was a former disciple of the sect, someone who had fallen from grace and been reduced to this state.

Han Yu's eyes lingered on him for a fraction longer.

Then he made his decision.

This was the one.

He adjusted his path slightly, ensuring that he would cross the group at an angle. The distance between him and the slaves remained natural, neither too close to raise suspicion nor too far to lose opportunity. His steps remained steady, his expression calm, his presence unremarkable.

The distance closed.

Twenty meters.

Fifteen.

Ten.

Han Yu's breathing did not change.

His posture did not shift.

Only his eyes changed.

A faint glow emerged within them, subtle at first, then deepening into a rich, unnatural purple. Concentric lines formed within his pupils, expanding outward in slow, controlled patterns that carried a profound and oppressive weight.

The Soul Petrifying Glare activated.

Han Yu's gaze locked onto the branded slave.

For a single moment, their eyes met.

There was no resistance.

No awareness.

Only contact.

Then, it happened.

The slave's body faltered.

His steps broke.

And without any sound, without any struggle, he collapsed forward onto the ground like a lifeless object.

THUD

The fall was abrupt.

Heavy.

Final.

Han Yu deactivated the skill immediately and no other slave noticed it.

The purple glow vanished from his eyes as if it had never existed, his expression returning to its usual calm neutrality. He did not stop moving. He did not turn abruptly. He simply slowed slightly, allowing the scene to unfold naturally.

At the same time, his spirit sense extended toward the fallen slave.

Focused and precise.

Now that he understood the structure of the Doll Seal, he knew exactly what to look for. The nodes, the pathways, the core connections that linked the individual to the larger array were all clear in his mind.

He traced them carefully.

What he found made his eyes narrow ever so slightly.

The connection… Was gone.

Not weakened.

Not distorted.

Severed.

The moment the soul had been stunned, the seal lost its anchor. The entire structure depended on the active presence of the soul. Once that presence vanished, even temporarily, the system could not maintain its hold.

To the array…

The slave was dead.

Han Yu remained still internally, though his thoughts sharpened.

'It works.'

The hypothesis had not only proven correct, it had exceeded his expectations. The effect was cleaner, more complete than he had anticipated.

However, he did not allow himself to conclude too quickly.

There was still one more variable.

Time passed.

A few seconds.

Then, the slave stirred.

His body twitched slightly, then slowly pushed itself up from the ground. His movements were sluggish for a brief moment, as if recovering from a deep shock, but they stabilized quickly.

Han Yu's spirit sense followed the change.

The connection returned.

The nodes reactivated.

The seal reestablished itself.

Everything resumed as if nothing had happened.

Han Yu's thoughts settled into clarity.

'So it resets.'

That meant the effect was temporary.

The array recognized the absence of the soul as death, but the moment the soul returned, it recalibrated and restored the seal. There was no lasting damage, no permanent disruption.

This confirmed the next step.

The Soul Petrifying Glare alone was not enough.

It could create the opening.

But something else was needed to finalize it.

The Violet Spirit Quartz.

Han Yu's understanding aligned completely.

If the seal could be altered during that moment of disconnection, if the core could be modified or replaced while the system registered the subject as dead, then the change would become permanent.

The slave would remain free.

Or at least…

Free from the original control.

As for complete removal of the seal, that would require further work. That was a problem for later. For now, achieving a functional escape was enough.

Han Yu's gaze shifted slightly.

The situation around him was beginning to change.

The fallen slave had disrupted the formation. The others had halted, their movements momentarily disordered as the system adjusted. The supervising disciple at the rear had finally looked up from his jade slip, his expression shifting from mild annoyance to confusion.

Han Yu did not wait.

He acted immediately.

"Where is your attention?"

His voice cut through the tunnel sharply, carrying authority and irritation in equal measure. The tone was precise, controlled, and unmistakably that of a superior addressing a negligent subordinate.

The supervising disciple flinched slightly, his brows furrowing as he turned toward the source of the voice. Irritation flashed across his face for a brief moment, the instinctive reaction of someone being reprimanded.

Then he saw who it was.

Ju Fan.

The irritation vanished.

Replaced instantly by surprise.

Then tension.

His posture straightened, his attention snapping into focus.

Han Yu did not give him time to recover.

His hand lifted slightly, pointing toward the disrupted formation.

"Is this how you maintain order?"

The words were not loud.

But they carried weight.

The disciple followed the direction of the gesture.

And saw it.

The slave.

On the ground.

Out of formation.

His expression changed immediately.

Realization struck.

Without another word, he moved quickly toward the fallen slave, his earlier distraction completely forgotten. His focus returned, his actions efficient as he began to assess the situation, checking the slave's condition and ensuring that the seal was intact.

He then began to berate the slave and kicked it for not following the orders. Of course the slave did not fight back and took it as they usually did. After a few seconds he got up and the slaves began moving again.

Han Yu watched briefly.

Then turned away.

His role in the moment was complete.

To anyone observing, he had merely corrected a lapse in discipline.

Nothing more.

Nothing less.

But within his mind…

A path had just been confirmed.

And it was only the beginning.