The healers applied a few restorative techniques, reinforcing what Han Yu had already done himself. The wounds on his body began to close more visibly, the lingering pain fading as the healing Qi settled into place.

Han Yu remained calm throughout.

His breathing steady.

His expression composed.

It did not take long before another presence arrived.

Heavy.

Authoritative.

The surrounding disciples straightened almost instantly.

"The Peak Head!"

The Second Kidney Peak Head entered the area with a sharp gaze, his cold aura pressing down upon the surroundings. His expression was grim, his brows furrowed deeply as he scanned the scene.

Then his eyes found Han Yu.

In a single step, he appeared before him.

"Ju Fan."

His voice carried both concern and restrained anger.

Han Yu stood immediately and bowed.

"Master."

The Peak Head's spirit sense swept over him directly, far more thorough than the healer's inspection. Every inch of Han Yu's body was examined, every fluctuation of Qi analyzed.

A moment passed.

Then, the tension in his expression eased slightly. A hundred wisps of Eight Emotions Energy of all kinds also came pouring out of him.

"You are fine," he said as joy energy finally reached Han Yu while he nodded.

"Only minor injuries."

The Peak Head exhaled slowly, relief evident beneath his composed exterior.

Then his expression hardened again.

"What happened?"

Han Yu did not hesitate.

He recounted the prepared explanation, his tone steady and precise.

"I was in a deeper section of the mine, observing the structural composition of the walls. There had been signs of instability for some time. The ground beneath me gave way suddenly, and the tunnel collapsed."

He paused briefly.

"I was buried."

The surrounding disciples stiffened slightly at that.

"I managed to create space and dig my way out, but the paths were blocked. It took several hours to find an alternate route back."

The Peak Head listened without interruption.

His expression darkened with each word.

When Han Yu finished, silence lingered for a moment.

Then, slowly, the Peak Head spoke.

"You warned them before."

It was not a question.

Han Yu inclined his head.

"I did."

The Peak Head's gaze shifted slightly, his thoughts turning inward.

Han Yu had indeed reported instability within certain sections of the mine. He had advised caution, even suggested halting operations in specific areas for proper inspection.

Those warnings had been noted.

And ignored.

Because the mine's output was too important.

Because the Violet Spirit Quartz was too valuable.

Because delaying production was not an option.

Now…

The consequences had arrived.

The Peak Head's brows furrowed deeper.

"This will complicate matters," he muttered.

Han Yu remained silent.

There was nothing to add.

At that moment, another figure approached.

Hong Yao.

His presence was calm, his expression as indifferent as ever. He walked toward them without urgency, as if the chaos around him held no significance.

But when he reached Han Yu, he paused.

"You're alive."

His tone was flat.

Han Yu nodded.

"I am."

Hong Yao studied him briefly.

Externally, there was no change in his demeanor. No visible relief. No reaction.

But Han Yu noticed it. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

The faint grey wisps of surprise energy that flickered around him.

Subtle.

Barely perceptible.

Yet unmistakable.

Hong Yao simply turned away after a moment.

"Good."

That was all he said.

Yet that single word carried more than it appeared.

They were not close.

Not friends.

But there was a level of familiarity between them now. Han Yu's presence had become part of the routine. His work, his manner, even his endless explanations had created a strange sense of consistency.

Losing that…

Would have been inconvenient.

And Boring.

Hong Yao did not like unnecessary change.

The Peak Head glanced at Hong Yao, then back at Han Yu.

"We are leaving," he said firmly. "The situation here is no longer under control. The Elder Council will handle the rest."

There was no room for argument.

Han Yu nodded.

"Yes, Master."

The return to the sect was swift.

Once there, everything changed.

The mine was no longer a place of work.

It was now a problem.

Han Yu found himself relieved of all duties related to the operation. There was nothing for him to do there anymore, at least not officially. The site was under investigation, access restricted, and all focus had shifted toward understanding what had happened.

For Han Yu…

It was the perfect cover.

He remained within the sect, his movements unrestricted, his presence unquestioned. The Peak Head, still affected by the events, kept him close, often speaking to him directly.

Not formally.

But openly.

The man needed an outlet.

And Han Yu became that.

"They ignored the warnings," the Peak Head said one day, pacing within his hall. "Short-sighted fools. Now look at the result."

Han Yu listened quietly.

"The Elder Council is in chaos," the Peak Head continued. "At first, they blamed each other. Accusations of negligence, failure to supervise, lack of foresight."

He let out a sharp breath.

"Then they learned that you had warned them."

Han Yu remained silent.

"And now…" the Peak Head's voice lowered, "the blame is shifting."

"Shift? To whom?" Han Yu's eyes flickered slightly.

"To the clans," the Peak Head said.

That aligned with Han Yu's expectations.

The initial investigations had already begun.

Teams had been sent to the mine.

Remnants were recovered.

Traces analyzed.

And what they found…

Raised questions.

"There were formation residues," the Peak Head said. "Not part of the standard arrays."

He paused.

"And puppet fragments."

Han Yu's gaze lowered slightly, hiding the faint shift in his thoughts.

"The issue," the Peak Head continued, "is that the puppets are… ordinary. Nothing distinct. Nothing that directly links them to any specific source."

Which meant uncertainty and uncertainty led to suspicion.

The three clans.

Qing.

Zhao.

Wen.

They had been heavily involved in the mining operation. Their presence was significant, their influence undeniable.

And now…

They were under scrutiny.

Han Yu did not intervene immediately.

He waited.

Observed.

Then…

He moved.

Under the pretense of assisting with the investigation, Han Yu returned to Puppet Peak. His involvement was natural. Expected. No one questioned it.

After all…

Who better to analyze puppet fragments than someone directly involved in their development?