Han Yu’s eyes flickered upward for a brief moment before returning to normal.

The energy was absorbed quickly, leaving no trace behind.

Han Yu did not react outwardly, but his thoughts sharpened.

’So she’s already watching.’

The source of the energy was not difficult to deduce.

It had not come from the attendants, and it had not come from his own people. The suppression array ensured that no ordinary observer could extend their perception far enough to monitor others without being detected.

Other Legacy Disciples, if present, would not emit such energy without reason, especially if they had not yet encountered him.

That left only one possibility: Lady Rot Rose.

Han Yu allowed a faint smile to touch his lips.

’Interesting.’

He walked further into the room, his gaze moving across the carefully arranged furnishings. Every detail spoke of intention. Nothing here was random. The placement of the table, the alignment of the bed, even the positioning of the decorative elements all followed a deliberate pattern.

This was not simply a place for rest.

It was a controlled space.

Han Yu approached the table and examined the items laid out upon it.

The fruits were fresh, their surfaces carrying a faint sheen of spiritual energy. The containers held delicacies that would be considered rare even within the sect. The wine bottles radiated a refined aura, their contents clearly of high quality.

He did not touch any of them.

Not even a glance of temptation crossed his face.

’I would have to be a complete fool to consume anything here,’ he thought.

Lady Rot Rose was not known for brute force.

Her path lay elsewhere.

Poison.

It was a discipline that required patience, precision, and a deep understanding of both body and spirit. Those who walked that path did not rely on obvious methods. Their attacks were subtle, often undetectable until it was too late.

Han Yu had studied enough to respect it.

Even if nothing here was laced with poison, the possibility alone was enough to deter him. This was her domain, a place she controlled completely. Every object, every breath of air, every drop of liquid could be part of her design.

He moved away from the table and took a seat near the center of the room.

His mind drifted briefly toward the Inheritance Stelae.

Lady Rot Rose’s cultivation technique was rumored to have originated from there, though not directly through her. The details were scarce, buried under layers of time and deliberate obscurity. Some said it had been her master who obtained it. Others believed it came from an elder long forgotten.

Han Yu knew better than to trust rumors.

The Stelae held more than most could imagine.

He himself was proof of that.

The Freezing Abyss Glacial Art and the Moon Conquering Divine Arts had come from there. The slave seals he had studied and modified traced their origins back to those ancient structures. Over the years, he had returned to them again and again, uncovering fragments of knowledge that others had overlooked.

Twenty three techniques.

That was how many he had obtained so far.

Not all of them were fully usable. Some were incomplete, others required conditions he had yet to meet. Yet each one added to his understanding, shaping his growth in ways that could not be replicated through ordinary means.

It was the foundation of his current strength.

Without them, he would not have reached this point so quickly.

Han Yu leaned back slightly, closing his eyes.

For now, there was nothing to do but wait.

The gathering would begin when all had arrived. And somewhere within this mansion, Lady Rot Rose was watching, her presence hidden behind layers of arrays and intent.

Han Yu did not mind. He had grown accustomed to being observed. If anything, it gave him something to work with. A single wisp of Surprise energy had already told him more than silence ever could.

He remained seated, his breathing steady, his thoughts aligned, for the game had already begun.

Han Yu sat alone within his assigned chamber, his posture relaxed and his breathing steady, as if he had fallen into a state of quiet rest. To an outside observer, he appeared to be doing nothing at all. There was no visible circulation of Qi, no shifting aura, no sign of intense cultivation.

Yet beneath that calm exterior, his mind remained active.

Thoughts moved like streams, each one aligning with a purpose. He reviewed what he had seen since arriving, replaying the sequence of events with careful attention. The arrays, the attendants, the subtle presence of Lady Rot Rose, and most importantly, the limitations placed upon him.

The suppression of spirit sense had not surprised him.

What interested him more was what had not been suppressed.

His connection.

Han Yu shifted his awareness inward, focusing not on his surroundings, but on the faint threads that extended beyond the room. They were subtle, almost imperceptible, but they remained intact. Unlike communication jade slips or talisman-based transmissions, this link did not rely on external channels. It was rooted in something far deeper.

Control.

Ownership.

The Jiangshi he had created were bound to him in a way that transcended ordinary methods. Their cores carried his imprint, their existence shaped by his will and soul. The arrays within the mansion could restrict common communication techniques, but they could not sever that connection entirely.

Han Yu tested it carefully.

He reached out.

At first, there was nothing.

The distance to the sect was too great, and the network he had established there lay far beyond his current range. But closer to him, within the bounds of the town and its surroundings, faint responses began to surface.

His personal troupe.

A subtle acknowledgment flowed back to him, confirming their presence.

Han Yu’s lips curved slightly.

’Good.’

The group he had brought was not known to anyone else. Even the disciples accompanying him remained unaware of their existence. They were not ordinary Jiangshi. They were something he had crafted with deliberate intent, a hidden layer of protection that few could ever perceive.

They were based on the Fear Jiangshi.

But only in foundation.