The Thousand Serpent Vein Valley was one of the Blood Vessel regions, a place where the natural flow of Blood Qi had mutated the terrain into something dangerous even for seasoned cultivators. The valley was said to be filled with countless serpents, their numbers beyond estimation.

Some were ordinary beasts, while others had evolved under the influence of the environment, becoming creatures that even inner court disciples avoided. And that was where Daoist Snake Face lived.

Han Yu had never gone there himself, but he had heard enough accounts to understand what kind of place it was. For someone to call that valley home, to thrive within it, spoke volumes about their nature.

’He probably came directly from his mission or whatever he was doing outside the sect,’ Han Yu thought.

It would explain the lack of entourage. Plus a man who chose to reside in such a place would not rely on followers in the same way others did.

Soon Daoist Snake Face reached the boundary of the array.

The same probing force that had scanned Han Yu emerged once more, brushing over Daoist Snake Face. The man did not resist. He stood still, his yellow eyes narrowing slightly as the array completed its verification.

A few seconds later, the barrier opened.

He stepped through.

Han Yu observed everything. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

The movement, the posture, the way the man carried himself.

There was no hesitation.

No caution.

Only familiarity.

’He’s been here before,’ Han Yu concluded.

Or at the very least, he was accustomed to places like this.

Daoist Snake Face entered the concealed space, his gaze sweeping across the transformed landscape. His expression did not change, but his tongue flicked out once more, as if sampling the environment.

Han Yu withdrew his awareness slightly, maintaining observation without drawing attention.

Inside his room, nothing changed.

He remained seated, his breathing even, his presence calm.

Yet his mind had already adjusted.

One had arrived.

That meant the gathering had begun to take shape.

And soon, the others would follow.

Still, the arrival itself had confirmed something important.

The gathering was real.

And it was beginning.

Han Yu continued observing for several hours.

A few hours later, another disturbance reached Han Yu through the network.

This time, it was more noticeable.

A group.

Han Yu’s awareness shifted again, focusing on the point of entry.

The man at the front did not bother to conceal himself.

He walked openly, his presence radiating outward with an almost oppressive weight. His body was large, easily exceeding two meters in height, and every movement carried a sense of condensed power. His robes were tight, molded around his physique, emphasizing the dense muscle beneath.

Han Yu recognized him immediately.

’Daoist Blood Pool.’

A faint smile appeared on his lips.

This was someone he knew.

Their interactions in the past had been straightforward. Daoist Blood Pool was not a complicated man. He valued strength, respected capability, and had little patience for unnecessary scheming. That did not make him simple, but it made him predictable in certain ways.

Han Yu had shared drinks with him before.

Real drinks.

Not the carefully measured exchanges common within the sect, but actual moments of relaxed interaction. It was rare, but it had happened. That alone placed Daoist Blood Pool in a different category compared to most of the other Legacy Disciples.

Behind him were five others.

All of them carried the same general build, though none matched his size. Their physiques were honed, their movements efficient, and their auras carried the unmistakable mark of body cultivation. Unlike Qi cultivators who relied on external manipulation of energy, these individuals had tempered their bodies directly, turning themselves into weapons.

Han Yu observed them closely.

Their coordination, their spacing, the way they followed without crowding their leader.

This was a trained group.

Not just followers, but practitioners of the same path.

Daoist Blood Pool reached the boundary of the array and paused briefly. The probing force scanned him and his entourage, confirming their identities before allowing them passage.

They entered without incident.

As soon as they crossed into the mansion, Han Yu’s observation ended.

The suppression took effect immediately, cutting off any further tracking.

Han Yu exhaled softly.

’So she really is controlling the timing.’

The staggered arrivals were too precise to be coincidence. Each individual had been given a separate window, ensuring that no two groups arrived at the same time. It prevented unnecessary interaction outside the controlled environment of the mansion.

It also ensured that Lady Rot Rose remained in control of the sequence.

Han Yu closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again.

He continued waiting.

The next arrival came the following morning.

This time, the presence was... unsettling.

The figure approached with a degree of concealment, but not enough to fully obscure his form. Han Yu’s hidden Jiangshi caught glimpses of him from different angles, piecing together a complete image that was difficult to look at even indirectly.

The thing that stood out the most was his face. If it could still be called that.

It resembled a leech more than anything human. The mouth stretched wide, lined with rows upon rows of fine, sharp teeth that seemed to move slightly even when closed. The skin around it was slick, almost wet in appearance, giving the impression of constant motion.

His fingers were worse.

Each one had transformed into something resembling a thick leech, the tips ending in small, circular mouths that flexed faintly as if searching for something to latch onto. Beneath his robes, movement could be seen.

Not subtle movement, but continuous as if countless organisms, maggots and worms writhed just beneath the fabric, pressing against it in uneven patterns.

Han Yu felt a faint ripple of discomfort pass through him.

’Master Swamp Leech.’

Even within the Slaughtered Moon Divine Blood Sect, where appearances could vary wildly, this man stood out. And not in a good way.

Han Yu had only met him once and that single meeting had been more than enough. It had not been a pleasant interaction, though it had been profitable. Master Swamp Leech had approached him with a specific request, one that few others could fulfill.

A Mosquito Head Jiangshi.