With Han Yu’s access to the Ancestral Tree’s earth vein officially secured, Elder Lu felt a profound sense of satisfaction. However, noticing that Sect Leader Qi and the other Elders were still scrutinizing his disciple with burning intensity, he decided it was time to extract the boy from the spotlight.

“Disciple,” Elder Lu said, breaking the silence. “Go to the Deacon’s Office and requisition a Spirit Beast Tag for your crows. Afterward, find Li Yunxia and spar with her. I will return to instruct you both once the council is dismissed.”

Elder Bai seized the opening, his tone dry. “Does a disciple of his caliber even need you to teach him?”

Elder Lu chuckled, conveniently pretending deafness. He turned his attention back to the grim business at hand. “Senior Brother Bai mentioned earlier that our scouts reported the Spirit Beast Sect is merely relocating mortals into the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range, rather than slaughtering them.”

His expression hardened. “Sect Leader, I find this intelligence impossible to trust.”

Sect Leader Qi, Elder Yan, and Elder Mou all nodded in solemn agreement.

“Indeed. It reeks of deceit,” Elder Yan said, his voice heavy. “The Spirit Beast Sect’s crimes against Wanchun Valley are innumerable. They have assassinated mortal emperors and razed entire cities without batting an eye. To suggest they have suddenly developed a conscience and are simply helping mortals ‘move house’ is absurd.”

“Furthermore,” Elder Yan continued, “their methods are nearly indistinguishable from Demonic Cultivators. A mere Qi Refining disciple would never be able to penetrate their true operations. Whether the enemy is feeding him false information or has coerced him into reporting it… either possibility leads to us receiving this convenient lie.”

Elder Bai sighed, his brow furrowed. “But consider the alternative. If the Spirit Beast Sect is temporarily refraining from a massacre, even if only to delay for a few years, it buys us time. We could prepare more thoroughly.”

“If the news is true, it is not necessarily a bad thing.”

Sect Leader Qi and the others considered this.

It would certainly be best if the Spirit Beast Sect hadn’t completely lost their minds to bloodlust. And even if they were planning something heinous, delaying the slaughter saved lives in the short term and gave Wanchun Valley a chance to intervene.

“Perhaps when Ye Guxing returns from the Eastern Sea Kingdom, he might be able to rescue those mortals in one fell swoop,” Elder Mou mused.

“We must hope for the best, but prepare for the worst,” Sect Leader Qi declared, his tone final. “If a disciple of ours has been compromised and is being used to feed us poison, the consequences could be catastrophic.”

“We cannot lower our guard simply because the enemy appears to be laying down their arms. We must not slow our pace.”

The four Elders nodded in unison.

Han Yu had been waiting for a chance to bow out, but the high-level strategic discussion had left no gaps for a junior to interrupt. Now, as the conversation paused, he seized the moment.

“Disciple takes his leave,” Han Yu said, bowing deeply.

He exited the main hall, the heavy atmosphere of war lifting from his shoulders, and led his three crows toward the Deacon’s Office.

Deacon Liu, the administrator on duty, was well aware that Han Yu’s status had skyrocketed far beyond that of a typical Inner Disciple. He personally retrieved the Spirit Beast Tags, handling the request with swift, deferential efficiency.

Han Yu collected the tags and turned to leave. Just as he reached the doorway, a figure blocked his path.

“Junior Brother Liu,” the newcomer called out, ignoring Han Yu for a split second. “Help me exchange some resources for the disciples out on field missions and record their merit points.”

“At once, Senior Brother Wan,” Deacon Liu replied, nodding vigorously.

Han Yu paused. This was Wan Xianglin—the very deacon he had seen reporting to Elder Bai earlier that morning regarding the Spirit Beast Sect’s movements.

Wan Xianglin seemed to notice Han Yu only then. He stopped, his eyes sweeping over the younger man with keen interest.

“I’ve heard rumors spreading like wildfire,” Wan Xianglin said, a smile playing on his lips. “They say the sect has produced a peerless genius. A Qi Refining fourth layer who not only dominates the Outer Sect but even defeated a Qi Refining eighth layer sword cultivator from the Spirit Sword Sect.”

He took a step closer. “You must be Han Yu.”

Han Yu kept his expression neutral. “Outer Disciple Han Yu greets Deacon Wan.”

“Senior Brother Wan has been busy investigating the situation outside,” Deacon Liu chimed in from behind the counter, smiling. “To think he’s heard of your reputation the moment he returned. It is truly rare.”

“Wanchun Valley has always lacked disciples who excel in pure combat. For one to appear so suddenly… it is indeed eye-catching,” Deacon Wan said amiably. His gaze, however, felt probing. “Han Yu, didn’t you enter the sect as a Laborer Disciple in the Spirit Field Department? Are you still registered there?”

Han Yu felt a prickle of warning in his mind.

Most deacons, upon meeting a rising star, would offer generic praise. Why was this man asking for specifics about his background?

Perhaps he is just naturally curious after being away?

“I was originally with the Spirit Field Department,” Han Yu replied calmly. “However, since being accepted by my Master, I have moved to the main peak.”

“Oh, I see,” Deacon Wan said, nodding as if a puzzle piece had clicked into place. “And today… Elder Lu took you to meet the Sect Leader personally. Did you make some breakthrough in your cultivation?”

Han Yu knew the man had likely heard whispers about the secret technique. He nodded slightly. “Indeed. I have managed to grasp the basics of a new spell.”

Cognizant of the need for secrecy, Han Yu chose his next words with surgical precision. “However, it is but a small improvement. My Master showed great favor by bringing me to the main hall, simply to broaden my horizons.”

“Hahaha! You are far too modest!” Deacon Wan laughed heartily, though his eyes remained sharp. “At the same cultivation level, sword cultivators are war machines. Even our own Qi Refining ninth layer disciples might struggle against Li Tonghai, yet you dismantled him at the fourth layer. That is already extraordinary.”

“And now, to be granted a private audience with the Sect Leader and the Council of Elders? How could that be a ‘small improvement’? I assume you’ve mastered another powerful secret technique?”

Han Yu shook his head gently, sidestepping the bait. He pivoted back to the previous topic. “Senior Brother Li from the Spirit Sword Sect was merely sparring. He did not use his full strength. If he had truly intended to kill, how could I possibly withstand a sword cultivator’s assault?”

Deacon Liu, sensing the tension or perhaps just trying to be part of the conversation, laughed. “Senior Brother Wan, how are the disciples performing outside?”

Wan Xianglin finally broke eye contact with Han Yu. “Those disciples are all excellent…”

As their conversation shifted, Han Yu seized the opening. He bowed slightly. “Deacon Wan, Deacon Liu. Excuse me.”

He gestured to his crows and began to walk away.

“Han Yu, wait a moment,” Deacon Wan called out, his voice friendly but insistent. “I still have questions. It’s rare for Wanchun Valley to see such a novelty; I want to hear more.”

On Han Yu’s shoulder, the largest crow tilted its head. Its dark golden pupils fixed on Wan Xianglin.

Caw!

A distinct mental impression flooded Han Yu’s mind: Strange. This human is strange.

Han Yu had felt it too. This was the first deacon to be so aggressively inquisitive. Was it genuine enthusiasm, or was there a hidden agenda?

“My apologies, Deacon Wan,” Han Yu said, his tone polite but firm. “Master is waiting for me to return for instruction. I cannot delay.”

Deacon Wan’s face showed a flash of regret, but he nodded. “Very well. We shall speak again when the opportunity arises.”

Han Yu returned to Elder Lu’s courtyard, his thoughts churning.

Inside, Senior Sister Li Yunxia was already practicing. Flames danced around her fingertips as she cycled through her spell list. Seeing him return, she offered a curt nod, and they immediately fell into a sparring rhythm.

They didn’t fight to determine a winner, but rather to compare the raw metrics of their casting: power and speed.

Li Yunxia was a veteran at the eighth layer of Qi Refining. Her years of cultivation were evident. When she cast the Flame Technique or Wind Blade, the sheer volume of mana she pushed made the spells roar with intensity. Her casting speed was impressive—roughly one breath per spell.

Her speed came from specialization; she had honed a small handful of offensive spells over years of repetition. It was a stark contrast to Han Yu, whose “Universal Comprehension” allowed him to master dozens of spells to a sub-one-second proficiency in a fraction of the time.

Before long, Elder Lu returned. He stood by the entrance, watching them with a warm smile.

He offered a few corrections, mostly directing them at Li Yunxia. For Han Yu, he had little to critique.

When the session ended, Li Yunxia bid them farewell and returned to the Spirit Field Department.

Han Yu turned to his master. “Master, is Deacon Wan known for being… overly enthusiastic?”

“You mean Wan Xianglin?” Elder Lu stroked his beard, thinking. “He started as a disciple under Elder Zhao at the seventh layer, then broke through to Foundation Establishment to become a deacon. As for his personality… I wouldn’t call him particularly warm. My impression of him is rather faint.”

Elder Lu looked at Han Yu. “Why do you ask?”

“I encountered him at the Deacon’s Office today,” Han Yu said, his expression serious. “I cannot tell if it was a coincidence or if he was waiting for me. He asked probing questions about my background and specifically inquired about the secret technique I cultivated today. I felt… suspicious.”

“Is that so?” Elder Lu’s smile faded.

He paced a few steps, hands clasped behind his back. “It is possible he simply heard the rumors upon his return and his curiosity got the better of him. You are, after all, the talk of the sect right now.”

“However,” Elder Lu’s eyes narrowed, “caution is the parent of safety. I will keep an eye on him over the next few days. We shall see if he reveals any other irregularities.”

“Also, disciple,” Elder Lu added, his tone grave. “Tomorrow you begin your duties as an instructor at the Battle Hall. Remember: do not reveal the full extent of your talent. Maintain the level of strength you displayed against Li Tonghai. Let the world see a genius, but keep the monster hidden.”