Two figures stood at the entrance of the mansion, waiting.

They wore simple robes, their appearance unremarkable at first glance. There were no obvious signs linking them to the Slaughtered Moon Divine Blood Sect. No blood-red garments, no oppressive aura, no outward display of power.

Yet their presence was unmistakable.

They were not ordinary.

As Han Yu approached, both figures bowed slightly, their movements perfectly synchronized.

"Our Lady has been expecting you," they said together.

Their voices aligned so precisely that it felt unnatural, as if a single thought had been split into two bodies.

"Welcome, Legacy Disciple Ju Fan."

Han Yu stopped a few steps away, his gaze steady.

"Bring us in," he said.

"With pleasure."

The two figures turned and began walking toward the mansion.

Han Yu followed.

His entourage remained close behind, their silence maintained as they crossed into the estate proper. The air within the garden felt different, cleaner, more controlled. The oppressive undertone of Blood Qi was still present, but it had been refined, shaped into something more stable.

They reached the entrance of the mansion quickly. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

The doors opened without being touched.

Han Yu stepped inside.

The moment he crossed the threshold, he felt it.

His spirit sense tightened, compressed as if caught within an invisible cage. What had once extended freely now struggled to move beyond a short radius around his body. Five meters at most. Beyond that, it was blocked entirely.

He tested it briefly, pushing against the unseen restriction.

It did not budge.

The walls themselves seemed to absorb his probing, preventing any attempt to perceive what lay beyond.

Han Yu’s expression remained unchanged, but his thoughts sharpened.

’They invested heavily in this place.’

This level of suppression was not something that could be achieved casually. The materials required alone would be substantial, and the formation techniques involved demanded expertise of a high order.

This was not a temporary arrangement.

This was a prepared ground.

He continued forward, his steps measured as he followed the guides deeper into the mansion. The interior matched the exterior in its refined design, every detail arranged with intention. Nothing felt random. Nothing felt neglected.

It was a space built for control.

Han Yu’s gaze flickered briefly toward the two figures ahead of him.

Their synchronized movements, their identical tone, their lack of individuality. He made a quiet note, then he looked forward again. Somewhere ahead, Lady Rot Rose awaited. And whatever this gathering truly meant was about to reveal itself.

Han Yu followed the two attendants without speaking, his steps measured and steady as they guided him deeper into the mansion.

The interior grew quieter the further they went, the subtle sounds of flowing water and distant movement fading until only the soft echo of footsteps remained. The corridors were wide and lined with polished stone that reflected a muted sheen of light, and the walls carried faint engravings that hinted at layered formations beneath their surface.

They reached a spiraling staircase that rose upward through the center of the structure.

Han Yu glanced at it briefly, his eyes narrowing as he sensed the dense weave of arrays embedded within each step. Every level of the mansion felt like a controlled environment, as if each floor had its own purpose and its own degree of restriction.

They ascended without pause.

The pressure on his spirit sense remained constant, neither increasing nor decreasing as they moved higher. It suggested that the suppression array covered the entire building rather than being localized to specific rooms. That level of uniformity required careful calibration, something that few in the sect could accomplish without flaw.

After a short climb, they reached another floor.

The layout here differed slightly from the lower level. The corridors branched outward in a more private arrangement, with doors spaced farther apart. Each door bore a subtle marking, not obvious to the eye but detectable through Qi. Han Yu recognized it as a form of identification array, one that likely responded to assigned individuals.

The two attendants stopped.

"This will be your floor," they said in unison.

One of them gestured toward a set of rooms.

Han Yu was led to the largest among them, positioned at the end of the corridor. The door opened on its own as he approached, revealing a spacious chamber within. The remaining rooms were assigned to the disciples accompanying him, each one adequate and prepared for temporary residence.

Han Yu stepped into his room.

It was expansive, furnished with care and precision. A wide bed stood near one side, draped in fine fabric that shimmered faintly with embedded spirit threads. A low table occupied the center of the room, set with various items that ranged from fruits infused with Qi to sealed containers of rare delicacies. On a nearby stand rested several bottles of spirit wine, their quality evident even without opening them.

The air carried a faint fragrance, calming and subtle.

Everything had been prepared in advance.

Han Yu turned back toward the attendants.

"When will the gathering begin?" he asked.

"When all invited guests have arrived," they replied.

Their tone did not change.

Han Yu held their gaze for a moment, then gave a small nod.

"I see."

He did not press further.

There were questions he could have asked. The identities of those already present, the time frame of arrival, the exact nature of the gathering. Yet he knew the answers would not come from these two. Their role was limited, and even if they possessed the information, they would not reveal it.

"Rest well, Legacy Disciple Ju Fan," they said together before stepping away.

The door closed behind them.

Silence settled into the room.

Han Yu stood still for a few seconds, his senses adjusting to the enclosed space. The suppression on his spirit sense remained, confining his perception to a narrow range. It was enough to scan the immediate surroundings, but nothing beyond that.

Then he felt it.

A faint fluctuation.

It was subtle, so subtle that a normal cultivator might have overlooked it entirely. A single wisp of energy drifted through the air near the ceiling, barely perceptible. Yet to Han Yu, it was as clear as a whisper in an empty hall.

Grey Surprise.