The reaction from the gifts was immediate.

None of the pills were particularly valuable, mostly recovery or minor Qi-nourishing type pills. But the disciples received them with bright smiles. A free pill was still a free pill, and it carried with it the unspoken weight of goodwill.

Plus, Han Yu's identity as an Alchemist further helped him. Every cultivator needed good alchemists for cultivation supplies, and having one on your side was better than one brewing poisons against you. No one minded being friendly with another promising Alchemist.

Before long, Han Yu was surrounded by friendly chatter.

Someone asked him about the Twin Leaf Peak Sect's alchemical practices, another asked about his own progress as a disciple, and soon enough, the group was laughing and trading stories as though they had known each other for years.

More importantly, Han Yu could feel the faint tendrils of emotional energy brushing against him. Joy, camaraderie, curiosity; all drifting around him like subtle fragrances.

Wisps of Yellow Eight Emotions Energy slipped into him with every laugh and every gesture of gratitude, feeding his soul. He kept his expression light, but inside he was nearly giddy.

"Socializing is literally helping me cultivate," he thought with quiet amusement. "If only my elders knew."

The energy gathering within him was not enough for a breakthrough yet, but it was close.

Han Yu could feel it.

The edges of his soul core seemed to vibrate faintly, the way a bottle trembles when it is nearly full. He did not know the exact threshold required to step into the next stage, but instinct told him he was nearing it. The thought sent a thrill through him.

At the same time, a flicker of worry gnawed at him.

Soul cultivation was not a path he had chosen knowingly, but rather one that had thrust itself into his life through coincidence and secrecy. He had no reference points, no manuals, no seniors to ask about bottlenecks or dangers.

What if he misstepped?

What if his foundation cracked?

Core Condensation was infamous for trapping cultivators, and even those on orthodox paths often struggled for decades.

"I'll have to tread carefully," Han Yu mused, nodding along to a Crimson Cloud disciple's story about a spar gone wrong and a male disciple getting their pants torn clean, leaving them butt naked.

Still, he was not about to waste the opportunities in front of him. Every smile, every shared joke, and every token of goodwill was another wisp of energy closer to his goal.

By the time the sun dipped lower in the sky, Han Yu had successfully inserted himself into several groups within the Crimson Cloud Sect. His face was now familiar, his name repeated with casual ease.

More than once, he heard someone say, "That alchemist from Twin Leaf Peak is quite easy to get along with."

It was exactly the kind of impression he wanted to cultivate. Reputation was a resource just like Qi or herbs, and Han Yu was not about to squander it.

As he left the camp later in the evening, his pouch slightly lighter from all the pills he had given out, his heart was practically glowing. Not only had he made connections, but he had also harvested over a hundred wisps of joy.

It was more than he had expected.

Han Yu walked back to his sect's area with a faint smile.

He was tired, but it was the good kind of tired, the kind that came after a day of progress. Tomorrow, he resolved, he would try visiting another sect's camp.

Maybe the Jade Mirror Temple, since their disciples had a reputation for their refined manners, and certainly not because its female disciples were famous for being some of the most beautiful women.

But for tonight, he would let his gains settle into his soul.

As he neared the Twin Leaf Peak Sect's palisade, he glanced at the faint shimmer of the barrier array overhead. The camp was quiet now, with most disciples either meditating or preparing their evening meals. He ducked into his shared tent, greeted Wu Shuan, Liu An and Fatty Kui with a casual word, and sat down cross-legged on his bedding.

Closing his eyes, he drew in a slow breath.

Inside, his soul stirred. The gathered joy energy swirled within him like a bright current, pressing against his lotus Soul Core. He felt the faintest crackle of something greater on the horizon, a whisper of the breakthrough waiting ahead.

Not yet. But soon.

And that thought alone left him more excited than any pill could.

Han Yu's anticipation was difficult to hide.

The Jade Mirror Temple's reputation had reached his ears long ago, whispered among disciples of nearly every orthodox sect.

Their female disciples were spoken of as fairies descended from the heavens, each one trained in the sect's unique mirror-based cultivation methods that not only honed their Dao but also polished their appearances to an almost ethereal degree.

For a young man like Han Yu, who had been more preoccupied with surviving and cultivating than admiring beauties, this was an irresistible temptation. And so, with unusual diligence, he rushed through his work. By midday he had already surpassed his quota.

Not only that, but he went the extra mile to concoct several batches of items specially targeted toward female cultivators.

He had refined Milky Touch Pills, a staple product known for brightening and softening the skin. Then came Gleam Fall Paste, a silky ointment that brought luster to hair and made it flow like black rivers under moonlight.

Finally, he created a few small bottles of Bloom Rose Tincture, a tincture treasured by many female cultivators for giving their lips a natural rosy hue and velvety softness that lasted for days.

Though these were far from high-grade treasures, Han Yu knew better than most how effective small gestures could be.

After all, cultivating goodwill often began with cultivating joy, and what better way to cultivate joy than with thoughtful gifts? He neatly packed the items into a small pouch, dusted his robes, and set out with a spring in his step.