After hearing Xuan Qing's words, Han Yu took a pause.

"That makes sense." Han Yu's heart quickened at the thought, though outwardly he only nodded calmly. "If such a chance does appear… then I'll have to judge whether it's worth the risk."

"Good," Xuan Qing said, her voice quiet but approving. "That's the right attitude. Some treasures are worth bleeding for. Others should only be claimed when the time is right. Do not confuse one for the other."

Han Yu inclined his head in acknowledgment.

Yet inwardly, his mind was turning furiously. The Dual Circle Ascension Vine was not just a rare herb. It was a stepping stone, something that could shape the cultivation of anyone lucky enough to obtain it.

He knew full well that if he stumbled across it, walking away might not be an option.

The two of them fell into silence for a moment, the night air cool against their skin. In the distance, the faint laughter of disciples drifted over, a reminder that most of them were still unaware of the storm that would eventually break over their heads. For Han Yu, though, tonight had already changed something.

He had walked into this private conversation with mild curiosity. Now he carried away the weight of a secret treasure that could alter the future of anyone who held it.

Han Yu returned to his tent, his mind replaying the conversation with Xuan Qing again and again.

The mention of the Dual Circle Ascension Vine left him both intrigued and restless. The way she had described it, with its ability to aid cultivation aptitude and its use in forging rare pills like the Glassy Core Refinement Pill, made it sound like a treasure worth risking lives for.

Han Yu lay back on his bedding, staring at the faint glow of the protective formation etched into the roof of the tent. His fingers absently tapped against the jade token he used for alchemical notes, as though his subconscious was still processing.

'Dual Circle Ascension Vine, huh?' He tried to recall anything more about it, but all he could summon was a vague mention of it in one of the higher-level manuals at the Twin Leaf Peak Sect's library.

His studies had always focused more on the common plants that could actually be found or bought, not those elusive treasures that most alchemists never even laid eyes upon.

What he did know for certain was that anything which could change the quality of a cultivator's core would be fought over mercilessly. That, combined with its aptitude-enhancing fruit, meant that if the rumor spread too widely, disciples from every sect would go mad scrambling for it.

He sighed, rolling to his side. "One more day until the outer complexes open," he whispered to himself. "I should be ready."

With that, he closed his eyes, pushing his thoughts into order. If fate really presented him with such a plant, he would have to be smart. But for now, the best preparation he could make was rest.

The next day arrived with a restless hum across the camp. Disciples knew what tomorrow would bring, and the air carried a mix of nervous energy and excitement. Han Yu, however, had little time to indulge in anticipation.

His workload for the day was monumental.

Because they would be entering the outer complexes tomorrow, the sect elders had ordered a massive batch of pills to be refined. Healing pills, detoxification pellets, protective draughts, and emergency recovery tonics—everything that might be needed in a sudden clash or unexpected encounter was to be prepared ahead of time.

Han Yu was pulled into the heart of this task.

His hands were stained with crushed herbs, his robes dusted with powders as he worked furiously at his station. Cauldrons bubbled around him, each giving off a different medicinal fragrance. Sweat rolled down his forehead as he refined batch after batch, balancing flame and spirit sense with painstaking precision.

Hours bled into one another, and before long, he realized he had spent nearly fifteen straight hours in refinement. His back ached, his eyes burned, but the rows of completed jade bottles gave him a deep sense of accomplishment.

Of course, Han Yu did not forget himself. Between assignments for the sect, he made time to concoct a few private batches with some 'extra' herbs; small pills that no one else asked for but that he knew might make all the difference.

Among them were "offensive" pills.

These were tricks he had picked up from Li Mei's private recipes, some of which were borderline unorthodox. Smoke bombs disguised as pills that erupted into clouds thick enough to blind an enemy. Pills that could trigger a foul stench to disrupt spiritual concentration. Even ones that released sharp sparks of fire when crushed.

They were not lethal by any means... At least not usually, but they could create openings, distractions, and escapes. Han Yu valued such tools greatly.

"Better to have and not need than need and not have," he muttered as he sealed the last jade vial.

When his work was finally complete, the sun had long since sunk past the horizon. He wiped his face, removed his stained apron, and left the alchemy pavilion.

By the time he sat down to eat, exhaustion weighed heavily on his limbs. Still, food always managed to revive him somewhat. Around the dinner tables, he found Wu Shuan and Fatty Kui already waiting, waving him over.

The three talked casually as they ate, Wu Shuan recounting rumors he had overheard about rival sects' strategies while Fatty Kui complained about the lack of meat dishes, despite the fact that his quota had been doubled.

Han Yu laughed along, allowing himself to relax after the day's grueling pace.

But then, in the middle of the laughter, he felt it.

A faint prickle in his mind, the subtle tug of the Eight Emotions Energy he had trained himself to sense. Specifically, wisps of Grey Surprise energy, brushing against his perception like a ripple through water.