After all that hard work, the smell began to fade, replaced by the faint, earthy scent of wet stone.

Han Yu even managed to clean the bookshelves and wipe off the grime that clung to them. Finally, he gathered all the questionable jars and containers filled with dried, unidentified substances.

Han Yu carried them toward the entrance, ready to throw them out. But just as he was about to dump the lot, he hesitated.

"Wait… Ju Fan wouldn't have kept all this junk for no reason," he muttered, frowning. "These might be ingredients. Or… something worse, but still useful."

After a moment's thought, he sighed and placed them into his storage ring instead. "Fine. I'll figure out what to do with you later."

With the cleaning finished, Han Yu stood at the entrance of his cave, hands on his hips, surveying his work.

"Well, it still looks like a cave," he said to himself, "but at least it's not a diseased cesspool anymore."

The space was livable now, but it still lacked comfort. The bare stone floors and cracked bed were hardly inviting. Han Yu decided he needed at least some furniture; a proper mat, a few shelves, a table and maybe a chair or two.

He already knew where to get such things. The books had mentioned a pavilion located at the base of the peaks where disciples could obtain daily necessities.

So, he set out for the first time since arriving.

Descending the winding path down from the Fifth Rib Peak, Han Yu kept his eyes open, trying not to attract attention.

The sect was more active now. Disciples moved along the paths, some talking loudly, others silent and cold. Their behavior was erratic, one moment laughing manically, the next glaring at anyone who passed too close. Han Yu noticed more than a few carried fresh blood stains on their robes, and not one of them seemed to care.

He thought to himself that he was truly surrounded by madmen.

It took him a couple hours to reach the lower plateau. There, spread across a flat expanse, stood several large pavilions. Each had signs written in crimson script, glowing faintly with Qi.

The largest among them bore a plaque that read Acquisitions Pavilion.

Han Yu approached carefully, blending into the trickle of disciples moving in and out. From what he had read, the pavilion was the sect's equivalent of a common resource hall, a place to acquire basic goods or hire slaves to perform chores.

It didn't sell any herbs or cultivation resources though, just mundane everyday items.

The moment he stepped inside, a faint coppery scent hit him.

The air was thick with the energy of Blood Qi, and the walls were decorated with banners showing scenes of sacrifice and conquest. Rows of shelves lined the interior, stacked with everything from bedding and lamps to construction materials.

Behind a counter, a pale-skinned clerk sat motionless, her eyes half-lidded, as if she hadn't slept in weeks.

Han Yu sighed quietly. "Well," he murmured, "time to buy furniture in the most horrifying shop in existence."

He straightened his posture and stepped forward, doing his best to look like a proper member of the Slaughtered Moon Divine Blood Sect. His disguise had worked so far, there was no reason it wouldn't now.

"Let's see if I can make that cave a little less miserable," he thought, forcing a polite smile as he approached the counter.

Though he didn't know his 'polite' smile was anything but polite to the others.

The air inside the Acquisitions Pavilion felt heavy, as if it were weighed down by a constant sense of dread. The faint metallic scent of blood clung to every corner, mixing with the earthy tang of parchment and dust.

Han Yu could hear the soft rustle of chains and the occasional subdued cough from the far end of the hall.

He stood near the entrance for a few seconds, silently taking in the atmosphere before straightening his posture. His face was cold, his expression calm, his eyes sharp and unwavering. He had learned that the less he said in this place, the better.

The people here seemed to respect silence more than civility.

When he finally approached the counter, the girl sitting behind it flinched. Her eyes widened slightly before she quickly stood up and bowed. Han Yu noticed the trembling in her hands as she clasped them together.

"G-greetings, Senior Brother Ju Fan," she said softly, her voice quivering despite her attempt to sound composed.

Han Yu almost froze at the sound of that name again, but he quickly reminded himself to stay in character.

Her robes were black with faint red trims, standard for an outer court disciple. The faint fluctuation of her Qi told Han Yu that she was only at the Qi Refining Realm. Her eyes, wide and uncertain, flicked up at him before dropping back down again.

Her body language pretty much screamed nervousness.

Han Yu could actually see faint strands of violet mist rising from her form, visible only to his spiritual sight. They curled around her shoulders like smoke: Fear Eight Emotions Energy.

'So,' he thought grimly. 'Ju Fan must have terrified her often.'

He kept his expression blank, letting his eyes narrow just slightly. The reaction was immediate, the girl stiffened, her posture straight as a rod.

"Speak," Han Yu said simply, keeping his tone low and steady.

The girl swallowed hard and nodded rapidly. "Y-yes, Senior Brother. What is it that you need today? If you wish the slaves to clean your cave again, I can send them right away."

Han Yu blinked.

For a moment, his entire composure cracked internally.

'Clean my cave again?' he thought, his mental voice almost a shriek. "Wait—again?! You mean I could've just asked her to send cleaners instead of scraping walls for an entire day?!"

Internally, Han Yu screamed at the unfairness of his own ignorance. He could practically feel his soul crying.

Outwardly, however, he coughed lightly and nodded, regaining his cold demeanor. "No. I already took care of that," he said evenly. "I came for supplies."

The girl exhaled softly, as though relieved that he was not going to yell. "Of course, Senior Brother. Please, tell me what you require."

Han Yu listed off a few basic items; bedding, a new mat, a low table, shelves, chairs, a lamp stand, and a few jars for storing water and food. The girl quickly began writing everything down, her brush moving so fast it nearly blurred.

Her fear seemed to make her work twice as efficiently.

When he finished, she bowed again. "At once, Senior Brother." She turned and clapped her hands sharply. "Bring forward the slaves! Move quickly!"