Chapter 65: A Chance Encounter

The courtyard was eerily silent.

Han Yi cautiously scaled the wall and slipped inside. After taking a few careful steps, the surge of Spirit Qi he had sensed upon entering the courtyard had completely vanished.

Yet his curiosity had been thoroughly piqued.

He circled the courtyard soundlessly, surveying the area. When he finished, his brow furrowed.

"Strange... it's gone?"

Han Yi didn't doubt the accuracy of his divine sense. The surge of Spirit Qi had undeniably been there, but it had dissipated in an instant.

"Oh well," Han Yi said with a brisk laugh, dismissing his disappointment. "If this was a genuine Immortal Opportunity, it clearly isn't meant for me."

He turned to leave, but suddenly froze. With a whoosh, he vanished from his spot and reappeared behind a corner of the courtyard.

His divine sense had detected a young man scaling the wall in another corner, heading toward the center of the courtyard.

This evasive maneuver was simply a product of Han Yi's inherent caution.

The next moment, Han Yi's lips twitched.

"Wait, why am I hiding? I haven't done anything shady. There's no need to skulk around."

He started to get up, but then hesitated and sat back down.

"If I leave now, I'll look suspicious, like I'm up to something. It's better to wait until he's gone before I make my move. That would be more prudent."

"Besides, this guy looks even sneakier than I do. He's definitely up to no good. If I go out there now, I'll just invite trouble."

Han Yi settled back into his corner, assuming a meditative posture.

To avoid arousing suspicion, he activated the Turtle Breath Technique, suppressing his aura to the barest minimum. He transformed himself into a hibernating divine beast, his presence almost imperceptible.

Though concealing his aura, Han Yi kept his eyes fixed on the Sneaky Youth not far away, curious about his purpose in coming here.

He hadn't intended to eavesdrop, but the opportune moment had piqued his curiosity.

The youth, having scaled the courtyard wall, moved with purpose to a clear patch of ground. After a cautious glance around to ensure no one was watching, he produced an object, placed it before him, and released his grip.

The object was a palm-sized mirror. When the Sneaky Youth released it, the mirror floated about a meter and a half above the ground.

Then, from within a secluded meditation chamber in the courtyard, a streak of light shot out like an arrow, striking the suspended mirror.

Activated by the light, the mirror projected a ghostly human figure.

Han Yi glanced at the meditation chamber he had just stepped out of. The room remained eerily quiet and undisturbed, showing no signs of the light's departure. Yet he had clearly seen the streak of light erupt from within.

The Spirit Qi fluctuations from the light matched those he had sensed earlier outside the courtyard.

The Immortal Opportunity he had been searching for was none other than this mysterious streak of light.

However, the light's ability to conceal its presence suggested it was not a Heavenly Treasure, but rather some kind of special Magic Artifact.

Han Yi's curiosity was thoroughly piqued.

At the same time, he deepened his Turtle Breath Technique, refining his breathing to an even more profound level.

This clandestine situation, shrouded in secrecy, undoubtedly hid some dark secret.

Han Yi had no desire to become entangled. His sole ambition was to cultivate diligently, attain enlightenment, and achieve eternal life.

At that moment, he regretted succumbing to the allure of Immortal Opportunity and scaling the wall. He should have left immediately and returned to his courtyard to focus on his cultivation.

But regret was useless now. Fortunately, he had mastered the Turtle Breath Technique. Whatever secrets the youth possessed, he would simply leave and pretend this encounter never happened. Their secrets were none of his concern.

As he pondered this, the illusory figure projected by the light-activated mirror flickered briefly before stabilizing.

"Hongguang, what is it?" the figure asked, its voice hoarse and unnatural, unlike that of a True Person.

"Reporting to Elder Sun, this disciple has an urgent matter to discuss," the sneaky youth replied immediately.

"Speak!"

"This disciple has completed the Inner Peak Great Competition and secured ninth place. Based on prior information, the top ten finishers gain access to Profound Pill Peak and receive a Foundation Establishment Pill. May I ask, Elder Sun, what duties will I be assigned upon entering Profound Pill Peak?" the youth inquired.

"Good, very good. No, you need not do anything for now. Simply proceed as planned, first completing your Foundation Establishment and infiltrating the inner circles of the Profound Pill Sect. When the time is right, then you will make your move."

Hearing this, the sneaky youth breathed a sigh of relief. Given his cultivation realm, any task assigned by the Sect would likely be a life-or-death undertaking. Though Sect honor was paramount in his heart, survival was a primal instinct.

"Furthermore, Disciple has another matter to report," the youth continued, his eyes filled with concern. "Since the Cave Heaven Trial, all disciples across the Inner and Outer Peaks of the Profound Pill Sect have shown significant improvements in combat prowess during the Great Competition. If this trend continues, what measures should we take?"

The illusory figure chuckled softly. "No need to worry. Paper tigers remain paper tigers, no matter how fiercely they roar."

"One day, the Profound Pill Mountain Range will inevitably be renamed the Blood God Mountain Range. The Three Great Sects of the Great Qian Realm will eventually become the Four Great Sects."

Han Yi, crouching in the courtyard corner, subtly shifted his expression at these words, but he remained composed. His Turtle Breath Technique continued to suppress his aura, rendering him undetectable.

The illusory figure spoke a few more words in the empty courtyard before flickering briefly and vanishing without a trace.

Then...

A beam of light flashed from the hovering mirror.

This time, Han Yi saw it clearly: the light was a black, illusory pearl.

As soon as the pearl left the mirror, it shot into the meditation chamber. The familiar surge of Spirit Qi reappeared the moment the pearl emerged, then vanished completely as it entered the chamber.

The sneaky youth retrieved the hovering mirror, carefully scanned his surroundings for any signs of disturbance, and, finding none, retraced his steps, leaped over the courtyard wall, and disappeared.

Han Yi didn't move immediately. He remained cross-legged, continuing to circulate the Turtle Breath Technique.

However, his expression was grave.

He had inadvertently stumbled upon an internal traitor from the Blood God Sect.

Han Yi recognized the youth: Chu Yi, a disciple from Vermilion Bird Peak. His name wasn't Hongguang, as Han Yi had just overheard; it seemed the youth was concealing his true identity.

During the Inner Peak Great Competition, Han Yi had witnessed Chu Yi's decisive combat prowess in the Combat Arena. A ruthless cultivator, Chu Yi had ultimately secured ninth place, a testament to his standing among the most elite peak Ninth Layer cultivators. Having earned a Foundation Establishment Pill from the Sect, his chances of successfully reaching the Foundation Establishment Stage were now exceptionally high.

But...

Han Yi couldn't determine whether this person was a Blood God Sect operative planted within the Profound Pill Sect, or a sleeper agent the sect had cultivated within its ranks.

If it was the former, the implications were terrifying. It would mean the Blood God Sect had harbored designs on the Profound Pill Sect for decades, deliberately infiltrating disciples into the sect and securing their loyalty through unknown means.

No, it went deeper than that.

A chilling possibility struck Han Yi, turning his expression from grave to ashen.

If the Blood God Sect could infiltrate the Profound Pill Sect with Qi Refining Stage disciples, what if those planted earlier had already achieved Foundation Establishment and become Foundation Establishment Stage Elders within the sect?

The thought, once it arose, seized his mind completely, further darkening his expression.

After a moment, he forced himself to calm down.

Just as he had done ten years ago in Mengshan City during an unexpected crisis, he knew he must first regain composure. Only through clear-headed analysis could he determine the proper course of action.

Wild speculation would achieve nothing and might even jeopardize everything.

Next, Han Yi cleared his mind, closed his eyes, and regulated his breathing until it was barely perceptible.