novelraw Chapter 922: The Start Of The Gathering
Chapter 922: The Start Of The Gathering
Han Yu’s gaze lifted hearing Lady Rot Rose’s last words.
"We cannot remain outside the Blood Continent indefinitely." Lady Rot Rose spoke.
A faint tension entered the air.
"If we stay beyond a certain period..." she continued, "we die."
The words were simple.
But their meaning was profound.
Han Yu’s expression hardened slightly.
"Die?" he asked.
"Yes," she said calmly. "The exact mechanism is still unclear. Whether it is the barrier itself, the environment, or something else entirely... we have not determined it."
She paused.
"But the result is consistent."
Silence followed.
"They tried to extend the duration," she added. "To push the limits."
Her eyes darkened slightly.
"They failed."
Han Yu’s mind raced.
A time limit.
A restriction imposed not just on entry, but on existence outside.
"That is why we returned so quickly," she said.
Everything clicked into place.
The sudden withdrawal.
The incomplete conquest.
The urgency.
It was not hesitation.
It was necessity.
"Fortunately," she continued, "we had a way back."
Han Yu’s gaze flickered.
"The tomb," he said.
Lady Rot Rose nodded.
"It contained its own teleportation array," she confirmed. "A return point."
Her voice lowered slightly.
"Without it... they would not have made it back."
The implication was clear.
Those who crossed the barrier without a way to return... Would perish.
Han Yu sat in silence, absorbing everything.
This was far more than he had expected to receive.
More than fragments.
More than speculation.
This was... A framework.
A real understanding.
Not complete.
But enough.
Far more than enough.
And as he processed it all, one thought surfaced above the rest.
If there was a way out, then there was also a limit.
A window.
A constraint.
And within that constraint... A possibility.
Han Yu slowly lifted his gaze to Lady Rot Rose.
"Thank you," he said quietly.
His tone was sincere.
But within his eyes... A new light had begun to form.
One that had not been there before.
Because now, for the first time since he had been trapped on this continent... He could finally see the outline of a path forward.
Lady Rot Rose gave a faint nod after finishing her explanation regarding the barrier of the Blood Continent. The matter seemed to settle within the pavilion like a stone sinking into deep water, leaving only quiet ripples behind.
Han Yu remained seated for a moment, digesting everything he had just learned.
Compared to the scraps of information he had gathered over the years, what she revealed tonight was enough to completely change his understanding of the Blood Continent and the sect’s ambitions.
At the same time, it also made him realize how terrifying the upper layers of the sect truly were.
Even after thousands of years of research, even after producing monsters like the Magma Ancestor and generations of patriarchs, they still had not fully conquered the barrier. That alone spoke volumes.
Lady Rot Rose observed Han Yu for a few more seconds before speaking again.
"That is all I know personally," she said calmly. "Anything beyond this is either held directly by the Patriarch or those four old monsters who study Spatial Arrays day and night."
Han Yu nodded.
Even this much was already more than he expected.
Then Lady Rot Rose suddenly sighed softly and leaned back into her lounger again.
"Now then," she said, lazily twirling her pipe between her fingers, "it is time to begin the actual gathering. I have already delayed it longer than expected."
Han Yu realized she was right.
Nearly half an hour had already passed since he arrived.
At first he had expected the others to enter one after another while he was speaking with Lady Rot Rose, but now it was obvious she had intentionally delayed everyone else so she could speak with him privately.
That realization only made Han Yu more cautious toward her.
This woman truly controlled the flow of the entire conversation from start to finish.
Han Yu inclined his head lightly.
Lady Rot Rose smiled faintly and waved her pipe through the air. The red smoke trailing from its tip twisted and condensed, forming several crimson runes in midair. The runes hovered for only a second before fading soundlessly.
A signal.
And just as expected, five minutes later the pavilion doors opened.
One after another, the invited Legacy Disciples entered.
Daoist Blood Pool walked in first, his massive frame making the elegant pavilion feel strangely cramped. His heavy footsteps caused the wooden floor to creak slightly despite the incredible craftsmanship of the structure.
Behind him came Master Swamp Leech, whose very presence made the atmosphere feel damp and unpleasant. The subtle squirming beneath his robes was enough to make even Han Yu suppress the urge to look away.
Daoist Snake Face entered next, his scaled face partially hidden beneath his hood. His serpent-like eyes swept calmly across the room before settling briefly on Han Yu.
And finally...
Mistress Love Wine arrived.
Even after seeing her before, Han Yu still felt a brief moment of disbelief.
The woman looked utterly unreal.
Her long purple hair cascaded over her shoulders like flowing silk, and her crimson robes clung to her curves just enough to leave the imagination in torment. The faint scent of wine and flowers surrounded her naturally, while her eyes carried a lazy charm that could make a cultivator willingly jump into an abyss.
The moment she entered, the atmosphere of the room subtly changed.
Even Lady Rot Rose’s pavilion seemed brighter.
Han Yu internally cursed.
’This troublesome woman...’
All four Legacy Disciples paused briefly after noticing Han Yu was already present.
There was visible surprise in some of their eyes.
Legacy Disciples rarely gathered like this in the first place, and for Ju Fan to already be alone with Lady Rot Rose beforehand naturally raised questions. Still, none of them voiced those thoughts openly.
Instead they first greeted Lady Rot Rose before taking their places around the pavilion.
Han Yu quietly observed everyone.
A total of six Legacy Disciples including him.