usatvline Chapter 921: Immediate Reward?
Chapter 921: Immediate Reward?
Lady Rot Rose did not let the silence stretch for too long.
After hearing Han Yu accept the mission, she studied him for a moment longer, as if weighing something beyond the agreement itself. Then, unexpectedly, the faint smile on her lips deepened and her eyes took on a more amused glint.
"Since you have pleased me," she said lightly, her tone almost playful, "I see no reason to delay your reward."
Han Yu blinked.
For a fraction of a second, his composure cracked.
"Right now?" he asked, unable to hide the surprise that slipped into his voice.
This was not how such exchanges usually worked. Information of that level was currency. It was leverage. It was something one held until the other party fulfilled their side. And yet she was offering it immediately.
Lady Rot Rose nodded, the movement slow and deliberate.
"Yes," she said.
Her eyes narrowed slightly, and a sly smirk appeared on her lips.
"I surely do not think you would betray me, would you?"
The question was light in tone, yet it carried an unmistakable weight beneath it. It was not truly a question. It was a reminder. Han Yu’s expression returned to calm almost instantly.
"Of course not, my lady," he replied smoothly.
His voice was steady, respectful, and without hesitation.
She watched him for a moment longer, then gave a satisfied nod.
"Good."
The atmosphere shifted slightly.
What had been a negotiation now turned into something else.
A transfer.
Lady Rot Rose adjusted her posture slightly and began to speak, her tone now more measured, less teasing.
"The information you seek is restricted," she said, "but that does not mean it is entirely inaccessible."
She tapped her pipe lightly against the side of the lounger, as if organizing her thoughts.
"On its own, it is not particularly useful," she continued. "Not unless one possesses the means to act upon it."
Han Yu listened carefully, his attention fully focused.
"The exact method of breaking through the barrier..." she said, pausing briefly, "is not something I can explain in detail."
Her gaze shifted slightly, and for the first time, there was a hint of limitation in her tone.
"It involves Spatial Formation Arrays."
Han Yu’s eyes flickered.
"As you can imagine," she added, "that is not a field I specialize in."
She gave a faint shrug.
"Even if the complete array were placed before me, I would not be able to fully comprehend it. That level of formation is beyond ordinary understanding."
Han Yu nodded internally.
This matched his expectations.
A barrier that could isolate an entire continent could not be something simple. It had to involve space itself, perhaps even the manipulation of spatial boundaries on a fundamental level.
Within the sect, only four individuals were said to possess that level of formation mastery.
And even they were rarely seen.
Lady Rot Rose continued.
"However, there are aspects of the process that do not rely on formation knowledge alone."
Her voice lowered slightly.
"The barrier of the Blood Continent is not constant."
Han Yu’s gaze sharpened.
"It is strong," she said, "but not unchanging. There are periods when it weakens."
A faint ripple passed through Han Yu’s mind.
Time.
"So it fluctuates," he said.
Lady Rot Rose nodded.
"Yes. But the fluctuations are not predictable in a simple manner."
She leaned forward slightly.
"The weakening occurs at specific points, both in time and space. And identifying those points is... difficult."
Han Yu listened intently.
"We spent years studying it," she continued. "Observing patterns. Testing theories. Losing people in the process."
Her tone remained calm, but the implication was clear.
It had not come easily.
"What we discovered," she said, "is that the weakening cannot be detected far in advance."
She raised a single finger.
"At most, one month."
Han Yu’s eyes narrowed slightly.
"One month," he repeated.
"That is the window," she confirmed. "If you are not prepared within that time, you miss the opportunity."
Understanding dawned in Han Yu’s mind.
That explained everything.
"The campaign..." he murmured.
Lady Rot Rose gave a faint smile.
"Yes. Now you understand."
Han Yu leaned back slightly, recalling the events of that time.
"I always wondered," he said, "why the sect acted in such haste. Why so many outer court disciples were sent, with only a small number of stronger individuals."
His gaze lifted to her.
"If the sect truly wished to reclaim the Central Continent, they could have sent peak heads, high elders... overwhelming force."
He paused.
"It could have been taken in one strike."
Lady Rot Rose let out a soft chuckle.
"If only it were that simple."
She shook her head slightly.
"Even when the barrier weakens, it does not become harmless. It still restrains those of the Blood Continent."
Han Yu’s brows furrowed.
"We found a way to send weaker cultivators through with relative stability," she explained. "But sending stronger individuals requires far more preparation, far more resources, and far greater risk."
Her gaze turned slightly distant, as if recalling something.
"The elders who crossed over..." she said slowly, "paid a heavy price to do so."
Han Yu felt a chill run through him.
"And because the detection window is so short," she continued, "there is no time to prepare the large scale movement of powerhouses."
She looked back at him.
"We did what we could with what we had."
Han Yu nodded slowly.
Internally, he felt a sense of relief.
If the barrier had allowed the full force of the sect to pass through easily... The Central Continent would have been devastated beyond recognition. It would not have been a battle. It would have been a massacre.
Lady Rot Rose continued speaking.
"The method used to cross the barrier is a teleportation array," she said. "A specialized one, designed specifically for that purpose."
Han Yu’s attention sharpened further.
"The same array was used during the campaign," she added.
He nodded slightly, committing every word to memory.
"But..." she said, her tone shifting slightly.
"There is a problem."