NOVEL WEB Chapter 354: Decision
"Our Twin Leaf Peak Sect will be joining this expedition. We are not the only ones. The Mist Eye Sect, Crimson Cloud Sect, Jade Mirror Temple, and other major sects are already preparing to delve into it along with tens of minor sects."
There was no fanfare in his words, only steel.
"But let it be made clear—this is not merely an opportunity. This is a gamble. And possibly… a war."
A quiet breath passed through the crowd like wind rustling dry leaves.
Han Yu narrowed his eyes.
"The last time such a tomb was found, it sparked a conflict that lasted ten years. We, too, participated in that war. We gained much—but we also lost more than we care to admit. Some of you may not return if you go."
"That is why we will not force participation. All disciples above the Mid Stage of the Qi Refining realm may choose to enlist. Those who do will be placed into specialized task groups—combat, support, logistics, and scouting."
"But I give this warning—if you are weak, do not go. This is not a place to test your bravery. This is not some trial. It is a battlefield."
With a nod to the Peak Lords, the speech ended.
One by one, jade scrolls appeared, floating down to each court level—Outer Court, Inner Court, Core, and even to some resident alchemists and crafters. These scrolls contained the enlistment forms and schedules for preparation.
As the crowd began to disperse, the excitement and tension swirled together like clashing tides.
Han Yu stood at the edge of the gathering, quietly holding his enlistment scroll.
His mind was anything but calm.
"Do I go?"
Han Yu had options. Plenty of them.
He wasn't like most other disciples who were eager or desperate to rise through risk.
He was an alchemist now. A respected one.
In fact, the Alchemy Peak would want him to stay. To produce pills, maintain supply chains, prepare antidotes, stamina elixirs, injury salves, and more.
War or expedition—logistics were always the backbone, and Han Yu was damn good at it.
If he remained, he could easily earn enough merit points to push through his next few cultivation bottlenecks.
But…
Would he?
Would he really be content knowing that everyone else—his peers, allies, and enemies—were chasing the greatest opportunity in a generation, while he stayed back boiling herbs?
Han Yu's hand tightened around the scroll.
He wasn't someone who needed to be on the front lines. But he wasn't someone who could sit back and watch history pass him by, either.
There was also another concern.
If the tomb was real—and contained things that could affect the entire power balance of the region—then someone like Murong Xie might have been the smallest storm he'd have to weather.
If he didn't take the step forward now, he might not have another chance to protect what mattered later.
He sighed and looked toward the horizon.
Later that evening, back at his pill hut, Han Yu sat in his courtyard with Chitterfang snuggled under his arm, the little rat snoring faintly.
The stars above shimmered, and somewhere in the distance, the song of an owl rang through the mountains.
On his desk were two stacks of parchment.
One was a draft of the new logistics supply chain, detailing which pills would be needed and in what quantities.
The other was a request for direct field assignment—specifically under the support and scouting division of the Alchemy Peak's forward detachment.
Han Yu looked between them.
He could stay here, in his comfort, earn merits, train, and rise like many alchemists did—slow and steady.
Or… he could take the plunge.
Face the unknown. See what lay hidden beneath the marshes.
A slow smile curled across his face.
He reached for the second parchment and signed his name.
Han Yu.
Outer Court Alchemy Peak Disciple. Intermediate-Rank Alchemist.
But soon, perhaps something more.
A day later...
The sect grounds were abuzz with movement, preparation, and veiled urgency. Supply caravans came and went, formations were being calibrated, and disciples trained with renewed vigor.
Groups were being formed—task squads, support teams, scouting parties—all under the supervision of elders and peak lords.
But in a quiet courtyard tucked behind the outer court main street, Han Yu was preparing in his own way.
He sat cross-legged in his courtyard, surrounded by tightly sealed wooden cases and storage gourds filled with recovery pills, antidotes, and qi-nurturing tonics.
His Alchemist's Token glimmered faintly on the table beside him, recently engraved with a temporary expedition seal—marking him as an officially dispatched logistics alchemist.
Yet, his eyes weren't on his token.They were on a small jade box, sealed with a crimson wax talisman.
Inside it lay the foundation materials for the Undying Life Charm. The Reverse Blood Fruit, the Jade Heart Silk, and other rare and potent resources—along with a few experimental spirit herbs he'd recently traded for with merit points.
His thumb gently brushed over the jade lid.
"Almost ready," Han Yu murmured.
He wasn't afraid. He hadn't been afraid for some time now, even though he should be.
This mission was nothing like anything before.
It was dangerous. A step into a place where ancient remnants and sect ambitions would clash like wild beasts over treasure.
A place where many would die.
He'd felt this kind of looming danger before—back when he'd been ambushed in the wilds, caught between spirit beasts, assassins, or unknowable forces.
But now… now he felt eager.
Excited.
Some part of him stirred with anticipation, a bold glint flashing in his dark eyes.
"Opportunities like this don't come twice."
Even the elders had said so. Contribution in the expedition would be rewarded—merit points, rare pills, even personalized cultivation manuals if one brought something truly significant. Not to mention the riches and ancient techniques that might lie waiting inside the tomb itself.
Han Yu's instincts stirred.
He'd long learned to trust them.
And they told him: you will find something vital to your path there.
He opened a separate spatial pouch—one he rarely used. Inside were marked tags, binding threads, and protective spirit talismans, all meant to construct a rudimentary revival anchor for the Undying Life Charm.