Han Yu stood before the mission hall, sweat dotting his brow—not from heat, but from the tremendous pressure of pretending to be stronger than he actually was.
The pill was doing its job. His aura rippled like a cultivator who had just stepped over the threshold of the Peak Qi Refining Realm, and the attending elder behind the jade desk squinted at his cultivation base with faint approval.
"Name?" the elder asked.
"Han Yu."
"Applying for mission: Border Investigation – Mist Eye Sect Territory, Northern Broken Fang Ravine... solo mission, highest grade." The elder raised an eyebrow. "Dangerous choice."
"I'm aware," Han Yu replied as steadily as possible. "But I've prepared extensively."
"Hmm." The elder peered at him again. "We'll verify your information. You'll receive confirmation in two days. Use the time to make final preparations."
Han Yu nodded and turned to leave, concealing the tremble in his fingertips. Two days. That was exactly the upper limit of the pill's effects.
