The afternoon sun shifted its golden rays, casting long, distorted shadows through the frost-covered latticework of the Ice Heart Pavilion's high windows. Outside, Azure Cloud City continued its bustling, noisy existence, merchants haggling over spirit stones and cultivators soaring through the sky, completely oblivious to the horrific subjugation that had permanently altered the power dynamics of their region. Inside the master chamber, the heavy, suffocating, musk-filled atmosphere remained entirely unchanged. The air was thick with the scent of sweat, forced submission, and the overpowering, dark ozone of Wang Jian's Stellar Demonic Qi.
