Jian Dan waved her hand and didn't take the jade slip. Instead, she sat down at the lower seat. Mo Zhang immediately noticed her expression wasn't good and asked straight out,
"What's wrong? You don't look happy, did someone piss you off?"
"Since I left, has the Spirit Division been handling a lot of missions?"
He knew she was asking about the time after she'd fallen into the spatial rift. After thinking it over, he finally said,"Not too many, but not few either."
That was the truth. For a sect as big as theirs, there were always things that needed brute force to settle.
"How's the success rate? Any casualties?"
"The rate's been very high, injuries yes, deaths no."
Mo Zhang thought for a moment, then answered with a smile.
"Mostly solo assignments?"
"Anywhere from one to nine people. Full-team deployments are rare. After the Ming Valley battle, the Heavenly Demon Palace's reputation hit its peak. Few sects or cultivators are willing to clash with us head-on."
"No wonder," Jian Dan said coldly.
Mo Zhang finally understood what she meant. As someone at the top, and as a high-level cultivator, she didn't need things spelled out.
"Their combat ability's regressed."
That was no small matter. His face sank.
"Individual strength's barely passable, but coordinated fighting is pathetic. Their reactions are too slow, they don't understand battle formations, and they've lost the ferocity that made demon cultivators feared."
She flicked her fan twice to cool her temper. She knew what she was talking about. Back at the Heavenly Sword Sect, she'd drilled the seven squads of the War Hall personally. Even if a war with the insect race broke out right now, they'd be able to hold their own.
Clearly, the Heavenly Demon Palace had gotten lax these past years. They focused only on personal power and ignored teamwork. Against the insect race, it wasn't about one or two elites, it was about collective strength.
Formations could raise a team's power by whole tiers. With teammates watching each other's backs, casualties dropped. A war with the insects wasn't a skirmish, it was a protracted grind. Guarding Ming Valley had taken nearly forty years, and the sect had thrown in countless cultivators.
The more Jian Dan thought about it, the angrier she got. "What the hell has Mo Lie been doing all these years? Since I got back, all he's done is probe me from the left and the right, wasting his mind on these useless games. If the Black Robe Guards are already in this state, who knows what a mess the rest of the sect's peaks are in.No wonder Mo Yan Zhēnzūn summoned me the moment I set foot here. This place is a fucking disaster."
As her anger flared, her killing intent and oppressive aura leaked out. The two attendants behind her immediately dropped to one knee, faces pale. Even Mo Zhang felt a crushing discomfort.
"Junior Sister Mo Yue, don't be angry. I share the blame for this too."
He sighed softly, trying to ease the pressure. Mo Yue was one of the "Four Demon Slayers" and the one with the heaviest killing aura. Even though she'd returned from the Buddhist lands more restrained, this flare-up was a reminder—she was still Mo Yue.
"Chief Mo Zhang, after the Ming Valley battle, the Heavenly Demon Palace's position became unshakable. But you can't just cling to past glory. You should've taken the lessons from Ming Valley to strengthen the entire sect. In the cultivation world, power always comes first."
"Yes, I understand. Junior Sister, you can drill them however you want, life or death doesn't matter."
He realized the gravity of the problem and gave his promise as Chief of the Black Robe Guards. That meant Jian Dan could push them to the absolute limit.
"Good. I'll remember what you said."
She nodded, then left with her two pale-faced attendants.
Mo Yan Peak
When Jian Dan returned to her cave with her entourage, Qiu Feng and Dong Yi were dismissed with a wave. The two let out a silent breath of relief and vanished quickly. They had no desire to get caught up in their master's fury.
Once they were gone, Jian Dan poured herself a jug of Hundred Fruit Wine and drank alone. She had no intention of helping Mo Zhang inspect mountain formations. Part of it was her genuine anger, but part of it was also an excuse to vent and avoid unnecessary hassles.
Her temper tantrum sent ripples. Soon, the remaining Heaven Squad and Demon Squad of the Spirit Division received orders.
Mo Su, Mo Yi, and Mo Qi got their orders directly from Mo Zhang. At first they chuckled, but their smiles quickly vanished. All three went together to Mo Yan Peak to find Jian Dan.
Mo Yan Zhēnzūn didn't even lift an eyelid. Still, he sighed inwardly. Mo Yue had only been back a few days and had already spotted the core issue. No wonder she'd been so valued at the Heavenly Sword Sect.
"Let Mo Yue do as she pleases. Your job is to assist her. Her anger just now was for your benefit, don't dump everything on her shoulders. Balance it out. Let her raise the Spirit Division's strength first, then expand to the other peaks."
"Yes, I understand."
"I know you've put a lot into the Black Robe Guards, and you've done well. But because you're too close, you can't see everything clearly. Mo Yue, as an outsider, can spot problems faster. With her strength and reputation, she'll get results faster. More importantly, she doesn't care about power, so she won't clash with you or Mo Su over authority."
Mo Zhang bowed deeply. "Yes, Zhēnzūn, I understand."
Three streaks of light descended outside Jian Dan's cave. Chun Yu and Xia He stepped forward respectfully and warned, "Zūnshàng's not in the best mood."
"It's fine. Just announce us. If she doesn't want to see us, we'll leave," Mo Su said loudly.
"Come on in. Since when have I refused to see you three?"
She'd already noticed them arriving. She couldn't really shut them out.
The three entered slowly. Jian Dan sat beneath a peach tree, gently waving her fan. Petals drifted like rain, carried on the breeze. The blossoms filled the courtyard with vibrant life.
"Senior Sister, such refined taste," Mo Yi said with a smile, taking a seat without hesitation after bowing.
"Looks like these peach blossoms have really captured your heart," Mo Qi added, her red robes blending beautifully with the scene.
Mo Su, dressed in the sect master's robes, bowed before sitting. Only then did he speak. "My master Mo Lie has gone into seclusion in the back mountain."
Mo Yi and Mo Qi both suppressed laughter, glancing at Mo Su, then back at Mo Yue's face.
She rolled her eyes. "Relax, I won't disturb his seclusion. When he comes out, once he's stepped into the Unity stage, I'll spar with him personally."
"Pfft!" Mo Qi couldn't hold back, laughter spilling out. She gave Mo Su a mock glare. "My good Junior Brother, you'd have been better off saying nothing. You just dug a pit for your master!"
"Cough."
Mo Su covered his lips and coughed lightly, then changed the subject. "Senior Sister Mo Yue, you've been awfully fiery today."