With those top cultivators gone, the entire Tianxing Sect finally let out a breath of relief.
Over the past few days, it had been Yun Jin alone who received and entertained all those powerful figures. The rest of the sect had not even dared to approach.
"Xiao Jin, does this mean everything has settled for now?" Fairy Yin Jun asked cautiously.
Yun Jin gave a small nod. "The matters ahead are no longer something we can intervene in."
Yun Jin believed her cultivation speed was already fast enough.
But in times like these, filled with unrest and upheaval, her current strength still wasn't enough to make a difference when it came to true peak-level confrontations.
Her current task was clear. She had to grow stronger, and quickly.
Although the situation with Qingxiao Pavilion had been triggered by her, she was still far from qualified to get involved in what came next.
"True." Fairy Yin Jun sighed in relief.
Though she had cultivated for far longer than Yun Jin, the events of these past few days had been unprecedented in her entire life. In all her millennia, she had only ever heard of Mahayana cultivators, and now, because of Yun Jin, she had seen several of them face to face.
The experience was both exhilarating and nerve-racking. To witness things others never would, to live through things others never could... it was exciting, yes, but far too overwhelming.
"Respected Elders, Peak Masters, Elder Ming, Master of the Spirit Hall," Yun Jin said with a warm smile, "Though I happened to return during the demon attack, that was merely a coincidence. I actually have an important matter to discuss with all of you."
Her tone turned serious, prompting everyone to exchange glances before nodding in agreement. Though Yun Jin's current cultivation appeared to be in the Divine Transformation stage, they all knew she was capable of instantly killing Unity cultivators.
And beyond that...
She had the mysterious Wushuang Sect backing her. That terrifying lava dragon alone was powerful enough to wipe out the entire Tianxing Sect. At this point, even a single sentence from Yun Jin could not be taken lightly. Let alone when she was speaking with such deliberate formality.
Inside the Tianxing Sect's main hall.
Originally, this hall could only be opened by the sect master.
But now...
With Zhao Wuji already reduced to ashes, the gates were opened directly for Yun Jin.
A few of the Grand Elders even suggested that Yun Jin take the master's seat.
Yun Jin smiled and declined. "A disciple should not sit above her master. That's not proper."
Everyone immediately understood her intent.
Immortal Lady Yinjun smiled and said, "Zhao Wuji has already paid for his crimes. In my view, the sect master's position should go to Peak Master Lin. Do any of you have objections?"
At present...
Among the ten original Peak Masters, only eight remained.
Huo Lie and Long Yi had been trapped in the Soul-Calming Formation and had most of their essence drained. They were now caught in a living nightmare, neither fully alive nor dead.
Lin Ya had always been the strongest among them. Even without recent events, it was only a matter of time before he would have taken the sect master's mantle.
And now, with all that had happened, and with a peerless disciple like Yun Jin under his wing...
The position of sect master could only go to Lin Ya.
"Lin Ya, go ahead," Immortal Lady Yinjun urged.
Lin Ya froze. "This... this goes against protocol. Technically, we need a vote from the entire sect."
"Even with a vote, the result would be the same," said Fang Mingyue as she looked at Yun Jin. "Now that the Sect Master of the Wushuang Sect has come to discuss matters with us, we need someone to represent us."
"She's right. There's no time for a formal ceremony today, but we can make up for that later. For now, you are the sect master of the Tianxing Sect. Any matters Sect Master Yun brings up can be discussed directly with you," another elder added.
Yun Jin beamed. "That works perfectly."
And so, in a daze, Lin Ya was pushed onto the sect master's seat.
Once he was seated, Yun Jin finally said, "Sect Master Lin, I may now be the leader of the Wushuang Sect, but I was born of Tianjian Peak in the Tianxing Sect. Though fate has led me elsewhere, I still remember the kindness of the sect and the teachings of my master. This time, I come as the Wushuang Sect's Sect Master, to bring a great opportunity to the Tianxing Sect."
An opportunity?
Everyone's heart skipped. They all perked up.
In the world of cultivation...
Aside from innate talent and comprehension, the most vital factor in one's journey was Luck and opportunity.
Those with opportunity...
Could soar to the heavens, even with lacking roots or comprehension.
Those without...
Would face endless trials, no matter how gifted.
Opportunity was the one thing all cultivators dreamed of.
Yun Jin continued, "In the name of the Wushuang Sect, I invite disciples of the Tianxing Sect to visit our grounds. Anyone who passes the trial of the Heart Testing Stairway will earn a chance to enter the Wushuang Sect's armory. Inside the armory, many legacy weapons of the Wushuang Sect's ancestors are stored. If a weapon recognizes a disciple, they may inherit the secret arts hidden within its space."
The expressions in the room shifted.
They had seen glimpses of the armory through recorded images.
But even then, it had only been a fleeting look.
And now they were hearing that those weapons carried the legacies of Wushuang Sect seniors?
They had already learned a bit about the Wushuang Sect.
A thousand years ago, this sect could suppress all four Holy Lands.
To inherit their legacy would be no less than a miracle.
"If any disciple performs particularly well, they will be rewarded with spirit herbs, and may even gain access to secret techniques stored within the library pavilion," Yun Jin added.
It sounded simple enough.
But everyone in the hall understood the value of those rewards. They had seen the Wushuang Sect's herb stores through the recorded projections. To obtain one of those spirit herbs could save decades of bitter cultivation.
And the library pavilion... that was the true foundation of the Wushuang Sect's strength. Everyone's eyes began to burn with eagerness once again.
"If any disciple performs exceptionally well," Yun Jin said after a short pause, "they may join the Wushuang Sect directly and become one of our disciples. All disciples of the Wushuang Sect are considered formal disciples. There is no outer sect. The only difference between regular and core disciples lies in the resources they receive, not in their status or dignity. This, I guarantee."
Join the Wushuang Sect...
Faces around the room shifted.
The Wushuang Sect didn't have many people right now, but its resources and legacy were on par with the four Holy Lands.
For disciples of a mid-tier sect like the Tianxing Sect, entering a Holy Land-tier sect was nearly impossible. It might take a hundred years to produce one such candidate.
But now...
Yun Jin was giving the Tianxing Sect a direct opportunity. She even allowed them to inherit part of the legacy first, and only then attempt to meet the Wushuang Sect's entry standards.
This was truly...
A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
But taking this opportunity also meant...
The Tianxing Sect would be bound to the Wushuang Sect from that point forward. They would essentially become a subordinate sect.
The Tianxing Sect would help the Wushuang Sect gather new disciples, and funnel the most elite ones into the Wushuang Sect.
That was the true implication behind Yun Jin's words.
Everyone's expressions flickered.
This decision would affect the Tianxing Sect's entire future. No one dared make a hasty choice.
Yun Jin smiled gently. "Please take your time discussing. I'll wait outside the hall."
With that, she stepped out on her own.
She had come today as the Sect Master of the Wushuang Sect.
This decision was far too weighty. If she remained inside, they would not be able to speak freely.
Even if she had once been a disciple of the Tianxing Sect...
The truth was, those days were long gone.
The present is not what it once was.