"Senior Qin," Yun Jin looked at Qin Ping. "Is this truly the will of all of you? I've never liked forcing others."
"Force?" Qin Ping let out a half-laugh, half-sigh. "Sect Master, we were only afraid you wouldn't accept our offer."
Then, his expression grew solemn. "Please rest assured, Sect Master. The entire Canglan Kingdom is willing to fall under the jurisdiction of the Wushuang Sect. From this day forward, Canglan Kingdom and the Wushuang Sect will advance and retreat as one."
Yun Jin couldn't help but turn her gaze to Qin Ping.
Qin Ping had joined the Wushuang Sect earlier with only a small group.
But now, nearly all of the high-level cultivators from the Canglan Kingdom's Imperial forces were pledging themselves to the Wushuang Sect. That was a completely different matter.
Just as Qin Ping had said, from now on, both sides would share weal and woe.
And there was a deeper meaning hidden behind this.
Technically speaking, this region still fell under the jurisdiction of Qingxiao Pavilion.
But if these cultivators officially joined the Wushuang Sect, then it meant only one thing.
Canglan Kingdom no longer wished to obey Qingxiao Pavilion's authority.
This was, quite plainly, rebellion.
And not just any rebellion—it was a rebellion against Qingxiao Pavilion.
If Yun Jin accepted this alliance...
Then the Wushuang Sect and Qingxiao Pavilion would officially stand on opposing sides.
She would be taking the first real step in direct confrontation against Qingxiao Pavilion, starting from Canglan Kingdom.
They would fight for territory, for talent, for Luck.
There could only be one true ruler of this land.
In the past, that ruler had undoubtedly been Qingxiao Pavilion.
But now?
Was the Wushuang Sect really preparing to challenge that supremacy?
Was she really going to make her stand so openly?
A faint smile curled Yun Jin's lips. Without hesitation, she declared, "Very well. From today onward, Canglan Kingdom will fall under the Wushuang Sect's jurisdiction."
The Wushuang Sect and Qingxiao Pavilion were destined to clash.
Qingxiao Pavilion had already begun moving against her in the shadows.
So what was there to fear now?
Let it all come into the open.
Let them fight, blade to blade, with no illusions.
Of course, this land had originally and naturally fallen under Qingxiao Pavilion's control. Forcing them to give it up now—Lin Xiao certainly wouldn't agree to that easily.
So then...
They would need to apply some pressure, use a few methods to force his hand. It was obvious that the recent schemes had Lin Xiao's fingerprints all over them. Without sufficient evidence, they couldn't hold Qingxiao Pavilion accountable.
But even so...
Securing the chance for a direct confrontation might still be within reach. After all, Master Ji and the others were still out there. A glimmer of thought passed through Yun Jin's eyes.
After she killed the Xue Daoren, she had immediately sent a message to Ji Wusi. He had responded, saying he was on his way to the capital.
By now, they should be arriving.
At this moment—
The Xue Daoren's head had long been reduced to a few fragments of bone. In the capital, every household had lit their lamps. People had laid out their finest dishes, and the streets echoed with music and laughter. The city was lost in celebration.
Not wanting to attract too much attention, Yun Jin quietly said, "Senior Qin, find us a quiet place. Someone is coming."
Qin Ping's pupils contracted. He gave a serious nod. He immediately led Yun Jin and Gao Jingxuan into the Imperial Palace.
The palace had been the first to suffer during the chaos. It was also the place the Blood Daoist had most thoroughly taken control of. Nearly everyone inside had been affected by him—some killed, some turned mad. Now, the palace was nearly empty.
Qin Ping had a guess about who might be coming. He brought Yun Jin to the council hall.
Yun Jin glanced at Gao Jingxuan. "Go handle your own affairs for now. Senior Qin and I have something important to discuss."
This time, Gao Jingxuan nodded without argument and left obediently.
Qin Ping lowered his voice. "Sect Master, are people from the Four Holy Lands coming?"
After everything that had just happened, the news had undoubtedly reached them.
They were bound to show up.
Not because the capital had almost been wiped out.
But because—
The Sect Master had comprehended and taken control of an entire Law: the Law of Fire.
Such a prodigy was unprecedented. And likely unrepeatable.
So yes.
They would definitely come.
The near massacre of the city's population would be seen by them as a trivial matter in comparison. Thinking of this, Qin Ping couldn't help but feel a trace of bitterness. But he quickly composed himself. In truth—
The territories governed by the other three Holy Lands had never been as miserable as the one under Qingxiao Pavilion.
In those other regions, demonic cultivators had never run so rampant. But even then, Qin Ping couldn't bring himself to lead his people to seek refuge under the other three Holy Lands.
Perhaps some of them held compassion for the common folk, but that was not the prevailing attitude. He couldn't entrust the fate of his kingdom and his people to them.
But Yun Jin and the Wushuang Sect were different. Only Yun Jin made him willing to stake everything. He didn't know what this decision would bring them in the end.
But the others had all discussed it. Their resolve was the same. So long as they could follow Yun Jin, they would have no regrets—even in death.
Qin Ping was lost in thought when his heart suddenly stirred.
Yun Jin said calmly, "Wait outside."
Qin Ping nodded.
-
Outside the hall.
Yun Jin stood in silence, gazing toward the horizon, deep in thought.
Before long—
A row of black specks appeared in the distant sky.
In the next breath, several figures descended.
Yun Jin bowed respectfully. "Greetings, Seniors."
Ji Wusi looked at Yun Jin.
When they first met, this little disciple of his had been fearless, wild, and lively.
But now—
There was a steady solemnity behind her brows. It made his heart ache.
Had this experience changed her so much?
Ji Wusi sighed inwardly, then said gently, "Disciple, it's only been a few days, but you've improved quite a bit
Yun Jin blinked in surprise.
Ji Wusi had just called her 'disciple' directly. Was he officially acknowledging their master-disciple relationship?
"It's all thanks to my guidance," Qing Yun huffed coldly.
Liu Li smiled softly. "My teachings were clearly the most crucial."
With just a few casual words, the three of them revealed more than enough information.
Yun Jin quickly caught on. She bowed again and said, "Thanks to the teachings of my three masters, I've cultivated diligently and indeed made some progress."
Qin Ping, standing off to the side, was dumbfounded.
"W-what was going on?"
He had mentally prepared himself to face interrogation from all four Holy Lands. He had even been thinking through strategies for how to defend their actions.
And now?
Three of the four had turned out to be Yun Jin's own masters?
"It's also because you're naturally perceptive," Ji Wusi said with a small smile. "You've grasped the Law of Fire, haven't you?"
This couldn't be hidden anyway, not with the battle footage already spreading everywhere. Ji Wusi had decided to use this moment to secure some benefits for Yun Jin.
"Yes," Yun Jin answered without hesitation. "It came to me all of a sudden. I was lucky."
In truth, Yun Jin herself had felt dazed during her comprehension of the Law of Fire. No matter how hard she tried before, she had been unable to grasp it. But when she stopped trying so deliberately and instead broke through the vortex barrier with her life on the line, it happened naturally, almost inexplicably.
Later, she retraced her steps, cross-referenced old texts, and began to understand why.
Metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—the five elements each had their own temperament.
Only by understanding the nature of each element could one truly master its Law.
And what was the true essence of fire?
Yun Jin had a guess.
It was courage.
Only unwavering courage.
Only the resolve to risk everything.
Only the will to face death without regret.
Only then could one fully comprehend fire's true meaning and gain its recognition.
The other four elements, without question, must also hold their own truths.
And Yun Jin knew—those, she would have to uncover one by one, in her own time.
===
If you're curious and want to dive deeper into Dao, Law, Intent, and True Meaning, feel free to check out my glossary on Webnovel. Just head over to my profile and look for the book titled The Xianxia Handbook: A Guide to Cultivation and Beyond. You'll find it covered in Volume 4 : Introduction & some
I recommend adding it to your library—it'll save you the trouble of searching for it later, and you'll always have it on hand whenever you need a quick reference.