"Yes." Yuan Yuan responded.
In his eyes, an involuntary trace of bewilderment flickered. Tens of thousands of years had passed. His sole purpose seemed to be finding the next master. Every time he sent off a group of trial-takers, he would fall into an endless loneliness.
But now.
It felt as though he had something to do again.
"These disciples of Wushuang Sect, I'll entrust you to keep an eye on them as well." Yun Jin looked at Yuan Yuan gently. "The master of the Celestial Divine Palace collected countless cultivation methods, as well as peerless techniques. If you feel any of them have potential, you may pass them down yourself."
Yuan Yuan froze. Passing them on was not really the issue.
"But these were left behind for the master. Only the master has the right to decide," Yuan Yuan said cautiously.
"I'm the one making the decision now. From this point on, you may decide for yourself." Yun Jin smiled. "I believe you'll deliver these inheritances into the hands of the ones most suited."
Yuan Yuan was stunned for a moment.
Then, light slowly shone in his eyes, and his whole demeanor suddenly grew filled with vigor. "Master, don't worry! I'll make the arrangements! The reason my former master fell back then was because he had no helpers. This time, I will use everything he left behind to create countless helpers. When the time comes, we'll charge straight into the God Realm together!"
Yuan Yuan's voice was brimming with excitement.
Yun Jin: "…??"
She had not thought that far ahead.
But then again…
If this gave Yuan Yuan motivation, she might as well let him be.
"Enough. Go design the game now. When the two hundred disciples are chosen, they'll still need to play it." Yun Jin said.
"Yuan Yuan, stop rambling! Come design games with me!" Zhu Zhu grabbed Yuan Yuan, her face alight with excitement as the two of them dashed into the Celestial Divine Palace.
"Master, this, this is…" An Tong asked cautiously.
"Nothing much. Just an artifact." Yun Jin spoke with casual indifference.
An Tong: "…"
An artifact.
Nothing much.
Alright. Fine.
It was indeed just "nothing much."
"Also, the Celestial Divine Palace will act as the junction between the Spirit Beast Forest and the Wushuang Sect secret realm. When the time comes, many spirit beasts may come to visit. An Tong, arrange that matter." Yun Jin instructed.
An Tong, still unaware of the seriousness of the issue, agreed without hesitation.
"Young Master." The Tian Po Sword, sensing Yun Jin's aura, flew over.
It caught sight of the suddenly appearing Celestial Divine Palace and curiously asked, "Master, this is?"
Before Yun Jin could answer.
An Tong impatiently cut in: "Don't ask. Just an artifact."
Tian Po Sword: "???"
Seeing the bewildered look on the Tian Po Sword, An Tong suddenly felt a deep sense of satisfaction. He was beginning to understand Yun Jin's fondness for this sort of mischievousness.
After struggling to digest it for a while, Tian Po Sword asked, "Young Master, do you want to check on the entrance trials?"
Yun Jin smiled. "In a while. There is something else I want to settle first."
"Hm?"
Both An Tong and the Tian Po Sword looked confused.
Yun Jin offered no explanation.
In the blink of an eye, her figure vanished from sight.
-
Tianxing Sect.
The teleportation array leading to the Wushuang Sect's secret realm suddenly began to glow.
A moment later, Yun Jin's figure stepped out. She suppressed her aura and walked forward. It had been a long time since she last came to Tianxing Sect.
Now, the sect seemed livelier than before.
Many disciples who failed the preliminary trial had chosen to remain in Tianxing Sect instead of leaving. Among them were even geniuses from upper sects or even super sects, who now preferred to stay here rather than return to their original sects.
Inside the Sect Master's Hall, Lin Ya was busy making arrangements for this new group of disciples.
Suddenly, Yun Jin's voice echoed in his mind.
"Master."
Lin Ya's eyes flickered.
Xiao Jin had come?
He was just about to step out.
But Yun Jin's voice spoke again.
"Master, carry on with your work. I came this time only to meet one person."
Lin Ya's eyes shifted slightly. He faintly guessed what she meant, but did not pry. He only replied, "Very well."
This disciple of his…
She had always been one who never let grudges linger overnight.
Thus.
Her heart was always clear, free from any knots.
But when it came to Ye Danxia, that was an exception.
Among all Yun Jin's enemies, Ye Danxia was far from the strongest. Yet Lin Ya always felt there was a strange focus Yun Jin held toward her.
Perhaps.
After today.
Everything would truly be put to rest.
Yun Jin wandered through Tianxing Sect, sensing Ye Danxia's location. A peculiar light flickered in her eyes.
The next instant, Yun Jin's figure vanished.
At the base of Tianxing Sect's mountain lay a simple village. In the fields, Ye Danxia struggled with farm work. Beside her, Han Xiaoyu sat on the ridge, clutching a jug of wine and drinking without a care for the passing years.
Ye Danxia worked while shooting him a cold glare.
Back when Tianxing Sect fell into chaos, she had her spiritual roots absorbed by Yang Yun. Her spiritual power was utterly destroyed, making it impossible for her to ever tread the path of cultivation again.
Naturally, she was expelled from Tianxing Sect and cast down to this place as a mortal.
Not long after.
Han Xiaoyu came seeking her. For guiding the demons, his cultivation had been crippled. He claimed he loved her and wished to spend the rest of their lives as a mortal couple.
Ye Danxia, thinking it might not be bad to at least have someone to accompany her, agreed. But who could have thought?
Han Xiaoyu wasn't here to live a simple life. He had come to act like an ancestor!
Day after day, aside from drinking, he would vent his drunken rage by beating her. Ye Danxia clenched her teeth and endured for a long time, but today, she no longer needed to endure.
"Xiaoyu, stop drinking." Ye Danxia walked over, speaking softly.
Naturally, Han Xiaoyu did not listen. He stood up and reached out to vent his anger on Ye Danxia as usual. But just as he rose, his foot slipped. With a scream, he toppled to the ground. His head happened to crash against a jagged stone.
The pain forced a bit of sobriety into Han Xiaoyu. In agony, he cried out to Ye Danxia, "Dan… Danxia…"
Ye Danxia did not move. She only stared at Han Xiaoyu coldly. Realizing something, Han Xiaoyu's eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at her. Slowly, consciousness faded away.
Han Xiaoyu was dead.
Ye Danxia could not say if she felt relief, or grief. Either way, her days remained just as hopeless.
She turned, ready to pick up her hoe again.
Suddenly.
Her pupils shrank sharply.
In disbelief, her gaze locked onto the figure before her.
"Yun Jin?!!!" Ye Danxia's voice erupted in fury from the depths of her throat.
Her eyes glared at Yun Jin with such hatred it was as if she wanted to flay her, tear out her sinews, and swallow her whole.
Yun Jin smiled. "Ye Danxia, long time no see."