The moment Lin Tian ripped through the cosmic barrier and ascended to the Nine Heavens, a profound, chilling silence fell over the Cloud Heavens. The spiritual atmosphere, which had been chaotic and volatile, suddenly stabilized and began to obey a new, cold order. The vast, ruined terrain, formerly under the control of the defunct Sovereign's Hall, felt the imposition of a terrifying, absolute will.
Mei Lan, the Innate Sword Soul, stood at the center of the former Sovereign's Hall, which was now a landscape of pulverized jade and floating rubble. She was no longer a rogue operative; she was the silent, acknowledged ruler of Tier 2, though she claimed no throne. She felt the psychic echo of Lin Tian's departure—the final seal of his trust and command. The responsibility was immense. She had been left in control of a massive, war-torn realm, armed only with her Divine Purity Core, the political blueprints Lin Tian transferred, and the absolute obedience of the defeated Immortals.
Her first act was to consolidate power. She summoned the puppet network Lin Tian had secured: Elder Mu (the refined Heavenly Immortal) and the First Elder of the Black Sun Sect (the Grand Unity Immortal). Both Immortals materialized before her, their faces pale with awe and submission. They saw her not as the former servant who stole their resources, but as the final authority left by the terrifying Heaven-Shaking Daoist.
"The Master has ascended," Mei Lan stated, her voice flat and cold, yet carrying the cutting edge of her Sword Intent. "The Lin Dynasty now rules this realm. Your purpose is simple: absolute stability and resource funnelling."
Mei Lan executed Lin Tian's strategic mandate with ruthless efficiency. She directed Mu and the First Elder to immediately enforce the complex political road map Lin Tian had projected into her mind. The goal was to eliminate all remaining pockets of political dissent without wasting time on martial confrontation. She targeted the Three Great Noble Houses—the ancient families who had previously controlled the Sovereign's Hall through political influence.
Mei Lan did not engage them directly. Instead, she used the knowledge from the Sovereign's Archive (transferred in Chapter 45). "House Lin uses Tier 2 Spatial Rift Gems for hidden communication," Mei Lan commanded the First Elder. "House Yun's wealth is secured in Temporal Vaults beneath the Central Market. Target their secrets, not their lives."
The First Elder and Elder Mu, armed with this unassailable knowledge, exposed the houses' secret resources and illegal transactions to the remaining, terrified Grand Unity Immortals. The move was devastating. The three houses were instantly paralyzed by the threat of total exposure and financial ruin. Mei Lan's authority was validated not by fighting but by omniscience. She commanded the remaining houses to swear fealty to the Lin Dynasty and dedicate 90% of their annual spiritual resource output to the Central Treasury—the foundation for Lin Tian's eventual supply line.
"The Cloud Heavens are now a resource generator," Mei Lan declared. "Any attempt to hoard or rebel will be met with the Blade of Purity." Her reputation ensured no one questioned the threat.
With the political realm stabilized, Mei Lan flew to the massive, shimmering, damaged barrier that marked Lin Tian's departure—the Heavenly Gate. She stood there, feeling the terrifying spiritual pull of the Nine Heavens above and the immense political weight of the Cloud Heavens below. Her duty was singular: Defense and Vigilance.
Mei Lan established the Sentinel Array—a formation designed to monitor the Heavenly Gate for two threats: Invasion from Above (any high-level Golden Immortal from Tier 3 attempting to descend and investigate the chaos Lin Tian caused) and Escape from Below (any residual Tier 2 power, like Venerable Qiao's surviving allies, attempting to flee the new Lin Dynasty's rule).
She knew the primary danger was Venerable Qiao himself. Though crippled by Lin Tian's counter-attack, Qiao was still the most powerful entity who understood the nature of Lin Tian's power.
Mei Lan focused her Divine Purity Core, projecting her absolute certainty into the very fabric of the Tier 2 space. She was sending a clear, cold message to the cosmos: The realm has a new ruler, and the gate is closed.
Her personal cultivation was put on hold. Her focus was entirely on solidifying the Lin Dynasty and securing the resources. She was now the Cloud Heavens' Ruler—the unwavering, lethal sentinel of the Lin Empire, preparing the vast Tier 2 foundation for the return of the Heaven-Shaking Daoist.