Qin Ping's gaze landed instantly on Yun Jin, Feng Linglong, and the others, his eyes stirring slightly.
This was... Wushuang Sect?
"I think I saw Linglong," someone said. "National Preceptor Qin, is this the secret realm of Wushuang Sect that you spoke of?"
Qin Ping nodded. "It should be. The woman in the center is Yun Jin, the one I mentioned. She is the next Sect Master of Wushuang Sect. From her, I sensed a powerful force. One day, she will lead us onto a new path."
His voice was steady and sure.
But those around him still hesitated.
Qin Ping had saved countless lives over the years. He was a legendary Prime Minister, revered for generations, sustained by the incense offerings of myriad families. His Luck was extraordinary.
Though the others had made their own contributions, their accumulated Luck was nothing compared to his.
At a certain threshold of Luck, Qin Ping would often receive subtle guidance from beyond. Most of the time, those feelings were right... but not always.
And now?
Qin Ping had tied all of their futures to a young cultivator who had only reached the Nascent Soul stage.
They couldn't afford to gamble that easily.
But Qin Ping wasn't in a rush. He said calmly, "Either way, let's watch and see first."
The others nodded in agreement.
Wushuang Sect…
That name had remained silent for far, far too long.
They wanted to see for themselves.
Was Yun Jin, and Wushuang Sect, truly worth staking everything on?
"Immortals. These are immortals."
Down below, the common people stared at the enormous image in the sky, exclamations bursting from their lips.
"What are these immortals doing?"
"I see Immortal Master Feng. Look, it's her!"
"Where? Where?"
"I found her too! Immortal Master Feng is the most talented sword cultivator of the younger generation in our Canglan Kingdom. Among all those people in the image, she must be the core!"
"Right. Maybe this entire projection was arranged by Immortal Master Feng so we could witness her elegance!"
"Frogs in a well! All of you are frogs in a well! Can't you see? Those are disciples from the Four Holy Lands!"
"Kunlun Sword Sect, Beastmaster Sect, Xuandan Gate, Qingxiao Pavilion—they're all here!"
"Where is this image coming from?!"
The crowd buzzed with shock and curiosity.
In the Yuehua Sect, a super sect.
A talisman began to burn in midair.
A new image emerged.
The Sect Master of Yuehua Sect lifted his eyes slightly, narrowing them.
The Wushuang Sect secret realm...
Originally, their plan had been to eliminate Yun Jin the moment the realm opened. But something had gone wrong. Now, they couldn't even pinpoint the entrance.
Still, it didn't matter.
Yun Jin could hide for a while, but she couldn't hide forever. Eventually, she'd have to step out of the secret realm. And when she did, it would be her death.
The Yuehua Sect's master waved his hand, attempting to erase the image.
But then—
His eyes narrowed again.
Despite his strength, he couldn't erase it.
The talisman seemed to contain some form of profound Dao.
The Yuehua Sect master let out a cold laugh.
He recalled some unpleasant memories.
Only the people of Wushuang Sect would be so wasteful, embedding traces of the Great Dao into everything.
So be it. If they want the world to watch, then let it watch.
Inside the Wushuang Sect secret realm—
"Young Master, everyone is in place," An Tong reported.
Yun Jin gave a slight nod.
She could feel it now—the Emotional Value on the system interface was climbing fast.
But it hadn't yet reached its peak.
That was expected.
Most of the current emotional responses were reactions to the projection, not to her directly.
So the Emotional Value couldn't be fully channeled to her yet.
Her next step—
Was to gather all of it toward herself.
"Then let's begin. An Tong, you'll officiate the ceremony," Yun Jin said.
They had already discussed it beforehand.
Their goal was simple: be as high-profile as possible. The more memorable, the better. This moment had to burn itself into everyone's minds.
"Yes."
An Tong took a deep breath.
"Wushuang Sect. The thirty-third Sect Master, Yun Jin. The succession ceremony... now begins."
"All weapons, fire the salute!"
As An Tong's voice rang out—
The weapons from the arsenal floated into the air. They lined up along the two sides of the stairway, letting out a fearsome resonant hum, like a roar. They had slept for far too long.
But this moment... they refused to stay silent any longer.
A millennium of waiting.
And finally, the time had come.
A new Master would lead them. Wushuang Sect would shine once more.
Bathed in sunlight, the weapons shimmered with silver light. The glow gathered into a brilliant path across the steps, like a flowing river of stars.
Yun Jin lifted her foot and stepped onto the first stair.
A soft smile touched her lips.
Though the weapons radiated immense sharpness, their power felt gentle upon her.
It was as if countless seniors, though not physically present, had each come in their own way to witness this moment.
Yun Jin took the second step.
An Tong waved his hand.
Golden sunlight poured down. On the river of silver, golden stars began to emerge.
Even Yun Jin herself now seemed wrapped in a layer of golden radiance, so bright that few dared look directly at her.
She took the third step.
Her clothing transformed in an instant. A lavish robe of gold and silver materialized on her body.
The Tian Po Sword at her side began to hum, droplets of water trickling from its hilt.
This was the ceremonial garb of the Sect Master of Wushuang Sect—once worn by even the Wan Dao Saint.
Beyond being a symbol, it was a powerful defensive artifact, capable of transforming into any appearance.
Right now—
Yun Jin allowed it to take on its most regal form.
She stepped onto the fourth stair.
A jade crown appeared above her head.
Though it didn't seem luxurious, the subtle gleam it gave off stirred an instinctive desire to kneel and submit.
She took the fifth step.
All plants within the Wushuang Sect secret realm suddenly burst into bloom and bore fruit, as if celebrating with wild joy.
The sixth step.
River of Enlightenment began to churn. Every shard of the Great Dao within it pulsed with light.
The seventh step.
The Tian Po Sword materialized in Yun Jin's hand. This marked the passing of inheritance from the former Sect Master to the new one.
The eighth step.
The beast statues at the front of the grand hall seemed to come alive. They dropped to their knees in reverent submission.
The ninth and final step.
Yun Jin stood atop the stairway, radiant and resplendent, the world at her feet.
Below, silence fell.
Duan Yiwei clenched his jaw tightly.
During that ceremonial ascent, he had nearly bowed his head more than once. He had barely resisted the compulsion.
But now—
Yun Jin, standing high above, suddenly turned her gaze downward.
And that single glance—
Duan Yiwei, along with several others, dropped to their knees involuntarily.
Jin Yu, surprised, looked over at him.
Did Junior Sister Yun truly command such respect from Duan Yiwei?
No... not just Duan Yiwei. Almost everyone from Qingxiao Pavilion had kneeled.
Even disciples from other sects had fallen to their knees. Kunlun Sword Sect too—at least one of their disciples had bent the knee.
What was going on?
Jin Yu's expression shifted slightly.
An Tong glanced around, then said coolly, "Before the Sect Master's hall, those who harbor malice toward the Sect Master must kneel. They cannot enter. All others may continue to observe the ceremony."