Yun Jin touched her chin and suddenly smiled. "This Xuan Kong is quite interesting. Hong Ye, if you encounter him again, try to reestablish contact. Just one thing: any news, report to me immediately."
Hong Ye paused. "Sect Master, I..."
"I have a feeling he might be hiding some secret. You know him from before. If anyone can get him to talk, it will be you," Yun Jin said casually. "But this isn't a mission. Don't stress about it. Just follow your instincts."
"Getting information from Xuan Kong..."
Hong Ye's eyes flickered with thought. She had originally wanted no further contact with this man.
"But since the Sect Master said so..."
Then she would test him next time. Gritting her teeth, she said, "Sect Master, if he truly is evil, allow me to kill him myself."
"Alright, alright." Yun Jin patted her shoulder. "We'll see once everything is clear."
Hong Ye nodded and regained her composure.
"Hong Ye, you will continue to oversee Sky City. I am returning to Wushuang Sect first, then I will visit the Spirit Beast Forest. If anything urgent arises, consult Qin Ping first," Yun Jin instructed.
At first, Qin Ping's strength was below Hong Ye's, but his progress had surpassed her. Now, apart from her, he was the most formidable in Wushuang Sect. Most matters could be handled with Hong Ye and Qin Ping working together.
"Spirit Beast Forest?" Hong Ye tensed. "Sect Master, Lin Xiao surely has schemes. That forest is too dangerous."
"If he wants to trap me, he must present real stakes. Those two items are likely in the Spirit Beast Forest. Don't worry. Few in this world can kill me at the moment," Yun Jin said with confidence.
With the dual Great Law in her grasp and the Yin-Yang Codex, her soul had naturally advanced to mid-tribulation over fifty years. If she chose, she could break through the tribulation phase at any moment, gaining another leap in strength.
Lin Xiao might plan endlessly, but he could never fathom her true power.
Once Yun Jin decided, her mind never wavered.
Thinking of Yun Jin's incarnation as a divine being, Hong Ye felt more at ease.
"I will guard the sect, Sect Master. As for Xuan Kong, I will try to probe him if the opportunity arises," she said earnestly.
"No pressure." Yun Jin waved it off. "Whether you obtain information or not doesn't matter. Whatever happens, do not act rashly. Wait for my return."
When her sword pointed at Qingxiao Pavilion, all truths would naturally come to light.
Yun Jin's instruction to Hong Ye was also a way to let her take part in seeking answers, since she cared deeply about the matter.
She had faith in Hong Ye.
A man was nothing before the Dao. Hong Ye would know her limits.
"I understand, Sect Master," Hong Ye replied solemnly.
When Xuan Kong had abandoned her that day, she had not sought death, but instead focused on living better.
After a millennium, her goals were clearer than ever. Even if they had never parted, even if they had stayed together for a thousand years, what mattered most would always be herself. This would never change.
After seeing Yue Zhao and the others once more, Yun Jin returned directly to Wushuang Sect.
She did not watch their individual matches.
They simply swept the top three spots without excitement.
Back at Wushuang Sect, Yun Jin ordered Shan Dian to move to the sea near the Spirit Beast Forest. Most of the world was ocean, and Shan Dian's speed was astonishing, saving Yun Jin much travel time.
In about seven days, Shan Dian would reach the waters near the forest.
During this time, Yun Jin chose to meditate. Her soul was mid-tribulation, but her spiritual power lagged slightly. These seven days would allow her to catch up.
An Tong delivered various powerful spirit plants for Yun Jin to absorb. With the Mystic Codex, her spiritual power surged rapidly.
Seven days later, she emerged as a mid-tribulation powerhouse. Her fifty-year Tower of Trials training had brought her soul close to late-tribulation.
Soon, she would prepare for the tribulation itself.
Ordinary cultivators took time from entering tribulation to reaching its peak before facing the Heavenly Tribulation.
Her family knew her situation; her tribulation would come within a year or two.
To survive, she needed sufficient lightning-based artifacts and ideally a lightning-based cultivation technique. With her five spiritual roots, any path was possible. Perhaps it was time to study a lightning technique.
That was for later.
Now, Yun Jin told Shan Dian, "Stay within Qingxiao. I will continue alone from here."
Shan Dian obediently stopped at the edge of the sea.
Yun Jin left the Wushuang Sect secret realm and looked up at the boundless Sky City above.
During Sky City's existence, sects in Qingxiao accessed the main city via portals. While here, Wushuang Sect disciples could freely come and go from the main city. Mounting Tai'a Sword, Yun Jin soared toward the Spirit Beast Forest.
Sky City's competition had no surprises.
The three from Wushuang Sect took all top spots. Yue Zhao, with early Divine Transformation cultivation, claimed the first of the Divine Transformation stage.
The crowd felt a mixture of awe and disbelief.
So, Wushuang Sect's claim of being invincible among peers was not just peak versus peak!
Even early-stage disciples could be unbeatable against peak-stage rivals?
Victory for a minor stage was routine for Wushuang Sect disciples.
And their Sect Master? She crossed two stages, chasing Mahayana cultivators while still in Unity stage. A true monster.
Previously, they thought:
Lost at Foundation Establishment? Win at Golden Core.
Lost at Golden Core? Win at Nascent Soul.
Lost at Nascent Soul? Surely Divine Transformation would be theirs!
Instead, Wushuang Sect swept all first places.
The upcoming Unity-stage battles made them uneasy.
Who knew how many more prodigies Yun Jin had cultivated?
Lin Xiao seemed unbothered. Calmly, he announced, "In one month, the main city's barrier will be weakest, the best time to open it. Unity-stage battles will begin then. Use this month to prepare."
Everyone agreed.
Lin Xiao observed Hong Ye carefully.
Wushuang Sect disciples, except the odd business-minded Yue Zhao, returned immediately to the sect realm after the matches.
This time, Hong Ye would lead her team out.
Where they returned in the portals would reveal the truth of his suspicions. Hong Ye glanced at Lin Xiao and showed no intent to hide, taking Wushuang Sect disciples through the easternmost portal.
A subtle smile appeared at Lin Xiao's lips.
The easternmost portal led to the Spirit Beast Forest.
Wushuang Sect had a giant turtle capable of moving swiftly across the sea, and the sect's entry shifted with the turtle's position. Each disciple had a token to instantly return to the sect, but teleportation was limited and not used lightly.
Entering Sky City, they still relied on the portal to reach their destination. Thus, their route confirmed the turtle's location, the sect's entry point. By sending the turtle east, Yun Jin was certainly heading to the Spirit Beast Forest.
Lin Xiao's smile deepened.
The Xuan Yin Crystal and Tian Zhao Stone were indeed in the Spirit Beast Forest. It was now a matter of whether Yun Jin would have the fortune to claim them.