Volume 1, Chapter 220 – The Shocked Factions

A streak of light cut across the sky and landed in the mist-shrouded square of Yaochi Immortal Palace.

Li Hanyi and Liu Ruyan had barely steadied themselves when Yun Yun emerged from the main hall to greet them, concern on her gentle face.

“Hanyi, Ruyan, you’re back.”

Yun Yun’s voice was soft as her gaze swept over them.

“Elder Fushan returned and said you’d gone to the Xuanming Sect?”

Li Hanyi nodded and gave a concise account of what had happened.

Her voice remained perfectly calm, as though she were recounting an everyday occurrence.

Yet when Yun Yun finished listening, a sharp gleam flashed in her eyes.

“You did well.”

Her voice was quiet, but her conviction was unmistakable.

“With that strike, you not only secured justice for the Liu family but also sent a warning to the other sects.”

Yun Yun turned to Liu Ruyan. Seeing that she still looked somewhat uneasy, she gently reassured her.

“Ruyan, you needn’t blame yourself too much. On the path of cultivation, family can be both a burden and a source of motivation.”

“Since you have joined Yaochi Immortal Palace, the Immortal Palace will naturally protect your family.”

Liu Ruyan’s eyes glistened as she bowed.

“This disciple understands. Thank you, Deputy Palace Master. Thank you, Grand Elder.”

“All right. Go and get some rest.”

Yun Yun waved a hand.

“There’s no need to rush back to the Myriad-Phenomena Tower to cultivate over the next few days. Take some time to rest properly.”

“Yes. This disciple will take her leave.”

Liu Ruyan bowed again, then turned and left.

Her retreating figure looked a little frail, yet there was a new resolve in her bearing.

Once she was out of sight, Yun Yun and Li Hanyi walked side by side toward the main hall.

The fragrance of tea drifted through the hall. Yun Yun poured Li Hanyi a cup of spirit tea before speaking at last.

“I’m afraid this matter with the Xuanming Sect won’t end here.”

Li Hanyi lifted her teacup, her eyes turning faintly cold.

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“If they dare make another move, I’ll pay them another visit.”

“It isn’t the Xuanming Sect I’m worried about.”

Yun Yun shook her head.

“The Xuanming Sect has tens of thousands of years of history and a deep foundation. From what you just told me, they aren’t entirely unreasonable. It’s just…”

She paused, lightly tracing the rim of her cup with one fingertip.

“What worries me is how the other factions in the Southern Region will react once word of this spreads.”

Li Hanyi set down her cup and looked at Yun Yun.

“You mean…”

“The tallest tree catches the strongest wind.”

Yun Yun sighed softly.

“Yaochi Immortal Palace was founded only a little over two years ago, yet the cultivators of the Southern Region have already crowned the Palace Master an Empress.”

“You may have established our authority by punishing the Xuanming Sect with overwhelming force, but I fear the other sects will accuse Yaochi Immortal Palace of being too…”

Li Hanyi was silent for a moment before slowly replying,

“It doesn’t matter. The Palace Master may be in seclusion, but with the two of us here, there truly isn’t anyone in the Southern Region who can stand against us.”

“If anyone really tries to stir up trouble, I’ll simply make another trip. I didn’t get my fill of fighting this time anyway.”

At her words, Yun Yun’s lips curved into a smile.

“I see! Finding someone to fight was your real objective all along, wasn’t it?”

Li Hanyi arched an eyebrow at Yun Yun.

“And why not? We sword cultivators should press forward without fear!”

Yun Yun shook her head helplessly and did not argue further.

“But you’re right.”

“Before entering seclusion, the Palace Master said that once she emerged, she would take the Immortal Palace to another continent.”

“Until then, all we need to do is safeguard the Immortal Palace’s foundations and wait for her to emerge.”

“As for the storms raging outside…”

A profound gleam flashed in Yun Yun’s eyes.

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“Let the wind howl and the waves crash. We shall remain unmoved.”

Time flowed silently onward.

News of the attack on the Liu family in Qingyang City, along with word that the Xuanming Sect had been devastated by a single sword strike, soon caused an uproar throughout the Southern Region.

At first, only scattered rumors circulated among cultivators.

“Have you heard? The Liu family in Qingyang City was attacked a few days ago!”

“The Liu family? Which Liu family?”

“Wait… You don’t mean the family of Liu Ruyan, the Yaochi Empress’s personal disciple, do you?”

“That’s the one! I heard the Liu family was nearly wiped out!”

“Heavens! Who could be bold enough to attack the Liu family?”

“I heard the man leading the attack was an outer sect elder of the Xuanming Sect. Afterward, the Grand Elder of Yaochi Immortal Palace went straight to the Xuanming Sect’s headquarters. With a single sword strike, she split apart their Sect-Protecting Grand Formation and cleaved the entire sect in two! Even the Xuanming Sect’s two Tribulation Transcendence ancestors were gravely wounded when they joined forces against her!”

“Hiss… Is that really true? The Xuanming Sect has existed for tens of thousands of years!”

“Absolutely! A cousin of mine was conducting business near the Nether Soul Mountain Range. He personally saw a beam of sword light tear the mountain range open that day, letting sunlight pour into the chasm! Only later did he learn that the Grand Elder of Yaochi Immortal Palace was responsible!”

“Isn’t that a little too overbearing? Her disciple’s family was attacked, so she stormed straight to their headquarters?”

“Overbearing? That’s called protecting your own! What do you know? If I belonged to a sect like that, I’d wake up laughing!”

“You’ve got a point… Still, the Xuanming Sect has suffered a monumental humiliation this time. Their headquarters was destroyed and their ancestors gravely wounded. I’m afraid they’ll never be able to hold their heads high in the Southern Region again.”

“They deserved it! Of all the people they could have provoked, they just had to provoke Yaochi Immortal Palace!”

Similar discussions unfolded in teahouses, taverns, marketplaces, and streets throughout the Southern Region.

Shock, awe, admiration, and schadenfreude all mingled together.

As time passed, more details came to light.

Some mentioned that Bloodfiend Old Demon had once been a disciple of the Xuanming Sect and that Deputy Sect Master Mingquan had orchestrated the entire incident to avenge his son.

Others vividly described Li Hanyi’s earth-shattering sword strike and how it had carved a ravine several li long through the Xuanming Sect’s grounds.

Still others swore that before leaving, Li Hanyi had declared:

“If this happens again, the Xuanming Sect will no longer need to exist.”

Every new detail further reinforced the authority of Yaochi Immortal Palace and the terrifying power of its Grand Elder.

The major factions of the Southern Region all reacted differently to the news.

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Around Qingyang City, every faction that had once harbored designs on the Liu family immediately abandoned them.

The clan-protecting grand formation outside the Liu family estate, with terrifying sword intent faintly flowing through it, hung over everyone’s heads like a razor-sharp blade, reminding them all:

The Liu family was untouchable.

Meanwhile, the reactions of the Southern Region’s three great sacred lands, Qingyun Sacred Land, the Flying Cloud Sect, and Heavenly Fire Valley, were more nuanced.

Qingyun Sacred Land, main peak great hall.

Sacred Lord Chu Tianchen sat in the seat of honor, with several elders seated below him.

“That Grand Elder of Yaochi Immortal Palace… It seems we underestimated her back on the Tianqiong Plains.”

A white-haired elder stroked his beard thoughtfully.

“That sword strike may already have reached the threshold of half-step Immortal Ascension.”

“Even if it hasn’t, it cannot be far off.”

Another elder picked up the thread.

“The Xuanming Sect’s grand formation has been passed down for tens of thousands of years. Even our ancestor was unable to break it when he attacked in the past. Yet she needed only one strike.”

Chu Tianchen’s gaze was inscrutable as he slowly spoke.

“Although the Yaochi Empress is not currently in the Southern Region, the strength that Grand Elder has displayed is enough to overwhelm any faction in the entire region.”

He paused and looked at the assembled elders.

“Pass down my orders. Keep our disciples under control, and make sure they do not come into conflict with disciples of Yaochi Immortal Palace while traveling outside the sacred land.”

“Yes, Sacred Lord.”

Flowing Cloud Sword Sect, summit of the main peak.

The ancestor of the Flowing Cloud Sect stood with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing at the churning sea of clouds in the distance with a complicated expression.

“The sword strike she unleashed on the Tianqiong Plains a year ago wasn’t her at full strength. Is this her true power?”

Behind him, a middle-aged man spoke in a low voice.

“Ancestor, back in the Tianqiong Secret Realm, one of our inner disciples led a group to besiege Liu Ruyan. Should we now…”

“There’s no need.”

Yun Tianhe waved a hand.

“Yaochi Immortal Palace may act somewhat overbearingly, but they are not unreasonable.”

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“The Xuanming Sect was at fault in this matter. We need only watch how events unfold.”

He turned, a sharp gleam flashing in his eyes.

“However, demote that disciple to the outer sect!”

“Yes, Ancestor.”

The middle-aged man bowed and slowly withdrew.

Heavenly Fire Valley, Earthfire Great Hall.

The atmosphere was heavy.

Valley Master Lie Yan’s expression was dark, while the elders below him wore similarly troubled looks.

“Liu Ruyan… It’s that Liu Ruyan again!”

A red-haired elder ground his teeth.

“She killed the young valley master in the Tianqiong Secret Realm, and now that her family has been attacked, Yaochi Immortal Palace has gone to such lengths for her. If Heavenly Fire Valley had…”

“Enough.”

Lie Yan cut him off coldly.

“What happened back then was Wushuang’s fault. He was the one who provoked her first. No one else can be blamed.”

Despite his words, a trace of resentment flashed in his eyes.

His son’s death would always be a thorn in his heart.

“Valley Master, are we truly going to let this matter go?”

Another elder could not help asking.

“If we don’t, what else can we do?”

Lie Yan snorted coldly.

“A single Grand Elder was enough to inflict such a crushing defeat on the Xuanming Sect. What does Heavenly Fire Valley have that could possibly stand against her?”

He did not finish, but everyone in the hall understood what he meant.

A single Grand Elder had nearly destroyed the Xuanming Sect.

If that Empress personally took action, the consequences went without saying.