By the following night, the tension had reached its peak.
Everyone was growing restless.
Qing Yun paced outside.
After discovering the Earthfire Chamber with Yue Zhao last time, he had left a marker by the entrance. The moment anything changed, he could teleport there instantly. That way, he would be the first to see Yun Jin. Now, he focused on the marker, ready to move the moment it fluctuated.
Cang Li and Shen Yanye, though lacking teleportation methods, had also laid down their own tricks. If Yun Jin exited seclusion, they would know immediately. Each of the three appeared more anxious than the next.
The disciples of Tianjian Peak exchanged helpless glances.
Si Wanning lowered her voice. "Compared to them, we look like we don't care about our junior sister at all."
Yu Songnian nodded with a sigh.
Lin Ya and Yue Zhao could only smile wryly.
Yun Jin was just in seclusion, not in danger. It was hard to match the others' level of urgency.
Minute by minute, the night passed.
By dawn, Yun Jin had yet to emerge.
Today was the day of the Sect Grand Assembly.
Qing Yun looked at Lin Ya. "Junior Brother Lin, if Yun Jin stays in seclusion any longer, she'll miss the appointed time."
Lin Ya replied quickly, "She won't. The contract we signed includes a timed clause. Its power will remind her. She should be coming out any moment now."
That was the theory, at least.
But it didn't ease the anxiety.
Cang Li checked his message talisman in secret. His master would arrive faster than expected—within the day. As long as he could keep Qing Yun from taking Yun Jin right away, there was still hope.
Shen Yanye shared the same thought. So the two of them began coaxing Qing Yun at the same time, urging him to relax and be patient.
Qing Yun gave them both a suspicious look.
Before he could piece things together, the Tianxing Bell rang out once more.
Lin Ya counted carefully.
One.
Two.
Five.
Six.
Six chimes in total.
The Sect Grand Assembly was officially underway.
All Tianxing Sect disciples, even those stationed outside, had returned. Even Zhao Wuji's frail fifth disciple had made the trip back.
Inside a cave dwelling, a barrier flickered and faded.
Ruan Jun slowly opened his eyes.
The three-month period had ended.
During that time, he had received limitless support from Zhao Wuji. Pills his master had never been willing to hand out before, he now gave in full—two entire bottles. Thanks to that, Ruan Jun had gone from late-stage Nascent Soul to its peak.
Though he had not yet stepped into Divine Transformation, if Yue Zhao challenged him again, he would accept without hesitation. He, Ruan Jun, was no longer the same man from three months ago. Beyond his cultivation gains, the greatest gift had been a set of needle-like magic treasures from his master.
High-grade and excellent for concealment and ambush. Once they reached the dueling platform, Yun Jin would not even know how she died. A twisted grin curled his lips.
Today was the day Yun Jin would fall.
He stood and walked out of the cave.
His first stop: Zhao Wuji.
Luo Yi was already waiting there.
Ruan Jun smiled. "Uncle Luo, congratulations in advance on taking over Tianjian Peak."
Luo Yi couldn't suppress his grin either. He nodded. "Come for tea when it's over."
It was only a cripple, after all.
How could he possibly lose?
No chance.
Soon after, Zhou Li, Zhou Dai, and the fifth disciple, Han Xiaoyu, also arrived.
Ruan Jun glanced casually at the Zhou brothers before turning to Han Xiaoyu.
"Fifth Junior Brother, feeling better?"
A golden snake coiled around Han Xiaoyu's hand. A faint, eerie flush colored his pale face.
He gave a light laugh. "More or less."
Ruan Jun offered a gentle tone. "Once your cultivation improves, you should recover fully."
Han Xiaoyu nodded sweetly.
Ruan Jun looked around, frowning slightly when he didn't see Ye Danxia. "Where's your junior sister?"
He hadn't seen Ye Danxia during his entire seclusion. He had come to suspect she had been using him all along. But could he blame her? If not for Yun Jin's meddling, Ye Danxia would never have resorted to such methods.
She had been forced into it.
So he held no resentment toward her. In fact, thinking of her brought a rare softness to his heart. He could hardly wait to see her again.
"Ruan Jun, come in."
Zhao Wuji's authoritative voice came from inside.
Ruan Jun quickly bowed to the others and stepped in.
To his surprise, he wasn't alone with his master. Another man, unfamiliar, stood in the room.
The stranger sized him up with a smile. "Not bad. His cultivation is solid."
Zhao Wuji smiled as well. "He was the first disciple I ever accepted. I watched him grow every step of the way. To be honest, I treat him like my own son."
There was a rare warmth in his eyes.
Li Heng smiled. "I understand."
"My father is still in seclusion," Zhao Wuji said. "It means a great deal that you came in his place."
Ruan Jun's expression shifted. He now understood who the stranger was.
A man from Qingxiao Pavilion.
To make Zhao Wuji so deferential, Li Heng must be at least at the Tribulation stage.
Ruan Jun bowed deeper.
Li Heng chuckled. "Since Wuji sent a message himself, how could I not come? Though truthfully, I think you're overthinking it. Yun Jin's only been here three months. No matter how talented, she can't possibly defeat Ruan Jun."
Zhao Wuji gave a slow smile. "I'm not worried about the duel. The reason I asked you here is..."
His expression darkened, eyes flashing cold.
"Tianjian Peak is simply too much of an eyesore. I don't want to see them live any longer."
Li Heng's lips curved in amusement. "Consider it done."
Zhao Wuji exhaled, tension easing, though a trace of pain lingered in his gaze.
Li Heng was indeed his father's junior brother, but favors alone were not enough to bring him here. Zhao Wuji had nearly emptied half his treasury to make it happen. He hadn't wanted to go this far. But Yun Jin's repeated comebacks had forced his hand.
With Li Heng present, he wanted to see how Tianjian Peak would escape this time. He would grind away their hope, then deliver death. Looking at the now-enthusiastic Ruan Jun, Zhao Wuji spoke.
"Xiao Jun, I called you here to hear this for a reason. The disciples of Tianjian Peak are nothing more than ants. As my personal disciple, your status is noble beyond measure. We can crush them with a flick of the hand. There's no need to give them a second thought."
Ruan Jun nodded eagerly.
Zhao Wuji finally looked satisfied. "When you cut off Yun Jin's head with your own hands, the emotional release might push you straight into Divine Transformation. When that happens, don't forget to thank her."
"Of course," Ruan Jun said.
All three men laughed together.