Night.
Qing Yun lay back in satisfaction, already imagining how he would claim this genius disciple for himself tomorrow.
Cang Li? Shen Yanye? How could those juniors possibly compete?
When the time comes, he could simply act directly and take Yun Jin away.
Whether she agreed or not, being close makes all the difference.
He had plenty of time to persuade her.
He chuckled quietly to himself, already delighted. Tomorrow, he would have a fine new disciple.
~
The next morning.
Unaware of all the schemes behind the scenes, Yun Jin arrived early, waiting at the gate with her senior brothers and sisters.
When the time came, Lin Ya emerged from within.
"Master," they all greeted with a respectful bow.
Lin Ya offered a faint smile and said casually, "Let's go."
His posture was relaxed, his expression calm. It didn't seem like he was walking toward a life-or-death duel. It was more like he was heading to a banquet. And yet, no one found it strange.
Lin Ya now stood stronger than he ever had in his prime. Even Zhao Wuji might not be a match for him, much less someone like Luo Yi. Victory for Lin Ya seemed inevitable. The only question was how he would win. He walked ahead, steady and unhurried. His disciples followed closely behind.
At the central plaza, a large crowd had already gathered. When the group from Tianjian Peak arrived, the crowd instinctively parted to make way.
Everyone knew.
Today might decide the fate of those from Tianjian Peak. Lin Ya had been gravely injured for years. His chances of winning were considered slim. If something were to happen to him, no matter how gifted Yun Jin was, it would mean nothing. A genius not yet grown could only be so dangerous.
Only Lin Ya stood as the true pillar of Tianjian Peak.
As long as he stood, the peak would remain.
If he fell...
There would be no telling what came next.
Yue Zhao led the junior disciples to their places in the crowd while Lin Ya stepped up onto the main stage and stood beside Zhao Wuji without hesitation.
Zhao Wuji gave him a cold glance.
He hadn't slept at all last night.
He had buried Ruan Jun himself.
His first disciple, with whom he had shared nearly a century. For all those years, Ruan Jun had been the ideal successor—his talent, his temperament, all reflected Zhao Wuji's own. He was the one Zhao Wuji had poured the most care and hope into.
But now...
Ruan Jun was gone.
All those efforts, all that planning, gone with him.
Zhao Wuji couldn't help but resent Tianjian Peak, but even more than that, a trace of bitterness lingered toward Ye Danxia. If that little disciple hadn't encouraged Ruan Jun to step forward, maybe none of this would have happened.
But Ye Danxia was already imprisoned in Hesan. Pitiful enough. No point blaming her further.
Instead, all of his hatred and fury was now focused entirely on Tianjian Peak.
Every single one of them—
They would pay for Ruan Jun's death.
To ensure nothing went wrong today, Zhao Wuji had even gifted Luo Yi a powerful artifact, one he'd been reluctant to part with.
He had made things very clear to Luo Yi.
Killing Lin Ya wasn't allowed, according to sect rules. But humiliating him, like Yun Jin had done to Ruan Jun yesterday?
Absolutely.
He had to settle this score—for Ruan Jun.
Zhao Wuji turned toward Lin Ya with a chilling smile.
"Did you sleep well last night, Peak Master Lin?"
Lin Ya smiled gently. "Thanks for your concern, Sect Master. I slept quite well."
Zhao Wuji's face darkened. "Pity. I didn't sleep at all."
"Then I'm relieved," Lin Ya said without thinking, then caught himself. "Wait, no—I mean, Sect Master, do take care of your health."
Zhao Wuji had no patience for banter. His face remained cold as he said, "I'm sure today's challenge will be... most entertaining."
Lin Ya smiled again. "I think so too."
Zhao Wuji gave a sneer. He wanted to see how long Lin Ya could keep up this façade.
He took a step forward and let his cold gaze sweep across the crowd.
He made no effort to hide his foul mood.
"Today marks the Peak Master Challenge," he announced. "All ten peak masters of Tianxing Sect will accept open challenges from any member of the sect."
"Each peak master will stand on their own platform. If you wish to challenge a specific one, simply step onto their stage. A victory will earn you rewards from me personally, along with a large number of sect contribution points."
"If anyone manages to defeat a peak master in ten consecutive challenges..."
Zhao Wuji's gaze shifted toward Lin Ya.
"They will immediately take that peak master's position. For reference, in the past nine sect tournaments, Luo Yi has defeated Lin Ya nine times in a row. Should Luo Yi win again today, the title of Peak Master of Tianjian Peak will officially pass to him."
His voice was cold and firm, with a thin undercurrent of menace.
Lin Ya's expression remained serene, as if none of this concerned him in the slightest.
The other peak masters exchanged subtle glances.
Was Lin Ya hiding a trump card, or just bluffing?
Most leaned toward the latter.
If he really had some hidden strength, why hadn't he used it before? Tianjian Peak wouldn't have ended up so cornered.
Several peak masters who had friendly ties with Tianjian Peak—like Fang Mingyue—sighed quietly.
No matter what, they had to find a way to keep Lin Ya and his disciples alive.
It wasn't just for Tianjian Peak's sake.
Because next time, the target might be them.
"Now then," Zhao Wuji declared. "Let the Peak Master Challenge begin. All ten peak masters, take your places."
Without hesitation, the ten peak masters stepped onto their designated stages. The disciples below buzzed with excitement. It wasn't every day they got to see peak-level cultivators in action. For many, the sect tournament was their only chance.
"Based on the challenge list submitted yesterday, the first challenger, step up."
Challengers began taking the stage one by one. Although it was called a challenge, most platforms maintained a relaxed atmosphere. After all, the ten peak masters were chosen based on strength. Defeating them even once was already difficult, much less winning ten times in a row.
Many challengers simply hoped to spar with a top-level cultivator.
Winning or replacing them? That was never the goal.
The only exception...
Was Lin Ya's platform.
He had already lost nine times. Just one more, and he would be removed.
Naturally, his first challenger was none other than Luo Yi.
Luo Yi stepped onto the stage with a relaxed smile.
"Peak Master Lin," he said, raising a brow. "Seems this will be our final match. In the years to come, perhaps I'll even miss it."