"Why did she bring up Xiao Jin while crying?" Liu Li asked curiously.
Qing Yun raised an eyebrow. "She kept insisting that she and Xiao Jin used to be best friends, and that their falling out was due to some misunderstanding."
"So she's trying to mend the relationship?" Liu Li guessed.
Now that Zhao Wuji was clearly on the verge of collapse, Tianjian Peak was rising fast. It made sense for someone like Ye Danxia to try patching things up.
Qing Yun looked half amused, half exasperated. "That would be understandable, if it were true. But I'm afraid there's something wrong with her thinking."
He recalled what Qi Yu had told him, then continued, "At the time, Qi Yu had the same assumption. He asked if there had been a misunderstanding between her and Yun Jin, and offered to mediate."
"But Ye Danxia couldn't explain what the so-called misunderstanding was. Instead, she cried even harder, saying she couldn't stand by and watch a 'good sister' stray down the wrong path. She implied that Yun Jin had only been cultivating for three months, so there was no way she could be a true alchemy prodigy. She said Yun Jin owned a ring filled with strange items that must have helped her cheat and fool the system into giving her the alchemist token."
Qing Yun chuckled at that.
The others looked equally speechless.
If getting an alchemist token was that easy to fake, wouldn't the world be full of so-called alchemists?
"Then what?" Liu Li was now intrigued. "Why tell Qi Yu all that?"
Qing Yun smiled mockingly. "Her point was that Yun Jin is a fake genius, and she is the real one. She wanted Qi Yu to bring her to me, probably so she could perform a little show and then cry some more. Qi Yu had originally thought about evaluating Ye Danxia as a possible disciple, but after that display, he cut ties completely. He didn't even attend Huo Lie's appointment and came straight back to tell me about it.
My first reaction was that something is definitely wrong with her mind. So I asked Qi Yu to look into her background. As a seventh-rank alchemist, he's treated like a VIP in Tianxing Sect. With a little digging, he found quite a bit. Turns out, Ye Danxia really does have a history with our Xiao Jin."
As he spoke, he turned to smile at Yun Jin.
Yun Jin gave an embarrassed look. "Master, please don't tease me."
Cang Li added, "Come to think of it, Ye Danxia tried to approach me too."
Oh?
The group turned to him.
Cang Li frowned. "I was on my way to drink with Yang Yuan when I ran into her. Out of nowhere, she fell down right in front of me. A cultivator just tripping like that? It was strange. I felt something was off, so I ignored her.
Then, a few days later, I saw her again. She was sitting there crying and shouting 'Father, Mother' over and over. I ignored her again, but she chased after me and said she was a daughter of the Yun family."
Yun Jin's lips twitched.
Cang Li glanced at her and said, "Since it involved the Yun family, I asked a few questions. At first, she dodged them, but under pressure, she admitted she was an adopted daughter. Still, she insisted that she was treated no different than a true-born child. She claimed Little Junior Sister stole her ring, bullied her, and used the ring's contents to become a so-called genius."
He shook his head, amused.
He had only left behind some low-tier items meant for beginner cultivators. If that alone could make someone a genius, he would be a miracle worker.
And besides—
An adopted daughter, expecting him to prioritize her over someone with the Yun family's bloodline? Her logic was completely derailed.
After figuring things out, Cang Li ignored Ye Danxia and walked away.
After hearing these two stories, Ji Wusi and Liu Li looked at each other, both with slightly awkward expressions.
This Ye Danxia… really didn't seem mentally stable.
Qing Yun summarized the grudge between Yun Jin and Ye Danxia, as gathered by Qi Yu. "In any case, our Xiao Jin didn't suffer any losses."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
If Xiao Jin wasn't harmed, then there was no issue.
"Ye Danxia was originally supposed to be executed," Liu Li said, glancing at Ji Wusi. "But due to the Demon-Slaying Order, she was temporarily detained, pending investigation by the Demon-Slaying Alliance. This time, they found an excuse to let her out again."
Ji Wusi coughed awkwardly. "It's true that some within the Demon-Slaying Alliance have abused their authority over the years. I'll address that when I return. As for Ye Danxia, given the severity of her crimes, I can initiate a review in the Alliance's name. If things go smoothly, she could be convicted in just a few days."
Convicted?
Yun Jin quickly said, "No need to trouble Master. I can handle Ye Danxia myself."
"Oh?" Ji Wusi looked at her, puzzled.
If she was an enemy, shouldn't they eliminate her immediately?
Yun Jin simply said, "This matter is mine to resolve."
Ye Danxia was blessed by fate. As long as her fortune remained, she wouldn't die easily.
Besides, Yun Jin still needed her to lure out the male lead.
This world's so-called "female power fantasy" novel was, in truth, a story of a strong woman paired with an even stronger man.
The Demon Sovereign male lead was Ye Danxia's ultimate backer.
Yun Jin had to drain both their fates before she could truly destroy them.
Seeing her resolve, Ji Wusi did not press further.
A Qi Refining stage disciple posed no real threat to Yun Jin now. If she wanted to handle it herself, so be it. To the others, Ye Danxia was a joke at best. Qing Yun and Cang Li had laughed her off, and no one took her seriously.
That evening, the group gathered on Tianjian Peak to drink for a while before saying their goodbyes. Before leaving, each person handed Yun Jin a communication token, allowing her to reach them anytime.
And that wasn't all.
Still worried, they also gave her protective treasures and life-saving items, only leaving after ensuring she'd be well defended.
At the summit of Tianjian Peak—
The wind howled, and the moon hung high.
With most people gone, only a few remained. The once-busy atmosphere turned calm and quiet.
Lin Ya sighed. "Xiao Jin, I really dragged you down. Otherwise, any of the three Holy Lands would've fought to recruit you."
Yun Jin smiled. "Master, do you think I was just rambling before? Whether Qingxiao Pavilion was involved or not, I wouldn't have joined a Holy Land."
She looked at Lin Ya, then at the others.
Her tone turned firm. "Master, take the Sect Leader's position first. Then, let's rebuild Tianxing Sect together. From mid-tier, to top-tier, to elite, and finally... a Holy Land. When I said I would blaze a new path, I meant it. I'm giving myself ten years. In ten years, I want Tianxing Sect to stand as a Holy Land."
Yue Zhao and the others were stunned.
They wanted to say, don't joke around.
But Yun Jin wasn't joking.
Yue Zhao suddenly recalled when she first said she'd refine a seventh-rank pill.
Back then,
None of them believed her.
Yet she made it happen.
So why couldn't she do it again?
Perhaps because she came from another world, Yue Zhao had no deep reverence for the term "Holy Land." He smiled and spoke first. "Alright. If that's your wish, Junior Sister, I'll do all I can to help you."
Yun Jin reached out her hand, and Yue Zhao placed his on top of it.
Si Wanning scratched her head. "Sounds kind of outrageous... but just like last time, I'm in."
Another hand joined.
Yu Songnian silently placed his hand on top too.
Then, all eyes turned to Lin Ya.
He was shocked by his disciple's bold dream.
Turning Tianxing Sect into a Holy Land? That was absurd.
Yet they were all serious.
"Master, we're only missing you now," Yun Jin said, eyes on him.
Lin Ya could only laugh helplessly. Finally, he placed his hand in. "Fine, fine. If you're all set on this, I'll have to play along."