The next day.
Before dawn, Yun Jin set out with the disciples of Mingxin Hall. They left early. If they waited for daylight, they might not have been able to leave at all.
The Sect disciples watched the city shrink beneath the flying boat, their expressions full of complicated emotions. The commoners had no idea that this time, they were only following Yun Jin for the excitement. Some of them even carried a mission to stir trouble.
Although under Yun Jin's overwhelming presence, they lacked the courage to act and caused no chaos. But… what about later?
Deacon Shi Li had already said that the various sects would unite in the future to remove Yun Jin from her position as Hall Master. Most likely, they would return to a life of comfort and privilege without effort. They once thought that kind of treatment was natural.
But now, thinking of the grateful expressions on the villagers' faces, they felt their hearts in turmoil. If the villagers knew the truth about them, they would probably regret giving their most treasured possessions.
But what could they do?
Stand against Shi Li and Zhai Ge?
Stand against the sects?
The disciples were left in complete confusion.
Yun Jin saw their inner struggle.
She did not expect the actions of the past few days to yield immediate results. She was simply planting a seed in their hearts.
After all, she was not yet strong enough, and Wushuang Sect was not yet powerful enough. She did not demand that these people immediately stand on her side. But in time, as she and Wushuang Sect grew stronger, the seeds she planted in their hearts would gradually take root.
The journey back was smooth. They returned to Mingxin Hall without incident.
Yun Jin's team was surprisingly the first to arrive.
The disciples left behind at Mingxin Hall were astonished.
What… what was happening?
Before leaving, Zhai Ge had secretly instructed that he would be the first to complete the task, and the news should be loudly publicized.
Everyone had prepared accordingly.
Yet Yun Jin returned first!
Zhai Ge's team had not even started their return journey.
"Why, aren't you happy to see me back?" Yun Jin asked with amusement, observing them closely.
Zhai Ge had spent a long time managing Mingxin Hall and cultivating loyal followers. This was not something Yun Jin could overturn overnight.
But the surprise on their faces piqued her curiosity.
"N… nothing," a disciple stammered.
"Is that so?" Yun Jin's interest deepened at their evasiveness.
She looked toward the loose cultivators: "Come, tell me—did they do anything unusual in the past few days?"
The loose cultivators hesitated not at all and began to speak.
"They were always gathering together, as if discussing something."
"I overheard them talking about sects and cooperation."
"Yes, I heard a bit too. They even wrote something and planned to post it everywhere."
The loose cultivators chattered on, giving the gist of the situation.
Yun Jin then turned to the sect disciples left behind.
They, too, were unable to explain their predicament. They had not gone out of their way to hide because they firmly believed Zhai Ge would return first. If Zhai Ge arrived first, there would be no problem. Who could have guessed that the first to return would be Yun Jin?
She was leading five missions alone as a Mahayana cultivator. How could she finish so quickly?
"Go, capture these people and bring me their storage bags," Yun Jin ordered calmly.
In the next moment, the loose cultivators rushed forward without hesitation, subduing the group and handing their storage bags to Yun Jin.
She casually examined a few bags and soon found a big-character poster.
Yun Jin read it with interest.
"Good news.
Vice Hall Master Zhai Ge of Mingxin Hall has remained in hiding for years. This time, he united the major sects to strike against the evil path. The five major evil organizations were instantly annihilated in Zhai Ge's thunderous campaign, aided by the cooperation of many sects.
This is Zhai Ge's wise decision and further proof of the joint effort between Mingxin Hall and the sects. It demonstrates their deep hatred for the followers of the evil path and the crucial role they play in eliminating them!"
Yun Jin read on, amused.
Oh?
Zhai Ge is quite the talent.
Such official-sounding words.
Some things really are universal.
Yun Jin quickly found another big-character poster with a different message.
"Since Yun Jin took office as Hall Master of Mingxin Hall, she has acted unilaterally, suppressing many sect disciples and their sects. Without sect assistance, Yun Jin's demon-clearing operation was far from smooth and cannot compare to Vice Hall Master Zhai Ge. This proves that relying on sects should be the long-term policy for Mingxin Hall and the Demon-Slaying Alliance."
Yun Jin chuckled.
Now this is interesting.
She had a rough understanding of what had happened.
Zhai Ge, leading his team, had probably invited many reinforcements—perhaps elders from other sects. He assumed that with their help, he could quickly complete the task.
Meanwhile, fighting alone, she would naturally take longer. This comparison would, in his mind, prove the importance of sects. With sect support, demons are quickly eliminated. Without sect support, one faces difficulties. That was Zhai Ge's plan.
Yun Jin even suspected that the demons for her later missions received word so quickly because someone was deliberately slowing her progress. Unfortunately, that tactic only allowed her to complete the tasks faster. All of Zhai Ge's calculations became a joke.
Yun Jin smiled and confiscated all communication tools from the sect disciples.
Then she looked at the sect disciples in her team: "Hand over your storage bags too. I will take your communication devices."
It was a natural command.
Trust or distrust aside, she treated everyone equally.
Otherwise, when Zhai Ge returned, there would be trouble.
The disciples hesitated but obediently handed over their storage bags.
"Loose cultivators, you too," Yun Jin said.
They did so without question. After checking the contents, Yun Jin took only the communication tools and returned the storage bags.
She looked at the sect disciples with a smile.
"Vice Hall Master Zhai Ge instructed you to spread the news as soon as he completed his mission. You must carry out that task well. The Hall Master has decided to personally supervise you. Once Zhai Ge completes his mission, you immediately begin promotion work, or the Hall Master will not forgive you."
The sect disciples were dumbfounded. If Zhai Ge had completed the mission first, the original plan would have worked.
But now?
Yun Jin had finished first.
If they followed the old plan, it would become a colossal joke.