Inside the room, Yun Jin chuckled mischievously. "These sect disciples now hate me to the bone. Our Wushuang Sect will definitely face more pressure in Qingxiao City."
She spoke of pressure, yet her expression showed no intent of restraint.
After all, Lin Xiao was bound to target them no matter what. The other sects only followed the strong and fawned on power. Before Wushuang Sect proved overwhelming strength, none of them would ever choose to stand by their side.
If that was the case… why bother enduring?
Whether they endured or not, they were destined to be targeted. If those sects wanted to isolate Wushuang Sect, Yun Jin might as well declare first—it would be Wushuang Sect that cast them all aside.
Pressure?
Yue Zhao looked calm. "Sect Master, don't worry. We're already used to it."
Since the day he crossed into this world, when had his days ever been without pressure?
Qin Ping smiled faintly. "The greater the pressure, the greater the fun."
Hong Ye quietly drew her blade and began to polish it, her movements deliberate and serene. The rest of the group wore eager expressions, itching for action.
Yun Jin nodded in satisfaction. "Good. Very good. From here on, I'll tell you the rules we'll live by in Sky City. When the other disciples arrive, you'll need to pass these on."
So this was the real business. Everyone's faces grew solemn.
Yun Jin's tone turned serious.
"First rule: if there's trouble to be stirred, stir it. If there is no trouble, create it, and then stir it.
Second rule: if you can be ostentatious, be ostentatious. If you lack the means, then make them, and be ostentatious anyway.
Third rule: if you can be arrogant, be arrogant. Even if the odds are against you, force arrogance upon them."
She paused, then added with a calm face, "And don't worry about being beaten to death for it."
The disciples immediately brightened. Of course. With their Sect Master here, she would definitely protect them. But Yun Jin's next words left them speechless.
"Because the rules of Sky City forbid killing one's own kind. They won't dare strike to kill."
"…"
Yun Jin coughed lightly. "Just kidding, just kidding. But if you are beaten too badly, you can always activate the teleportation in your disciple token and return to Wushuang Sect. Remember though, it only works once a month. So after you use it, hold back on courting death until the next month."
Everyone nodded in unison.
That sounded… more reasonable.
Wait. Not right.
Why were they required to stir up trouble in the first place?!
"Also, the most important fourth rule."
Yun Jin cleared her throat.
"I've prepared a speech. Whenever you cause trouble and someone demands to know why, you must shout it out loud."
Her voice took on a solemn cadence:
"Since you have so sincerely asked, I will mercifully answer. It is to carry out the will of Sect Master Yun Jin, to uphold the guiding principle of Wushuang Sect. We are the sticks that stir chaos, the white hole, the white tomorrow awaiting us!"
Silence. The entire room went utterly still.
Yun Jin looked around expectantly. "Well? Got it memorized? The other lines you can adjust a little, but remember, you must emphasize—this is the will of Sect Master Yun Jin!"
Only then could she harvest Emotional Value. One person farming was too slow. A whole sect working for her? That was efficiency.
With enough Emotional Value, she could even upgrade the sect's buildings. So of course, everyone should contribute.
The disciples' expressions twitched.
Yue Zhao in particular felt a strange sense of familiarity. According to Yun Jin's earlier explanations, the Three Thousand Small Worlds contained many parallel realms—similar, yet not identical. Some of her lines, he had never heard before. But this one… why did it sound so familiar?
"Sect Master," Yue Zhao asked carefully, "if you're already changing the words, why not also change the last line?"
Yun Jin raised her brows. "Leaving it as is shows respect."
Yue Zhao had no response.
The others, meanwhile, were completely confused.
Qin Ping's face stiffened. Mature and steady his whole life, he could not imagine himself bellowing such nonsense.
He ventured tentatively, "Sect Master… can we perhaps not recite the speech?"
"Absolutely not!" Yun Jin refused outright. "If you don't recite, how will others know who to hate? Elder Qin, you're one of our sect's seniors. In such matters you must show unity, show devotion. You can't monopolize all the resentment for yourself. Remember, above all, they must hate me most!"
Qin Ping's face grew even stiffer.
Why… why did their Sect Master thrive on hatred?
If people didn't hate her, she felt uncomfortable?
"Also," Yun Jin continued, "the sect's points system is nearly ready. Once Sky City opens, I'll announce this: during these three years, the top three Wushuang Sect disciples who attract the most hatred will receive rewards personally presented by me. I guarantee they'll be satisfied."
Qin Ping nearly collapsed. Using this as a standard? Was that even allowed?!
What sort of cursed pirate ship had he boarded?
He steadied himself and said, "Sect Master, we've already registered to compete for a Super Sect slot. In seven days, the Foundation Establishment disciples will face their first battles. There will be both individual and team matches. The individual battle requires three disciples, and their placements will be scored for points. The team match needs ten disciples working together against another group."
Yun Jin nodded.
"Choosing the individual fighters is easy," Qin Ping smiled faintly.
With the disciples' residence providing its daily benefits, with two months of grinding in the Trial Tower, and with Wushuang Sect's thousand-year accumulation, their disciples' first public debut would certainly shock the masses.
Qin Ping already had a few names in mind. Against even the finest geniuses of the Super Sects, his confidence was unshaken.
Perhaps those sects had slightly better innate talent.
But did they have the Enlightenment River to aid comprehension of laws?
Did they have a Trial Tower that directly boosted cultivation, honed techniques, and even gifted insights into laws?
Did they have disciple residences that absorbed spiritual energy every moment, enhancing comprehension?
They had none of these.
Wushuang Sect's disciples seemed to have cultivated for only two months, yet each Trial Tower floor gave at least a year's worth of strength, along with technique mastery and optional law insights.
Two months of such accumulation.
Many disciples had reached the limits of their soul realm and couldn't yet break through, but within their current stage, their foundation was terrifyingly deep.
When it came to individual battles, Wushuang Sect feared no one. While other sects remained unaware, their disciples had already reached invincibility within the same realm.
"Taking the top three in the individual matches is easy," Qin Ping declared confidently, rare pride slipping into his voice. "But the team battle depends on coordination. Our disciples lack that experience. If we only manage second or third place, it will reflect poorly."
Yun Jin gave him an impressed look.
When had the steady, modest Grand Elder become so arrogant?
But he wasn't wrong.
Wushuang Sect would accept nothing less than first place.
Second or third? Unworthy, displeasing, unacceptable.
Yun Jin thought a moment. "I'll return to the sect and pick out ten for the team battle. I'll have An Tong find a joint-attack manual and put them through training. In the meantime, I'll use my Enlightenment Technique to accelerate their progress."
The others, having witnessed Yun Jin's methods before, nodded without hesitation. With her guidance, there was nothing to worry about.