After harvesting a wave of Emotional Value in Sky City, Yun Jin happily made her way back to Wushuang Sect.
To her, Sky City was nothing less than a treasure trove.
The outside world was dominated by mortals, and the Emotional Value she could collect there was limited. But Sky City? Every single person there was a cultivator. As the event reached its climax, even the Tribulation and Mahayana stage experts of each sect would step into the arena one after another.
In terms of sheer numbers, it was no match for the mortal world. But in terms of how much Emotional Value each individual could provide, the difference was staggering.
Yun Jin's goal was simple: she didn't care to be liked, only to be despised.
And if despised, then let them also fear her.
Tremble before her!
This time, she wanted every sect to cower at the mere mention of her name, and at the name of Wushuang Sect.
She could barely imagine it. By the time this Sect Advancement Conclave was over, the total Emotional Value she would have gathered might reach astronomical numbers. That would be enough to upgrade both the Trial Tower and the Sect Master's Residence. And more than that—
Once Wushuang Sect ascended to the rank of a super sect, there was a good chance the system would reward her with another construction token. And anything produced by the system was guaranteed to be top-quality. The rise of Wushuang Sect would only accelerate further.
Which meant only one thing:
To harvest Emotional Value, every disciple of Wushuang Sect had a duty to help.
Before, she had been earning it alone. Now, the entire sect would help her farm it. Yes, it might give the sect a rather strange reputation. But what did that matter? Power was all that counted.
After returning to Wushuang Sect, Yun Jin summoned Tian Po Sword and An Tong.
"The Foundation Establishment disciple battles are about to begin," she said. "Among them, do you see any promising candidates? Pick the three strongest for the individual fights, then choose another ten for the team battle."
From the moment Sky City opened, both Tian Po Sword and An Tong had been considering this matter.
These past few days, Tian Po Sword had remained in the sect, observing every disciple with a careful eye. His current state was damaged, his strength no longer top-tier. But the experience he had accumulated traveling with the Wandao Saint was priceless. His insight was still unmatched.
And with Wushuang Sect's disciple numbers still not large, it hadn't taken long for him to form a clear picture.
When Yun Jin asked, he chuckled. "Sect Master, among our disciples, only two have reached the peak of Foundation Establishment. One is named Du Bing, the other Lin Cheng. Both entered during the first round of recruitment. Du Bing was once a cultivator of an Imperial dynasty, while Lin Cheng came from a loose cultivator background.
Both of them have undergone baptism in the Enlightenment River, each obtaining a mid-grade Law Fragment.
Later, they acquired cultivation manuals perfectly suited to their paths. Since their soul realms are stuck at the peak of Foundation Establishment, they can no longer progress in raw spiritual power. So in the Trial Tower, they chose rewards that boosted technique proficiency and law comprehension.
Now, each has cultivated their earth-rank techniques to the peak of Foundation Establishment. In terms of law comprehension, they stand far ahead of their peers."
Tian Po Sword's smile grew confident. "Against other sect disciples, even those so-called geniuses of super sects, there are only four words to describe them: unrivaled in their realm."
It was no wonder he spoke with such confidence. The so-called prodigies of super sects had remarkable talent. But could they even imagine the existence of a treasure like the Trial Tower?
On the surface, it looked as though Wushuang Sect disciples had only trained for two months. In truth, the ground they had covered was what others needed decades to walk.
With such a divine tool aiding them, if Du Bing and Lin Cheng couldn't at least take first or second, Tian Po Sword swore he'd beat them himself.
"Then those two will take part in the individual battle. There's still one slot left. Do either of you have a candidate in mind?" Yun Jin asked.
Tian Po Sword grinned. "Besides those two, the strongest at Foundation Establishment might very well be your second disciple, Master."
Gao Jingxuan.
Yun Jin raised a brow, unsurprised.
"When Gao Jingxuan joined, his spiritual cultivation was only at the early Foundation Establishment stage. But his soul realm had already reached its peak. After two months in the Trial Tower and the disciple quarters, his cultivation has reached the late Foundation Establishment stage, only a step away from the peak.
Being the reincarnation of a mighty figure, his comprehension is frighteningly sharp. In the Enlightenment River, he even obtained a high-grade Law Fragment. His actual combat strength is in no way inferior to Du Bing or Lin Cheng."
Tian Po Sword laughed again. "If Gao Jingxuan were already at peak Foundation Establishment, he'd undoubtedly be number one. As it stands, I'll just say the three of them will take the top three spots, though the order is uncertain."
Yun Jin nodded. "Then the individual battles will be settled with those three. Individual and group battles require different kinds of training. Select ten others for the team battle."
"Team battles emphasize balance," Tian Po Sword explained. "Spiritual roots and technique combinations need to complement one another. With our disciple numbers still few, perfect balance is difficult. Still, An Tong and I found a joint-combat secret art suited for Foundation Establishment. If mastered, even the team battle won't pose much of a problem."
"Good. Give me the list. Over the next few days, I'll personally use my Enlightenment Method on all thirteen chosen disciples. No matter how difficult the secret art, they will learn it."
Though Tian Po Sword and An Tong weren't true living beings, they had seen the effects of Yun Jin's enlightenment firsthand. The disciples she touched grew at a terrifying pace.
They couldn't help but sigh inwardly. The Young Master truly wielded immortal means. Even their old master, in his prime, could not have done such heaven-defying things.
Once she had the list, Yun Jin gathered all the Foundation Establishment disciples and announced the chosen names. After the announcement, she paused. "Anyone dissatisfied with this list may raise objections."
She almost hoped someone would step forward to challenge it.
But alas.
With only about thirty Foundation Establishment disciples in total, all familiar with one another's abilities, no one voiced dissent.
With the list settled, Yun Jin began preparations. She started with the team battle disciples. An Tong had retrieved the joint-combat manual, and Yun Jin's enlightenment ensured they all quickly grasped the basics.
From there, they went into the Trial Tower to grind proficiency.
Yun Jin even opened the training grounds of the Sect Master's Residence for them.
Inside, opponents could be freely configured. Yun Jin arranged for them to face ten peak Foundation Establishment enemies, forcing them to hone their teamwork in simulated battles.
With such a routine, their progress was blindingly fast.
As for the three chosen for the individual battles, beyond Yun Jin's enlightenment, Tian Po Sword personally drilled them in concentrated training, determined to push their strength up another layer.
This would be Wushuang Sect's disciples' first appearance in public.
Their debut must be nothing short of dazzling.