The system quickly produced the scan result.
[Canglang Technique, water-attribute, Mystic rank mid-grade secret art. Perfect refinement requires one hundred advanced attempts.]
Yun Jin did not care in the slightest about spending such a small amount of Emotional Value. She directly ordered the system to carry out a perfect refinement.
The result came back swiftly.
What was once a Mystic rank mid-grade secret art was now elevated to Mystic rank high-grade. Every flaw within it had been compensated to the utmost degree.
Yun Jin let out a mischievous chuckle, then spent a little more Emotional Value to create another version with a hidden backdoor. This version, too, had been raised to Mystic rank high-grade. Its offensive power increased drastically, yet the cultivation threshold for disciples had not risen at all.
However—
There was one crucial condition.
This secret art could not coexist with demonic qi. If someone practiced this refined art while dabbling in sinister or demonic techniques, then not only would they fail to use it, but the secret art itself would turn upon them, leaving them gravely injured.
If the demonic qi within them was faint, the problem might not reveal itself right away. But the stronger the demonic qi, the faster it would flare, and the harsher the backlash would become.
For some lightly tainted, cultivating this art could even exert a purifying effect. With deep mastery, the art might even cleanse demonic qi entirely, restoring clarity to the cultivator.
Yun Jin decided that in every refinement she produced, she would bury such a backdoor.
The Qingxiao region had been under Lin Xiao's influence for many years. Born of the outer-realm demons, his methods were subtler and far more terrifying than the local demonic clans. Who knew how deeply his corruption had already seeped into this land?
But Yun Jin had discovered Lin Xiao's greatest weakness—
His arrogance.
The disciples of Qingxiao Pavilion were handpicked prodigies, and thus the ones most thoroughly infiltrated by him.
As for disciples from mid-tier and low-tier sects, Lin Xiao had nearly abandoned them, too confident to bother weaving schemes around the weak. Aside from Qingxiao Pavilion, his main focus of infiltration lay within the super sects and the high-tier sects.
But he could not infiltrate everyone.
First, it was impossible.
Second, Ji Wusi and others were not fools. If he overextended, he risked exposure.
Thus, Yun Jin concluded that the majority of people in this region could still be saved.
Some might have been subtly influenced without realizing it, but if everyone began cultivating her refined arts, those lightly tainted could recover on their own, while the deeply corrupted would expose themselves naturally. But would anyone refuse to cultivate her refinements?
Yun Jin's lips curved into a wicked smile. Had they ever heard of involution?
Once one person began, others would have no choice but to follow. If you refused while others embraced it, then those once weaker than you would surpass you with ease.
Could you endure that?
And to reclaim your pride, what would you do? You too would cultivate the refinement.
Once the cycle began, there would be no stopping it.
Lin Xiao surely would not let such a situation spread unchecked. Yet how could he ever control the hearts of all under heaven?
The pursuit of strength was the ultimate ideal of every cultivator. No one could suppress that drive. Even if publicly forbidden, countless would still seek her out in secret.
From this day forth, anyone who wished to rise above the crowd would have to rely on Yun Jin's refined arts.
Those who refused would be left behind in mediocrity.
Once, Lin Xiao and Qingxiao Pavilion dictated the rules of this land.
Very soon, Yun Jin would rewrite them.
Less than an hour later, the newly refined Canglang Technique was delivered into Hua Ran's hands. The Sect Master of Bitao Sect studied the jade slip for a long while, her gaze unfocused.
She turned sharply toward the disciple who had carried it. "You're certain that Yun Jin completed this refinement in under an hour?"
The disciple looked baffled. "Sect Master, from the time we delivered the jade slip until now, it hasn't even been an hour."
The reality was plain. The question itself sounded strange. Hua Ran knew her words sounded absurd, but she could not convince herself otherwise. Such an astonishing refinement, completed in such a short time?
This technique had already ascended to Mystic rank high-grade, yet its cultivation threshold had not increased. That meant the ten disciples of Bitao Sect could adapt to this new art in the shortest possible time. Hua Ran's eyes were filled with awe and disbelief.
Yun Jin.
This Sect Master of Wushuang Sect was truly too terrifying.
Her gaze flickered.
Among the super sects, Bitao Sect had always been the least regarded. That was why Lin Xiao had casually appointed them as test subjects. After all, sect secret arts were not to be shown lightly. Yet by his order, Bitao Sect had been forced to expose theirs to Yun Jin.
At first, Hua Ran had been reluctant.
But the result—
It was an unexpected windfall.
"Quickly, summon the ten disciples chosen for the team battle," Hua Ran ordered urgently.
By the draw of lots, Bitao Sect would face Yuehua Sect tomorrow.
Yuehua Sect was not ranked high either, yet Bitao Sect had always been the weakest among the super sects. For countless years, they had never once bested Yuehua Sect.
But this time could be different.
If they could swiftly switch to the refined Canglang Technique, they truly had a chance to win. Perhaps even to stage a reversal.
The ten disciples arrived soon after. The moment they received the refined technique, Hua Ran barely needed to explain. They fell into near-frenzied study on their own.
They had already practiced the original Canglang Technique together for some time. Until now, they had believed it was already excellent. But compared to Yun Jin's refinement, the difference was like heaven and earth.
The depth of the new art was staggering, yet because they were already familiar with its simpler version, they found themselves able to follow along smoothly, even grasping much of it in mere hours.
"Five hours remain until tomorrow's battle," Hua Ran declared. "Spend every moment adapting to the refined Canglang Technique. Tomorrow, we will give Yuehua Sect the shock of their lives."
The disciples roared their assent, their eyes blazing. They had endured being the eternal bottom of the super sects for far too long. If victory was within reach, who among them would choose defeat?
Some felt a twinge of guilt. After all, they had once isolated Wushuang Sect, yet now they eagerly embraced Yun Jin's refinement. But the thought faded quickly.
Those loud and flashy disciples of Wushuang Sect probably enjoyed being excluded anyway.
The Bitao Sect disciples steadied their hearts and began cultivating the new Canglang Technique.
Watching them, Hua Ran's lips curved in a faint smile. She could almost see the image of Yuehua Sect's downfall tomorrow. Her eyes fell once more on the refined technique in her hand, and an unsettling thought whispered into her mind.
If Yun Jin could do this with one secret art, what about others?
What if she allowed Yun Jin to refine her core cultivation art? Would her strength then soar to unimaginable heights?
Hua Ran quickly banished the dangerous thought.
Yun Jin and Wushuang Sect were the enemies of every sect.
Lin Xiao's command had been only to test her once. If Hua Ran sought her out further, she would surely draw Lin Xiao's wrath. She understood that clearly.
Yet the temptation gnawed at her heart. Yun Jin's ability… it was too extraordinary. If she could refine even Earth-rank arts, or Heaven-rank…
Hua Ran forced herself to stop imagining. No matter how tempting Yun Jin's gifts, she could not oppose Lin Xiao.
And yet, quietly, a seed had been planted. A seed of doubt, that would one day sprout.