Lin Xiao furrowed his brows. He could hardly wait to capture Yun Jin.
The wager was technically complete, yet the Heavenly Dao still loomed nearby like Yun Jin's loyal shadow. Its majestic pressure lingered in the air, proof that its will remained here and had not dispersed.
For the first time, Lin Xiao felt a ripple of unease.
Since arriving in this world, he had acted cautiously. He had believed himself unnoticed, free from the Heavenly Dao's scrutiny. Every step, every move, he had taken with painstaking care, precisely to avoid revealing any trace of his true identity.
But now…
A chill of worry passed through him.
Could it be that the Heavenly Dao had already discovered who he really was?
Was that why its will had descended here, seizing the excuse of this Heavenly Dao Oath? Was all of this aimed directly at him?
The thought was troubling, yet Lin Xiao quickly steadied himself. He was inhabiting the body of this world's cultivator. Even if the Heavenly Dao sensed something amiss, it could not openly move against him, bound as it was by the rules.
When the oath still bound him, the Heavenly Dao had leeway to intervene. But now the oath was fulfilled. What more could it do?
Once that great existence tore open the barrier of space, this entire world would fall into the hands of their outer-realm demon race.
And the Heavenly Dao of this world would be the very first existence they destroyed.
A ruthless glint flickered in Lin Xiao's eyes.
Yun Jin, meanwhile, remained composed. She spoke slowly, clearly, her tone neither hurried nor sharp. "Everyone saw just now. I successfully improved the demonic cultivation manual that Pavilion Master Lin provided."
Lin Xiao's face hardened, cold as steel. "That alone proves you are a spy of the demon race."
"Pavilion Master Lin." Yun Jin glanced at him calmly. "So quickly, you've forgotten the contents of your own reflection letter? Short-sighted. Narrow-minded. Foolishly blind. You admitted to your mistakes yourself. Should you not also learn to correct them?"
"Yun Jin, no matter how eloquently you twist your words, it is useless. How else can you explain your deep familiarity with demonic cultivation techniques? You even improved one on the spot. Yes, you are a genius, but a genius of the demon race, not of my human race!
Think carefully: if a person like you returned to the demons, and they cultivated these improved methods, once their talents matured, where would the human race still stand?" His voice was sharp, laced with a hidden spell that stirred hearts and clouded judgment.
The crowd wavered. Many nodded unconsciously, feeling the weight of his words.
Yun Jin, however, remained unflustered. "Or perhaps, Pavilion Master Lin, you have misunderstood the extent of my genius. Who said that what I improved remained a demonic technique at all?"
Lin Xiao sneered. "I handed you a demonic technique. What could you possibly improve it into if not another demonic method?"
Without replying to his mockery, Yun Jin lifted the jade slip inscribed with the revised technique.
Facing the direction where the will of the Heavenly Dao lingered, she declared solemnly, "To prove my innocence, I request that this improved technique be revealed publicly, so that the entire world may see it together."
The audience was stunned into silence.
Yun Jin dared to make a request… of the Heavenly Dao?
And what happened next was even more staggering.
The clouds above the Sky City churned wildly.
In the next instant, words of shining white light appeared across the heavens.
Strange words, imperceptible to the naked eye, yet they imprinted themselves directly into the minds of all who looked.
Every person, within moments, found an entirely new cultivation manual etched into their memory.
And not just here.
All across Sky City, the same glowing words filled the skies.
In the Kunlun Sword Sect's main city, Ji Wusi opened his eyes in shock.
What overwhelming might.
The Heavenly Dao itself was manifesting its will, heedless of the cost.
Why? What earth-shaking event had occurred in this realm?
Raising his head, Ji Wusi saw the script forming in the air.
For a moment, he was stunned.
This was…
A demonic manual.
No.
It used to be a demonic manual.
Specifically, one belonging to the flesh-and-blood demon race. But now, altered and reworked, it had become a human body-refinement manual. A technique that no longer relied on demonic qi, one that cultivators could train in freely.
Cultivators possessed immense spiritual power and profound souls, but their physical bodies were often their weak point, vulnerable to close-range ambushes.
This manual patched that very flaw.
With it, the human race could strengthen not only spirit and soul, but flesh as well.
Who could have possibly created such a marvel?
The answer came swiftly.
The Heavenly Dao announced a single name, echoing in every mind.
Yun Jin.
It was Yun Jin who had transformed the technique.
This body-refinement method was now bestowed upon the world, available to every cultivator.
The Heavenly Dao's declaration sent Sky City into an uproar.
"What's going on? A new technique just appeared in my mind!"
"And it says Yun Jin reworked it from a demonic manual!"
"What a brilliant body-refinement path!"
"But aren't we cultivators meant to pursue spiritual power and the Primordial Soul? Do we really need to refine the body?"
"Our focus is indeed spirit and soul, but what harm is there in a stronger body?"
"Mortals have limited lifespans. To divide focus may hinder the Dao itself."
The debates rose in waves, countless voices filling the streets.
Ji Wusi listened, a smile tugging at his lips.
Such disputes were natural. Body-refinement techniques were not suited for all. And yet the Heavenly Dao's intent was clear: it was not commanding everyone to cultivate this path.
It was showing the world a truth.
That the barrier between human and demon techniques could be broken. That even a manual of the flesh-and-blood demons could birth an entirely new cultivation system. And if this was possible for one technique, then…
What of the others?
Over the years, the Demon-Slaying Alliance had seized countless demonic spoils, many left unused because their systems were incompatible.
Now, with Yun Jin here, even if not every manual could be converted, the very act of decoding them could reveal the demon race's secrets. For the first time, Ji Wusi felt that humanity might truly gain the upper hand in this war.
And at the center of it all… was Yun Jin.
His disciple had brought him surprise after surprise, each one greater than the last.
In that moment, the storage ring at his side trembled. His communication talisman flashed relentlessly. No doubt, the other Holy Lands had also been shaken to their core. This new body-refinement method was far too significant.
Ji Wusi's expression turned solemn. The trump card he had entrusted to Yun Jin was already spent.
Here in Sky City, she would be safe for the moment. But beyond these walls, safety was not certain. With her gift revealed, any demonic spies hidden among humanity would surely seek to destroy her.
Yun Jin was in danger.
A cold light glimmered in Ji Wusi's eyes.
Yun Jin was not only his disciple. She was the hope and the future of the entire human race. With her current strength, even ordinary Mahayana cultivators could no longer contend against her. To take her life would be nearly impossible.
The only true threat… was Lin Xiao.
Ji Wusi wasted no time, reaching out to the other Holy Lands at once.
Yun Jin might be able to stand on her own. But as her master, it was his duty to shield her.