High above the square, in the shaded pavilions reserved for sect masters and honored elders, silence stretched heavy after the jade slip confirmed the Moon Lotus Sect's registration. The murmurs that followed were hushed, strained, almost fearful.
The Crimson Tiger Sect Master leaned forward, his brows furrowed."Three hundred and ninety-seven Soul Transformation Realm disciples… impossible. Last year, they could barely field a dozen in the Nascent Realm. What in the heavens has happened?"
The Golden Sun Sect Master narrowed his eyes, his voice low and tense."Not only the disciples—look at their Sect Master. That pressure… Dao Comprehension Realm. She has surpassed us all."
Across the pavilion, the Iron Blade Sect's Great Elder slammed a fist into the arm of his chair."This isn't natural growth! Even with all the resources of the continent, it would take centuries to raise so many to this level. There's only one explanation."
"Dual cultivation…" whispered the Emerald Mist Sect Matron, her lips curling in disdain but her eyes glimmering with wariness. "It reeks of yin-yang harmonization methods. The Moon Lotus Sect… shameless as always."
"But dual cultivation on this scale?" the Crimson Tiger Sect Master shot back. "And without crippling the bodies of their disciples? No, something more is at play. A technique, a method, a secret that bends the heavens themselves."
The Heavenly Jade Sect Master, host of the tournament, remained silent for a long while, his sharp gaze fixed on Yinxue's composed figure below. Finally, he exhaled."Whatever their secret, one truth is clear: the Moon Lotus Sect is no longer weak. With this strength, they could rival even the old giants of the eastern seas."
That statement made the pavilion stir uneasily. Some sect masters exchanged looks of suspicion. Others frowned in frustration, already calculating alliances, schemes, and ways to pry secrets from the Moon Lotus Sect.
But one thing none of them could deny:
The balance of the Nine Sects had been shattered.
Yinxue stood tall at the forefront of her disciples, her robe of pale frost gleaming like a mantle of authority. Yet while her expression remained serene, her senses were spread outward like the tendrils of her dao. She caught the faintest fluctuations of intent from the pavilions above—the tightening of jaws, the clenched fists hidden in sleeves, the spike of envy buried under polite restraint.
She tilted her chin slightly, the corner of her lips curving in the faintest of smiles.They fear us. Good. Let them.
Beside her, Ziyue folded her hands in her sleeves, her posture as composed as jade. But her sharp eyes flickered upward toward the distant figures whispering behind their barriers. She leaned slightly toward Yinxue, her voice a soft transmission only between them.
"They can barely hold their tongues. I hear suspicion, anger… but mostly fear."
Yinxue's gaze remained fixed on the officials finalizing their registration, yet her answer was calm, cold as falling snow.
"Let them whisper. They may paint us as shameless, but every word they speak admits one thing—that they can no longer dismiss us as weak. Fear is the first step toward respect."
Ziyue's lips curved faintly, though her eyes glinted with sharper intent.
"Respect… or schemes. They will not sit idle. The Moon Lotus Sect's rise will tip balances they've held for centuries. They will try to probe, to lure, to test us in this tournament."
Yinxue's fingers brushed against her sleeve, almost absently, yet her voice was resolute.
"Then we shall answer with strength. What Haotian has given us is more than cultivation—it is a chance to step out from centuries of suppression. We cannot waste it with hesitation."
For a fleeting moment, her composure softened, her thoughts flickering to him—standing alone at the Sea Bridge, bearing the weight of the seal and the demons beyond. Haotian… hold fast. While you face the abyss, I will hold this sect. And when you return…
She exhaled quietly, returning her gaze upward toward the pavilions.
"…when you return, the world will already have learned to fear the Moon Lotus Sect."
Ziyue noticed the subtle shift in Yinxue's expression, the warmth behind her frost. She said nothing, but in her heart, the ember of rivalry and affection for Haotian flared hotter still.
The city of the hosting sect stirred like a storm as the day dawned. Drums rolled from the mountainsides, echoing thunder across the valleys, and banners of nine colors snapped in the frigid wind. The great Tournament Arena, a vast stone coliseum inscribed with ancient runes to withstand even saint-level combat, trembled as tens of thousands of spectators poured into the stands.
On a high dais, the nine sect masters took their seats, their robes blazing with their sect's insignias. Behind them, elders and envoys observed with narrowed eyes, each measuring the others in silence.
A booming voice from the host sect's master rang out, shaking the air:
"Today begins the Tournament of the Nine Sects! A battle of disciples, a clash of spirit and dao, to prove the strongest among us! The first trial shall be the Martial Contest—disciples in direct combat! Victory shall be by concession or incapacitation!"
The arena floor shimmered as arrays activated, forming protective barriers around the stage. The crowd roared in anticipation.
The Moon Lotus Sect's Entrance
When the announcer called for the Moon Lotus Sect, silence swept across the coliseum.
From the great gates, the disciples of the Moon Lotus Sect emerged—hundreds of female cultivators in pale lotus robes, their steps in perfect unison, their hair like black rivers shining under the sun. Their presence radiated such harmony and frost-kissed beauty that for a moment, even the jeering of rival sects faltered.
And then—each released their aura.
Boom!
One after another, surges of Soul Transformation realm pressure shook the arena, frost mist spiraling into the air. What had been rumored, doubted, whispered in secret—the truth now spread like wildfire. Nearly every disciple bore the unmistakable weight of soul transformation cultivation, many already at late stage.
The stands erupted in chaos.
"What!? Impossible!"
"Hundreds—hundreds of them at Soul Transformation!?"
"Even the sect masters can barely achieve such numbers—what kind of heresy is this!?"
The First Match
The official quickly called the first pairing to the stage. A proud disciple from the Iron Mountain Sect—a hulking figure wielding a massive axe—strode forward, sneering at the Moon Lotus Sect's supposed "fragile flowers."
Opposite him, a Moon Lotus disciple stepped gracefully onto the stage, her sword shimmering with cold moonlight—a Yuehua Jian forged by Haotian's hand.
The signal was given.
The Iron Mountain disciple roared, chi flaring as he swung his axe with the force of a landslide. But the Moon Lotus disciple merely lifted her sword, frost chi gathering around her body.
With a single thrust—Chi Piercing Sword!—her strike pierced through his defenses, shattering his protective aura and sending him sprawling across the barrier in a daze. The fight ended in less than three breaths.
The crowd was stunned into silence. Then chaos.
"Unbelievable!"
"One strike! He didn't even stand a chance!"
"What have they done to raise their disciples like this!?"
Above, the sect masters exchanged looks of shock and dread.
The Moon Lotus disciples, however, stood silently behind Yinxue and Ziyue, their gazes calm as snow. They had already known. The world was only now beginning to see.
The coliseum's air never stilled. Each gong that announced a new match only deepened the growing panic in the rival sects.
Second Match — a Fire Serpent Sect disciple lashed out with burning chains, each strike hissing with molten chi. But a Moon Lotus disciple glided forward, her Moonstep Movement leaving afterimages of frost in the air. With a sweep of her Yuehua Jian, the fire was frozen mid-whip, shattered into glittering shards. One more step—Moonlight Sword Arc!—and the serpent disciple lay unconscious, encased in frost.
Third Match — Twin brothers from the Thunder Peak Sect leapt into the arena together, their lightning-imbued halberds crackling in unison. But the referee barely had time to protest when the Moon Lotus disciples responded: two sisters of their own, moving as one. Their blades weaved together in flowing unity, invoking the Twin Petals Sword Formation. Frost and lotus light spiraled outward, nullifying thunder in a flurry of ice-laden strikes. The Thunder Peak brothers were forced to their knees, coughing blood.
Fourth Match — an arrogant Heaven Flame Sect disciple boasted loudly that he would "melt the ice maidens to nothing." His aura blazed like a volcano. But the Moon Lotus disciple who faced him didn't even flinch. She performed a single Chi Piercing Sword Thrust. The air howled, chi compressed like a drill, and his fiery barrier ruptured with a deafening crack. He stumbled back, weapon trembling in his hands, until the referee intervened before permanent injury.
The crowd erupted—half in outrage, half in awe.
One after another, Moon Lotus disciples swept the stage clean.– Swords flashing like moonlight.– Frost chi coating the arena stones.– The Yuehua Jian gleaming, their forged edge cutting through techniques thought unbreakable.
Opponents were outclassed at every turn.
Some rival sect masters tried to comfort themselves: "Perhaps only their stronger disciples entered early…" Yet match after match proved the same truth—every Moon Lotus disciple was terrifying.
On the sect master dais, the unease grew thick enough to taste.
"This… this is no longer the Moon Lotus Sect I knew."
"It's unnatural. What kind of cultivation method allows such a rise?"
"If even their elders have advanced, then…"
Some masters clenched their fists, others whispered hurriedly to their advisors, while a few wore masks of forced calm. None could deny it anymore:The Moon Lotus Sect had ascended into a force to rival them all.
Meanwhile, under Yinxue's calm gaze, the disciples stood poised, their breaths steady. None exulted, none boasted. Their training with Haotian had instilled discipline beyond pride—only quiet confidence.
And so the first day of the tournament ended with whispers echoing through the entire city:
"The Moon Lotus Sect… has become unstoppable."
The second morning dawned with banners fluttering across the tournament grounds. The gongs echoed once more, and the announcer's voice rang out:
"Today marks the opening of the group battles! Each sect will send teams to demonstrate not only individual strength, but unity of spirit and formation mastery!"
The crowd roared in anticipation. Whispers spread—many sects were eager to see the Moon Lotus disciples tested. After all, one-on-one duels were one thing… but could these "delicate maidens" truly withstand the pressure of coordinated combat?
First Group Match — The Sword Petal Bloom
Five disciples of the Iron Fang Sect surged forward, their heavy spears sweeping like a storm. Each strike landed with the weight of mountains, their combined aura forming a shield wall of iron.
The five Moon Lotus disciples facing them only exchanged glances. Their jade swords lifted in perfect unison.
"Moon Lotus Codex Sword Formation — First Bloom!"
They moved as one. Their blades drew a pattern of petals in the air, weaving frost and moonlight chi into a whirling lotus. The entire arena seemed to still. Then, with a single thrust from the leading disciple, the formation released— a lotus of light and frost exploded outward.
The Iron Fang Sect's wall shattered like glass. Their disciples were knocked sprawling, coughing blood and frost vapor. The crowd erupted in stunned cries.
Second Group Match — The Thousand Frost Steps
The Thunder Peak Sect sent seven disciples this time, lightning arcing between them in a terrifying net. Their teamwork was precise, their shouts booming as thunder spears hurled down like heavenly judgment.
The Moon Lotus disciples did not falter. Their feet blurred, invoking the Movement Technique of the Codex. To the crowd, it seemed as if a thousand afterimages of the women danced across the stage. The lightning strikes missed again and again, their speed leaving thunder itself behind.
"Moonlight Sword Arcs — Unified!"
Seven arcs became one, merging into a massive crescent of frost and light that cleaved the thunder net in half. The Thunder Peak disciples collapsed in defeat, wide-eyed and trembling.
Third Group Match — Sword Formation Ascends
When the Heaven Flame Sect sent ten disciples, boasting loudly of their fiery domain, the Moon Lotus answered with ten of their own. This time, they demonstrated the true scale of the Codex formations.
"Moon Lotus Codex Sword Formation — Full Petal Bloom!"
Ten swords raised. Ten voices harmonized. Their chi merged seamlessly into a single lotus array that glowed with radiant frost light. The lotus ascended into the sky, petals whirling, each petal sharp as a blade.
The Heaven Flame disciples unleashed a storm of fire, yet their flames were devoured by frost petals. With a final command, the Moon Lotus formation collapsed downward, lotus petals falling like rain— each petal carrying the power of a peak soul transformation strike.
The fire disciples could only scream as they were blasted into the arena walls, their robes singed and encased in frost.
The Watching Sect Masters
Silence. The stands were utterly silent.
Sect masters leaned forward, faces pale.
"That… that was no simple formation. That was a battle doctrine—a cultivation legacy.""How? How can a sect once mocked for weakness suddenly wield such mastery?""Even we would falter against such formations…"
Some clenched their fists. Others avoided speaking altogether. But the truth was undeniable—the Moon Lotus Sect had become monstrous.
Yinxue and Ziyue exchanged a look from their seats. Their gazes swept over their disciples—calm, disciplined, dazzling. Inside, their pride swelled.
But deep down, Yinxue thought:This is Haotian's shadow. Every technique, every formation, every rise—his hand guides it all.
The gongs resounded again, deeper this time, signaling the start of the large-scale contests. Each sect would send their finest formations to the field. The arena floor rumbled as thirty disciples from the Heavenly Blade Sect marched out, their swords raised in perfect lines. Their sword intent surged together, condensing into a single domain of razor winds.
The crowd buzzed in approval. "The Heavenly Blades! Their grand sword formation is invincible!"
From the opposite gate, twenty Moon Lotus disciples stepped forward. Their jade Yuehua Jian gleamed under the sun. They moved without words, their steps flowing like the opening of a flower. Frost spread at their feet as their chi harmonized into a single pulse.
"Only twenty? They dare meet the Heavenly Blades' thirty with twenty?" The crowd laughed in disbelief. Even sect masters shook their heads.
But then came the command.
"Moon Lotus Codex — Grand Formation: Frost Lotus Ascends!"
Twenty swords lifted. Their chi threads intertwined, glowing like ribbons of moonlight. Above the arena, the energy coalesced into a lotus of frost and light, vast enough to cover the entire stage. Each disciple's aura merged seamlessly, no gaps, no faltering—the epitome of unity.
Clash of Formations
The Heavenly Blade Sect roared, unleashing their sword domain. Tens of thousands of sword-lights tore across the stage, a tempest meant to annihilate anything in its path.
But the lotus did not waver. Its petals unfurled, each petal glowing with runic lines of chi. The sword-lights slammed into the petals—yet instead of piercing, they shattered like glass against steel.
Gasps spread through the crowd. "Impossible… their defense—"
Then the lotus turned. Slowly at first, then faster, its petals whirling into a storm of frost blades.
The storm descended. Thousands of frost petals sliced into the sword domain, unraveling it thread by thread. The Heavenly Blade disciples faltered, their formation fracturing as screams echoed. One after another, they were knocked back, blood at their lips, until the lotus swept the stage clear.
The Silence That Followed
When the frost mist cleared, the twenty Moon Lotus disciples stood untouched, their swords pointed downward in perfect unison. The Heavenly Blade disciples lay scattered at the edges of the arena, groaning, defeated.
The coliseum fell into utter silence. Even the announcer stammered, unable to speak for a long moment.
Finally, a single cry broke out from the spectators:
"The Moon Lotus Sect… their formation… it eclipses the great sects!"
Roars followed—some in awe, some in panic. Sect masters whispered furiously among themselves, their masks cracking under the weight of disbelief.
The Moon Lotus Sect's Poise
From the sect's seating platform, Yinxue raised her hand. The disciples on the field bowed gracefully, then retreated in perfect order. Not one smiled, not one celebrated—they carried themselves with quiet discipline, their strength speaking louder than arrogance ever could.
Ziyue leaned toward her, her lips curving faintly.
"We've shown them too much."
Yinxue's eyes, however, remained sharp as frost.
"No. We've shown them just enough. Let them tremble."
Deep within, though, her thoughts whispered:
Haotian… this is your doing. And the world is beginning to see it.
The celebration was subdued, as Yinxue had ordered. No shouting, no arrogance — only quiet smiles and a shared glow of pride. Disciples gathered in small groups, whispering their amazement at what they had achieved that day.
One disciple clutched her Yuehua Jian close, whispering, "We… we overwhelmed thirty Heavenly Blade disciples. With only twenty of us. I never thought… I could be part of something like this."
Another disciple laughed softly, shaking her head. "Do you think the other sects realize? Senior Brother Haotian's shadow is everywhere in what we've done. Every movement, every technique — his mark guides it."
Yinxue stood at the center, her calm gaze sweeping over her disciples. In her heart, she swelled with pride — not only for their strength, but for their composure. They shine, but they do not boast. Haotian has given them power, but he has also given them discipline.
At her side, Ziyue's lips curved faintly, her hand brushing the edge of her robe where her heart still raced. She thought of Haotian, of his steady smile and boundless vision. Even when he is not here, his will bends the world for us. How can my heart not be bound to his?
Not far from them, Shuyue lingered in the shadows of the hall. She heard the laughter, saw the joy glowing on every disciple's face. Her heart-seal trembled again. His shadow… his presence… everywhere. Even now, even here, when he is not among us, everything is Haotian. Ziyue basking in him… the Sect Master herself beginning to change under him… and me… Her nails bit into her palms as her cultivation churned restlessly. What am I to him?
The hall glowed with warmth — but Shuyue's world was tightening, fracturing further.
Meanwhile — The Pavilion of the Nine Sects
In the high pavilion where the sect masters gathered, the atmosphere was the opposite. It was tense, bitter, and filled with barely restrained fear.
The Iron Blade Sect Master slammed his hand down.
"This is unacceptable! That was no ordinary formation — it was a doctrine, a legacy! They've leapt from the bottom of the Nine Sects to the very top in less than a year!"
The Crimson Tiger Sect Master growled.
"If their strength continues at this pace, they won't just rival us. They'll dominate us. Tell me, how many sects here can claim three hundred disciples at the Soul Transformation Realm?"
Silence. None dared answer.
The Emerald Mist Sect Matron leaned back, her voice sharp as a blade.
"Do not pretend you don't see it. There is a man behind this. A man with knowledge beyond reason — formations, pills, techniques, even their very cultivation method reeks of outside creation. Whoever this 'Haotian' is, he is the core of their rise."
Her words hung heavy in the air. Some sect masters exchanged uneasy looks.
"Then what do you propose?" one asked.
Her lips curved faintly, but her eyes were cold.
"If a sect grows too quickly… it is often cut down before it becomes a tree. Better to fell them now, than to bow before them later."
The words sent a ripple of unease across the pavilion. Some nodded grimly. Others hesitated, aware of the backlash such plotting might bring.
But one thing was certain: the Moon Lotus Sect had shaken the Nine Sects to their foundations.