A profound silence fell over the gathering as Li Yao's announcement echoed across the courtyard. The position of Grand Elder carried deeper significance than even the Sect Master role itself.
While a Sect Master's authority stemmed primarily from raw strength, the Grand Elder represented wisdom and guidance. Since they couldn't let just any strong person lead the sect, there needed to be a Grand Elder to guide the sect leader. As the ancient saying went, an elder in a family was worth a thousand gold.
Even the elders themselves appeared visibly shaken by Li Yao's declaration, though none dared voice their objections after witnessing her devastating display of power. They rationalized the decision by reminding themselves that Xiang Yu was her senior brother, making him a plausible candidate for the position... in perhaps a few centuries. Perhaps the young Sect Master was simply planning extraordinarily far ahead.
Tension rippled through the crowd as Li Yao casually formed a crackling ball of lightning between her slender fingers. The disciples shifted nervously, wondering if she was angered by their reluctance to acknowledge her senior brother's appointment.
In an unexpected turn, she suddenly directed the lightning bolt straight toward Xiang Yu.
Gasps erupted from the onlookers. Even Xiang Yu himself appeared momentarily startled, but his reaction was nothing short of remarkable. In one fluid motion, he drew his sword and executed a precise slash that cleanly dissipated the energy, the lightning fragmenting into harmless sparks that scattered around him.
Murmurs of astonishment spread through the assembly. Wasn't this supposed to be the useless senior disciple of Mountain Heart Pavilion? How could he move with such speed and precision? Many could barely follow his movements with their eyes. Had he been concealing his true abilities all this time?
"As you have seen," Li Yao's clear voice cut through the whispers, "the senior disciple of the Mountain Heart Pavilion is not trash at all."
She had orchestrated this demonstration specifically to prove that Xiang Yu could indeed cultivate. She felt that this was necessary as convincing the sect would be nearly impossible otherwise, after all, in a world dominated by cultivation, it was harder to be taken seriously if you couldn't cultivate.
She knew her senior brother might not willingly agree to display his cultivation prowess in public, which had forced her to use this method. Though she apologized inwardly for the surprise attack, his response had exceeded her expectations. Despite using power equivalent to the peak of Foundation Establishment, she had anticipated he would merely dodge the strike—not effortlessly neutralize it. A small, proud smile curved her lips; her senior brother had been hiding his abilities more thoroughly than she'd imagined.
"Did you know?" Li Yao inquired silently.
[Of course I did,] the Empress replied confidently, though internally, she too was taken aback. She had suspected Xiang Yu was hiding his strength, but she hadn't expected him to be hiding this deeply. Something about him struck her as peculiar—he didn't carry the aura of someone naturally blessed with great fortune.
Initially, she had considered the possibility of soul possession, but after scanning his soul multiple times, she had detected no signs of such interference. What, then, explained his extraordinary abilities?
"Awakening memories from a previous life, perhaps?" she pondered. "That seems plausible."
Yet recalling her earlier encounter, another possibility emerged: "Or is someone targeting Li Yao?" As a person of tremendous potential and fortune, Li Yao would naturally attract the attention of powerful beings, some of whom might place agents in her proximity. The Empress sighed inwardly. "Maybe I'm overthinking it."
Regardless of Xiang Yu's true nature, the Empress silently vowed to use all her power to protect Li Yao. For now, she would simply observe and wait.
...
The crowd stood transfixed, eyes wide and mouths agape at the display of skill they had just witnessed. Before the murmurs could grow too loud, Li Yao continued her address, gesturing toward Xiang Yu with unmistakable pride in her voice.
"The truth is, Xiang Yu is an extraordinary genius in secondary professions," she proclaimed, eliciting gasps of surprise from the assembled disciples. "He had deliberately kept his talents hidden until now since he didn't like the attention." Her tone softened as she explained his reasoning. "But with the sect in danger, he has chosen to reveal his true abilities, creating treasures that will restore our strength and protect our future."
With a wave of her hand, Li Yao summoned the contents of her spatial ring, manifesting before the crowd's astonished eyes. Mountains of resources materialized on the stage—pills of various grades arranged in neat stacks, formations discs with intricate patterns etched into their surfaces, weapons gleaming with spiritual light, and talismans vibrating with barely contained power.
The collective intake of breath was audible. These resources were really useful for a sect that had been grappling with severe resource shortages since the attack. Whatever lingering doubts remained about Xiang Yu's appointment instantly evaporated at the sight of such abundance.
"With these resources, he is indeed worthy of being Grand Elder," someone whispered reverently.
"For such treasures, I wouldn't mind calling him ancestor!" Elder Wu Tiangang of the Spirit Forging Pavilion declared boldly.
Several nearby elders shot him incredulous looks. "Now you're doing too much," they muttered disapprovingly.
Elder Wu merely snorted, dismissing their criticism without a second thought. What did these fools know? Having a close relationship with someone proficient in secondary professions was like possessing a priceless treasure itself. And Xiang Yu appeared skilled in multiple crafts—befriending such a person would be equivalent to ascending to the heavens in a single step.
"These are the treasures he has given to the sect to help us recover our strength," Li Yao continued, her voice clear and commanding. "He has also promised to provide more should these ones run out."
Cheers erupted from the crowd, their earlier skepticism completely forgotten as they calculated how these resources would enhance their own cultivation.
Li Yao turned to address the elders directly, her posture straightening with authority. "Elders, come and help distribute the resources. Ensure everyone receives their fair share."
Almost instantly, the elders materialized on stage safe for Elder Guo Shantian and Elder Huang. They bowed deeply "We greet the Sect Master. We greet the Grand Elder," they intoned in perfect unison, their deference to Xiang Yu unmistakable.
Elder Wu Tiangang, slightly slower to respond, blinked in surprise as he approached. Weren't these the same people who had criticized him moments ago for showing excessive respect? When did they become so fluent! Nevertheless, he joined them in the formal greeting. "Greetings, Sect Master. Greetings, Grand Elder."
Li Yao observed the scene with a slight frown. These elders seemed to be showing more respect to her senior brother than to herself, their newly appointed Sect Master.
[It's understandable,] the Empress's voice echoed within her spiritual sea. [He's providing what people need most at this moment.]
Li Yao scoffed quietly, exchanging a meaningful glance with Xiang Yu before they both departed the stage. Xiang Yu, clearly uncomfortable with the prolonged attention, headed straight back to the Mountain Heart Pavilion without further ceremony.
Li Yao, however, had other matters to attend to. She materialized before Yan Xuelian and Zhao Tiangang, her power pressing down upon them like an invisible mountain. "We need to talk," she stated, her voice resonating with unyielding authority.
"We're really cooked this time," Yan Xuelian thought grimly as she and Zhao Tiangang exchanged worried glances before nodding their agreement.
...
In the Celestial Summit Hall, Li Yao sat regally upon her throne, her penetrating gaze fixed on the two sect masters standing before her. The atmosphere was thick with tension as her chilling aura filled the chamber, making even these powerful cultivators uncomfortable.
Yan Xuelian shifted her weight slightly, her mind racing. Had the young sect master somehow uncovered their ulterior motives? She forced her features into a pleasant expression, though anxiety coursed through her veins.
"Sect Master Li, I was late to greet you. I apologize," she offered with grace, bowing her head respectfully.
Li Yao remained silent, her unwavering stare boring into Yan Xuelian like a physical weight. The prolonged silence stretched painfully, making each heartbeat seem louder and louder. Just when Yan Xuelian thought she might crack under the pressure, Li Yao's attention shifted to Zhao Tiangang.
A small sigh of relief escaped Yan Xuelian's lips as those piercing eyes moved away from her. How could someone so young project such overwhelming presence? Li Yao wasn't even exerting her spiritual power—just the natural authority radiating from her made them feel like mere subjects before an emperor.
Feeling the full weight of Li Yao's attention, Zhao Tiangang hastily bowed his massive frame. "I'm also late to greeting the Sect Master. I hope the Sect Master doesn't find this offensive," he rumbled, his typically confident voice now tinged with uncertainty.
Li Yao maintained her silence, her expression unreadable. Zhao Tiangang glanced sideways at Yan Xuelian, seeking guidance. As a man who had fought his way to his position, these diplomatic tensions were unfamiliar territory.
Yan Xuelian deliberately ignored his silent plea for help, not wanting to associate herself with whatever blunders this muscle-headed oaf might have committed. She hadn't displayed any clear hostility herself, but who knew what tactless actions he might have taken?
"Isn't this enough?" Li Yao asked internally, her impatience growing.
[No, you need to know how to set the mood. Just give it a few minutes,] the Empress advised from within her spiritual sea.
Though Li Yao didn't fully understand the Empress's strategy, the results were undeniable. With each passing moment of silence, the two sect masters grew visibly more uncomfortable, fidgeting and exchanging nervous glances.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Li Yao broke the suffocating silence. "I'm really disappointed in the two of you," she declared.
As she spoke, she released a wave of spiritual pressure, her aura crashing down upon the two sect masters like a mountain. The overwhelming force drove them to their knees, their bodies unable to resist the immense pressure.
Relief flickered through Yan Xuelian despite her humiliating position. At least Li Yao had finally spoken—though why she seemed so irritated remained a mystery.
"Sect Master, isn't this going a little overboard? We are all..." Yan Xuelian began, trying to salvage the situation.
Li Yao's glare silenced her instantly. When their eyes met, Yan Xuelian instinctively looked down, a primal fear overriding her pride. What was this sensation? Even though the power difference was huge, it shouldn't be to that extent right? Why was she so terrified? It felt like facing a natural predator. Her Frost Heart Technique, though incomplete, shouldn't have broken this easily.
"Overboard?" Li Yao echoed, her voice dangerously soft. "You want to take advantage of my Azure Cloud Sect and you call this overboard?"
"But we haven't even done it yet," Zhao Tiangang blurted out.
Yan Xuelian shot him a horrified look. How could anyone be this stupid? What did he mean by "yet"? This muscle-brained fool was going to doom them both.
To their surprise, Li Yao's aura lightened slightly. "That's a good point," she acknowledged, reclining back in her chair.
Their expressions brightened momentarily, hope flickering that they might survive this encounter after all. But Li Yao's next words shattered that fragile optimism completely.
"That's why I'm just going to destroy both your sects," she stated with casual indifference, as if discussing nothing more significant than the weather.
The blood drained from both sect masters' faces as the words registered.
...
In the tense silence of the Celestial Summit Hall, Yan Xuelian's voice cut through the air, desperation evident in her normally controlled tone.
"Sect Master, please reconsider," she pleaded, her mind reeling at Li Yao's casual threat. Destroy their sects? The very notion seemed insane. Even they had merely intended to extract some benefits from a weakened Azure Cloud Sect, not obliterate an entire lineage.
Li Yao's lips curved into a slight smile. "Why should I? You struck first," she replied coolly. Then, as if engaged in internal dialogue, she paused thoughtfully before continuing, "Though I do agree that destroying both sects would indeed be a waste."
"That's right!" Zhao Tiangang seized the opening, his deep voice booming with relief. "It is better to let us pay some fees yearly," he suggested hastily.
Yan Xuelian fought the urge to close her eyes in frustration. This muscle-headed fool was digging them deeper into trouble with every word. Yet, she had to admit his proposal was more reasonable than complete destruction. Annual tribute was preferable to annihilation.
Li Yao's melodious laugh held no warmth. "What resources? Do you think my Azure Cloud Sect lacks anything?" she asked mockingly, her eyes glinting with amusement.
Both sect masters fell silent, sudden understanding dawning on them. With such a resource-rich Grand Elder at her disposal, the Azure Cloud Sect truly lacked nothing. What could they possibly offer?
The atmosphere shifted as Li Yao rose from her throne. She withdrew the Azure Cloud Sword. Both sect masters tensed, wondering if she had changed her mind about sparing them.
With measured steps, Li Yao approached and placed the gleaming sword between them, its tip touching the ground. Her spiritual pressure intensified, pressing down on them.
"From now on, I announce the Azure Cloud Sword Sect as a seventh-grade sect and appoint the Lotus Jade Pavilion and Iron Spirit Mountain as subsidiary forces. Do you agree or not?" she declared, her voice resonating with authority.
Shock registered on their faces—not because of the latter part, but at the first. For a sect to be recognized as seventh-grade, its leader must possess at least Golden Core cultivation. They had their own suspicions at first but this statement from Li Yao confirmed them; this young woman before them truly was a Golden Core cultivator.
Meeting her unwavering gaze, both sect masters knew refusal meant death.
"We greet the Sect Master," they intoned in unison, bowing their heads in submission.
"Good," Li Yao nodded, satisfaction evident in her tone as her sword vanished and she returned to her throne in a flash of movement. "Go back and bring a detailed report of your sects by tomorrow morning."
When they remained kneeling, she added dismissively, "Dismissed."
The two sect masters rose, bowed respectfully once more, then retreated from the hall.
As they walked through the sect grounds, Yan Xuelian's mind couldn't calm down at all. This outcome was unexpected, though not entirely unfavorable. They could view it as gaining protection from a Golden Core cultivator. Still, she would need to convince her elders and disciples to accept this new arrangement.
Glancing at her companion's relaxed demeanor, she frowned. "Aren't you troubled by this?" she asked, perplexed by his nonchalance.
Zhao Tiangang shrugged his massive shoulders. "Why should I be troubled? We just follow who's stronger," he stated matter-of-factly, flexing his impressive muscles as if to emphasize his point.
Yan Xuelian could only facepalm in response. Why had she even bothered asking?
...