Let Them Come

A hush fell over the training grounds as Xu Tianran extended his hand. A shimmering jade scroll materialized before Ling Hua, its surface radiating a faint silver glow.

"This is your reward."

The moment those words left his lips, the air in the arena seemed to freeze. The sheer presence of the scroll sent a wave of pressure rolling through the disciples, elders, and even the former bandit leaders.

A moment of silence.

Then—

"A… Heaven Rank martial art?"

Someone gasped, their voice cracking with disbelief.

"Heaven Rank?!"

"That's… that's a legendary technique! Even top sects barely possess one!"

The Void Immortal Sect elders and the former bandit leaders exchanged stunned glances, their expressions ranging from shock to deep contemplation.

Huang Zhenhai furrowed his brows, his grip tightening around the hilt of his sword. "A Heaven Rank technique… such a thing could make a Nascent Soul cultivator kill to obtain it."

Wei Qingfeng inhaled sharply. "With this, Ling Hua's future is limitless."

Lin Shaoyang, still catching his breath from his previous battle, remained composed on the surface. He chuckled and nodded toward Ling Hua. "Looks like I was the stepping stone to something greater. Not bad."

But deep inside, he clenched his fists.

"I need to get stronger," he thought. "I won't always be left behind."

Elder Song Bai, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke, his voice calm yet carrying deep meaning. "Sect Master does not grant things without reason. If he deemed her worthy of a Heaven Rank technique, then it is not the technique that is special—but the one receiving it."

The elders nodded in agreement.

Meanwhile, the former bandit leaders and their seven elite subordinates had their own discussion.

Tie Shan, arms crossed, let out a low whistle. "Giving away a Heaven Rank technique like that… I thought I had seen everything."

Jiang Feng smirked. "This is why we follow him. We lived by blood and steel, but this… this is a different kind of power."

Yan Ruyue tapped a finger against her lips, golden-amber eyes gleaming with amusement. "Our Sect Master values potential. If Ling Hua can rise with this… she'll become someone truly terrifying."

Their elite subordinates, standing behind them, nodded among themselves. They had been hardened by years of lawless survival, but standing in Void Immortal Sect, they could feel it—this place was something greater than any bandit empire.

They had followed strength before.

But now, they followed something more.

They followed certainty.

Ling Hua trembled slightly as she accepted the scroll.

She had fought with everything she had. She had endured. And now, she had been given an opportunity unlike any other.

She would not waste it.

Seven Days Later

Within her secluded training courtyard, Ling Hua sat cross-legged, her sword resting on her lap. The night sky above was vast and endless, stars twinkling like silent witnesses to her struggle.

Her breathing was steady, but the energy around her was chaotic.

Inside her body, her Qi surged violently, seeking transformation. The teachings of the Moonlit Swordflow Art echoed in her mind—fluidity, precision, the endless motion of the moon's glow.

She could feel it.

The final barrier.

It stood in front of her, thin yet unbreakable, mocking her efforts.

Her grip on her sword tightened.

She would not fail.

She closed her eyes and focused.

The past week had been nothing short of brutal.

Jiang Feng had trained her mercilessly, sparring against her day after day. Every lesson had been paid for in exhaustion, in bruises, in near defeat.

She had fought Mid Foundation Establishment Realm opponents and had barely survived each time.

She had been knocked down countless times.

But she had **never stayed down**.

The memories sharpened her focus.

Her Qi surged once more.

Her veins burned, her dantian expanded, and a pulse of power erupted from within her.

Break.

A silver glow burst from her body as the barrier shattered.

The world stilled for a moment—then the energy inside her settled, more refined, more powerful.

She opened her eyes.

Her cultivation had advanced.

She was now at the Low Foundation Establishment Realm.

Her sword trembled in her grasp. It was as if the Moonlit Swordflow Art had acknowledged her breakthrough, its power resonating within her.

She had taken another step forward.

And she would **never stop stepping forward**.

Jiang Feng, watching from a distance, smirked and nodded. "Not bad."

Tie Shan cracked his knuckles. "The little girl's got some fight in her."

Yan Ruyue's lips curled into a smile. "She's getting interesting."

---

A Forest Near Void Immortal Sect

The trees swayed gently in the breeze. The air was crisp.

Six Void Immortal Sect disciples stood in a tight formation, their eyes sharp with vigilance.

Among them, five were at the Body Refinement Realm , while the last stood at the Low Qi Gathering Realm .

Opposing them—ten figures emerged from the shadows.

Their presence was suffocating.

Seven of them bore muscular frames, their bodies honed through years of brutal training. The three at the front, however, radiated an entirely different kind of pressure.

A slender woman twirled her twin daggers between her fingers, her fox-like eyes gleaming with amusement.

"Well, well… Void Immortal Sect disciples?" Bai Mei smirked. "You're quite far from home, aren't you?"

One of the disciples stepped forward cautiously. "...Why have you attacked our people?"

Bai Mei feigned innocence, tapping a finger to her lips. "Attacked? Such a harsh word. We merely… tested them."

To her left, Xuo Hei let out a low chuckle, gripping his **Black Ironwood Spear**. "They failed."

To her right, Zhou Men remained silent, his stance firm—like an immovable wall.

The Void Immortal Sect disciples stiffened.

They recognized these people.

And they knew they stood no chance.

Still, they had to ask.

"Are you here on orders?"

Bai Mei's smirk widened. "Who knows?"

The battle began.

The seven body cultivators surged forward, their techniques brutal and overwhelming.

The fight lasted barely a minute.

One by one, the Void Immortal Sect disciples fell. Blood soaked the ground.

The only survivor—a Body Refinement Realm disciple—trembled on the forest floor.

Bai Mei crouched beside him, her voice a whisper. "You're lucky."

She leaned in closer, her lips curling. "Run back home. Tell your Sect Master what happened here. Let's see how he responds."

With that, she flicked the blood from her dagger and turned away.

"Let's go."

The group vanished into the trees.

Void Immortal Sect—Sect Hall

The atmosphere was heavy.

Xu Tianran sat upon his throne-like seat, his expression unreadable. Yue Lingxi, Jin Wuhen stood silently beside him.

Huang Zhenhai, Wei Qingfeng, and Song Bai stood in tense silence, their gazes fixed on the disciple kneeling before them.

The disciple's body trembled as he forced out his words.

"Sect Master… it was them."

Xu Tianran's gaze remained impassive. "Who?"

The disciple gritted his teeth.

"The ones who attacked us… were Ironwood Sect disciples."

The room fell into silence.

Wei Qingfeng's expression darkened. "So, they've made the first move."

Huang Zhenhai's grip tightened on his sword. "Do they think we're the same Cloud Sect they used to trample over?"

Song Bai, however, remained calm. His wise eyes glimmered with thought. "An open provocation. Yet they only sent disciples, not elders. They are testing us." He turned to Xu Tianran. "Sect Master, what shall we do?"

The room stilled.

Everyone looked toward one man.

Xu Tianran did not react. He sat there, completely at ease, his presence suffocating in its indifference.

After a moment, he leaned back slightly, fingers tapping lazily against the armrest of his seat.

"Let them come."