Aftermath and Rising Tides

The battlefield was eerily silent. The scent of blood lingered in the air, mingling with the scorched earth and shattered weapons. The battle had ended.

Among the Void Immortal Sect's forces, three bandits had fallen, and several others were wounded.

As the wounded were being tended to, Lin Shaoyang stood among the survivors, his sharp gaze scanning the ranks. A flicker of movement caught his attention—Ling Hua, the First Direct Disciple of Xu Tianran, was swaying slightly, her usually composed face unnaturally pale.

Her steps faltered, a tremor running through her fingers. Lin Shaoyang's sharp eyes caught the unnatural pallor of her face.

His brows furrowed. Something was wrong.

He approached her swiftly, his voice steady yet laced with concern.

"Ling Hua, what's wrong?"

She hesitated before exhaling softly. "It's nothing. I just need some rest."

Lin Shaoyang wasn't convinced. His time in the Cloud Sect had taught him to recognize when someone was concealing an injury. A cultivator of her skill wouldn't show weakness unless it was serious.

"You're poisoned," he stated bluntly.

Ling Hua's expression remained calm, but the slight tension in her posture confirmed it.

"We need to get back to the sect," Lin Shaoyang said firmly. "Can you walk?"

She nodded, though her movements were sluggish. Without another word, he signaled to Li Heng, Xu Kang, and Zhao Mei to accompany them. Together, they made their way toward the city.

As they approached the city, the streets were filled with anxious whispers. News of the battle had spread, and the citizens were in a state of unease.

When they reached the sect entrance, Elder Song Bai stood waiting. His rough features twisted into a frown as soon as he saw Ling Hua's pale complexion.

"What the hell happened?" Song Bai demanded, stepping forward without hesitation.

"She was poisoned during the battle," Lin Shaoyang replied.

Song Bai grunted, his sharp eyes narrowing. "And you just let her walk back like this? Idiots. Here—take this." He thrust a small jade bottle into Lin Shaoyang's hands. "It's a Profound-grade antidote. Get it in her system, now."

Lin Shaoyang helped Ling Hua drink the antidote, watching as her face regained some color.

Song Bai crossed his arms. "She needs rest. Take her back, and don't waste time standing around."

"Understood, Elder Song Bai," Lin Shaoyang said.

Song Bai simply grunted again and turned away. "The Sect Master will want a full report later. Get moving."

Without wasting another moment, Lin Shaoyang guided Ling Hua toward her quarters, ensuring she could recover in peace.

Back at the city's front gates, Yan Ruyue stood amidst the aftermath of battle, her crimson hair flowing like silk in the wind. Her golden eyes flickered with amusement as she surveyed the carnage before her.

The battlefield was littered with broken corpses. The once-arrogant enemies of the Void Immortal Sect now lay scattered like ash in the wind.

A satisfied smirk curled on her lips. Victory was intoxicating.

She turned toward the surviving bandits, her voice dripping with lazy amusement yet laced with authority.

"What are you all standing around for? Loot everything."

The bandits hesitated for only a moment before rushing to obey. Rings, weapons, armor—anything valuable was stripped from the dead. Yan Ruyue watched them work with idle satisfaction, twirling her Crimson Veil Fan between her fingers.

Her gaze flickered toward one of the defeated enemies—a still-breathing but gravely wounded high qi gathering cultivator. He gasped for air, his eyes filled with hatred and defiance as he looked at her.

She crouched beside him, her crimson robes brushing against the dirt, and gently traced a finger along his cheek.

"Still alive?" she murmured, her voice carrying a hypnotic lilt.

The man struggled, his hands twitching as he tried to summon his Qi.

Yan Ruyue sighed dramatically, shaking her head. "Oh, darling, don't struggle. It'll only make the fire hungrier."

She leaned in, her lips inches from his ear.

"Infernal Kiss."

A soft breath—then a surge of hellish fire erupted from his body, burning him from the inside out. He screamed, but it was over in seconds.

Yan Ruyue stood gracefully, her golden eyes gleaming with amusement.

With a flick of her fan, she turned away, already forgetting the nameless fool who dared defy her.

With nothing left to take, she flicked open her fan and turned to lead her forces back into the city, their morale soaring from the decisive victory.

Far from the battlefield, a group of cultivators watched in stunned silence.

They had witnessed everything—the crushing defeat of those who had challenged the Void Immortal Sect, the bandits now sworn to its cause, and the once-crippled sect now rising from the ashes.

Among them stood Wu Jinhai and Feng Liancheng, elders of the Cold Sun Sect, accompanied by Young Mistress Han Yueling and Young Master Han Xinyue, the sect master's children. Behind them, five elite disciples and a force of 250 cultivators stood in silence.

Yet none had dared to intervene.

Wu Jinhai clenched his fists. "The Void Immortal Sect was ranked 60th. A crippled sect, nothing more. And yet—" He clenched his fists. "—we just watched them annihilate their enemies."

Feng Liancheng, his expression calm yet serious, replied, "The new Sect Master has changed everything. We cannot afford to underestimate them."

Han Yueling smirked. "Interesting. They were on the brink of destruction, yet instead of falling, they absorbed the bandit forces and turned them into their own."

Han Xinyue scoffed. "They're still weak. We should crush them now."

Feng Liancheng shot him a warning look. "Don't be reckless. We saw only their bandits and a few disciples in action today. Their elders never even moved."

Wu Jinhai narrowed his eyes. "And their Sect Master… we know nothing about him. If he's powerful, attacking blindly would be foolish."

After a long silence, he spoke decisively.

"We retreat for now. We will report this to the sect master."

Reluctantly, the Cold Sun Sect's forces turned away, vanishing into the distance.

Within the grand hall of the Void Immortal Sect, a gathering had been called.

At the head of the hall sat Xu Tianran, his presence calm yet suffocating in its weight. Beside him stood Yue Lingxi and Jin Wuhen, silent as statues.

The attendees included:

The sect's elders

The three former bandit leaders—Jiang Feng, Tie Shan, and Yan Ruyue

The Seven Elite Bandits

Lin Shaoyang, Li Heng, Xu Kang, and Zhao Mei

The only one absent was Ling Hua, still recovering.

Xu Tianran's deep gaze swept across the room. "Where is Ling Hua?"

Lin Shaoyang stepped forward. "Sect Master, she was poisoned. Elder Song Bai gave her an antidote, and I ensured she was brought to her quarters to heal."

Xu Tianran nodded, his expression unreadable. He then turned his attention to the three former bandit leaders.

"Tell me everything about the battle."

Jiang Feng, Tie Shan, and Yan Ruyue took turns recounting the battle—how they fought, how they coordinated, and how they secured victory.

Xu Tianran listened in silence. When they finished, he finally spoke.

"Well done."

A simple statement, yet one that carried undeniable approval.

Then, without warning, he dropped a bombshell.

"From this day forth, Jiang Feng, Tie Shan, and Yan Ruyue—your days as bandit leaders are over. From now on, you are elders of the Void Immortal Sect."

For a moment, silence reigned. Then, murmurs rippled through the hall—shock, confusion, even quiet outrage. The Void Immortal Sect had changed forever.