Yun Heng opened the entrance to the shattered realm.
Yun Zhao's figure quickly vanished from the room.
After she left, Yun Heng remained seated, reflecting on everything that had happened today.
From Su Mingyuan publicly identifying her, to Wei Quechen releasing his pressure, to the Xuanxiao Sect joining forces with the Taihua Sword Sect.
Events had unfolded one after another, leaving her almost no time to think.
Only now, after calming down, did Yun Heng realize she had indeed been a bit reckless today.
She had known Lu Xuanwei was in seclusion for many years, yet she had not considered beforehand that his cultivation might have advanced.
Without knowing Lu Xuanwei's true strength, she had gone to total war with the Xuanxiao Sect and the Taihua Sword Sect.
If Lu Xuanwei were still only at the late stage of the Soul Transformation Realm, her Shadow Guards naturally could have held him off.
However, he had already broken through to the mid stage of the Void Refinement Realm.
The gap between Soul Transformation and Void Refinement was simply too vast.
Even if all ten Shadow Guards joined forces, they would have been no match for Lu Xuanwei.
Had her Awe Points not surpassed eight thousand in the nick of time—allowing her to complete the missing Guard Summoning Order Card and successfully summon Yun Zhao—their side likely would have been completely wiped out today.
At this thought, the joy in Yun Heng's heart gradually faded.
She had nearly lost the entire clan she had only just established.
When all was said and done, it was because she herself was not strong enough.
The strength gathered within the shattered realm seemed considerable on paper.
Yet when facing the top sects of the Eastern Region head-on, there were still immense risks.
What's more, before Yun Zhao appeared, not a single person in her entire clan could directly stand against a Void Refinement cultivator.
What if it hadn't been just Lu Xuanwei today, but two or even more Void Refinement cultivators?
She could not rely forever on emergency card draws.
Drawing cards was inherently full of uncertainty.
For the first time, Yun Heng realized with crystal clarity that her own cultivation was still far too low.
Late-stage Nascent Soul was indeed exceptionally outstanding among the younger generation.
Yet facing old monsters of the Soul Transformation and Void Refinement realms who had lived for countless years, she still possessed no real power to fight back.
The cultivation world had never cared about true fairness.
Weakness was the ultimate sin.
Being weak meant others could suspect her, coerce her, or even strike at her without a shred of evidence at their whim.
Why had Wei Quechen dared to act so aggressively earlier? Wasn't it simply because he assumed she was merely a rogue cultivator without any backing?
If you showed softheartedness to others, they might not necessarily feel grateful.
They would only view you as weak and pushy, pushing their luck even further next time.
Yun Heng pressed her lips together, her gaze slowly hardening with resolve.
Her top priority right now remained the same: to become stronger.
Whether it was herself or her entire clan, they had to grow powerful as quickly as possible.
Strong enough that anyone wishing to cross her would have to carefully consider whether they could bear the consequences.
The cultivation techniques granted by the System were among the top heritages on the entire continent.
The Tianheng Guiyuan Art was exceptionally compatible with her spiritual root.
The Profound Bone Body-Forging Art could continuously strengthen her physical body.
The Tianheng Sword Art, Void-Stepping Movement Technique, and Formless Concealment Technique far surpassed the inheritances of ordinary sects as well.
Given such uniquely favored conditions, she could afford to slack off even less.
Yun Heng closed her eyes once more and began to cultivate.
The spiritual energy in the room flowed smoothly.
After a night of meditating and regulating her breathing, the sluggishness in her meridians had completely vanished, and the spiritual energy in her dantian had grown even more abundant.
At noon the following day, a knock sounded on her door once more.
Yun Heng awakened from her cultivation.
“Who is it?”
The voice of a Wanbao Tower attendant soon came from outside the door.
“Miss Yun, it is this humble one.”
“Her Majesty, the Tower Master, as well as the Grand Elders of the Xuanxiao Sect and the Taihua Sword Sect have all arrived.”
Yun Heng's eyes lit up.
For so many people to arrive together, they were clearly here to deliver her compensation.
She immediately stood up, adjusted her robes, and then opened the door.
Several people stood outside the door.
Xiao Yin, the Master of Wanbao Tower, the Xuanxiao Sect's Grand Elder He Lansong, and a female cultivator Yun Heng had never seen before were all present.
Yun Heng glanced at her cramped room, then looked at the crowd clogging the doorway, letting out a soft cough.
“My room is a bit small.”
The Wanbao Tower Master promptly led them to a reception room specifically used for distinguished guests.
The reception room was very spacious, its tables and chairs arranged far more exquisitely than those in regular guest rooms.
Only five people sat inside: Yun Heng, Xiao Yin, the Wanbao Tower Master, He Lansong, and the unfamiliar female cultivator.
Yun Heng took the head seat, her gaze discreetly sweeping over the two Grand Elders.
He Lansong looked utterly exhausted.
Although a night had passed and his injuries had been treated, his complexion remained somewhat pale, and a clear look of weariness hung beneath his eyes.
Presumably, after yesterday's incident concluded, the Xuanxiao Sect had plenty of internal troubles to deal with.
The other female cultivator was likely the Grand Elder of the Taihua Sword Sect.
She wore a dark grey sword robe, her back held straight, and her long hair bound with an ebony crown.
Her brow bones were slightly high, her eyes sharp, and a very faint old scar rested near the tail of her right eyebrow.
She wore no superfluous ornaments, only carrying a narrow, long sword hanging from her waist.
There were no battle injuries on her body, so she likely hadn't been outside the secret realm yesterday.
However, she too looked thoroughly exhausted, her expression heavy with gravity.
Once everyone was seated, Xiao Yin was the first to speak.
She produced two boxes and placed them in front of Yun Heng.
One box was small, its surface carved with several array runes designed to prevent spiritual energy from leaking out.
The other was a spatial jade box.
“Little Friend Yun.”
“This is the ten thousand top-grade spirit stones promised by the imperial family, along with a Realm-Space Crystal.”
Yun Heng opened the first box.
A fist-sized crystal rested quietly inside.
The crystal exhibited a near-transparent silver-white color, looking as though a continuously folding space existed within it.
With just a glance, one could feel the surrounding light distorting slightly.
A dense and pure spatial power was sealed deep within the crystal.
It was indeed a Realm-Space Crystal.
Yun Heng then used her divine sense to inspect the spatial jade box.
Inside lay ten thousand neatly stacked top-grade spirit stones; there was no issue with the quantity.
She closed the boxes once more.
The Grand Elder of the Taihua Sword Sect then spoke:
“Little Friend Yun.”
“This old woman is the Grand Elder of the Taihua Sword Sect.”
She likewise produced several spatial jade boxes of varying sizes.
“Here is the compensation agreed upon by the Taihua Sword Sect.”
“Three top-grade sword weapons, a strand of Absolute Beginning Sword Marrow, a chunk of Starfall Profound Gold, a Taibai Profound Gold vein, and thirty thousand top-grade spirit stones.”
Yun Heng first checked the three top-grade sword weapons.
The three swords varied in appearance and attributes, and their rank was completely fine.
After confirming that nothing had been tampered with, Yun Heng turned her gaze toward He Lansong.
He Lansong produced several pre-prepared boxes and set them on the table.
“Little Friend Yun.”
“Here is the compensation agreed upon by the Xuanxiao Sect.”
“Five top-grade artifacts, one high-grade spirit vein, one Earth Fire Spirit Vein, one small top-grade spirit stone vein, and fifty thousand top-grade spirit stones.”
Yun Heng inspected the five top-grade artifacts one by one.
Confirming that the quantity and rank matched yesterday's terms exactly, and that no tracking marks or other issues had been left behind, she finally nodded in satisfaction.
“There are no issues with the items.”
With a wave of her hand, Yun Heng stashed all the compensation gifts away.
She prepared to stand up and leave.
However, the moment she stood up, she noticed that no one else in the room had moved.
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