Although Yun Yun showed no intention of competing, Hua Jin thought this was a clever tactic by Yun Yun.
She feigned weakness to make everyone believe she had forced the situation. Therefore, when Yun Yun reluctantly said "come and get it," Hua Jin interpreted it as a provocation.
So although Hua Jin was still wary, he sneered and said, "Hmph, do you think I'm afraid of you!"
However, although Yun Yun herself is not strong, now that she has merged with some of Granny Hua's Dou Qi, her true combat power is probably far superior to that of Four-Star Dou Venerate. If they really fight, she may not be able to gain the upper hand.
So, Hua Jin subconsciously glanced at the Demonic Flower Evil Lord beside her, only to see that the latter was still staring intently at Yun Yun, his eyes filled with infatuation, completely unaware of her gesture. Her heart was instantly filled with rage, and jealousy and anger intertwined, almost causing her to lose her composure.
However, Hua Jin was also aware that there were many elders of the Flower Sect present in the main hall. Most of these elders were old people who had followed Granny Hua for many years and were loyal to Granny Hua. They also recognized Yun Yun's status as the successor. This was why she had never dared to directly take Yun Yun's Dou Qi.
Even if Yun Yun does not resist, these elders will not sit idly by; they may even unite to depose her as the acting Sect Master.
More importantly, although she was the acting Sect Master, she did not control Granny Hua's Dou Qi, and her own strength as Four-Star Dou Venerate was not enough to give her absolute authority within the Flower Sect.
Several elders in the sect are more powerful than her. Without their support, she wouldn't be able to hold onto her position as acting Sect Master for long.
Moreover, Hua Jin harbored a deep sense of crisis.
If Yun Yun is given enough time to fully digest and absorb Granny Hua's Dou Qi, her strength will surely increase dramatically. At that time, even if Yun Yun still has no interest in power, the elders will fully support her to officially take over as Sect Master.
As for myself, as the acting Sect Master, my actions within the sect these days have been somewhat unpopular. In the end, I'm afraid I'll end up with nothing, or even be purged.
Therefore, no matter what, she had to seize this power before Yun Yun fully refined the Dou Qi.
Only by mastering this powerful Dou Qi can she truly secure her position as Sect Master, intimidate those unruly elders, and completely control the Flower Sect.
Hua Jin was quite troubled by the fact that she needed to seize the Dou Qi but couldn't openly use force to avoid provoking the elders' backlash. However, after planning for many days, she finally came up with a foolproof plan, which was why she had specially invited Yun Yun to the Myriad Flower Hall today.
Taking a deep breath, Hua Jin suppressed her anger and jealousy, a calculating smile appearing on her face. Her gaze swept over the elders in the hall, and she said in a deep voice:
"Yun Yun, our Flower Sect has a thousand-year-old tradition and its own rules. When there is a dispute over the sect's leadership, there has always been a custom of open competition! Although the former Sect Master left a will to pass the Sect Master to you, I have already served as acting sect Sect Master for some time now, with merits and no faults, and have the support of many disciples and elders. Now that you have suddenly appeared, the question of who will become Sect Master naturally arises."
She paused, her tone growing increasingly firm. "Therefore, according to the sect's long-standing tradition, we should determine the victor through a contest. The winner will receive the Dou Qi left behind by the former Sect Master and officially assume the position of Flower Sect Leader!"
Before Yun Yun could react, Hua Jin's voice rang out again, giving her no chance to refute. "My Flower Sect has an ancient rule, which you, as the successor designated by the former Sect Master, must know!"
"In any internal conflict within the sect involving core interests between two people, you may invite your male companion to join you in the battle. The two of you will fight together, and the winner will be king!"
Upon hearing this, the elders in the hall all showed surprise and began to discuss it amongst themselves.
This rule is indeed an ancient custom of the Flower Sect, but it has not been used for many years. I never expected that Hua Jin would bring it up today.
They naturally understood Hua Jin's thoughts—her own strength might not be a match for Yun Yun's, but her Daoist partner Demonic Flower Evil Lord, was a Six-Star Dou Venerate powerhouse. If the two joined forces, their chances of victory would greatly increase.
Yun Yun was all alone in the Northwestern Region, with no close relatives or friends. Finding a male companion of similar strength to fight alongside her was virtually impossible.
This was exactly the effect Hua Jin wanted. She looked at Yun Yun, a smug glint in her eyes, and continued, "I'm informing you today not to take advantage of you. I'll give you a month to find your old flame, or any male companion willing to fight alongside you."
"One month from today, right here in the main peak square Myriad Flower Hall Palace, the two of us, each accompanied by a male companion, will compete to determine the ultimate owner of the Dou Qi left behind by the former Sect Master!"
Hua Jin had calculated that Yun Yun was all alone in the Northwestern Region and would not be able to find suitable help.
A month may seem like plenty of time, but it was just a show of generosity she put on to avoid the elders thinking she was being overly demanding.
She predicted that Yun Yun would ultimately have to fight alone. When that time came, she would join forces with the Demonic Flower Evil Lord and they would surely win easily, seize the Dou Qi, and secure their position as Sect Master.
Seeing Hua Jin's aggressive demeanor and feeling the complicated gazes of the elders in the hall, Yun Yun felt a mix of emotions.
During this period of time, the people sent by Hua Jin have been constantly harassing her in her secluded cultivation, with all sorts of open and covert attacks, making her extremely distressed.
She had hoped that coming today would allow her to communicate properly and resolve the matter completely, but she never expected Hua Jin to be so persistent and to propose such harsh conditions.
With a soft sigh, the helplessness in Yun Yun's eyes gradually turned into a trace of indifference.
She had no desire to fight, but since Hua Jin was so insistent, she had no choice but to accept the challenge. Regardless of the outcome, she only wanted to end this matter as soon as possible and return to her peaceful life of cultivation.
"Whatever."
Yun Yun spoke softly, her voice not loud, yet it clearly resonated throughout the entire hall, carrying a sense of detachment as if she had seen through the ways of the world.
Seeing Yun Yun agree so readily, Hua Jin was overjoyed. Fearing she might change her mind, he immediately declared, "Alright! It's a deal! Yun Yun, I'll wait another month! I hope you can bring enough strong helpers then, and not disappoint this sect!"
She was already imagining the scene of defeating Yun Yun, seizing the Dou Qi, and taking control of the Flower Sect a month later, and a smug smile involuntarily appeared on her face.
The elders in the hall looked worried upon seeing this, but there was nothing they could do.
The rules of the Flower Sect were set in stone, and Yun Yun had already agreed; they couldn't object. They could only silently pray that Yun Yun could find a powerful ally so that they wouldn't suffer a crushing defeat.
Just as Hua Jin was about to succeed, a sound of wind breaking suddenly came from the sky, and then a figure rushed over from a distance as fast as lightning, appearing on the square in a few flashes.
"No need to wait another month, we can start now!"
Inside the main hall, everyone stared in disbelief at the man who had suddenly barged in and spoken those words. For a moment, the entire hall fell silent as people exchanged bewildered glances, unsure of what had happened.
"You... Lin Ming?! You, what are you doing here?"
Yun Yun stared in astonishment at the young man who was walking quickly toward her with a mocking smile on his face. After a moment, she finally couldn't help but cry out.
"If you're in trouble, I can't just stand by and do nothing, can I?" Lin Ming came to Yun Yun's side, gazing at the stunningly beautiful woman before him, and grabbed her delicate hand, his voice unconsciously softening.
"Is it Yan Ran?" Yun Yun was slightly taken aback, but then she understood. Feeling the warmth from Lin Ming's hand, she quickly blushed and pulled her hand away from Lin Ming grasp, saying with a hint of reproach, "This is the Flower Sect. You can't be so reckless here."
"Who goes there? State your name! How dare you trespass into my Flower Sect?" Hua Jin had also come to her senses at this moment. She stared at Lin Ming with a slightly narrowed gaze, her eyes flashing with cold light, and shouted in a cold voice.
Judging from the intimate posture between the young man and Yun Yun, could he be Yun Yun's hidden partner? This has introduced a slight change to her original plan.
Lin Ming then slowly turned his head, glanced at Hua Jin, and his gaze swept over the effeminate-looking Demonic Flower Evil Lord beside her, who held a folding fan. He then casually said, "You can consider me Yun Yun's partner..."
Hearing Lin Ming's words, which sounded almost like a declaration of ownership, Yun Yun's cheeks turned as red as a sunset, and she couldn't help but glare at him with a mixture of embarrassment and annoyance. But to onlookers, this expression looked more like a playful argument between lovers, confirming Lin Ming's statement.
"Hmph! Yun Yun, you kept saying you didn't have a partner, but here you are! What an airs!" Hua Jin sneered, but felt a sense of relief.
Although she couldn't detect the specific fluctuations in Lin Ming's Dou Qi, judging from his appearance, while he was extremely young and handsome, in today's world where strength is paramount, youth actually suggests that his strength wouldn't be formidable.
So Hua Jin immediately said, "Fine, if you have it, you have it, so no one will say I'm bullying you. Also, didn't this kid say he didn't have to wait a month? Very well, let's do it today! Today you and this kid will fight together. If you lose, you'll have to hand over the old Sect Master's life's worth of fighting Dou Qi!"
She had a good plan. She could take this opportunity to legitimately get rid of Yun Yun and her partner, who had appeared out of nowhere, thus eliminating any future troubles in less than a month.
Upon hearing this, Yun Yun frowned. She knew that the Demonic Flower Evil Lord was Six-Star Dou Venerate, and Hua Jin himself was Four-Star Dou Venerate. Although Lin Ming was exceptionally talented, he was still young... She did not want to drag Lin Ming into the internal strife of the Flower Sect and make him risk his life for her.
Just then, Yun Yun took a step forward, about to take the challenge upon herself, when a warm and strong hand gently pressed down on her shoulder.
"Leave it to me."
Lin Ming's voice remained calm, without any fervor or fear, as if he were simply stating a fact. Yet, within that calm tone lay an unsettling and absolute confidence.
Yun Yun was slightly taken aback, her beautiful eyes involuntarily turning to the young man beside her. Looking at his profile with its resolute lines and the deep light shining in his dark eyes, she instantly felt an indescribable sense of security, like a warm current flowing through her body, dispelling all the anxiety and unease in her heart.
So much so that at this moment, Yun Yun, as if possessed, let the words of refusal that had been lingering on her lips finally transform into a low, gentle voice filled with obedience and dependence.
"Um..."
This soft response, like a feather brushing against the heart, not only softened Lin Ming's smile but also caused the faces of Hua Jin and the Demonic Flower Evil Lord opposite him to darken completely.
A great battle is about to break out.