The terrifying energy storm lasted for almost half a cup of tea before slowly subsiding. As the lingering smoke and raging fire gradually dissipated, the scene in the center of the square made everyone gasp and feel a chill run down their spines.
The once smooth square now contained a bottomless, enormous crater, its edges filled with molten, glassy material that still emitted astonishing heat. The area around the crater was charred black and barren.
At the edge of the pit, two figures lay limp on the ground like rag dolls, their breaths utterly exhausted.
Hua Jin lay there, her body charred black, her clothes barely covering her body. Her once beautiful face was now a bloody mess. She was only breathing out, not in, like a dead dog. She had clearly lost most of her life and was in a deep coma. Whether she could survive was unknown.
The Demonic Flower Evil Lord fared slightly better, but only by a tiny margin.
He knelt on the ground, relying on a broken stone pillar to avoid falling completely.
His robes were completely reduced to ashes, his body was charred in large areas, and blood gushed from countless wounds. His breath was as faint as a candle flickering in the wind.
He struggled to lift his head, looking at the still-tall figure in the air, his eyes filled with fear, resentment, and a hint of unbelievable despair.
He tried to stand up, but found that he didn't even have the strength to move a finger, and had completely lost his fighting ability.
Lin Ming, with his own strength, used the Five Dragons Paying Homage technique to completely defeat the combined forces of a Six-Star Dou Venerate and a Four-Star Dou Venerate, and severely injured them!
The entire Flower Sect was deathly silent. Only the wisps of smoke rising from the deep pit and the lingering heat and acrid smell in the air silently testified to the terror of the attack that had just occurred.
Above the sky, the flames surrounding Lin Ming slowly subsided, and his aura also withdrew from the state of Heavenly Fire Three Xuan Transformations, returning to his original Four-Star Dou Venerate level.
His face was slightly pale, clearly indicating that the Five Dragons Paying Homage had taken a heavy toll on him. But his posture remained upright, and his gaze swept over the two miserable figures below before finally settling on the group of the Flower Sect elders with complex expressions.
The outcome is decided.
Yun Yun quickly stepped forward to Lin Ming's side. Looking at his slightly pale face, her eyes were full of concern and heartache. She gently supported his arm.
Lin Ming smiled slightly at her, indicating that he was alright. Then, he looked at the most senior elder and spoke calmly, his voice breaking the silence:
"Now, may we announce the results? The position of Flower Sect Leader should rightfully belong to its rightful owner."
As Lin Ming finished speaking, the Flower Sect's Great Elder, who had been hiding behind the scenes and whose aura was as obscure as an abyss, looked down at the ravaged square and the two people barely alive at the edge of the pit. Finally, he sighed and slowly emerged from the void.
She was an elderly woman with white hair and an ancient face, but her eyes were clear and deep, as if they could see into people's hearts.
Her appearance did not bring any overwhelming pressure, but it made all the people of the Flower Sect present, including the elders, stand in awe and bow slightly.
The Great Elder's gaze first turned to Hua Jin, who was slumped on the ground like a dead dog, unconscious. With a flick of his finger, a pure and gentle Cyan Dou Qi shot out and entered her body, temporarily protecting her heart meridian and stimulating her to wake up from her coma.
Hua Jin slowly woke up, the intense pain and emptiness inside her body causing her to let out a painful groan. As soon as she opened her eyes, she met the calm and unwavering gaze of the Great Elder, and her heart tightened instantly.
The Great Elder spoke calmly, his voice low but carrying an undeniable authority. "Hua Jin, the result of the competition is decided. Since you have lost, then hand over the Sect Master Jade Token to Yun Yun."
These words struck Hua Jin like a thunderbolt. She had just regained consciousness and her mind was not yet fully clear. Upon hearing that she was to hand over the Sect Master Jade Token, which she cherished as her life and symbolized the pinnacle of power, her vision went black, her Qi and Blood rushed to her head, and she almost spat out another mouthful of blood and fainted again.
She had toiled for so many years, scheming and plotting, finally managing to grasp the Jade Tablet and ascend to the throne of acting Sect Master. Now, in front of the entire sect, she was to personally hand it over to the woman she hated most?
Intense humiliation, resentment, and hatred gnawed at her heart like venomous snakes.
At that moment, her hands clenched tightly, her nails digging deep into her palms, causing excruciating pain.
But under the calm gaze of the Great Elder, and in front of so many people, she knew perfectly well that she had no grounds to cheat.
Yun Yun's victory was won Open and Aboveboard by Lin Ming. The Great Elder has already stated that if she continues to harass him, she will only humiliate herself and may even face more severe punishment.
At that moment, Hua Jin could only grit her teeth so hard they almost broke, and with great reluctance and trembling, she took out the Sect Master Jade Token, which was as warm and smooth as jade and engraved with intricate Flower Sect patterns, from her Storage Ring.
She gave Yun Yun a venomous look, then suddenly flung her arm, throwing the Jade Tablet at Yun Yun like trash. The force of her throw carried all her resentment and curses.
The Jade Tablet pendant streaked through the air, leaving a trail of light, and finally floated lightly in front of Yun Yun.
The Great Elder of the Flower Sect then turned his gaze to Yun Yun, a gentle and expectant smile appearing on his face, and his voice softened considerably:
"Yun Yun, I trust the old Sect Master's judgment. She passed on her life's worth of Dou Qi to you, and entrusted you with the Sect Master Jade Token; her intentions are self-evident. From now on... you will be the new Sect Master of the Flower Sect. I hope you can uphold the Flower Sect teachings and lead the Flower Sect to an even more glorious future."
All eyes were on Yun Yun, awaiting her response.
However, gazing at the Jade Tablet before her, a symbol of supreme power and responsibility, Yun Yun's beautiful face showed no joy, but rather hesitation and resistance.
A barely perceptible shadow flickered in her cool, clear eyes.
She truly had no interest in the position of Sect Master.
She was naturally quiet, yearned for freedom, and disliked being bound by complicated sect affairs. More importantly, her experience as the Misty Cloud Sect Master in the Jia Ma Empire had left her with a deep shadow.
The position of Sect Master brings not glory, but endless pressure, scheming, and the pain of the sect's ultimate destruction.
What she least wants to do now is probably sit in that high and mighty, yet cold and lonely position again.
"Take it."
Seeing the hesitation on Yun Yun's face, Lin Ming, who had been standing beside her, urged her in a low voice.
Lin Ming understood Yun Yun's inner turmoil, but Lin Ming also knew that this was the best way to resolve the problem and bring her peace of mind.
Lin Ming's words only made things worse. Yun Yun couldn't help but tilt her head slightly, glare at him, and gently bite her lip, muttering in a soft voice, her tone tinged with reproach and complex emotions. "Accept it? And then let you show off your power like you did back in the Jia Ma Empire?"
These words made Lin Ming somewhat embarrassed. Lin Ming touched his nose, looked at Yun Yun honestly, and lowered his voice, saying, "It's pointless to discuss the past now, who was right and who was wrong. But ask yourself, in that situation, wasn't my approach the only, and the best, solution?"
"You know better than anyone what your teacher did. If I hadn't handled it this way, would you have just stood by and watched the Misty Cloud Sect bear the wrath of the entire Jia Ma Empire, with countless disciples ultimately paying the price? As the Sect Master, do you really want to see that outcome?"
Lin Ming's words went straight to the heart of the matter, carrying a sharp edge that could not be ignored.
Yun Yun's delicate body trembled slightly at this, and her face paled. The horrific scene from that year resurfaced in her mind, a pain she truly didn't want to revisit. She couldn't refute Lin Ming, because it was indeed the only option at the time to avoid even greater casualties, even though the process was incredibly cruel to her.
Just then, a beautiful figure rushed onto the square with some anxiety; it was Nalan Yanran.
She had been observing from the sidelines, but seeing her master hesitate, she couldn't help but step forward, her beautiful eyes filled with earnestness and worry.
She did indeed travel tirelessly and suffer a lot in her search for Lin Ming to help her master.
Seeing this, Lin Ming immediately spoke again, his tone softening but carrying more weight. "Look at your disciple Yan Ran. She's been running around and worrying about you. Even if you don't think about yourself, you should at least think about her, right?"
"She is your only personally trained disciple! The days she spent living under someone else's roof, constantly on guard against internal strife, clearly won't bring her true peace. Do you really want her to continue living like that?"
After speaking, Lin Ming paused, looked at Yun Yun who was clearly wavering, and continued, "Moreover, you have accepted Granny Hua's inheritance, which is an immense opportunity and a heavy responsibility."
"If you don't take this position, Hua Jin will not be the only one within the Flower Sect vying for it. The sect will inevitably descend into endless internal strife and struggle, suffering a significant loss of strength, and may even disintegrate. Surely this is not something Granny Hua would want to see. She entrusts everything to you; it is both trust and expectation."
Lin Ming's words were reasoned with and appealed to emotions, and he also pointed out the stakes and Granny Hua's last wishes.
Yun Yun listened intently, her initially firm refusal beginning to waver.
She glanced at Nalan Yanran beside her, who looked at her with concern, and then recalled Granny Hua's kind and expectant eyes before she died. She also thought about the possibility of internal strife within the Flower Sect if she refused...
After hesitating for a long time, Yun Yun's gaze lingered on the floating Jade Tablet. Finally, as if she had made up her mind, she nodded slightly and let out a barely audible sigh.
Then, Yun Yun raised her head, looked at the White-Haired Old Woman Great Elder the sky, bowed respectfully, and said in a clear but slightly reserved voice:
"Great Elder, the position of Sect Master is of paramount importance. I, Yun Yun, am still too inexperienced to shoulder such a great responsibility. However, given the circumstances and your kindness, I, Yun Yun, may temporarily act as Sect Master to stabilize the sect. If you later deem a more suitable candidate, or if I, Yun Yun, am deemed incapable, simply Yun Yun me, and I will immediately step down without complaint."
Her words showed that she accepted responsibility while also leaving herself a way out, demonstrating composure and foresight.
Upon hearing this, the White-Haired Old Woman's smile widened, and her eyes shone with even greater admiration. She waved her hand and laughed, "Hehe, you child, you're too modest. I still have great faith in the old Sect Master's judgment. She was even willing to pass on her entire life's worth of Dou Qi to you; you are the most perfect candidate in her heart. Without a doubt, you can sit comfortably in this position of Sect Master."