"Mm."
"From today onward, you'll serve as acting head of the Fire Vajra Court. Now that you've broken through to the Vajra-Force Realm, your standing in the sect will naturally rise again."
"The Earthcore Lava Cavern will be open to you at all hours. You may also study and practice any martial art on the fourth floor of the Scripture Repository without restriction."
"And you'll receive five Vajra-Condensing Pills each month."
Sect Leader Shi Songquan's public decree sent Cheng Heng's standing in the Cloudpiercing Sect soaring. It was a transformation in every sense.
The Cloudpiercing Sect had stood for centuries, its rules always strict and its ranks sharply divided.
Core disciples, direct disciples, court elders, the sect council—barrier upon barrier. Never had a junior been allowed to overstep them.
This time, Shi Songquan broke with a century of precedent and granted Cheng Heng the highest privileges.
Cheng Heng's heart leaped.
The Cloudpiercing Sect's Scripture Repository had four floors. The first held basic martial arts, the second advanced techniques, and the third its finest secret arts and signature martial arts. The fourth was a vault of secrets left by generations of patriarchs.
Ordinary disciples could choose a single art to study only with the sect leader's permission. Disciples of the younger generation could never set foot there.
Now its highest level of access had been granted to Cheng Heng, who had only just entered the Early Inner Vajra Realm. He could read freely, choose any martial art, and study it as he pleased.
The second privilege was a seat at the sect's highest council.
In the past, only court heads and sect elders could attend its discussions of sect development, dealings with outside powers, resource allocation, and major decisions.
Cheng Heng now had a permanent seat. He could hear the sect's