All the senior members filed out, but Fairy Cold Moon, who had rushed to the front, froze on the spot when she saw one of the intruders.
Chen Xiong, meanwhile, was overcome with excitement and hurriedly called out to stop the elders around him.
"Stop! Do not offend the Palace Master or Senior Lin! They are honored guests of our Jade Balance Sword Palace!"
The arrivals were none other than Lin Xuan and his companions.
Certain matters had delayed them on the road for quite some time. Otherwise, they would have arrived long ago. Still, they were not too late.
Chen Xiong's shout startled Fairy Cold Moon back to her senses. Looking at the breathtaking woman smiling and chatting nearby, her eyes reddened, and she knelt without hesitation.
"Palace Master! You've finally returned!"
Heavenly Venerable Yunli smiled faintly. As she gazed at the woman, cool and aloof as the bright moon yet so excited that her eyes had reddened, a trace of emotion also entered her gaze.
That little girl from back then had grown into this woman...
With a casual wave of her hand, an invisible force slowly lifted Fairy Cold Moon to her feet, allowing no refusal.
"You've grown up."
Those few words nearly made Fairy Cold Moon's tears spill uncontrollably.
The elders beside her were shaken, all stunned by Heavenly Venerable Yunli's strength. For a time, none dared speak.
After they caught up and entered the main hall, Heavenly Venerable Yunli wasted no more time and went straight to the point.
With solemn gravity, she dropped a thunderous bombshell on the members of the Jade Balance Sword Palace.
"From now on, you need not call me Palace Master."
"Han Yue, it's about time we removed the 'Vice' from your title of Vice Palace Master."
Before Fairy Cold Moon could grow anxious, Heavenly Venerable Yunli introduced the young man beside her, stunning everyone once again.
"This is Lin Xuan, Pavilion Master Lin."
"I now belong to the Sword Pavilion under Pavilion Master Lin, serving as... the First Sword Master!"
Everyone was shocked by Heavenly Venerable Yunli's words.
For the first time, they took a proper look at Lin Xuan and his companions.
They had assumed these people were Heavenly Venerable Yunli's disciples or subordinates. Never had they imagined... the natural order had been turned upside down? Their Palace Master was his subordinate?
Fairy Cold Moon opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but ultimately shook her head. "I will abide by all your wishes, Palace Master."
Heavenly Venerable Yunli looked somewhat helpless. Gazing at the girl who remained such a little stickler even after all these years, she chuckled and shook her head.
"You little thing... I already said you needn't call me Palace Master. Never mind. Back to business. There is another reason I returned this time: to have Pavilion Master Lin's three beloved disciples enter the Seven Kingdoms Grand Competition. We need three of the Jade Balance Sword Palace's places."
As everyone knew, the Seven Kingdoms Grand Competition was a contest between the seven kingdoms. Naturally, participation was restricted to disciples of sects within those kingdoms, and they also needed an allocated place.
As one of the Heron Empire's seven great sects, the Jade Balance Sword Palace had its own allocation.
The number of places depended on a sect's strength. The Jade Balance Sword Palace did not have many-only ten.
Upon hearing this, Fairy Cold Moon agreed without hesitation.
"Of course that's no problem! Besides, you are the Palace Master. This is only a minor matter. Why would you need to ask a Vice Palace Master like me?"
The other elders remained silent as well, clearly having no objections to the decision.
What a joke!
They were no fools.
Without the Palace Master and this Senior Lin, the Jade Balance Sword Palace might already have ceased to exist. They were only asking for three places. Even if they wanted all of them, no one would object.
Seeing that no one objected, Heavenly Venerable Yunli nodded slightly.
"In that case, it's settled."
"Yes!"
Several days later.
The Jade Balance Sword Palace's training grounds were where its many disciples sparred and practiced martial arts. Today, however, the grounds had been cleared and tidied up. All the disciples gathered there were eager and excited, for what came next concerned their future honor.
The places for the Seven Kingdoms Grand Competition would be announced today!
"Silence!"
Seeing that it was time, Chen Xiong gathered spiritual power around his mouth to amplify his voice and shouted down the clamor below.
He stood tall, his expression solemn, looking every bit the imposing Second Elder.
"Today, the participants representing our Jade Balance Sword Palace in the Seven Kingdoms Grand Competition will be announced here. Every disciple whose name I call is to come onto the stage."
"Ao Feng."
"Here!"
"Qing Yu."
"Here!"
"Han Shuang."
"..."
"Su Lianxin, Wang Yan, Qu Youmeng! That is all. The ten named above should prepare well after returning. In one month, you will accompany me to the Dawn Empire to participate in the Seven Kingdoms Grand Competition."
Chen Xiong was a heartless name-reading machine. Unconcerned with what would happen after he finished reading the ten names, he stepped straight off the stage, his mission successfully completed.
But the moment his list was announced, an uproar swept through the disciples.
The first seven names were all normal, all outstanding geniuses ranked highly within the sect.
When the names of Su Lianxin and the other two came at the end, however, everyone froze in surprise.
"Su Lianxin... who is that? Is there someone by that name in our sect?"
"No Xuan Mo?"
"How can Xuan Mo not be on it?"
"Mo Qingyun isn't on the list either. That can't be right."
"Liang Qu, too..."
"What's going on?"
"Su Lianxin, Wang Yan, Qu Youmeng... who are those three? Why have we never heard of them? Are they really members of our Jade Balance Sword Palace?"
The crowd erupted.
Never mind everyone else-even Xuan Mo and the other two whose names had been called stood frozen, their faces also filled with surprise.
They had all thought their names were certain to be on the list. Yet now... what was this?
Their names were not on it at all, and the ones who had displaced them were three names they had never heard before.
Three people who had appeared from who knew where had snatched the places that rightfully belonged to them!
How could they tolerate this?
In disbelief, the three swept their gazes toward the stage. Looking at the unfamiliar trio of Su Lianxin and her companions, they felt unwilling to accept it, and even more unconvinced.
How could they possibly accept it?
They had spent so long preparing for the Seven Kingdoms Grand Competition, hoping to show their abilities and shine brilliantly there. Yet now, what was this?
What on earth were the sect's higher-ups thinking?
But no matter how bewildered, shocked, or upset they felt, Chen Xiong left promptly after reading the list, without leaving the slightest suspense.
With an icy expression, Xuan Mo stared at Su Lianxin and the other two for a long time before suddenly turning away, his face exceptionally cold.
"We must be given an explanation for this."
The other two, equally unconvinced, immediately followed him and went straight to Chen Xiong.
"Elder Chen, we don't understand. Why were those three allowed to take our places?"
Suppressing his anger, Xuan Mo stared stubbornly at Chen Xiong, wanting an answer.
To his surprise, Chen Xiong merely glanced at them indifferently.
"Why? Why must there be so many whys? This was the Palace Master's decision. I know you're unhappy, but you must trust that she has her reasons for this arrangement. You needn't ask anything else."
Within the sect, Chen Xiong had always been good-tempered. Even though these disciples had overstepped, he did not lose his temper.
After all, the places belonged to the sect, not to any individual disciple. Who received them had always been for the sect to decide.
But Xuan Mo and the other two nearly cried out in indignation.
How could that possibly be the same!
Those places had rightfully belonged to them.
Yet they knew they would get no answers. Their faces dark with resentment, they could only watch in frustration as Chen Xiong left. They also overlooked his use of the title "Palace Master."
Thus far, the Jade Balance Sword Palace had only one Vice Palace Master. Many disciples privately called Han Yue the Palace Master, so the three instinctively assumed that Chen Xiong had meant Vice Palace Master Han Yue.
They were not the only ones puzzled by this result. Rather, the entire Jade Balance Sword Palace was bewildered, including its foremost genius, Chu Jianchen—who was also Fairy Cold Moon's Direct Disciple, nurtured with particular care and entrusted with high expectations.
Unlike Xuan Mo and the others, Chu Jianchen went directly to Fairy Cold Moon and asked quietly.
"Master, there is something your disciple doesn't understand. Why did you have those three replace Xuan Mo and the others?"
"Have you forgotten our wager with the Jade Pivotal Star Sword Palace?"
The Jade Pivotal Star Sword Palace had once been part of the Jade Balance Sword Palace-in fact, it had been the palace's foremost peak, Jade Pivotal Star Peak.
But the Peak Master of Jade Pivotal Star Peak had been radical, with ideals diametrically opposed to Fairy Cold Moon's. Great differences and a deep rift had formed between them. After a falling-out, Jade Pivotal Star Peak announced its departure from the Jade Balance Sword Palace to become independent. Later, it even relocated outright to the Silver Frost Empire.
When Jade Pivotal Star Peak left, it also took many of the Jade Balance Sword Palace's experts with it, causing the palace's strength to plummet. Otherwise, the Jade Balance Sword Palace could have joined the Heron Empire's seven great sects long ago. Why would it have needed to wait until now?
Meanwhile, the breakaway Jade Pivotal Star Peak had advanced with fierce momentum. Through years of accumulation, it had actually grown into one of the Silver Frost Empire's ten greatest sects.
Over the years, though the two sects shared a past, it was one of longstanding grudges. Whenever they met, open conflict, covert struggles, and fierce contention were inevitable.
The master of the Jade Pivotal Star Sword Palace had never forgotten their original clash. Even after all these years, the palace master still wanted to prove that Fairy Cold Moon had been the one in the wrong.
Thus, during a "friendly" exchange between the two sects a year ago, they had made a wager.
That exchange had been a profound humiliation for Chu Jianchen. Both the Jade Balance Sword Palace and the Jade Pivotal Star Sword Palace had sent ten disciples to spar and compete. Unfortunately, the final result had been far from ideal. With four wins and six losses, the Jade Balance Sword Palace had lost to the Jade Pivotal Star Sword Palace.
That defeat had weighed on the entire Jade Balance Sword Palace for a long time. From top to bottom, none could hold their heads high when facing anyone from the Jade Pivotal Star Sword Palace.
It was on that occasion that the two sects made their wager, agreeing to hold a "friendly" exchange at Silver Heron Sacred Mountain after the Seven Kingdoms Grand Competition. The disciples participating would be those who entered the competition.
Thus, those the Jade Balance Sword Palace sent to the Seven Kingdoms Grand Competition this time would not only compete there, but also shoulder the heavy responsibility of winning the wager rooted in their old grudge!
So, with the event drawing near, familiar junior brothers had suddenly been replaced with strangers. How could Chu Jianchen easily accept that?
He had prepared long ago and gathered all his strength, waiting to wash away last year's humiliation in this contest, reclaim their honor, and overwhelm the Jade Pivotal Star Sword Palace!
He had been brimming with confidence. Yet now... his master had suddenly allowed three disciples he had never even heard of to replace Xuan Mo and the others.
To Chu Jianchen, this was no different from having a basin of cold water poured mercilessly over his soaring enthusiasm.
With Xuan Mo and the other two, he had been certain they could win this contest. But these three unknown outsiders... he knew nothing of their strength and had never heard their names. It would have been strange if he could feel confident!
Yet after hearing his indignation, Fairy Cold Moon merely glanced at her disciple and gently shook her head.
"You'll understand when the time comes. There is no need to bring this up again."
"My mind is made up. Do not try to persuade me. Go."
"...Yes."
Chu Jianchen drew a deep breath. Seeing how firm and unyielding his master was, he knew that saying more would be useless. Concealing the disappointment in his eyes, he said nothing else and turned to leave.
His heart tightened painfully, yet he could not bring himself to vent his anger. He could only suppress his gloom and pray that those who had replaced Xuan Mo and the other two would not be too poor...
Watching Chu Jianchen's departing figure, Fairy Cold Moon shook her head helplessly.
This disciple of hers was talented, but he took things a little too seriously and acted on emotion. That was not good.
As for the contest, she was not worried at all. With Senior Lin's three beloved disciples present, whether in the Seven Kingdoms Grand Competition or the contest against the Jade Pivotal Star Sword Palace, would it be as simple as merely overwhelming their opponents?
She had seen it with her own eyes...
Besides, the disciples might not know why the Jade Pivotal Star Sword Palace had won last year, but how could she not know?
Heh...
A cold glint flashed through Fairy Cold Moon's eyes, and the corners of her lips slowly curved upward.
Since the Jade Pivotal Star Sword Palace would not follow the rules, she had no intention of observing them with her old rival either.
Bringing in outside help, was it?
You could do it, and so could I.
They would just have to see... whose outside help was the strongest.