The council broke only after hours of tense debate. Outside, the disciples buzzed with rumors and half-whispered fears. But within the hall, the decision had been made.
The Moon Lotus Sect would move.
Not today, not tomorrow — but preparations would begin. When the seal finally broke and the abyss tide poured out, the sect could not remain here.
Yangshen's voice boomed as he leaned back in his seat, sparks crawling across his shoulders. "There is a sect in the Southern Continent. A powerful one — also all-female, like yours. If you relocate, aligning with them will give you safety."
Yuying's frosty aura softened faintly, her lips curling into a rare smile. "Yes. Their sect master is… an old friend of mine. She should still remember me."
Meiyun tilted her head, her long hair swaying like tides. "Isn't she a Sovereign by now?"
Yuying's eyes glimmered with pride. "She should be. I heard she broke through a decade ago. If she has… she will be able to help us secure a foundation for relocation."
Jinhai rumbled low, his voice like stone grinding. "And her strength will keep scavengers from daring to touch your sect during the move."
Yuying rose gracefully, her frost aura sweeping like a silken veil. "Then let me go see her. I'll confirm the alliance myself."
Haotian stepped forward, bowing his head slightly, his voice steady. "Thank you. All of you. For standing with us."
The Saints smiled faintly, their presences softening for a rare moment. Yuying's lips quirked with a teasing edge. "Don't thank us yet. Train faster. We're only buying you time."
With that, they rose, their vast auras splitting the sky as they departed toward the Southern Continent.
The news spread swiftly through the Moon Lotus Sect: an all-female sect in the Southern Continent, yin-based, led by a Sovereign Realm master. The tension that had knotted every disciple's shoulders loosened. The thought of a safe haven — of allies waiting across the sea — let them breathe again.
But for Haotian, there was no relaxation.
As night fell, he returned to his chamber, sealing the doors. His eyes gleamed in the dark, his body pulsing with golden vitality.
"One more night until they return," he murmured. "One more night to close the gap."
He crossed his legs, exhaled, and let himself sink.
The golden battlefield opened before him again, the dragons roaring, Alter waiting with folded arms.
"You're back sooner than expected," Alter said, arching a brow.
Haotian clenched his fists, fire blazing in his eyes. "No time to waste. The abyss won't wait, and neither will I. Tonight… I push further."
Alter's grin sharpened, his voice laced with approval. "Good. Then brace yourself, brat. From the tenth strike onward, every move carves deeper into your soul. Let's see if your new body can hold together."
The dragons roared in unison, golden light spilling across the battlefield.
Haotian dropped into stance. His fists burned with the memory of nine strikes — but beyond them lay the path to annihilate gods.
He would endure. He had to.
In the golden battlefield, Alter's voice rang out like thunder.
"Tenth Strike — Heaven's Dismantle. Three blows to divine pressure points. It unravels channeling. Watch closely."
He demonstrated, his body blurring — palm, fist, elbow. Each strike detonated not on the flesh but deep within, as if severing the veins of heaven itself.
Haotian dropped into stance, golden chi coiling around him. He mimicked the rhythm, his body snapping into motion — BAM, BAM, BAM!
The backlash hit instantly. His meridians screamed, splitting like overdrawn cords. His bones cracked under the strain, his chest bursting with blood. Even with the 12th Stage Undying Dragon Body Sutra, the damage tore deeper than before.
He fell to one knee, coughing crimson. His body began to regenerate, golden light knitting veins and marrow — but slower. Agonizingly slower. He could feel it clearly: if this was the tenth, then by the time he reached the higher strikes… it might take a full minute of regeneration before he could even attempt the next one.
He clenched his teeth, pushing himself upright, golden eyes blazing despite the tremor in his hands.
"I'll endure. Even if it takes everything."
Alter smirked faintly, arms crossed. "Good. That's the attitude."
Scene Title: Yuying's Journey South
While Haotian broke himself again in the golden battlefield, Yuying rode the skies. Her frost aura parted the clouds as she streaked across leagues of ocean, her presence a silver arc cutting through storms.
For two days she flew without pause, her cold qi wrapping her in a cocoon against the elements. By the third day, she descended — and before her spread a sprawling sect nestled into a mountain range steeped in yin mist.
The gates glowed faintly with shimmering wards. Serpentine statues of frost jade coiled along the walls, and the air hummed with feminine voices in synchronized cultivation chants.
The Jade Serpent Palace — seat of her old friend.
At the gates, a ripple of aura surged, and a tall woman approached, her long black hair spilling like silk, her eyes gleaming with violet light. Her robes shimmered with silver serpentine embroidery, sovereign qi rolling from her like a tide.
"Yuying."
The word was half-surprised, half-warm.
Yuying smiled faintly, the frost around her softening. "It's been too long, Lin Xiangyin."
The Sovereign Master of the Jade Serpent Palace chuckled, opening her arms. "Too long, indeed! Come here, you cold-faced icicle."
The two embraced, laughter breaking through the decades of distance. For a moment, the years peeled away, and they were simply sisters-in-arms again.
They shared tea within the grand pavilion, speaking of small things first — their disciples, the years, the endless weight of cultivation. But at last, Xiangyin's sharp eyes narrowed, her tone turning serious.
"Now… tell me. Why this sudden visit after decades? What has happened?"
Yuying's smile faded. Her gaze lowered to her cup, then rose steady as frost. "The northern seal is breaking. The abyss stirs. A demon invasion will come. And when it does, my sect — the Moon Lotus Sect — will not survive where it stands. We intend to relocate south."
Xiangyin's brows arched. "Relocate… here?"
Yuying nodded. "We will not impose blindly. But if possible, we seek alliance. Protection. A foundation. If not, we will find a place on our own. But…"
She paused, her frost aura deepening. "…you should also know. We are not a small sect. The Moon Lotus Sect carries more than seven hundred and fifty Saints within its ranks."
The jade cup slipped slightly in Xiangyin's fingers, her eyes widening. "Seven… hundred… and fifty Saints?"
Her voice was hushed, almost disbelieving.
Yuying inclined her head calmly. "We are no fragile flock. We only need space, and the room to root ourselves. With your aid, our two sects could reshape the south."
Xiangyin leaned back slowly, eyes glittering with calculation and awe. "…Yuying, you never do anything halfway, do you?"
For two days, Yuying streaked across the skies, her frost aura parting storms and waves alike. On the third day, she descended into a mountain range steeped in soft yin mist. The air was thick with fragrance — orchids blooming in eternal frost along the slopes, their petals glowing faintly beneath the moonlight.
At the heart of the valley stood the sect: towering jade pavilions draped in silver banners, walls carved with orchids and moons, their beauty serene yet untouchable. The wards shimmered faintly, runes glowing with yin qi.
The Eternal Yin Orchid Sect.
At the grand gates, a familiar presence surged forward. A tall woman in violet-embroidered robes approached, sovereign qi rolling from her in waves, her eyes gleaming like moonlit amethyst. Her long black hair flowed down her back, a white orchid pinned above her ear.
"Yuying."
The single word carried warmth and disbelief.
Yuying's lips curved into a faint smile. "Lin Xiangyin. It's been far too long."
The Sovereign Sect Master of the Eternal Yin Orchid Sect laughed softly, her voice both sharp and tender. "Decades, and you finally come to visit. What took you so long? Hiding behind your icy walls again?"
Yuying's frost melted for a moment as she stepped forward, the two women embracing briefly like sisters reunited. "You haven't changed. Except, perhaps, stronger."
"And you colder," Xiangyin teased, before ushering her inside.
They shared tea in a pavilion heavy with orchid fragrance, speaking of small things at first — disciples, cultivation, the endless years. But soon Xiangyin's eyes sharpened, her voice calm but serious.
"Now, Yuying… tell me. Why are you here, after all these years?"
Yuying set her cup down, her frost aura settling faintly across the table. Her tone was even, without flourish.
"The northern seal weakens. Soon the abyss will break. When it does, war will consume the northern continent — and any sect left there will burn. The Moon Lotus Sect, an all-female sect, has chosen to relocate south before the disaster arrives. I came to ask if your Eternal Yin Orchid Sect would shelter them, or at least grant them grounds to rebuild."
Xiangyin's brow furrowed. "Moon Lotus Sect?"
Yuying inclined her head slightly. "They are not weak. Over seven hundred and fifty Saints stand within their walls."
The jade cup in Xiangyin's hand shook, her amethyst eyes widening. "Seven hundred and fifty…?"
Yuying's gaze did not waver. "You understand what that means. Alone, they are formidable. With the Eternal Yin Orchid Sect, your south would become unshakable. When the abyss tide reaches this far — and it will — the combined strength of your sects may decide the survival of this continent."
Xiangyin leaned back, studying her old friend with sharp eyes. "…If you've come yourself, Yuying, then the situation must be graver than you're saying."
Yuying's lips curved faintly, though her eyes remained cold. "You know me. I don't waste words."
Xiangyin set her cup down, her eyes never leaving Yuying's. The faint fragrance of orchids hung between them, but her next words cut sharper than frost.
"Instead of relocation, I have a better idea," she said.
Yuying raised a brow. "Go on."
"Have the Moon Lotus Sect join directly under my Eternal Yin Orchid Sect," Xiangyin said plainly. "Not as outsiders. As a division."
Yuying frowned, frost curling around her fingers. "…Merge them? You're asking them to give up their name, their roots—"
Xiangyin lifted a hand. "Not their name. They will remain as the Moon Lotus Division. They will abide by the Orchid Sect's rules, yes, but they will hold their own halls, their own structure. They will keep their identity. In exchange, they will gain our protection, our territory, and access to our resources. That way, they are not just surviving… they are expanding."
Yuying's frown softened. "…A division, not an absorption."
"Exactly." Xiangyin's amethyst eyes gleamed. "You know as well as I do — for a sect to have seven hundred and fifty Saints is unprecedented. Not even the great sects of the Central Continent boast such numbers. To waste that power on a wandering relocation would be foolish. But placed under the Orchid Sect's umbrella…" She spread her hands. "…we would both grow. They would gain our shelter. We would gain their strength. It is a give-and-take — and perfectly fair."
Yuying studied her friend's face for a long moment, frost aura ebbing. Slowly, her lips curved into the faintest smile. "You always were good at turning a disaster into opportunity."
Xiangyin laughed, a warm, musical sound. "And you always insisted on handling everything alone until the sky fell on your head. I told you, Yuying — I don't forget old debts. If this Moon Lotus Sect carries such power, then let them flourish here. Together, we can shape the Southern Continent's future."
For the first time since leaving the north, Yuying allowed the cold edge of her expression to thaw. She inclined her head in approval.
"Then it's settled. I'll bring them your offer."
Xiangyin leaned back, satisfied, her orchid hairpin glinting in the light. "Good. And when they arrive, the Eternal Yin Orchid Sect will be ready to welcome its new sisters."
The golden battlefield rippled like molten glass. Alter stood with arms folded, his gaze sharp.
"Now, the Eleventh Strike," he said. "Seraph Shatter Palm. A delayed detonation strike — the kind that kills those too arrogant to step away."
He demonstrated. A palm thrust forward, calm and precise. For a moment nothing happened — then, a heartbeat later, the air tore open, an explosion of force ripping outward like a sunburst.
Haotian clenched his fists, sweat already trickling down his back. He had only just mastered the ninth, and the tenth still gnawed at his marrow. But he stepped forward, golden chi surging.
"Haah!"
His palm lashed out. The strike landed clean… then came the backlash. His arm split from fingertip to shoulder, skin peeling, bone cracking. Blood splattered the ground before the delayed blast finally rippled outward, shredding the battlefield floor.
Haotian staggered back, screaming through clenched teeth. His body already began to regenerate, but slower. The pain was deeper now, bone-deep, soul-deep.
Alter's voice cut through his agony, merciless. "Again."
Haotian's chest heaved, golden eyes blazing. He pushed forward, palm thrusting again. CRACK! Another explosion, another storm of pain, his body splitting apart — yet healing, again and again.
By the tenth attempt, his vision was blurred, his hands trembling stumps regenerating into new flesh. His breathing was ragged, but the strike had taken root.
"Good," Alter said at last, his voice low with faint approval. "The Eleventh is yours. Barely."
Haotian fell to one knee, blood soaking his chest, but he managed a grin through his rasping breath. "Then… on to the twelfth."
Alter smirked. "Mad brat. Rest first, or you won't survive it."
The battlefield dimmed as Haotian collapsed into healing meditation, his body trembling, his will unshaken.
Three days later, frost split the skies above the Moon Lotus Sect. Disciples looked up in awe as Yuying descended, her aura still sharp as ice but her expression faintly softened.
She walked straight into the main hall, where Haotian — pale but standing — greeted her with the three sisters at his side. The Four Saints were present, their gazes sharpening as they sensed something had shifted.
Yuying inclined her head, her voice steady. "I met with the Eternal Yin Orchid Sect. Lin Xiangyin, their Sect Master, sends greetings."
Meiyun leaned forward. "And her answer?"
Yuying's lips curved faintly. "Better than we expected. She proposed that instead of relocating independently, the Moon Lotus Sect join directly under her Orchid Sect — as a division. The Moon Lotus Division. You would abide by their rules, but retain your name, your disciples, and your structure. In return, you gain their full protection and resources."
The disciples gasped. Whispers filled the hall.
Haotian blinked, his golden eyes narrowing slightly. "Join… as a division?"
Yuying nodded. "Yes. Xiangyin made it clear: for a sect to have seven hundred and fifty Saints is unheard of. Not even Central Continent sects boast such numbers. She sees your worth, and she offers shelter and alliance — not absorption. It's a fair exchange. They gain your strength; you gain their shield."
Yangshen let out a booming laugh, sparks crackling. "Hah! That woman always did know how to turn opportunity to her favor. Still — she isn't wrong."
Ziyue frowned, her sharp voice breaking in. "But it means we'd follow someone else's rules…"
Yuying's gaze softened just slightly. "And in exchange, you survive. The Orchid Sect gains strength. You gain stability. Both sides win. It is give and take — and fair."
Silence followed, the weight of the choice hanging over them.
Haotian looked at his sisters, then at the gathered disciples, his eyes steady despite the bandages on his arms. "It's worth considering. If the abyss tide breaks harder than we expect, allies will matter more than pride."
The hall fell into murmurs again, but the seed was planted. The Moon Lotus Sect would have to decide — independence, or alliance.
The Moon Lotus Sect's main hall brimmed with disciples, elders, and representatives. Frost lanterns flickered along the carved walls, and tension hung heavy in the air. At the center sat Yinxue, flanked by Ziyue and Shuyue, with Haotian standing just behind them.
Yuying's voice still echoed: Join the Eternal Yin Orchid Sect as the Moon Lotus Division.
The room erupted.
"We can't abandon our roots!""To bow to another sect is shameful!""Our ancestors built this place with their lives—"
The clamor rose like a storm tide, disciples and elders arguing heatedly, their voices colliding until the hall itself seemed to tremble. Haotian stood silent throughout, arms folded, his golden eyes steady, watching.
Yinxue finally raised her hand, her frost qi chilling the air. The noise ebbed, though grumbles lingered. She turned her gaze to him.
"Haotian," she said, her voice even. "What are your thoughts?"
All eyes turned to him.
Haotian exhaled slowly, then stepped forward. His voice was calm, firm, cutting through the chaos like a blade.
"This is a good deal."
The hall exploded again.
"What!?""You'd hand us over!?""Traitorous!"
"Enough." Haotian's voice thundered, silencing the room. His golden aura flared faintly, commanding attention. He let the silence hang before speaking again, measured and deliberate.
"The sect will be in danger when the seal breaks. That much is certain. But what comes next… will decide whether we survive or vanish."
He scanned the hall, his eyes meeting elder and disciple alike.
"If we remain isolated, we will rebuild again and again, staggering our progress every time. And truthfully—" he paused, voice low but unflinching, "—the Moon Lotus Codex can only take our disciples to the peak of the Saint Realm. Beyond that, there is nothing. I have not seen a single cultivation manual that carries us into Sovereign. Even the Four Saint Dragons have no teachings beyond Saint."
The hall fell silent, shock rippling through the disciples. Some lowered their heads, unable to deny it.
Haotian continued, his tone sharpening.
"If the Eternal Yin Orchid Sect has such texts — and they likely do — then I may be able to modify and guide them. Imagine it. Not seven hundred and fifty Saints… but seven hundred and fifty Sovereigns. An unshakable force."
A murmur swept the room, this time not of anger, but awe.
Haotian's voice softened, his words pragmatic now. "We need not surrender ourselves completely. We can negotiate conditions. We rebuild the bathhouse and facilities to our own design. Yinxue remains our head — not Sect Master, but Division Master. And the name changes — from Moon Lotus Sect to Moon Lotus Pavilion. Our own pavilion within the Orchid Sect. If possible, we request our own peak as our foundation."
He looked around the room, his gaze steady. "What does everyone think?"
The silence this time was different. No longer chaotic outrage, but hesitant contemplation. Disciples exchanged uncertain glances, elders whispered under their breath. The storm had broken — and now the seed of possibility was sinking in.