CHAPTER 74 — Reforging the Sect's Future
The crater still steamed under the fading dual-sun radiance.
Lin stood at its center, fully conscious now and steady enough to walk with Bai's support.
Cloudsky disciples parted around him, forming a wide circle of reverent silence.
Battered.
Exhausted.
Bleeding through torn robes.
And yet—
Lin Xuan looked like the dawn of a new era.
A dangerous one.
---
The Sect Master Arrives
The Sect Master descended from the sky—
supported by Danfeng and Grand Elder Yun, his steps slow, one hand pressed to his chest where invisible chains of damage still lingered.
Even weakened, the man's presence carried immense authority.
He approached Lin, stopping just a few paces away.
For a long, thick moment…
Neither spoke.
Then the Sect Master's voice broke the silence.
"Lin Xuan… you saved us.
All of us."
Lin bowed lightly, respectful despite his exhaustion.
"It was the least I could do, Sect Master."
The Sect Master's gaze swept across the crater—
the molten stone, pulverized earth, vaporized trees, and lingering arcs of tribulation lightning.
"…Least is not the word I would use."
Danfeng exhaled shakily.
"I knew he had talent, but this… this exceeds the definition of monstrous."
The Sect Master nodded once.
"Indeed. This child is no longer walking the same path as the rest of us."
Then he turned directly to Lin.
"Come. We must talk. All of the elders must hear this."
---
Inside the Newly Expanded Sect Hall
Hours later, the Cloudsky Sect elders gathered in the Grand Hall—rebuilt by Lin's inner Earth and returned to the world fully intact.
Elder Cang looked around nervously.
Elder Yao kept glancing out the window toward the crater.
Grand Elder Yun kept clutching prayer beads.
Even Danfeng appeared solemn.
Lin Xuan entered with Bai, Mu, Wen, Sheng, and the remaining expedition group.
Every seat shifted.
Every breath paused.
This was no longer the weak boy who barely entered the sect.
Nor the rising genius who shocked the competition.
This was someone who could—
and had—
decimated an army alone.
---
The Sect Master Speaks
He rose slowly, wincing from hidden internal injuries.
"We convene today," he began, voice firm despite his condition,
"because Cloudsky Sect faces its most critical era since its founding."
He gestured toward Lin.
"And this child—
No. This man—
has now become the greatest variable in the balance of our world."
Murmurs rippled across the hall.
Grand Elder Yun whispered, "Variable? He is a calamity."
Danfeng shot him a glare.
"A calamity on our side."
The Sect Master raised a hand for silence.
"There is much to discuss. First—Lin Xuan, present the herbs you collected."
---
Lin Presents the Ingredients
Lin laid out eleven jade boxes.
Radiant herb auras burst forth—
still preserved perfectly thanks to his inner Earth.
"Of the twelve materials needed," Lin said,
"we have found eleven."
Gasps erupted.
"The Icewood Iris—!"
"Spirit Starleaf—!"
"The Golden Ember Root—he found them all—!"
Even the Sect Master's eyes widened slightly.
But then his expression darkened.
"All except one."
Lin nodded.
"The final ingredient.
The Heart of the Primordial Titan Vine."
Silence fell like a hammer.
Even Bai whistled low.
"That thing… it's practically a myth."
Mu shivered.
"I heard entire clans have been wiped out trying to harvest one."
Wen looked at the elders.
"Is it that dangerous?"
Danfeng frowned deeply.
"It is a Heaven-defying plant beast. Stronger than most Nascent Soul cultivators.
Even some Spirit Severing cultivators avoid it."
Sheng swallowed hard.
"And… we need its heart?"
Lin nodded once.
The Sect Master exhaled slowly, accepting this truth.
"This will be the hardest task yet. But the pill—if made successfully—
will restore my cultivation by 70% and extend my lifespan by at least three hundred years."
Danfeng added gravely:
"And make Cloudsky Sect a power the demonic sects cannot easily suppress."
---
Lin's Proclamation — A New Stance
Lin Xuan stepped forward.
His aura surged for a moment—
just enough to remind every elder present of what he had become.
"Before we continue…"
Everyone turned to him.
Lin's eyes flashed with tribulation lightning.
"I've decided."
He looked at the Sect Master first—
then at every elder—
then at every disciple who had followed him through life and death.
> "I will no longer wait for the demonic sect to strike first."
A ripple of unease swept across the hall.
Some elders stiffened.
Some paled.
Some gasped audibly.
> "From this day on…"
Lightning flickered across his fingers.
> "…I will hunt them."
---
Reactions
Elder Cang nearly fell out of his seat.
"You— you want to provoke a war!?"
Elder Yao hissed, "This child is mad!"
Danfeng folded his arms proudly.
"He is practical."
Grand Elder Yun shook his head.
"The demonic sects will retaliate with full force!"
"They already have," Lin replied calmly.
"And they will again."
The Sect Master slowly nodded.
"He speaks truth."
Lin continued:
> "Every time we gain strength, they attack us. Every time we breathe, they strike.
Waiting means death.
But acting… gives us control."
He pointed to the crater outside.
"They sent armies to kill us.
They assassinated disciples.
They wounded you, Sect Master."
Lin's voice grew colder.
> "I'll make them regret ever touching Cloudsky Sect."
---
The Sect's Decision
The Sect Master raised a hand.
"Enough."
The hall fell silent.
"Lin Xuan… your plan is reckless."
Many elders sighed in relief.
"But…"
The Sect Master's gaze hardened.
"…you are not wrong."
The elders froze.
Even Danfeng blinked in surprise.
The Sect Master continued:
"If we continue to hide, the demonic sects will continue to grow bold."
He looked around the room.
"Cloudsky Sect will form a covert operation squad—
and Lin Xuan will lead it."
Bai grinned savagely.
"Finally."
Mu tugged on Lin's sleeve anxiously.
"I'll… I'll go too."
Wen stepped forward.
"So will I."
Sheng bowed.
"And I."
The Sect Master looked at Lin again.
"You will gather intelligence, sabotage enemy operations, and cripple their forces.
But your primary mission remains the same."
Lin nodded.
"Find the Titan Vine Heart."
---
Preparations Begin
Danfeng approached Lin once the meeting ended.
"You're walking a dangerous path," he said quietly.
Lin shrugged.
"What else is new?"
Danfeng cracked a rare smile.
"You remind me of the Sect Master in his youth. Except you're louder, more reckless, and significantly more terrifying."
Lin smirked.
"I'll take that as a compliment."
Danfeng handed him a jade slip.
"This is all the information the Cloudsky Sect possesses about the Titan Vine.
Study it well."
Lin scanned it briefly.
Location: Primordial Root Labyrinth.
Realm level: Nascent Soul equivalent.
Threat level: Calamity-tier.
Harvest difficulty: Extreme.
Perfect.
---
Lin Xuan standing at the crater's edge.
Dual-star light glowing beneath his skin.
Lightning sparking at his fingertips.
His inner Earth rumbling with new power.
Behind him, Cloudsky Sect began rebuilding.
Around him, his group pledged their loyalty.
In his hand—
the jade slip containing the final ingredient's location.
And on his tongue—
a quiet promise.
> "Demonic sects… your era ends with me."
---