The ceremonial announcement descended over Qingyun Mountain while the atmosphere was still taut from the clash between Mu Cai and Guang Jiang. For a brief moment, the gathering did not settle at all, as though too many people had yet to recover from the invisible collision of qi that had swept through the honored pavilion. Incense smoke still drifted sideways instead of rising straight. Several porcelain cups on the front tables trembled faintly, while guests who had risen during the confrontation had not yet returned properly to their seats. The Pure Heaven disciples serving the pavilion stood with rigid backs, forced to pretend that their sect had not just been humiliated before half of Jianghu. Mu Cai lowered her bamboo flute without haste. The two golden snakes disappeared beneath her sleeves, not because she had forgiven Zhao Hua, but because someone with greater authority had finally stepped onto the stage. Guang J

Deputy Leader Zheng Yunru stepped forward by half a pace. She did not raise her voice, yet the small movement immediately drew attention away from the surrounding whispers and back toward the center of the platform. “Huo Xin Jian,” she said clearly, “has returned to the hands where it rightfully belongs.” The atmosphere tightened. Several younger cultivators stopped breathing for a moment, while older observers exchanged guarded looks instead of immediate excitement. The statement was too deliberate to be treated as a simple introduction. Zheng Yunru continued without changing her expression. “Today, the Pure Heaven Sect will present the rightful heir to this sword.” A ripple moved across the gathering. This time, the reaction was not merely greed. The words rightful heir carried consequences beyond pos

The man in the dark robe allowed his question to settle before continuing. He did not raise his voice, nor did he try to provoke the Pure Heaven disciples through crude insults. “If the sword is genuine,” he said, “then the sword can speak for itself. If it is false, then the word heir is merely clothing put on too early.” A new wave of whispers moved across the gathering. “That is a fair question,” said a cultivator from a middle-ranking sect. A flatterer seated ahead of him immediately frowned. “Fair or not, this is the wrong place to ask it.” An elderly observer turned toward him. “The sharpest questions usually appear where they hurt the most. Otherwise, why would anyone fear them?” One Pure Heaven disciple finally took half a step forward. His hand remained near his weapon, though Tian Zhang&rsq