Ten days later, Yan Luo finally returned, and with her came Qian Yue. Yan Luo was utterly thrilled that I had managed to complete a task that seemed almost impossible.

"Famous! You're famous now," Qian Yue declared upon seeing me, leaving me utterly bewildered. "You little scamp, so you’re the 'Blue Lightning' everyone in the world of the Rangers is hunting down. Huh." Qian Yue grabbed me, scrutinizing me from head to toe. "I really can’t tell; such a small frame, tiny nose, small mouth—how do you have such nerve?"

Was this girl having a fit or had she hit her head? I couldn't help but feel a mix of amusement and awkwardness. It seemed Qian Yue had figured out Yan Luo's and my identities, but did she really need to make such a fuss about it? "Famous for what?" I asked, feeling a pang of guilt. Thinking about it, if my snatching the position of Patriarch of Zhumu was exposed, fame was inevitable—though certainly not the kind I desired.

"Heh heh, you didn't know? Everyone knows now that it was you who ruined the joint operation between Shabak and the Four Great Clans," Qian Yue revealed. "The entire world of the Rangers is talking about you."

"What? How did it become such a huge public affair?" I was greatly astonished. I had been cooped up in the Moon Sect headquarters focusing on sword practice and had no idea what was happening outside. Instinctively, I looked toward Yan Luo.

"This time you aren't just famous, you're vastly famous," Yan Luo admitted, sounding somewhat apologetic. "I think there isn't anyone in the entire Biqi Empire, perhaps even the entire Marfa Continent, who doesn't know the formidable reputation of your 'Blue Lightning.' You managed to withstand the magical attack of the Zhumu Patriarch, snatch the Zhumu Emblem right from under the noses of the Five Top Masters, and totally derail the joint effort of the Four Great Clans and Shabak, yet you took all the spoils. The financial resources, materials, manpower, and immense sacrifices made by the Four Great Clans and Shabak are something you can barely imagine, and now it's all been for your glory. They've lost too much face," Yan Luo looked rather uneasy. "With an achievement like that, how could you not become famous?"

"I know all that," I retorted irritably. "But what I don't understand is, weren't only members of the Four Great Clans and Shabak present? Aren't they afraid of losing face that they let the news spread everywhere?"

"Of course they fear losing face," Yan Luo explained. "But we don't know how the news leaked, and it seems someone was secretly fanning the flames. By the third day, the entire Ranger world was buzzing about it. We only heard about it when we were in Su City; otherwise, we wouldn't have known the truth had come out."

"But we were disguised when we snuck in—how could anyone possibly have recognized us?" The more I thought, the stranger it seemed; it was completely impossible.

"Well, that's just bad luck on our part," Yan Luo said with a wry smile. "You should still remember Hu Xiao Chang Yuan and Ying Zhen Fei Yan, right?"

"I remember."

"It was that old coot who recognized us," Yan Luo confirmed.

"............" I froze. "That... that doesn't make any sense. What gave him the certainty to target us?"

"It turns out your title, 'Blue Lightning,' and the alias I gave you, 'Lan Xing' (Blue Star), caused the trouble," Yan Luo confessed sheepishly. "The name Blue Lightning has the character 'Star' in it, which isn't a secret in the Ranger world anymore. And your name is Lan Xing. That old man managed to make a lucky guess, connecting Blue Lightning and the character Star. Can you imagine the result?"

"Blue Lightning—Star—Lan Xing." I was stunned for a moment. "I say, big sister, you truly gave me a name that spells disaster! Doesn't that practically scream that I am the Blue Lightning?"

"That’s why I said I was sorry," Yan Luo said with guilt. "Who could have predicted that the name would turn out to be such a coincidence, and that the old man would figure it out?"

"Heh heh, isn't being famous a good thing?" Qian Yue chirped. "I've been practically going crazy wanting to be famous!"

"Yes, being famous is certainly great," I snapped back in frustration. "Try having a swarm of super assassins trailing you day and night, and then you can tell me about the benefits of fame."

"Well, hehe, that's true too," Qian Yue chuckled weakly. "But the feeling of being famous is exhilarating! You don't know, they’ve already ranked you number one in the entire Ranger world, surpassing Long Yuan Fei Xue! The original Four Young Masters have now become the Five Young Masters, and you are the strongest among them!" Qian Yue seemed determined to scare me to death. "Now everyone wants a chance to meet the audacious, super-expert that you are!"

"What? Ranked among the Five Young Masters, and the strongest one?" My head spun violently. "It’s over! This is a massive problem. Doesn't that mean the other four will fight me to the death just to challenge me?"

"Not 'will fight,'" Yan Luo corrected grimly. "They are already on their way. If I guess correctly, in four days they'll reach Bairi Tianmen. You have no idea, the Four Great Clans and Shabak have issued strict orders to capture you at any cost."

"That's right, currently in the Ranger Guilds and the Dragon Ranking Wanted List, your bounty is the highest," Qian Yue added. "For capturing you alive, you get a city jointly partitioned by the Four Great Clans and Shabak—Yunxi City, southwest of Tucheng. You must know that’s one of the rare prosperous cities around Tucheng, always jointly managed by the Four Great Clans and Shabak. Now they're offering it as a reward for capturing you! This shows your worth is absolutely among the most precious in a thousand years!"

"And what if I’m dead?" I asked, feeling uneasy.

"Dead?" Qian Yue's expression became much stranger. "You won't get a single gold coin. The people from the Four Great Clans and Shabak explicitly said you must die by their hands. If anyone kills you first, not only will they get nothing, but they will also face severe punishment from Shabak and the Four Great Clans."

"Ah!" I was stunned again. What was this? Did they fully intend to capture me alive just to torture me mercilessly? The thought sent a wave of weakness and chilling dread through me. I felt that for anyone targeted by these massive powers, their days were numbered. It seemed my only viable option was to remain confined within the Moon Sect or return to Dragon Shadow Villa, but doing so meant giving up any hope of traveling for further cultivation in my lifetime.

"It's over, it's over," I collapsed weakly onto a chair. "I've stirred up a hornet's nest now. Those old fellows and the younger ones under them definitely won't let me off."

"Heh heh, well, our Moon Sect has never feared them. Don't worry," Yan Luo said awkwardly, knowing that I was in this predicament entirely because of her.

"Besides, you're also a disciple of the Dragon Shadow Gate," Yan Luo continued. "I imagine Dragon Shadow Gate won't just stand by and watch such an excellent and capable disciple as you."

"I hope so," I admitted, feeling uncertain. After all, Dragon Shadow Gate was outwardly listed as one of the Seven Great Sects alongside the Four Great Clans. Whether they would risk a full break with the Four Great Clans for my sake was something no one could guarantee. Perhaps the moment I returned to the Villa, they'd just tie me up and hand me over—getting an entire city like Yunxi in return would certainly be a profitable trade.

"Enough," Yan Luo said, sensing my thoughts. "Stop worrying unnecessarily. Rest assured, Dragon Shadow Villa will never let you suffer a loss. They might even have already sent people out to protect you. After all, you truly dampened the spirits of the Four Great Clans and Shabak this time. Since you did something so satisfying, they would treasure you, not sell you out."

"Is that so?" I was slightly confused. "Aren't the relations between Four Great Clans and Dragon Shadow Villa good?"

"Good? Of course they appear good," Yan Luo replied. "But that's only on the surface; they’re constantly vying against each other in secret. The intricacies of their grievances are too complicated to explain now. Just know this: Dragon Shadow Villa and our Moon Sect will absolutely back you up. If they want to touch you, they have to get past us first."

"Phew! There's hope then," I secretly let out a breath of relief. The situation wasn't entirely catastrophic.

"However, you must still be cautious. In Biqi or Bairi Tianmen, those areas fall under the influence of Dragon Shadow Villa and the Moon Sect, so the Four Great Clans and Shabak can't do much to you there. But elsewhere, it's hard to say. If you accidentally fall into their hands, we won't be able to help you."

"I understand that." It really was inconvenient now. I wouldn't be able to cultivate in the Zhumu Temple anymore. It seemed it was time to head to the Bone Membrane Cave in the Cangyue Archipelago. I had planned to stay at the Zhumu Temple longer, but now I had to abandon that. "Never mind the Zhumu Temple. I should continue my training in Cangyue first and lie low for a while. I refuse to believe they can extend their reach across the ocean tens of thousands of miles away to the Cangyue Empire."

"Heh heh, that's a great idea," Qian Yue exclaimed excitedly. "I've wanted to see the Cangyue Continent for ages!"

"Honestly, you just run off like this—aren't your family worried?" I asked irritably. To be honest, bringing Qian Yue along was proving to be a burden.

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" Qian Yue challenged. "Are you saying I'm trouble?"

"You’re surprisingly self-aware," I shot back curtly.

"Do you think I wanted this?" Qian Yue retorted. "I'm implicated by you two now. Those old guys didn't just issue a warrant for you; they threw me in too."

"What? You're also on the wanted list?" I was truly startled.

"Heh heh, I never would have thought, I never would have thought," Qian Yue looked anything but like a wanted fugitive; in fact, she was beaming with excitement. "Qian Yue has her day! Though the bounty is too low—only five hundred million gold coins. Not even a fraction of yours."

Sigh. This girl was actually dissatisfied with her bounty price? Her nerve was thick enough to shame my own cowardice.

"Going to Cangyue is a good idea. I'll make preparations and we leave tomorrow."

"Yan Luo, Star Hero, the Sect Master wishes to see you both," Yan Xi pushed the door open and walked in.

"The Sect Master wants to see me? For what reason?" Yan Luo asked, puzzled.

"Heh heh, don't ask yet. It's definitely good news," Yan Xi looked mysterious, leaving both me and Yan Luo somewhat puzzled. Still, considering the immense contribution Yan Luo made this time, perhaps there would be a reward.

In the vast main hall, figures bustled. This time, besides the Sect Master, the Four Palace Mistresses, and the Four Elders, there were many younger disciples present. Seeing me and Yan Luo enter together, everyone looked on with expressions of excitement and adoration. It seemed my exploits had reached the Moon Sect headquarters as well; that was easy to discern from the fanatic gaze of those young disciples.

However, I easily spotted a few familiar faces in the crowd: the remnants of the Feiyun Hall who escaped the Coffin of Death with me, and that eccentric Taoist I met once below Kunlong Mountain. Beside the Taoist stood a powerfully built warrior. The ones who recognized me nodded warmly. As for the young Taoist, I couldn't discern his thoughts, but the burly warrior beside him glared at me with undisguised hostility—the look of a man whose wife had just been stolen.

"Alright, the main characters are here," Shen Yue chuckled.

"Disciple Yan Luo pays respects to the Sect Master." Yan Luo, myself, and Qian Yue stood respectfully behind Yan Luo.

"There's no need to be so formal," the Sect Master said. "We summoned you today to announce something important."

Yan Luo looked toward her master, Shen Yue, with confusion, only to see her master smiling, looking at her—it probably wasn't bad news then.

"........" Although Yan Luo was eager to know, she stood quietly, awaiting the Sect Master's announcement.

"This time, you and Xing Chen successfully seized the Zhumu Emblem, rendering a great service to the Moon Sect," the Moon Sect Master stated. "The Moon Sect has always upheld the principle of rewarding merit and punishing faults over centuries. Last time, your defeat at the Coffin of Death led to your removal as Head of Feiyun Hall and your assignment to an external mission." The Sect Master sighed. "Do you hold any resentment?"

"The disciple holds none," Yan Luo quickly replied. "It was my negligence that led to the casualties among my fellow disciples in Feiyun Hall. Even death would hardly atone for my fault."

"Good." The Moon Sect Master seemed very pleased with Yan Luo's response. "That is the past. I am glad you possess such understanding." The Sect Master continued, "What is even rarer is that you achieved great merit for the sect while on an external mission. Therefore, I have decided to reward you handsomely."

At this point, the Sect Master turned to me. "Last time I asked you what reward you desired, you told me you ventured into the Patriarch's residence not just for yourself, but to fulfill Yan Luo’s wish—is that correct?"

"Y-yes, I suppose," I wasn't sure what the Moon Sect meant by this.

".........." Yan Luo looked at me with an expression full of gratitude.

"I can't take it! I can't stand it! Can you two stop exchanging meaningful glances?" Qian Yue exclaimed, looking like she was about to faint.

Swish! Yan Luo and I instantly flushed scarlet, drawing stifled laughter from the surrounding disciples. They all looked at us with suggestive expressions, leaving Yan Luo and me utterly speechless.

"Quiet, all of you!" The Sect Master seemed to have had his fill of watching our embarrassment and barked a symbolic command, instantly silencing the hall.

"So, what is your wish?" The Sect Master turned to Yan Luo.

"Naturally, to revitalize the Moon Sect," Yan Luo blurted out without hesitation, clearly still deeply influenced by the indoctrination she received in her youth.

"Good, very good." The Moon Sect Master nodded. "With those words, my mind is at ease." The Sect Master's expression immediately grew solemn. "Yan Luo, disciple of the 108th generation of the Moon Sect, heed my command."

"Ah! Yes!" Yan Luo immediately knelt down. "Disciple Yan Luo heeds the command."

"I now officially promote you to the position of Palace Mistress of the Shenyue Palace, taking full charge of Shenyue Palace," the Moon Sect Master declared.

"............" Yan Luo seemed stunned, freezing on the spot. Not just Shenyue, but all the younger disciples around her looked aghast; it seemed no one expected the Moon Sect Master to make such an arrangement.

"But, Master, what about Master?" Yan Luo finally regained her composure.

"Yan Luo, this is my intention," Shen Yue, who was seated nearby, stood up. "In truth, five years ago I considered stepping down from the Shenyue Palace Mistress position to enter the Elder Council and focus on cultivation, but I couldn't find a suitable successor in time. Now, taking advantage of the great merit you've earned for the sect, and trusting in your ability to manage Shenyue Palace comprehensively, to contribute to the glory of our Moon Sect."

"But, but, Disciple..." As she spoke, Yan Luo glanced at me, clearly recalling the promise made between us in the Zhumu Hall.

"Agree quickly!" My mind raced. "If you become the Palace Mistress of Shenyue Palace, won't you have more power to help me?" My words were simple, but I believed that with the tacit understanding between Yan Luo and me, she would grasp my meaning.

Back in the Zhumu Hall, Yan Luo and I had resolved to form a Dragon-level Guild, but we both knew that building such a guild wasn't achieved overnight; it would take generations of effort. Even with our initial confidence, confidence and reality were two different things. Now, the Moon Sect elevating Yan Luo to Palace Mistress of Shenyue Palace was equivalent to providing us with a high-starting platform for development. Although Shenyue Palace wasn't yet at the scale of a Dragon-level Guild, it was only three tiers below. If Yan Luo worked hard and managed it well, building Shenyue Palace into a Dragon-level Guild was certainly not impossible. More importantly, Yan Luo taking charge of Shenyue Palace would not only help me achieve my goal but also allow her to contribute to revitalizing the Moon Sect—a win-win situation. I could find no reason to refuse.

"Disciple accepts the command." Yan Luo proved herself once again; she quickly understood the underlying logic.

"Excellent, as expected of my good disciple," Shen Yue said with a mischievous grin. "From this day forward, you are the 108th generation Shenyue of Shenyue Palace, titled Shenyue Yan Luo." She turned sternly to the surrounding young disciples—it turned out they all belonged to Shenyue Palace. "Why do you wait? Hurry and pay respects to the new Shenyue!"

"Disciple pays respects to the Palace Mistress." A large group immediately knelt in unison.

"Hahahaha!" the Moon Sect Master laughed. "This Sect Master has one more major announcement: in one month, the three leaders of Dragon Shadow Villa, Liuyun Villa, and Chiyue Villa will gather here at the Moon Sect headquarters to discuss matters of alliance." This was a rare event, one unseen for a century! From this moment on, all disciples must fully prepare for this alliance matter. Specific arrangements are to be managed by Mingyue Palace."

An alliance between the Three Villas and the Moon Sect—what a monumental event. It seemed the Zhumu Emblem falling into the hands of the Moon Sect was likely the primary catalyst for this alliance. Considering the unrivaled power of the joint forces of the Four Great Clans and Shabak, if Dragon Shadow Villa, Liuyun Villa, and Chiyue Villa didn't take action, their absorption was only a matter of time.

This was the inevitable trend: powerful consolidation.

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