I'll make you the furnace and the cauldron, so you can refine Yin and Yang and prove the Great

The Hall of Elders of the Hehuan Sect.

The atmosphere inside the hall was even more somber than the sky outside.

The First Elder, Nie Hongyuan, sat in the main seat, his eyes slightly closed, motionless, like a stone statue.

Below them, the Second Elder, Third Elder, Fourth Elder, Fifth Elder, Sixth Elder, Seventh Elder, and Ninth Elder were all present.

The Second Elder sat at the front, half his face hidden in shadow. He remained silent throughout, only occasionally coughing in his half-yin, half-yang voice, making it impossible to discern his emotions.

No one spoke.

But everyone's face looked as if they had swallowed a fly.

Grand Elder Nie Hongyuan was withdrawn from the front lines three days ago.

After attacking the Immortal Alliance's fortified position for over half a month without success, and with the sect leader having already succeeded and Silver Bell returning to defend, he simply returned to his sect to oversee the situation. Although he was back, his heart remained preoccupied—with the direction of the secret realm.

The news finally came back today.

My heart, which had been hanging in suspense, plummeted into an icy abyss.

Just half a day ago, confirmed news reached the sect—

The sect leader has broken through to the Dao Integration stage and is already on his way back.

In harmony with the Dao.

These two words struck so hard that everyone present was stunned.

"Is the news...reliable?" After a long silence, the Fourth Elder finally spoke with difficulty.

"Absolutely true." The Ninth Elder's voice was dry and hoarse. "Our spies in the secret realm saw it with their own eyes. She has already passed the Nine Heavenly Tribulations."

Inside the hall, there was another deathly silence.

"How did she succeed?" the Seventh Elder muttered to himself, as if asking someone else, yet also as if asking himself. "From the peak of the Void Refinement stage to the Dao Integration stage, how many geniuses in the Central Continent have been blocked by this step? What made her so special? How did she manage to cross that threshold?!"

No one could answer that.

The Sixth Elder tapped the armrest in frustration: "If only we hadn't stopped Li Hanshan from returning to the sect. If she were still here, we would have been more proactive."

"It's too late to say all this now," the Third Elder said in a muffled voice.

The Fourth Elder stroked his beard, and after a long pause, finally managed to say, "How about... we prepare a congratulatory gift?"

No one cares about him.

The air inside the hall grew even heavier.

"There's something even more troublesome," the Third Elder said grimly. "Everyone knows what it means for the Sect Leader to break through to the Dao Integration Realm."

This means that the fate of the Hehuan Sect has changed.

The reason why the Elders' Council could once rival the Sect Leader was because, although the Sect Leader was strong, he was ultimately only at the peak of the Void Refinement stage, and his strength was limited.

Now she is in harmony with the Dao.

Between the Refinement of Emptiness and the Integration of Dao, there is an insurmountable chasm. From now on, no one in the Joyful Union Sect will be able to sit on equal footing with the Sect Leader—except for the Grand Elder.

Although Nie Hongyuan is also a Dao-Merging cultivator, as the sect leader, he holds the moral high ground. In the future, the Elders' Council will have no chance to maintain its current suppression of the sect leader's lineage. In fact, the sect leader's lineage may even rise to power!

"I'm not reconciled!" The Ninth Elder slammed his fist on the armrest. "Why?! She's just a woman, what right does she have to ride roughshod over all of you—"

"Ninth Brother, be careful what you say."

The Fifth Elder spoke.

She was one of only two female elders in the hall, dressed in a long crimson-purple dress, leaning casually in her chair, her posture completely out of place with the gloomy atmosphere that filled the hall.

"Things have come to this point," she said slowly, "we should all assess the situation."

"See the situation clearly?" The Third Elder suddenly turned his head, glaring at her. "Fifth Elder! What do you mean by that? I've seen it all along—haven't you been planning to pledge allegiance to the Sect Leader all along?"

"What the third brother said is true."

The Fifth Elder smiled, a smile that was calm and serene.

"It's not a matter of whether I want to or not. It's just the way things are."

"Her previous attempt to break through was fine—no matter how strong someone is at the peak of the Void Refinement stage, they're ultimately trapped within that realm, and the elders' decision rests with them. But now, she has broken through to the Dao Integration stage."

She looked around, her gaze sweeping over every unattractive face.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the world has changed."

"This isn't a question of who wants to side with whom. From this day forward, her word is law."

Inside the hall, you could hear a pin drop.

The elders' faces turned pale and then red, but none of them refuted the accusation.

Because what she said was true.

"If you ask me," the Fifth Elder stood up, straightening her skirt, "instead of sighing and complaining here, you should think about how to live a decent and respectable life under the sect leader from now on."

"The Hehuan Sect's days are numbered."

After she finished speaking, she walked straight out of the main hall without waiting for the reactions of the crowd.

The Ninth Elder, meanwhile, was gritting his teeth, squeezing out the words:

"It must be that Li Hanshan!"

"I told you long ago, that little beast's origins are unknown and he harbors malicious intentions! The sect leader has been stuck at the peak of the Void Refinement stage for hundreds of years, unable to even step out. How come he suddenly became one after just one trip to the secret realm with that little beast?!"

"That little beast must have used some evil magic to bewitch the sect leader!"

The more he cursed, the more agitated he became, spitting as he spoke.

After hurling insults for a while, he realized that no one was responding.

Among the elders in the hall, some looked up at the beams, while others looked down at the ground; none of them echoed his sentiments.

It's not that these elders don't want to scold him; they do want to scold him, but they're not in the mood to do so now. What's the point of scolding Li Hanshan at this point?

After cursing for a while, the Ninth Elder realized he had no fun and shut up in frustration.

The Third Elder sighed deeply: "What's the point of cursing now?"

He glanced around, his voice tinged with weariness: "Think about the future. The sect leader has become a Dao Integration Realm expert, and with her power, will her words still carry any weight in the Elders' Hall?"

Silence fell once more inside the hall.

Grand Elder Nie Hongyuan did not utter a single word from beginning to end.

It's not that I don't want to talk about it.

I don't know what to say.

Nie Hongyuan had lived for thousands of years and had seen all sorts of storms. But this time, the feelings in his heart were indescribable even to himself.

Before she attempted to break through to the Dao Integration Realm, the sect leader had a deep conversation with her. At the time, she said she was "willing to do her best for the sect," but deep down she couldn't help but feel a sliver of hope—a sliver of hope that she wouldn't be able to overcome the obstacle.

Even if they can't overcome it, the Elders Council will still be the Elders Council.

But she stepped over it.

Overnight, the world of the Hehuan Sect truly changed. He, the Grand Elder, went from being the "pillar of stability of the sect" to the "pillar of stability of the Elders' Council."

A single word makes all the difference.

Only then did he slowly open his eyes and softly utter two words:

"Let's call it a day."

-

The news of the sect leader breaking through to the Dao Integration stage could not be kept secret.

In less than a day, the news spread to every corner of the Hehuan Sect.

Discussions were taking place everywhere—at the outer gate, the inner gate, on each peak, and in each hall.

"Have you heard? The sect leader has broken through to the Dao Integration stage!"

"I've not only heard about it! My grandmaster personally witnessed the heavenly tribulation outside the secret realm—nine levels! A full nine levels!"

"Our sect now boasts two Dao Integration Realm experts! In the Central Continent's Demonic Path, who is the number one sect?"

"Hahaha, let's see how arrogant the Yinquan Sect can be now!"

Some quick-thinking disciples had already started doing calculations on their fingers: "The sect leader is a Dao Integration cultivator, and the Grand Elder is also a Dao Integration cultivator—our Joyful Union Sect is now a major sect with two Dao Integration cultivators in charge!"

"In the tens of thousands of years of demonic cultivation in Central Continent, how many sects have ever produced dual-path sects?!"

"Let me tell you, my uncle runs a merchant caravan in Zhongzhou. He says there's a rumor going around that our Hehuan Sect is going to dominate the demonic path!"

"Now we don't have to be afraid of the Immortal Alliance!"

On the outer training ground, the disciples stopped doing their homework and gathered in twos and threes, getting more and more excited as they talked.

The deacons reprimanded him several times, but eventually gave up—on such an important day, who would have the mind to cultivate?

The entire Hehuan Sect was in an uproar.

The disciples were filled with pride and spread the news far and wide—they had achieved Dao Integration! The Joyful Union Sect had produced two of the most powerful figures in the Central Continent. From this day forward, Joyful Union Sect disciples could walk with their backs straighter than anyone else!

More importantly, with the threat from the Immortal Alliance looming, the pressure from the Immortal Alliance has eased considerably now that the sect leader has broken through to the Dao Integration stage.

-

Sword Peak, Ye Shuanghua's cave dwelling.

Ye Shuanghua stood on the edge of the cliff, her Jinghong Sword pointing diagonally at the ground, remaining motionless for a long time.

She gazed in the direction of the Myriad Spirits Secret Realm, the wind blowing her clothes, making them flutter.

"It's a success."

She said softly.

The corners of his mouth gradually turned up.

That guy, he said he would help the sect leader break through to the Dao Integration Realm—and he really did it.

From an old furnace in the black market cage, whose life was as worthless as grass, to the man who helped the sect leader break through the gate of Dao Integration today.

She witnessed every step of this journey.

"That's nice," she whispered.

The wind stopped.

Ye Shuanghua sheathed her sword, turned around and went back to her cave to change her clothes.

She had to be present on such an important day as the sect leader's return.

Moreover, she wanted to see that guy soon; she missed him.

-

A joyful scream came from Hua Nongying's residence.

"Achieving Dao?! The sect leader has truly achieved Dao?!" This "culprit" who bought Li Hanshan back to the sect as a cultivation vessel was both surprised and delighted, pacing around the room three times. "That guy... that guy really did it!"

Shen Ruoxi's eyes immediately welled up with tears. She recalled all the little things that had happened over the years, and the old man who had walked out of the black market's iron cage, step by step, to get to where he was today.

Xu Lingxi jumped three feet high: "I knew it! Master Li...Brother Hanshan is the most powerful!"

Leng Yue, Chu Mengyao, Shen Yun, Qin Muyue... one by one, the women who received the news laughed, scolded, or were excited. The entire Hehuan Sect came alive because of this news.

The third day, in the evening.

A flying boat appeared on the horizon outside the Hehuan Sect's mountain gate.

The sect immediately received the news—

"The sect leader is back!"

boom--

The entire Hehuan Sect was in an uproar!

As the bell tolled nine times, disciples from all the peaks and halls poured out, and crowds surged towards the mountain gate square from all directions.

Dressed in white, Ye Shuanghua led a large group of disciples to the mountain gate square and lined up on both sides of the square.

The peak masters of each peak arrived, the inner sect instructors arrived, and even the senior stewards who usually kept to themselves came to the square with canes.

More and more people gathered in the square, forming a dense, dark mass, yet maintaining perfect order.

Everyone craned their necks, watching the spaceship on the horizon grow ever closer.