One Week Later.
The fires were out. The rebuilding had begun.
The Azure Cloud Sect was no longer a place of white stone and blue tiles. It was being rebuilt with black obsidian and red banners.
Mo Tian sat in the Sect Master's study. It had been stripped of the old scrolls and replaced with maps of the Nine Provinces.
"Report," Mo Tian commanded.
Ghost One stood before him.
"The purge is complete. All loyalists to the old regime have been... processed. The surviving disciples have been given a choice: take the Soul Pill and join us, or leave."
"How many left?"
"None, Master. The wilderness is too dangerous without a sect. They all took the pill."
"Good. And the neighbors?"
"The Iron Fist Sect and Violet Sword Sect are in chaos. Their leaders died here. Their elders are fighting for control. They are weak."
"Excellent."
Mo Tian looked at the map. He pointed to the Divine Sword Sect.
"They are the only threat left in this region. They have three Nascent Soul Elders. And they are angry about Young Master Jian."
"They have declared war," Ghost One confirmed. "They are gathering an alliance of the Righteous Path."
Mo Tian smiled.
"Let them come. I have the Spirit Vein. I have the resources of three sects. And I have a new toy."
He looked at the corner of the room.
Standing there, staring blankly at the wall, was the Puppet.
It was the body of the old Sect Master. Mo Tian hadn't let it go to waste. He had refined it using the [Soul Puppet Thread]. It retained its physical toughness and some of its muscle memory.
"A Nascent Soul puppet," Mo Tian mused. "It will be a nice surprise for our guests."
The door opened. Yan Luo entered.
She wore black robes now. The white was gone forever. She carried a tray of tea.
"Master," she said softly. "The disciples are gathering in the plaza. They await your address."
Mo Tian stood up. He walked over to her.
"You look better in black," he said, touching her cheek.
Yan Luo leaned into his touch. The Seven-Petal Soul Lotus (which was actually a corruption device) had done its work. Her guilt was fading, replaced by a numb devotion to the man who controlled her fate.
"I serve the Sect Master," she whispered.
Mo Tian walked out to the balcony overlooking the plaza.
Ten thousand disciples—a mix of former Azure Cloud, Blood Devils, and mercenaries—looked up.
Mo Tian spread his arms.
"The Azure Cloud is dead!" Mo Tian's voice boomed. "It was weak. It was hypocritical. It lied to you!"
"Today, we rise as the Eternal Night Sect!"
"We do not pray to the Heavens! We devour them!"
"ETERNAL NIGHT! ETERNAL NIGHT!"
The chant shook the mountains.
Mo Tian looked at the sky. The red eye of the Heavenly Dao opened again, glaring at the blasphemy.
Mo Tian pointed his sword at the eye.
"You're next."
[System Mission Generated: ARC 4 - The Righteous Alliance] [Objective: Defeat the Divine Sword Sect and their Allies.] [Boss Target: The Sword Saint (Nascent Soul - Peak).] [Reward: Territory Expansion.]
Mo Tian turned back to his harem and his generals.
"Prepare for war."