75: Chapter 75 A resounding victory, a renowned reputation

The darkness before dawn is always the deepest.

As the first ray of morning light pierced the eastern skyline, the scent of blood within Black Wind Canyon remained so thick it wouldn't dissipate. Moonlight and dawn intertwined above the gorge, reflecting a battlefield that had just endured a bloody struggle, making it appear even more shocking to the eye.

Corpses, there were corpses everywhere.

Twenty-seven from the Overlord Pavilion, eighteen from the Blood Fiend Alliance, twelve from the Zongheng Alliance, forty-eight from Nightfall, plus eight from the Heavenly Court who died in battle—a total of one hundred and thirteen corpses lay strewn across various parts of the canyon. Blood soaked the black rocks, taking on a dark red luster under the morning light, as if the entire canyon had been coated in a layer of bloody scabs.

But those who survived had no time for sentimentality.

Members of the Heavenly Court's four halls were tensely and methodically cleaning up the battlefield. The severely wounded were carried to one side for emergency rescue by a medical team led by Zhao Linger; those with light injuries bandaged each other and swallowed Medicinal Pills; those in decent condition began collecting spoils of war, stripping all equipment, storage bags, and various valuable items from the enemies and stacking them by category.

Lin Ye stood on a protruding rock in the middle of the canyon, overlooking it all.

His wounds had been simply treated. Su Qingyue had used Vast Cold Spiritual Power to freeze several of his deeper sword wounds, while Zhao Linger had cast wood-element healing Spells to accelerate the healing. However, mental exhaustion could not be recovered with Medicinal Pills. Two consecutive fierce battles, especially the final confrontation with Nightfall, had nearly exhausted his mental energy.

But it was worth it.

"Brother Lin." Qin Ruoxue walked over from the side, holding a scroll with a preliminary statistical list. "A third of the spoils have been tallied. This is the current summary."

Lin Ye took the list, his gaze sweeping over the numbers on it.

[Preliminary Tally of Spoils (47 corpses cleared)]

I. Spirit Stones:

Total Low-Grade Spirit Stones: Approximately 86,000 (summarized from storage bags)

Mid-Grade Spirit Stones: 320

High-Grade Spirit Stones: None (clearly these people were not qualified to possess them)

II. Equipment:

Epic Grade (Purple): 1 item

[Dark Moon Cloak] (Dropped by the Nightfall Leader)

Quality: Purple

Defense: +220

Special Effect 1: Shadow Concealment (Concealment effect in shadows increased by 30%)

Special Effect 2: Moon Shadow Clone (Activate to create three phantom Clones, lasting 10 seconds, 5-minute cooldown)

Special Effect 3: Break-Law Resistance (Resistance to control types and negative statuses increased by 15%)

Set Piece: Dark Moon Set (1/6)

Description: Standard equipment of the Nightfall organization; only members of captain Rank or higher can be equipped with it.

Rare Grade (Blue): 23 items

Includes various weapons, armor, and accessories, primarily standard equipment from the Nightfall organization, with a small amount of exclusive equipment from the Overlord Pavilion and Blood Fiend Alliance. Higher value items include:

[Blood Fiend Banner] (Blood Fiend Alliance Standard Magical Artifact) x 4

[Overlord Heavy Armor] (Overlord Pavilion Elite Battle Armor) x 3 sets

[Shadow Killer Dagger] (Nightfall Assassin Exclusive) x 6

Fine Grade (Green): 89 items

Common Grade (White): Over 200 items (mostly damaged, low value)

III. Materials:

Various Yao Beast Materials, Ores, herbs, Talisman raw Materials, etc., preliminary valuation of about 20,000 Spirit Stones.

Among the more precious are:

[Blood Fiend Crystal] (Condensed within the bodies of Blood Fiend Alliance Cultivators) x 12

[Overlord Tiger Bone] (Materials from Yao Beasts domesticated by the Overlord Pavilion) x 7

[Shadow Spider Silk] (Common material for Nightfall assassins) x 3 bundles

IV. Medicinal Pills and Talismans:

Over 500 bottles of various healing, Qi recovery, detoxification, and buffing pills; approximately 300 Talismans.

Among the more special are:

[Break-Law Blood Talisman] x 32 (Used by Nightfall members, energy exhausted, but the Talisman material itself is special and can be recycled for research)

[Blood Fiend Burst Pill] x 15 (Secretly made by the Blood Fiend Alliance; all attributes increase by 50% for a short time after consumption, but it burns blood and Qi, with massive side effects)

[Overlord Roar Talisman] x 8 (Unique to the Overlord Pavilion; emits a deterrent roar upon use, causing an area-of-effect fear status)

V. Cultivation Techniques and Secret Manuals:

A total of 47 Jade Slips containing various basic Cultivation Techniques, Martial Skills, and Daoist Magic.

Among the more valuable are:

Blood Fiend Art · Incomplete Manual (Records the first three layers of the Blood Fiend Alliance's basic technique)

Overlord Vigor (A Body Cultivator technique from the Overlord Pavilion, cultivatable up to Dao Palace Third Layer)

Nightfall Stealth Art (The Nightfall organization's concealment technique, but only the introductory chapter)

Nine Styles of Shadow Killing (Assassination sword technique, incomplete)

VI. Special Items:

A total of nine items that cannot be immediately identified or have unknown uses.

Including:

Mysterious Black Token x 3 (Found on Nightfall members, engraved with a Dark Moon crest)

Blood-Colored Compass x 1 (Found in the storage bag of the Blood Fiend Alliance leader; the needle always points in a certain direction)

bronze ghost mask Fragment x 2 (Found on two Nightfall assassins, possessing a similar aura to the bronze ghost mask Lin Ye obtained in the Bronze Ancient Palace)

"This is only a third?" Lin Ye looked up at Qin Ruoxue.

Qin Ruoxue nodded. "There are still sixty-six corpses to clear. Additionally, our own fallen must be properly buried; their belongings need to be organized and sent back to their families or properly preserved."

Lin Ye was silent for a moment before handing back the list. "Continue the tally. All spoils will be handled according to Heavenly Court rules: Spirit Stones go to the public treasury, equipment is prioritized for those who contributed, Materials and pills go into storage, and techniques and special items are sent to me."

"Understood." Qin Ruoxue paused. "There's one more thing... before the people from the War God Hall and the Green Robe Tower left, they each left a communication Talisman. The War God Hall captain said if the Heavenly Court is interested, we can go to the War God Hall headquarters to 'discuss cooperation.' Qingluan from the Green Robe Tower said they have a property in the God City and welcome the sisters of the Heavenly Court to visit anytime."

"Keep them for now, don't reply yet," Lin Ye said. "What we need now is to digest our battle gains, not rush to expand."

"Yes."

After Qin Ruoxue left, Su Qingyue walked over.

The worry on her face had not yet dissipated. "Your wounds..."

"It's fine." Lin Ye shook his head and looked toward the canyon exit. "How is the situation outside? How has the God City reacted?"

"News has already come from Zhao Wuji's side," Su Qingyue said. "As soon as dawn broke, news of the great battle in Black Wind Canyon last night spread throughout the God City. Now all sorts of rumors are flying everywhere. Some say the Heavenly Court wiped out three major forces single-handedly, some say the Nightfall organization appeared and was crushed by the Heavenly Court, and others say the War God Hall and Green Robe Tower also participated... the rumors are getting more ridiculous as they spread."

She paused, her expression somewhat complex. "But one thing is certain—the Heavenly Court's reputation has skyrocketed."

"To what extent?"

Su Qingyue took out a Heavenly Court identity token. On the front was engraved the big dipper, and on the back were the two characters for 'Lin Ye.' At this moment, the token was emitting a faint golden halo—a sign that reputation points had reached a certain level.

"When I checked this morning, the Heavenly Court's total reputation was only a bit over eight thousand. But just now, it broke... fifty thousand." Su Qingyue's voice carried disbelief. "And it's still rising."

Fifty thousand reputation!

In covering the heavens era, reputation is a direct reflection of a force's influence. Ordinary small forces usually have reputation between several hundred to one thousand; medium forces like the Zongheng Alliance and Overlord Pavilion have between five thousand to ten thousand; large forces like the War God Hall and Green Robe Tower have fifty thousand to one hundred thousand; while NPC families like the Ji Family and Jiang Family have reputation exceeding five hundred thousand.

For the Heavenly Court to jump from eight thousand to fifty thousand in a single day, what did that mean?

It meant the Heavenly Court had leaped from a 'promising emerging force' to a 'powerful force that cannot be ignored in the God City.'

"What about the people applying to join the Heavenly Court?" Lin Ye asked the key question.

"It's exploded," Su Qingyue said with a bitter smile. "Since the auction ended yesterday, people have been inquiring through various channels about how to join the Heavenly Court. This morning, at the 'recruitment office' we set up at our God City stronghold, the queue stretched around three streets. Preliminary estimates suggest at least five hundred people, and the number is still increasing."

"Five hundred people..." Lin Ye frowned. "What kind of people are they?"

"All sorts. Loose Cultivators make up seventy percent, mainly attracted by the Heavenly Court's combat power and benefits; members of small forces make up twenty percent, their own forces having been wiped out or damaged in last night's battle, looking for a new backer; and ten percent... are spies from other forces or opportunists trying to sneak in for benefits."

Su Qingyue looked at Lin Ye. "How should we handle this? Accepting everyone is definitely not an option, but not accepting anyone will discourage people."

Lin Ye pondered for a moment before making a decision.

"Set three thresholds."

"First, a basic screening. All applicants must meet three conditions: Rank no lower than level 25 (Wheel Sea Fifth Layer or above), no record of major evil acts (such as indiscriminate killing of innocents or betraying companions), and at least one professional skill (combat, Alchemy, Artifact Refining, Formation, intelligence, etc.)."

"Second, a practical combat assessment. Those who pass the basic screening will enter the practical phase. The four Hall Masters will conduct the assessments: Azure Dragon Hall for melee, White Tiger Hall for stealth and assassination, Vermilion Bird Hall for ranged and Spells, and Black Tortoise Hall for defense and Formations. Based on the assessment results, we'll decide which hall they join or if they're eliminated."

"Third, a loyalty test. Those who pass the practical assessment will also need to complete an 'entry mission'—it could be collecting a certain material, hunting a specific Yao Beast, or completing an intelligence gathering task. During the mission, Qin Ruoxue's Heavenly Secret Pavilion will secretly observe their performance to evaluate their loyalty and teamwork."

Su Qingyue quickly took notes. "Three thresholds... isn't that too strict? How many people will we actually be able to recruit?"

"Better to have fewer but better quality," Lin Ye said decisively. "The Heavenly Court doesn't lack numbers right now; what we lack is a core that can truly fight and be trusted. Besides, do you think fifty thousand reputation only brings good things?"

He looked out of the canyon, his gaze deep. "A tall tree attracts the wind. We won last night, but we also exposed too many trump cards. The Chaos Domain, Chaos Return to Ruin, the combat power of the four halls... these will all be carefully studied by various forces. From now on, every step the Heavenly Court takes must be steady and precise."

Su Qingyue nodded. "I understand. Then among these applicants, are there any particularly noteworthy ones?"

"Yes." Su Qingyue took a list from her robe. "This is a 'priority list' compiled overnight by Zhao Wuji and Qin Ruoxue, totaling twelve people. Their common characteristics are: impressive strength, clean backgrounds, and outstanding talent in a specific field."

Lin Ye took the list and scanned it quickly.

The first person on the list made his eyes narrow slightly.

[Lu Ming]

Rank: Level 38 (Dao Palace First Layer)

Age: 27

Background: Former Outer Sect Disciple of the Yaoguang Holy Land; left the sect in anger after being ostracized for offending an Inner Sect Deacon. Skilled in sword techniques, primarily practices the Yaoguang Sword Manual, and is very familiar with the techniques and rules of the Yaoguang Holy Land.

Reason for Application: 'The Heavenly Court dares to confront Holy Land Disciples head-on; they have backbone. I want to join a place that truly speaks with strength.'

Notes: Qin Ruoxue's investigation confirmed the 'offending an Inner Sect Deacon' matter is true; that deacon was later proven to be corrupt and has been punished by the Holy Land. Lu Ming is an upright person but has a fiery personality and is not good at socializing.

"A former Disciple of the Yaoguang Holy Land..." Lin Ye mused. "He can be a priority. If he passes the assessment, he can be assigned to the Azure Dragon Hall, or... we could establish a specific 'Holy Land Affairs Group' with him in charge of liaising with the Holy Lands."

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

Continue down the list.

[Mo Yan, Mo Yu]

Level: 35, 34 (both are at the Peak of Lunhai)

Age: 19, 18

Background: Siblings, Loose Cultivator, parents died early, depended on each other for survival. Mo Yan is a Fire-element mage, Mo Yu is a Wood-element healer. The two have excellent coordination and once killed a Yao Beast at the Dao Palace First Layer with their combined strength.

Application Reason: "I heard that the Heavenly Court treats its members like Family, and we want to have a home."

Remarks: Good talent, but lacks systematic cultivation. If they join, there is great room for growth.

[Tie Gu]

Level: 37 (Dao Palace First Layer)

Age: 32

Background: Former instructor at the "Iron Fist Martial Hall" in the God City, became unemployed after the martial hall was forcibly acquired by the Overlord Pavilion. Follows the path of a Body Cultivator with astonishing defensive power; once withstood three strikes from a Dao Palace Third Layer Cultivator without falling.

Application Reason: "The Overlord Pavilion destroyed my martial hall, and the Heavenly Court destroyed the Overlord Pavilion; this kindness must be repaid."

Remarks: Honest and simple-minded, values loyalty, but is not very quick-witted. Suitable for tasks requiring clear instructions.

[Hua Ying]

Level: 33 (Peak of Lunhai)

Age: 24

Background: Mysterious origins, claims to be a runaway descendant of a small Family from the Southern Region. Skilled in disguise, stealth, and intelligence gathering; once made a living trading intelligence in the God City black market.

Application Reason: "The Heavenly Court needs a real intelligence network, and I can provide what you need."

Remarks: Pavilion Master Qin's evaluation: "This woman is not simple; there might be a story behind her. However, her ability is truly outstanding. She can be used, but proceed with caution."

Lin Ye carefully reviewed the information of the twelve people one by one.

These twelve people each had their own characteristics and stories. If they could be successfully recruited, they would be a comprehensive addition to the Heavenly Court.

"Let them follow the procedure." Lin Ye handed the list back. "If they truly have the ability, the Heavenly Court will not bury their talents. But if anyone tries to fish in troubled waters..."

A cold glint flashed in his eyes: "The Heavenly Court's blade is still stained with blood."

"Understood." Su Qingyue put away the list.

At this moment, Chen Hao and Shi Potian also walked over.

Both of them had injuries on them, but their spirits were high. Especially Chen Hao, whose God King Body's powerful recovery ability allowed his injuries to heal by seven or eight percent overnight.

"Brother Lin, the battlefield cleanup is almost done." Chen Hao grinned and said, "The harvest is even bigger than expected! The equipment stripped from those Night Curtain people alone is worth tens of thousands of Spirit Stones! Not to mention those Materials and Medicinal Pills."

Shi Potian handed over a Storage Ring: "This was found on the Night Curtain President. There is something inside... I think you should take a look."

Lin Ye took the ring and his Divine Sense probed inside.

The ring's space was not large, only about one cubic zhang. Inside were piled some Spirit Stones, Medicinal Pills, and a few scrolls of Cultivation Technique. But in the corner of the space, there was a separately placed Jade Box, the surface of which was covered with Seal Talismans.

Lin Ye took out the Jade Box.

The Jade Box felt ice-cold in his hand. The Seal Talismans on the surface were high-quality "Spirit-Sealing Talismans," clearly indicating that the item inside was not simple. He carefully tore off the Talismans and opened the lid.

Inside the box was a black stone slab the size of a palm.

The surface of the stone slab was as smooth as a mirror, without any patterns or text, but Lin Ye could feel that the inside of the stone slab contained an extremely obscure and ancient aura. That aura resonated faintly with the Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body within him, but it was not exactly the same; it felt more like... a different branch of the same source.

"This is..." Lin Ye frowned.

He tried to inject his Chaos Divine Power into the stone slab.

The stone slab had no reaction.

He also tried to drip blood to claim ownership.

The blood dripped onto the surface of the stone slab and was instantly absorbed, but the stone slab still showed no change.

"I've tried various methods, but none worked," Shi Potian said. "But since the Night Curtain President treasured this item so much, it certainly isn't simple."

Lin Ye put away the stone slab: "We'll study it when we get back. After the battlefield is cleared, everyone is to retreat to the God City stronghold. We cannot stay in the Black Wind Canyon for long; the core members of Night Curtain might already be on their way."

"Yes!"

Everyone acted quickly.

An hour later, the 130+ members of the Heavenly Court's four halls, carrying all the spoils of war and the remains of their fallen companions, quietly retreated from the Black Wind Canyon.

They did not take the official road, but instead followed a secretly scouted route, returning to the God City in batches under the cover of the morning mist.

By the time the last batch of people entered the Heavenly Court stronghold, the sun had already fully risen.

A new day in the God City had begun.

And this day was destined to be different from the past.

Inside the main hall of the Heavenly Court stronghold, the spoils of war were piled up like a small mountain.

Zhao Wuji, along with a few members skilled in identification and valuation, was nervously conducting the final counting, classification, and valuation. His eyes were bloodshot from staying up all night, but his spirits were high.

"purple thunder essence gold... cold marrow crystal... Star Dew..." He muttered to himself while recording, "These are the proceeds from the auction, which have already been settled. Next are the spoils of war... One Dark Moon Cloak, valued at 12,000; four Blood Fiend Banners, valued at 3,000 each; three sets of Overlord Heavy Armor, valued at 5,000 each..."

"Over 500 bottles of various Medicinal Pills, averaging 50 Spirit Stones per bottle, totaling 25,000..."

"47 scrolls of Cultivation Technique Jade Slips, averaging 300 Spirit Stones per scroll, totaling 14,000..."

"Materials category, preliminary valuation of 20,000..."

"And those Spirit Stones... 86,000 Low-Grade Spirit Stones, 320 Mid-Grade Spirit Stones..."

The abacus in his hand clattered, and finally, he arrived at a number.

"Total value..." Zhao Wuji took a deep breath and looked at Lin Ye, Su Qingyue, Chen Hao, Shi Potian, Qin Ruoxue, and others in the hall. "After deducting wear and tear and damaged items, the total value of the spoils seized in this Black Wind Canyon battle is approximately... 200,000 Low-Grade Spirit Stones!"

200,000!

Adding the 1.8 million net income from the auction, the Heavenly Court's assets soared by 2 million in just one day!

This number made everyone present hold their breath.

What is the concept of 2 million Spirit Stones?

A medium-sized chamber of commerce in the God City only has this much total turnover in a year. But the Heavenly Court used only one day.

"Of course, this is an estimate; the actual realization might be discounted," Zhao Wuji added. "Also, some items are not suitable for sale, such as Night Curtain's standard equipment; if they flow into the market, it might attract retaliation. And those Cultivation Techniques, the Heavenly Court can keep them to train members."

"There's no rush to convert them into cash," Lin Ye said. "First, distribute the usable equipment. Everyone who fought last night gets priority in choosing equipment based on their battle merits. Compensation for the fallen should be issued at the highest standard, and their families will be supported by the Heavenly Court."

"Yes." Zhao Wuji nodded, then remembered something. "By the way, there is one more piece of good news. Because the Heavenly Court's prestige has exceeded 50,000, the System has unlocked new faction functions."

He took out a Jade Slip, pressed it to his forehead, and shared the information with everyone.

[Faction System Update (Unlocked when Prestige reaches 50,000 points)]

1. Faction Shop Upgrade:

The original Faction Shop (unlocked at 1,000 Prestige points) only sold basic items.

Now unlocking "Intermediate Faction Shop," which can exchange for Rare-grade equipment, Rank 4 Medicinal Pills, Intermediate Formation blueprints, etc.

2. Faction Mission Update:

Added "Large-scale Team Missions" (requires 10-40 people to participate), with more generous rewards and a probability of obtaining Epic-grade items.

3. Faction Building Unlocked:

Can build exclusive Faction buildings, such as "Cultivation Tower" (increases Cultivation speed), "Equipment Workshop" (increases forging success rate), "Alchemy Room" (increases Alchemy success rate), etc.

(Note: Requires corresponding building blueprints and resources)

4. Faction Skill Tree Opened:

Faction members can consume Contribution Points to learn Faction-exclusive skills.

Currently unlocked skills:

[Heavenly Court Battle Intent] (Passive): When teamed up with teammates who also possess this skill, the entire team's Attack +5%, Defense +3%.

[Chaos Resonance] (Active): Consumes 1,000 points of Divine Power to increase the power of your next skill by 20%, cooldown 30 minutes. (Only for members possessing Chaos-type Cultivation Techniques)

[Vast Cold Protection] (Active): Consumes 800 points of Divine Power to form a cold aura shield around yourself, absorbing damage equivalent to 10% of maximum Qi/Blood, lasting 15 seconds, cooldown 20 minutes. (Only for Ice-type Cultivators)

More skills will be unlocked gradually as Prestige increases.

5. Faction Leaderboard Opened:

The Heavenly Court is currently ranked 97th on the "Eastern Wilderness Northern Region Faction Leaderboard" (Top 100 on the overall list).

Ranked 15th on the "Player Faction Leaderboard."

Leaderboard reward: Automatically receive 500 Prestige points and 1,000 Faction Contribution points daily.

"These new functions..." Chen Hao's eyes lit up. "Especially the Faction Skill Tree, it's so practical! And the Faction buildings, if we can really build them, the improvement to our overall strength will be huge!"

"But it requires blueprints and resources." Qin Ruoxue analyzed calmly. "Building blueprints usually only drop from large dungeons or hidden missions, and they are expensive. Not to mention the resources; the Cultivation Tower requires a large amount of Spirit Stones to operate, the Equipment Workshop requires rare minerals..."

"One step at a time." Lin Ye said. "First, digest the existing resources. Zhao Wuji, you are responsible for converting part of the spoils of war into cash to raise funds for building the first batch of buildings. Pavilion Master Qin, use the Heavenly Secret Pavilion's channels to inquire about how to obtain building blueprints. Everyone else..."

He looked at Su Qingyue, Chen Hao, and Shi Potian. "You are responsible for new recruit recruitment and training. The Heavenly Court needs to form real combat power as soon as possible, not just a ragtag group cobbled together."

"Understood!"

"Dismissed. Everyone go get busy."

Everyone left the main hall and started getting busy.

Lin Ye remained alone in the hall, watching the streets outside the window gradually become bustling.

He could see that outside the Heavenly Court stronghold, the queue of applicants was still very long. He could hear the discussions in the streets and alleys, all talking about the great battle in the Black Wind Canyon last night, and discussing the rise of the Heavenly Court.

Renowned name, prestige exceeding 50,000, applicants surging, assets skyrocketing...

Everything seemed to be developing in a good direction.

But the vigilance in Lin Ye's heart did not relax in the slightest.

He took out the black stone slab obtained from the Night Curtain President and examined it carefully in his hand.

The stone slab still had no reaction, but that feeling of being a different branch of the same source was becoming clearer.

And what made him even more uneasy was that just a moment ago, the Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body within him suddenly produced an inexplicable palpitation.

It was as if something, somewhere far away, was resonating with this stone slab... or rather, with the Chaos Body itself.

What was that?

Why did the Night Curtain organization want to collect this stone slab?

And what was the secret behind the stone slab?

Lin Ye put away the stone slab and walked to the window.

The sunlight was just right, and the God City remained prosperous.

But in the shadows where the sunlight couldn't reach, something was quietly approaching.

The Heavenly Court's path to rise had only just begun.

And the fog ahead was even deeper than imagined.