Few days later—the silence had become unbearable.
Yun stood at the window, her gaze drifting over the tranquil courtyard below, where the servants moved like shadows, and the occasional murmur of the elders echoed through the walls of the sect. Time had passed, but it felt as though it had done so with an agonizing slowness, as though the world was waiting for something, some shift, some spark to break the stillness. But there was nothing. No movement. No intervention. No change. Just a heavy, suffocating quiet.
It was exactly as she had expected, but even so, it gnawed at her insides in a way she had not anticipated.
She had known this would happen. It was almost too easy to predict, too predictable for someone who had lived her life among people who watched, judged, and waited for the right moment to strike. She had known they would do nothing. The sect's leaders, her guardians, her family—they were all too absorbed in their own schemes, their own pursuits, to bother with her petty struggles. To them, she was either a tool to be wielded or a nuisance to be ignored.
But still, the ache inside her lingered.
She had known no one would act. No one would take her side. This was how it had always been. If she wanted something, she had to take it for herself. If she needed to be seen, she would have to make them look. But… it was different this time. She had hoped for more, even if it was a fleeting thought that she had quickly cast aside. She had wanted—no, she needed—someone to step forward, to acknowledge her not as a pawn or a weapon, but as a person. To recognize her as someone worthy of more than just manipulation or neglect.
Her fingers curled against the cool stone of the window ledge, her knuckles turning white. She wanted to be more. She wanted them to see her, to hear her, to treat her as something other than just a tool for their use. It wasn't about power. It wasn't about status. It was about respect. Recognition. Something that proved she wasn't invisible in their eyes.
But that, she realized with a dull pang of disappointment, was not going to happen.
No one cared enough to make a move.
She exhaled softly, the air escaping her lips in a thin, barely audible breath. Her eyes closed for a moment, and when they opened again, they were empty of expectation. Her shoulders squared, and a sharp, determined edge crept into her posture. The time for waiting had long since passed.
It was time to move.
She had always known it would come to this: She had to act, or be crushed under the weight of her own indecision. The sect wouldn't move for her. They wouldn't care enough. And if she wanted her life to change, if she wanted the power to shape her own destiny, she had to do it herself. No one else would.
The realization, though painful, was freeing in its own way.
Yun turned away from the window, her movements slow but purposeful, and crossed the room to her desk. She sat down, letting the coolness of the wood seep into her skin, grounding her. There was no more room for hesitation. She had already made her decision. The question was no longer about whether she could act, but how she would.
Her mind raced, thinking through the options, the possible moves, the risks. There were many ways she could go about it, but only one that would show her true worth. Only one that would send a message loud enough to be heard, even by those who had yet to notice her.
She picked up the brush, her fingers steady. The ink spread across the paper, the strokes deliberate, marking the beginning of her next move.
And as the brush moved across the page, Yun Qingxue smiled.
…
A soft breeze stirred the curtains, carrying the scent of incense through the quiet room. Yun Qingxue sat at her desk, her expression calm, eyes half-lidded as she traced the rim of her teacup. A few days had passed—just as she expected, no one had made a move.
It was within her calculations.
And yet… she still felt it. That quiet, bitter weight.
She let out a slow breath.
Of course, I have to make the first move myself.
Practicality dictated it. Logic made it clear.
But deep down, beneath all that reason, a small part of her—one she hated acknowledging—still wished someone would have acted first. That someone would see her as more than just a tool.
Her fingers tightened slightly around the porcelain.
No matter. She had work to do.
Yun turned to her maid, her voice steady. "Call them."
The maid, a Rank 2 cultivator bound by duty, bowed slightly before stepping out. Though she was strong, she had no right to fight unless Yun's safety was threatened. Yet, the presence of a Rank 2 servant alone was enough to send a message.
Yun remained seated, waiting in silence.
Moments later, the sound of footsteps approached. The door slid open.
Two men entered—both Rank 2 cultivators, both Outer Elders. Their eyes immediately swept the room with silent scrutiny. And then, inevitably, their gazes landed on her.
Or rather—on the maid at her side.
A flicker of hesitation.
"Who is this girl?" the first elder thought, his sharp gaze narrowing slightly. "A mere disciple, yet she commands a Rank 2 servant?"
The second elder remained still, but Yun could see the way his expression subtly shifted. They were trying to place her—searching for any clue about her identity.
The first elder, a man with a faint scar running along his chin, finally spoke. "Who are you?"
Yun did not answer immediately. Instead, she simply gestured for them to sit, her expression unreadable.
The second elder exchanged a glance with his companion before cautiously stepping forward, taking the offered seat. The scarred elder, however, remained unconvinced.
"You summoned us, yet you won't even introduce yourself?" he pressed. "Why should we listen?"
Yun finally spoke. "Does my name matter?"
The second elder narrowed his eyes. "It does."
A small, almost amused smile touched Yun's lips. "Then I suppose you'll have to figure it out yourselves."
Silence.
The first elder's fingers tapped against the armrest, irritation flickering in his gaze.
Yun didn't rush them. She let the silence stretch, forcing them to think—to second-guess.
And then, finally, their eyes flickered once more to the maid at her side. A Rank 2 servant. A sign of status.
A moment later, the scarred elder exhaled, shifting his approach. "…Fine. If you won't say, then tell us this—why are we here?"
Yun didn't answer immediately. Instead, she reached into a nearby drawer, retrieving a small pouch. With slow, deliberate movements, she set it down on the table and pushed it toward them.
The second elder loosened the strings and peered inside—his breath catching slightly at the rare resources within.
"You're offering this to us?" the first elder asked, his voice carefully neutral.
"I'm giving it to you upfront," Yun corrected. "There's more where that came from."
The second elder frowned. "And what exactly do you want in return?"
Yun leaned back slightly, fingers laced together. "What do you think?"
A silence stretched.
The first elder tapped his fingers against the armrest, studying her carefully. "We don't make deals without knowing the full terms," he said.
Yun tilted her head slightly, her voice smooth. "Didn't the two of you have… disagreements with an Elder recently?"
The first elder stiffened slightly. The second elder's gaze flickered away, lips pressing into a thin line.
Yun continued, her voice light. "It's quite unfortunate, isn't it? To have such unresolved tensions."
The scarred elder's expression darkened.
They weren't fools. Now, they understood the direction this conversation was taking. But they wanted her to say it outright.
The first elder exhaled slowly. "…You want something done about Elder Han?"
Yun smiled faintly but didn't confirm.
Instead, she leaned forward slightly. "Defeat him. In public."
A pause.
The two elders exchanged glances.
"…That's all?" the second elder asked, skepticism creeping into his tone.
"For now," Yun said simply.
Another silence stretched between them.
Then, after a long pause, the second elder chuckled—low, humorless. "You're bold."
"Boldness is irrelevant," Yun said lightly. "What matters is whether or not you want this opportunity."
The first elder exhaled slowly. "If we do this, we'll be making an enemy of him."
"Haven't you already?" Yun countered.
Their silence was answer enough.
And she knew, at that moment, that she had already won.
Finally, after a long pause, the first elder spoke.
"…Very well."
Yun inclined her head slightly.
The deal was sealed.
And the first piece of her plan had fallen into place.