The empire trembled in silence.
The Wen Clan was gone, their estate abandoned, their enemies crushed. Yet their influence lingered in the shadows, whispering through the halls of power, haunting those who once sought their downfall.
No one felt the weight of their departure more than Crown Prince Zhao Ming.
Crown Prince Zhao Ming's Reaction
In the grand palace of the Imperial Capital, Crown Prince Zhao Ming sat in silence, gripping the imperial decree that had arrived only hours before. The Wen Clan's final words echoed in his mind:
"We will not bow to weak emperors and corrupt nobles. Seek us, and you will find only death."
Zhao Ming's gaze darkened.
The Golden Dragon Guard had failed. The imperial court was in turmoil. And most importantly—he had underestimated Wen Wuxing.
"How did we let them slip away?" one minister demanded. "They burned the Zhao Clan to the ground! They killed our people in a single night!"
Zhao Ming did not respond immediately.
Instead, he thought of the man he had watched at the Celestial Ascension Tournament. A monster wrapped in a scholar's robe, someone who moved not with arrogance, but with absolute certainty.
"The Wen Clan does not seek to rule this kingdom."
That was what unsettled Zhao Ming the most.
If Wen Wuxing had wanted the throne, he would have taken it.
Instead—he had left.
For something greater.
Zhao Ming exhaled slowly, suppressing the cold fear rising in his chest. Then, with a voice filled with quiet resolve, he spoke:
"Forget the Wen Clan."
Gasps filled the court.
The ministers looked at him in shock. "Your Highness—"
"They are beyond our reach now," Zhao Ming interrupted. "The Wen Clan has left this empire behind. They are not our problem anymore."
He stood, his silhouette framed by the golden banners of the imperial throne room.
"But should they ever return—we will be ready."
Even as he spoke, Zhao Ming knew the truth.
If they returned, no one in this empire would be ready for them.
Final Instructions – The Hidden Star Sect Departs
Far from the empire, deep within the portable realm, Wen Wuxing stood before the elite geniuses who had once been his clan's sharpest blades.
The Hidden Star Sect had been born from the strongest talents of the Wen Clan—disciples who had sworn loyalty not to the empire, but to Wuxing's vision.
Now, it was time for them to leave.
Wuxing's gaze swept over them.
"You have done well," he said. "But our path splits here."
Silence.
Bai Zheng, the sect master, stepped forward. "Young Master, are we not still part of your plan?"
"You are," Wuxing said, "but not here."
He clasped his hands behind his back.
"This empire is too small. It will collapse under its own weight. But beyond it, there are greater sects, hidden dynasties, and forbidden realms. Your future lies there."
He met their eyes.
"You will establish yourselves far from this kingdom. You will grow, hidden from the world, until the time comes when your name alone will shake the heavens."
A heavy pause followed.
Then, one by one, the Hidden Star Sect disciples kneeled.
"By your will, Young Master."
And with that, the Hidden Star Sect vanished, setting out on a journey of their own.
The Next Step – Moving Beyond the Empire
With the Hidden Star Sect's departure, the Wen Clan's last ties to the empire were severed.
Now, all that remained was their own journey forward.
Inside the grand strategy hall of the portable realm, Wuxing sat at the head of a table where the elders of the Wen Clan had gathered.
On the table, a detailed map of the continent lay spread out, covered in ancient markings.
"This empire is a sinking ship," Elder Wen Rong said. "It will turn against itself before long."
"Then we must go where the world is larger," Wen Wuhai, Wuxing's father, agreed.
Wuxing nodded. His fingers traced across the map until they reached a distant unclaimed region—one filled with ancient ruins, lost sects, and untapped power.
A land of opportunity.
"This is where we go," Wuxing said.
A decision was made.
The Wen Clan would leave this land behind.
They would move to a new continent.
And there, they would rise again.
A New Tool – The Veil of Heaven Pavilion's Communication Network
Before departing, Wuxing met with Elder Wen Qian, leader of the Veil of Heaven Pavilion.
"The empire is in turmoil," she reported. "But our work is not done. There are still many strings left to pull."
Wuxing nodded. "Can you maintain communication across great distances?"
Wen Qian hesitated.
"There is a method," she admitted. "A long-distance communication array. It allows us to reach beyond kingdoms, beyond sect barriers—but it comes at a heavy cost."
Wuxing's eyes sharpened.
"What cost?"
"The array requires a rare resource—Heavenly Fate Crystals. They are not something we can acquire easily."
For the first time in a while, Wuxing smiled.
"Then we will simply take what we need."
A new objective had formed.
Even as they left the empire behind, the Veil of Heaven Pavilion would ensure that their influence remained.
Wen Wuxing's Minor Breakthrough – And the Awakening of His Bloodline
As the Wen Clan prepared for departure, Wuxing sat in seclusion, meditating.
His cultivation had already advanced before—he had felt himself crossing a minor threshold during the tournament.
But now, something far greater stirred within him.
As his spiritual energy stabilized, his bloodline surged.
Something ancient awakened.
Something that had slumbered for centuries.
A powerful force erupted from his core, sending waves of golden qi through his meridians.
His bloodline had resurfaced, breaking the final limits of his cultivation.
Ding!
Major Advancement – Divine Ascension Realm Achieved.
His aura changed.
It was no longer just the power of cultivation—it was the authority of lineage, the weight of history, the force of an empire yet to be built.
When Wuxing opened his eyes, the air around him shook.
The kingdom was behind them.
A new world lay ahead.
And the true path of dominance was only beginning.