After they left, Yi Tianyun smiled. "Elder Zhu, it seems your old employers can’t bear to part with you. They want you to go back and be the Vice Pavilion Master—a position with much more power than before!"

"You’re joking again, Elder Yi..." Zhu Yuwei said with a faint smile. "Aren’t they only interested in me because of your strength? I’ve long since given up on Celestial Rain Tower. They have no thought other than to use me. The moment I lose my value, I’ll be cast aside like a puppet. Since I’ve become an elder of Merak Palace, I will serve Merak Palace to my last breath!"

Everyone was moved by Zhu Yuwei’s declaration. Yi Tianyun had only been teasing her slightly, but he hadn’t expected such a solemn response.

"Well..." Yi Tianyun felt a bit awkward. He hadn’t thought too much of it when he invited her to join. But Zhu Yuwei was truly talented, especially in administration, and Merak Palace desperately needed someone with her skills.

After a moment’s thought, however, he said in a solemn voice, "Since you’ve said so, I trust that Merak Palace will, in turn, treat you with absolute sincerity and never abandon you!"

Zhu Yuwei’s solemn expression suddenly blossomed into a smile, but she said nothing.

"Big Sister, where are we?"

The children they had brought back were looking all around, their curiosity piqued. They had calmed down significantly after being soothed. Other disciples began to gather, looking at the dozen or so children with inquisitive eyes.

’Didn’t they go to wipe out Cyan Profound Mansion? Why did they bring back so many children?’

Shi Xueyun quickly explained the situation. The disciples’ faces filled with anger, and they all condemned Cyan Profound Mansion for its cruelty. Filled with sympathy for the children, they began leading them off to get food and familiarize them with their new home.

Next, they began to sort through the spoils of war. The loot plundered from Cyan Profound Mansion was piled high inside the Divine Hall. When the elders saw it, they were utterly stunned.

"So many Martial Arts... Is this an Earth Level Martial Art?"

"These are weapons, all of them high-grade Spiritual Artifacts! And this... is this a Soul Artifact!?"

"Are these Elixir Pills? And they’re Fourth-Grade Elixir Pills!"

They were all staggered by the sheer amount of loot. What they had previously scavenged from the corpses had been shocking enough, but the quantity brought back this time was far greater—especially the Martial Arts. Disciples and elders of most sects rarely carried Martial Arts manuals on their person.

After studying in a place like the Library Pavilion, they would return the manuals, having committed the techniques to memory. Why would they need to carry them around?

Now, with so many Martial Arts brought back, they could undoubtedly fill the gaps in their own library. For a faction to grow stronger, its members’ cultivation had to increase, but without powerful corresponding Martial Arts, they couldn’t break through to higher realms or even unleash their full potential.

"This is an incredible haul! Cyan Profound Mansion was truly wealthy," the Great Elder exclaimed. "This is more than enough for us to become a Second-Grade Faction with ease. We might even be able to vie for the top spot among them!"

"Indeed. But when will we be going back?" the Second Elder asked.

"Go back?" Yi Tianyun shook his head. "We’re not going back. We’ll stay here in the Celestial Sinking Ruins. Once we make some repairs, this will be the new territory of Merak Palace."

"This..." The elders were stunned and found it difficult to accept. They had always lived on that snowy mountain. To relocate just like that... wouldn’t it be akin to abandoning their Ancestral Land?

"I know this is hard for you to accept," Yi Tianyun said with a smile, "but from the perspectives of both safety and cultivation, the Celestial Sinking Ruins are a perfect location. As long as we can partially repair the great array, the Spiritual Power density here will be much higher than at our old home. The benefits for our disciples’ cultivation would be immense. Of course, this is just a suggestion. If you really can’t agree to it, we can simply use this place as a training ground."

He was only making a suggestion; the final decision was up to them.

"Well..." They were hesitant. They had lived in their old home for so many years, but it was undeniable that the environment here was better and, more importantly, safer.

If they hadn’t taken refuge here, they would have been wiped out long ago. The original Merak Palace was suitable for a First-Grade Faction, but this Divine Hall in the Celestial Sinking Ruins was something even most Third-Grade Factions could only dream of.

Repair it, and it’s a Divine Hall. Fail to repair it, and it’s just ruins.

"I agree with Celestial Cloud," Shi Xueyun said in a low voice. "And it’s not because I’m biased. It’s natural to be nostalgic, but our own ancestors migrated here from the Celestial Realm Continent, didn’t they? How is this any different? Besides," she added, "once our faction is powerful enough, have none of you ever dreamed of going to the Celestial Realm Continent?"

Her words left them stunned for a moment, and then their hearts began to race with excitement. Who among them hadn’t dreamed of going to the Celestial Realm Continent to live there permanently? It was the place every faction on the Earth Realm Continent aspired to reach. To establish permanent roots there was the ultimate symbol of a sect’s power.

"Ancestors, what are your thoughts?"

The Ancestors, who had been observing from the side, smiled faintly. "This is your era now. Do as you see fit. We, too, hope to see Merak Palace return to the Celestial Realm Continent in our remaining years!"

They all nodded in unison. Nothing more needed to be said.

All that remained was to move everything from the old Merak Palace, fully establishing this place as their new main sect.

In the days that followed, the entire sect buzzed with activity. Zhu Yuwei began coordinating the disciples and arranging various tasks, bringing order to the chaos. Everything proceeded smoothly and methodically.

Yi Tianyun, on the other hand, found himself with nothing to do, so he began cultivating within the Celestial Sinking Ruins. He could cultivate normally, absorbing the surrounding Spiritual Power to continuously gain experience points. However, because the density was too low, he only gained a few hundred experience points at a time.

Back when his cultivation level was lower, this would have been an astonishing rate. Now, however, it was far too slow. At this pace, he had no idea how long it would take to break through.

As for his one million-plus Madness Value, he decided not to touch it for now. He could use it to upgrade his Dragon God Bloodline or his Luck Aura, but he felt no urgent need. His Luck Aura was still sufficient for the time being.

If he used it now, he might not have any Madness Value left for a crucial upgrade when facing a powerful enemy in the future. It was best to save it and adapt as the situation demanded.

"Elder Xuan, what level of Divine Runes would be required to repair the Spirit Gathering Array and the other major arrays here?" Yi Tianyun turned his attention to the formations. If they could be fully repaired, the defenses of the Celestial Sinking Ruins—and the cultivation benefits—would increase dramatically.