"So Yuwei has become an elder of the Merak Sect! This is quite an honor for her. Thank you for taking such good care of her." Steward Huang laughed heartily, his voice full of warmth.

His flattery was blatant. If not for the Merak Sect’s perceived strength, he would have tied Zhu Yuwei up and dragged her back long ago.

Yi Tianyun knew this, and Zhu Yuwei and her sister understood it even better. The only reason they were having this conversation was because of the Merak Sect’s power! However, Star Pavilion had no idea that the true powerhouse was standing right before them. They just assumed the Merak Sect had some other backer or powerful expert helping them.

"Of course. We at the Merak Sect will treat her well. Elder Zhu is an invaluable talent who keeps our sect running in perfect order," Yi Tianyun said gravely. "But let me be clear about a few things. I’m well aware of Elder Zhu’s situation. Star Pavilion is certainly a powerful faction, but some things are best not done by force."

The steward next to him paled, his eyes flashing with anger. ’A piddly little sect like Merak dares to challenge us!’

"How arrogant! Isn’t the Merak Sect just a second-rate faction? Don’t think you’re hot stuff just because you wiped out the Cyan Profound Mansion. To us at Star Pavilion, the Cyan Profound Mansion was nothing special. And you dare to act so high and mighty before us!" Steward Liu could no longer hold back. He was furious with Yi Tianyun’s tone, especially coming from someone so young. ’Making a kid like that an elder... they must be out of their minds.’

Yi Tianyun’s gaze turned icy. "The Cyan Profound Mansion was just an ’ordinary faction’?" he asked coolly. "Then why did you try to force our Elder Zhu to marry into that garbage sect?"

Steward Liu fumed but found he had no rebuttal. He had just been speaking out of anger.

Steward Huang held out a hand to stop him and shot him a glare before turning to Yi Tianyun with an apologetic smile. "Elder Yi, my apologies. My associate here is not very good with words. Please don’t take it to heart."

"It’s nothing. The Merak Sect may be a second-rate faction, but that doesn’t mean we’re afraid of anyone. Elder Zhu is one of our own, so I suggest you give up any ideas you have concerning her," Yi Tianyun stated gravely.

Zhu Yuwei was deeply moved by how fiercely Yi Tianyun was defending her. This was Star Pavilion, after all—a faction a cut above even the Cyan Profound Mansion in terms of power, albeit slightly more discreet.

"We won’t, we won’t. We will no longer trouble ourselves with her," Steward Huang said with a smile. "But let’s not just stand around here. Shall we move to a private room and have a seat?"

Yi Tianyun glanced at the two sisters, Zhu Yuwei and Zhu Yuxuan, and then nodded. They were finally reunited and surely had much to talk about. It was best to stay for a while.

Steward Huang then led them into one of Star Pavilion’s VIP rooms, where they were served fine tea.

After seeing them settled, Steward Huang stepped out of the room. Steward Liu immediately cornered him, seething. "Steward Huang, why did you stop me? That kid is insufferably arrogant! So young, yet so brazen! He’s only acting this way because some powerhouse destroyed the Cyan Profound Mansion for them. Now he thinks he can throw his weight around!"

"If you know it was a hidden powerhouse who destroyed the Cyan Profound Mansion, then why are you still spouting such nonsense!" Steward Huang said grimly.

"That was the mysterious expert’s doing, what’s it got to do with him? He’s just a fox borrowing a tiger’s might. I refuse to believe the Merak Sect would dare move against us if we touched him," Steward Liu grumbled. "The real question is, what does the Zhu Family do now? We planned to rely on the Cyan Profound Mansion, and now they’re gone. Are we supposed to rely on a second-rate faction? People would die laughing! The only one who’s actually strong is that mysterious expert. Without them, the Merak Sect is nothing but a second-rate faction. What good are they?"

"Are you saying you want to marry her off to another faction?" Steward Huang asked gravely.

"Isn’t it obvious? If we don’t, the Zhu Family is finished!" Steward Liu said grimly. "Can the Merak Sect help us? What can a second-rate faction possibly do? Unless that hidden expert of theirs shows up, they’re completely useless!"

He spoke without any restraint, utterly despising a second-rate faction from the bottom of his heart. ’They must have just gotten lucky with a powerful benefactor. If that expert was with them permanently, they wouldn’t still be a second-rate faction. They’d be a peak third-rate faction by now, at least.’

’That expert probably left after helping them destroy the Cyan Profound Mansion. That would make the Merak Sect an empty shell. No one would dare provoke them for now, but they certainly couldn’t offer any real help.’

"So we should just burn our bridges with the Merak Sect?" Steward Huang’s expression was grim.

"What ’burn bridges’? We’re not the ones provoking them! Zhu Yuwei belongs to us. The Zhu Family spent a fortune in resources to raise her. And then she just runs off? I don’t know about you, but I’m not happy about it." This was the source of Steward Liu’s anger: the Zhu Family had invested so much in the sisters, only for them to flee just when they were supposed to be useful. How could he not be furious?

Steward Huang fell silent. Steward Liu had a point. If they just let her go, they’d gain nothing. And if things kept on this path, the Zhu Family was surely doomed.

"I was overthinking this. Fine, Yuwei can be an elder of the Merak Sect, but they have to pay a price." Steward Huang slapped his forehead and shook his head. "I must have been cowed by that mysterious expert behind them. I didn’t even dare to state our demands. I’ll go right now and tell them!"

"I’m coming with you!"

Steward Huang and Steward Liu pushed the door open together. Steward Liu stormed in, his eyes full of hostility.

Yi Tianyun, who had been sipping his tea, watched them burst in without surprise. He slowly set down his cup. "Is there a problem?" he asked calmly.

"Of course there’s a problem!" Steward Liu snapped. "You know the Zhu Family is in trouble, yet you’re just going to make Zhu Yuwei your elder? Don’t you think we’re getting the short end of the stick here?!"

At his side, Zhu Yuwei’s face fell. Zhu Yuxuan stood up to say something in their defense, but Yi Tianyun’s voice cut in first.

"Fine. State your demands. After all, you invested so much in her training. It’s understandable you’d be reluctant to simply hand her over," Yi Tianyun said, gesturing for them to continue.

His straightforwardness stunned them. They had expected him to argue or cause a scene.

Yi Tianyun already knew of their predicament. If not for some great difficulty, no one would resort to these kinds of marriage alliances.

"Alright, then!" Steward Liu recovered quickly and said coldly, "Our demand is simple. Star Pavilion is holding a Divine Rune Grand Competition soon, and every branch is required to send Divine Rune Masters to compete. Our branch has too few, and even fewer skilled ones. All you have to do is provide a Fourth-Grade Divine Rune Master who can place in the top three. Do that, and Zhu Yuwei is yours!"

Zhu Yuxuan’s expression changed. She shot to her feet. "That’s an outrageous demand! Even when my sister was supposed to marry into the Cyan Profound Mansion, the most they asked for was a Third-Grade Divine Rune Master! And forget placing in the top three—they would have been happy with the top ten! This is pure extortion!"

"Yuxuan, whose side are you on?!" Steward Liu roared.

Zhu Yuwei’s expression turned ugly. ’So they really were just planning to sell me off after all.’ No wonder her sister had told her never to return. A leopard can’t change its spots. Not only were they making demands, but they were making such outrageous ones. This was clearly intended to make things impossible for Yi Tianyun.

Yet Yi Tianyun merely maintained a faint smile, unprovoked by their words and as composed as ever.