"Kneel!"

The Frost Moon Sect Master could scarcely believe her ears. She widened her eyes and stared at Mo Jian in disbelief.

How dare he ask her to kneel?

A boiling rage erupted from deep within her heart, and the atmosphere in the room dropped a few degrees.

Since she had become a Golden Core Expert, this was the first time a mere Core Refining warrior dared to look down on her.

For what?

Just because they were a little more powerful, with a few early Golden Core Experts among them.

Did that grant him the effrontery to demand her kneeling?

She clenched her fists, her chest rising and falling with anger. She glared at the boy before her like a dagger.

She wanted to slap him into oblivion, but the last shred of rationality held her back.

She was the proud Sect Master of the Frost Moon Sect, not his servant or maid.

Looking at her, Mo Jian remained unfazed.

He had anticipated such a reaction, and that was precisely his goal: to make her realize that the situation had changed.

The continent was no longer what it had been, and the Southern Region no longer belonged to the reign of the four leaders.

"What? You can't kneel?" he asked in a low voice. "Do you want to go against my chamber?"

Hearing the blatant threat, the Frost Moon Sect Master gnashed her teeth, veins protruding on her forehead.

"Young master, you're pushing me…" she replied in a cold, low voice.

She had never been ridiculed like this before.

"What can you do about it?" he sneered.

Since you want to throw your weight around, I will crush that pride, he thought. Her chest rose and fell in annoyance.

"Don't push me…" Her face contorted with pride and a touch of madness.

Seeing this, Mo Jian chuckled, his face filled with scorn. "Earlier, I wasn't pushing, but now I am going to push, and I want to see what you can do."

"I'll declare your sect an Evil Sect. I want to see your arrogance then. I'll also ban you and your sect from using the Spirit Link and cut off your water supply."

Hearing the threats, the Frost Moon Sect Master shivered. Her lips trembled, and she raised a trembling finger, pointing at him.

"Y-You…"

"What? This is the reality now," Mo Jian cut her off. "In this era, Golden Core Experts are nothing. You are before me because I saved your life."

"What gives you the audacity to look down on me, to probe me? Just because you're a Golden Core Expert?" His gaze was sharp and dangerous.

"I'll render you useless and take everything that belongs to me. You think I'm pushing you? I'll show you what real pushing looks like."

With that, he rose to his feet and prepared to leave the room.

Thud!

Before Mo Jian could take two steps, he heard a light sound and turned to look.

The Frost Moon Sect Master was on her knees, staring at Mo Jian with a pleading gaze.

Listening to Mo Jian's cold, brutal truth shattered all her previous illusions. She had been lost in her fantasy, believing she still controlled the region, but now...

Without the Thousand Wealth Chamber, her sect and others would be consumed by the Evil Sect.

Just as he claimed, a single statement from him could destroy everything their sect had worked for.

The time when their sect ruled the region was long over, but she had failed to see it.

Now she understood why the three other leaders respected Mo Jian and wouldn't hesitate to flatter him at every opportunity.

They had long realized that he wielded the power that controlled their lives and deaths.

"Young Master, please forgive me," she whispered in a low voice. "My pride clouded my eyes, and I failed to see the reality."

"Please, have mercy."

Mo Jian stared at her without any change in expression.

Earlier, he only wanted to test her reaction and gauge how the cold, proud sect master would respond.

Unfortunately, her reaction disappointed him.

Yet, looking at her on her knees, he recognized she still possessed a glimmer of sense. He returned to his seat and fixed his gaze on her.

"Why did you react like that?" he asked.

"I'm jealous, and my pride will not permit it," she replied truthfully.

"Ah!" Mo Jian sighed and shook his head. How great was her pride, he mused, that it had led her to commit such a foolish blunder.

Against some crazy people, such a blunder might lead to the destruction of her sect.

"Please, take your seat." He gestured toward the seat.

"Thank you…" she breathed a sigh of relief.

She realized how stupid her previous action had been. Mo Jian had treated everyone well, without stepping on anyone's foot. He had helped them more than they could repay him.

So why would he envy him?

"So, what is your name?" Mo Jian asked, staring at her. With the dust settling, he wanted to learn more about the proud Frost Moon Sect Master.

Hm?

She was stunned. She stared at Mo Jian with wide eyes, not expecting him to ask for her name.

"What? Can't I know your name?" Mo Jian teased.

"No… no, not like that." She shook her head quickly. She did not want to risk another misunderstanding.

"Rou Mei…" she replied in a low voice.

"Rou Mei…" Mo Jian muttered, nodding in understanding. "To forgive you entirely, I'll call you Mei."

"What do you think?" He asked with a light smile.

Ah!

She exclaimed, looking at Mo Jian with her jaw dropped. Being called Mei would bring them closer.

Since he joined the Frost Moon Sect Master, no man had ever called Mei by name, and when she became Sect Master, no one dared to call her name directly.

She almost forgot her own name.

She stared at Mo Jian, and her heart jumped, skipping a beat. "N-No… problem," she whispered.

"Good." Mo Jian chuckled and rose to his feet.

"Mei, let's go." He reached out his hand.

Looking at his hand, the Frost Moon Sect Master could not believe what was happening. Her heart pounded heavily in her chest.

She bit her lip and reached out to take his hand.