Gu Qingyuan's pupils contracted. Veins bulged along his clenched fist. Never in his life had he imagined that one day, he would be outshone by his Junior Sister. Even after losing to Song Wanníng last time, he had convinced himself it was only because he had been too preoccupied saving others, unable to give the duel his full attention.
But that sword strike just now had truly shaken him.
Just as Song Wanníng had said, he had sensed the giant sword's presence the moment it appeared. Yet he had no time to react. The blade had already fallen.
Such terrifying power.
An urgent sense of unease surged in his chest. His pride would never allow himself to be left in the dust by Song Wanníng.
"Junior Sister Song… you advanced?" The Sect Master and the others finally noticed as well, surprise flickering across their faces, tinged with a hint of guilt.
Just moments ago… all of them had clearly favored Gu Qingyuan.
That sword strike from Song Wanníng must have been directed at them too, a silent display.
"Yes. I advanced, by sheer luck," Song Wanníng replied coolly, casting a glance at the Sect Master, layered with meaning. This man had repeatedly taken Gu Qingyuan's side. Did he really think she could be bullied so easily?
A plan quietly took shape in her mind. Her eyes glinted with mischief as she curved her lips into a smile at the Sect Master.
A cold shiver ran up the Sect Master's spine, straight from his tailbone to the crown of his head. Ever since that incident with the pill request, Song Wanníng had grown more and more unnerving…
He quickly composed himself. "Junior Sister Song, advancing is a good thing. But Junior Brother Gu is your fellow disciple. The others were innocent. You should not have struck them so heavily!"
Not to mention An Ze, even Bai Yang and Ye Chuxue were once the brightest prodigies of Wentian Sect's new generation. Yet over the past half year, they had been repeatedly injured by Song Wanníng. Their cultivation had suffered, and they still had not recovered.
Now that she had emerged from seclusion, she attacked them again without even asking why. This was utterly outrageous.
"Hurry and give them pills to stabilize their condition!" His voice carried the tone of command. He thought, if he did not suppress Song Wanníng's arrogance now, the entire Wentian Sect would soon fall under her control.
"This whole incident started with Li Ruo's mistake. Just because she is your disciple, does not mean you can cover for her so blatantly. What you are doing will only harm her. It will also lead others to believe you were behind this, pulling the strings. Your reputation will suffer too!" Before, no matter what Song Wanníng did, Gu Qingyuan would always step in. The Sect Master had never needed to intervene.
But not anymore. He had to make Song Wanníng understand where she stood. No matter how influential the Song Clan was, Wentian Sect did not belong to her.
And she could not act as she pleased.
"Yes. Junior Sister Song, your actions violated sect rules. You should be punished for this…"
The Seventh Elder, ever the Sect Master's loyal lapdog, immediately followed up.
"As Nascent Soul cultivators, we must lead by example. We must not use our cultivation to bully fellow disciples!"
"Would you not agree?"
As the words fell, murmurs of agreement spread among the watching disciples. If a Nascent Soul cultivator could attack fellow sect members at will, then what safety did they have?
"Junior Sister Song, we're saying this for your own good…" The Sect Master and the Seventh Elder began taking turns, scolding Song Wanníng for being reckless and overbearing.
Song Wanníng laughed, her anger spilling into amusement. "You two really are something. Was Gu Qingyuan's soul search not bullying as well?
Li Ruo committed the offense first and refused to admit it. Junior Brother Gu was left with no other option. He had to use that method," the Sect Master huffed, shaking out his sleeve.
"Junior Sister Song, stop twisting the truth."
The more Song Wanníng defended Li Ruo, the more the Sect Master was convinced she was the one behind it. In his mind, her guilt was confirmed.
The more he looked at her, the more he loathed her.
Backed by the Song Clan, gifted in alchemy, Song Wanníng had never taken them seriously. And now, she had become completely unrestrained, repeatedly trampling over his authority.
"Sect Master!" Song Wanníng's expression turned sharp, her gaze frosty. "May I ask how you're so certain that Li Ruo was the one who poisoned her? Do you have any witnesses? Any evidence?"
"Nothing at all. You judged her based on pure speculation? So this is what Wentian Sect's justice looks like. If this is what passes for leadership, then your time as Sect Master should come to an end."
"Song Wanníng!" Murderous intent burst from the Sect Master's heart. His face darkened, eyes thunderous. "You dare question your Sect Master?"
"Yes. I do." Song Wanníng held her ground. The fire in her eyes rose with no intention of backing down. "A man both deaf and blind, guided only by his bias, is unfit to lead this sect."
"You—!" The Sect Master's eyes went wide with fury. Had it not been for the Seventh Elder holding him back, he would have rushed over and fought her on the spot.
In front of so many disciples, Song Wanníng still dared to defy him like this.
"What? Did I say something wrong?"
Song Wanníng scoffed.
"You two claim I protect my disciple. But are you not doing the same? If fairness is what you want, then let me soul-search Ye Chuxue. Well?"
"No!!"
Several voices rose at once.
The Sect Master, Gu Qingyuan, Bai Yang, and An Ze all shouted in unison, alarmed.
"Master… Junior Sister Ye did nothing wrong. You can't soul-search her…" The pill had begun to take effect. Bai Yang struggled to his feet and shook his head at Song Wanníng.
He stepped in front of Ye Chuxue, casting a glance at the timid Li Ruo, a deeper disgust rising in his heart.
"That's right, Master! It was clearly Li Ruo's fault. Why would you soul-search Ye Chuxue?" An Ze shouted from the ground, face bruised, but still sticking his neck out in support of Ye Chuxue.
Loyal to the end, like a dog guarding its master.
Song Wanníng's eyes turned mocking as she looked toward Gu Qingyuan.
Gu Qingyuan grew visibly uncomfortable. He pursed his lips and muttered, "I only meant to scare her…"
With no evidence, of course he would never dare to actually go through with the soul search.
But before he could force anything out, Song Wanníng had appeared.
"Is that so? Then I'll scare her too." Song Wanníng shrugged lightly, then walked straight toward Ye Chuxue.
"No!!"
Everyone moved as if facing a great enemy, rushing to shield Ye Chuxue with grim, wary faces.
Song Wanníng had become completely unpredictable, like a madwoman. They could not afford to take chances.
Surrounded and protected, despite the pain in her body, Ye Chuxue felt a strange warmth bloom in her chest.
As if she had already won.
She even cast a provoking look at Song Wanníng, as though to say, go ahead, lose your mind. It won't matter.
"No matter what you do, everyone is on my side.
You are nothing but a loser."
Song Wanníng met her gaze and smiled, her eyes crescenting.
In the blink of an eye, she raised her hand and blasted the group away with a sweeping wave. The next moment, she appeared at Ye Chuxue's side. Before the terrified girl could react, a palm came crashing down.
"No!"
The crowd cried out in shock, all charging at her at once.
The disciples turned pale, scattering backward in fright, too terrified to come close.