"The waters are already muddied. We at Wangshan Sect should get involved too, don't you think?"
"Hahaha, come on, let's go have a look!"
"…"
Disciples from five sects and four clans began heading toward Wentian Sect.
Last time, it had been a tournament for young talents. This time, however, it was the Nascent Soul cultivators—the pillars of their respective sects—who stepped onto the stage.
With Wentian Sect's Divine Transformation ancestor refusing to show himself, no one was willing to wait any longer.
Now that Myriad Sword Sect had fired the first shot, the others had no intention of falling behind. The sooner they forced the Divine Transformation ancestor to appear, the sooner they could split up Wentian Sect's resources.
Unlike the others, who acted like they had chicken blood in their veins, the elders of Myriad Sword Sect were currently glaring at Lu Xingyao.
"Are you saying you challenged Gu Qingyuan just because you found him annoying?"
The Myriad Sword Sect Master nearly fainted from rage.
If Wentian Sect truly fell, that was one thing. But if this all turned out to be a false alarm, Myriad Sword Sect would bear the brunt of their retaliation. They would be the first to be publicly condemned by Wentian Sect.
And when that happened, guess who would have to face the fallout?
While the one responsible would still be lounging in the sect without a care in the world.
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became.
But Lu Xingyao was the prized jewel of Myriad Sword Sect. He couldn't be scolded, let alone punished. They could only continue to spoil him.
"Apologies, Sect Master. I... didn't think it through at the time." When he issued the challenge, he had no idea what kind of storm he was stirring up. Only after returning and hearing everyone analyze the situation did he realize how enormous a mess he had made.
Still, he didn't regret it.
He just couldn't stop wondering—had Song Wanníng already anticipated all these consequences?
Did she plan it from the beginning, or…
"Enough. What's done is done. There's no changing it now. All those old fossils are already on their way to Wentian Sect. It won't be long before we see how this ends."
"And when the time comes, we of Myriad Sword Sect deserve the biggest share. After all, we took the lead," the Sect Master added, his thoughts shifting in an instant. He and the other elders immediately began discussing which territories were the most resource-rich and which cities had the highest tax revenue.
Lu Xingyao stood speechless.
He slung his sword over his back and stepped out of the Sect Master's Hall. After a moment of hesitation, he took out a voice-transmission talisman and sent it to Song Wanníng.
It was a bit embarrassing. After secretly harboring feelings for Song Wanníng for nearly a century, he had only just managed to get his hands on one of her transmission talismans not long ago…
He held it for a moment, then released it. The talisman flew toward Wentian Sect.
If Song Wanníng needed help, he would not hesitate to come to her side.
And if he had caused her trouble, he was willing to make up for it.
"Master, Master, was that Senior Uncle Lu just now?"
Li Ruo's eyes lit up as she heard the familiar voice and lifted her head with excitement.
"Why are you so excited?" Song Wanníng raised an eyebrow, teasing her on purpose. "You're still just a little girl. Don't tell me you've already fallen for someone?"
Li Ruo turned beet red on the spot, her face glowing like fire.
"Master, I… I haven't! I just think Senior Uncle Lu treats you well... way better than Senior Uncle Gu ever did..."
She was just a kid. Her master really knew how to overthink.
Song Wanníng gave her a look, then knocked gently on her forehead and smiled in exasperation.
"Seems I haven't given you enough tasks lately. You still have time to worry about my affairs?"
She crouched down to look Li Ruo in the eye. Seeing the innocence there, she sighed softly.
"Li Ruo, in this life, emotions and desires are inevitable. But remember this—always put yourself first. Feel everything with your own heart. Don't judge someone better just because they look good next to garbage."
Just because Lu Xingyao was kinder than Gu Qingyuan didn't mean he was someone to entrust her life to.
That kind of thinking was dangerous.
Song Wanníng had long since sealed off her heart, but she wouldn't impose her own choices on Li Ruo.
Everyone had their own fate.
"But never forget, the person you rely on the most should always be yourself. Even your master can't protect you forever."
Li Ruo furrowed her brows and nodded seriously.
She might not fully understand, but she memorized every word. One day, she would.
Her confused expression made Song Wanníng chuckle.
Hopefully, this little girl wouldn't walk the same path she had.
Wentian Sect was soon in chaos. One group after another arrived with aggressive intent, making the Sect Master and elders feel like their heads were splitting.
Their faces drooped every day, as if someone owed them money.
Even the disciples were uneasy. Everyone could tell that the sect was in serious trouble. Those with slightly higher status knew the situation even more clearly, and anxiety spread like wildfire.
Only Song Wanníng and her disciple seemed completely at ease, living peacefully day by day.
It didn't take long for all the sects and clans to gather once more at Wentian Sect. Although only a short time had passed since their last meeting, the atmosphere now was completely different.
Especially when they started proposing challenges to Wentian Sect's elders—the color drained from every face.
"Come on, we all know each other and go way back. There's no need for duels, right?"
The Sect Master cursed them all silently. He wanted nothing more than to drive them out.
"What's the harm? We haven't exchanged moves in years. Just a little warm-up."
"Exactly. I lost to your Fourth Elder years ago. Time to see if I've improved."
"We'll wait in line."
"Us too."
With smiles on their faces, they began assigning match orders as if the sect's agreement didn't matter.
Watching their excitement, the Sect Master's face turned a deep shade of purple.
These people were clearly using the duels as an excuse to force the Divine Transformation elders out into the open.
For a moment, he could already see Wentian Sect's lands being carved up like a roast.
The thought made his heart race with fear.
Then Liu Yiyi of Wangshan Sect suddenly asked, "I heard that Song Wanníng of your sect has reached the peak of Nascent Soul?"
"That level of cultivation makes her one of the strongest among the seven sects and four clans, doesn't it?"
"Oh? Really? That quickly?"
Everyone was stunned.
It hadn't even been that long since her last breakthrough, and now she was already two stages higher?
In an instant, Song Wanníng became the top name on every sect's challenge list.
They all wanted to test her, worried that she might be nearing Divine Transformation—and that would change everything about how Wentian Sect's spoils would be divided.
The Sect Master's face paled, and he glanced silently at Liu Yiyi.
If he remembered right, she had always been on good terms with Song Wanníng.
"Heh, Junior Sister Song has indeed advanced, but it was very recent. Her foundation is still unstable. She's not in any condition to accept challenges for now."
This wasn't like Lu Xingyao's single duel.
These people weren't here for friendly matches. They were here to pressure and bleed the sect dry. Even if he put Song Wanníng forward, it would do nothing to stop them.
On the contrary, she was the one closest to advancing to Divine Transformation. They couldn't afford anything happening to her now.
But the others weren't having it.
"Come now, Sect Master, that's just being modest. We're only planning a few casual bouts. It might even help stabilize her foundation. Wouldn't that be killing two birds with one stone?"
They didn't even bother hiding their intent anymore.
The Sect Master's face kept changing, anger boiling beneath the surface.
These people had gone too far.
"Alright, alright, let's get things organized. Who wants to go first?"
"To keep things fair, how about we draw lots?"
"Agreed!"