A token of affection didn't need to be broadcast to the world, yet his so-called feelings were always tangled in ulterior motives.
He clearly had his eyes on the Song clan, but still insisted on playing the part of a man deeply in love. Always acting as if Song Wanníng had made the biggest mistake of her life by letting him go.
Disgusting.
Song Wanníng's gaze flickered coldly. Even if Gu Qingyuan was a pile of dung, Liu Yáo wasn't any better.
Did they think she hadn't noticed the little looks exchanged between the siblings earlier? Obviously scheming something behind her back.
"Heh, what's the meaning of this, Liu Daoyou? Your sister lost. Are you here to fight her battles for her now?" Rather than answering his flattery, Song Wanníng countered with a smile, sharp and sweet.
She had never planned to stand up for Wentian Sect to begin with. This whole situation was a convenient excuse to settle some personal debts. Time to return the favor, nice and warm.
Liu Yáo kept his composure. "Song Daoyou, you misunderstand. Yi Yi's skills were lacking, that's no one's fault but her own. I simply admire your cultivation speed and was hoping to learn a thing or two."
His tone was confident, his posture imposing, and his expression full of calm admiration.
Song Wanníng narrowed her eyes, then looked over at Liu Yáo's sister, who was still limping off the stage. Suddenly, she called out.
"Yi Yi, what's going on? Weren't we just putting on a little show? So why is your brother jumping in too? This was all part of the plan, wasn't it?" Her tone was full of innocent confusion, as if she truly didn't understand what was happening. She made no effort to hide anything, just laid it all bare in front of everyone.
Liu Yiyi froze on the spot, her eyes going wide with disbelief. Her mind blanked with a single thought:
"Is Song Wanníng insane?
Why would she say that out loud?
Was she not embarrassed at all?"
Liu Yiyi was stunned. No normal person would so casually spill the details of a scheme they'd agreed on in private.
But Song Wanníng did exactly that.
The crowd broke into an uproar.
"Wait, what? Elder Song was… acting?"
"They staged the match?"
Disciples of Wentian Sect felt their faces burn.
Just moments ago, they were brimming with pride over how Song Wanníng had defended their honor with her overwhelming display. And now they learned it was all staged?
The elders and sect leaders on the high platform were equally dark-faced. Cold gazes shot toward the cultivators from Wangshan Sect.
"This your idea of loyalty?"
"Must we thank Song Wanníng for exposing this trickery?"
"You'd better give us a proper explanation, Wangshan Sect."
The mocking comments flew like blades. If not for the setting, someone would've already dragged Liu Yiyi up for questioning.
Wangshan Sect's leader forced a smile, his face twitching as he struggled to hold his composure. "Everyone, this must be a misunderstanding. Please, don't jump to conclusions."
"If Yi Yi really did something like colluding with an outsider, we at Wangshan Sect will never tolerate it." He looked ready to cry, throwing Liu Yiyi a glare sharp enough to flay her alive.
How dare she collude with Song Wanníng behind their backs? Not only that, she'd risked the reputation of the entire sect for personal games.
Other cultivators from Wangshan Sect were equally furious, faces red with shame.
She'd thrown them all into the fire. What a joke.
Meanwhile, the Nascent Soul cultivators from Wentian Sect looked equally awkward. Song Wanníng had conspired with an outsider, then turned around and exposed herself. Was she mad?
The sect leader was practically foaming at the mouth, cursing her ten ways from Sunday in his heart. Their already unstable sect was now hanging by a thread.
No one could figure her out.
Song Wanníng let out a soft click of her tongue. "Yi Yi, why aren't you saying anything? Could it be you really were playing me?"
Liu Yiyi said nothing.
"This idiot."
She turned around stiffly, feeling the cold fury of the elders on the platform like a blade at her back. Her scalp tingled, heart thudding.
If it was confirmed that she had colluded with Song Wanníng, she wouldn't just lose her reputation—she'd lose everything.
No chance of glory, no path forward. Just complete disgrace.
Her eyes darted back and forth before she clenched her jaw and decided to deny everything.
Losing Song Wanníng as a friend was better than dragging her sect down with her.
So she forced herself to look shocked and hurt. "Wanníng, how could you say that? When did I ever agree to something like that? How could you falsely accuse me?"
Her eyes shimmered with tears. "I may have lost, but I gave it everything I had…
What you said just now… really disappoints me."
Her gentle appearance only added to her pitiful act. She looked so harmless, so sincere.
Compared to her, Song Wanníng—with her striking beauty and aloof bearing—looked like the villain.
It wasn't hard to guess who people would believe.
Liu Yáo's face darkened. He clearly disapproved of Song Wanníng's actions. After all, they would be family in the future. How could she smear Yi Yi like this?
"Song Daoyou, I think you've gone too far. No matter how close you are with Yi Yi, a public challenge is not something to make a joke of." With things already escalating, Wangshan Sect was bound to be furious.
Trying to smooth things over, he added, "Let's stop now before things get worse."
His tone was gentle but laced with condescension, as though he were coaxing a wayward lover.
Song Wanníng felt her jaw clench in disgust.
She placed a hand over her heart, gasping dramatically. "Yi Yi, how could you say that? You were the one who asked me to play along. How did this suddenly become my fault?"
Liu Yiyi said nothing, only looked away as tears welled in her eyes.
Murmurs began to ripple through the crowd. Was Song Wanníng really telling the truth?
Had they colluded after all?
As doubt spread, Song Wanníng suddenly pulled out a recording stone.
Liu Yiyi's face went ghostly pale.
"What are you doing?"
"She's insane.
She wouldn't dare—"
Song Wanníng smiled calmly. "I didn't want to use it, but none of you believe me. So I have no choice but to show proof."
The recording stone projected its contents into the air.
Voices rang out clearly. Every word from the earlier conversation was played back for all to hear.
The high platform fell silent.
No one was happy. No one smiled.
Liu Yiyi's blood ran cold. Her heart thumped hard.
"It was over.
Completely over."
Song Wanníng had set her up. She'd agreed to the duel just to bait her. She'd even pulled her punches onstage so it would look more convincing.
Everything had been part of the trap.
Now, how would Wangshan Sect see her?
How would the other sects view her?
They would hate her.
Truly hate her.
Liu Yiyi's eyes turned red with rage. She stared at Song Wanníng, her voice trembling.
"You planned this from the start…
You're evil!"
Song Wanníng tilted her head, lips curling into a smile.
"Why would you say that? I was just so moved by our friendship, I wanted to preserve the memory. You're the one who wronged me. That really hurts, you know." Her voice was soft and cold, each word dipped in frost. But her eyes glinted with mockery, scorn, and undisguised malice.