They had expected this moment, but that didn't mean they were willing to accept it. Flushed with anger, the elders of Wentiān Sect continued to argue, voices rising in protest. These Nascent Soul cultivators, once aloof and mysterious, now squabbled like market vendors over table scraps. There was not a trace of immortal grace or Daoist dignity left in them.
To Song Wanníng, it was nothing short of ironic. If word of this scene spread, how many disciples' dreams of ascension would shatter? In the cultivation world, how many still truly sought the Dao?
Most had already lost themselves in the pursuit of wealth and power.
She glanced at the Sect Master. His hollow expression, as though life had drained from him, finally brought her a sliver of satisfaction. Back when he was shielding Gu Qingyuan, he hadn't looked like this.
After a round of so-called "friendly discussion," Wàngshān Sect was granted only five percent of the spoils. The other sects walked away grinning, practically glowing with delight. This redistribution meant they had seized plenty of valuable lands. Even just the tax revenue would allow their sects to flourish. Feeding a large sect demanded staggering resources each year.
Now, a heavy burden had been lifted.
No one tried to hide their joy. No one cared how Wentiān Sect felt about it. Once the divisions were finalized, the sect leaders began taking over Wentiān's former territories. In less than half a day, many cities had changed hands.
The sects departed satisfied.
And Wentiān Sect collapsed.
When the disciples heard the news, they broke down one after another.
"It's over. We've really been demoted to a second-tier sect?"
"No... how could this happen? Everything was fine just yesterday!"
"What happened? What the hell happened?"
Grievances echoed through the sect. No one openly blamed the Sect Master, but the fall had happened under his watch. The resentment was inevitable. When they thought back on his decisions in recent years, their anger only deepened. Behind closed doors, harsh curses were being flung at him.
The Sect Master took the blow hard. He had never imagined this would happen during his tenure. But instead of self-reflection, he pinned the blame on Liu Lanyi for ascending early.
"If she hadn't ascended ahead of time, none of this would've happened! This is all her fault! Now that Wentiān Sect has fallen to this state, how am I supposed to face our late master?"
...
Wentiān Sect's influence was severely diminished. The once-mighty sect faded into silence. The Sect Master, overwhelmed with sorrow, withdrew from public view.
Song Wanníng also went into seclusion, devoting herself to cultivation. She made it clear through action—she intended to restore Wentiān Sect to its former glory.
—
Around the same time, Ye Chuxue finally emerged from her own secluded training. She brought a freshly refined pill to Gu Qingyuan and placed it gently between his lips. The pill quickly took effect. Gu Qingyuan's lashes trembled, then he slowly opened his eyes.
His mind returned.
Ye Chuxue's face lit up with joy. She threw herself forward and hugged him tightly.
"Master! You're finally awake! That's wonderful!"
Her pill had worked at last. She really was a genius in the Dao of alchemy. Hope flared anew in her heart. Her cheeks glowed pink, eyes shining with energy. Gu Qingyuan blushed faintly and gently pushed her away, but before he could speak, a memory surged forth.
In a flash, he coughed up a mouthful of blood.
"Master! Are you alright?!"
Ye Chuxue's joy turned to panic. She stared at him, distraught.
Gu Qingyuan shook his head, his expression dark. "I'm fine."
Lu Xingyao had beaten him.
And in that humiliating, undeniable way.
He had lost completely.
Clutching his chest, Gu Qingyuan's heart pounded erratically. Fury flickered faintly in his eyes. Both master and disciple were thinking of the duel. Their spirits sank again. There was no room for joy. Gu Qingyuan especially couldn't bear to imagine how Song Wanníng had reacted.
What a disgrace.
"I've grown complacent," he said at last. "Once I recover, I'll enter closed-door cultivation. Chuxue, you should set aside alchemy for now. Focus on strengthening your core. These are dangerous times. Without power, we're nothing. I lost this battle completely." Despite the humiliation and anger, he had begun to recognize how far he had fallen behind.
Ever since taking on a disciple, he had slowly neglected his own cultivation. Without realizing it, he had slipped this far. But if he put his all into catching up, he would surely surpass Song Wanníng and Lu Xingyao soon enough.
...
Desperate to regain his pride, Gu Qingyuan resumed cultivation even before his wounds had fully healed. But the moment he closed his eyes, the scene of the duel came rushing back.
Lu Xingyao's mocking smile, the shocked stares of the crowd, his every sword technique being effortlessly countered...
The memories gnawed at his heart like poison.
He snapped his eyes open, drenched in cold sweat.
"No. I could feel it—a fissure splitting open in my Dao heart. The first whispers of inner demons slithered through the cracks. If I didn't crush them now, my foundation would fracture. Everything I'd built, every step forward... all of it would crumble."
Gu Qingyuan gritted his teeth, eyes shut once more. He forced himself back into stillness.
But the deep lines around his brow showed how far he was from calm.
—
In Wàngshān Sect, Liu Yao and Liu Yiyi stood inside the Sect Master's hall, fists clenched tightly, heads bowed. Their eyes burned with humiliation and rage.
The duel was over, but the consequences still rippled. The damage they had caused had yet to be cleaned up. They had been scolded so viciously that they didn't dare lift their heads.
Finally, Liu Yao couldn't take it anymore. "Sect Master, I didn't do it on purpose! Song Wanníng set me up! I don't know what technique she used, but I couldn't resist it! You have to believe me. I'm not an idiot. You think I would do something so stupid at a time like that?"
His eyes were bloodshot. The scornful looks around him made his fury boil over. And now they were blaming him for the sect losing resources? That was far too heavy a burden to shoulder.
The Sect Master of Wàngshān Sect frowned. Honestly, he didn't think Liu Yao was that much of a fool. Maybe there was truth in his story. But so what?
If he and his sister hadn't provoked Song Wanníng in the first place, none of this would've happened. "What use are your excuses? Do you know how much we lost because of you two?"
His voice trembled with anger. The thought of all those missed gains made him want to beat them both on the spot.
Liu Yiyi flinched at his murderous glare and instinctively took a step back. Her heart festered with hatred for Song Wanníng. She and her brother had always been powerless within the sect. Now, they had been turned into scapegoats, the sinners of Wàngshān Sect.
"Forget it. You can't repay what's been lost. Talking more won't change anything." The Sect Master sighed and closed his eyes. With a wave of his hand, he dismissed them. "Leave. Both of you."
The two of them were still the sect's core talents. No matter how angry he was, he couldn't cripple them. So, he could only accept the outcome and move on.
The siblings left in silence, shoulders slumped. But the damage had been done. No matter where they went, disciples glanced at them sideways. No one dared speak openly, but the judgment in their eyes was painfully clear. Liu Yiyi stormed back to their peak and tore the room apart.
"That vile woman... she dragged us both down with her!"