In the end, everyone else was just cannon fodder meant to make them look good. Song Wanníng lowered her gaze, fingers lightly rubbing together in thought. The Song clan would undoubtedly be involved in the effort to suppress the beast tide.
After all, ordinary cultivators, along with the smaller families and sects, had always paid their dues for one reason: to be protected when disaster struck.
This was their duty.
And also their responsibility.
As a human cultivator, Song Wanníng had no intention of standing by and doing nothing. Her lashes lowered, but the moment silence fell over the crowd, she raised her eyes and spoke first. "Sect Master, I am willing to lead disciples to aid in suppressing the beast tide."
Everyone turned to look at her.
The Second Elder followed, voicing his support. "I'll go as well."
One after another, several other Nascent Soul cultivators also stepped forward to volunteer. The sect needed defenders too. Not everyone could leave, but if they could have, more would have chosen to go.
Gu Qingyuan gave a soft cough, then added, "I will go too."
"Sect Brother Gu, your wounds haven't healed yet. Best not to take the risk," the Sect Master said with a deep frown, trying to dissuade him.
Right now, they couldn't afford to lose anyone from Wentiān Sect.
But Gu Qingyuan shook his head firmly. "I must go."
His cultivation heart had been shaken. If he didn't find a way to overcome it, it would fester. Battling in the beast tide might be the breakthrough he needed.
The Sect Master sighed, then finally gave in. "Very well. Since you've made up your minds, I won't stop you."
He looked at the crowd and solemnly declared, "Wentiān Sect will dispatch forces. Those who wish to volunteer, step forward. If the numbers fall short, the sect will draw lots. Anyone chosen must go. No one is allowed to refuse."
"Yes, Sect Master!"
…
By the next day, everyone was preparing to set out.
Inside the Song Clan's council hall, Song Qingyun stood with furrowed brows, his face grim. Although Wanníng had already sent word ahead to warn of the coming beast tide, now that the day had arrived, his heart still felt heavy.
One misstep could cost the Song clan nearly three hundred direct disciples—not just branch members, but the core bloodline. That would sever the very roots of the clan's future. Who was behind this?
Ye Chuxue and Bai Yang certainly didn't have the power to orchestrate something like this. Someone else was lurking behind the scenes.
Song Qingyun's eyes were solemn, weighed with suspicion. But the beast tide could not go unanswered.
Looking at the elders, all brimming with fighting spirit, he said gravely, "The stronger our Song clan becomes, the more enemies begin to circle. Someone will surely take advantage of the chaos during the beast tide to strike from the shadows. We must be ready. Even if it costs me this old life, I will protect our disciples."
In any war, casualties were inevitable, but he was determined to protect as many as he could. The elders' expressions turned serious. Since the Patriarch was speaking so directly, he had likely caught wind of something.
"Don't worry, Patriarch. If anyone dares to touch our disciples, I'll tear them apart!"
"Damn right! We'll fight them to the end!"
"They're just jealous of our rise. Cowards using dirty tricks because they can't win fairly!"
The room echoed with shared fury. The Song clan had clawed its way to power—why should others have a claim to what they earned?
Song Qingyun looked at them with pride.
Unity was their greatest strength.
Let's see who dared to strike from the shadows.
…
The beast tide had erupted. The border was in crisis. The defenders were barely holding on. Sects and families across the realm began deploying their forces without delay.
Though the Wentiān Sect Master should have stayed behind to guard the sect, recent scandals had eroded his image and shaken the disciples' trust. So he entrusted the sect's internal affairs to the Seventh Elder and personally led disciples to the front lines.
A massive spirit vessel carried more than five hundred people, ranging from late Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, and even Nascent Soul.
Everyone knew what this mission meant. It could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to rise—or a one-way trip. Even aboard the vessel, no one was idle. Cultivators sat in meditation, silently preparing for the battles ahead.
In a private room, Lu Nanfeng set a brocade box in front of Ye Chuxue. His eyes were gentle, his voice soft with hope. "Junior Sister Ye, this mission is extremely dangerous. The poison in your body has always been a hidden threat. This box holds a Wandu Pill. It can cure all poisons under heaven. Take it. You'll be safe."
"You…" Ye Chuxue stared at the box in stunned silence. The Wandu Pill was a legendary medicine. She hadn't even managed to refine one herself. How had Lu Nanfeng acquired it?
He noticed her hesitation and quickly explained, "Don't worry. I didn't use any questionable methods to get it. I know you're kind at heart, so I would never do anything that would make you feel uncomfortable."
His eyes betrayed a love he didn't bother to hide, though a trace of insecurity lingered in his gaze. Since his return, he had noticed the rift between Junior Sister Ye and Senior Brother Bai. The two barely spoke, acting more like strangers. He didn't know what had happened, but he couldn't help feeling hopeful. Did this mean he still had a chance?
He never wanted to compete with his Senior Brother—but if Senior Brother had given up, wasn't it right for him to try?
"But…"
Ye Chuxue's expression flickered with hesitation. The poison in her body had long been a ticking time bomb, one that left her anxious and uncertain. The beast tide would be perilous. If she could rid herself of this threat, it would be a huge relief.
But…
She knew how Lu Nanfeng felt. She had just chosen to pretend otherwise. She didn't like him. No matter how kind or generous he was, she simply didn't like him.
Perhaps sensing her discomfort, Lu Nanfeng forced a smile and said gently, "You don't need to feel pressured. Just consider the pill a loan. When you refine one yourself someday, you can repay me. Go on. Take it."
He all but held the box out to her with both hands, as humble as dust.
This time, Ye Chuxue relaxed. Smiling, she said, "Alright. I'll return it with interest once I manage to refine my own." She took the box, opened it, and saw the precious Wandu Pill inside.
The moment she swallowed it, a warm current spread through her body. Every inch of her limbs and meridians was swept by this gentle energy. Hidden wounds healed in an instant.
The venom buried deep in her acupoints slowly began to dissolve. Her pale complexion turned rosy with vibrant life. In mere moments, she felt clear-headed and light, as if a burden had lifted.
"The poison… it's really gone!" she said in delight. At that very moment, in another part of the vessel, Song Wanníng's eyes snapped open from meditation.
She had sensed it. The poison she'd implanted in Ye Chuxue was gone. And with it, the spiritual link she had been using to track her. Her gaze turned sharp, sweeping toward the room. When she saw Lu Nanfeng inside, her expression darkened.
"So that was it."
The one she had overlooked—the "honest and dependable" Lu Nanfeng—had been working behind her back. He'd gone down the mountain for his beloved, searching for a cure?
Song Wanníng gave a mirthless laugh.
"This disloyal fool… He really thought I would let that slide?"