"But I've changed my mind. I don't want to make a contract with you anymore."
Song Wanníng flicked her fingers. The divine beast egg was pulled into her hand without resistance.
The egg panicked.
"What did you say? You don't want to contract me? Do you even know what I am? I'm a divine beast! Do you have any idea how powerful I am?!" It was stunned. Completely stunned. All the effort she had put in—the pressure, the threats—wasn't that all just to force it into a contract?
Surely she wasn't actually planning to kill it... right?
Without answering, Song Wanníng gripped the egg tightly and took off, flying toward the distant horizon. She didn't even spare it a glance.
Her thoughts were elsewhere. She didn't have time to waste entertaining the egg's dramatics. Not with the Song family still in danger.
According to her memories from her previous life, the Song family's crisis would erupt near the end of the beast tide. But memories could be unreliable. Fate was fickle. And this time, she couldn't afford to gamble.
Far ahead, a mist-covered stretch of land shimmered faintly with an unknown pull. Even after cultivating for over a century, this was the first time she had ever felt a force like that—something deep, instinctive, calling to her.
Without hesitation, she raced toward it. Her instincts screamed that what she needed was there. And that, perhaps, it was also the place where this divine beast egg truly belonged.
"Hey, are you even listening? I said I'm willing to contract with you! You can use my Shenyou Profound Fire whenever you want! Once I hatch, my power will skyrocket. You'll break through to Divine Transformation in no time!
Did you hear me?!" The egg kept chattering, relentless in its attempts to regain leverage. It still believed it could tempt a human like her. That its offer was irresistible. But the closer they got to the mist, the more that same old fear began to creep back.
"Wait, hey—no jokes, okay? We don't have to go there, right? I was wrong. I admit it, I was totally wrong. Let's just turn around now, alright?
Please. I'm begging you. Don't go there, don't do this… please! What do you even want from me?!"
It had surrendered. It had begged. So what more did she want?
"What do I want?"
Song Wanníng glanced down as she flew.
The egg's shell was solid, hiding whatever was inside. But she imagined it, that trembling little thing trying to sound tough while shaking like a leaf.
Her lips curled upward, faintly.
Pity?
She didn't have that.
A wicked woman had no room for softness.
The more scared it became, the more pleased she was. If she could, she would have peeled it open then and there, ripped it apart piece by piece, and made sure it felt every second.
Her voice was soft, almost idle. "I've just never tasted divine beast egg before. I'm a little curious."
The egg froze.
"W-What did you say?"
Goosebumps. It was like all its fine hairs stood on end.
"I was just messing with you before! Don't take it seriously!
Really! I was just testing you! I wanted to see if you really wanted to form a contract, that's all!"
Panic scrambled its thoughts. The lies tumbled out, one after another.
"From the moment I saw you, I could tell—you're blessed by the heavens! You've got insane luck and talent! I just knew I had to contract with you. Come on, you believe me, right?!"
The mist was getting closer now. Less than a hundred meters away.
The egg's voice rose into a shrill babble.
Song Wanníng smirked.
"Child of Heaven?
This little thing really was good at spinning tales.
So divine beasts feared death after all?"
She had expected more.
In her past life, when her enemies had threatened the Song family, she would have rather self-destructed than let them win. She had been prepared to die with them, consequences be damned.
But this egg?
If it had shown even a sliver of that resolve, she might have spared it a shred of dignity.
Now? She was starting to really crave the taste of divine beast egg.
Her eyes darkened, filled with an unsettling gleam.
They landed just short of the mist.
A crushing pressure descended.
Even Song Wanníng's chest tightened under the weight, but she stood her ground.
The egg, however, didn't fare so well. The moment they got close, a sharp cracking sound rang out.
Crack—
It was faint, barely audible, but to the egg, it was like thunder.
Its shell—its last defense—had split.
"No... No! How could this happen?!"
It cried out in horror. It hadn't even hatched yet. Without its shell, it was as weak as a newborn beast cub. No protection, no strength—completely exposed.
Song Wanníng's gaze narrowed. The golden sword on her shoulder stiffened as well, equally stunned.
They had known this place was dangerous to the egg, but this was just from proximity…
That eggshell was supposed to be tougher than most spiritual artifacts. Practically indestructible.
This mist...
It really might be the resting place of that so-called Demon Lord.
And if that was true, then something else became clear.
That Demon Lord wasn't hostile to her.
He was protecting her.
Yes, protecting.
That was the sense she got, and she trusted her instincts.
Her eyes returned to the egg.
The killing intent in them began to overflow.
The egg jolted violently.
It was over.
It didn't want to die.
"Master! Please! I'm willing to serve! I'll be your servant! No more equal contract!
You'll be the master, I'll be the servant! Just please don't kill me!"
It had never felt so small. So desperate. From the moment it gained self-awareness, it had always been proud. Noble. Now, it had nothing left but the desire to live.
"Ugh…" Even the golden sword grimaced. "This is a divine beast? Really? Looks more like a common spirit beast to me..."
It clicked its tongue, utterly unimpressed.
It still remembered how arrogant the egg had been not long ago.
"I-I'm not done growing! I still have so many innate abilities that haven't awakened! Once I hatch, I'll be incredibly powerful!
Master, believe me! I'll protect you with everything I've got!" The egg tried its best to sound sincere, pouring out praise and promises.
All it wanted was a chance. Just one.
But Song Wanníng simply looked at it, her expression tinged with mock regret.
She shook her head slowly.
"If only you had said that from the beginning. What a pity."
She wasn't naive.
She wasn't a garbage bin for regretful monsters either.
Divine beast?
She didn't want one anymore.
But… Shenyou Mystic Fire…
Her gaze turned sharp again.
A new idea crept into her thoughts. What if she could extract that ability from the egg?
The moment that thought crossed her mind, a thread of divine sense rippled through her sea of consciousness.
She blinked in surprise.
It was a technique.
A method to strip divine beast bloodlines.
Her eyes shot toward the mist.
"Big Sister… just now, what was that?" the golden sword asked. It had sensed something strange enter her spiritual sea, but it couldn't get close. Couldn't understand it.
"Nothing important."
Song Wanníng's smile deepened.
It was beautiful.
Terrifyingly so.
The egg shivered again.
It began one last desperate round of pleading.
But Song Wanníng had already made up her mind.
Begging would not save it.
And when that realization finally struck, the egg snapped.
"You filthy human! You think killing me will get you anything?!
You'll be begging for mercy when Heavenly Tribulation strikes!
I swear, even if I end up in the deepest pit of hell, I'll make sure you suffer for it!"