Song Qingyun sat in a daze, as if the world had tilted around him. What he had just heard felt unbelievable.
Song Wanníng smiled gently and placed her hand on his shoulder, guiding him down into a seat.
"No need to be so shocked," she said. "I've been suppressing my cultivation level. No one except you knows that I'm the 'great demon cultivator' from those rumors."
Song Qingyun's eyes snapped to her, his expression sharp. "You little brat, are you even daring to joke with your own father now? Do you have any idea how scared I was? I nearly died from the shock!"
Her cultivation had always progressed smoothly, and her talent was outstanding. But this kind of rapid advancement… it didn't make sense.
Now that she could control demonic qi, his worry surged. "Was my daughter walking down the wrong path?"
But Song Wanníng understood exactly what he was thinking. She reached up to smooth the furrow between his brows.
"Don't worry," she said softly. "I won't draw attention to myself. I won't use demonic qi openly, and I'll make sure no one finds out."
She handed over a glowing beast core.
"Take it, Father. Use it to push through to Divine Transformation."
Then she added, "But once you do, keep it hidden. Don't let anyone know until you're ready to strike. Catch them off guard."
Whoever had targeted them once would try again. That much was certain.
In this life, she hadn't truly fallen to demonic cultivation. They couldn't use that excuse to destroy the Song Clan anymore—but that didn't mean they wouldn't come up with others.
Some cards had to stay hidden.
"Also, don't be stingy with spirit stones or pills. Pour resources into training the younger disciples. That's the only way we'll have a chance to resist what's coming." She had already considered many things.
Song Qingyun chuckled and gave her a playful glare. "You think I wouldn't have thought of that already?"
Ever since they discovered the spirit stone mine, the Song Clan had significantly improved their internal resources and cultivation conditions.
Of course, everything had been kept under wraps. Only those directly involved with the mining operation even knew of its existence.
"But this core… it didn't come easy. You should keep it for yourself," he said.
How could he take something his daughter had risked her life to obtain?
But Song Wanníng was firm. "I advanced too quickly. If I rely on another core, my foundation could become unstable. Leaving it unused would be a waste."
After much persuasion, Song Qingyun finally accepted the demon core. He clenched it tightly, silently swearing to destroy whatever forces were working behind the scenes—to protect his daughter, and to shield the Song Clan from harm.
...
Back at Wentian Sect, Song Wanníng returned to Yunxiao Peak.
The entire way back, her mood had been unshakably good. Especially after seeing Ye Chuxue and Gu Qingyuan caught in an awkward cold war, likely due to the whole Bai Yang situation. The sight was enough to amuse her.
Those two deserved to be chained together, nailed to the pillar of moral disgrace for eternity.
"Master! You're finally back!"
Li Ruo ran toward her, her face lighting up with joy.
Song Wanníng smiled and pulled the little girl into a warm hug. She took the chance to quiz her on the assignments she had left behind.
Li Ruo had completed them all. Her cultivation had even progressed a little. Her talent was average, and so was her luck. Naturally, her pace would be slower than others.
But that didn't bother Song Wanníng. She played with her young disciple for a while before sending her off to rest. Whether Li Ruo could help her or the Song Clan didn't matter. She simply wanted to repay a debt of kindness—giving the girl a place where she could cultivate in peace.
At first, she had considered sending Li Ruo to the Song Clan, but the clan's future was still uncertain. If anything went wrong, the girl would be dragged into it.
Better to keep her close.
As long as Li Ruo focused on her cultivation and stayed out of trouble, even if something happened to Song Wanníng, she'd still be able to live on within Wentian Sect.
Song Wanníng's eyes grew distant as her thoughts drifted. From the peak, she looked down and spotted Bai Yang and Lu Nanfeng repairing the courtyard.
Lu Nanfeng had thought that offering pills would give her a real chance, but unexpectedly, Ye Chuxue had reconnected with Bai Yang again. Frustration was written all over Lu Nanfeng's face.
Song Wanníng's lips curled with quiet amusement.
Since ancient times, heroes had always struggled to resist the allure of beautiful women. If Lu Nanfeng really ended up turning to darkness for love, it wouldn't surprise her.
She would just need to guide it along. Slowly.
...
After returning to the sect, Bai Yang found it impossible to calm his heart enough to cultivate. No matter how hard he tried, one thought wouldn't leave him.
In the end, he made up his mind.
He had to speak with Song Wanníng.
He had to apologize, sincerely, for everything.
He stood now at the threshold of the great hall, heart pounding.
"Master," he called, "I… I need to talk to you."
He looked up, eyes searching.
He had expected silence. Expected the door to remain closed.
But to his surprise, it opened on its own.
Dusk had fallen, and stars scattered across the sky. Their pale light reflected in his wide, hopeful eyes.
He hadn't dared expect this.
Song Wanníng appeared in the doorway, holding a jar of wine in one hand.
"Come," she said. "Let's talk in the back mountain."
"Yes!" he replied instantly.
His chest tightened. Eyes blurred with emotion.
He felt relieved. Wronged. Happy. Anxious.
A storm of feelings tangled in his mind, but above it all was one clear thought—he would follow her.
They found a quiet, open clearing on the back mountain. Song Wanníng motioned for him to gather firewood. The fire was soon crackling. Its light flickered across their faces, warming the night.
Across the flames, Bai Yang looked at his master. Memories flooded back.
When he was little, she would often bring him here. She'd hunt down a spirit beast, roast the meat herself, and listen as he chattered endlessly about his day.
She'd listen to everything, offering guidance and advice.
But if someone bullied him—especially someone stronger—she would step in personally to protect him, no matter the consequences. Because of that, she had made quite a few enemies.
At the time, he hadn't really thought about it. He had grown used to her unconditional care. It was only after he lost it that he realized what it truly meant. And he had been afraid. Looking back now, he felt sick with guilt.
How could he have treated her that way?
"Master," he whispered, eyes reddening, "I'm sorry."
I was wrong about everything. I shouldn't have listened to others. I shouldn't have doubted you, or said those things, or stolen from you. I broke your trust.
I betrayed your kindness, and I know I don't deserve forgiveness. But… please, let me make it right. Just give me a chance to change." His voice trembled with sincerity.
Love was important. But family—what they had—was more than that.
His master had raised and protected him for decades. Ye Chuxue could never compare.
He looked at her, eyes filled with silent hope.
For a moment, Song Wanníng didn't speak.
She felt the heat of his gaze, heard the emotion in his voice.
But inside, a flicker of cold mockery passed through her.
"If an apology could erase everything, then why would regret even exist?"
Still, she didn't show it on her face.
She let her expression soften just slightly, eyes touched with something like emotion, though she didn't immediately respond.
Instead, she reached into her storage ring and pulled out a single egg. Without a word, she handed it to him.
The moment Bai Yang touched it, a strange, heavy ache surged in his chest.