Since Master asked such a question, Song Wanníng guessed she must not have met Martial Uncle Liu Lanyi. She lifted her head and looked straight into Leng Qingzhu's eyes. Her voice was firm, each word deliberate.
"Gu Qingyuan fell in love with his own disciple. For her sake, he was willing to betray the sect… and even harm me. In the end, he died by my hand."
Song Wanníng fixed her gaze on her Master's expression, unwilling to see any hint of disappointment there.
Leng Qingzhu froze at the news.
By the time Ye Chuxue entered the sect, Leng Qingzhu had already ascended.
But Gu Qingyuan… he was a disciple she had personally raised from childhood, one she had guided with great care and effort.
Now to hear he had died—killed by her own little disciple—how could she not be shocked?
Yet when she saw the tension in Song Wanníng's expression, her heart softened. She let out a long sigh. "If he was willing to give up everything, then no one else can be blamed. It's he who wronged you…"
Leng Qingzhu pulled her little disciple into her arms, gently patting Song Wanníng's back in silent comfort.
The words soothed Song Wanníng, but they soothed her own heart as well.
If Gu Qingyuan had truly fallen for his own disciple, then even if he had lived, she would have personally cast him out of the sect. A disciple like that… better lost than kept.
The girl in her arms might seem bright and bold on the surface, but inside she was sensitive and delicate. Gu Qingyuan must have wounded her deeply.
Leng Qingzhu blamed herself for knowing nothing while her little disciple faced such pain alone.
Wrapped in that warm embrace, Song Wanníng felt a quiet joy. Her Master was not disappointed in her. As always, she loved her and protected her.
That was enough.
She lingered in that warmth for a moment longer before sitting up straight and changing the subject.
"Martial Uncle has long since ascended. Has Master ever met her?"
It had been years since Liu Lanyi's ascension, yet there had been no news at all. Song Wanníng could not help wondering if she had met with danger.
Leng Qingzhu's expression grew solemn. "I once heard the sect master mention it. Back when you asked him to deliver something to us, he made inquiries about Lanyi's whereabouts.
But until now, I have never been able to contact her. The Spirit Realm is vast and filled with countless places. Meeting her will take effort and luck."
Leng Qingzhu was not a well-known figure in the Spirit Realm, and she had only joined Guhan Sect the year before. Liu Lanyi would not have known where she had settled.
They had likely missed each other by chance, never crossing paths.
"But your Martial Uncle is a cautious woman. She should be fine. You need not worry."
Her tone shifted. "As for you… I hear you challenged the Bai Mu Rankings as soon as you arrived. Now you're one of the sect's hottest topics."
A faint teasing lilt slipped into the air between them.
Song Wanníng laughed, her expression even more radiant and spirited. "Master, you know I've always been high-profile. I could never learn to keep my head down."
Even without the Song family's foundation, she refused to bow and scrape. All she cared about was improving her strength and climbing higher. The ambition in her eyes was plain for all to see. Leng Qingzhu gave a helpless laugh and shook her head.
"You little girl… not afraid of making too many enemies, are you? You've only just arrived. I'll tell you about the current state of Guhan Sect."
Her expression turned serious. With a flick of her hand, she cast a restriction around them before speaking quietly. "Guhan Sect is one of the five great sects of the Southern Domain, but there is no complete peace within its walls.
There are three Grand Elders. Jiang Wentian, Unity mid-stage. Ruan Mingyue, Unity late-stage. And my own Master, your Grandmaster, Song Jue—also a Unity late-stage cultivator.
With the three Grand Elders at the top, the people below are split into factions, each unwilling to yield to the others…"
Leng Qingzhu gave Song Wanníng a brief outline of the key figures. Though internal conflicts were constant, the competition often brought more benefit than harm, pushing disciples to train harder. And when it came to facing outsiders, the sect always stood united.
Thus the relationship between the three factions was delicate but stable.
By taking Song Jue as her Master, Leng Qingzhu naturally stood in her faction's camp, and now Song Wanníng did as well. At least, that was what everyone would assume.
"I see. No wonder there were rumors about me as soon as I entered the sect…"
So it was the work of the other two factions. She had not expected that her forceful debut would end up strengthening her own position instead.
"All the same, be cautious in the future. Especially in the secret realms…"
Leng Qingzhu let the matter drop there.
They chatted a little longer. When she learned Song Wanníng had already fought her way up to thirtieth place, Leng Qingzhu fell briefly silent. Her little disciple's momentum was unstoppable. Sooner or later, she would surpass her.
Rather than feel jealousy, Leng Qingzhu felt only pride.
A disciple need not be inferior to her Master, and a Master need not always outshine her disciple.
She had the heart to accept it.
"I understand, Master."
Song Wanníng nodded, then asked about the mountain known as Zhuixun Peak.
"Rest easy living here. Your Senior Uncles are all straightforward, lively sorts. They'll be happy to see you. Some are away at the moment, some still on their way back. I'll introduce you when they return."
Leng Qingzhu pointed toward an empty space near the gate. "If you don't like this place, you can always build your own residence. As for your Grandmaster, he's currently in seclusion, so we won't disturb him for now."
Her fellow disciples had never taken on students of their own. When they met Song Wanníng, they would surely welcome her warmly.
"Good. In that case, I won't be polite about it."
Song Wanníng grinned. She preferred having her own private space—it made everything easier.
But she had something more pressing on her mind. She caught Leng Qingzhu's sleeve and said, "Master, I have a treasure that needs refining, but it might cause unusual phenomena…"
She had avoided using it for fear of drawing attention.
Now that her Master had returned, perhaps the time was right.
Leng Qingzhu considered for a moment. "Refine it without worry. If there is an anomaly, I will handle it."
She herself had just returned from the secret realm. Even if an anomaly occurred, others would simply assume she had obtained some fortuitous encounter.
"Good. With Master here, I have nothing to fear."
At last, Song Wanníng felt she belonged. Her heart settled completely.
With Leng Qingzhu watching over her, she wasted no time and went into the training room.
Leng Qingzhu activated the mountain's grand protective formation, wrapping Zhuixun Peak in layers of defense.
…
At the Guhan Sect battle platform, disciples had been waiting so long that their necks were sore, yet there was still no sign of Song Wanníng. The prodigy ranked thirtieth had arrived early, but she too waited in vain, a flicker of puzzlement passing over her refined features.
"Why hasn't Senior Sister Song Wanníng come today? I was looking forward to seeing her win!"
"Exactly. She's here every day. Did something delay her?"
"What? I came back to the sect today just to watch. Don't tell me I'm out of luck!"
"Sigh… I've gotten used to coming here every day. If Senior Sister Song doesn't show up, I feel restless all day!"