The torrential downpour halted in an instant, as if someone had pressed pause on the world.
A heartbeat later, one after another, crimson lotuses unfurled in the heavens. In the blink of an eye, they had spread across the entire sky. Beneath the darkened firmament, the endless red was so vivid it stabbed into the eyes of all who looked upon it.
The disciples of Guhan Sect lifted their heads, expressions frozen in shock.
Those on Zhuiyun Peak, who stood at the epicenter of the phenomenon, felt the impact most directly. Pupils contracted, their faces carried varying shades of disbelief, yet every one of them was startled beyond words.
"What a strange omen!"
Someone finally voiced the thought on everyone's mind.
Many inwardly agreed. Most peerless prodigies could stir heaven and earth, drawing down visions when they broke through, but those visions were usually auspicious: phoenixes, qilin, even divine beasts.
Yet here, the skies had birthed only one thing—blood-red lotuses.
Unheard of. Unseen.
Qin Ming and the other two knew best what this meant, and even they couldn't help but click their tongues in astonishment.
This Martial Nephew… she seemed… far from ordinary.
The celestial phenomenon lingered for a full three minutes before slowly dispersing. In the next breath, the black clouds dissolved, sunlight spilling once more across the land, as though nothing had happened.
Disciples murmured to one another, each guessing who could have caused such a vision.
No one even thought of Song Wanníng. After all, she had only recently ascended; being able to challenge above her level was already defying the heavens.
On Zhuiyun Peak, once the disturbance settled, the gathered cultivators exchanged glances.
"I wonder if Junior Sister Leng advanced her cultivation. To draw down such a vision, she must have gained something extraordinary."
Someone probed, clearly hoping to gauge what sort of opportunity Leng Qingzhu had obtained—one that could make others envious to the point of greed.
Qin Ming's brow twitched, and he was just about to respond when the sect master spoke first.
"Junior Sister Leng is still in seclusion. Whether she has advanced or not, she will need time to consolidate. Junior Brother Qin and the others likely don't know the details either. Let us return for now, lest we disturb her."
Though he smiled, the smile never reached his eyes.
Private inquiries were one thing, but to press so blatantly in front of so many people… it was shameless.
He would have to warn Leng Qingzhu. Any fortune capable of summoning a phenomenon like this was no trivial matter. The fear was simple—someone might try to kill her for it.
"Heh, Sect Master is right. Let's go."
Several immediately echoed the sect master's words. Being from the same sect as Leng Qingzhu, most had a good relationship with her. Once someone took the lead, even those itching to pry had no excuse to linger.
One by one, they dispersed.
Jiang Cen cast a few more glances toward the courtyard, but seeing no sign of Song Wanníng, she felt a pang of unease.
Still, she reasoned, Song Wanníng had just ascended. The vision must have been Leng Qingzhu's doing. Song Wanníng was likely tucked away somewhere, keeping to herself. Easing her worries, Jiang Cen turned and flew off as well.
Only after everyone had gone did Qin Ming and the others breathe out in relief. They had managed to keep their little Martial Nephew's identity hidden—mission accomplished.
The three returned to the courtyard, only to find Leng Qingzhu standing beneath a tree, gazing toward the house.
"Little Junior Sister, your disciple is truly something. After such a spectacle, you'd better be careful when you go out."
"There's no telling who might covet her."
Opportunities were worth more than life in the cultivation world. People would kill for less.
"I know."
Leng Qingzhu nodded, deeply grateful for her earlier decision. Otherwise, with Song Wanníng's cultivation, countless eyes would be fixed on her already.
She only hoped the girl was well.
The four waited quietly in the courtyard for Song Wanníng to emerge from seclusion. Half an hour later, Song Wanníng finally opened her eyes.
At the instant they opened, a twin-petaled crimson lotus flashed between her brows, vanishing in the next breath. A faint radiance clung to her form, flowing like a quiet stream of light.
Turning her senses inward, she was startled to find her bones transformed into a translucent red, with something faintly flowing within them. In her sea of consciousness, a twin-blood lotus bloomed at the very center, dyeing the space in a scarlet hue.
She exhaled slowly. Her cultivation had already reached the mid-stage of Void Refinement. Everything had happened as naturally as water flowing downhill.
"Sister, this blood lotus is so mysterious… I can't see through it at all."
Long Ling circled the lotus, clearly intrigued. Such a spiritual treasure was now completely her master's.
Song Wanníng's aura tightened as she rose to her feet.
"I don't know its origin either, but it's changed my very constitution. I feel like I'm brimming with strength."
She picked up a piece of refined sand—a material so tough it required long refinement in alchemical fire—then pinched it lightly between her fingers.
It crumbled instantly into ash.
Song Wanníng froze, staring at her hand in disbelief.
Refined sand was used in artifact forging; even with a flame, it took a long time to break it down. Yet she had merely pinched it…
A suspicion bloomed in her mind. She pulled out another forging material, squeezed—
It shattered again.
"Sister, this blood lotus is too overbearing!"
Long Ling's eyes widened in shock before narrowing mischievously. "Why don't you try pinching me too?"
Its wide-eyed cuteness mixed with a sly grin made Song Wanníng laugh despite herself.
Of her three little companions, Xiao Jin was the most talkative and playful, while Long Ling had once been innocent and clueless—until Xiao Jin's influence began to warp her.
Only Shenyou Mystic Flame remained silent, perhaps because she could not yet speak, always calm and quietly attentive.
Song Wanníng liked them all dearly.
She reached out and pinched. The moment she applied a bit of strength, Long Ling yelped in mock agony and wriggled free, staring at her hand in horror.
"Sister, how are you so strong now? Even a body cultivator might lose to you!"
If her master struck someone unprepared, they might well die on the spot.
Song Wanníng glanced at her own fist. Power surged through her; her body felt utterly renewed. Even standing still, she suspected some cultivators might hurt themselves just trying to strike her.
Who would have thought a single lotus could bring such a transformation? Light flared in her eyes—her confidence in the days ahead soared.
In this upcoming secret realm, Jiang Cen would not get her way.
Her gaze shifted to her dantian. Four distinct colors swirled together—clashing yet somehow harmonizing.
She arched a brow. Right now, she wanted nothing more than to fight someone, to see just how far she had come. Still… she was already in the spotlight. Better to keep a low profile and prepare carefully for the secret realm.
After a quick wash to remove the blood, she donned a black robe and stepped toward the door.
The moment she opened it, all eyes in the courtyard turned toward her.
A breeze stirred her skirts.
For a fleeting moment, they thought they saw not a woman, but an unsheathed sword of unparalleled sharpness.