For the next few days, Qin Ming paid dearly for his moment of "impulse" back then.
At first, he relied on the peak of Void Refinement to endure. He brought out every technique he knew, but Song Wanníng pulled out other tricks of her own and pressed him to the ground, beating him soundly.
A few days later, he raised his cultivation to early Out-of-Body, thinking it would let him last longer. Yet within three days, he lost again. By now, he was truly convinced of Song Wanníng's strength.
He poured his grievances out to Leng Qingzhu. "Junior Sister, I'm really miserable…
When you get back, tell that little ancestor of ours a few good words for me. I'll be going into seclusion to avoid the storm for now." He genuinely didn't want another beating. He could be ruthless, but Song Wanníng was even more ruthless, never holding back in the slightest.
He still remembered the way she'd stared at him, voice low and even. "Martial Uncle, please don't hold back. Fight me fairly."
Fairly?
What fairness could there be against a monster like her?
And besides, he hadn't been holding back at all!
"I just want to focus on my cultivation now. No more slacking…"
For the first time, the usually laid-back Qin Ming felt real pressure.
Leng Qingzhu: "…"
Second Senior Brother had finally figured something out.
"I'll be off now! Remember to tell Wanníng to be careful in the secret realm. And if anyone bullies her… let me know."
With that, Qin Ming darted back into his room.
The moment he left, Song Wanníng arrived.
"Master, where's Second Martial Uncle?"
She strode over, her natural presence now even stronger.
Leng Qingzhu gave her a playful glare. "That's your Martial Uncle."
Song Wanníng caught the hint in her tone and instantly realized there'd be no sparring today. She sheepishly touched her nose.
"I heard from Master that Second Martial Uncle has been slacking in his cultivation."
This was her way of… encouraging him to train.
Leng Qingzhu glared at her again, smiling.
This little disciple was still exactly the same as before.
…
Time flew, and soon it was the day the Lingxi Secret Realm was to open.
Just as Jiang Cen had said, the elder originally assigned to lead the team had urgent business, and the task had been given to Liu Xingzhi instead.
The Lingxi Secret Realm only allowed Void Refinement cultivators to enter. Aside from Gu Han Sect, each of the other four sects would also send a hundred disciples.
Every time the Lingxi Secret Realm opened, many died inside, yet people still flocked to it without hesitation.
By the time Song Wanníng arrived at the square, most people were already gathered.
"Senior Sister Song, over here!"
Xu Mingyu was the first to call out to her. Although he had once been soundly defeated by her, after she began challenging stronger and stronger opponents, he had developed genuine respect for her. He had even started calling her "Senior Sister" on his own.
His voice drew the attention of many, and more heads turned toward Song Wanníng.
Standing beside Liu Xingzhi, Jiang Cen's expression darkened slightly the moment she saw Song Wanníng.
Zhang Shuning, on the other hand, offered her a small smile and a polite nod.
Song Wanníng nodded back, then greeted Liu Xingzhi directly.
"Martial Uncle Liu."
Liu Xingzhi glanced at the nephew-disciple he had once brought back himself, having heard a few stories of her "deeds."
But when he noticed she was already at mid Void Refinement, his gaze paused.
Such rapid advancement?
Hadn't she only ascended not long ago?
She was clearly a promising seedling.
He gave a light "Mm," then returned to his cold demeanor.
But even that brief sound of acknowledgment set Jiang Cen's nerves on edge.
Liu Xingzhi actually responded to her?
Why?
He barely paid attention to Jiang Cen herself, and yet here he was answering a mere ascender!
Another disciple exclaimed, "Senior Sister Song, you advanced again?"
A rustle of surprise swept through the crowd as everyone turned to look. When they confirmed it was true, shock spread across every face.
"Just luck," Song Wanníng replied briefly, then chose a spot on her own to wait for departure.
"Damn it, how did that bitch advance again?
No wonder Liu Xingzhi treats her differently. What if he actually takes a liking to her?
I'm clearly the most outstanding one here. Where the hell did this woman come from? She's not even in the original storyline…
This time in the secret realm, I have to get rid of her. I just know she's going to ruin things for me!"
Jiang Cen's inner voice echoed nonstop in her mind, and Song Wanníng frowned.
So noisy.
This woman was almost laughable—seeing every other woman as a romantic rival. What was she going to do, wipe out every outstanding female who appeared?
Song Wanníng's gaze cooled. This trip to the secret realm, she would have to teach Jiang Cen a lesson. She just had to be discreet. Jiang Cen had a father in the Unity stage, not someone she could shake yet. She would have to take it step by step.
…
Half an hour later, all the disciples were present.
Liu Xingzhi summoned the spirit boat, and the disciples naturally lined up to board.
Guhan Sect valued strength above all, and the disciples boarded in order of ranking. No one dared to step out of place.
Song Wanníng ranked thirty-first. No one objected.
In fact, several ahead of her treated her quite well now. After all, she had advanced.
Seeing her growing reputation, Jiang Cen's temper flared hotter.
She ranked somewhere in the nineties and blamed everything on her "original" self.
"It's all that useless body's fault. Playing around every day instead of cultivating—what a waste!Infuriating! But after this secret realm, everyone will bow to me. I won't even need my father's help to be respected!"
…
As soon as Song Wanníng stepped onto the spirit boat, she went straight to her room. Jiang Cen's constant mental chatter was unbearable.
Not only was it useless information, it was all vulgar curses and self-indulgent fantasies about her glorious future.
It made her want to plug her own ears.
Once inside, she entered her sea of consciousness.
"Blood Lotus, it's up to you now."
She stared at the Twin Blood Lotus, a glint in her eyes.
Once tainted by the lotus's aura, the mark could be sensed by her at will. Earlier, when she passed Jiang Cen, she had discreetly planted a trace of it on her.
When the secret realm ended, she would retrieve it. Even Jiang Cen's father wouldn't notice anything amiss.
This was a new use she had recently developed for the lotus. Yet her instincts told her the Twin Blood Lotus had far greater potential—she just hadn't had the chance to test it yet.
…
The spirit boat flew for a month and a half before finally slowing to a stop.
The Lingxi Secret Realm lay one hundred and eight thousand miles from Guhan Sect, far enough that the sect dispatched a Divine Soul cultivator to oversee the journey.
That ensured no accidents would claim lives before they even entered the realm.
Now, with everyone arriving safely, the crowd finally relaxed.
The moment Song Wanníng stepped off the boat, she was captivated by the scenery.
Waves of cloud rolled endlessly, strands of golden light spilling from above.
In that dreamlike glow, it seemed as if faint Buddhist chants resonated from the void…
Below, the disciples from the four other sects were already waiting, all of them looking up.