The system had no way to fight head-on within the cramped, digital confines of its own core; it could only run. It darted through the shifting shadows of the internal mechanism, but Song Wanníng clung to it like a leech, impossible to shake off. Every time her golden form caught up to the flickering light, the system did not just get shocked by the violet sparks of the thunder power; it also got bitten by her Primordial Soul, her spiritual essence tearing away chunks of its flickering data. Soon, the system's energy dropped even lower, pulsing weakly like a dying ember, almost to the point it could barely hold itself together.
It went berserk, darting left and right in jagged, desperate motions that left trails of static in the air, but no matter what it did, it could not escape the divine thunder that saturated the space. This was the natural suppression of thunder against Primordial Souls. Even a complex entity like the system could not avoid the fundamental laws of soul-fire and lightning. On top of that, the thunder carried the heavy, ancient will of the Heavenly Dao itself, leaving the system completely powerless as the weight of this world's authority crushed its foreign logic.
Finally, after being devoured over and over until its form was nothing but a translucent thread, the system's energy was exhausted. With one last, garbled curse that echoed through the shell, it vanished entirely, fully consumed by her.
The moment she devoured the core consciousness, her Primordial Soul suddenly grew stronger, radiating a brilliance that filled the metallic shell. All the energy that had disappeared during her long battles returned instantly, transforming into a massive surge that filled her entire body with a warmth that bordered on pain.
She flinched slightly, her shoulders tensing as her soul returned to its proper place within her sea of consciousness. The next moment, that stolen energy began raging through her meridians and acupoints, filling every channel until they hummed with power.
A crisp sound, like the snapping of fine jade, echoed through the quiet cave. The barrier in her dantian shattered under the pressure. In an instant, countless streams of spiritual energy surged in from the surrounding formations she had laid, drawn into the whirlpool of her core. Song Wanníng quickly sat down on the cold stone floor and absorbed every bit of it, her breathing deep and rhythmic as she drew it all into herself.
The little ones stood around her dutifully, their small forms casting long shadows against the cave walls. Their eyes were sparkling with a mix of awe and anxiety as they watched the light show.
"Is Sister advancing?" Xiao Jin asked, his voice a hushed whisper. He was excited to see her power grow, but he was also worried, his hands clenching into small fists at his sides.
"The faster she advances, the more uneasy I feel," another added, their gaze fixed on the swirling energy.
"I keep thinking she is leveling up so quickly to prepare for the Mùsù star system invasion," Xiao Jin murmured, looking down at the ground.
The ultimate battle between the two worlds would be unimaginably dangerous, a collision of entire civilizations. The stronger she became, the more responsibility she would have to bear when the sky eventually broke. Chances are, she would be on the frontlines, facing the brunt of the invading forces. The danger was obvious to everyone present. Thinking of this, Xiao Jin could not feel happy at all, only a heavy sense of worry that settled in his chest.
The others were equally anxious. They had seen her journey most clearly, through every trial and narrow escape. Though she advanced fast, she faced far more danger than anyone else in the cultivation world. One slip during these high-speed breakthroughs and she could die, her soul dissipating into the void. Surviving until now had been no small feat of luck and iron will.
But advising her to slow down? No. They knew that was not an option. If the world fell into chaos, Sister, as their protector and the one who held the most knowledge of the enemy, would fall with it. There was only one path now, a relentless climb toward the peak with no other choice. They just hoped she would be a little luckier, a little stronger, and could survive the coming clash of the two realms when the Mùsù stars aligned against them.
When the spiritual energy finally dissipated, leaving the cave air crisp and cold, Song Wanníng successfully crossed a major stage, breaking into early Dixian. If anyone else in the sect saw this speed, they would drop their jaws in shock at such a monstrous talent. But she stayed calm, her heartbeat slowing to a steady thrum. She knew exactly the price she had paid and the risks she had taken to reach this height.
She glanced down at the system in her hand. The glow was gone, and the internal consciousness was silent. All that remained was a single fragment of the core, a piece of dark, resilient metal that hummed with a strange frequency. It would make good forging material, perhaps the best she had ever seen. Her eyes shifted, thinking of her sword resting at her side.
She hadn't reforged it in a long time, and the blade felt insufficient for the battles ahead. It was just an ordinary sword for now, a tool for a lower-realm cultivator, but with this material, maybe it could become a treasure of the Immortal Realm. After all, this material was incredibly sturdy, designed to survive the vacuum of space and the passage of eons.
Song Wanníng's lips curved in a sly smile, a rare moment of dark humor. If the Mùsù star system knew it had sent her a gift that would soon be used to cut down its own agents, would they be furious? A trace of mischief flashed in her eyes as she stood up, brushed the dust from her robes, and left the cave.
The heavenly tribulation began to gather the moment she appeared under the open sky. Dark clouds swirled overhead, turning the afternoon into a bruised purple twilight. She did not feel nervous this time. Watching the tribulation now felt familiar, almost friendly, nothing like the suffocating tension she had felt when she was in the lower realms.
Sure enough, the tribulation, though seemingly fierce with its jagged bolts of lightning, became nourishment for the divine thunder seed within her. The electricity did not burn her; it flowed through her like water, strengthening her foundation. Not a scratch came to her skin. The thunderous booms sounded almost like fireworks celebrating her ascent to the Dixian realm.
She laughed to herself as the last of the clouds dispersed. The tribulation passed quickly, leaving the air smelling of ozone. She chose to leave the mountain immediately, intending first to meet up with her clone to consolidate her strength, then report to Mo Yang Xiānzūn about the terrifying truth of the Mùsù star system.
She also needed to check the progress of the matter with the sects. The attitude of other top cultivators was crucial; if they were not prepared to fight as one, the Mùsù star system invasion would be deadly for every living soul. The sects would also need to distribute resources to raise their disciples' cultivation as quickly as possible.
The higher their cultivation, the higher their chance of survival when the sky began to fall. The Mùsù star system was already doomed in its own way, a dying world looking for a new home. Any final invasion would be desperate and insane. Song Wanníng didn't even want to imagine how crazy it would be when an entire star system's worth of refugees and warriors descended.
Especially after seeing the system's memories, her worry only deepened. The scale of their technology was something she could not fully grasp. After meeting her clone in a secluded valley, she immediately used a transmission talisman to inform Mo Yang Xiānzūn.
"You mean… there are four more of these systems?" Mo Yang Xiānzūn's voice crackled through the spiritual connection, and his expression darkened even through the shimmering projection. They had been lying low for so long, hiding in the shadows of the cultivation world. Who knew how far-reaching the effects were?
"Yes, but those are not procreation systems, so maybe it is not as bad as the Yao clan situation," Song Wanníng said. She sounded uncertain, her fingers tracing the hilt of her sword. A procreation system was a long-term threat that passed down generation after generation, slowly diluting the world's bloodlines.
If a genius popped up under its influence, it would be dangerous. Still, even the other systems were powerful in their own right, granting their hosts unnatural advantages. Even without offspring, their hosts might hold extraordinary positions within the Great Sects.
"I worry some of the higher-ups could already be system carriers," she continued, her voice dropping. "If our plan is exposed before we are ready…"
These invasions happened so long ago that the hosts could have already risen to top positions of power. Mo Yang Xiānzūn was silent for a moment, his image flickering in the wind. Then he said, "This needs careful planning. I will consult the sect master. We can't move blindly."
"Hopefully it is not that widespread," Song Wanníng added. She nodded to the projection. "It is just my guess. Systems can change hosts if the previous one dies. Maybe it is not that bad."
"Clearing all invaders might be difficult. We need to be ready for internal strife," Mo Yang Xiānzūn replied. If a traitor appeared during the invasion, that would be true danger—a knife in the back while they faced the enemy in the front. "Leave it to me. I will figure out how to investigate the elders without raising suspicion. You just protect yourself!"
Mo Yang Xiānzūn still remembered the awakened invaders who were surely still watching Song Wanníng after her recent exploits. With one visible and one hidden, they could coordinate effectively to eliminate her.
"Got it." Song Wanníng ended the transmission, a flicker of worry crossing her eyes. Mo Yang Xiānzūn was right. Her top priority was self-protection, then finding and exposing as many invaders as possible before they could strike. She looked up at the deep blue sky, which seemed so peaceful despite the coming storm. Every step she took carried meaning now. She trusted the Heavenly Dao would guide her to encounter invaders as she traveled. She would take out as many as she could, one by one.
She suppressed her killing intent, drawing a deep breath to calm her heart, and found another safe cave to stay in for the night. Before resting, she reviewed the system's memories again, playing them back in her mind like a flickering scroll. In them, a group of people in special, sleek clothing designed the system, giving it different functions with cold precision.
They seemed to have powers, operating machines that defied the laws of spirit, but she could not understand their words. It looked like they did not have any cultivation at all. They probably were not cultivators, but something else entirely. The memory ended abruptly, dissolving into static and revealing no further information about the world they came from.