Song Wanníng stepped deeper into the wasteland, methodically searching the barren land according to the scenes from memory. Her movements appeared random, chaotic even, but they actually followed a precise and special pattern.
One step, two steps, three steps… then over a thousand steps.
When the ninth circle was finally completed, the lifeless wasteland suddenly erupted with a dazzling white light. A rippling array pattern spread across the ground.
But this formation was unlike any ordinary one. Its aura was strange and unsettling, causing discomfort to anyone who gazed upon it.
Song Wanníng's expression shifted slightly. She took a step back, eyes narrowing as she stared intently at the formation.
This was the result of half of Peng Yu's lifetime of effort: the Nine-Cycle Soul Devouring Formation.
An evil formation.
Ancient records described it as a gruesome, malevolent array.
In Feng Jiuxiao's legacy, Song Wanníng had seen references to this formation, but it was said that not only did it destroy the heart and soul of those trapped inside, it also inflicted great harm on those who set it up.
Because of this, Feng Jiuxiao never provided instructions on how to set it up.
She did not want her disciples to fall into corruption.
Who would have thought that today, in the Secluded Land, she would actually see this infamous evil formation.
From Peng Yu's memories, Song Wanníng learned that when Peng Yu was just a teenager, she had stumbled into a deadly place and received a legacy.
The legacy's owner had recorded that after long years of desperate research, he had reached the end of his lifespan, unable to escape the Secluded Land, and saw his dream die with him. He left behind this formation in the hope that future generations might be lucky enough to escape and ascend.
Peng Yu believed she had found a treasure and rejoiced. She brought it back and studied it every day. Unfortunately, her constitution did not match that of the predecessor. The chance of leaving the Secluded Land through the formation was slim.
So she tried every method to change her constitution, meanwhile painstakingly setting up the formation. To avoid detection, she chose this place and spent hundreds of years arranging the formation.
The setup went smoothly, but altering her constitution repeatedly failed. Desperate, she pinned her hopes on the dual cultivation method.
However, she had no joy for desire. After each session, she suffered bouts of vomiting. Yet for the chance of ascension, she had no choice.
Gradually, her constitution did change, and she was overjoyed to see hope at last. So she devoted greater effort to finding men, even resorting to drugs without hesitation. As long as she achieved her goal, everything was worth it.
Even though everyone in the Secluded Land mocked and cursed her, she did not care. Instead, she secretly laughed at their stupidity.
Once she left here for good, they would be the ones envious.
Peng Yu endured like this until meeting Bai Yang, whose special constitution nearly drove her mad with excitement. Just one last step, and she could fully transform her constitution and leave through the formation. But…
She ultimately fell because of herself.
Song Wanníng's expression remained cold and emotionless.
Victory or defeat, Peng Yu had prepared the wedding dress for her.
Peng Yu originally planned to wait until her constitution was fully changed, then deliberately expose her location to lure the Feng family here.
Once they entered the Nine-Cycle Soul Devouring Formation, escape would be impossible. She could then use their sacrificial power to open a rift and leave this place!
"Ha, the Feng family's secrecy work is pretty good."
Song Wanníng sneered coldly. If Peng Yu knew that the exit she had spent half a lifetime seeking had long been discovered by the Feng family, she might die of anger.
She fixed her gaze on the Nine-Cycle Soul Devouring Formation, her mind racing. She still vividly remembered the ugly schemes of the Feng family elders who planned to wipe out her clan. If she could lure them here to fill the trap, it would be a perfect plan.
But how to gather all of them in one place, and how to divide her attention to search for the method to awaken the Dragon Vein, required careful thought.
Feng Jinchuan was naturally suspicious and still doubted her. She dared not act rashly.
After all, awakening the Dragon Vein was the priority.
Song Wanníng paced a few more circles before carefully concealing the formation again.
The Feng family must pay the price.
...
Leaving the wasteland, Song Wanníng planned to return to the Feng family estate first. Feng Jinchuan had left in a hurry with a troubled expression, so she guessed he might be facing problems.
Now was the chance to visit the library.
She pulled out her flying carpet, filled it with spiritual power, and headed for the Feng family at top speed.
As expected, Feng Jinchuan was not at home.
Knowing opportunity had come, she immediately made her way to the Feng family's library.
The library was deep inside the estate, quiet and seldom visited. Most disciples just copied the selected cultivation techniques to study elsewhere. Few stayed long in the library itself.
Upon entering, she saw a hall at least twenty meters tall, decorated mostly with wood and filled with a unique fragrance.
An elder steward sat at the entrance. He was a Nascent Soul cultivator. When he saw Feng Youming, he immediately came to greet him.
Song Wanníng nodded. "I just suddenly wanted to find something. You don't need to bother with me."
She waved her hand and walked in without waiting for a reply.
The steward respectfully sent her off and returned to his reading, showing no suspicion.
Divine Transformation elders of the clan could enter any floor of the library without restrictions, and the steward had no jurisdiction over them. He only needed to do his job.
The shelves were filled with dazzling books: jade slips, bamboo scrolls, and glowing paper, all different in form but emitting an ancient aura.
These were all relics from ancient times. Since she had come, she had to copy some back.
Song Wanníng immediately released her golden little sword to help select and copy cultivation methods. Meanwhile, she searched with all her effort for any record related to the Dragon Vein.
She flipped through one volume after another, passing many interesting techniques to the golden sword to copy.
Up through the first floor and beyond...
By the end of one short night, relying on her vast divine sense, she had roughly scanned the cultivation methods on all three floors, including travel notes and ancient texts.
The golden sword collected a great haul, but Song Wanníng remained frowning.
Not only had she failed to find the method, she hadn't even seen the words "Dragon Vein" once.
She grew worried. If Feng Jinchuan had taken the relevant materials, it might come down to a desperate struggle to retrieve them.
After a while, she arrived at a bookshelf on the fourth floor. Her eyes brightened. This row contained various records about alchemy: inheritances and many lost pill formulas.
Her gaze fell on a travelogue titled Feng Yue Travelogue.