While Song Wanníng continued her endless search, a major event unfolded outside.
A Monster appeared in the cultivation world, moving unpredictably and abducting many cultivators. From Foundation Establishment disciples to ordinary mortals with no cultivation, countless people vanished without a trace.
At first, everyone thought it was coincidence. Then one day, a cultivator happened to encounter the Monster and the news spread quickly.
Song Qingyun immediately contacted that cultivator. After learning the location, he personally went to search, but the Monster was too clever and had already slipped away. He returned empty-handed but decided to inform other families and sects.
As long as the Monster remained, disciples would never have peace.
Soon, the Monster's news was everywhere. All sects and clans issued bounty orders, promising rewards to any disciple who provided useful information.
The great sects and families took the threat seriously, while loose cultivators grew even more uneasy.
Even powerful forces remained on high alert. The Monster was definitely no ordinary foe.
For powerless, unsupported loose cultivators, the danger was greatest.
People flocked into cities, unwilling to stay outside alone. The cities became lively, with guards constantly coming and going.
At the He family, He Xiao returned exhausted from a distant place and went straight to the Patriarch's study. "What's the situation?" the Patriarch asked with a frown.
He Xiao shook his head seriously. "The Song family is hiding things deeply. I found no abnormalities. Big Brother, do you really think the Song family discovered the Dragon Vein?"
It was not easy to hide news of a Dragon Vein. Once exploited, its dense spiritual energy would inevitably leak, making concealment difficult.
"I can't be one hundred percent sure, but for the Song family to suddenly spend so lavishly, it's hard not to suspect. Besides, some Dragon Veins have natural formations that make them hard to detect."
The He family Patriarch sighed. With several Divine Transformation cultivators in the Song family, even if He Xiao approached the Dragon Vein, it might have been well concealed.
"Forget it for now. Put this aside and get some rest."
The Patriarch felt tired. Since the rise of the Song family, the He family had no smooth business.
Now the Wentian Sect was slipping from their control, becoming the Song family's domain, and He family disciples struggled within Wentian Sect.
He Xiao did not leave immediately. His eyes flickered as he asked, "Big Brother, what exactly is this Monster? The city is under lockdown everywhere, it looks serious. Is the Monster really that dangerous?"
The Patriarch nodded calmly. "Yes. Be careful lately and don't let our disciples get taken."
"I understand."
He Xiao stood, turned, and left.
Watching the tense vigilance of his family disciples, a deep meaning flashed in his eyes as he strode away.
...
Time passed quietly.
The Monster's trail remained a mystery, but people continued disappearing. The Monster was elusive and fast. Several Nascent Soul cultivators sent to capture it vanished without result.
The situation unsettled everyone.
Song Wanníng was completely unaware, having stayed underground for half a year.
The Dragon Vein was enormous.
Besides the dragon's head located beneath the Song family's city, the dragon's body and tail stretched outward, likely covering half of human territory.
Eventually, the entire human race would benefit, with the Song family gaining the most because the dragon's head had the densest spiritual energy.
After half a year of searching, Song Wanníng still had not found the sleeping Dragon Spirit.
Even the golden little sword was disheartened.
"Big Sister, do you think this Dragon Vein has no Dragon Spirit? Or maybe the Dragon Spirit has long disappeared?"
The owner's clone and original body searched separately. Six months passed with no clue, the entire Dragon Vein nearly scoured.
"Keep searching, don't rush."
Song Wanníng's mood was low.
But a Dragon Vein was no ordinary thing. Finding the Dragon Spirit would not be easy. She suppressed her impatience, calmed herself, and resumed the search.
Another three months passed.
Suddenly, Song Wanníng opened her tightly shut eyes, her expression changing sharply.
She flew rapidly toward one of the Dragon Vein's claws. At last, she stopped on the fingernail of the dragon's claw. Who would have thought that such a vast Dragon Vein hid its Dragon Spirit in a fingernail?
Song Wanníng's lips twitched. Even a Dragon Spirit needed a place to rest.
She swept her divine sense again.
A glowing white orb curled inside the fingernail. With each breath, the surrounding spiritual energy pulsed rhythmically.
Just seeing it calmed Song Wanníng's anxious and restless heart. It was like a refreshing breeze gently soothing her soul. A smile curved her lips as she stood on the fingernail, bowing her head slightly.
She took a few items from her storage ring.
An ordinary spirit pearl, a box of cinnabar, and three incense sticks.
Sitting cross-legged, she placed the items in front of her.
After respectfully burning incense and cleansing her hands, she began preparing to awaken the Dragon Spirit.
In her sea of consciousness, the classic's incantation appeared clearly. She exhaled a breath of stale air and closed her eyes, silently reciting the incantation. The incantation had to be recited forty-nine times. At the last recitation, the spirit pearl suddenly flew up, spinning rapidly around the fingernail.
Snap.
The three incense sticks ignited on their own.
Their red tips flickered, releasing a faint fragrance that drifted with the smoke.
When the final incantation ended, Song Wanníng opened her eyes sharply and reached for the cinnabar. She dipped her finger in the cinnabar, her expression cold and determined.
With swift finger movements, she traced symbols in the air. The gestures were so fast they could not be caught by the naked eye.
The golden little sword and Shenyou Mystic Flame both watched tensely from the side, their eyes glowing.
The symbols radiated a mysterious aura, as if coming from ancient times. They carried a vast, solemn loneliness and deep weariness. At this moment, Song Wanníng was surrounded by a faint, mystical light. She looked like a heavenly deity, awe-inspiring and untouchable.
"Go."
With a soft command, the symbols flew like living creatures toward the fingernail. The spirit pearl found its way, rushing toward the Dragon Spirit.
Song Wanníng opened her eyes and rapidly repeated the incantation, her pace quickening. Just as the spirit pearl was about to touch the Dragon Spirit, something unexpected happened.
Boom.
A tremendous roar came from the sky.
A divine thunderbolt ripped through the heavens, piercing all obstacles to strike deep underground. The fierce lightning engulfed Song Wanníng instantly, giving her no chance to react.
"Puff."
She was thrown to the ground, completely overwhelmed.