The moment her Senior Brother was mentioned, Xie Qinglan instantly looked a little wronged.
"I originally entered this place to train with Senior Brother, but out of nowhere, a restriction appeared. By the time I reacted, Senior Brother was completely gone! I don't even know if he's safe now…"
"So much time had passed, yet there was still no news. Could something have happened to him?"
"I see…"
Hearing this, Song Wanníng's brows lifted slightly. This silly girl was still in the dark.
With Xiao Heyun's mastery of the Four Arts, such a minor restriction wouldn't pose a problem. In fact, it was very possible he had done it deliberately…
But for what reason?
To prank Xie Qinglan for fun?
That seemed unlikely.
Could it be a staged rescue, a hero saving the beauty?
A thought struck her, and Song Wanníng's lips curled into a cold smile.
Was that scoundrel intentionally pulling this trick just to make Xie Qinglan fall for him wholeheartedly?
Heh.
Quite the scheme.
Her fists clenched. Men who climbed higher by exploiting others' feelings were the most detestable of all.
Still, she said nothing. Between the three of them, she was clearly the outsider here.
Xie Qinglan would never believe her words.
"Sister, what do you plan to do?"
Any force backing these intruders had to be dismantled.
Song Wanníng thought for a moment, her gaze on Xie Qinglan darkening slightly.
From her earlier observations, Xie Qinglan's feelings for Xiao Heyun were far more admiration than affection. If that was the case, then all she needed to do was chip away at Xiao Heyun's heroic image in every way possible.
Once Xie Qinglan realized that Xiao Heyun was nothing special, everything else would become much easier. When the time came, a few subtle manipulations could do the rest. Having made up her mind, Song Wanníng decided this plan could be carried out slowly.
"Come on, let's find a safer place first."
She led Xie Qinglan away toward another area.
Meanwhile, Xiao Heyun finally regained consciousness. Feeling as if his bones were about to shatter, his face flushed with anger. Not only had he failed to obtain the treasure, he had gotten himself into trouble. Infuriating. Fortunately, he had plenty of pills. After a quick recovery, he began cursing at his system.
The system sounded aggrieved—it couldn't have predicted this either. The two bickered, tempers flaring. Suddenly, Xiao Heyun exclaimed, "No! Junior Sister is still over at the cave!"
He finally remembered his plan and hurried toward the cave without delay. Junior Sister was his Master's precious daughter. If anything happened to her, even Master wouldn't spare him.
He rushed anxiously to the cave.
But upon arrival, he found the crystal marrow completely gone—not a single piece left.
His face turned ashen.
Peering toward the swamp below, there was no sign of Junior Sister.
Even the large net was gone.
"System, did someone cut in again?"
Xiao Heyun's expression darkened. Misfortune after misfortune pressed down on him, sinking his mood to rock bottom.
Since crossing over, he had never been so unlucky.
"It's possible… or maybe Xie Qinglan escaped on her own," the system offered.
"I know her abilities. No way she managed this alone!"
He was certain someone had beaten him here, taking her away and clearing out the crystal marrow as well.
"Damn it, they even took all the crystal marrow! Who's the bastard that did this?!"
Rage clogged his chest, impossible to swallow down.
"Finding her is the priority. If Xie Qinglan falls for someone else, all your efforts will be wasted!"
The system was just as anxious. Fortunately, her affection for him hadn't dropped yet, but if too much time passed… who could say?
Hearing that, Xiao Heyun's aura grew more dangerous. He ground his teeth, took several deep breaths, and forced his anger down. He was about to set out when his foot slipped, stepping on something odd.
Looking down, he saw it was just a pebble.
Glancing at it without much thought, he kicked it aside.
The pebble struck the wall, and the wall rumbled violently, revealing a massive gate.
Xiao Heyun: "…"
…Seriously?
He froze for a moment, then burst into delighted laughter.
"I knew it! I'm the chosen son of the Heavenly Dao. Lose a sesame seed, pick up a watermelon!
This time, let's see who dares steal from me again!"
Pleased with himself, Xiao Heyun strode up to the gate and pushed it open.
Instantly, an overwhelming force sucked him inside.
In the blink of an eye, he stood before a lavish palace.
Gold and jade gleamed everywhere, opulent and mysterious, the very air thick with wealth.
A gleam of pride lit Xiao Heyun's eyes as he stepped inside.
What he didn't know was that the moment the gate opened, the outside world changed.
Above the once-peaceful Cannibal Valley, radiant light erupted, a pillar of brilliance piercing the clouds.
Everyone within hundreds of miles could see it.
"Look! There's an anomaly in the sky—it must mean a treasure is emerging!"
"Yes, hurry! It's in the direction of Cannibal Valley!"
"Move!"
Excited voices rang out as people abandoned everything to rush toward the valley. Nothing mattered more than claiming a newly emerged treasure.
"Senior Brother, should we go?"
Several disciples of Medicine King Sect, still searching for Song Wanníng, paused.
With such a treasure appearing, Song Wanníng was suddenly no longer their top priority.
"Go. How could we miss out on something like this?"
They set off for Cannibal Valley at once.
News of a treasure in Cannibal Valley spread like wildfire, drawing countless cultivators toward it.
Song Wanníng didn't yet know the details, but the sight of that towering beam of light told her trouble was coming.
Such a commotion would inevitably lure Medicine King Sect disciples here, making it harder for her to remain unnoticed.
"Wanníng, that anomaly means a treasure! Let's go see!"
Xie Qinglan's eyes shone with excitement and curiosity. Such grand phenomena were rare—she had only seen them a few times when following her Senior Brother.
"Senior Brother must be there too!!"
She was eager to rush over immediately.
"Yes. He's there," Song Wanníng replied with deliberate weight, the corner of her lips curling coldly.
Exactly like Ye Chuxue.
No wonder she had encountered the Twin Blood Lotus. Perhaps it had originally been meant for Xiao Heyun…
But after she claimed it first, here was yet another fortuitous encounter delivered right to her.
How thoughtful of them.
Still…
Song Wanníng masked the ambition in her eyes. Since she was here, she would not let Xiao Heyun succeed. If she could take Ye Chuxue's luck, she could take Xiao Heyun's as well.