Despite his fear, he could not watch his sister die before his eyes. He had already faced death once before; dying again did not seem quite as terrifying.
As the siblings spoke, the attackers had already closed in.
The surrounding gang leaders hesitated on whether to intervene, but in just a moment, the situation turned drastically.
Song Wanníng, seated in her chair, suddenly raised a hand.
An immense, terrifying pressure swept over the courtyard. In the next instant, the attackers' assaults vanished like smoke, as if a joke had been played on them. Not a ripple stirred.
Wu Mingxu and the others were crushed under this fearsome pressure, unable to lift their heads. They strained to resist, bones creaking under the effort.
Song Wanníng merely lifted her eyelids slightly, and with a thud, all of them dropped to their knees.
Perfectly aligned.
Whoosh—
The entire hall was stunned.
Gang leader Song and the others were all Unity cultivators. How could Song Wanníng, merely an Out-of-Body cultivator, achieve this?
Impossible.
Everyone's perception was shaken. Even Wu Rouyun, prepared for a desperate resistance, was dumbfounded.
Only Wu Yaozu, witnessing the familiar scene, felt a deep sense of intimacy.
"I had intended to let you live a few more days, but you insist on repeatedly disturbing me."
Song Wanníng stood slowly. With every step she took, the kneeling men felt the pressure grow heavier. Their faces reddened, veins bulging across their bodies. They could not even lift their eyes to look at her, hearts torn by fear.
Wu Mingxu trembled violently. He had only wanted to deal with Song Wanníng, not risk losing his life. He tried to access his life-saving tools, but could not move; even his storage ring refused to open. At that moment, he knew it was over.
Beside him, Fang Lan's face was pale. Her eyes darted as she pleaded, "Dàrén, it is our blindness. Please show mercy!
Senior Brother Wu is the most valued disciple of our Ancestor. If he is killed, our Ancestor will surely be enraged…" Her words appeared to beg, but in truth, she was attempting to provoke Song Wanníng into acting.
Song Wanníng glanced at her. Even now, she was scheming against Wu Mingxu. Such hatred was profound. The remark also reminded Wu Mingxu. He shouted threats, "Yes, if you dare kill me, our Ancestor will not spare you!
Our Ancestor's cultivation is late Mahayana. One finger could crush you!" His arrogance deepened his hatred of Song Wanníng.
As long as he survived, he swore to strike her down.
"Hah."
Song Wanníng smiled.
Sometimes, she wondered if Wu Mingxu was an invader; his brazen thinking was eerily familiar.
Clearly, he was not.
He posed no real threat.
A cold light appeared at the corner of her mouth as she addressed the surrounding gang leaders:
"Everyone here, witness this. My connection with Langya Gang is purely cooperative, for pill refinement."
She severed any association with Langya Gang.
The kneeling men sensed danger immediately. What did Song Wanníng mean by this?
They struggled to lift their heads, veins standing out on their faces and necks.
"You—"
"Song Wanníng, release me and I can compensate you—"
"Yes, it was my blindness. I know my mistake…"
The gang leaders trembled in fear. Her pressure was beyond their ability to resist. She was not someone to provoke. Now they regretted everything, deeply and utterly.
Gang leader Song clenched his fists, overwhelmed with regret.
He, destined for Mahayana, should not have ended like this.
"Song Wanníng, if you release me, Qingfeng Gang will honor you as Grand Elder!"
The only method he could think of was bribery.
"How much did Langya Gang give you? I will give double!"
His voice was urgent, full of pleading.
"You—"
Before he could speak again, a bolt of heavenly thunder struck directly above his head.
Boom—
Gang leader Song, kneeling, was obliterated by the thunder, not a single cry left behind.
Everyone nearby was utterly terrified.
What the hell was that?
Heavenly thunder?
How could it be heavenly thunder?
All eyes turned to Song Wanníng, trembling uncontrollably at the power she just displayed. For ghost cultivators, thunder was a nemesis. And Song Wanníng used it freely to crush her enemies—
Too terrifying.
"You all talk too much."
She lifted her eyelids slightly. At first, she had some caution. Now, her Primordial Soul power rivaled late Mahayana. Why leave any lingering threat?
She would simply slay them.
Once more, she raised her hand.
"No—"
"Dàrén, spare me!"
"Ah, I do not want to die!"
"Song Wanníng, if you dare kill me, you will regret it!"
The kneeling men scrambled for mercy and spat insults, yet could not halt the descending thunder.
Boom— boom—
Several bolts of heavenly thunder struck consecutively. They struggled in vain, unable to move. They could only watch in despair as the thunder engulfed them completely. When the storm passed, the kneeling men had vanished.
The surrounding gang leaders felt their legs weaken. A chill ran from head to toe, sending shivers through their hearts.
Song Wanníng's gaze swept the area. She extended her hand, and a chain of thunder shot outward.
In the next second, it ensnared Fang Lan.
Fang Lan's expression changed dramatically, screaming in pain.
She had thought her invisibility technique would let her escape. It did not. Terrified, she was obliterated by the thunder, leaving only agonized screams echoing through the courtyard.
Silence.
The vast courtyard was quiet enough to hear a pin drop. Everyone now looked at Song Wanníng with pure fear and reverence. Not a trace of contempt remained. They had never imagined that Unity cultivators, revered for over a thousand years, could be annihilated so casually by a single Out-of-Body cultivator.
Song Wanníng swept her gaze lightly, collecting all their storage rings. The lingering resentment in her heart dissipated. Feeling the strength of her Primordial Soul, she was extremely satisfied.
"Clean this place up. I will continue refining pills."
She had a premonition that as long as she persisted, her Primordial Soul power would continue to grow.
"Oh, okay!"
Wu Rouyun finally came to her senses and nodded, personally escorting Song Wanníng back inside. She hurried Wu Yaozu to gather herbs, ensuring the most precious ones were included.
She could not allow Song Wanníng the slightest dissatisfaction.