"Absolutely true. I got word before that Gong Ye, that bastard, found his fortune here. If he could find it, there's no reason we can't."
The one called Ninth Brother had a sharp, calculating look that betrayed his scheming nature. His appearance alone told anyone he wasn't easy to deal with.
Both were members of the snake clan. Gong Ye, once abandoned, had suddenly risen in power, making the snake clan the laughingstock of the entire beast realm. Now, every snake clan member saw him as an enemy.
That was why these two had come. If they could find this same fortune and awaken the bloodline of a flood dragon, then Gong Ye would be the one to suffer.
"Let's search nearby first. If you find anything, call me immediately!"
The two quickly split up to search the area.
But the moment they arrived, Song Wanníng's eyes flickered open. She took a quick glance at their cultivation and immediately closed her eyes again, continuing to absorb beast qi.
Half an incense stick of time passed. The two snakes had searched the area thoroughly but found nothing. Frustrated, they started smashing things around to vent their anger.
"Why him? Why did he awaken his bloodline? I'm clearly better than him in every way!"
Ninth Brother's fury burned hot. He had tracked down the place where Gong Ye awakened his bloodline, yet he found nothing. How could he accept this?
Once, he was the pride of his clan. Gong Ye had been trash, unworthy of even his attention. But now? Ninth Brother was the one everyone mocked, the one compared unfavorably to Gong Ye.
"Ninth Brother, there's another cave over there. Should we take a look?"
The other snake demon spoke up.
Ninth Brother's eyes sharpened instantly, turning toward the hidden cave where Song Wanníng was cultivating.
The cave was well concealed, draped with thick vines. Song Wanníng had even placed a concealment array, yet this snake had still spotted it.
"Go. Let's see."
Ninth Brother narrowed his eyes. How could such a large cave go unnoticed?
There had to be something unusual about it. Perhaps the key to awakening a bloodline lay within. The two shot forward, tearing away the vines. Inside, they found Song Wanníng seated in meditation.
A faint swirl of beast qi shimmered around her, and combined with her exquisite beauty, the sight left both snakes momentarily stunned.
A few breaths later, they snapped out of it.
"Who are you? You're not one of us, are you?"
Though she carried traces of beast qi, her aura was not of their kind.
She was an outsider!
Both beasts grew wary, their gazes filled with suspicion.
Song Wanníng slowly opened her eyes, her expression calm.
"I'm just passing through, borrowing this cave to cultivate."
With a single glance, she recognized them as snakes. Her gaze deepened thoughtfully.
In the beast realm, the snake clan ranked only mid-tier. Their strength was nothing compared to fierce avian predators or savage beasts. Bloodline awakenings among them were rare, and over generations, their overall power had dwindled.
Song Wanníng had no intention of fighting. If they left her alone, she would let them live.
Unfortunately, the two demons clearly had no intention of letting her go.
"You're human?"
Ninth Brother's eyes swept over her, flashing with hostility.
"Seems you've forgotten the rules between our races."
The snake clan and humanity were mortal enemies.
At that moment, greed sparked in his mind. Her cultivation was high. If he devoured her, he would surely ascend in power!
The elders often said that human flesh was a tonic for beasts, a great boon to their strength. A feverish gleam lit Ninth Brother's eyes. He could already picture his breakthrough.
The other snake's eyes shone with the same hunger.
Song Wanníng, of course, noticed their intent immediately. She chuckled softly. She had planned to avoid slaughter. But if they insisted on courting death, she would oblige.
"So what if I am?"
Her voice was calm as she sat unmoved, still cross-legged.
"So what? Hmph!" Ninth Brother sneered. "Since you've trespassed into our beast territory, you'll serve as our food!"
"Hahaha!"
With a roar of laughter, he and his companion lunged forward. Two enormous black pythons erupted into the air, tongues flickering as they lashed their powerful tails toward her.
Song Wanníng's expression turned cold. Her figure vanished in an instant, reappearing above Ninth Brother's head in a flash of spatial runes.
She struck down with a single palm.
Light flared around her fist, carrying deadly force.
Terror shot through Ninth Brother's mind. He tried to flee, but it was already too late.
Boom!
With a deafening explosion, his massive head burst apart. Blood mist filled the cave, and the air reeked of iron.
"Ninth Brother?!"
The other snake was horrified, panic seizing his heart. He bolted for the cave's entrance, only to slam against the barrier of an array. Despair overtook him. He quickly reverted to his human form and dropped to his knees.
"Senior! Please, spare me! I'll serve you as your beast pet! Spare me and I'll do anything you ask!" His voice trembled. Who could have imagined that Ninth Brother, once a genius of their clan, would be slain with a single punch?
Song Wanníng descended lightly, her gaze frosty as she studied him.
Indeed, she needed a beast companion to help her hide her identity more effectively.
But this beasy…
She considered him for a moment, then gave a soft hum. "If you obey, I'll let you live for now. If not…"
"Master, I swear I'll never betray you!" Without hesitation, the snake offered up his Primordial Soul, forging a servant contract with her. His fear of death was absolute.
Song Wanníng raised a brow, satisfied. Since he was so eager, she would accept him—for now. She named him She Yi, Snake One, and ordered him to retrieve Ninth Brother's inner core.
She Yi shivered violently, sneaking a pitiful glance at her.
But Song Wanníng's expression was ice, showing him no mercy.
She Yi could only grit his teeth and carve out the core of his own Ninth Brother, presenting it with trembling hands to Song Wanníng.