On the other side, Song Wanníng quickly saw through the woman's ploy. Even before that fox beast had approached, her divine sense had already locked onto her, so she'd seen right through the woman's act.
However, Song Wanníng had a mission to complete and no time to bother with meddlesome troublemakers. If the woman insisted on causing problems, Song Wanníng wouldn't mind sending her on her way.
She Yi, on the other hand, felt regretful for not being able to save the beauty. After all, the fox clan's allure was well-known throughout the entire beast race, rivaling even that of the peacock clan.
A beauty like this was extremely rare among the snake clan.
But since Song Wanníng hadn't spoken, She Yi dared not say a word. He obediently steered the flying artifact, speeding along their path. He thought the journey would be uneventful, but trouble came sooner than expected.
Ahead, a long winding river stretched out, and on both banks the horse and ox clans were locked in a tense standoff, weapons ready, killing intent thick in the air.
A rough count revealed their numbers were staggering—at least a thousand beast cultivators were gathered there!
Not wanting to get involved, She Yi asked cautiously, "Master, they're probably fighting over the water source. Should we change our route? I'm worried we might get caught up in it."
Territorial disputes and resource competition among beasts always devolved into bloody battles. Whoever won would claim everything, without reason or restraint.
They weren't like humans who fussed over etiquette and morality. Among beasts, power was all that mattered.
"No need to waste time."
Song Wanníng had no intention of changing routes. There was no need. She raised her hand slightly, and their flying artifact continued its course straight over the river. Its speed was extraordinary, quickly drawing the attention of both sides.
Beast cultivators had fierce territorial instincts. To see someone fly across their battlefield at such a critical moment felt like an open insult.
A few of them shot into the sky, trying to scare Song Wanníng and She Yi back.
They glared at the intruders with murderous intent, ready to strike them down.
Song Wanníng swept them with her divine sense. In an instant, her Mahayana-level pressure crashed down like a mountain.
Those two hostile armies who had been on the verge of battle immediately dropped to their knees, trembling uncontrollably, their foreheads pressed to the ground, none daring to lift their heads.
She Yi grew even more obedient, unease creeping deeper into his heart.
This master's temper wasn't mild, nor did she seem like a merciful person. Would she really spare him in the end?
He wasn't sure.
"Hmph."
Song Wanníng's cold snort rang out as their flying treasure shot past, vanishing over the horizon.
The beast cultivators only dared to lift their heads after a long while, fear lingering in their eyes as they stared toward the direction she had gone.
None of them had any intention of fighting for territory anymore. They quietly retreated to the riverbanks, muttering threats to meet again another time.
Yet before they could leave, a massive column of water suddenly erupted from the river. From within it, an indistinct figure shot into the sky, darting away at astonishing speed.
Both sides were startled.
That figure flashed past Song Wanníng in a blur, so fast that even she couldn't see it clearly.
What shocked her even more was the reaction from the guiding artifact she carried—it pulsed with energy!
Her brows rose in surprise. Without hesitation, she changed direction and gave chase. The sudden shift startled She Yi, but the thing they were chasing moved far too quickly for him to identify.
Judging by his master's reaction, though, it was anything but ordinary. They pushed their flying artifact to its limit, but still couldn't catch up.
Song Wanníng's expression grew heavier. Even her companions, the little creatures, couldn't match this speed.
She tried using space rune techniques to block its escape, but its erratic movement made it impossible to predict, and she failed to catch it.
However, the bloodline-guiding artifact reacted strongly. This creature was most likely connected to the senior's bloodline—if not the senior's direct descendant, then at least closely related.
With no other choice, Song Wanníng locked onto it with her divine sense and pursued relentlessly.
Three days of intense pursuit passed before the creature finally stopped.
Song Wanníng's eyes narrowed as she saw its form clearly—a two-headed eagle. It had two fierce eagle heads and a strange fleshy growth protruding from its skull, making it look quite bizarre.
The sharp gaze of the two-headed eagle fixed on Song Wanníng, anger flaring at being hunted down.
"Master, this two-headed eagle seems to be poisoned!" She Yi's eyes were fixed on that strange growth. A faint, sinister aura seeped from it.
Song Wanníng studied the creature closely. Its cultivation had already reached early Unity, yet strangely, it hadn't taken human form. Her gaze fell back to the odd growth. Could this truly be the descendant of that senior?
She hesitated.
That senior's partner had been from the beast clan, which was why, after the incident, they had retreated deep into beast territory.
So many generations had passed that the creature's exact lineage was uncertain. Beast clans intermarried freely, and crossbreeding often awakened latent bloodlines.
It wasn't uncommon for bloodlines to become muddled over generations.
Song Wanníng considered speaking to it, but before she could, the eagle attacked. A piercing screech erupted, stabbing straight into her sea of consciousness. A wave of dizziness hit her.
Fortunately, Song Wanníng's divine sense was strong. She quickly regained her composure.
By then, the two-headed eagle had already closed the distance and was attacking with astonishing speed and cunning angles, entangling her in battle.
Since she suspected it was a descendant of the senior, she refrained from striking to kill, resulting in an evenly matched fight.
She Yi tried to help, but his lower cultivation made little difference.
Amid the chaos, the fox beast arrived, watching the fierce fight. After a brief hesitation, her eyes gleamed, and she joined the fray.
Foxes were masters of illusion, and this one was no exception. She quickly wove an illusory realm and trapped the eagle within it.
The eagle, which had been darting and counterattacking fluidly, froze midair, dazed.
Seizing the moment, Song Wanníng summoned her Immortal Cauldron, slamming it down to capture the beast.
The illusion lasted only an instant before the eagle regained its senses, but it was already inside the cauldron, thrashing and attacking wildly.
The Immortal Cauldron was unyielding. No matter how hard the eagle struck, it couldn't escape. Exhausted, it finally lay still.
Song Wanníng shrank the cauldron into her palm, peering inside at the captive eagle.
Then her gaze shifted to the fox beast, surprise flashing in her eyes. This creature was clever. It seemed she had offered her aid deliberately to curry favor. And it had to be said, the fox was far more useful than She Yi.