"Good, good…" The man looked at Liu Lanyi, his heart surging with emotions he could hardly put into words. He forced down his sorrow and lifted a faint smile.
"Child, since you've made it here, it proves our bond hasn't ended yet. So today, I'll pass everything I've learned in my life to you! This is the last bit of atonement I can give you…" His eyes were filled with love, yet deep inside he knew his fate had already run its course. Since his final wish had been fulfilled, there was no need for him to linger, wasting away in loneliness and despair.
"No, Ancestor, I can learn slowly, you don't have to—" Liu Lanyi instinctively wanted to refuse. She'd only come to see him, not to gain anything. It wasn't for the sake of her own future.
But the man raised his hand and cut her words off. "I should've dispersed long ago. I only held on to see you once. Leaving now is freedom for me. If I can help you before I go, I'm truly happy."
His smile overflowed with warmth, and Liu Lanyi's nose stung with sorrow. She'd just met him, yet he was already about to vanish. She regretted it deeply.
"Child, I hope you'll ascend soon. Go see the Immortal Realm, the God Realm! I'm sure you'll make up for the regrets of our forebears and carve out a broader path." He smiled, then began to pass down everything he knew, bit by bit, and in the end, he directly poured it all into Liu Lanyi's sea of consciousness so she could slowly comprehend it in the future.
When the transmission was complete, he thought of Song Wanníng and chuckled. "That girl has limitless potential. Stay close to her, you won't go wrong."
Liu Lanyi froze for a moment, then realized he meant Song Wanníng. She smiled too. "Wanníng is my Martial Niece."
The man blinked in surprise. He never would've thought fate could weave things together so perfectly.
"Pfft!"
He let out a laugh.
"Good, good, good!"
He repeated the word three times, joy filling his eyes.
With that, he could leave without regrets.
"From this day on, you must work hard at cultivation…"
His loving gaze lingered one last time, then he turned into a streak of light that sank directly into Liu Lanyi's sea of consciousness. That final energy transformed into nourishment, flowing into her body.
In that instant, the cultivation she'd long suppressed surged wildly. All those years trapped in the water prison hadn't stopped her from cultivating. With her accumulated foundation combined with the Ancestor's energy, it was as if her body had been flooded with endless strength.
Just then, she noticed the bead again. It wasn't only the bead converting beast energy for her, she'd always been able to absorb it herself, only she'd never realized it.
Looking back, everything had been hinted at long ago, as if destiny had quietly guided her steps. Her emotions tangled. More than anything, she hated the thought of parting with the Ancestor.
Their first meeting was also their last, and she'd never see him again. No matter how she looked at it, it was heartbreaking.
As the energy slowly settled, the Ancestor's aura vanished completely.
He was gone.
Liu Lanyi's cultivation rose and rose, finally stopping at the peak of Void Refinement, just a breath away from the Out-of-Body stage.
She stood in the empty space, eyes heavy with grief, then bowed deeply toward the fading presence.
"Ancestor, rest assured. I'll cultivate diligently. I won't fail your expectations!"
A flash of white light blinded her, and the next moment Liu Lanyi was back in the cave.
Song Wanníng and Mei Huan immediately looked over. When they saw Liu Lanyi's vastly improved cultivation, Song Wanníng's heart leapt with joy.
"Martial Uncle, congratulations on breaking through!" She walked up smiling, her eyes glowing with delight. Her Martial Uncle had suffered so much, yet the outcome turned out well without delaying her path.
"Thank you, Wanníng." Liu Lanyi's eyes softened with gratitude as she looked at her. "If it weren't for you, I never would've met the Ancestor. I'd still be trapped in that water prison."
With Gong Ye's strength, without Song Wanníng, she'd probably rot there until death. Even thinking about it now sent chills down her spine.
"Enough, enough. We're family. Why keep thanking me?" Song Wanníng feigned annoyance, narrowing her eyes at Liu Lanyi. Then suddenly, she remembered something and pulled out a beast core from her storage ring.
"When the bloodline guidance pointed the way, it also led to this core. I think it must've been left behind by one of your beast clan ancestors. Take it."
For her, this core wasn't too useful, but for Liu Lanyi, it was another matter.
"I've been thinking, your bloodline's been passed down for countless generations, so it's long been diluted. This core might help awaken it!!" Her eyes sparkled. "Once you awaken your bloodline inheritance, Martial Uncle, your future will be limitless!!!"
If that happened, her Martial Uncle could cultivate both human and beast paths, firmly grasping dual foundations. In times of danger, she'd have a second shield. It was the perfect advantage.
Liu Lanyi frowned slightly, lowering her gaze to the core in Song Wanníng's hand. To her surprise, a strange sense of kinship rose in her chest. She took it, and the feeling grew stronger. She was certain beyond doubt, the owner of this core shared her bloodline.
Sadly…
Both ancestors she'd encountered no longer existed.
The thought only steeled her resolve. If she was the only one left, then she had to live well and make sure the bloodline didn't end with her. This time, she didn't thank Song Wanníng. She only reached out and gently patted her head.
Song Wanníng smiled, then returned to refining beast pills.
Mei Huan had been staring at the furnace the entire time. When she saw this, her eyes lit up again.
Song Wanníng couldn't help laughing at her expression. Mei Huan had a bit of scheming in her, but not much. In fact, her thoughts were written all over her face. Shaking her head, Song Wanníng focused on the pills again.
Liu Lanyi glanced at them, then looked down at the core in her hand. Determined, she sat cross-legged in the corner. She popped the core into her mouth. In the next moment, immense energy burst inside her body, flowing into her limbs and bones.
…
Time passed. Seven days slipped by in the blink of an eye.
Beast pills piled up in front of Song Wanníng, though their quality wasn't too high. It wasn't her fault. She simply didn't have good enough ingredients. Even so, every pill left Mei Huan beaming with joy, her eyes brimming with grateful tears. In her eyes, Song Wanníng was nothing less than a goddess.