Song Wanníng was generous as always, shoving all the pills she'd refined straight into her Martial Uncle's hands.
As for She Yi… that guy was still tagging along with her clone, sweeping the area clean of herbs.
Through the clone, she also got some updates on Gong Ye. Word was that Bai Yao Palace had run into a mess lately and had been stuck reorganizing. Gong Ye had flown into a rage, wrecked more than half the palace, and even went over to the serpent clan to pick a fight.
The so-called alliance between the two sides had completely fallen apart. Now Bai Yao Palace and the serpent clan stood as enemies. No one knew when the real war would break out.
When Song Wanníng heard the news, she was satisfied. She wasn't sure if the prisoners had managed to escape, but just making Gong Ye spit blood in fury made her little scheme worth it. Still, she couldn't relax. To be safe, she planned to bring her Martial Uncle back to Guhan Sect. The southern region was much safer, and staying among the beast clans was far too risky.
Just as she was mulling it over, a sudden surge of beastly energy rippled through the air.
Song Wanníng snapped her head around, only to realize her Martial Uncle was about to break through!
She shot to her feet and quickly signaled Mei Huan to keep quiet.
Mei Huan also sensed what was happening. Envy flashed in her eyes. When would it be her turn to ascend like that?
Under their watchful gazes, Liu Lanyi slowly opened her eyes. A sharp gleam flashed and vanished just as quickly. She gave Song Wanníng a small nod, then shot out of the cave toward the distance.
The instant she moved, the heavens locked onto her. Tribulation clouds gathered with terrifying speed.
Song Wanníng's expression changed. She told Mei Huan to stay put, then darted after her Martial Uncle. She was suddenly thankful she'd chosen this cave so far from Bai Yao Palace. If the tribulation had struck any closer, Gong Ye would've noticed immediately. That would've been real disaster.
Even so, she didn't dare drop her guard. She spread her aura, forcing nearby beasts and loose cultivators to scatter, so none would take advantage of the chaos.
Meanwhile, Liu Lanyi had already found a desolate spot and began her tribulation.
As a beast cultivator, fear of the tribulation was almost instinctive. But since she was human by blood, her emotions stayed steady. She simply poured her everything into facing it head-on. What shocked her was the sheer ferocity of the thunder. It wasn't just harsh, it looked like it wanted to strike her dead on the spot. Her heart sank, but she gritted her teeth and rushed straight into the storm.
Far away, Song Wanníng's heart skipped a beat. That thunder was vicious, far more aggressive than she'd expected.
Could it be because her Martial Uncle was awakening her bloodline?
She frowned, pulling several bottles of pills into her hand. If things went bad, she'd throw them over no matter what. Risky or not, she couldn't just watch her Martial Uncle die.
Boom!
Bolt after bolt smashed down, blasting Liu Lanyi again and again. Forest and grass alike were reduced to ash, the crackling sound of lightning echoing endlessly. She was struck to the ground over and over, blood pouring from her mouth, her body broken in the pit below.
Song Wanníng gritted her teeth, flung a bottle of pills toward her, and immediately felt the tribulation lock onto her. Her hair stood on end. Danger swept over her like a tidal wave. But the instant the thunder sensed her aura, it roared down… only to twist gently around her and vanish into the earth without leaving a mark. Her skirt fluttered for a heartbeat, then stilled. She hadn't been harmed at all.
Song Wanníng let out a breath of relief and even flashed a quick smile toward the Heavenly Dao, before retreating farther back.
With the pills in hand, Liu Lanyi clawed her way back from the brink. Strength surged inside her, her determination burning brighter than ever. She refused to fall here. If she survived this tribulation, her path forward would transform completely.
Boom!
The thunder fell again, swallowing her whole.
Song Wanníng's chest tightened. Each strike came and went in an instant, yet to her eyes, every second dragged like an eternity.
Finally, the last bolt of lightning roared down, carrying the force to erase everything in its path.
Her fists clenched tight as she stared at the pit, hardly daring to blink.
One breath. Two breaths. Three breaths…
Suddenly, the storm scattered. A rainbow glow spilled across the sky.
She'd made it!
Relief washed over Song Wanníng, and she broke into an uncontrollable laugh. Watching someone else's tribulation was even more nerve-wracking than enduring her own!
But in the end, her Martial Uncle had succeeded.
Inside the pit, Liu Lanyi's battered body healed at astonishing speed under the rainbow glow, restored completely in moments. Her cultivation didn't stop there. It kept rising until it stabilized at the mid Out-of-Body stage.
When she looked inward, she saw it—an ethereal shadow of a white tiger drifting above her dantian. Her bloodline had awakened. Who would've thought her ancestors carried even a trace of the divine White Tiger?
Though faint, its potential was endless, enough to give her cultivation a massive boost.
Liu Lanyi's lips curled into a smile. In just one month, her life had turned upside down. And it was all thanks to her Martial Nephew. She silently swore she'd repay Song Wanníng, help her, and protect her no matter what. Suppressing the glow in her eyes, she rose from the pit and flew toward Song Wanníng.
They shared a smile, then left together without delay.
The tribulation had been too loud. Others would come to investigate soon, so they couldn't linger.
After flying a safe distance, Song Wanníng finally asked the question burning on her tongue: "Martial Uncle, did you awaken your bloodline?"
"My ancestor must've had some connection to the divine White Tiger." Liu Lanyi smiled, pride flashing in her gaze.
The divine White Tiger!
"Really?"
Song Wanníng's joy burst out. Her Martial Uncle had actually awakened a divine beast bloodline. That was incredible. No wonder her cultivation had soared so fast it made even Song Wanníng admire her.
"It's probably not a pure bloodline." Liu Lanyi brushed back her hair, a little embarrassed. Was this considered faking it as a divine beast's descendant?
The two exchanged a look and broke into laughter.
After a while, Song Wanníng said softly, "Martial Uncle, how about I take you back to Guhan Sect now? Master really misses you. She'll be so happy to see you again."
The moment Leng Qingzhu's name was mentioned, starlight rippled through Liu Lanyi's eyes. Warmth softened her face instantly.
She missed her Senior Sister, desperately so.
But she couldn't return yet.
"Wanníng, I can't go back right now. There's something I must do first, something important."
She then told her Martial Nephew why Gong Ye had trapped her.
"That item… I have to claim it. And if I can't, then I'll destroy it. I'll never let Gong Ye succeed!"
Liu Lanyi wasn't the type to forget grudges. Gong Ye had gone to such lengths for that treasure, so she'd make absolutely sure it never fell into his hands.
Song Wanníng's eyes gleamed.
That plan suited her just fine.