She'd gone through so much trouble to track down Song Wanníng and Liu Lanyi's whereabouts, following them into this inn just to keep close. Once they left the city, that'd be her chance to strike. But Song Wanníng and Liu Lanyi never stepped outside. If her clan's people caught up first, she'd lose her only opportunity.
Just as she was growing anxious, the two finally walked out.
Their destination was beyond the city gates.
Hua Kongque's heart leapt with joy. She followed quietly, slipping out with them. Still, she didn't rush to attack. She trusted her own strength, but being cautious never hurt. She wanted the perfect moment to make a move.
…
"You're just letting her trail us?"
Liu Lanyi sat cross-legged on the flying artifact, her divine sense locked onto Hua Kongque, who thought she was hiding flawlessly.
"Yeah. I'm interested in that Five-Colored Divine Light, and I'm even more curious about the Beast King's Map," Song Wanníng replied calmly.
The peacock clan's greatest weapon was that light, feared across the realms. She wanted to see it with her own eyes.
As for Hua Kongque…
She was nothing more than a spoiled second-generation cultivator, not much different from Jiang Cen, though admittedly stronger. For an average Out-of-Body cultivator, Hua Kongque was a serious threat. So it was normal she'd think she could take them alone.
Liu Lanyi sighed. She hadn't planned on dealing with Hua Kongque, but the woman just wouldn't let go.
The two put away their thoughts and pressed on, deliberately heading in the wrong direction. Ten days passed like this. They moved cautiously, eventually stopping in a remote spot and pretending to search for something. After days of "searching," they let their shoulders slump, showing disappointment, and packed away the formation plates they'd laid out.
Then they hopped back on their artifact and left for another location.
Hua Kongque had originally wanted to strike, but watching them act all mysterious made her curious. She was convinced they were hiding something. So instead of acting, she kept trailing, waiting for the best moment to swoop in like the yellow sparrow.
Half a month later, Song Wanníng and Liu Lanyi stopped again.
"It's here!"
Excitement flickered across Liu Lanyi's face. She exchanged a glance with Song Wanníng, then leapt off the artifact, landing before a strangely shaped boulder.
The rock stood several meters high, moss crawling across its surface, a single bright flower blooming at the top.
It did look unusual.
Song Wanníng followed, her face serious. The two started fiddling with the boulder.
Suddenly Liu Lanyi's hand caught on something. Her face lit with joy as she straightened up.
At that instant, two blasts of force shot forward, locking onto her.
Song Wanníng's face hardened. She whipped out the Immortal Furnace, blocking both attacks at once, then triggered spatial runes, blinking straight to Hua Kongque's side.
Hua Kongque flinched as a shadow appeared before her. She lashed out instantly, palm striking forward with everything she had.
Behind her, the Five-Colored Divine Light flared to life. If her opponent attacked, the light would absorb it, maybe even swallow the enemy's life-bound treasure whole. It was the peacock clan's greatest trump card, their proudest divine ability. But just as she was brimming with confidence, overwhelming force slammed into her palm.
Boom!
She was blasted away like a ragdoll. Her hand shattered, bones crushed to dust, dangling uselessly. The invading power tore through her body, blood gushing out as she tumbled to the ground.
Song Wanníng pulled back, landing beside Liu Lanyi.
And then, across from them, another figure appeared. Gong Ye.
But his face was anything but pleasant.
Because the item in Liu Lanyi's hand was not the Soul-Swapping Pearl.
He'd been tricked.
"Pft—"
Hua Kongque vomited more blood, her terrified eyes darting between Song Wanníng and the man beside her. Her pupils contracted sharply when she realized who he was. The air turned icy cold, silence so heavy it rang in the ears.
"You two played me?"
Gong Ye's voice was low and dangerous, his gaze fixed on them.
Truth was, he'd been tracking them since they entered the city. He only stayed hidden because he wanted the Soul-Swapping Pearl. When he saw their sneaky behavior half a month ago, he assumed they were setting a trap. He'd laughed at their scheming, confident he'd seen through it.
So when they finally acted excited here, he hadn't doubted for a moment. He'd lunged, planning to snatch the pearl before Song Wanníng could intervene. But it had been a setup from the very beginning.
The earlier "failure" had been part of the play, bait for him. The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. He'd actually been strung along by two women. As for Hua Kongque? He didn't even spare her a glance.
"You're mistaken, Beast King Dàrén. How could we dare play games with you?"
Song Wanníng crossed her arms, relaxed as ever. But her face was lit with mockery, every line taunting him.
Liu Lanyi stood silently at her side, already prepared to spring her formation and trap Gong Ye.
"We were just looking for something. But Beast King Dàrén, why're you so worked up?"
She tossed the bead from Liu Lanyi's hand toward him.
"You like pearls? You should've said so earlier. I'll give it to you. No need for sneaking around to steal, right?"
She winked as the bead hit the ground at his feet. But to him, it was like a slap across the face. His eyes darkened, fury and killing intent pouring out.
Song Wanníng dared to humiliate him.
"It's been a long time since I've met someone with such a sharp tongue. Let's see how long you can keep it up."
His rage boiled over. If he couldn't trick them, he'd drag them back and torture them until they broke. He had all the time in the world. He lunged, unleashing another attack.
Song Wanníng's eyes narrowed. She pushed Liu Lanyi behind the Immortal Furnace and charged straight at Gong Ye, her fists flashing as countless techniques erupted around her.
Since he'd come here… he wasn't leaving.