The two women stared as the yellow sands were swallowed up bit by bit, their shock impossible to hide.
"With this much commotion, it's bound to draw others over. We've got to stay cautious later," Liu Lanyi warned.
She'd already noticed something was off. Glancing at Song Wanníng, she quickly guessed the reason. She'd been here before, and nothing had ever happened. Yet the moment Song Wanníng arrived, the entire desert underwent such a huge change. If this wasn't some rare fortune, what else could it be?
Naturally, she didn't want anyone else stealing it. Because of Song Wanníng, she'd offended Gong Ye. The stronger Song Wanníng's cultivation became, the better—it was the only way she wouldn't have to worry about Gong Ye hunting her down.
"Yeah, I know. What I'm worried about now is Gong Ye showing up!" Song Wanníng's expression grew grim.
If there was one thing consistent about these invaders, it was that they never ignored such disturbances. If a treasure really had surfaced, Gong Ye would become their greatest obstacle.
"His mastery over formations is terrifying. If it weren't for Senior Feng's legacy, there's no way he'd be trapped at all! Right now, all we can do is pray the formation holds him a little longer."
Liu Lanyi sighed. The Soul-Swapping Pearl still hadn't shown up, and now this sudden upheaval—whether it was a blessing or a curse, she had no idea. If Gong Ye ended up with the Soul-Swapping Pearl, then all the suffering she'd endured these years would've been for nothing.
But plans never kept up with changes. She had no choice but to take things step by step.
"Senior Feng's formation is powerful, but in my opinion, it won't hold Gong Ye for long. We need to prepare early," Song Wanníng said seriously, her gaze locked on the giant "mouth" still devouring the sands.
Both women fell into silence, spreading their divine sense to the maximum to watch for anyone approaching.
As time passed, more and more sand was swallowed, exposing the once-barren ground beneath.
The dramatic change quickly drew attention.
Within two hours, the first group of cultivators arrived.
Song Wanníng and Liu Lanyi immediately grew alert. Three people came, each with impressive cultivation. Their sharp eyes swept over the two women, filled with suspicion and scrutiny. Before anyone could speak, more cultivators arrived. Staring at the endlessly vanishing sands, everyone thought the same thing, their restlessness growing.
All focus centered on the swallowing sands, every pair of eyes waiting for something to be revealed. But a desert this vast couldn't be swallowed in a day or two. More and more beast cultivators gathered, and even many beasts that hadn't yet taken human form appeared.
Everyone's goal was the same, every gaze brimming with hunger.
Song Wanníng and Liu Lanyi kept a low profile, restraining their auras so they looked entirely ordinary. They didn't dare set up formations. No one knew what might emerge here, or whether a formation would ruin the chance before it even appeared.
So, everyone could only wait.
And wait they did.
Four whole days passed before the last of the sands disappeared. The massive "mouth" slowly closed, leaving the ground spotless— not a single grain of sand remained. If they hadn't witnessed the desert vanish with their own eyes, no one would've believed it.
Just then, the mouth snapped open again, and out shot a single bead. It streaked toward the sky. The gathered beast cultivators had been waiting for this exact moment. They rushed up all at once, fighting to seize the bead.
Song Wanníng and Liu Lanyi exchanged a look but didn't move. They lifted their heads instead, watching as the others scrambled like madmen.
Countless cultivators revealed their true forms, battling viciously in midair. But in the very next instant, the bead erupted in a blinding light, enveloping those closest to it.
The onlookers froze, then recoiled in shock. Within that radiance, the cultivators caught inside didn't even have time to scream before they were vaporized. Nothing remained, not even ash. Everyone's hearts trembled. The ones who'd been lunging for the bead a moment ago scattered in panic like startled birds.
Now, no one dared to get too close.
Song Wanníng stared at the bead, her eyes wide with awe.
It wasn't the Soul-Swapping Pearl, but its power was terrifying. She'd just seen with her own eyes how cultivators were erased in an instant by its light. Not even their remains were left behind, only their dying screams echoing faintly in her ears.
Liu Lanyi's face darkened. What she'd thought was a great opportunity looked a lot more like a deadly trap. If that bead turned its light toward them, they'd be in serious trouble.
But until the truth came out, no one dared leave. Neither did they. So the crowd held their distance, all eyes on the bead, waiting for someone bold enough to test it again.
Time ticked by. The bead hovered in the air, utterly still.
Only when the moon climbed into the sky did something finally change. The pale moonlight suddenly turned blood-red and poured down over the bead. The bead began spinning rapidly, bursting with dazzling brilliance. It rose higher and higher until it floated beside the moon itself.
Then, a massive pillar of light spilled down. Inside that light, a grand palace appeared, its aura unmistakably extraordinary. The cautious expressions of the beast cultivators instantly shifted to excitement. It was real. A true opportunity had appeared!
Everyone grew tense again, watching each other warily, eyes flashing with hesitation. No one dared to rush in recklessly after what had just happened. But with such a chance before them, who could give it up?
Finally, someone couldn't resist. He darted straight into the light. To everyone's shock, nothing happened. He simply shrank until he was the size of an ant, then sprinted toward the palace and vanished inside.
This time, panic swept the crowd.
There was no danger—then why wait?
One after another, cultivators flung themselves into the beam, afraid of being left behind.
Song Wanníng and Liu Lanyi stayed calm, only moving once the last wave had gone. Fortune didn't depend on speed, but on Luck. That was how fate worked. After confirming it was safe, they followed into the beam.
The instant they entered, the palace loomed impossibly large before them. Compared to its towering gates, they were no more than ants. Even the threshold rose above their heads.
Song Wanníng tilted her head back, studying the palace. She was sure it was the work of a spatial formation. From outside, it had looked small. But only by entering could its true scale be seen.
"Stay sharp," Liu Lanyi muttered.