The Patriarch of the Hua Clan had no intention of becoming gossip for the crowd. They immediately issued an order for everyone to leave.
But the visiting beast cultivators weren't pleased at all.
"What's the meaning of this, Patriarch Hua? We're just here to watch the competition. Why're you suddenly kicking us out?"
"Yeah, we're just sitting here! It's not like we're eating your food or drinking your wine!"
Everyone was still waiting for the final results, none of them willing to leave.
Those who had passed the trial also looked uneasy when they heard this.
If everyone else was gone and only they were taken to some 'forbidden ground,' who knew what the Hua Clan might be planning?
What if it was a trap?
The crowd grew restless, tension thick in the air.
The Patriarch of the Hua Clan frowned, a cold glint flashing in their eyes. A strange fragrance spread from their body. With just one casual wave of their hand, the noisy beast cultivators instantly fell silent. Their eyes turned vacant, as if their souls had been seized.
The patriarch's expression darkened. A single thought from them, and those cultivators were teleported away through a glowing passage.
The plaza fell into complete silence. The moment those cultivators were sent out, their minds cleared again.
Cold sweat drenched their backs.
The Hua Clan Patriarch had controlled them so easily—what kind of terrifying power was that? If they'd wanted to kill them, it could've been done without lifting a finger.
Faces pale, none of them dared to speak again. They quickly fled, too scared to even look back.
On the plaza, Song Wanníng watched the patriarch's little display, a faint shimmer flashing through her eyes.
That trick… wasn't ordinary at all.
And that scent earlier, was it laced with poison?
"Hehehe…"
The Hua Clan Patriarch rose slowly, smiling though their gaze was sharp with warning.
"Everyone, the Hua Clan invited you here to save one of our younger generation. As long as you give your best, I won't make things difficult for anyone. But if anyone tries to play games with me, don't blame me for being ruthless."
With that, they turned and led the group toward the forbidden ground.
The ten remaining participants followed behind them, their earlier ease completely gone.
The alchemist from the Wolf Clan looked especially nervous. For safety's sake, he edged closer to Song Wanníng, trying to form an alliance. After all, most of the others were human cultivators. If the beast cultivators didn't stick together, their odds of survival would plummet.
Song Wanníng gave him a glance and refused without hesitation. That guy would only drag her down.
The Wolf Clan alchemist hadn't expected rejection. His expression darkened immediately.
"You'll regret this," he muttered coldly behind her before walking off to find another beast cultivator to team up with.
"Hey, Sister, what do you think would happen if you showed your real cultivation? Think he'd shit himself?"
Xiao Jin's mischievous voice echoed with a snicker.
Song Wanníng was concealing her true strength. She was actually at the Unity Stage, but she'd masked it as Out-of-Body.
That wolf beast had only approached because her apparent level seemed decent. Getting snubbed so hard had clearly pissed him off.
Song Wanníng chuckled softly at Xiao Jin's teasing. She couldn't care less about his reaction. Her attention was only on the wounded junior they were supposedly here to save.
...
After the time it took for one stick of incense to burn, the group finally arrived at the Hua Clan's forbidden grounds.
It was a vast swamp overrun with thorns, but not a single flower in sight.
The murky marsh pulsed with strange energy. Faint threads of light would flicker up from the depths before vanishing again.
The Patriarch of the Hua Clan tread carefully, performing a few complex hand seals. Before long, several swirling vortexes appeared above the swamp, radiating vibrant life force.
"Everyone, come with me," they said calmly. "Don't worry, I won't harm you."
Then they stepped straight into one of the vortexes.
The cultivators exchanged uneasy looks.
It was Song Wanníng who moved first, stepping forward without hesitation. The moment she emerged on the other side, she found the patriarch watching her closely, a faint, knowing smile curling on their lips.
She simply nodded in return.
Soon, the rest followed through.
Inside the vortex was a long, winding passage brimming with vitality. The rich aura made everyone's blood stir with energy. Purple flowers lined both sides of the path, glowing faintly in the soft light. The whole place looked like a dream.
As they walked, Song Wanníng suddenly snapped back to awareness. The scenery had changed. The flowers were gone, replaced by withered branches and rotting leaves. The air reeked of decay.
Her heart sank. She hadn't even noticed when she'd fallen into an illusion.
The Hua Clan… really wasn't simple.
Was this 'rescue' just an excuse?
The thought barely formed when she felt the patriarch's gaze again. Their eyes met through the crowd, and the air between them seemed to crackle with tension. It wasn't until Li Qingya broke free from the illusion that the atmosphere finally eased.
One by one, the others regained their senses too, their eyes filled with unease and fear as they looked at the Hua Clan Patriarch.
"Hahaha, don't worry, everyone," they said with a chuckle. "The illusions here are a natural part of the forbidden ground. They won't harm you."
Despite their words, no one felt reassured. But it was far too late to turn back. They could only grit their teeth and keep moving.
Two hours later, the group finally exited the passage and stepped into a completely different world.
Before them stretched endless blue skies and towering ancient trees that stood shoulder to shoulder like guardians.
The moment Song Wanníng saw those trees, a strange feeling rose in her chest.
Hadn't the Hua Clan and the Cao Mu Clan already severed ties? Then why were these trees being so carefully tended?
The aura around them pulsed with life. Even if these trees hadn't yet taken human form, they already had intelligence. That meant the Hua Clan's forbidden ground was hiding a whole population of the Cao Mu Clan.
How bizarre.
Song Wanníng hid her surprise, keeping her expression calm as she observed her surroundings.
Just when everyone was still taking in the sight, the patriarch led them straight into the hollow of one of the massive trees.
Deep inside, lying quietly in the soil, was a single broken flower.
Song Wanníng's eyes narrowed. She recognized that soil instantly—Xirang.
She'd used it once before when cultivating her clone. Seeing it again stirred an odd sense of familiarity.
But even with Xirang nourishing it, the flower had no sign of life left. Its condition was beyond saving.
Song Wanníng's expression turned grim. The others had recognized the Xirang too, their faces shifting in varying shades of shock and dread.