Boom!
The divine thunder fell again, pounding like a hammer against everyone's hearts.
Many of the flower spirits burst into tears. They all sensed something was wrong and feared their patriarch wouldn't make it through this time.
Inside the crater, there was still no response. Patriarch Hua's aura was so weak it was barely detectable.
Everyone held their breath, hearts clenching tight in their throats. Finally, when the thunder faded, the figure within the crater was revealed. But Patriarch Hua's consciousness was already slipping away.
"Please, stop!"
"The patriarch can't hold on any longer, please!"
The flower spirits were terrified, crying as they dropped to their knees before Song Wanníng. One after another, they kowtowed to her, begging her to stop. They couldn't interfere with the patriarch's decision, but to stand there and watch them die—they just couldn't do it.
"Please, save the patriarch!"
Their sobs echoed painfully across the field as they kept bowing, pleading with Song Wanníng in the only way they knew.
Her back stiffened, her fingertips burning from tension. She released a wave of spiritual energy, holding the flower spirits in place to stop them from kneeling any further.
But she couldn't control the despair in their eyes.
Her chest felt tight, her heart suffocating. For a moment, her mind drifted to the people of the Song Clan. In every life she'd lived, they'd all struggled desperately in their own small ways to protect her.
Not everyone in the world was heartless or selfish.
Just then, the Cao Mu Clan around her began to stir restlessly.
When she lifted her head, she seemed to see countless pained, despairing faces again. This time, though, they weren't begging her for help—they were begging her to stop.
They were terrified too.
They were afraid their resistance would only hurt Patriarch Hua.
They were willing to give up the chance to break the curse, willing to spend eternity trapped in their original forms and slowly fade into extinction, as long as Patriarch Hua could live.
In that moment, Song Wanníng saw it clearly—mutual sacrifice, mutual redemption.
Her heart trembled once more.
But...
Patriarch Hua still refused to give up.
So Song Wanníng chose to honor that decision.
"I'm sorry, everyone. I have to respect the patriarch's choice."
She let out a quiet sigh and summoned the thunder again.
Boom!
The Nine Heavens Divine Thunder struck once more.
Despair swept through the flower spirits.
Patriarch Hua was already on the verge of losing consciousness. If this bolt hit, they'd die for sure.
"No!"
Cries filled the air, but the thunder still came crashing down.
Yet right before it struck, the members of the Cao Mu Clan suddenly erupted with fierce light. Their spirit bodies struggled violently, tearing at their restraints. Their forms twisted and warped in agony, but even so, they didn't stop.
When the divine thunder fell, every single one of them broke free and wove their spirit energy together into a massive net, shielding Patriarch Hua beneath it.
They knew exactly what thunder did to spiritual bodies. The moment it hit, they'd be annihilated. But they didn't hesitate. They used their lives to protect Patriarch Hua—repaying the kindness and bond of countless years.
Boom!
The divine thunder slammed into the glowing net.
In that instant, a blinding white ring of light burst outward from the center, expanding in every direction.
The shockwave was terrifying. Everyone instinctively ducked for cover.
Outside the Hua Clan's borders, the beast cultivators attacking the barrier were also thrown into panic, dropping to the ground to shield themselves.
But to their surprise and excitement, the shockwave shattered the Hua Clan's boundary formation entirely.
Thick beastic energy gushed out.
The crowd's eyes lit up with wild joy.
"The barrier's down!"
The beast cultivators immediately charged into Hua territory. Their target was obvious—the center of the divine thunder.
Li Qingya was equally shocked. She rushed forward, familiar with the path from her previous visit, quickly overtaking the others. It didn't take long before she saw Song Wanníng floating midair.
Below her, the flower spirits were still kneeling, and in the middle of them lay a thunder-wreathed crater radiating an eerie light.
The entire scene was soaked in strangeness.
Li Qingya's expression darkened, suspicion flashing in her eyes.
Song Wanníng, however, just looked down coldly. "Martial Uncle, this is our first proper meeting. You're not even showing your true face?"
Her lips curved in a faint, mocking smile. She gripped her sword tight, her icy gaze fixed on Li Qingya.
As for the beast cultivators who'd followed behind, she didn't even spare them a glance.
Being exposed, Li Qingya froze for a heartbeat, then dropped her disguise without much surprise.
"Junior Nephew, I've heard so much about you," she said smoothly.
Their eyes locked, and killing intent crackled between them like a storm ready to explode.
But some clueless beast cultivator suddenly shouted, "Hand over the treasure, or don't blame us for what happens next!"
He and the others turned on the flower spirits, threatening them to surrender the so-called treasure.
Though frightened, the flower spirits quickly stood up.
"What treasure? We don't have anything like that!"
"You'd better leave now, or we won't hold back!"
They forced down their fear, standing their ground in front of the crater.
That crater was the patriarch's last hope. They'd die before letting anyone desecrate it.
"Heh..."
The beast cultivators noticed the crater too, greed flashing in their eyes—but also fear.
Who'd dare touch the thunder?
That was suicide.
But still, the treasure must've been inside.
As tension rose, Li Qingya suddenly spoke. "Song Wanníng, you must've taken the treasure, right? That's why the flower spirits were kneeling, begging you to return it."
She spoke pure nonsense without a shred of evidence. But she knew that under the temptation of treasure, even a hint of doubt would drive the others mad.
Sure enough, the beast cultivators who'd been threatening the flower spirits immediately turned their attention toward Song Wanníng.
"Hand over the treasure, now!"
Since she'd suppressed her aura earlier and forgotten to restore it, they only sensed the power of an Out-of-Body cultivator. To them, she was weak, unworthy of possessing such a treasure.
Li Qingya knew the truth but said nothing, waiting for them to rush in and die first.
"You want to take something from me?"
Song Wanníng smiled faintly.
Ever since her cultivation rose, it had been a long time since anyone dared speak to her like that.
And that feeling... was incredibly annoying.
Her smile vanished in an instant. Killing intent flashed in her eyes, and her sword slashed out.