Gong Ye grabbed Li Qingya and pulled her into his arms, his hands roaming freely over her body as if trying to muddle her thoughts through touch.
But she was perfectly clear-headed. She knew exactly why he stayed with her: he wanted her method for controlling the Monsters.
If she told him, he'd dump her the moment he got what he wanted. That was her final trump card, something she could never let Gong Ye know. So she could only pull out more of the powder and hand it to him.
"It's not that I don't wanna tell you, but refining this powder burns too much essence. I don't want you to get drained because of me.
Just leave all that to me. You only need to train those Monsters properly, and we'll conquer the world together!" As she spoke, she leaned in and kissed him hard.
A cold gleam flashed in Gong Ye's eyes, but he didn't push her away. He'd already made up his mind. Once Li Qingya took care of Song Wanníng, he'd personally search her soul. By then, there wouldn't be any secret he couldn't see.
He forced down his killing intent. If it weren't for Song Wanníng's freakish Luck, he wouldn't even need to go this far. That woman really was his nemesis!
…
"Song Daoyou, I'm ready!"
Patriarch Hua stood midair, dressed in white.
Beneath stood countless members of the Cao Mu Clan, all brimming with energy, full of hope for the first time in ages.
Song Wanníng, clad in black, stood a short distance away, spiritual energy swirling faintly around her. She looked calm and enigmatic.
She nodded slightly. "Alright. Patriarch Hua, take care of yourself."
The moment her words fell, her spiritual power surged.
With a flick of her finger, a seed of divine thunder shot from her fingertip and soared straight into the sky.
This wasn't the kind of thunder she used to summon so easily before. This was a plea to the Heavenly Dao itself, asking for divine thunder to descend!
The curse binding the Cao Mu Clan couldn't be broken by just any thunder. The divine seed vanished into the clouds in a blink.
Song Wanníng narrowed her eyes, staring intently at the heavens.
Patriarch Hua's expression tensed, and every flower spirit of the Hua Clan stood outside, watching anxiously.
Everyone was both terrified and full of anticipation.
Just when the air seemed to freeze, a deep rumble exploded across the sky.
Without warning, countless tribulation clouds began to gather from all directions. Within two breaths, the entire sky for dozens of miles around had been swallowed by darkness.
A crushing aura of destruction bore down, locking directly onto Patriarch Hua. In that instant, their heart trembled, and cold sweat soaked their palms. But there was no turning back now. They had to finish this ritual!
Boom!
A bolt of Nine Heavens Divine Thunder tore through the clouds, crashing straight toward them. The first strike carried a probing intent, not too powerful yet still deadly enough.
Even so, for Patriarch Hua, it was a lethal blow.
They steeled themselves and rose to meet the thunder head-on. The next moment, the divine thunder struck, swallowing them whole. Their figure vanished instantly.
"Gods, Patriarch Hua got hit!"
"What do we do? It really is the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder! I can't even move from here!"
"Will Patriarch Hua be alright?"
Panic rippled through the flower spirits.
Patriarch Hua was their pillar of strength. If they fell, what would become of everyone else?
Some even wanted them to give up now. As long as Patriarch Hua lived, the Hua Clan could still survive. If the Hua Clan perished too, the Cao Mu Clan would truly be finished!
But their pleas meant nothing.
The divine thunder enveloped Patriarch Hua completely, nearly scattering their spiritual body. Their true form was revealed—a purple flower, its simple petals covered in strange glowing runes.
Light flared around it, shielding the branches and stem.
But the divine thunder was far too powerful.
A single petal was torn off and drifted to the ground.
The first strike's aftershock slowly faded.
Thanks to their protection, the clansmen below were unharmed.
But Patriarch Hua's aura weakened drastically. Even the first bolt had nearly broken them.
Song Wanníng's heart sank. That was just the first divine thunder, and they were already so wounded. It really proved that divine thunder was the bane of the Cao Mu Clan.
She took a quick look to confirm they could still endure, then summoned another.
The second divine thunder descended right on cue.
Boom!
Lightning raged, swallowing Patriarch Hua again.
Everyone held their breath, their hearts in their throats.
They silently prayed for their patriarch to survive.
"Poof!"
A spray of blood burst from within the lightning. Another petal fell.
The flower had nine petals in total, and now two were gone. Their cultivation started to fall with it. For a moment, panic flickered in Patriarch Hua's eyes, but they quickly steadied themselves. They'd known the risks from the start. Losing cultivation was inevitable.
But they could still hold on!
Clenching their teeth, they withstood the second thunder until it faded. Their condition now was terrible, their body shriveled and spirit flickering like a dying flame.
Song Wanníng hesitated. "Patriarch Hua..."
"Don't stop!"
They waved her off and lifted themselves into the air again. Since they'd started, they couldn't quit halfway. Otherwise, everything so far would've been for nothing!
"Alright!"
Seeing their determination, Song Wanníng didn't hesitate any longer. She summoned the third divine thunder.
The Bodhi Tree Spirit watched from within her internal world, utterly shaken by the destructive might of the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder. If it weren't focused solely on the curse, everything in a dozen-mile radius would've been obliterated—nothing would've survived, not even a blade of grass.
The Purple Heaven Divine Thunder was even stronger, but it couldn't be used here.
Otherwise, both Patriarch Hua and Song Wanníng would be annihilated.
As the Bodhi Tree Spirit watched Patriarch Hua being swallowed by thunder again, a flicker of regret crossed its heart. If this ritual failed... then what?
It clenched its fists tightly, praying they could hold on.
Boom!
The deafening roar of divine thunder spread far and wide, drawing the attention of nearby beast clans.
Many gathered outside the Hua Clan's borders, curious and wary.
Li Qingya was among them, her eyes narrowed suspiciously. She couldn't shake the feeling that this thunder had something to do with Song Wanníng. Had that woman found another opportunity again?
Jealousy twisted in her chest. A mere ascender, yet somehow always a step ahead of her—it was infuriating.
But as time passed, her confidence started to waver. Could her little tricks really kill someone like Song Wanníng?
Still, she'd already made herself an enemy of the Hua Clan. There was no way Song Wanníng would just forgive and forget.
Fear was useless now.