The white mist that once shrouded everything slowly dispersed, revealing towering immortal peaks stretching endlessly across the horizon. Each mountain soared high into the clouds, and scattered among the ridges were pavilions and towers, glimmering faintly like scattered jewels amid the lush greenery.
Song Wanníng leapt lightly into the air, silently following behind Mo Yang Xiānzūn as they made their way deeper into the sect's territory.
The Immortal Qi here was so rich it felt almost alive. She didn't even need to circulate her cultivation technique; the energy eagerly rushed into her body on its own. Her gaze swept over the breathtaking view ahead, and her heart swelled with a quiet excitement.
Mo Yang Xiānzūn, Senior Dao Qing, and Senior Feng Jiuxiao were all from the Wují Sect. With them here, she felt much more at ease.
And then there was—
Mu Zixu.
A shadow of hostility flickered through her eyes, tinged with mischief. She honestly couldn't wait to see the look on his face when he saw her again.
"Greetings, Xiānzūn!"
"Xiānzūn, good day!"
Wherever they passed, disciples bowed respectfully to Mo Yang Xiānzūn. Many sneaked curious glances at the woman following behind him.
Song Wanníng could feel their eyes on her. She stayed calm, her lips curving with a faint, polite smile. Since they'd all be fellow disciples from now on, it was only proper to be courteous.
But as more and more people stopped to greet them, her smile began to stiffen. Eventually, she gave up and walked expressionlessly beside Mo Yang Xiānzūn.
That calm demeanor, paired with her quiet presence, made everyone even more convinced she must be his descendant.
Before long, the rumors grew wild. Some even whispered that she might be Mo Yang Xiānzūn's daughter from the lower realm.
Completely unaware of the gossip, Song Wanníng followed Mo Yang Xiānzūn until they reached the Sect Master Hall.
The great hall stood at the very heart of the mountain range, grand yet simple, radiating an ancient charm.
Clearly, the Wují Sect didn't care for flashy decoration.
Inside, the sect master and several elders were already waiting.
Song Wanníng was a little surprised. She'd thought it would just be a brief meeting with the sect master, not a full assembly.
What she didn't know was that the sect master himself hadn't planned this either. The moment the others heard Mo Yang Xiānzūn was bringing someone back, they insisted on coming along. There was no way they'd miss the show.
Now they all sat neatly in a row, faces brimming with curiosity.
And the instant they saw her, everyone's eyes lit up.
A beauty!
And with that composure and aura, their curiosity only deepened.
"Disciple Song Wanníng greets the Sect Master! Greetings to all Elders!"
She stepped forward, cupping her fists politely as she introduced herself.
"There's no need to be so formal," the sect master said with a warm smile, motioning for her to rise.
"I've long heard Mo Yang Xiānzūn mention that our sect would soon welcome a remarkable new talent. Seeing you today, I realize he spoke not a word of exaggeration."
He praised her courteously, and the elders followed suit, smiling and nodding in approval.
Song Wanníng returned the smiles, fully aware that they were only doing this out of respect for Mo Yang Xiānzūn.
Still, her composure and lack of arrogance impressed them.
After all, ascendants were often prideful by nature. In the lower realms, each one had been an unmatched genius. But she was calm, respectful, and neither humble nor overbearing—exactly how a true disciple should be.
Mo Yang Xiānzūn, meanwhile, stood quietly to the side, silent and unreadable as ever.
The sect master glanced between him and Song Wanníng, then said, "From this day forth, you'll be one of our Wují Sect's true disciples. However… would you like to officially become a disciple under Mo Yang Xiānzūn's tutelage?"
"I'm deeply grateful for Sect Master's kindness," she said softly, "but I already have a master in the lower realm, so it wouldn't be right to change now. However, I once received Mo Yang Xiānzūn's legacy. In my heart, he's already my other master."
Her words were simple yet sincere, and her tone carried genuine respect.
For a brief moment, even the cold aura around Mo Yang Xiānzūn eased. His expression softened just a little.
The others noticed the change immediately. They could tell just how much she meant to him.
In the next moment, gifts began to appear from every direction.
The sect master led the way, offering her a finely crafted jade box. The other elders followed, presenting treasures, elixirs, and scrolls—everything a new disciple could use.
"Thank you, Sect Master, and thank you, Elders!"
This time, her smile was truly from the heart. Who wouldn't be happy to receive such gifts?
After a round of polite conversation, she was finally allowed to go choose her residence.
Before she could leave, Mo Yang Xiānzūn handed her a storage ring. mInside were piles of spirit stones, talismans, formation plates, and even several magic treasures he'd once used himself—all things she could use immediately. He didn't want her to waste time worrying about mundane matters when she could be cultivating. In his eyes, she was his only disciple.
Song Wanníng thanked him sincerely, her respect for him growing deeper still.
After giving her a few more instructions, Mo Yang Xiānzūn left.
She turned to go find her quarters, but a few elders called her back.
They surrounded her with eager faces, whispering curiously, "Girl, what's your relationship with Mo Yang Xiānzūn? Is he your ancestor?"
"Did you two ascend from the same world?"
Ever since his ascension, Mo Yang Xiānzūn had been a cold and mysterious sword cultivator. Few knew anything about his past.
Song Wanníng shook her head. "No. I only happened to obtain Xiānzūn's inheritance by chance. Before that, we'd never met."
Her explanation cleared up their doubts, but their expressions changed again—this time to awe.
So she wasn't his blood relative, but his inheritor? That was even better!
No wonder he'd personally gone to welcome her.
They quietly decided they'd have to remind their disciples to treat her with utmost respect.
Once the elders finally left, a disciple led Song Wanníng to the administrative hall. She registered her information, received her disciple token, and collected cultivation resources. The process was almost identical to how it was done in the lower realms.
Many disciples gathered to watch, whispering and speculating, but she ignored them and focused on getting settled.
Among the crowd, a young man named Ouyang Lin squeezed forward for a look at the registration book. Once he saw the name, he hurried back to report.
"Master, I found out her name. She's not from the Mo Clan," he said to Mu Zixu while helping organize herbs.
"What? Not from the Mo Clan?"
Mu Zixu looked up in surprise. That was unexpected.
"Yeah, her name's Song Wanníng, nothing to do with the Mo family at all…"
"What did you say her name was?"
Mu Zixu froze mid-motion, staring wide-eyed at Ouyang Lin.
Even the herbs in his hands slipped through his fingers.