"What do you mean?"
Dao Qing had imagined countless possibilities about what Song Wanníng might say, but he never expected that sentence. Situ Yue wasn't someone from this world?
Song Wanníng let out a quiet sigh and told him everything about the entanglements in the lower region.
When Dao Qing heard about the confrontation between the two worlds, the fury inside him erupted at once. He was a son of this world, and if the Heavenly Dao wanted to harm it, he'd never stand by and watch.
"How could the Heavenly Dao of the Mùsù star system be so vicious?"
If there was a problem with Heaven's rules, shouldn't it seek self-repair? How could it resort to plundering, ripping away Luck and resources from another world?
He thought of the Monsters at the Heaven's Chasm.
"The Monsters at the Heaven's Rift, are they connected to the Mùsù star system too?"
Song Wanníng nodded. "Right now, the Heavenly Dao of the Mùsù star system definitely hasn't given up, it might even launch a desperate assault."
A world on the verge of collapse would push its people into madness. It was only natural. No one wanted to die together with it. That meant this world still faced an unknown crisis.
Dao Qing fell into complete silence, and the aura around him grew dangerously sharp. He'd never known there was such a terrifying threat behind everything. If this was true, then the Immortal Realm was destined to face another calamity.
"So Situ Yue saved me because the Mùsù star system arranged it?"
His hands clenched tight, veins bulging. He'd almost died back then. If it was all part of a scheme to make him accept Situ Yue, then Situ Yue was his enemy, not his savior.
Song Wanníng nodded again. "The methods of the Mùsù star system are incredibly twisted. The Immortal Realm suffered less, but in the lower region…"
She recalled the few traitorous disciples, once devoted but later seduced by invaders, completely abandoning loyalty.
Dao Qing couldn't hold back his fury any longer. He shot to his feet, ready to storm out and demand if Situ Yue knew anything. For an outside Heavenly Dao to scheme against him too was outrageous.
"Senior, don't be reckless. This can't be rushed."
Song Wanníng calmed him, her expression solemn. "Right now, only you and Mo Yang Xiānzūn know about this. And the invaders might not be limited to Situ Yue."
The Immortal Realm was vast, and without the Three Lives Mirror, identifying infiltrators wasn't easy. And the matter must remain quiet. Even if they dealt with Situ Yue, they needed a proper excuse.
To outsiders, Situ Yue was Dao Qing's disciple. She couldn't let him bear a reputation of cruelty.
Dao Qing steadied himself. At the very least, he couldn't act against Situ Yue yet. "I'll get to the bottom of this. If Situ Yue really took part, then do whatever you want. I'll stand behind you completely."
He swore that directly to Song Wanníng. He felt no more bond of master and disciple. If not for her appearance, his lineage wouldn't have been thrown into chaos.
Song Wanníng nodded. "Good."
She narrowed her eyes slightly. Even she couldn't be certain of Situ Yue's involvement.
They'd just have to wait for the investigation.
…
Outside the palace, Situ Yue felt uneasy, her heart pounding. She returned to her courtyard and began packing to leave for a while.
Several Senior Brothers looked confused.
"Junior Sister, what're you doing? Where're you going with all that?"
"Yeah, weren't you about to study pill refining?"
They looked concerned.
Situ Yue's hands paused, then she forced a stiff smile. "I suddenly felt I need to go out and temper myself. Look how fast Song Wanníng's cultivation advanced. And I've been stuck at the same place. Honestly, it's embarrassing, I'm anxious.
So I'll head out and train. If I make a breakthrough, it'll be perfect."
Her explanation sounded reasonable, and they stopped pressing her, only reminding her to be careful.
She kept smiling, but panic churned inside her.
They didn't stay by her side anymore. Their concern wasn't the same. Ever since Song Wanníng arrived, everything changed. If she stayed, she'd only bring disaster on herself.
She needed to hurry.
Soon, she finished packing and left without hesitation.
Lan Yue stepped out of another courtyard and saw her rushing away.
"Where's she going?" Lan Yue asked in confusion.
The Junior Brothers explained. Lan Yue frowned deeply.
"She's leaving at a time like this. Don't tell me this situation involves her?"
The words slipped out before she could stop them. She expected arguing, but surprisingly, the Junior Brothers didn't defend Situ Yue like before. They exchanged doubtful looks.
"Probably not…"
"Junior Sister and the Little one have no grudges, why would she harm her?"
Yet there was no conviction in their voices. Situ Yue's actions were too abrupt. No one had proof, and no one wanted trouble tied to their peak, so silence spread.
Lan Yue's emotions were complicated. Their change was obvious, but she didn't feel happy about it. Some things, once broken, could never return. Their former bond would never be the same.
…
Song Wanníng walked out of the main hall.
Lan Yue approached and whispered, "Situ Yue packed up and ran."
Song Wanníng smiled, unsurprised. She knew the woman was guilty. She lifted her gaze, calm and cold. "It's fine. She won't get far."
The farther Situ Yue ran, the better. The distance would only make it easier to strike. That was Situ Yue's stupidity. Staying in Wuji Sect was the safest choice. Yet she rushed toward her death.
Song Wanníng chuckled softly. Although she smiled, Lan Yue felt a chilling frost sweep across her skin.
Lan Yue understood at that moment and stayed silent.
Situ Yue had never been recognized. She wasn't her Junior Sister, and Lan Yue didn't care if Situ Yue lived or died. If she had the chance, she wouldn't mind adding a few more cuts.
Lan Yue turned, watching the direction Situ Yue vanished, the corner of her lips lifting slightly. It was time Situ Yue paid the price. Hopefully she didn't drag herself too deep.
===
I'm thinking about picking up a new novel to translate soon, and right now I'm considering two titles: "The Fortune Pawn Shop: A Life to Sale" and "I Built My Own Inheritance."
The first one follows a girl named Ning Xia, who only has one week left to live. She suddenly inherits a mysterious pawnshop with one rule: give what you value most, and you'll receive what you desire most. It's eerie, dramatic, and full of emotional deals and secrets. I really love the premise.
The second story is about Su Wan, whose phone suddenly updates with this game called "My Ancestors' Era." Inside it, she can interact with people from the past and help them survive, build their family, and improve their lives. Every time she succeeds, she receives real antiques in the present.
Then her parents call her home to inherit the family property, and she realizes the incredibly wealthy and powerful family she helped build in the past... is actually her own. The fortune she is about to receive is the direct result of her own actions. I find this concept super fun and refreshing.
Both novels are currently serialized and have around 100 chapters, so they're still relatively short. I think I can catch up to the latest raw chapter within a week. As usual, I'll publish the translations on my AO3 account, and I'll share more detailed previews on Discord before I officially start.
The second novel is written by Chen Yuqing, who also wrote "With Double the Initial Opportunities," "This Isn't Exile, It's Clearly a Vacation," "I Turned Trash into Treasure in the Cultivation World," and "Space Check-in: I'm Farming in the Apocalypse." I've read some of their work before, and honestly, I might pick up another one in the future. Like Feng Ling, they focus on strong female MCs and No CP stories, which is exactly my taste.
I know my schedule is a little chaotic right now. On Webnovel, Stealing Luck, True Heir (Feng Ling's), and Troublemaker's Guide are all running low on drafts, and my AO3 projects How I Fed and My VR Games haven't been updated in a few weeks. Plus, I'm still busy organizing the Discord server and updating more than 100 C.AI characters (help me lol). It's a lot all at once, and I really need more time to get everything sorted before things go back to normal. It might take a month, maybe even longer.
I'm really sorry for the messy update schedule recently, especially on Webnovel, since I used to update pretty consistently. Thank you for your patience and for understanding. It means a lot to me. ♡