Chapter 47: 36-40
Chapter 36
"What? This is impossible, impossible." Song Ru Hai's eyes lost focus instantly. Song Chaoyun, whom he had painstakingly nurtured as his successor, now they were saying that his son had died?
Tian Yuelan looked around but couldn't find her daughter and she also panicked. She first asked a few disciples of the Tian family who had gone to the Secret Realm, but they all said they hadn't seen them. Then she turned her gaze to Song Zhixia. Her son had gone to the Secret Realm to get close to Song Zhixia, so she asked, "Have you seen my son and daughter, Brother Song?"
Song Ru Hai's gaze found some focus again. "Zhixia, have you seen the head disciple of the Tian family?"
With a cold look, Song Zhixia replied, "I haven't seen them."
Tian Yuelan immediately became anxious. "This is impossible. Why have all of you come out? Where are my son and daughter? Moreover, I had an agreement with Leader Song to let my son and Song Zhixia get along well. How could he not be with you?"
"We have no idea. The Secret Realm is so vast. Even the Song family has lost a lot of disciples this time. Casualties are normal." Song Weizhi held Song Zhixia's hand and said nonchalantly.
"You, what is your attitude? It seems like I have to teach Leader Song a lesson for you." Saying this, Tian Yuelan actually slapped at Song Weizhi.
Song Weizhi pushed Song Zhixia away with one hand and effortlessly released a blow. There was a sly smile on Song Weizhi's lips. Clearly, she had easily parried the blow. Looking at Tian Yuelan mockingly, a drop of blood trickled down the corner of Tian Yuelan's mouth.
Seeing Tian Yuelan spitting blood, Song Weizhi raised an eyebrow. "Sorry, Leader Tian, I exerted a bit too much force." However, there was no hint of apology in her tone.
Tian Yuelan had used all her strength with that one blow, but she hadn't expected to end up spitting blood after being struck by Song Weizhi. She touched her chest and said, "Leader Song has indeed taught his apprentice well."
Song Ru Hai was in a state of mental chaos. He had originally wanted a double celebration, but now everything had gone awry. His son's life or death was unknown, and the Tian family's son and daughter were missing.
"Leader Tian, the most pressing matter now is to find them first before anything else," Song Ru Hai managed to regain his composure a bit at this point. As long as he hadn't seen the body of Song Chaoyun, he needed to continue the search.
After thinking it over, Tian Yuelan agreed. Moreover, she couldn't beat Song Weizhi. It was better to find her daughter and son first. "Humph, disciples of the Tian family, hurry and search together with us."
"Yes, we obey," the disciples of the Tian family and even the Song family's disciples headed up the back mountain to search for the missing people. Zhao Fei also instructed his disciples to help in the search.
Zhao Xunkun instructed two disciples of the Song family, as well as Xu Wenyuan and Liang Qin, to keep quiet about the matters inside the Secret Realm. Everyone understood.
Seeing that there was nothing for them to do, Song Weizhi said to Song Ru Hai, "Leader, let's go back and rest for now."
Watching her, he felt a headache coming on. Since he couldn't do anything to Song Weizhi, he might as well out of sight, out of mind. Song Weizhi was actually quite happy about it, so he and Song Zhixia flew back to their own courtyard on their flying swords.
Wei Zhao seemed to sense something and had been waiting at the gate of the courtyard early. When he saw Song Weizhi, he immediately said, "Master, you're back at last."
Song Weizhi smiled and said, "Isn't it fine to stand here? Look, you're back with all your feathers and tail intact." While the two of them were talking and laughing, Wei Zhao felt a bit chilly. Later, he realized that the future companion of his master was staring at him, and he was so scared that he took two steps back before speaking, "Hello, Miss Song."
Song Zhixia returned the smile, as if she hadn't been staring straight at Wei Zhao just now.
Wei Zhao felt that he shouldn't linger here. "Um, Master, please go back to your room to rest with Miss Song. I won't disturb you. It's good to see that you're both safe." After saying that, he hurried back to his room.
Song Weizhi followed Song Zhixia back to her room. It was only when Song Weizhi had entered that Song Zhixia realized something was amiss. Why had her senior sister followed her in?
Thinking of the kiss in the Secret Realm, Song Zhixia felt weak in the knees. A blush quickly spread across her face.
Originally, Song Weizhi had come to help Song Zhixia refine her primordial spirit. It was better to directly refine such a rare treasure into Song Zhixia's primordial spirit, to avoid any complications. Thus, once she entered Song Zhixia's room, she set up a barrier. However, now Song Zhixia was blushing, and Song Weizhi knew that the girl might be having some improper thoughts, so she couldn't resist teasing her a bit.
"Why is your face so red, Xiaxia? Let senior sister have a look." Song Weizhi moved a few steps closer with a smile.
Song Zhixia's peach blossom eyes trembled. She raised her head to look at Song Weizhi, and her ears turned red. "N-no, I'm not blushing... um, senior sister, why didn't you go back to your room?"
"Didn't you feel that we were not close enough in the Secret Realm?" Song Weizhi said casually as she took another step closer. Song Zhixia's back was against the table, and she nervously held onto the edge of the table behind her.
"I... didn't say we weren't close enough, did I?" Song Zhixia's heart was racing, and she sneakily glanced at Song Weizhi's expression. Could it be that senior sister wanted to kiss her again?
"Then who was sobbing in my arms in the Secret Realm?" Song Weizhi said as she lightly stroked Song Zhixia's cheek with her finger.
The pink on Song Zhixia's face deepened. Clutching the edge of the table behind her, she felt both shy and somewhat anticipating what Song Weizhi might do next.
Seeing that the younger girl was too shy to speak, Song Weizhi naturally let her off and lightly chuckled. "Alright, I was just teasing you. Look at this. I found it on that dead python." She handed the dragon-shaped jade pendant to Song Zhixia.
Song Zhixia took the jade pendant and examined it. It didn't look very different from an ordinary jade pendant. She looked at Song Weizhi with some confusion. "Senior sister, what kind of treasure is this? I can't see anything special about it."
Taking the jade pendant from her hand, Song Weizhi said, "This contains a fragment of your primordial spirit. It's not just a simple chicken."
Somewhat puzzled, Song Zhixia asked, "What chicken is it?"
"When you have collected all the fragments of your primordial spirit, the chicken will transform into the ancient divine beast, the Nine-tailed Profound Bird. Your previously semi-spirit root may have a lot to do with the incomplete primordial spirit fragments," explained Song Weizhi.
"What if these fall into someone else's hands?"
"This thing can not only enhance your strength, but if someone else refines the fragments into their primordial spirit, their cultivation speed will increase dramatically. Moreover, their primordial spirit will also undergo considerable enhancement. Therefore, it may lead to trouble. That's why I'm planning to refine the primordial spirit fragments into your spirit right now," said Song Weizhi with a smile.
Song Zhixia stared earnestly at Song Weizhi. "But this is a treasure you obtained at great risk, and it can also help with your cultivation. I can't accept it. You should refine it for yourself."
"I obtained this for you. Are you trying to make me give it to another girl?" Song Weizhi joked.
"Senior sister, I'm not joking with you. Such a precious item... I can't accept it. Please keep it for yourself," insisted Song Zhixia.
In a gentle voice, Song Weizhi said, "I'm being serious, too. I obtained these primordial spirit fragments for you. Xiaxia, please accept them, okay?" She then reached out and patted the girl's head.
"But... but..." Song Zhixia was at a loss for words. How could such a precious item be given to her by her senior sister? She owed her senior sister so much, how could she ever repay her?
"Don't hesitate. I'm giving it to my own little sister. You mustn't refuse, Xiaxia. Sit down, and I'll merge the primordial spirit fragments into you," Song Weizhi said, pushing Song Zhixia's shoulders down to make her sit.
With a brief finger gesture, Song Weizhi infused spiritual power into the jade pendant. She then exctracted the primordial spirit fragments from the pendant and slowly merged them into Song Zhixia's spiritual consciousness, carefully integrating the fragments with her existing primordial spirit. Half an hour later, Song Weizhi withdrew her spiritual power.
"How do you feel now, Xiaxia?" Song Weizhi smiled at the obedient girl sitting on the chair.
At this moment, Song Zhixia felt that the spiritual power within her body seemed even more vigorous, and her body seemed lighter than before.
"Release the chicken and see what it can do now," Song Weizhi said with a smile. She was also quite curious about what the jester chicken would look like after finding a primordial spirit fragment.
As instructed, Song Zhixia released the jester chicken. What used to be the size of a fist had now doubled in size, and its virtual feathers had become slightly lighter in color.
The jester chicken was a little dazed after being released. It ran straight to Song Zhixia and rubbed its head against her calf, then pecked at her legs. Song Zhixia looked at the jester chicken with a smile, then squatted down to touch its head.
"Senior sister, the chicken has doubled in size," Song Zhixia said happily. Not only had its body grown, but its previously slender legs had also become slightly stronger than before.
"Yes, let's see what the chicken is capable of now. Chicken, breathe fire," Song Weizhi said with a poke to the chicken's cheek.
The peach blossom bird was a little dazed. It didn't know that it was supposed to put on a show when suddenly being released. But, it mustered a bit of air into its throat and puffed out a small amount of flame.
Song Zhixia, who was watching the chicken, clapped with amusement.
The jester chicken, always seeing Song Weizhi and being treated kindly by her, had already regarded Song Weizhi as its own and obediently breathed out a small flame, much stronger than the tiny spark it had been able to produce before.
"You're amazing, little chicken." Song Weizhi praised the jester chicken as she hugged it.
The jester chicken didn't mind at all. It obediently accepted Song Weizhi's affection, occasionally rubbing its head against her fingers.
Watching this, Song Zhixia felt a twinge of jealousy. She thought she had behaved very well, so why wasn't her senior sister showing her the same affection? Thinking about feeling jealous of a chicken, Song Zhixia quickly shook her head to clear these messy thoughts from her mind.
Chapter 37
Before the clown chicken could have fun in Song Wei Zhi's hands, it was taken away by Song Zhi Xia. Poke the chicken's head, Song Zhi Xia said: "Stop bothering Senior Sister. Chicken, be a good girl and go back to rest, okay?"
The chicken nodded reluctantly, still wanting to play, but obediently followed Song Zhi Xia's instructions and returned to rest in her sea of consciousness.
After helping Song Zhi Xia refine the primordial spirit fragments, Song Wei Zhi asked her to meditate and recuperate, while she herself returned to her room.
As soon as Song Wei Zhi returned to her room, her mind was bombarded by the system's messages: "Congratulations, the host has successfully broken through the Linglong Secret Realm, rewarded 500 points. Congratulations, the host has found the female lead Song Wei Zhi's primordial spirit fragment, rewarded 1000 points. The host has 50 remaining points, the current total points of the host is 1550 points. Would you like to exchange for items in the mall?"
Thinking that Song Ru Hai and Tian Yue Lan had lost their son and daughter, and fearing that they might cause trouble in a few days, Song Wei Zhi, with her current complete Golden Core cultivation, realized that she couldn't really suppress them. Since she had already obtained the primordial spirit fragment in Linhai City, could she just leave? She expressed her thoughts to the system, but received a negative answer.
"After inspection, there is still a piece of the female lead's primordial spirit fragment in Linhai City. The system suggests that the host should not leave temporarily."
Unexpectedly, there was still a piece of the primordial spirit fragment in Linhai City. It seemed that she and Song Zhi Xia couldn't leave after all. In order to avoid trouble from those people, the immediate priority was to enhance her and Song Zhi Xia's strength. So, Song Wei Zhi asked the system in her mind, "Then what are the items available in the mall?"
As per the request, the system opened the mall interface, displaying neatly arranged items. There were many martial arts, treasures, and pills. When Song Wei Zhi came across a Hidden Pill, her interest was piqued.
The mall description read: Hidden Pill, priced at 1000 points, only one available, once sold out, it will not be restocked. It can hide the user's cultivation level. After consumption, the user will not be affected by tribulations when breaking through realms.
Song Wei Zhi was instantly intrigued. After all, in this world, after the Foundation Establishment stage, each level up required a corresponding number of tribulations. With this pill, she no longer had to worry about tribulations, and she could also conceal her strength, making it difficult for others to gauge her true power, providing an extra layer of security for herself.
Song Wei Zhi clicked to confirm the exchange, and immediately had a dark pill in her hand.
The system's mechanical voice sounded again: "Congratulations, the host has successfully exchanged for the Hidden Pill, deducted 1000 points, and the current remaining points of the host are 550 points."
Song Wei Zhi took the Hidden Pill and felt no change in her body. However, she immediately sensed the fluctuations of spiritual energy around the courtyard. Upon pushing the door open, she saw dark clouds gathering towards the courtyard, resembling a heavenly tribulation.
Without thinking, Song Wei Zhi realized that this heavenly tribulation was targeting Song Zhi Xia. Having just refined the primordial spirit fragment, her cultivation progress had accelerated considerably. Priorly stuck at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage, she seemed to have made a breakthrough.
Realizing this, Song Wei Zhi hurried to find someone at the door of Song Zhi Xia's room and led them to a deserted place near the courtyard. Unlike the single tribulation in Foundation Establishment stage, the transition from Foundation Establishment to Core Formation stage involved two tribulations. In no time, dark clouds over Song Zhi Xia's head attacked, resembling a giant beast eroding its prey.
Summoning her Lishuo Sword, Song Wei Zhi said, "Xia Xia, don't be afraid. This time there are two tribulations. I'll help you with one, and you take care of the other."
By now, Song Zhi Xia had also gripped her sword and, pushing Song Wei Zhi, said, "Senior Sister, please stay away. The tribulation is about to strike." She did not want Song Wei Zhi to be hit by the tribulations and was in a hurry.
Without moving, Song Wei Zhi stood by her side and said, "It's okay, Xia Xia. It's just a tribulation. Don't push me, focus on dealing with the tribulation."
With determination, Song Wei Zhi stood by Song Zhi Xia. Song Zhi Xia looked at the person beside her, her eyes slightly red. Senior Sister always protected her like this which she had never experienced before. Everything had changed in these months because of her.
The thunder rumbled in the sky, the dark clouds pressed down lower, and in an instant, a tribulation struck. Song Wei Zhi used her Lishuo Sword to intercept the first tribulation. As it clashed with the tribulation, the surrounding area was pitted with several deep craters.
After enduring the first tribulation, Song Wei Zhi felt a bit drained. It wasn't due to her lacking cultivation but because facing tribulations on behalf of others entailed being suppressed by extreme heavenly constraints.
Unperturbed, she prepared to help Song Zhi Xia face the second tribulation. Shortly after, the second tribulation struck, and Song Wei Zhi went ahead to block it, their collision causing explosions. When she felt exhausted, Song Wei Zhi stepped back, allowing the remaining half of the tribulation to strike Song Zhi Xia.
Song Zhi Xia wanted to check on Song Wei Zhi, but the tribulation had begun, and she could only raise her sword to defend herself. Luckily, it was only a half-tribulation, and she felt her arm go numb from the impact.
At the same time, on the back hill, Song Ru Hai and the disciples also witnessed the two tribulations. Two tribulations meant that some disciples had entered the Core Formation stage. This was supposed to be a joyous occasion, but Song Ru Hai was in no mood. No matter how powerful the disciples were, they were still just subordinates to him. How could they be more important than his own son?
As the heavenly tribulations gradually dissipated, Song Zhi Xia hastily ran to Song Wei Zhi. "Senior Sister, are you okay? You promised to block just one, but you tried to take both. Are you hurt?" Her eyes turned red as she spoke.
Song Wei Zhi, looking pale, smiled and reassured her, "I'm fine, dear. I'm right here. Don't worry, Xia Xia, don't cry."
But Song Zhi Xia could clearly see that Song Wei Zhi wasn't well. Clenching her fists tightly, tears rolled down her cheeks. Song Wei Zhi embraced her, comforting her gently. "I'm really okay, just worried about you. Stop crying, okay?"
Resting her head on Song Wei Zhi's chest, Song Zhi Xia's hands around her waist tightened. "I'm not angry, just worried about you."
Observing the actions of the girl in her arms, Song Wei Zhi couldn't help but smile. Her little girl was too adorable, acting like a baby rabbit and being affectionate when upset.
"Alright, I'll be more careful for your sake," Song Wei Zhi said reassuringly.
Song Zhi Xia wiped her eyes and nuzzled Song Wei Zhi's chest. After arranging things for Song Zhi Xia's rest, Song Wei Zhi felt considerably drained. She returned to her room, setting up a boundary to keep watch and instructing the guards to keep strangers out. Finally, she began to meditate.
Initially, Song Wei Zhi's progress was slow due to the drained spiritual energy. She lost track of time but gradually felt the drained energy converted and accumulated rapidly in her Dantian and meridians. It seemed like the gathered energy was on the brink of bursting. She faintly sensed her mid-stage Golden Core realm loosening. With more spiritual energy, she was on the verge of breaking through. Time seemed to elongate, but she persisted in circulating her internal energy, aiming to break through the threshold of the Core Formation realm.
While Song Wei Zhi was in secluded cultivation, five days passed outside. Song Ru Hai and the others had been tirelessly searching on the hill for five days but found no trace of his son. The situation had him completely on edge. After the fifth day, Song Ru Hai's accumulated frustration erupted.
"All of you are useless, unable to locate a person as large as Suo Yun. What use are you to me?" He had lost his former composed demeanor and was bloodshot, willing to kill his incompetent disciples to get back his son.
"Ha, Master Song, aren't you useless too? It's been five days. My son and daughter, where are they? What about your explanations?" Tian Yue Lan had also not slept for days, hoping to find her children. She had been ridiculing and taunting Song Ru Hai these days, and at this point, Song Ru Hai was on the verge of collapse.
"Me, useless? I'll show you how useless I am." Saying this, he swiftly moved to strike Tian Yue Lan, who had no choice but to defend herself against his sudden attack. They both received different degrees of injuries, with Zhao Fei finally intervening to stop the fight.
The Zhao family was the most innocent in this matter. First, their marriage proposal was rejected, and then they encountered unexpected events in the secret realm. Zhao Fei had no intention of dealing with these problems further and quickly left the Song family with his people.
Unable to find his son on the back hill, Song Ru Hai's only thought was to ask Song Wei Zhi for help, as she had claimed to have seen Song Chaoyun.
After calming down, Song Ru Hai said to Tian Yue Lan, "I think there might be some hidden agenda in this matter. I'm not afraid to admit it now. My rebellious daughter, Song Wei Zhi, has always been disobedient. Moreover, since she claimed that our son has already passed away, I think his disappearance and her rebellion are closely related. However, she has a strong cultivation, also in the Golden Core stage. It may be necessary for us to join forces to defeat her. Leader Tian, I apologize for my earlier offense."
Concerned about the fate of her children, Tian Yue Lan naturally gave Song Ru Hai an opportunity to step down, saying, "Song Leader, there's no need for this. It was also my fault. Now, we should deal with Song Wei Zhi together."
Chapter 38
Song Ruohai and Tian Yuelan immediately joined forces and took a group of disciples to Song Weizhi's small courtyard, as if on the verge of demanding justice.
Meanwhile, Song Zhixia went to find Song Weizhi the next day and encountered the barrier set up by her. She realized her senior sister was cultivating inside the room, so she found a mat and obediently sat outside Song Weizhi's door to cultivate. She felt like she had been sticking to her senior sister too much lately. Whenever she didn't see her, she wanted to find her. With this thought, Song Zhixia unconsciously blushed. To stop her from overthinking, she decided to cultivate in front of Song Weizhi's door.
After several days of cultivation, the spiritual energy in Song Weizhi's dantian continued to strike the gate of the Nascent Infant stage. Eventually, the barrier was broken by the spiritual energy within her, and Song Weizhi felt that the spiritual energy in her body was more surging than ever before. The nascent infant in her dantian gradually condensed into a lovely little doll. Knowing that she had just entered the early Nascent Infant stage, Song Weizhi made the spiritual energy circulate in her body several more times before stopping cultivation. After taking the concealed pill, she indeed did not experience any more heavenly tribulations.
As soon as Song Weizhi removed the barrier she had set, she felt someone outside her door. As expected, she found her junior sister sitting obediently on the mat cultivating. So, was her little sister worried about her? Or did she miss her? Perhaps both? Song Weizhi didn't realize it, but a smile had formed at the corner of her eyes. She had been thinking about her little sister these few days, but she didn't want to disturb Song Zhixia's cultivation. She decided to sit next to Song Zhixia, staring at her without blinking.
Even though Song Zhixia was cultivating, she felt someone watching her. After regulating the spiritual power in her body, she opened her eyes and saw her senior sister gazing at her with a smiling look in her eyes. Song Zhixia's cheeks visibly turned blush.
"Sister, when did you arrive?" After asking, she couldn't bring herself to look at Song Weizhi and averted her gaze with her peach blossom eyes.
Song Weizhi moved closer to Song Zhixia, sitting shoulder to shoulder. With her chin resting on her hand, she looked at her shy junior sister and said, "I've been here for a while. I haven't seen you for so many days, so I wanted to gaze at you a little longer."
"Sister, you're making things up again." Song Zhixia's eyes showed a tinge of blush at the corners, looking at Song Weizhi in a grievous yet affectionate manner. However, her expression was nothing but coquettish.
Extending her arm, Song Weizhi took Song Zhixia's slender waist and drew her closer until their shoulders touched, then using her arm as a support, she gazed at her shy little sister. "Did you really not miss me these few days? Then why were you anxiously waiting outside my door? Hm?" as she lightly skimmed Song Zhixia's cheek with the back of her finger.
Her ears turning crimson, Song Zhixia tried to move away but was held in place by her senior sister's embrace. Eventually, she gave in and nestled in Song Weizhi's arms, burying her face in the nape of her senior sister's neck. In that moment, she was enveloped by Song Weizhi's presence, and she admitted, "I missed you too."
Realizing what she had said, Song Zhixia buried herself deeper and felt regretful for saying it. Would her senior sister think she was not reserved enough?
The next moment, Song Zhixia felt her ears being gently held by her senior sister's hand. In a soft tone, Song Weizhi's voice entered her ears, "I missed you too. What should we do? I miss you every moment."
Song Zhixia's mind was overwhelmed by her senior sister's words, and her heartbeat sounded like a relentless drum in her ears. She felt breathless and her thoughts raced - Did her senior sister like her? Did she want her to be her partner, that's why she said these things? Would ordinary senior sisters say such things or embrace each other so intimately?
For a moment, countless questions flooded her mind, but she dared not ask Song Weizhi. She feared that her senior sister might actually treat her as a younger sister and spoil her.
Their embrace didn't last long, as numerous visitors arrived at the courtyard gates. Song Weizhi felt the presence, touched Song Zhixia's head, feeling a bit unsatisfied that she couldn't embrace her little sister for a longer time. Just then, uninvited guests arrived.
Wei Zhao, being astute, had already heard the commotion and was waiting at the courtyard gate. Song Weizhi, with Song Zhixia beside her, walked towards the gate. Standing outside, many people had gathered, led by Song Ruohai and Tian Yuelan, followed by three elders of the Song clan and several disciples.
Amused by the scene, Song Weizhi glanced at Song Ruohai and Tian Yuelan. "Why have both the sect leaders come? And with so many disciples? My little place might not accommodate so many people. Please turn back, everyone."
"Insolent, Song Weizhi. Is this how you speak to the sect leaders? I have been too lenient on you, allowing you to be disrespectful to your elders. If you don't explain the whereabouts of my son, Chaoyun, and the daughter of the Tian family today, don't blame me for being ruthless." Song Ruohai was furious as he hadn't found his son in these past few days.
Agreeing, Song Weizhi said, "I know it. The sect leaders are indeed cruel. I've already made it clear. Chaoyun died in the secret realm, and you refused to believe it."
"Nonsense! My son already had mastery in the Initiation stage. How did he die then?" Song Ruohai's eyes were about to spew fire.
"Mastery? What's the use? After we fell to the depths of the secret realm, our cultivation was rendered ineffective. Song Yueling turned into a monster after eating a peculiar fish in the secret realm. Your son was bitten to death by the monster she became." Song Weizhi truthfully explained the situation inside the secret realm to Song Ruohai.
"Impossible! Impossible! How could Yueling harm my son? It is you; you must have killed my son and framed someone else for it. I've raised you for over a decade, but look at you. I must eradicate you today." Song Ruohai lunged at Song Weizhi with his palm.
Wei Zhao wanted to step in, but Song Weizhi gently pushed him away. With a surge of spiritual power, she countered Song Ruohai with a palm strike, sending him back several paces and causing him to spit blood from the corner of his mouth.
"Impossible! You are in the Mastery of Golden Core stage. How is this possible?" Another mouthful of blood sprayed from Song Ruohai's mouth. He felt Song Weizhi was his disciple, and even though she had a slightly higher realm, they should have been evenly matched. Unbeknownst to him, Song Weizhi had already transcended into the Nascent Infant stage.
For a moment, the courtyard fell silent. Soon, the disciples began to gossip:
"Wow, Senior Sister is even more formidable than Master? She dealt with Master so effortlessly."
"That's right. It's no wonder Master can't control her. How can she be a Master with such mediocre skills?"
"Keep your voice down. Even though Master can't defeat Senior Sister, she can certainly discipline you."
There was no way Song Ruohai, at the Golden Core stage, could not hear the disciples' sarcasm, but having just experienced Song Weizhi's prowess, he was indeed outmatched. With a cold smirk, he said, "Song Weizhi, do you think I came to face you without any backup? Look, who's over there?"
Following Song Ruohai's pointing finger, He Qingmei and Tian Ming brought three ordinary people. Two of them appeared to be a couple around forty years old, accompanied by an eighteen or nineteen-year-old young man. However, these three were dressed very modestly.
Upon seeing these three, Song Zhixia couldn't help but clench her fingers. How could she not recognize these people? They were the foster parents who were saving up money by selling her to an elderly widower for her younger brother.
Seeing Song Zhixia's silence, Song Ruohai turned to the couple and said, "Can you recognize your daughter over there? And I believe you should be more familiar with the one behind her. That is your adopted daughter, Song Zhixia."
"Oh my, our daughter has grown up so well," Song's mother said, proudly holding Song's father's arm.
However, the young man's eyes were fixated on Song Zhixia ever since she found out that she wasn't her sister. He wanted to make her his wife since she was hardworking and beautiful. But as he moved closer to her, he was thrown back.
Song Weizhi gently pried open Song Zhixia's tightly clenched fingers, held them gently, and whispered, "Don't hurt yourself."
Song Zhixia nodded softly.
The young man began shouting, "Who did that to me?"
"I did. Any problem?" Song Weizhi retorted coldly.
The young man, still not accepting defeat, stood up and shouted, "I am your brother. How dare you hit me? Someone like you should go back home and do some chores for your parents, help save money for my bride. Oh, but looking at how well-dressed you are, you must have a lot of money. How about building me a big house first? I just want to get married. Sister, I want to marry the girl behind you, Song Zhixia..."
Before the young man could say anything further, he was suddenly thrown into the air and then ruthlessly back onto the ground by Song Weizhi. There was a snapping sound, and the young man was unable to get up.
Seeing that Song Weizhi had injured the man, Song's mother immediately started wailing and causing a scene, a typical display of a woman scorned.
Song Weizhi looked at Song Ruohai and asked, "Why did Leader Song bring these people here? What do you mean by this?"
Chapter 39
"What do you mean? If you don't release Chaoyun and the Tian siblings today, I won't hesitate to kill your parents and brother in front of you," Song Ruohai said with bloodshot eyes.
Upon hearing the threat, Song's father and mother were frightened and shocked, especially Song's mother: "My daughter, please listen to your master. We cannot die, and your brother is the only one to carry on the family line. He cannot be harmed..."
Her own biological parents, along with her brother, were not good people at all. They had mistreated her and Xiaxia. Song Weizhi had already emotionally detached herself from them. Whether they lived or died, it had nothing to do with her.
"Then, Sect Leader Song, go ahead," Song Weizhi coldly spoke.
Song Ruohai couldn't believe his ears. Did Song Weizhi really ask him to take action and kill? This was different from what he had anticipated. He wanted to use these three individuals to control Song Weizhi. Why wasn't she taking the bait?
Thinking that Song Weizhi was pretending, he snorted, "Song Weizhi, don't play these tricks with me. Don't you think I don't know that you want me to let my guard down and then save them? I'm telling you, there's no such easy way out for you."
Song Ruohai lifted the young man, and even when the young man stopped breathing, Song Weizhi showed no intention of making a move, only hearing the cries of the couple under her feet.
Song Ruohai tried to say something to Song Weizhi several times but couldn't find the words. He didn't expect Song Weizhi to be so ruthless, watching as his own brother was choked to death.
Song Weizhi finally spoke, "The young man is dead. Sect Leader Song said he is my brother. If you killed him, should I also make you pay with your life?"
"You, Song Weizhi, you disregard the lives of your loved ones, you betray your teacher and extinguish your own family line," Song Ruohai pointed at Song Weizhi.
"So, Sect Leader Song has no faults at all? First, abandoning his own daughter, then swapping for someone else's daughter. Whenever there's a problem, he only knows how to push it onto his own disciples. Now, he's even using others' parents and siblings as leverage. Sect Leader Song is truly the greatest hypocrite. With such a master, what good disciples can the Song family have?" Song Weizhi's words pierced Song Ruohai's heart.
"You, you're talking nonsense. I am not a hypocrite," Song Ruohai frantically defended himself.
"Alright, now it's my turn to take action," Song Weizhi said as she circulated her spiritual power and struck at Song Ruohai. With a push, Song Ruohai was directly blown away by the force of Song Weizhi's attack. He only stopped after crashing into a large tree ten meters away, leaning against it for a while before standing up.
Meanwhile, Song Weizhi had reappeared in front of Song Ruohai.
"You, you can't kill me. I am Zhi Xia's biological father. Spare me for Zhi Xia's sake," Song Ruohai regretted deeply, not anticipating that Song Weizhi's strength exceeded his and Tian Yuelan's. Otherwise, they wouldn't have come together to seek retribution, embarrassing himself.
Song Weizhi turned to glance at Song Zhi Xia behind her. She believed that it wasn't entirely appropriate to let Zhi Xia's biological parents die at her hands, so she didn't intend to continue further.
Finding this all rather dull, Song Weizhi thought that people always wore two faces: one when they could pressure you, another when they couldn't control you.
Turning to walk towards Zhi Xia, she heard Tian Yuelan's voice from behind, "Hold it. You haven't told me the whereabouts of my son. I might not fear you, Song Leader, but I won't let you leave alive today."
With a stern expression, Song Weizhi furrowed her brows and asked, "And what will you do?"
"Hand over my son and daughter, otherwise, you won't leave here alive today," Tian Yuelan had already drawn her spiritual sword, ready to fight Song Weizhi to the end.
After witnessing the chaotic scene, Song Weizhi had grown tired of exchanging words and simply stated, "Your son and daughter, I'm afraid I can't return them to you. They died in the secret realm. If you want to find them, you'll have to do it yourself. I won't accompany you."
"Stop! Did you kill them?" Tian Yuelan's eyes were bloodshot. She doted on her children and couldn't bear the thought of them actually being dead.
"I did, but only because your son and daughter were the first to seek harm against me," Song Weizhi replied.
"Shut up. Song Weizhi, today I will make you pay with your life for my son's," saying so, Tian Yuelan swung her sword, exerting a force that made several disciples cough up blood.
Turning her attention to Song Weizhi, who took out her Li Shuo sword. Without any extravagant embellishments, as Tian Yuelan's sword came at her, Song Weizhi's Li Shuo sword entwined like a cyan dragon. To outsiders, it seemed effortless, but in an instant, she blocked Tian Yuelan's sword. Despite Tian Yuelan's spiritual power, she couldn't free herself.
When Song Weizhi struck with her palm, Tian Yuelan was forced to abandon her sword, and with several snaps, she was sent flying over ten meters. Her right hand hung limp like cartilage, her mouth filled with blood, unable to even speak.
However, Tian Yuelan was not about to give up. She was determined to die with Song Weizhi. Clutching a light green bug in her left hand, she channeled her spiritual power into it and hurled it at Song Weizhi's face with all her might.
Song Zhi Xia, witnessing the green object, attempted to block it.
However, being in the Yuanying stage, Song Weizhi naturally realized the object was coming for her. With a gentle push, she used her spiritual power to firmly move Song Zhi Xia to a safe place. Then, she swung her sword at the bug. At the same time, she erected an ice wall in front of her. After slicing the bug, green blood spattered onto the ice wall and floor, emitting faint green smoke.
Song Weizhi was unsure about the nature of the object but overheard some disciples beside her exclaiming it was a gu insect. Her expression turned even colder. She could handle gu insects, but what if Xiaxia was inadvertently exposed? With a cold gaze, she infused her Li Shuo sword with spiritual power. Following her command, in an instant, it pierced the already weakened Tian Yuelan.
The open space outside the courtyard fell silent. When members of the Tian family's faction saw their leader killed, not a single person dared to intervene. Inside the courtyard, Song's biological parents were so mortified that they couldn't speak.
Song Ruohai's mind raced. He had truly torn his face with Song Weizhi today. However, Song Weizhi ultimately didn't kill him, not because of his nurturing but because of his biological daughter, Song Zhi Xia. With his son's whereabouts unknown and his relationship with his biological daughter strained, Song Ruohai reflected sorrowfully. If he had treated Zhi Xia better when she returned to the Song family, he would have had an extra card to play. Now, if Song Weizhi and Song Zhi Xia wanted to leave, the Song family would likely be obliterated by the Qin family.
As Song Weizhi was about to enter the courtyard, she was surprised to see He Qingmei helping Song Ruohai stand up. Disregarding his disheveled appearance, he resumed a caring elder's demeanor and suggested, "Weizhi, as you said, my son Chaoyun is gone. Now, I only have Zhi Xia as my daughter. You are my beloved disciple, and you and Zhi Xia are close. Why not become partners after some time?"
Song Weizhi was stunned by his words and sighed at Song Ruohai's quick change of heart. Just a moment ago, he was begging for mercy, and the next moment, he was proposing that she and Zhi Xia become partners. Did he see her strength and want to retain her, or was there something else in his mind?
Regardless of Song Ruohai's intentions, she would never agree. Xiaxia was such a pure and lovely girl, she wouldn't be thinking about becoming someone's partner all the time.
At the same time, standing next to Song Weizhi, Song Zhi Xia was also taken aback, blushing slightly. She had never dreamt that thoughts she had every day would be spoken by Song Ruohai. She had no feelings for him and He Qingmei, nor did she consider them her parents. Even after Song Weizhi killed them, she wouldn't blame her. For her, her senior sister was the most important. However, she was curious to hear her senior sister's thoughts on whether she wanted Zhi Xia to be her partner.
In response, Song Weizhi said, "What nonsense. Stop saying irrelevant things."
After speaking, she turned and led Song Zhi Xia back into the courtyard. Wei Zhao, the last to enter, closed the courtyard door considerately. This time, no one dared to come and cause trouble at their doorstep.
Following Song Weizhi's words, Song Zhi Xia's heart plummeted heavily to the ground. She realized that her senior sister considered the idea of being her partner as nonsense. Song Weizhi didn't have any other intentions towards her, she only saw her as a sister who needed protection. But what about the kiss in the secret realm? Song Zhi Xia felt utterly powerless at that moment, as if she were drowning.
However, Song Weizhi was unaware of this. She continued to lead Song Zhi Xia back into the courtyard.
Feeling the warmth from Song Weizhi's hand, Song Zhi Xia unexpectedly wanted to cry, but she restrained herself, afraid that Song Weizhi might notice something was wrong.
Author's Note:
Song Weizhi: Nonsense! How could Xiaxia, such a pure girl, understand what a partner is?
Song Zhi Xia (anxiously): Senior sister, I really understand!
Chapter 40
After finally making her way back to her room, tears trickled down Song Zhi Xia's cheeks, but she dared not cry too loudly for fear of letting Song Wei Zhi know. She could only sob quietly on her bed, her mind in disarray.
Her Senior Sister had never truly wanted her. It had all been her own wishful thinking. The thought of this made even more tears well up in her eyes, soaking a small patch of her sheets.
On the other side, the disciples from the Tian family outside the courtyard fled in panic. Song Ru Hai, assisted by He Qing Mei, also retreated to rest in his room after the incident. Having lost his son and being injured by Song Wei Zhi, he had no choice but to spend his days recuperating in seclusion. This led to a loss of morale.
With Song Ru Hai absent, many of the Song family's disciples, who had always admired their sect leader, were shocked to see his true nature. Many chose to leave and join other sects. During this time, Tian Ming was left to handle the trivial matters in the sect, leaving him feeling overwhelmed.
In the past few days, Song Wei Zhi had sent Wei Zhao out to gather information. She wanted to leave Linhai City as soon as possible with Song Zhi Xia. However, she was hesitant because there was still one fragment of spirit left in Linhai City. She had no choice but to continue staying. However, she couldn't shake off the strange attitude her little sister had been showing towards her. At first, it seemed like she was avoiding her, but later, it seemed no different from before. Song Wei Zhi began to suspect it was all in her head.
However, Song Wei Zhi soon became too preoccupied to dwell on these thoughts. Wei Zhao's investigations over the past few days had revealed that Song Ru Hai often visited the family shrine for long periods of time. The shrine had been constructed in a very secluded location and was off-limits to others.
Following Wei Zhao, Song Wei Zhi entered the shrine. It was hidden in a remote corner and appeared to require a certain technique to open. After setting up a barrier using her spiritual power, no one with Yuan Ying cultivation could detect any movements inside. She then used the Li Shuo Sword to break the barrier, instructing Wei Zhao to guard outside.
As Song Wei Zhi stepped into the shrine, she felt no abnormality. What caught her eye were rows of memorial tablets. She summoned the system to scan, quickly pinpointing the second spirit fragment in a wooden box at the top of the shrine. She tried to use her spiritual power to break the prohibition at the top of the shrine, but was instead thrown back by a stronger spiritual force, hitting the shrine's wall.
Her already fair complexion grew even paler, with blood trickling from her lips and a buzzing in her ears. She had indeed underestimated the prohibition.
After wiping the blood from her lips, Song Wei Zhi asked the system, "What is the situation with this prohibition?"
The mechanical voice of the system replied in her mind, "This prohibition was set by a Nascent Divinity stage cultivator and requires sufficient spiritual power to break."
After taking two pills, Song Wei Zhi continued to input spiritual power into the prohibition at the top of the shrine. However, she was thrown back once again. She continued to replenish her strength with medication and attempted to dismantle the prohibition.
As the day turned to night, Song Wei Zhi tirelessly repeated the process of dismantling the prohibition, consuming countless pills and coughing up blood. Finally, just before midnight, she broke the prohibition and used her last shred of spiritual power to retrieve the box from the beam. She felt a sense of relief, having found the second spirit fragment for her little sister. With a faint smile on her pale face, she was utterly drained, even struggling to walk.
Upon emerging from the shrine, Wei Zhao was startled. "Master, why do you look so unwell? Have you been injured?"
Song Wei Zhi, with one hand over her chest, felt her blood surging and a metallic taste in her mouth. After a moment, she replied, "I'm fine. Please take me back."
Noting his master's injury, Wei Zhao didn't dare delay, carrying her back using his own spiritual device.
Back in her room, Song Wei Zhi ingested numerous pills and started meditating. It took her an entire day to regain some color in her face and restore about 30-40% of her spiritual power.
Taking out the box, Song Wei Zhi opened it to reveal a pale yellow mist. Closing the box, she intended to give it to her little sister. It had been days since she had seen Song Zhi Xia. The fact that she had been clinging to her so tightly before made her realize how much she missed her little sister.
Meanwhile, Song Zhi Xia had been practicing in her room for the past few days, gradually recovering. However, she didn't know how to face her Senior Sister. Whenever she thought of Song Wei Zhi, she felt like her Senior Sister only saw her as a sister, which pained her. Yet, with several days having passed without seeing Song Wei Zhi, she couldn't help but worry.
Soon, a series of knocks came at the door. Song Zhi Xia's heart began to flutter. Only her Senior Sister would come looking for her. But she still didn't know how to face her Senior Sister and felt a mix of anger and affection.
Taking a deep breath, she stood up to answer the door. Upon seeing Song Wei Zhi at the door, Song Zhi Xia couldn't help but fixate on her. She felt her Senior Sister didn't look too well, which worried her.
"Senior Sister, you've come."
"What's wrong? Can't I come to see Xia Xia?" Song Wei Zhi spoke softly, her voice carrying some weariness. Combined with her paler complexion, it furrowed Song Zhi Xia's brow. Was her Senior Sister feeling unwell?
"Senior Sister, are you feeling unwell? Please have a seat first," Song Zhi Xia forgot all about her grievances when she saw her Senior Sister.
"I'm fine. Open this," Song Wei Zhi smiled as she handed a dark box to Song Zhi Xia.
Following her instructions, Song Zhi Xia opened the box, revealing a pale yellow mist inside.
"Senior Sister, what is this?" Song Zhi Xia felt an inexplicable familiarity with the substance.
Song Wei Zhi's eyes softened. "It's your spirit fragment."
Song Zhi Xia's eyes widened. Her first spirit fragment had been obtained by her Senior Sister at great risk from Jiao Long, so she imagined the second fragment wouldn't be any easier to find. She anxiously grasped Song Wei Zhi's hand.
"Senior Sister, did you get injured again for this? No wonder your complexion is so pale. All for my sake," Song Zhi Xia felt conflicted. She felt both distressed for her Senior Sister and guilty, as if her Senior Sister's injuries were somehow her fault.
Tears welled up in Song Zhi Xia's eyes, but she managed to hold them back. Song Wei Zhi comforted her, "I'm fine. Look, I'm perfectly fine, right?"
Song Zhi Xia looked at Song Wei Zhi, seeing her pale face and strained smile. Her heart tightened. Her Senior Sister had always been so gentle towards her. Even when injured, she was comforting her.
Song Zhi Xia closed the box and pushed it back, telling Song Wei Zhi, "I don't want this spirit fragment. Senior Sister, you got injured again for this. I don't want it anymore."
Seeing her little sister crying, Song Wei Zhi sighed. She had promised to protect her little sister. How had she ended up making her cry again?
Reaching for her little sister's hand, Song Wei Zhi wiped away her tears, her fingertip feeling the warmth of Song Zhi Xia's tears, which pierced her heart. She felt a pang of guilt for making her little sister cry.
Trying to console her little sister, Song Wei Zhi's voice grew softer, like a gentle breeze between mountains, "How can you not want it? It's a gift from me to you."
Song Zhi Xia sat, tears flowing uncontrollably. After hearing Song Wei Zhi's words, she shook her head repeatedly. "I don't want it. Senior Sister got injured for this. This is for Senior Sister to keep."
Seeing her distraught little sister, Song Wei Zhi had no choice but to hold her, promising to comfort her before persuading her to accept the spirit fragment. At first, her actions had been driven by the system's requirements, but over time, her care for Song Zhi Xia had become almost instinctive. She hoped her little sister would grow stronger and find happiness, wishing for a bright future for her.
Seeing that her little sister was not receptive, Song Wei Zhi lifted her, "Xia Xia, relax. Next time, I will definitely protect myself, alright? Seeing you cry makes my heart ache."
As the little girl continued to sob, Song Wei Zhi struggled to comfort her. Suddenly, she recalled the kiss from their time in the secret realm. At that time, the little girl had also been inconsolable until after the kiss, which had slightly softened her demeanor.
Observing the trembling figure in front of her, Song Wei Zhi leaned in and planted a kiss on the little girl's cheek. The little girl seemed stunned, with two teardrops about to fall. Song Wei Zhi's sudden action had caught the tears, leaving them suspended on her eyelashes, a rather endearing sight.
Seeing that this tactic was effective, Song Wei Zhi's lips curled slightly. After all, she thought, it's just her niece, so another kiss wouldn't hurt. She gazed at the little girl's rosy lips and uncontrollably licked her own, curious about the taste of her little Xia Xia.
For a moment, Song Wei Zhi felt a twinge of confusion. Was this what it felt like to feel for a niece? She didn't have time to dwell on this, as the sight of the peach-colored lips clouded her mind, causing her to impulsively lean in for a kiss.
Author's note: Song Wei Zhi: Can niece-to-niece kisses be addictive? (Confused.jpg)
Song Zhi Xia: It's my first time sitting on Senior Sister's lap~ (Shy.jpg)
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone