"But I don’t want to make a contract with you anymore."

She lifted a hand and beckoned, and the Divine Beast Egg flew directly into her grasp.

The Divine Beast Egg was stunned. "What did you say? You actually don’t want to make a contract with me anymore? I’m a divine beast! Do you have any idea what I can do?"

’It couldn’t believe it. Hadn’t this human gone to all this trouble just to make it submit and form a contract with her?’

’Could it be... she really intended to kill it?’

Song Wanning didn’t even glance at it. Clutching it tightly, she flew off toward the distance.

She was worried about the Song Family and didn’t have much time to continue wasting on the Divine Beast Egg.

In her past life, the Song Family’s disaster had struck just as the beast tide was ending, but she couldn’t guarantee that things wouldn’t change this time around.

It was a gamble she couldn’t afford to take.

Gazing far ahead, she could feel a faint, attractive force emanating from a distant, mist-shrouded area.

It was almost laughable; after cultivating for over a hundred years, this was the first time Song Wanning had ever felt such a force.

She sped toward it. Her intuition told her that something she needed was there.

That was also the place where the Divine Beast Egg would meet its end.

"Hey, are you listening to me? I’m really willing to make a contract with you now."

"As long as I’m around, you can use the Divine Nether Profound Fire as you please! And once I hatch, my power will be even greater. You’ll be able to advance to the Divinity Transformation stage immediately!"

"Did you hear me?"

The Divine Beast Egg rambled on, firmly believing in its allure to humans. It refused to accept that Song Wanning could resist such a monumental temptation.

But as Song Wanning carried it ever closer to the clouds of mist, that familiar terror rose within it once again.

"Hey, stop joking around! Can we please not go there?"

"I was wrong, I was really wrong! Can we go back now? Please?"

"Don’t go, please don’t go! I’m begging you, I’m begging you!"

"What in the world do you want?"

’It had already begged for mercy, what more could this human possibly want?’

"What do I want?"

Song Wanning glanced down as she flew.

Although the shell concealed everything, she could almost see a small, trembling creature inside.

’The little thing was shivering in fear, yet it was still trying to act tough. How pathetic...’

The corners of her lips curled upward.

’Sympathy?’

’She didn’t have any.’

’A villainess possesses only venom.’

’The more the little thing feared, the happier she became. She wished she could flay it, rip out its tendons, and slowly suck its blood dry...’

Concealing the dark glint in her eyes, she said lightly, "I’ve simply never tasted a Divine Beast Egg before. I’m just a little curious."

"What did you say?"

The Divine Beast Egg’s nonexistent hackles rose in an instant.

"Hey, I was just messing with you before! Don’t take it seriously, okay?"

"Really! I just wanted to test you, to see if you were serious about making a contract with me!"

In its panic, the Divine Beast Egg began to make things up.

"It’s true, believe me! From the moment you appeared, I knew you had extraordinary talent, that you were a Heavenly Dao’s Son with heaven-defying fortune... I’ve wanted to form a contract with you ever since. Believe me!"

Seeing the mist drawing closer, now only about a hundred meters away, it became even more terrified and started babbling incoherently.

A smirk played on Song Wanning’s lips as she listened.

’A Heavenly Dao’s Son?’

’This little thing sure can spin a yarn.’

’So even a creature as proud as a divine beast is this terrified of death?’

’A mighty divine beast, yet it couldn’t even compare to her.’

’In her past life, if her enemies hadn’t used the Song Family to hold her back, she would have self-destructed just to take them all down with her!’

’If the Divine Beast Egg had chosen death before dishonor, she might have respected it and granted it a dignified end.’

’But now, she truly was craving the taste of a Divine Beast Egg.’

The look in Song Wanning’s eyes intensified.

In just a few breaths, the woman and the egg stopped before the wall of mist.

A powerful force immediately pressed down upon them.

The moment it drew near the mist, a fine crack split across the Divine Beast Egg’s shell.

CRACK—

The faint sound struck the Divine Beast Egg’s core like a clap of thunder.

’The shell that protected it... had actually cracked.’

"No—how can this be?"

The Divine Beast Egg cried out, screaming in fear.

The shell was its shield. It hadn’t hatched yet; without its shell, it would be weaker than even an ordinary demon beast cub!

Song Wanning’s eyes narrowed, and both she and the Golden Small Sword were momentarily surprised.

’She knew this place could handle the Divine Beast Egg, but they had only just approached it...’

’The shell was supposed to be as durable as an Immortal Artifact.’

’This sea of mist was likely the fabled final resting place of the Great Demon.’

’And that "Great Demon" not only bore her no ill will, but seemed to be backing her up.’

’Yes, backing her up.’

That was Song Wanning’s distinct impression.

Her gaze fell upon the Divine Beast Egg, and killing intent began to radiate from her.

The Divine Beast Egg shuddered violently.

’It’s over!’

’It didn’t want to die!’

"Master, Master, I’m willing to acknowledge you as my master!!!"

"We won’t make a contract of equals! We’ll form a Master-Servant Contract! You’ll be the master, and I’ll be the servant... As long as you don’t kill me, I’m willing to be your servant!!!"

The Divine Beast Egg was humbled to the extreme. It had never been so subservient in its entire conscious existence...

But it no longer had any complaints; its only thought was to survive.

"Huh..."

Even the Golden Small Sword couldn’t bear to watch. "So this is a divine beast? I don’t see how it’s any different from those demon beasts..."

It tutted, its thoughts filled with contempt.

’It could still remember how arrogant and insolent the Divine Beast Egg had been just a short while ago...’

"That’s not true! I have many Innate Divine Abilities that haven’t awakened yet! Once I hatch and grow, I’ll be incredibly powerful!"

"Master, believe me, I’ll definitely protect you!"

The Divine Beast Egg felt utterly aggrieved but could only try its best to curry favor with Song Wanning.

It clung to the vain hope that Song Wanning might change her mind and spare its life.

But Song Wanning merely looked at it with a regretful expression and shook her head. "If only you’d been like this from the start. What a pity..."

’She was no fool.’

’Nor was she a collector of trash.’

’A divine beast?’

’She didn’t want it anymore.’

’But that Divine Nether Profound Fire...’

Song Wanning’s eyes narrowed as a bold idea flashed through her mind. ’If only I could strip this Divine Skill from the Divine Beast Egg.’

The moment this thought crossed her mind, a Divine Thought suddenly transmitted into her Divine Soul. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was a method for stripping a divine beast’s bloodline.

She whipped her head around to look at the mist.

"Sister? What was that just now..."

The Golden Small Sword sensed the anomaly. It felt something new appear in its Sea of Consciousness, but it couldn’t get close to it or see what it was.

"It’s nothing."

Song Wanning retracted her gaze, the smile on her lips slowly widening.

Though her smile was as lovely as a blossoming flower, it was utterly chilling to behold.

The Divine Beast Egg couldn’t help but tremble, launching into a final, desperate attempt at begging and flattery.

But Song Wanning’s mind was made up; no amount of begging would work.

Upon realizing this, the Divine Beast Egg finally broke down.

"You wretched human! Do you really think killing me will do you any good?"

"When the Heavenly Tribulation descends, you’ll be as good as dead!"

"Let me tell you something! Even in hell, I will never let you know peace!"