"Heh!"

Mo Wentian suddenly let out a cold laugh.

He stared intently into Mo Rou’s eyes, a cold glint flashing within them. "Since the Family Head has spoken, then so be it!"

"Allow me to wish the Family Head a speedy recovery from your old injury!"

With that, he flicked his sleeves and stormed off, his furious back quickly disappearing through the doorway.

The great doors shut once more. Mo Rou closed her eyes, quelling the rage and killing intent in her heart. When she opened them again, they were filled with nothing but ice.

"Mo Wentian... What a deep and cunning mind."

"He didn’t make this trip just to ask for the Merfolk. I suspect he saw that I hadn’t used the Merfolk yet and was worried I’d grown suspicious!"

He deliberately came to demand the Merfolk only to dispel her suspicions and observe the situation.

Mo Rou clenched her fists tightly. Her patience with him had reached its limit.

"I’d always heard that Mo Wentian was arrogant and insolent. Seeing him today, it seems his reputation is well-deserved."

Song Wanning looked up and chuckled softly.

’To barge directly into Mo Rou’s room... he clearly has no respect for her at all.’

’These past few years, Mo Rou must have felt like she was sitting on pins and needles in her position as Family Head.’

"I’ve made a fool of myself in front of you."

A bitter smile appeared on Mo Rou’s face as she sighed helplessly.

"To be honest with you, he’s usually even more arrogant when he sees me."

Song Wanning gave a noncommittal response to her words. This matter wasn’t her primary concern.

She pointed at the Merfolk in the room. "Bring her out."

The Merfolk was quickly dragged out. She was curled into a pitiable ball, looking utterly terrified.

Her pair of blue eyes, shrouded in a watery mist, seemed all the more mysterious and unfathomable.

Song Wanning stood before her, then suddenly closed the distance, hooking the Merfolk’s chin with her hand.

A clear flash of panic appeared in the Merfolk’s eyes before she quickly reverted to her tearful, on-the-verge-of-sobbing appearance.

"Truly a sight to arouse pity."

Song Wanning’s hand traced a slow, light path across the Merfolk’s face. Her slender fingers caressed her cheek, causing the Merfolk to tremble violently as a wave of instinctual fear washed over her.

Her jade-like hand finally settled on the Merfolk’s lips. With a firm press, the Merfolk’s lips were instantly pierced, and blood immediately welled up from the thin skin.

Blue blood—an eerie sight tinged with a strange, demonic aura.

"A pity..."

Song Wanning’s gaze was chillingly indifferent as she raised her hand to wipe away that demonic blue stain.

The Merfolk inexplicably trembled again, her eyes filled with terror as she looked at Song Wanning.

’This person before me is clearly just an ordinary Cultivator, but she’s so terrifying.’

Soon, the Merfolk began to shake, her whole body trembling uncontrollably.

One look was all it took for Mo Rou to understand.

’There really is something wrong with this Merfolk.’

’And what’s more, the Merfolk herself is well aware of it...’

’She might have even made a deal with Mo Wentian, all for the sake of harming me.’

Mo Rou’s gaze darkened, and when she looked at the Merfolk again, her eyes were filled with killing intent.

By now, Song Wanning had straightened up. She wiped the blue blood from her fingers with a handkerchief and tossed it in front of the Merfolk.

For some reason, the Merfolk began to tremble even more violently.

She wanted to control it, but she just couldn’t suppress the fear.

’It was the terrified trembling that comes from facing a Divine Soul directly. This person is horrifying!’

The Merfolk began to feel regret.

’She never should have made that deal with the human.’

"Are your people ready?"

Song Wanning turned to Mo Rou for a final confirmation.

Mo Rou nodded. "They’re ready. Right now, they are stationed all over the family estate, lying in wait. As soon as I give the order, they will move to deal with Mo Wentian."

"Good."

Song Wanning’s eyes shifted. She turned her head slightly to look at the Merfolk. "This is all I can do. Whether or not you can eliminate this thorn in your side is up to you."

"As for this Merfolk, leave her to me afterward. I have a use for her!"

"How about it?"

She didn’t even look at Mo Rou, instead flashing a gentle smile at the Merfolk, which made the creature shudder again.

"Alright."

Mo Rou agreed. Since there was something wrong with the Merfolk, it couldn’t be used to cure her old injury anyway. Giving her to Song Wanning was no great loss.

The two of them reached an agreement.

In an instant, Song Wanning’s expression turned grim. With a look of cold indifference, she raised her hand and reached straight for the top of the Merfolk’s head.

The Merfolk was horrified and immediately tried to flee, but a powerful suction force held her rooted to the spot, unable to move.

As she watched that pair of slender, jade-like hands descend upon her head, an unprecedented wave of panic surged through the Merfolk’s heart.

The next second, her Sea of Consciousness was invaded by a tyrannical Divine Sense. It was Song Wanning’s Divine Soul, which had already left her body.

After reaching the Divinity Transformation Stage, one’s Divine Soul can temporarily leave the body. As one’s Cultivation progresses, both the duration and range of this separation can be greatly increased.

Right now, Song Wanning’s Divine Soul couldn’t travel too far from her body, but to deal with a Merfolk, it was more than enough.

Her Divine Soul entered the Merfolk’s Sea of Consciousness, while back in her own Sea of Consciousness, she left the Golden Small Sword to guard against Mo Rou.

Aside from herself and her parents, there was no one she could fully trust.

Inside the Merfolk’s Sea of Consciousness was a vast ocean. Blue seawater churned and roared endlessly.

Standing within it, Song Wanning felt utterly minuscule.

She leaped into the air and began to search within the sea.

According to ancient records, a Merfolk’s Divine Soul Origin is hidden within the ocean of their Sea of Consciousness. Her task now was to find it.

But the next moment, raging waves crashed down, carrying an endless fury as they surged toward her, attempting to drive her out of the Sea of Consciousness.

Song Wanning knew this was the Merfolk’s doing and glanced down, her eyes cold and silent.

Then, she suddenly raised her hand. Staring straight ahead, she manifested an invisible sword in her grip.

With a light swing, an invisible wave of sword energy slashed downward.

BOOM—

The rushing seawater was cleaved in two.

Waves splashed and churned madly, but no matter what, they could not cross the chasm in the middle.

The ocean was split in two. Song Wanning dove, plunging headfirst into the deep sea.

Like a fish, she swam freely through the depths, rapidly searching for any trace of the Divine Soul Origin.

Back in the room, Mo Rou stared at Song Wanning with a burning gaze, unable to compose herself for a long time.

’Song Wanning... she can actually make her Divine Soul leave her body!’

’Could it be that she’s already advanced to the Divinity Transformation Stage?’

’How is that possible?’

’The Heavenly Inquiry Sect just recently fell from the ranks of the Major Sects. If Song Wanning had advanced to the Divinity Transformation Stage, they should have joyfully announced it to the world immediately.’

’After all, she would be a Divinity Transformation Stage Dan Dao Master, capable of refining Elixir Pills that Nascent Soul Masters couldn’t even dream of making. Countless powerful figures would be lining up at her door.’

’There’s no way the Heavenly Inquiry Sect would hide such joyous news.’

’Either Song Wanning had some miraculous encounter that allows her to have her Divine Soul leave her body even at the Nascent Soul Stage...’

’...or she deliberately hid the breakthrough, concealing her Cultivation...’

Thinking about Song Wanning’s reason for seeking her out, Mo Rou believed the second possibility was more likely.

Watching the other woman let her Divine Soul leave her body right in front of her without any precautions, Mo Rou was suddenly filled with a mix of complex emotions, and she felt quite moved.

’Song Wanning actually trusts me this much!’

"Sigh..."

Mo Rou sighed, her expression complicated.