"Senior Brother is just still recovering from his severe injuries! Otherwise, he definitely would’ve won first place!"

An Ze’s fists clenched tighter, and he stubbornly spoke up for Bai Yang.

In his eyes, his Senior Brother would always be the best!

Besides, Master should know better than anyone why Senior Brother lost!

And yet, she publicly berated and insulted him!

At that moment, An Ze could only curse his own weakness, furious that he couldn’t stand up for Bai Yang.

Hearing this, Song Wanning merely shot him a cold, sidelong glance. She raised a delicate, slender hand, doing nothing more than tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, but the simple movement made An Ze flinch. He instinctively threw up a hand to shield his face.

"Tch—"

Song Wanning couldn’t help but laugh.

’He used to challenge me at the slightest provocation. I thought he had some backbone, but it turns out he’s just a coward.’

She leaned back lazily in her chair, took the bamboo peach fairy brew from her attentive little disciple, and took a delicate sip.

The atmosphere remained heavy, and everyone’s eyes darted back and forth between Song Wanning and Bai Yang.

A sudden cry of alarm from a nearby stage shattered the tension, reminding everyone that Ye Chuxue was still competing.

They turned to look, only to be shocked by the sight of Ye Chuxue on the ground, having been sent flying. A large pool of black blood had already formed beneath her.

She lay weakly on the ground, barely breathing.

The black blood spread, a horrifying sight.

Xi Wenjun’s broadsword rested against her neck, and a long lock of her severed hair lay on the ground beside her.

"Chuxue!"

Gu Qingyuan shot to his feet in disbelief. In a single flash, he was on the stage. He swatted the broadsword away with a palm strike and pulled her into his arms, his heart aching at the sight.

The girl in his arms was weakened to the extreme. Her lips had a dark, blackish hue, and she looked as fragile as a broken doll.

"Chuxue!"

Xi Wenjun was sent flying by the force of the blow, but Gu Qingyuan paid him no mind. He held the girl tightly, and with another blur of movement, he reappeared on the viewing platform, directly in front of Song Wanning.

"Song Wanning, save her!"

The man’s body was rigid, the corners of his eyes bloodshot. His usual cold, aloof demeanor had completely shattered.

His commanding tone sent a shock through everyone present.

Back on the stage, Bai Yang struggled to his feet. He staggered step by step toward the viewing platform, his eyes filled with worry.

Lu Nanfeng also rushed forward, the worry on his face plain to see.

Even An Ze ran up anxiously, forgetting to worry about how Song Wanning might react.

"Senior Sister Ye... what’s... what’s wrong with her?"

Anyone could see that Ye Chuxue had been poisoned.

"The young lady has been poisoned. The toxin must have entered her meridians and Dantian during the fight, causing her Spiritual Energy to fall into disarray and her Spiritual Power to flow in reverse..."

When Spiritual Power reverses through the meridians, severe cases can even lead to cultivation deviation, with disastrous consequences.

Fortunately, Ye Chuxue’s symptoms didn’t seem quite that severe. Once the poison was neutralized, she would naturally awaken.

The Sect Master of the Ten Thousand Sword Sect offered this explanation in defense of his disciple. After all, it was an accident during a sanctioned match, and the blame could easily fall on Xi Wenjun.

Hearing this, the Sect Master of the Heavenly Inquiry Sect forced a bitter smile. He felt like this whole affair was about to give him white hair.

One vexing incident after another had occurred recently, and he was growing weary.

"Junior Sister Song, Ye Chuxue’s poison has flared up. Could you... treat her?"

He had no confidence as he made the request. If he angered Song Wanning again, she was more than capable of humiliating him in front of everyone.

Sure enough, Song Wanning simply remained lazily reclined in her chair, as if the entire matter had nothing to do with her.

The sect masters from the other sects sensed a juicy bit of drama unfolding, and their expressions instantly turned intrigued.

"Song Wanning!!!"

Gu Qingyuan gritted his teeth, his knuckles turning white as he clenched his fists.

"What in the world do you want?"

’Song Wanning was doing this on purpose!’

Gu Qingyuan knew Song Wanning all too well.

He remembered the time he dueled Lu Xingyao of the Ten Thousand Sword Sect in Bright Moon Valley. Neither was willing to back down, and the fight was incredibly close. In the end, they both ended up severely injured, with neither gaining an advantage.

Furious and distressed that he had been hurt, Song Wanning had fed Lu Xingyao a Blood Feeding Poison Pill. She’d made Lu Xingyao itch for seven straight days, until he had scratched his own skin raw.

Song Wanning had always been this way. If anyone displeased her, she had endless ways to get even.

But with him, she had only ever been protective, respectful, and doting.

But now, she was using these same tactics against him.

Gu Qingyuan felt a knot of discomfort in his chest, but his concern for Ye Chuxue quickly overshadowed it.

"Gu Qingyuan, I think the real question is, what do *you* want?"

Song Wanning crossed her legs, raising a delicate eyebrow.

"A great and powerful Nascent Soul True Monarch, attacking a disciple at the Foundation Establishment Stage. You’re lucky the Sect Master of the Ten Thousand Sword Sect is so magnanimous and decided not to press the issue."

"Xi Wenjun was just competing in a normal match, yet you injured him and sent him flying off the stage."

"Even if you were desperate, your actions were improper."

His lips tightened into a thin line. He replied stiffly, "I will apologize to the Ten Thousand Sword Sect for this matter later. It’s none of your concern!"

"Just save her first!"

"And what if I refuse?"

A smile touched Song Wanning’s lips. She propped her chin on a delicate hand and tilted her head to look at him. "So, are you going to kill me?"

The members of the other sects were stunned.

’Aren’t Song Wanning and Gu Qingyuan engaged to be married?’

’Gu Qingyuan wants to kill her?’

Everyone’s eyes, shining with gossipy excitement, turned to Gu Qingyuan.

Gu Qingyuan stiffened. "I never thought of killing you! Stop twisting things!"

’He had only meant to threaten her into curing Ye Chuxue. He’d never actually thought of killing her.’

"Is that so?"

The corners of Song Wanning’s mouth turned down.

She remembered begging Gu Qingyuan, over and over again, pleading with him not to harm the Song Family.

Pleading with him to save her.

She was his junior sister.

She was the woman he once loved...

But Gu Qingyuan had only stared at her coldly, telling her without a shred of emotion, "My junior sister died a long time ago!"

They were the ones who had driven her to madness, yet in the end, they stood on high and accused her of being a scourge upon the world.

Gu Qingyuan himself had bound her with the Immortal Binding Rope.

Her precious disciple, Bai Yang, had thrust a sword through her chest.

He shattered her heart, destroyed her Nascent Soul, and ground her bones to ash.

All under the noble pretext of ensuring she could never be revived.

A sharp pain lanced through Song Wanning’s heart.

Her hands gripped the armrests, knuckles white, as she fought to suppress the hatred boiling within her.

She raised her head to look at Gu Qingyuan.

’And to think, she had been the one to give him that Immortal Binding Rope...’

"I do have the ability to save her. But, oh, what to do?"

Song Wanning stared deep into Gu Qingyuan’s eyes, her gaze seeming to pierce through his very soul.

"I simply don’t want to save her."

"Your beloved is about to die. Hehehe..."

With that, she covered her mouth and began to laugh, a sound that sent a chill down everyone’s spines.

A cold dread crawled up from the soles of their feet. They all felt that there was something terrifying about the Song Wanning before them.

She was clearly a Cultivator with a Top-grade Fire Spirit Root, yet she exuded an aura of pure Yin Qi...

At that moment, the people from the other sects finally understood what was happening, and their eyes widened in shock.

’His beloved?’

’Gu Qingyuan and his disciple?’

The crowd erupted in an uproar, but the disciples of the Heavenly Inquiry Sect were long past the point of surprise.