’Not everyone is a heartless beast, nor is everyone capable of murdering their own father and master!’

’My teaching methods may have had flaws, but the greater reason was their poor character and selfishness.’

’Had it been anyone else, perhaps the outcome wouldn’t have been the same.’

Song Wanning lowered her gaze. When she looked up again, the killing intent in her eyes was soul-shaking.

’The confusion in my heart has finally been resolved, and An Ze no longer has any reason to exist.’

"You... even if... you save me... I... I still... won’t... for... forgive you..."

An Ze didn’t understand the profound meaning in Song Wanning’s eyes and thought she regretted her decision and wanted to take him back as a disciple.

He was inwardly pleased and happy, but he couldn’t resist playing hard to get, putting on a high-and-mighty air.

’How pathetic was I when I was cast out?’

’And how many scornful looks did I have to endure?’

’This was all Song Wanning’s fault. Of course I wouldn’t give in so easily.’

But he wasn’t planning to make things too difficult for Song Wanning. After all, the fall from being a True Disciple to just an Inner Sect Disciple was too great.

’I’ve been dreaming of returning to Yunxiao Peak and being a carefree True Disciple again!’

"Pfft—!"

Song Wanning let out a surprised laugh, clearly not expecting An Ze could be arrogant to this degree.

’In his past life, he had it easy following the protagonist’s group. In this life, despite his obvious setbacks, he’s still so naive...’

’It’s truly laughable.’

She raised an eyebrow. "You think I came here to save you?"

An Ze snorted, his gaze disdainful. "Is... that... not... why you’re here?"

’She’s just being stubborn!’

"I am truly sorry, but I am not here to save you."

Song Wanning’s smile vanished, replaced by a piercing cold glint in her eyes.

"I am merely here, for the sake of our past bond as master and disciple... to personally send you on your way."

The smug look on An Ze’s face instantly froze. "What... what... did... you... say..."

He snapped his head around in shock, believing he must have misheard.

But as a killing intent as sharp as a hunting knife hung over him, he finally knew for certain: Song Wanning was going to kill him.

’How is this possible?’

’Song Wanning used to dote on me so much!’

’If I was ever wronged, she would stand up for me!’

’Elixir Pills, Spirit Stones, talismans, Magic Artifacts... she gave me whatever I asked for!’

’Even if we’re no longer master and disciple, how could she bring herself to harm me?’

An Ze was both shocked and furious, his mind in utter turmoil.

"You... you... DARE!!!!"

He was afraid.

Song Wanning looked at him as if he were a corpse, her indifference terrifying.

’No!’

’I don’t want to die!’

"You... can’t kill me!!"

Sheer terror made him forget the pain, and his voice even gained some strength.

He tried to intimidate Song Wanning with a fierce glare, but it was useless.

His thoughts then turned to the Sect, and he immediately brought it up as a threat. "I... I have a... soul lamp... registered with the Sect! If anything happens... they’ll know immediately—!"

"And then... when they find out you killed a fellow disciple, you’ll surely be expelled from the Sect!"

An Ze panted, his face ashen, his body trembling uncontrollably.

It was hard to tell if he was trembling from fear or from rage.

Song Wanning looked at him as if he were a clown, took an object out of her Storage Ring, and toyed with it in her hand.

"Are you talking about this?"

A corner of her lip curled up as she mockingly turned the soul lamp upside down.

"Don’t—!"

An Ze was horrified. He was so furious his eyes bulged, looking as if they might pop out of their sockets.

"You... you... you actually..."

His chest heaved. His vision swam with black spots, and he was too enraged to form a complete sentence.

’So malicious!’

’This is utterly malicious!’

’How could Song Wanning have brought the soul lamp with her?’

’Now, even if I die, the Sect will be completely unaware, let alone find my killer!’

"Me what?"

Song Wanning clicked her tongue. "Have you forgotten? It was I who set aside this soul lamp for you."

A soul lamp contains a wisp of a Cultivator’s soul to monitor a disciple’s safety in real-time. If the soul lamp is extinguished, it means the person is dead, both in body and spirit.

In the Major Sects, only Inner Sect Disciples are qualified to leave a soul lamp. The lives and deaths of Outer Disciples and servants do not attract much attention.

Such is the cruelty of the Cultivation World.

Without strength or talent, one can only be cast aside.

An Ze’s lamp was one she had personally established. To protect her disciples, she had always kept their soul lamps on her person, rather than leaving them in the Sect’s hall.

Now, seeing An Ze’s panicked shouting, the soul lamp seemed all the more ironic and absurd.

Song Wanning’s expression flattened. She had lost her patience.

She took a small step back, her expression cold as she withdrew her suppressive aura. The moment she did, the restrained Wu Meng Beast exploded into motion, lunging at An Ze with overwhelming killing intent.

"AHH—!"

A large chunk of flesh was instantly ripped from An Ze’s body, the pain causing him to let out a bloodcurdling scream.

’Song Wanning was really going to let me die!’

He was thoroughly terrified.

’Dignity, grudges... none of it mattered anymore.’

’As long as I can live. I just have to live!’

"Master... Master... I beg you, save me..."

"I beg—AHH!"

The Wu Meng Beast stomped on his calf. The bone instantly shattered into fragments, and its sharp claws tore the flesh in two, leaving it to hang limply.

"Ma—Master, save..."

An Ze’s body twisted in agony, his eyes bulging, his face a terrifying, hideous mask.

’I regret it!’

’If I had just begged Song Wanning for mercy from the start, would things have ended differently?’

’I regret it!’

’If I hadn’t stood up for Senior Sister Ye, I’d still be a high-and-mighty True Disciple.’

’I really, truly regret it!!!!’

"I... was wrong... GACK—!"

The Wu Meng Beast swiped a claw across his abdomen, its sharp talons ripping his intestines out.

His eyes shot wide, and he could no longer utter a sound.

The Wu Meng Beast tore at him mercilessly, chunk by chunk, strip by strip...

The pain became so extreme it turned to numbness. An Ze stared at Song Wanning with wide, bloodshot eyes, his gaze filled with resentment.

In her eyes, there was not a single trace of pity.

Not even the pity one might show a stranger...

She looked at him as one might look at trash, her gaze cold and devoid of all emotion.

’Why?’

’We were once master and disciple!’

"SQUELCH—"

With one claw, the Wu Meng Beast tore out his heart.

An Ze’s body shuddered, twitched a few times, and then went completely still.

The soul lamp abruptly extinguished.

His eyes were fixed on Song Wanning in a deathly stare, as if she were the true culprit behind it all.

The Wu Meng Beast did not stop. It opened its massive, blood-stained maw and began to tear the corpse apart, devouring it.

Until nothing was left but a pool of blood and gore.

Only then did Song Wanning raise an eyebrow slightly, letting out a soft "Hm?"

"What a pity."

"A genius with a single Spirit Root, no less."

A flicker of mockery flashed in her eyes as she personally crushed the soul lamp, turning it to ash.

From now on, she and An Ze were even. Neither owed the other anything.

Gazing into the distance toward the Heavenly Inquiry Sect, Song Wanning’s smile deepened.

’The Heavenly Inquiry Sect is in a precarious situation right now. It’s the perfect time to make my move.’

’Most of the Heavenly Inquiry Sect’s disciples are innocent, and I don’t want to spill too much blood. Therefore, the best method is to make the Heavenly Inquiry Sect decline and fall from grace.’

’But...’

’...certain people who played a major role in what happened will naturally have to pay the price.’