A muscle in Liu Yiyi’s cheek twitched as she suppressed her inner excitement.

In her mind, Song Wanning had become someone who relied on pills to build her cultivation. She must have forcibly advanced just to prop up the Heavenly Inquiry Sect’s reputation.

This behavior only further proved that the Heavenly Inquiry Sect was in a terrible state!

’Since that’s the case, she couldn’t be blamed for being ruthless.’

"Sigh, Wan Ning, I understand your difficulties. But everyone is clamoring to challenge you now. I’m afraid you won’t be able to avoid it..."

Song Wanning immediately looked anxious. "Then what should I do? There’s no way I can beat them!"

"This is terrible. What if I just pretend to be sick? I’ll say I’m injured and can’t accept the challenges!"

She gripped Liu Yiyi’s hand, looking extremely anxious and genuinely afraid.

Liu Yiyi secretly pursed her lips, sneering inwardly.

She patted Song Wanning’s hand. "Don’t worry, let me think of a solution!" 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"I’ve got it! How about this? When the time comes, I’ll be the one to challenge you. What do you think?"

As if afraid Song Wanning might get the wrong idea, she quickly added, "Don’t worry, I’ll definitely go easy on you. I’ll let you win the match with your dignity intact!"

"Really?"

Song Wanning looked as if she were grasping at a lifeline.

"Of course! We’re the best of friends, so naturally, I have to help you!"

Inwardly, Liu Yiyi cursed Song Wanning for being an idiot. ’Only a fool like her would believe such an arrangement.’

Song Wanning had always been like this, ever since she was a child: naive, foolish, and someone who clearly distinguished between kindness and grudges.

She didn’t understand the ways of the world in the slightest, much less how to feign civility.

Perhaps it was the confidence that came from her family background and strength, but it was something Liu Yiyi, who had to rely on others’ favor, found deeply detestable.

"When the time comes, you’ll make a grand display of your might, and the disciples of the Heavenly Inquiry Sect will surely see you as one of the Heavenly Gods."

"If anyone else challenges you after that, you can just say you were injured during our match and need to recuperate."

"What do you think?"

Liu Yiyi had even planned out the final excuse for her.

’How could Song Wanning not be "moved" by this?’

’Even now, she’s still thinking of using me as a stepping stone to boost her own fame?’

’Liu Yiyi really has it all figured out, hasn’t she?’

’She’s saying all the right things now, but once we’re actually on the Martial Arts Arena and she "defeats" me, she’ll probably say something like:’

’"Oops, I didn’t do it on purpose! I thought you could take that hit..."’

Song Wanning could even picture Liu Yiyi crying as she offered her "explanation."

She smiled.

’Since she wants to be famous so badly, I might as well grant her wish.’

Gripping Liu Yiyi’s hand, she replied with a dark look in her eyes, "You are truly too kind."

"Yiyi, I’m so lucky to have you in this life..."

"Heh, what can I say? We’re good friends, after all."

Liu Yiyi smiled too.

Her chance to become famous far and wide had arrived.

...

When he heard that Song Wanning had accepted a challenge, the Sect Master nearly jumped out of his skin.

Hadn’t Song Wanning promised him she wouldn’t put herself in danger?

’What is she doing?’

Several elders were already prepared for battle. Although their combat strength was slightly weaker than that of genius Cultivators like Gu Qingyuan and Lu Xingyao, they were still veteran Nascent Soul Cultivators with deep reserves, so their power was not to be underestimated.

"Calm down! The challenge Song Wanning accepted is from Liu Yiyi of the Mountain Gazing Sect, who is at Mid-stage Nascent Soul Cultivation!"

Sect Master: "?????"

"She dares to be so arrogant at just Mid-stage Nascent Soul?"

He was completely astonished, thinking he must have misheard.

The Second Elder shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe that Liu Yiyi has a screw loose!"

Sect Master: "..."

The Third Elder followed up with a cold snort. "This just shows how arrogant those people are! They have absolutely no respect for our Heavenly Inquiry Sect!"

"It’s a good thing Junior Sister Song agreed to the fight. It’s the perfect opportunity to teach them a lesson!"

Everyone had witnessed Song Wanning’s strength firsthand.

Since Liu Yiyi was serving herself up to be defeated, they certainly couldn’t refuse.

The Sect Master nodded. "That’s true. If Liu Yiyi is the opponent, Junior Sister Song definitely won’t lose."

"However, besides Junior Sister Song, all of you have also received challenges. You must prepare well. I have already contacted the ancestors again, urging them to return as soon as possible."

"As long as we can withstand the pressure, it won’t be easy for them to make a move against us for the time being."

Right now, there was only one strategy: stall.

Stall for time until they received a reply.

Hearing this, the elders grew worried. "Are the ancestors still unreachable?"

"Mm, but it should be soon."

...

The day of the duels arrived as scheduled.

All of the Heavenly Inquiry Sect’s Nascent Soul Cultivators, except for Gu Qingyuan who was still recuperating, were in attendance.

Thirteen people in total.

Besides the seven elders, the rest were "unaffiliated members" like Song Wanning—they usually didn’t handle sect affairs but had all stepped forward now.

Every single one of them was on the list of challenged individuals, except for the Sect Master.

In total, over thirty people had come from the five sects and four houses. Each was a Sect elite with considerable strength, though their Cultivation levels varied.

Song Wanning was a dazzling presence in the crowd.

Her outstanding looks were the least of her merits; what truly drew everyone’s attention was her exceptional Cultivation.

To have reached Nascent Soul Peak at just over a hundred years old put her far ahead of even the other chosen geniuses.

"Haha, your esteemed sect is truly filled with talent! The Sect Master was being far too modest."

"Indeed! The Heavenly Inquiry Sect produces one generation of talent after another. We can only look on in envy!"

This group of sect masters was still spouting pleasantries at a time like this. Their hypocrisy was enough to make the Heavenly Inquiry Sect’s Sect Master sick to his stomach.

But he still had to force himself to deal with them. In just half a year, he had become visibly haggard.

Once all the Nascent Soul Cultivators were seated, the disciples of the Heavenly Inquiry Sect stood as silent as statues.

With over forty Nascent Soul Cultivators gathered in one place, the sight alone was enough to make one’s heart tremble. Who would dare make even the slightest sound?

Song Wanning sat on the high platform. Today, Li Rao and Bai Yang were not standing behind her but had instead blended into the crowd to cheer her on.

Seeing Bai Yang’s worried yet expectant expression, a sarcastic curve tugged at the corner of her lips.

’This male lead seems to have had a falling out with the female lead. I haven’t seen them together recently.’

’But how could a match made by heaven be broken so easily?’

Her eyes lifted slightly. Just as she retracted her observant gaze, it met with another.

The person was none other than Liu Yiyi’s older brother, Liu Yao.

Liu Yao had a Peak Nascent Soul Cultivation and was thirty years older than Liu Yiyi. The siblings, one with a fire Spirit Root and the other with a water Spirit Root, had been taken in as disciples by a Divinity Transformation Elder of the Mountain Gazing Sect.

Song Wanning had met the two when she was in her teens. She had rescued Liu Yiyi while out on a mission, and thus began their "ill-fated connection."

Liu Yao had fallen for her at first sight, doting on her at every turn. His feelings became a matter of public knowledge.

Later, when she was engaged to Gu Qingyuan, Liu Yao was depressed for a long time.

He even sent a Sound Transmission Talisman to ask if she regretted it.

Song Wanning was a direct person. Having already rejected him more than ten times, she had run out of patience and didn’t even bother to reply.

Until later, this man who had loved so "passionately" turned his affections to Ye Chuxue.

Everything changed.

He even came back and viciously insulted her.

He even went around claiming that Song Wanning had deceived him, which was why he had done all those foolish things.