The pearl shuddered violently, as if it had just seen the King of Hell reaching out to claim its life. It shrank into a corner, trembling as it looked at Song Wanníng's smile. Reluctantly and full of hesitation, it floated toward her.
There was nowhere left to run. All it could do now was submit.
In the end, the pearl settled obediently in her hand, quiet and well-behaved, without even a trace of resistance.
Song Wanníng raised her brows in slight surprise. She hadn't expected it to be this obedient.
Even though she had advanced in cultivation, she was still not favored by the Heavenly Dao. Spiritual objects with sentience would naturally avoid following a "villain."
She toyed with the pearl for a moment, but remained on guard. With a flick of her wrist, she tossed it directly into her True Sword Realm.
The pearl immediately panicked, but it was too late. It had already been sealed inside, unable to escape. In that moment, it became no more than a speck of sand within the realm.
As soon as it entered, all its thoughts were wiped clean. It forgot who it was, forgot its purpose, drifting aimlessly like a lost soul. Until a figure appeared before it and reached out a hand.
The pearl immediately felt a sense of closeness, rubbing against the figure's palm like a child seeking warmth.
All resistance vanished.
Song Wanníng's smile faded slightly. She had expected a tough opponent, but it turned out to be this easy to control. What she didn't know was just how terrifying her True Sword Realm really was. She simply thought the pearl was cowardly.
With a single drop of blood, the contract was formed smoothly. The pearl flew straight into her dantian, coiling itself neatly in place. Peering inward, she saw it radiating pure spiritual energy, waves of power washing over her dantian. External spiritual energy was also being drawn into her body at a steady pace, flowing endlessly.
The pearl quickly refined the incoming energy and released it again—purified, and somehow multiplied. The absorption rate was now three times her usual cultivation speed.
This pearl... had such a powerful effect?
No wonder in her previous life, Ye Chuxue advanced like a shooting star. She had assumed it was due to Ye Chuxue's Chaos Spirit Root, but clearly, the pearl played a key role.
But now, the pearl belonged to her.
Satisfied, Song Wanníng withdrew her consciousness. She took out a jade pendant and opened the sealed chamber, only to find a group of people already waiting outside.
"Miss, the Patriarch has asked us to escort you to the front hall. Several city factions are gathered there, inquiring about the earlier disturbance." The steward lowered his head respectfully, his tone filled with admiration.
Everyone had already guessed the earlier event was related to her. Now that she had appeared, their suspicions were confirmed. Her talent had always been astonishing. Now, it seemed even more extraordinary, earning both awe and reverence.
With the young miss here, the Song Clan was bound to rise further.
"A disturbance? Tell me—what exactly happened?" As they walked, Song Wanníng listened calmly while the steward eagerly recounted the grand scene that had unfolded.
When she heard that nearly the entire city had fallen to their knees, she paused, slightly stunned. She hadn't expected the effect to be so powerful. It seemed the inheritance of Immortal King Mòyáng was truly remarkable. Losing one thing and gaining another... she had let go of a sesame seed and picked up a watermelon.
In a way, Immortal Lord Mòyáng was now like a second master to her, even if they had yet to formally exchange greetings. Song Wanníng clenched her fists. One day, she vowed to go to the Immortal Realm and thank him in person.
In the front hall of the Song Clan, five or six people were already seated, discussing the earlier events.
"Clan Head Song, don't keep things under wraps. If the Song Clan has discovered a treasure, we're all happy for you. We just want to take a look, broaden our horizons, you understand?"
"Exactly. We've been allies for years. Don't you trust our character?"
"Haha, maybe he's worried we'll try to snatch it, and that's why he's keeping it hidden."
"Don't say that. Clan Head Song would never be so stingy. What's the rush?"
The group echoed each other's words, all with the same intent: to pressure Song Qingyun into revealing whatever treasure the clan had found.
Although they worked together regularly, the factions in this city were always subtly competing. None of them truly trusted one another.
Now that something so unusual had happened at the Song Clan, they were desperate to know the truth.
Song Qingyun kept his expression calm, wearing a polite smile. But in his heart, he was cursing them out.
Whenever someone found a treasure, didn't they all hide it away? Who would be foolish enough to bring it out and show it off?
Besides, even he didn't know exactly what had happened. What was he supposed to tell them?
All he knew was that this was very likely related to his precious daughter. So he tried to stall, hoping the conversation would fizzle out. Unfortunately, these people refused to leave, clinging to him for answers. It was incredibly annoying.
His smile was growing stiff by the time Song Wanníng finally arrived.
Just as she reached the door, Song Qingyun sent her a voice transmission, telling her to come up with a casual excuse and get rid of them. It would at least crush any hope they had of uncovering a secret.
Song Wanníng stepped calmly into the hall, her posture confident and commanding. Her long crimson dress lit up the entire room like a streak of fire.
With her rising cultivation and deepening presence, her beauty had reached new heights. She was unforgettable at first glance.
The people in the hall visibly froze, their expressions varied, but all were clearly captivated.
"So I hear everyone is curious about the strange phenomenon that just occurred in the city. Wondering what kind of treasure could have caused it?"
Song Wanníng walked straight to the head seat and sat down, her manner bold and unrestrained. Even seated beside Song Qingyun, her aura surpassed his, making her presence feel overwhelming.
It was as if she were the true head of the Song Clan.
The master of Wenlai Pavilion chuckled warmly, stroking his beard. "Of course we are. It was a major event, after all. We're just concerned for the Song Clan's safety."
"If we know what kind of treasure it is, we can help explain it to the public. That way, no misunderstandings will arise. Don't you agree?"
The head of Qianshan Institute nodded along. "Yes, we're all friends here. We would never mean any harm."
Each person in the room represented a different faction. Though these branches were based in the city, the powers behind them were far more influential.
They were like eyes and ears for the major sects. Whatever happened in the Song Clan today would be reported back by tomorrow.
Song Wanníng looked at their fake, smiling faces and felt nothing but contempt.
Sometimes, people like these were worse than bandits.
At least bandits didn't pretend to be decent while robbing you.
She nodded slightly, as if agreeing with their reasoning, then turned to Song Qingyun and said, "Father, since they're so curious about what treasure our Song Clan obtained, we should tell them. That way, they won't keep thinking about it."
"Hm?"
Song Qingyun froze, then his expression changed completely. "Absolutely not."
"Father, you can't hide it forever. Better to be upfront about it."
She spoke in a gentle, persuasive tone.
The others quickly nodded in agreement. "That's right, Lady Song Zhēnjūn is wise and open-minded."