"You brought me here just to watch them say their sentimental goodbyes?" Liu Lanyi raised an eyebrow and shot Song Wanníng a glance. Seeing that she wasn't the least bit affected by the scene, Liu Lanyi finally relaxed. It seemed Wanníng had truly let go.
That was good.
A woman should never stop moving forward because of a man.
"I brought you here for a treasure," Song Wanníng said, turning to her with a mysterious smile. Then, without giving Liu Lanyi time to question, she grabbed her hand and pulled her into Wind-Erosion Cavern.
In her previous life, Ye Chuxue had also ended up in this cavern after clashing with her. But three years later, not only had she emerged unharmed, her cultivation had soared all the way into the Golden Core stage.
She was radiant, smug, and made Song Wanníng look like a complete fool. There had to be something valuable hidden in this place—some rare resource or secret treasure.
Liu Lanyi didn't fully buy Song Wanníng's explanation, but she didn't mind humoring her. She followed her into the cavern.
Wind-Erosion Cavern was filled with fierce wind currents that slammed into them from all directions, throwing even cultivators off balance.
This place was where the sect imprisoned disciples who had broken the rules. It was riddled with danger, though not enough to kill. Many had been confined here over the years, and they all left the same way—haggard, injured, and with their cultivation regressed.
Except Ye Chuxue.
She was different.
Now that Song Wanníng had sent her in ahead of schedule, the opportunity would likely appear again. All they had to do was wait.
So, Song Wanníng found a suitable spot, summoned a mobile wooden hut, and sat down with Liu Lanyi to share some tea, a few rounds of chess, and some light conversation.
So cold.
Ye Chuxue hugged herself tightly, her limbs stiff from the biting wind. She had a Five Element Chaos Spiritual Root, but lacked any wind affinity, making the Wind-Erosion Cavern almost unbearable.
The razor-sharp gales didn't just cut skin—they ached down to her very bones. Her body was still riddled with poison, and she'd nearly collapsed on her first day inside.
But she had endured.
Six months had passed. She just needed to last six more, and then she would be free.
Once she was out, she would leave this sect and everything behind.
Let them regret.
No matter how they came begging for forgiveness, she would never soften again. The sky was vast, the sea wide. A bird could fly freely, and a fish could swim without bounds.
She, Ye Chuxue, would be just fine on her own.
With that belief grounding her, she pushed deeper into the cavern, searching for a temporary refuge. She soon found a cave entrance and slipped inside. The storm outside was immediately blocked. The howling winds slammed against the entrance but couldn't reach her here.
Ye Chuxue slumped to the floor with a sigh of relief.
Finally, a place to breathe.
She decided to stay here until her sentence ended.
Now that she had a moment to herself, she began to examine the cave more closely.
It was quiet, dry, and windless. The walls were bare stone, with no signs of life.
But something inside caught her eye.
There was a small bulge in the ground near the back. Barely noticeable, but once seen, it stood out as out of place.
Her heart suddenly raced.
She knew this feeling.
Every time she stumbled upon a treasure, her body reacted this way.
Could it be…?
She hurried over and knelt beside the bulge, brushing her fingers across the surface. Then she started digging.
Soon, she unearthed a plain, unremarkable stone.
"A stone?"
Her brow furrowed. She hadn't expected the treasure to be something like this. Lifting it to eye level, she peered closely, trying to see if there was anything hidden within. But before she could examine it further, a chill ran down her spine. She turned in alarm, just in time to see a gale charging straight toward her.
Boom—
The wind slammed her into the wall, and the impact made her feel like her insides were shattering. As darkness crept into her vision, Ye Chuxue gripped the stone tightly, praying she would survive.
"Wanníng, how did you know she'd find something?" Liu Lanyi asked, puzzled, following Song Wanníng into the cave.
She couldn't shake the feeling that Song Wanníng had changed. She was harder to read now, no longer the girl she'd once known so well.
"She's blessed by fate. Lucky ones like her attract treasures without even trying. We just need to follow her, and we'll never miss out," Song Wanníng replied casually, choosing not to reveal the truth.
Her Ancestor didn't need to be burdened by unpleasant details.
"Is that so?" Liu Lanyi still felt something was off, but since Wanníng clearly didn't want to explain further, she didn't press.
Inside, they found Ye Chuxue unconscious.
Liu Lanyi frowned at the sight.
"What do we do with her? Should we…"
"No need. Leave her be," Song Wanníng said, cutting her off. She walked straight over and grabbed Ye Chuxue's hand.
Her grip was tight.
Without a change in expression, Song Wanníng forced her fingers apart and snapped them back with a crack.
Liu Lanyi: "…"
Stone in hand, Song Wanníng turned and walked out without a word.
Liu Lanyi followed her out of the cavern. The wind swallowed their tracks, leaving no trace that they had ever been there.
Back at Liu Lanyi's residence behind the mountain, Song Wanníng moved about as if she were at home.
Liu Lanyi brought out her favorite spiritual fruits and laid out a full table of dishes, gently serving her food like she always had when Song Wanníng was little.
Song Wanníng watched her quietly, emotion flickering in her eyes.
"What are you looking at me like that for?" Liu Lanyi smiled, brushing her fingers across her own cheek. Ever since they had returned, Song Wanníng had been strangely quiet.
"You're just so beautiful, Ancestor. I could stare at you forever," Song Wanníng said with a mischievous grin.
Sure enough, Liu Lanyi laughed. The mood lifted, and the two shared a lively meal together. After they were full, Song Wanníng finally took out the stone and placed it in front of Liu Lanyi.
"Ancestor, this thing is definitely some kind of treasure. But knowing Ye Chuxue, there might be something shady about it. I don't want to give it up, but I also don't want it falling back into her hands. That would make everything we did pointless.
So… could you check it for me?" She pushed the stone into Liu Lanyi's hands without hesitation.
Liu Lanyi furrowed her brow and examined it. No matter how she looked, it just seemed like an ordinary stone. "There's nothing special about this. I can't see any mystery in it."
"Then… why don't you try claiming it?" Song Wanníng encouraged her softly.
Liu Lanyi paused and shook her head. "It belongs to you. What would it mean if I claimed it instead?"
But Song Wanníng looked up at her with wide, watery eyes.
"I'm just worried something's wrong with it. What if there's a trap? But you're so powerful, Shishu. Even if there is, you'd see through it easily.
Please? Just try it for me…" She hugged Liu Lanyi and started acting spoiled, the same way she had when she was younger. Liu Lanyi had no defense against that.
If anyone else had asked, she would have assumed they were plotting against her.
But not Song Wanníng.
With a helpless smile, Liu Lanyi reached out and gently ruffled her hair. "Fine, I'll try. If it really is a treasure, I'll return it to you afterward."
She had never planned to keep it for herself. If it turned out to be safe, she would give it back. She picked up the stone and began attempting to bind it.
Song Wanníng watched quietly from the side, her gaze soft, full of warmth. Even if the heavens rejected her, there was still someone in this world who loved her without reservation.