"Now that the Song family has ascended into the ranks of top-tier clans, that's a done deal. What we need to do is make sure they get a bigger slice of the pie when it's time to divide the spoils. But before that, I need to visit my mother."
Three cultivators at the Divine Transformation stage were one thing. But four? That changed the game entirely.
Just with the inner core and the Seven-Star Lotus Flower in her possession, she could practically brute-force her mother into the Divine Transformation stage. Not to mention her mother was already talented and well-prepared with a deep foundation...
No one caught the subtext behind Song Wanníng's words. They simply assumed she was concerned about the spirit vein.
Song Qingyun didn't overthink it either. He nodded.
"Go handle what you need to. Leave the rest to me. In the next couple of days, I plan to ask the Ancestor to leave seclusion..."
The Song Ancestor had been secluded for quite some time and still had no idea what a massive upheaval had taken place in the family.
"Alright. Just one thing—my little disciple, Li Ruo, will need the Grand Elder's care and guidance. Since taking her in, I've barely had time to look after her. And now that we can't rely on Wentian Sect, let her stay with the Song family for the time being. Once her cultivation stabilizes and she needs to temper herself, don't hold her back. Let her go out and experience the world."
A flower raised in a greenhouse could never withstand the wind and rain. Li Ruo would have to face challenges on her own eventually.
As for alchemy, she'd already given Li Ruo the basics. If the girl showed promise, they could revisit the rest later.
"Don't worry. Since she's your disciple, that makes her one of our own. I'll make sure she's well cared for and taught properly!"
The Grand Elder nodded firmly, and the other elders followed suit.
Everyone was in high spirits, looking toward the future with confidence.
...
Once the meeting ended, Song Wanníng approached Song Qingyun privately and handed him a finely-crafted jade box.
"Father. These are the petals of the Seven-Star Lotus Flower. Find a secure place and take them as soon as possible to raise your cultivation. I have a strong feeling. Whoever's pulling strings behind the scenes... won't stay in the shadows much longer." Her expression was grim now, a far cry from the optimism she'd shown earlier.
Song Qingyun's hand trembled as he took the box. He looked at her, stunned.
Then it hit him. His daughter had been reborn, and she probably knew things no one else could. That made sense. Still, worry and heartache flickered in his eyes.
"You silly girl. If you're in danger, you can always tell us. You don't have to shoulder everything on your own."
A Seven-Star Lotus Flower was incredibly rare. Who knew what she had endured to obtain it?
His daughter used to be bright and proud, never one to overthink. Now, every step she took was calculated, each move weighed with care. She even put the family first.
That free-spirited girl from before seemed like a distant memory.
"Father, I didn't run into any danger. I was the oriole waiting behind the mantis."
Song Wanníng smoothed out the creases in his brow and smiled.
"This flower is too important. Please, take it soon. Once I'm back, we'll fight for the share we deserve."
"Alright. Go without worry. I won't let you down!"
Song Qingyun tightened his grip on the jade box. His daughter had gone to such lengths to pave the road for him. He would not drag her down.
...
After parting ways with Song Qingyun, Song Wanníng set out that very night for the spirit vein.
To move the spirit stones back to the Song family without attracting attention, a teleportation array had been established between the spirit vein and their territory.
As she stepped into the array, a wave of dizziness washed over her. By the time it passed, she had already arrived.
The moment the array surged, Mu Yuan was instantly on alert.
She flashed to the array's edge, ready to strike—until she saw who it was.
"Wanníng!!"
Mu Yuan dashed forward and pulled her daughter into a tight embrace.
"My sweet girl, Mother missed you so much!"
"Mother! I missed you too!"
Song Wanníng hugged her back tightly, laughter bubbling in her eyes.
The two held each other for a long while before finally letting go. Hand in hand, they walked deeper into the spirit vein, chatting affectionately along the way.
As they walked, Mu Yuan described the vein in detail.
Song Wanníng looked up. In her past life, she'd only heard of this supreme-grade spirit vein. Seeing it for herself now, she couldn't help but feel a flicker of awe.
It was a metallic-attributed spirit vein. All the spirit stones within shimmered with a distinct metallic luster.
Supreme-grade spirit stones contained incredibly pure energy. Just standing here, she could feel spiritual power surging around her.
Unfortunately, the attribute didn't suit her. For her, these stones were only useful as currency.
Mu Yuan, on the other hand, possessed a metallic spiritual root. Her cultivation was already on the verge of breaking through to Divine Transformation, and her aura was becoming increasingly unstable. She could break through at any moment.
After staring for a bit, the golden glow began to strain Song Wanníng's eyes, and she had to look away.
Before long, disciples of the Song family began to appear one after another.
"Young Miss!!"
"Greetings, Miss!!"
They all stopped and greeted her, faces lit with excitement.
Even after a year or two of mining, the disciples were still full of energy, showing no signs of fatigue.
Song Wanníng nodded and acknowledged them, eyes curving with a hint of pride.
Mu Yuan smiled beside her. "The spiritual energy here is so dense. Even other elemental energies are far stronger than what you'd find outside.
These kids advance constantly. Some even broke through stagnant cultivation that hadn't moved in years. Everyone's thrilled, and they're throwing themselves into the work with all they've got."
On top of that, the reward system was generous. The more spirit stones they mined, the more they got to keep.
Motivated by real benefits, no one felt tired.
"Mhm. Not bad at all. And these are all handpicked disciples of the Song family. Reliable and capable."
Song Wanníng smiled. Seeing her people grow stronger gave her genuine joy. In her previous life, this vein had been discovered by Ye Chuxue and Bai Yang during an accidental mishap. The ones pursuing them also stumbled upon it.
At first, only the force chasing them knew of the vein. But they failed to keep the secret, and word soon got out. Sects and clans swarmed in, hoping to grab a share, only to find that most of the vein had already been mined.
Rumor had it Ye Chuxue and Gu Qingyuan struck it rich by excavating a spirit vein, becoming filthy wealthy. For a long time, the two were frequent targets of robbery whenever they left home...
Back then, the Song family and Song Wanníng hadn't gotten even a speck of that fortune.
But this life was different. She'd claimed the vein early. Even if Ye Chuxue showed up now, she'd find only a hollowed shell. The deeper they went, the denser the spiritual energy became. It was so thick it began to obscure their vision.
Song Wanníng pushed through the pressure and surveyed the entire spirit vein. Her understanding of its scale had deepened again.
"Another year or two, and it'll be just about tapped out."
Mu Yuan's eyes glimmered with satisfaction. The Song family was thriving, and her heart brimmed with joy.
"We've set up a wide-range concealment array around the vein. Hopefully, we can finish mining it before anyone finds out."
As soon as Mu Yuan said that, Song Wanníng's heart skipped a beat.