Chapter 89

Chapter 89: Liu Yi Yi’s Plan

Liu Yi Yi’s face twitched as she held back her excitement.

In her mind, it all fit neatly together: Song Wan Ning had piled up her cultivation with pills, forcing herself upward just to keep up appearances for the Heaven-Questioning Sect.

That only proved the Heaven-Questioning Sect was in very bad shape.

In that case, she couldn’t be blamed for being ruthless.

“Sigh, Wan Ning, I understand your difficulties. But everyone is shouting to challenge you now. You probably can’t hide anymore…”

Song Wan Ning’s expression turned anxious at once. “What do I do? How could I ever beat them?”

“No. Maybe I should pretend to be sick—say I’m injured and can’t accept challenges!”

She clutched Liu Yi Yi’s hand, looking genuinely frightened.

Liu Yi Yi secretly curled her lip, mocking her in her heart.

She patted Song Wan Ning’s hand. “Don’t panic. Let me think of something.”

“I’ve got it! How about this—when the time comes, I’ll be the one to challenge you. How about it?”

As if worried Song Wan Ning might overthink, she added, “Don’t worry. I’ll definitely go easy on you, and you’ll win with dignity.”

“Really?”

Song Wan Ning looked like she’d grabbed a lifeline.

“Of course. We’re best friends. Naturally I have to help you.”

Inside, Liu Yi Yi cursed Song Wan Ning as an idiot. Only a fool would believe such an arrangement.

Song Wan Ning had been like this since childhood: naive and foolish, clear-cut in love and hate.

She didn’t understand human relationships at all, and she understood even less about pretending and playing nice.

Maybe it was the confidence from her family and strength. That was exactly what Liu Yi Yi, who had to curry favor to survive, hated most.

“When the time comes, you’ll shine, and the disciples of the Heaven-Questioning Sect will surely treat you like someone from the Heavenly God Realm.”

“If anyone challenges you again, just say you were injured in your match with me and need to recuperate.”

“What do you think?”

Liu Yi Yi even planned the last escape route for her.

How could Song Wan Ning not feel “touched”?

At a time like this, she still wanted to step on Song Wan Ning to boost her own fame?

Liu Yi Yi was dreaming.

She sounded nice now, but once she was on the arena and “defeated” Song Wan Ning, she would probably say:

“Oh no, I didn’t mean it. I thought you could take it…”

Song Wan Ning could already picture her crying and explaining.

She smiled.

If Liu Yi Yi wanted fame, then she’d grant it to her.

Holding Liu Yi Yi’s hand, she replied in a low, sincere voice, “You’re really too good to me.”

“Yi Yi, it’s so good to have you in this life…”

“Oh, come on.” Liu Yi Yi smiled too. “We’re friends, aren’t we?”

Her chance to become famous across the world had arrived.

—

When the Sect Master heard that Song Wan Ning had accepted a challenge, he almost jumped.

Hadn’t Song Wan Ning promised she wouldn’t put herself at risk?

What was she doing?

The elders had already prepared to fight. Compared to geniuses like Gu Qing Yuan and Lu Xing Yao, their combat power was weaker.

But they were still seasoned Nascent Soul Stage cultivators with deep foundations. Their strength was not bad.

“Don’t panic. The person Junior Sister Song agreed to duel is Liu Yi Yi of the Gazing Mountain Sect, a mid Nascent Soul Stage cultivator!”

The Sect Master: “?????”

“A mid Nascent Soul Stage dares to be that arrogant?”

He looked stunned, thinking he had heard wrong.

The Second Elder shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe that Liu Yi Yi has something wrong in her head.”

The Sect Master: “…”

The Third Elder snorted. “That just shows how arrogant those people are. They don’t take our Heaven-Questioning Sect seriously at all!”

“It’s good that Junior Sister Song agreed to fight. It’ll give them a lesson!”

Everyone had seen Song Wan Ning’s strength.

Since Liu Yi Yi delivered herself to die, they naturally couldn’t refuse.

The Sect Master nodded. “True. If it’s Liu Yi Yi, Junior Sister Song won’t lose.”

“But aside from Junior Sister Song, all of you have received challenges too. Prepare well. I’ve contacted the ancestors again and told them to return as soon as possible.”

“As long as we hold under the pressure, they won’t be able to act right away.”

Now there was only one solution: stall.

Stall for time until they got a reply.

The elders grew worried. “We still can’t reach the ancestors?”

“Hmm. It should be soon.”

—

The duels arrived as scheduled.

All the Nascent Soul Stage cultivators of the Heaven-Questioning Sect attended—except Gu Qing Yuan, who was still recovering.

13 in total.

Besides the seven elders, the rest were “idle” cultivators like Song Wan Ning. They didn’t handle steward duties day to day, but now they all stood up.

Everyone was on the challenge list, except the Sect Master.

The Five Sects and Four Factions brought more than 30 people. Each was a sect elite with solid strength, though their cultivation levels varied.

Song Wan Ning’s outstanding looks were her least noteworthy quality. What truly drew attention was her striking cultivation.

At just over a hundred years old, she had reached the peak of the Nascent Soul Stage. Even among heavenly prodigies, she was far ahead.

“Haha, your sect truly has outstanding talents. Sect Master, you’re far too modest.”

“Exactly. The Heaven-Questioning Sect produces talent after talent. We can’t even catch up.”

Still, he had to keep his spirits up to deal with them. In just half a year, he looked much more worn down.

Once the Nascent Soul Stage cultivators were seated, the disciples of the Heaven-Questioning Sect sat in silence like statues.

More than 40 Nascent Soul Stage cultivators gathered in one place. Just looking at them made your heart tremble—who dared make a sound?

Seeing Bai Yang’s worried yet hopeful expression, Song Wan Ning curled her lips in a mocking smile.

This Male Lead seemed to be at odds with the Female Lead. She hadn’t seen the two together lately.

But a fated pairing was never so easily broken.

She raised her brows slightly. As she withdrew her gaze, it collided with another.

Liu Yao.

Liu Yi Yi’s older brother.

Liu Yao was at the peak of the Nascent Soul Stage, 30 years older than Liu Yi Yi. One sibling had a fire spiritual root, the other water, and they were taken in by a Divine Transformation elder of the Gazing Mountain Sect.

Song Wan Ning met them when she was in her early teens. On a task, she saved Liu Yi Yi, and from then on they were bound in a twisted fate.

Liu Yao fell for her at first sight and protected her everywhere. His feelings became public knowledge.

Later, when she became engaged to Gu Qing Yuan, he was depressed for a long time.

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

Song Wan Ning was straightforward. She rejected him more than 10 times, then lost patience and didn’t even reply.

Later on, the man who once loved her so “wildly” turned around and fell for Ye Chu Xue.

Everything changed.

He turned back and insulted her viciously.

He declared that he had been tricked by Song Wan Ning, and that was why he had done those foolish things.