61-65

Chapter 61

Song Weizhi's consciousness was already scattered, but when she heard the little girl's name, her scattered consciousness seemed to focus. "What are you talking about? I'll kill you," she exclaimed, as if using up all her strength.

"Huh, kill me? Just you? Song Weizhi, what do you think you are?" Li Qingyuan snapped.

He performed a finger technique, pressing on Song Weizhi's wrist and ankle, and then burst into laughter. "Hahaha, Song Weizhi, your tendons have been cut, but don't worry, I will also crush your leg bones for you."

At that moment, there was a sound outside the cultivation room; it was Zhou Yeran leading his subordinates.

Seeing Zhou Yeran, Li Qingyuan immediately showed respect, "Master, you're here."

Zhou Yeran nodded and, looking at the barely conscious Song Weizhi on the ground, walked over and kicked her bloody arm. "How about it, Song Weizhi? Hand over the soul fragment, and I'll have someone treat your injuries."

After waiting for a while and not getting a response, Zhou Yeran was getting annoyed. He couldn't afford to offend the Third Prince, but did he really have to be accommodating to Song Weizhi? "Maybe I have been too kind to you. Well, I want to see how much you can endure."

Saying that, he lifted Song Weizhi into the air and then opened a door to a small chamber. Inside, there was nothing except for a staircase leading down. Zhou Yeran carried Song Weizhi through the long steps to a large platform below. The platform was just a corner of the iceberg, with molten magma stretching endlessly below.

Zhou Yeran brought Song Weizhi to the edge of the platform. Once he let go, she would be engulfed by the magma in an instant.

"Song Weizhi, I'll ask you again. Are you going to tell me or not? Don't blame me if you suffer. As a single-attribute ice-rooted cultivator, you are most afraid of fire. What do you think will happen if you fall into this magma?" With that, he moved Song Weizhi a few inches outward, creating an immense pressure at her throat, as if he was about to strangle her at any moment.

Song Weizhi's consciousness was hazy. She endured the intense pain, making a decision. She knew these people wouldn't let her go. She was unsure about the condition of the little girl she was concerned about. In her current state, she feared she wouldn't be able to protect her. She only hoped her little girl would suffer a little less.

Without hesitation, Song Weizhi, in a hoarse voice, said, "Even if I die, I will not give you the fragment."

As soon as her words fell, the armor-piercing bullets she had set up in a concealed corner were already aimed at Zhou Yeran and others. She had no other choice; she had spent all her points from the previous martial arts competition, and the only ones left were the four armor-piercing bullets from the Linlang Secret Realm. Even if it meant death, she didn't want to die at the hands of these scoundrels.

With her last bit of strength, she unleashed the bullets. "Even if I die, I will not give you the fragment."

As expected, the two armor-piercing bullets in front of Zhou Yeran were shattered by his palm force, but several of his followers were not so lucky. Some were blown to pieces.

As Zhou Yeran used his force to deflect the armor-piercing bullets, he released his grip on Song Weizhi's hand, creating an opening she had been waiting for. She exerted all her remaining strength to lean back, plummeting from the edge of the platform.

Song Weizhi felt as if everything around her had turned fiery red. The descent only took a few seconds but felt like an eternity.

A few moments later, Song Weizhi felt herself being charred. The temperature of the magma was far higher than that of fire. Within moments of falling, everything on her body, including her flesh, blood, and bones, melted away.

Feeling her flesh and bones being charred, Song Weizhi's consciousness began to fade.

After an unknown period, Song Weizhi awoke from the haze. The pain was excruciating. Her eyes couldn't see anything; she could only feel herself being engulfed by scorching heat. Then, she heard a voice in her mind.

"Host, due to the urgency of the situation, you lost consciousness, and I had to make a decision for you. The temperature here in the lava has exceeded a thousand degrees. If your flesh or bones enter, they will turn to ashes. I can only protect your soul, spiritual roots, and soul. However, the pain you endure during the refining process is something you have to bear repeatedly."

Song Weizhi's mind was buzzing, or rather, the senses within her soul were buzzing, as her bodily organs had long been turned into charcoal. The pain was so intense that she couldn't think about what the system was saying. She could only feel the excruciating pain. In less than half a moment of clarity, she passed out from the pain again.

Although the system had provided some protection for Song Weizhi's soul, spiritual roots, and soul, preventing them from turning into ashes, they still endured the tremendous pressure and heat waves.

On the other side, Song Zhixia, taken away by Gao Chengxuan, arrived at his residence. Gao Chengxuan's brow furrowed. "What? Does Miss Song really not want to see me?"

Song Zhixia's throat was now free, "Hmph, you despicable scum, release my senior sister."

"Heh, Senior Sister can barely protect herself, and you're thinking about her? Now let's talk about the soul fragment. There are two options for you: I kill you and take the fragment, or you and I cultivate together. This way, you can save your life, and I can achieve my goal. Besides, as a prince, I can consider it a favor to you. You'd be climbing high." Gao Chengxuan looked at Song Zhixia as if she were prey.

"Hmph, don't even think about it. If you want to kill, do it quickly, or I won't let you off," Song Zhixia's eyes were red, resembling a caged beast.

"Interesting. If you agree, maybe I won't be interested anymore. Don't worry, I'll make you willingly beg for our cultivation later."

After Gao Chengxuan finished speaking, he gave a signal to Zuo Xuan, who then lifted Song Zhixia. In the blink of an eye, Gao Chengxuan and his group appeared on a cliff. The cliff was towering, and it was the infamous Blood Demon Cliff where Song Zhixia was corrupted by demonic blood.

"Do you know where this place is, Song Zhixia? One more step forward, and you'll be at the Blood Demon Cliff. If you turn into something neither human nor ghost, do you think your senior sister will still want you?" Gao Chengxuan sneered.

"Hmph, kill me already. Why make such an effort?" Song Zhixia's gaze was filled with malice.

"Killing you is so easy, just a flick of my finger. However, seeing you in such panicked state is not interesting. Besides, even if you fall into the Blood Demon Cliff and turn into a demon, I will still have your soul fragment. The agony of falling into the demonic path will be unforgettable for you, Song Zhixia. I will ask you one last time, will you cultivate with me or not?"

"Never. If you're going to do it, then do it." Song Zhixia had resigned herself to death. She only wished to be with her senior sister.

"Fine, still a hopeless romantic. Then, taste the torment of the Blood Demons. Zuo Xuan, do it." Gao Chengxuan's playful expression turned cold. He hadn't expected that a woman of lowly status would dare to truly reject him. Anyway, with demonic cultivators by his side, even if Song Zhixia fell into the Blood Demon Cliff, he could still have her brought back. By then, Song Zhixia would be neither human nor ghost, which he found amusing.

Just as Song Zhixia was released by Zuo Xuan, she felt everything spinning. Fortunately, she hadn't expended much spiritual power. Using her spiritual power, she floated with her sword. Strangely, something seemed to be getting heavier on the sword, making it sink gradually, despite her efforts to keep it afloat. At the same time, bloodstains appeared on Song Zhixia's body.

In no time, the flesh on her forearm was gnawed clean by something. No matter how she drove her spiritual power to repel these entities, their numbers were too overwhelming. Before long, many parts of her body were exposed as the flesh was bitten off.

The slim hope of surviving had shattered. What she feared wasn't the gnawing of these entities but the possibility of not making it out alive, not seeing the person she longed to see.

In the exposed areas where her bony structure was visible, threads of black gas infiltrated. They burned her bones and blood from within. Even her once-undefiled elixir field was gradually filled with black mist.

"How delicious. This girl's flesh is so tender. I'm almost reluctant to eat it," one remarked.

"So what? Just leave her. We still have many spirit medicines that can produce flesh and blood. We'll eat to our hearts' content," another added.

"Gladly. This Golden Core cultivator's flesh is indeed succulent."

"Yeah, once we are full, we'll send her off."

When Song Zhixia woke up again, she felt a bone-piercing pain throughout her body. There was hardly any flesh and blood left, and she didn't know how many times those evil spirits in the void had devoured her. However, her consciousness remained clear, witnessing her flesh and blood regenerating little by little, which felt both painful and itchy. The entities in the void seemed particularly excited.

Song Zhixia had no idea how long she had been in this ghostly place. The initial excruciating pain had numbed her. At first, she couldn't help but cry from the pain, but eventually, even though her body continued to ache, she could no longer shed tears.

One day, just after her flesh and blood had regenerated, the entities around her started to become restless. At that moment, the Blood Demon Cliff was shrouded in dark clouds, and thunderous clouds covered the entire area where Song Zhixia was confined, pressing down lower and lower.

"What's going on? How can she, in this state, draw down the thunder tribulation?"

"Indeed, she has been devoured repeatedly these days, and it's not as if she had time to cultivate."

"The clouds are pressing so low. I think she won't survive today. We'd better find a place to hide. It's a shame about her flesh and blood. Well, we won't have anything to eat in the future."

Chapter 62

Ignoring the wounds on her body, Song Zhixia curled up and crawled to the entrance of the cave. Seeing the dark clouds that obscured the sky, a faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips. Dreading the endless gnawing by those creatures, she found being struck by lightning a more preferable end. However, when she thought of Song Weizhi, the tears that had not flowed for a long time unexpectedly welled up in Song Zhixia's eyes, even if her flesh had been torn apart, not a single drop of tears would fall.

With her inhuman appearance, she didn't want her senior sister to see her like this. Song Zhixia closed her eyes quietly, waiting for the thunder to strike.

Before long, the dark clouds pressed lower, but Song Zhixia felt no fear. In fact, she considered this a kind of deliverance. The only thing she couldn't let go of was her senior sister. Her deepest regret was that her senior sister hadn't cared for her. Tears trickled down Song Zhixia's cheeks, her once dry eyes now glistening with tears. She closed her eyes gently.

At that moment, the thunderbolt from the sky continued to strike towards Song Zhixia, its power fluctuating. Yet, after countless nights of being gnawed by those unearthly creatures, she had become accustomed to such pain. Soon, she smelled the scent of her own flesh burning. Not only was she struck, but even the cave behind her collapsed from the thunder.

Song Zhixia thought a few more strikes and everything would come to an end. She was covered in soot, and her blood and flesh scattered on the ground. Her consciousness began to blur, and she had already passed out. However, the thunder continued to strike, tearing some parts of her already charred body into pieces.

After some time, the dark clouds in the sky gradually dispersed, and the Blood Demon Cliff returned to its usual state. Meanwhile, the place where Song Zhixia lay had been turned into a huge deep pit by the thunder. Although her body had been ravaged, her spiritual core and vital energy were still intact.

Before long, the malevolent spirits that had been feeding on Song Zhixia's body floated over.

"Wow, did the heavens make a mistake? I roughly counted, and there were as many as thirty strikes of lightning. How is that possible?"

"Could it be that this little girl did something wrong? I've never seen thirty strikes of lightning before, not even when I was alive."

"What should we do? The food we had our eyes on flew away. Let's check if there's any vitality left. What if we feed her some elixirs and she comes back to life?"

"That makes sense."

Several incorporeal evil spirits approached Song Zhixia's body. Her face was already charred, yet there was still a faint sign of life. Several of the evil spirits stuffed elixirs into her mouth, which was already exposed with bare bones. Surprisingly, Song Zhixia's completely charred body gradually began to grow flesh and blood.

"Phew, that was close. We almost missed our meal."

"Yeah, luckily we took a look; it would have been a pity otherwise."

In the cold, damp water dungeon of the Cold Mountain Sword Sect, Wei Zhao was still submerged in the freezing water. When she was thrown in, she was severely injured and unconscious, and was left soaking in the water, nearly suffocating to death.

Her storage pouch had already been thoroughly searched, leaving her with no healing elixirs. She had to endure the chilling atmosphere of the water dungeon while enduring her injuries. Wei Zhao only knew that as long as she had not confirmed the safety of her master, she couldn't afford to die.

Yao Xintong had indeed been imprisoned by Zhou Yeran for a month. During this month, Yao Xintong had questioned Zhou Yeran more than once about what he meant and what it meant to force the powerful to do something, as her father had done this more than once. Yet, Yao Xintong was always met with Yao Xintong's silence.

Over the month, Zhou Chengwen had also become silent. In his impression, his father had always been gentle and kind to him and his sister. Till now, he still believed that his father was acting this way because of a misunderstanding between Song Weizhi and them.

After a month had passed, Zhou Qingxue disregarded restraint and rushed to the main hall, urgently seeking answers from her father.

"Dad, where are Song Weizhi and the others? What have you done to them?" Zhou Qingxue burst into the main hall, where Zhou Yeran was discussing matters with other elders, not caring about the interruption.

Fearing that his younger sister might get into trouble, Zhou Chengwen had been following Zhou Qingxue all this time and also entered the main hall with her.

Seeing Zhou Qingxue and Zhou Chengwen intrude, Zhou Yeran's expression darkened. "It seems that keeping you closed for a month hasn't taught you anything. You want to see Song Weizhi, right? Fine, I will take you to see her." Despite agreeing to their request, a cold smile tugged at the corner of Zhou Yeran's lips. His children had been spoiled by Yao Xintong.

After giving some instructions to the chief elder, Zhou Yeran took Zhou Qingxue and Zhou Chengwen, along with a dozen disciple guards, to the direction of the training hall.

Zhou Qingxue rarely visited this area. When her Nascent Soul stage cultivation just started, she could still adapt here. But when Zhou Yeran had the staircase leading to the platform below opened, she began to feel uneasy. The further she went down, the more uncomfortable she felt. When she finally saw the endless lava below, Zhou Qingxue's heart sank.

Throughout the journey, she hadn't seen any sign of Song Weizhi. She couldn't comprehend why her father had brought her here to witness boundless lava. So, where was Song Weizhi?

Backtracking a few steps, with red eyes, she looked at Zhou Yeran and asked, "So, what about Song Weizhi?"

With a derisive laugh, Zhou Yeran turned to look at the lava and said, "The traitor refused to hand over her spiritual core shard, so I had no choice but to throw her down there. By now, I'm afraid there's nothing left of her except a puddle of molten sludge."

"How could you do that? Song Weizhi and the others are innocent. You are a murderer. You are a murderer." Tears streamed down Zhou Qingxue's eyes as she shouted at Zhou Yeran.

Even Zhou Chengwen shook his head in disbelief. His father, whom he had regarded as a role model, suddenly acted so differently. "Dad, this isn't right. You can't do this."

"Heh, in this world, we don't judge a person solely based on right or wrong. The survival of the fittest. If you want to blame someone, blame them for being too weak. If they die, they deserve it. You two are going to carry the entire sect in the future, yet you're still so naive, just like when you were kids? You've disappointed me greatly," Zhou Yeran shook his head.

"No, it's you who has disappointed us." Sometimes, Zhou Qingxue felt jealous of Song Weizhi. She felt that Wei Zhao always put Song Weizhi first, which made her uncomfortable, but it was only jealousy. She had never wanted anything bad to happen to Song Weizhi.

At this thought, Zhou Qingxue quickly asked, "What about Wei Zhao? Did you also...?" As she spoke, Zhou Qingxue sank to the ground. She couldn't bear the thought of Wei Zhao turning into ash. What would she do then?

"She's not dead yet. I have her locked in the water dungeon. She wants to be with you? Then, she must absolutely obey me. How can she turn against me for an outsider like Song Weizhi? I've put her in there to reflect." Zhou Yeran simply stated, but deep down, he still cared about his daughter and did not want to go to extremes against Wei Zhao.

Zhou Qingxue breathed a sigh of relief but still felt despondent. "What about Song Zhixia? Has she really been taken away?"

Zhou Yeran had no intention of concealing anything. He wanted his naive daughter to recognize the reality sooner. In this world, survival of the fittest was the natural order of things. "Song Zhixia has been taken away by the Third Prince. It's said that the Third Prince wants to engage in dual cultivation with her, but she refused. She has already been thrown off the Blood Demon Cliff. I reckon she has fallen into the demonic path, and her body has perished."

Zhou Qingxue looked at Zhou Yeran in disbelief. She couldn't believe that these cruel words had come from her father. Falsely accusing someone when there's no shortage of accusations. Song Weizhi and the others were completely innocent. "You make me sick," Zhou Qingxue told Zhou Yeran before storming out. She left immediately and flew to the water dungeon. As the disciples saw Zhou Qingxue arrive, they let her pass without hesitation. Zhou Yeran had already instructed them about Wei Zhao's situation. Zhou Qingxue could visit but under no circumstances could she let Wei Zhao out.

She staggered to the lowest level of the water dungeon. It was dark and damp, and the water level in the dungeon reached the shoulders. Zhou Qingxue scanned the area but couldn't find any trace of Wei Zhao. Anxiously, she asked the guarding disciple, "Where is Wei Zhao?"

The disciples were accustomed to this situation and seemed unaffected. One of them replied, "Senior Sister Zhou, Wei Zhao was seriously injured. Sometimes she faints while standing or when she coughs up water, but she still manages to stand up. She won't die."

Zhou Qingxue, with red eyes, stared at the disciple and demanded, "Open the cell door. I want to go in and save her."

"This, the sect leader has said that you can only visit but not take her out," the disciple stammered.

"I said open the door. If you don't, don't blame me for taking action," Zhou Qingxue said, already grasping her sword.

The guard disciples looked at each other and decided to open the water dungeon door for Zhou Qingxue. If she really took action, they would get hurt for nothing.

Zhou Qingxue jumped into the water dungeon, where the water was bone-chilling. Even someone without injuries would feel uncomfortable when jumping in, not to mention Wei Zhao, who had been injured heavily that day. Zhou Qingxue quickly found Wei Zhao lying in a corner. Wei Zhao's body was icy cold; she didn't resemble a living person. Staying in this condition, she probably wouldn't last a few more days.

Zhou Qingxue used her spiritual power to unclench Wei Zhao's teeth and fed her a few spirit pills. However, the medicine could not take effect so quickly; her injuries still needed time to heal.

She lifted Wei Zhao and was about to leave the water dungeon, but Zhou Yeran had already arrived with his disciples before she reached the door.

"Qingxue, what are you doing? Put her down," Zhou Yeran said coldly, eyeing his daughter.

Zhou Qingxue shook her head. "Where she is, I am. I want to take her to get treatment."

"Heh, do you think I would be afraid of your threats? You want to stay with her, right? Fine, I'll grant you your wish," Zhou Yeran's face turned grim as he set up a barrier outside the water dungeon. Only someone with the same level of cultivation as him could break through this barrier; otherwise, no one could step foot inside the water dungeon.

"Dad, please, this is my sister. I beg you to let her go," Zhou Chengwen stood in front of Zhou Yeran, pleading.

"She is too spoiled. It's time for her to understand who is responsible for where she is today. Isn't it all because of me? Let her reflect on it. When she recognizes her mistake, I will let her out," Zhou Yeran huffed and bypassed Zhou Chengwen, who was still rooted in place.

Chapter 63

Zhou Chengwen looked at his sister suffering alongside Wei Zhao and hurriedly said, "Qing Xue, don't be afraid. Father listens to mother the most. I'll ask mother to plead for you. You'll be fine soon. I'll be right back." With that, he quickly left.

Not daring to delay for a moment, Zhou Chengwen immediately went to Yao Xintong's residence. "Mother, something bad happened. My sister got locked up in the water dungeon along with Wei Zhao." ◇思◇兔◇網◇

"What? How could this happen?" Yao Xintong asked anxiously.

"Wei Zhao is badly injured. My sister wanted to save her, but father wouldn't let Wei Zhao out of the water dungeon. He even said that if my sister doesn't admit her wrongdoings, she'll have to stay in there with Wei Zhao," Zhou Chengwen's mind was still somewhat muddled even as he explained the situation.

Upon hearing this, Yao Xintong immediately went to find Zhou Yeran. On seeing Yao Xintong, Zhou Yeran said calmly, "If you've come to plead for them, there's no need."

"Elder brother, the kids are not at fault to begin with. Even if they were, they've already been punished. Please release them soon," Yao Xintong implored.

"Releasing Qing Xue is fine, but as for that Wei Zhao, she's nothing but trouble. Releasing her will only cause me trouble," Zhou Yeran retorted coldly.

"Elder brother, Qing Xue has finally found someone she loves. I don't want the kids to have any regrets," Yao Xintong said, seemingly recalling her past.

"Hmph, regretting marrying me? Right, all these years, I'm afraid you never forgot about your traitorous senior sister. If not for protecting her, you wouldn't have married me," Zhou Yeran sneered and continued, "I advise you to be smarter and not let your actions harm your traitorous senior sister."

Shaking her head, Yao Xintong, with her eyes reddening, said, "Don't harm her. You clearly promised me that if I married you, you would spare her. I just... I just want our daughter to be with the one she loves."

Zhou Yeran, ultimately somewhat softhearted, couldn't ignore the fact that she was his own daughter. Besides, Wei Zhao was now at death's door. Her cultivation at the Yuan Ying stage was nothing to him. If Wei Zhao dared to defy him again, it would be as easy as getting rid of her, now that both Song Weizhi and Song Zhixia were already dead.

"Fine, go and take them back for treatment," Zhou Yeran instructed Qiyingzhe and Yao Xintong to release the prisoners.

As soon as Yao Xintong entered the water dungeon, she saw her daughter, Qing Xue, huddled in a corner, embracing Wei Zhao. In order to prevent Wei Zhao from being immersed in the water, she used her spiritual power to create a thin layer of insulation around them. However, this continuously drained her spiritual power, leaving Qing Xue looking unwell.

Yao Xintong immediately rescued them. Qing Xue carried Wei Zhao and flew back to her own residence on her sword.

After using the Purification Technique to cleanse the dirt from their bodies, Qing Xue fed Wei Zhao spiritual medicine. It was only then that she felt a slight sense of relief, but the thought of her father's actions made her heart ache like a knife.

Wei Zhao was seriously injured, and it took a whole ten days of recuperation before she finally regained consciousness. During this time, Qing Xue spared no effort in feeding her medicinal herbs.

Upon waking up, Wei Zhao's eyes squinted due to the bright light in the room. Her body experienced waves of pain, and her voice, hoarse from not speaking for a long time, asked, "Where is my master?"

Qing Xue, looking weary, had been taking care of Wei Zhao for more than ten days without rest. Upon hearing Wei Zhao's question, she was unsure how to answer. If she told the truth, Wei Zhao probably wouldn't want her to save her again. After much consideration, she decided to wait until Wei Zhao's condition stabilized before telling her the truth.

"She's in the disciple's practice room. I'll take you there once you've recovered," Qing Xue explained with a flickering gaze.

Unbeknownst to Wei Zhao, she had already distanced herself from Qing Xue. If she found out the truth, she might not even want to look at her again. Qing Xue quietly reached out and took the earring from Wei Zhao's hand but still blocked her in front of her, saying, "You're in no condition to even move now, how will you go see Song Weizhi? You'll only be stopped and achieve nothing. You're in no position to save her right now."

Wei Zhao nodded and said, "Alright, I'll go back to my residence to rest. You need not concern yourself with me."

With that, Wei Zhao, enduring the pain throughout her body, got off the bed. Qing Xue tried to assist her, but Wei Zhao pushed her away and staggered towards her own residence. What was originally not far ended up taking over an hour. By the time she reached her residence, Wei Zhao was already exhausted. Fortunately, her room was stocked with healing medicines, which she took before collapsing.

It would take a month to recover from her injuries. Despite only regaining fifty percent of her strength, Wei Zhao's body remained weak due to prolonged immersion in the water dungeon. However, she couldn't afford to wait any longer. Her master's life was still at stake, and she couldn't focus on recuperation. Thus, as soon as she felt slightly better, she hastily made her way to the practice room.

Naturally, the disciples on guard did not allow Wei Zhao to enter. However, Qing Xue had already informed them to notify her immediately if Wei Zhao appeared.

Qing Xue arrived on her sword, anticipating Wei Zhao's urgency, but she did not expect it to come so soon. She looked at the Wei Zhao before her with some trepidation, unsure of what to say.

"Miss Zhou, please have your people let me in. I need to save my master," Wei Zhao said in a forceful tone, her face pale and weariness evident in her eyes.

Qing Xue's lips moved slightly, but she couldn't utter a word. Ultimately, she couldn't deceive Wei Zhao, as the wrongdoing was truly her father's. "Song Weizhi was pushed into the magma under the practice room by my father. I fear she might already be... already..." Qing Xue's voice trailed off, unable to look Wei Zhao in the eyes.

With tear-filled eyes, Wei Zhao grasped Qing Xue's wrist, "What? My master? No, I don't believe it. You, take me in to see her. She's so powerful, nothing can happen to her. Nothing can happen to her."

"Wei Zhao, I know that Song Weizhi's death has a huge impact on you. You need to calm down first. Your injuries still haven't healed," Qing Xue tried to persuade her to go back and rest.

Wei Zhao pushed her hand away and shouted, "How can I calm down? If it were your father who died, could you stay calm?"

Stepping back, Qing Xue's eyes welled up with tears. "I know my father did something wrong, but is Song Weizhi really that important to you?"

"Yes, she's even more important to me than you can imagine. Satisfied? Miss Zhou, if you don't want to let me in, then I'll have to force my way in," Wei Zhao said, already taking out her whip, ready to take action.

After wiping her tears, Xiaoyi, fearing that Wei Zhao's old wounds would reopen, reluctantly gestured for the guards to let Wei Zhao in. Passing through the suffocating corridors of the training room, they arrived at the secret chamber containing the staircase. Opening the secret chamber, Qing Xue led the way, guiding Wei Zhao down the steps. In no time, they reached the same platform Qing Xue had visited before.

Seeing the endless expanse of magma around the platform, Wei Zhao's heart stopped beating. She stood rooted to the spot, and when she eventually regained her senses, she seemed ready to jump directly into the rolling magma.

Luckily, Qing Xue rushed forward and grabbed Wei Zhao from behind, preventing her from jumping into the molten rock. "What's the use of jumping down? Do you want to turn into ash?" she pleaded.

"Let go of me! My master is down there. Even if she turns to ash, I will go down and find her," Wei Zhao, with red eyes, seemed close to losing her composure.

"How can you go down without making sure you'll be able to save her? What if Song Weizhi hasn't died yet? How will you be able to save her by jumping in like this?" Qing Xue firmly held Wei Zhao, preventing her from taking a leap into the magma.

After calming down for a while, Wei Zhao gradually regained her composure. The top priority was to find a way to avoid the magma, allowing her to save her master.

Stepping back, Wei Zhao released her grip on Qing Xue's arm and spoke coldly, "Miss Zhou, when we meet again, we'll be enemies. I won't harm you if you let me go, but I must kill your father." With tears in her eyes, she turned and left.

"Where are you going, Wei Zhao?" Qing Xue asked, her voice choked with tears, but Wei Zhao had already gone too far to hear her.

Sitting on the platform, Qing Xue clutched the earring Wei Zhao had returned to her, tears falling from her eyes. She couldn't understand why everything was going so wrong – why her father had changed so much. Why did Song Weizhi hold such an important position in Wei Zhao's heart?

Meanwhile, at the lowest point of the magma, Song Weizhi had sunk deeper during the past month. She had briefly regained consciousness several times, from a quarter of an hour in the beginning to half an hour, an hour, and now, she could stay awake for two hours each day.

However, as her periods of wakefulness increased, the pain in her body became increasingly pronounced. Despite enduring the burning sensation from the magma, Song Weizhi understood that being alive was a good thing. Regardless of everything, as long as she endured, she would be able to see her little girl. Consequently, the physical and spiritual pain became more tolerable.

After an indeterminate amount of time, Song Weizhi felt the pain in her body gradually lessen as new flesh and blood formed around her spiritual core and dantian. However, the growth of this new flesh and blood was slow, and she had to endure the burning of the magma. Thus, the slightest growth brought excruciating pain. Nonetheless, Song Weizhi had long since become accustomed to the temperature of the magma.

She only knew that her little girl was still waiting for her, and those cursed individuals had not yet perished. She had to hold on, using up all her energy to find a way out of this hellish place, relying solely on herself.

Gradually, her bones and flesh started to grow slowly, undergoing repeated refinement in the magma, becoming resistant to being burned as they had been before.

Ironically, in the magma, Song Weizhi felt as if she were soaking in a warm spring. A person with ice elemental spiritual roots, she surprisingly no longer feared the rolling magma?

Chapter 64

The molten lava here was extremely deep, and Song Wei Zhi had been soaking at the bottom of the lava for a long time, making it extremely difficult for her to find a way out from the bottom. But fortunately, she could move all of her limbs now, and during the time she soaked in the lava, Song Wei Zhi's cultivation had improved quite a bit. She hadn't paid attention before, but now she had adapted to the temperature of the lava and found that her cultivation had actually advanced to the level of Great Consummation, two major realms higher than before.

For Song Wei Zhi, this turned out to be a blessing in disguise. She had been walking at the bottom of the lava every day, hoping to find a way up, but to no avail. She had no idea where it led to, so she could only continue searching at the bottom of the lava. Gradually, she found that she could actually open her eyes and hear the movements in the lava.

She felt that not far from her, it seemed like someone was talking. Song Wei Zhi followed the sound and felt something hard next to her. As soon as she touched it, the conversation stopped. She took a closer look and saw a dark red Tang knife with no blade. The body of the knife seemed to be wrapped in a lot of bloodstains, forming a pattern on it.

While Song Wei Zhi was looking at the knife, it began to tremble, and a harsh male voice came from inside it.

"Haha, it's really strange. No one can survive falling into this magma, but you seem a bit interesting. However, with your delicate appearance, the taste of your three souls and seven spirits must be quite good."

As the harsh voice finished speaking, the knife aimed at Song Wei Zhi's face intending to strike. However, Song Wei Zhi was no longer the weakling who had just fallen into the lava. Her cultivation level of Great Consummation allowed her to control the knife tightly in her hand.

The harsh voice from within the knife scolded, "Oh my, underestimated the little girl, huh? But do you think I am so powerless?"

As the voice fell, the knife seemed to pull towards Song Wei Zhi as if it had suction, but she stood resolutely in place, paying no attention to the piercing voice from the knife. She felt that the knife did not seem to be a good thing, so she grabbed the hilt on one hand and the blade on the other, ready to break the evil blade in half.

The voice from the knife sounded urgent, "Lady, have mercy on me. I am a famous demonic knife from a hundred years ago. It would be better for you to keep and use me. Don't break me into two."

"Keep you? Listening to you, you don't seem like a decent knife, and I'm currently under this lava. You are of no use to me. A piece of trash, I'd rather split you in half." Song Wei Zhi said, gearing up to take action.

The knife quickly spoke up, "Lady, spare me. I can help you get out of this magma."

Song Wei Zhi ignored the knife's nonsense as she was determined to move forward with her plan. However, it seemed that the knife did not give up easily, "I really know a way. There's a fragment of the Cyan Bird's soul in the magma. If you absorb it, you can escape from this hundred-meter-deep lava and fly out."

Song Wei Zhi with a hint of a cold smile, "If I can't find that thing, I will still break you into two."

Under the guidance of the demonic knife, Song Wei Zhi came to a crevice at the bottom of the lava. The crevice was deep, and there was a faint flash of yellow light inside, which seemed like the fragment of the Cyan Bird's soul. However, Song Wei Zhi had no intention of going down herself. She held the demonic knife in her hand, preparing to throw the knife into the crevice to help her retrieve the fragment.

The voice within the knife was almost crying out, "Lady, the underground is unfathomable. If you throw me in, I won't be able to come out again."

"So you want to trick me into going down?" Song Wei Zhi retorted.

"Lady, I was wrong. I really was. I will help you get it. Please, you are my master. I won't dare lie anymore. Trust me once more, please, Mistress," the voice from within the knife pleaded again.

Song Wei Zhi was still skeptical of the knife's words, but with the confirmation from the System, she gradually pushed the knife into the crevice using her spiritual power. The knife, guided by Song Wei Zhi's power, moved flexibly within the crevice and soon retrieved the yellow fragment of the soul. Song Wei Zhi then used her spiritual power to lift the knife out, the yellow fragment in her palm.

Thinking that it was her own fragment and planning to return it to its owner later, she quickly integrated the fragment into her soul. She felt lighter than before.

The demonic knife, afraid of being forgotten, promptly spoke up, "Mistress, I have obtained the fragment of the Cyan Bird's soul for you. Can you please take me with you when you leave? I have been buried in this place for hundreds of years and am eager to see the outside world."

Song Wei Zhi raised an eyebrow, shook the knife in her hand, and said, "You don't seem like a good thing at all. I'm worried that you'll turn against me once we are outside."

The knife explained earnestly, "Mistress, I can be of great use to you. When I kill someone, their three souls and seven spirits will be devoured by the blade, and they will never be able to reincarnate."

Although Song Wei Zhi knew the knife was not to be trusted, considering how others had mistreated her and Xia Xia, she thought the knife might still be useful. "Is that so? I'll take you with me. But if you betray me, I'll turn you into scrap metal immediately."

"Thank you, Mistress. I will protect you faithfully," the demonic knife replied.

Disregarding the knife's words, Song Wei Zhi activated her spiritual power. With the help of the soul fragment, she slowly began to lift herself from the lava, gradually passing through layer after layer until she reached the surface.

Her clothes had been burned off long ago, so she used her spiritual power to create a mist around her body. When she tried to use her leaving sword, she found it had turned into ashes in the lava.

Song Wei Zhi decided to fly upward, as the distance was no longer an issue with her current cultivation level. Moreover, she didn't trust the demonic knife in her hand.

As soon as she reached the surface, the true nature of the demonic knife was revealed. It had been sealed within the lava, and now its immense power was unleashed. The once-dark red body of the knife was wrapped in bloodstains and emanated dark energy.

"Haha, I've deceived the little girl. As my master? You are too naive," the knife sneered and moved towards Song Wei Zhi. However, she reacted swiftly and covered the knife with layers of ice, freezing it in place.

The knife helplessly trapped inside, while Song Wei Zhi stated coldly, "As I thought, you are no good. I am better off getting rid of you."

With a deep breath, she used her spiritual power to move the huge ice block towards the edge of the platform. Inside the block, the trapped knife grew frantic. "Mistress, I was wrong. Please, trust me again."

Song Wei Zhi had long ceased to believe the knife's empty promises. It was only after receiving confirmation from the System that she allowed the demonic knife a chance. She then carefully cut her fingertip and let a drop of blood fall onto the knife. As her blood seeped into the blade, Song Wei Zhi felt a connection forming between herself and the weapon.

After teaching the knife a lesson, it lay on the ground, trembling. "Mistress, I truly am afraid."

Seeing the knife in genuine pain, Song Wei Zhi stopped and, at that moment, she heard a mechanical voice from the System in her mind: "Congratulations, Host. The female protagonist's soul fragment integration was successful. Reward: 1000 points."

Song Wei Zhi was puzzled. The piece of the soul fragment she found was still inside her. How did she earn points?

The System explained in her mind, "The soul fragment obtained by the Host should be the one brought back by the female protagonist and integrated into her own body."

Song Wei Zhi finally showed a long-lost smile when she realized her little sister should be safe as well.

It turned out that the thirty tribulations on that day were not a coincidence. Xia Xia's flesh and blood had been constantly consumed by the demons at the Blood-Swallow Cliff, but she gained extensive experience from it. Coupled with the three soul fragments she had, Xia Xia's cultivation speed became incredibly fast. In a short time, she had swiftly ascended by three major realms, reaching the level of Great Consummation. However, her body had also been led down the path of the demonic way by these creatures.

Originally, Xia Xia could achieve the Dao Fusion stage by enduring only fifteen tribulations, but when a demonic cultivator breaks through a realm, they must endure double the tribulations. Therefore, she was struck by thirty tribulations and turned into charcoal. However, the foolish demons, wanting to continue consuming Xia Xia's flesh and body, nourished her with spiritual medicine, successfully revitalizing her once again.

When these creatures prepared to feast on Xia Xia as before, she stood up from the ground. A dark aura enveloped her entire body, her peach-colored lips turned a bright red, and her seductive charm became even more pronounced between her eyebrows. Her enchanting peach blossom eyes were captivating, further enhanced by the red clothes she wore, giving the impression that she had transformed into someone else.

With her increased cultivation and her prior descent into the demonic way, Xia Xia could already see the creatures around her that desired to consume her.

With a slight smile, Xia Xia opened her red lips and said, "Speaking of that, it looks like I should repay you for saving me."

Chapter 65

Before those ghosts and demons could react, Song Zhi Xia had already taken action. Those closest to her in the void were torn to shreds by Song Zhi Xia. A faint smile appeared at the corner of her lips. She would not let go of the suffering she endured or the ghosts and demons at the bottom of the cliff.

Chaos erupted at the foot of the Blood Demon Cliff—some fleeing for their lives, some evading Song Zhi Xia's pursuit. While tearing apart those ghosts and demons, her cultivation unexpectedly broke through once more. Dark clouds shrouded the Blood Demon Cliff, not as low as before, but still dense enough to send shivers down people's spines.

Ordinarily, cultivators needed to undergo seven Heavenly Tribulations to reach the Great Vehicle stage. However, after descending into the demonic path, Song Zhi Xia needed to endure fourteen Heavenly Tribulations. She no longer feared pain. In the days gone by, her senior sister would always stand by her when she experienced the Tribulations.

Summoning her spirit sword, she was no longer afraid of the Heavenly Tribulations, having recovered from her injuries and empowered by three Soul Fragments. The encroaching clouds loomed lower, enveloping Song Zhi Xia.

"This young girl is too terrifying. In just a few days, she has elevated her cultivation again."

"That's right. If we had known she was this formidable, we should've eliminated her to prevent future trouble."

The ghosts and demons at the bottom of the cliff had suffered significant losses at the hands of Song Zhi Xia, regretting their initial contempt for her. The Heavenly Tribulations descended, and Song Zhi Xia initially managed to withstand the first seven with her cultivation. However, she struggled with the subsequent seven, sustaining injuries as the final Heavenly Tribulation struck. Although exhausted, her dantian surged with even more vigorous spiritual energy.

"Kick her while she's down. We can't let this woman live. She's torn our brothers into pieces. We must kill her quickly."

"Alright, let's go together."

Countless shadows in the void closed in on Song Zhi Xia. Suddenly, she opened her eyes wide, a resolute glint shining within. "Good. Are you all here to meet your end? Then so be it. I will grant your wish."

As she spoke, Song Zhi Xia promptly began, and any ghost or demon that neared her exploded into smoke in her sword aura, leaving no trace behind. Perhaps due to being continuously consumed by these entities day and night, her injuries healed at an astonishing pace. In a short while, the wounds from the Heavenly Tribulations had already closed up.

Her sword movements grew increasingly swift, tirelessly brandishing her spirit sword. None of the oncoming creatures were spared. Eventually, seeing Song Zhi Xia's uncanny prowess, the ghosts and demons began to scatter and flee, no longer daring to seek their deaths before her.

With a sneer, Song Zhi Xia said, "What's this? Just now, you were planning to kill me. Now you're thinking of letting me go? I, however, have no intention of sparing any of you. Until I tear you all to shreds, I will not leave this cliff."

Charging after them, the retreating entities, in fear, ventured to reveal the secret of the Phoenix Soul Fragments hidden at the bottom of the Blood Demon Cliff.

"Please spare me, and I will take you to the Soul Fragments. I beg you to spare my life," the trembling entity pleaded.

"Certainly. Escort me there," Song Zhi Xia responded.

The entity now regarded Song Zhi Xia as if she were a ghost, leading the way with trepidation, fearing that one wrong move might reduce it to nothing.

Under the entity's guidance, Song Zhi Xia finally laid eyes on the identical Soul Fragments. She lightly flicked them with her spiritual energy, and they swiftly merged into her spirit, bringing her total Soul Fragments to four.

"Miss, I have brought you to the Soul Fragments. Will you spare me now? If so, I'll take my leave," the entity inquired.

But before it could react, it was reduced to dust by Song Zhi Xia in an instant.

Over the past few months, Song Zhi Xia methodically cleaned up the demonic remnants at the Blood Demon Cliff. The previously corrupted and sinister air dispersed, rendering the place no different from any other, save for the increasingly heavier black aura shrouding Song Zhi Xia.

After subduing the demonic blade, Song Wei Zhi slowly ascended the steps, entering the formerly locked hidden chamber. She lightly pushed the sealed door open, startling the guards inside.

"Who's there?" The guards were taken aback as Song Wei Zhi appeared before them.

One sharp-eyed guard immediately recognized Song Wei Zhi as the traitor. "It's Song Wei Zhi, the traitor. Let's take her down together and make her pay."

As the guard's words finished, dozens of disciples charged toward Song Wei Zhi. They were no match for her. With a gentle flick of her hand, she acquired their storage pouches, effortlessly finding clothing and shoes to replace her attire and dispelling the surrounding mist.

"Vile woman, you dare to steal our belongings on your deathbed? Kill her."

The crowd brandished their swords and advanced toward Song Wei Zhi. While her demonic blade had not taken any lives, bloodstains persisted on its edge. Feeling that these individuals wanted her dead, she saw no reason to show mercy.

Raising her demonic blade, Song Wei Zhi displayed no hesitation. As the disciples rushed, they were swiftly neutralized, their three souls and seven spirits absorbed by the blade. They soon turned to ashes.

The blade continued to drip fresh blood, its eerie words echoing, "Following the master is great. Fresh three souls and seven spirits as soon as I'm out. Hehe, delicious, delicious."

The unnerving sound sent shivers down one's spine, but Song Wei Zhi remained unflinching. She was far from one to show mercy. The commotion attracted more disciples, along with someone heading to inform Zhou Ye Ran.

However, none dared to stand in her way as she cleared the remaining disciples in the cultivation room, the victors having long fled, leaving Song Wei Zhi alone in the aftermath. The cultivation chamber was left in ruins, and even the magma beneath the surface was exposed.

As Song Wei Zhi planned to confront Zhou Ye Ran directly, Wei Zhao, carrying a pile of fire-resistant artifacts, rushed over and found Song Wei Zhi standing there.

Wei Zhao's eyes reddened as she charged toward Song Wei Zhi. "Master, you're really unharmed. I thought you were..."

Song Wei Zhi chuckled softly, "I was indeed thrown into the magma by Zhou Ye Ran. I died and revived multiple times, my flesh repeatedly incinerated by the magma and regrown. I will not let Zhou Ye Ran off the hook. What about you? How have you been these days? Why would Zhou Ye Ran spare you?"

Wei Zhao sighed, "Zhou Qing Xue saved me. However, rest assured, Master. I have severed ties with her. Whatever Master asks of me, I will do."

While understanding Wei Zhao's loyalty, Song Wei Zhi did not want to involve her in her own affairs with Zhou Ye Ran. But if she were to exact vengeance against Zhou Ye Ran, Wei Zhao and Zhou Qing Xue would be inevitably affected. However, the matter between Zhou Ye Ran and herself had to come to an end. "I will be dealing with Zhou Ye Ran. You must not interfere at that time."

"I stand by the Master," Wei Zhao hurriedly assured. Her life was granted by her master, and she considered it natural to prioritize Song Wei Zhi's wishes.

"Understood. When the time comes, do not get involved," Song Wei Zhi patted Wei Zhao's shoulder and instructed her firmly. She would not allow Wei Zhao to act.

Wei Zhao understood that her master's intentions were for her own good, nodding slightly.

"Host, the system has detected that there seems to be a Phoenix Soul Fragment nearby," a mechanical voice sounded in Song Wei Zhi's mind.

"Why didn't you mention this before?" Song Wei Zhi retorted mentally. She had been at the Cold Mountain Sword Sect for some time, and the system had never brought up this matter.

"Earlier, your strength wasn't adequate to go there. The location is the Sword Tomb of the Cold Mountain Sword Sect, perennially eroded by countless qi. Those whose cultivation is insufficient there are like live targets. They will be wounded by the energetic swords and could lose even their three souls and seven spirits, let alone perish," the system explained.

Grabbing a disciple in the midst of chaos, Song Wei Zhi demanded, "Where is the Sword Tomb?"

The disciple was terrified at the sight of Song Wei Zhi. He hurriedly said, "It's beyond the back hill. Spare me, please spare me."

Releasing the disciple, Song Wei Zhi commanded her blade towards the back hill, with Wei Zhao closely following. As they approached, the air became charged with sword energy. Trees withered the closer they got to the Sword Tomb, until the area was littered with bare stones.

This was Song Wei Zhi's first visit to the Sword Tomb of the Cold Mountain Sword Sect. The valley floor was adorned with an array of swords, a magnificent sight to behold. With a leap, she swiftly descended to the valley floor. She dispersed her divine sense to track the whereabouts of the Soul Fragments, only to discover the presence of someone else in the valley.