Chapter 93: Speculation!
Chapter 93: Speculation!
“You’re courting death!”
A venomous look spread across Snake Woman Delise’s face as she spoke icily. Those words clearly touched a sore spot, something she didn’t want mentioned.
Swoosh!
Delise’s expression abruptly shifted. A dark shadow shot from her mouth, hurtling straight toward Wang Hanyu at blinding speed.
Slowing time by a thousandfold would reveal Delise’s cherry-like lips slightly puckering and curling as a slender, forked serpent’s tongue flickered outward, aimed squarely at Wang Hanyu’s eyes.
“Hmph!”
Being a Tribulation Transcendent, Wang Hanyu reacted with lightning speed. A trace of disdain crossed her face. She shifted her posture almost imperceptibly, her index finger lightly flicking to release a tiny cluster of black flames that blasted toward the serpent tongue.
Splurch!
“Ah!”
Clearly, Wang Hanyu held the upper hand. A simple Fireball spell inflicted a minor injury. Delise’s tongue retracted quickly as she winced in pain, her entire face blazing with venom while glaring at Wang Hanyu.
“Oh? Treasure, what’s wrong?”
Noticing Delise’s discomfort, Old Demon Lin grew worried, his brows knitting together.
“Release me! I’ll deal with this little wench personally. After I subdue her, I’ll strip her Cultivation Level. Her first time is yours—then I’ll toss her to beggars for their pleasure. How dare she harm me!”
With pure spite twisting her features, Delise shoved Old Demon Lin aside. In a flash, she lunged at Wang Hanyu.
“You’re dead meat!”
Wang Hanyu flushed crimson with humiliation and rage upon hearing those words. Though cultivators were often unbothered by such crudeness, she couldn’t swallow this insult. Fury erupted within her.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
In one fluid motion, Wang Hanyu waved her hand. Dozens of needle-thin projectiles materialized—Embroidered Needles—and she hurled them at the onrushing Snake Woman Delise.
Upon release, each needle transformed into miniscule golden flood dragons. Animated and ferocious, they dive-bombed every inch of Delise’s body.
“You deserve death!”
Seeing these needles morph into golden dragons only magnified Delise’s hatred.
Naturally, she recognized these were forged from captured flood dragon souls. Snakes, serpents, and dragons were kin—this desecration stoked her wildfire rage.
Hisss!
Despite her fury, Delise’s movements still radiated chilling elegance. She bellowed, her lower body morphing unnaturally into serpentine form. Glossy black scales erupted, covering every inch of skin with an inky, hardened brilliance.
Ding-ding-ding!
As her serpent transformation completed, the needles rained upon her body. Yet their power proved inadequate. Striking the scales merely produced metallic pings before bouncing uselessly in all directions.
“Hmm?”
Wang Hanyu’s expression tightened slightly at the needles’ failure. She hadn’t anticipated the sheer defensive power of the serpent scales.
“Damned human! May you perish miserably!”
Delise’s face now bristled with scales, contorted into monstrous ugliness as human curses spewed forth. Simultaneously, her serpent tail—ten feet long and thick as a tree trunk—whipped toward Wang Hanyu like a living shadow.
Though merely uncoiling, the tail’s force cracked space itself like fragile glass. Its power defied belief.
“Hmph!”
Having sensed the immense force behind the black serpent tail, Wang Hanyu’s expression shifted slightly. Yet she dared not linger. With a light tap of her feet, she swiftly retreated backward, murmuring incantations under her breath. In the blink of an eye, a massive shimmering barrier enveloped her.
Shriiiieeek!
The colossal serpent tail lost none of its speed as it viciously slammed against the barrier. The surrounding space shattered instantly. However, the barrier instantly transformed into a streak of Escape Light, hurtling away like a rubber ball.
“Hmm? Not good! Fellow Daoist Lin, follow me to activate the formation! If she slips away now, trouble will abound!”
Having witnessed Wang Hanyu clash with Snake Woman Delise, Elder Ghost Feng’s face tightened. He immediately beckoned Old Demon Lin, then retreated backward, gradually merging into the verdant trees.
Boom!
Soon after Elder Ghost Feng vanished, the green trees grew even more vibrant, and the shattered space began to mend itself.
Whoosh!
The formerly swift barrier of light slowed considerably, almost coming to a halt.
“Don’t even think of escaping!”
Delise’s body blurred as she transformed into a streak of darkness giving chase.
“Hehe, both are top-grade beauties!”
As his gaze lingered on Wang Hanyu and Delise in the distance, Old Demon Lin’s face twisted into a lewd grin as he chuckled darkly. He seemed to revel in visions of enjoying both women. Soon after, his form also dissolved into the lush greenery…
……
The scene shifted back to the Divine Wind Continent, Wuzhou Tang Family.
Unnoticed, the deep hours of night had fallen. In a few hours, the sky would brighten.
“Ahem, leaving tomorrow… feels a bit hard to part with!”
Having returned to his own room, Tang Jinbiao stood by the open window. Gazing at the moon outside, a sudden wave of reluctance washed over him.
Tang Hu and the others had already departed earlier. Perhaps they feared struggling with farewells come dawn.
“Today Tang Yilin said such things…can I take that as her showing a cute side for the first time? Ah, finally! After all this pride, at long last—even if only 1% is cuteness—at least she’s not instantly threatening violence!”
Thinking of Tang Hu’s group inevitably brought Tang Yilin to mind. Honestly, she truly was the most heart-stirring woman he’d ever met. Though his aunt possessed striking charm (maybe he just considered her chest small?), the age gap always felt insurmountable. Mentally indulging in fantasies about Tang Yilin seemed harmless! (Morals, you ask? Forget he’s a transmigrator—even whether he’s biologically Tang-born remains unclear!).
“Big Bro!”
Suddenly, a figure popped up from beneath the window and called out.
“Hah!”
Startled, Tang Jinbiao stumbled backward. Seeing it was Little Tang Song, his face relaxed into an admonishing smile.
“So it’s you, Little Tang Song! Why aren’t you asleep? Scared me half to death!”
“Hehe, Big Bro, tomorrow’s Divine Wind Academy! I’ll see Auntie! Tang Song can’t sleep!”
Little Tang Song hadn’t changed much these past months—still adorably earnest. His Cultivation Level had already reached Qi Condensation Ninth Layer. Truly a prodigy: barely three months apart, and he approached its peak. He might break through to Foundation Building by next time.
“Fine, visiting Auntie isn’t a one-day wonder. Save the excitement! Off to bed!”
Tang Jinbiao sighed helplessly, patting the boy’s head affectionately.
“Mm! Tang Song understands! But you rest early too, Big Bro! Father says Divine Wind Academy is very far—many portal jumps needed!”
Nodding obediently, Little Tang Song seemed delighted by the head pat.
“Mhm, mhm! Got it, got it! Now scram, I need sleep too!”
Tang Jinbiao’s tone subtly urged his brother away, craving solitude.
“Big Bro…what’s wrong? Did Tang Song upset you?”
Noticing the impatience flicker across his brother’s face, Little Tang Song’s own expression dimmed.
“Haha, don’t overthink it! Could I ever be mad at you? Just… tomorrow we leave the Tang Family. Who knows when we’ll return?”
Sensing the child’s shift in mood, Tang Jinbiao scooped him up, settling on the windowsill. Gently stroking his hair, he offered comfort.
“Huh? Big Bro, don’t you want to study at Divine Wind Academy? Auntie says tons of geniuses gather there! Lots of new friends! So many different people! Sounds super fun! Tang Song really wants to go!”
Confusion wrinkled Little Tang Song’s forehead. Why wouldn’t his brother want this? His legs dangled eagerly as he looked at the moon, brimming with anticipation.
“Hmm, Divine Wind Academy?”
Tang Jinbiao studied the boy’s eager face, then the moon. An indescribable feeling settled over him—a foreboding certainty. Walking this path might mean no return.
“Oh! Tang Song, do you remember Tang Ni?”
The name surfaced suddenly, and Tang Jinbiao couldn’t help asking.
“Tang Ni?”
Puzzlement crossed the child’s face briefly; the name seemed unfamiliar. Then recollection dawned.
“You mean… Brother Ni?”
“Yeah! Brother Ni!”
Seeing recognition flash in the child’s eyes, Tang Jinbiao pressed eagerly.
“Mm… I think not really? Been years since I saw Brother Ni. Father said he went to a super faraway place. If Tang Song trains super hard, becomes a Tribulation Transcendent someday, he can go find Brother Ni!”
Tang Ni seemed a hazy memory; the boy’s description was vague.
“Oh… I see.”
Tang Jinbiao contemplated this briefly. It made sense.
The boy was barely nine. Tang Ni’s fame peaked six years ago—Little Tang Song was only three then. Forgetting was natural. Yet the question sparked another thought:
So Tang Ni’s like a legend. What kind of existence is he, really? Definitely beyond formidable. And Auntie—a century to Tribulation Transcendence? Also immensely powerful. Little Tang Song, just nine, already Qi Condensation Ninth Layer peak—not absurdly prodigious, but certainly gifted. His pace might quicken further. In that case… what about Mother? Was she monstrous too? Likely not. Last I saw her… seemed ordinary, even frail. So what was her capability? Does that mean I should have something special too? Am I not blood-related? Or… mere coincidences?
Something about Little Tang Song’s casual remark cast their family in new light. Tang Ni, known by name only. Wang Hanyu—an unfathomable existence. Little Tang Song, potential yet assessed. All sufficiently peculiar to stir uneasy wonder in Tang Jinbiao…