"Buzz!"
Diana Toba's mind went blank, and then Ian Song's figure flashed through her thoughts. As if compelled by fate, she said, "Master, your disciple knows her mistake. Please punish me!"
"Speak. Who exactly took your body?"
Vulcan Pi's eyes flashed with killing intent as he pressed her again. Diana Toba had a special constitution and cultivated the Guardian Immortal's personally transmitted Taisu Fairy Maiden Art. Although the Guardian Immortal never stated it outright, Vulcan Pi understood that she was being raised as a furnace cauldron for cultivation. Now that someone else had taken her body, if the Guardian Immortal became enraged, even as Church Master, he would not be able to bear the consequences.
His position was as solid as Mount Tai mainly because of the Guardian Immortal's support. If he angered the Guardian Immortal and lost that backing, his power in the Fire God Church would be greatly diminished. That was why, upon discovering Diana Toba had lost her body, he was so furious.
"Master, your disciple already knows her mistake. Please punish me!" Diana Toba bit her silver teeth, still refusing to say Ian Song's name.
"Do you really think I wouldn't dare kill you?"
He reached out and grabbed at the air. Diana Toba's body suddenly floated up, her neck landing in Vulcan Pi's palm. With just a bit of force, bruises appeared on her beautiful face. "I'll give you one more chance. Tell me the name, or I'll kill you myself!"
Diana Toba steeled her heart and struggled to say, "Master, just kill me!"
"Heh!" Vulcan Pi sneered. "You think I really wouldn't kill you? Wretched thing, die!"
"Master, please don't!"
At that moment, a figure rushed into the hall—it was Fletcher Toba, who had just returned. He dropped to his knees before Vulcan Pi, begging, "Master, Diana was foolish. Please, don't hold it against her!"
Seeing this, Vulcan Pi frowned and loosened his grip on Diana Toba's neck slightly.
Fletcher Toba breathed a sigh of relief and quickly said, "Diana, hurry and tell Master who it was. Don't be foolish!"
Hearing this, a trace of hesitation flashed across Diana Toba's face. She gave a bitter smile, "It's not that I don't want to tell Master. In truth, all I know is that his name is Ian Song. As for his background, I know nothing at all!"
"Still dare to lie to me?" Vulcan Pi's gaze grew cold again.
"Your disciple wouldn't dare lie to Master, even if it meant death!" Diana Toba replied, then began to recount what happened in the formation, including their encounter with the Life Fiend Beast.
After hearing her out, Vulcan Pi showed a hint of surprise. Thinking back, he recalled that an incomplete text within the church might have mentioned such an Evil Beast.
Seeing Vulcan Pi's changing expression, Fletcher Toba seized the moment and said, "Master, you can't really blame Diana for this. Please, for my sake, spare her just this once?"
After a moment's hesitation, Vulcan Pi released Diana Toba.
Diana Toba rubbed her sore neck, a flash of post-crisis relief passing across her face. She could feel that her master had truly intended to kill her in that instant.
This left her deeply disappointed—her master, who had always doted on her, would actually try to kill her over something like this.
"Diana, hurry and thank Master for sparing your life!" Fletcher Toba quickly reminded her.
"Thank you, Master, for not killing me!"
Diana quickly bowed and expressed her gratitude.
"Hmm!" Vulcan Pi said coldly, "You may escape death, but punishment is inevitable. Go to Ten-Thousand-Ghost Valley and bitterly cultivate. And as for the Divine Daughter title—you are no longer qualified to hold it!"
At the mention of Ten-Thousand-Ghost Valley, both Fletcher and Diana's expressions changed dramatically.
Fletcher pleaded again, "Master, does going to Ten-Thousand-Ghost Valley mean..."
But before Fletcher could finish, Vulcan Pi shot him a sharp, icy glare. That look chilled Fletcher to the bone, and he couldn't say another word.
Diana spoke up at just the right moment: "Your disciple accepts Master's punishment without complaint!"
"Get out!" Vulcan Pi waved his hand impatiently.
"Thank you, Master!"
The siblings bowed once more and left the grand hall.
The next day, shocking news spread throughout the Fire God Church: Diana Toba, the Divine Daughter, had violated church rules, been stripped of her title, and banished to Ten-Thousand-Ghost Valley to bitterly cultivate.
What kind of place is Ten-Thousand-Ghost Valley?
It's a place that everyone in the Fire God Church fears. All Fire God Church disciples cultivate fire-attribute arts, but Ten-Thousand-Ghost Valley is unimaginably cold, with an environment so harsh and spiritual qi so thin it's almost impossible to train.
That valley is basically a death sentence. Anyone sent there to bitterly cultivate won't progress at all—instead, the extreme cold causes their cultivation to regress, and the sparse qi can't support their consumption. So, disciples who enter Ten-Thousand-Ghost Valley almost never walk out alive.
Of course, while everyone was shocked by the news, they couldn't help but gossip: what rule did Diana Toba break to deserve such a harsh punishment?
Outside Ten-Thousand-Ghost Valley.
Fletcher forced a smile, trying to comfort his sister.
Fletcher forced a smile and said to Diana, "Don't worry, after some time, when Master's anger cools, I'll plead for you and help you leave Ten-Thousand-Ghost Valley."
No need!
Diana replied calmly. She had completely lost hope in Vulcan Pi, knowing her master was always ruthless. In the past, his ruthlessness was directed at others, so she hadn't felt it.
Now that ruthlessness was directed at her, she didn't think she'd be an exception. As for not being killed on the spot, it was mainly because the incident wasn't entirely her fault, and Fletcher was still useful to him. Worried Fletcher might lose motivation, Vulcan Pi spared her for now.
Don't be stubborn! Trust me, I'll definitely rescue you!
Fletcher spoke resolutely. At the same time, he planned to hunt down that Ian Song guy—he believed it was Ian who had harmed Diana, or else she wouldn't have ended up like this.
Brother, be more cautious in the future. In Master's eyes, we're just tools to be used.
With those words, Diana turned and entered Ten-Thousand-Ghost Valley.
Watching Diana's figure gradually disappear into the valley, Fletcher couldn't help clenching his fists, muttering, "It's not like I don't know, but I have no right to choose..."
Jade Maiden Sect.
Ian Song had already been back from Myriad Spirits Island for half a year.
On this day, spiritual energy surged within his courtyard. Outside, Abbess Yvonne and the Jade Maiden Sect’s upper echelon waited nervously, their eyes filled with anticipation and tension.
Today was Second Fool's Foundation Establishment day.
Boom!
Suddenly, a powerful aura erupted and kept rising, breaking through its bottleneck and soaring to a new height.
Sensing this aura, Abbess Yvonne and the others revealed gratified smiles.
Moments later, Ian Song, dressed in white, walked out of the courtyard and bowed to Abbess Yvonne and the others in thanks.
Three days later, Sect Master Lana Snow’s courtyard.
What? You want to go out and temper yourself?
Lana Snow looked at Ian Song in surprise.
Ian Song smiled slightly. "Sect Master, my cultivation has already reached the Foundation Establishment Realm. It's time for me to go out and temper myself!"