Chapter 543 - 550: Seeing Daughter Again

Night fell. Layers of moonlight streamed through the window, illuminating Song Wanning, who sat beside it.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

She set down her book and, with a casual wave of her hand, the door swung open.

Standing in the doorway was none other than Jiang Wentian.

Jiang Wentian’s expression was grim, a chill emanating from his tall frame. A flicker of fire seemed to dance in the depths of his eyes.

"Please, come in."

Song Wanning’s expression was serene as she casually picked up the nearby pot of Spiritual Tea and poured it into a cup.

Jiang Wentian paused in the doorway for a few seconds before striding in and shutting the door behind him.

He sat down at the table with a decisive air, his eyes filled with scrutiny as he looked at Song Wanning.

’This woman is dangerous.’

’But he couldn’t detect any malice from her.’

Jiang Wentian’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

’He had clashed with her before over Jiang Cen. Now that her power had grown so much, did she really have no intention of getting even?’

Just then, Song Wanning pushed the teacup in front of him, her expression solemn and tinged with gravity.

"I presume you know why I sought you out, Elder."

Song Wanning had never understood.

’These so-called transmigrators, whether from another world or from a book, were all soul-possessors. No matter how well they disguised themselves, it was impossible for them to be identical to the original person.’

’How could someone so close not have noticed?’

’Especially a man like Jiang Wentian, who doted on his daughter more than life itself.’

’So, Jiang Wentian must have long held his own suspicions. She was absolutely certain of it.’

Sure enough, the moment she spoke, the atmosphere plunged to a freezing point.

Jiang Wentian gripped the teacup so tightly the veins on the back of his hand bulged.

He stared hard at Song Wanning and enunciated each word. "What exactly do you know?"

’Even Liu Xingzhi hadn’t noticed there was a problem with Jiang Cen. Could Song Wanning, a newly ascended cultivator, truly know something?’

’Or was she just trying to use the situation with Jiang Cen to get back at him?’

Jiang Wentian’s gaze sharpened. Even if he couldn’t defeat Song Wanning now, he would never allow himself to be humiliated by her.

"You don’t need to look at me like that, Elder. There is no personal grudge between us. She is our common enemy."

Now certain of her ground, Song Wanning stopped beating around the bush.

"I have a Rebirth Flower. It may help you get to the bottom of this, Elder."

She took out the Rebirth Flower and placed it in front of Jiang Wentian.

’For a moment, she felt a pang of sorrow. If she were the one whose body was stolen, how heartbroken would her own parents be?’

’They would have no choice but to protect the impostor, all while praying for the day their child’s true soul might return.’

’No one was perfect. Jiang Wentian had many flaws, but when it came to his daughter, his conscience was clear.’

After setting down the Rebirth Flower, Song Wanning said no more. She simply took a sip of her tea, then rose and left the room.

Jiang Wentian sat there in silence. His eyes were a deep, bloodshot red. His fists clenched and unclenched, and the bulging veins on his neck betrayed the agony he was in.

He stared intently at the Rebirth Flower, not daring to touch it.

For so long, he had been running from the truth, afraid to think too deeply about it.

He was terrified—terrified that what awaited him was a tragedy he couldn’t bear to accept.

But now, the Rebirth Flower lay before him...

It shattered his last shred of hope.

"Cen’er..."

Jiang Wentian called out her name, his voice hoarse and mournful.

He closed his eyes, finally resolving to face the truth.

He picked up the Rebirth Flower and began to summon the last wisp of his daughter’s wandering soul.

The room was silent. Amidst a distortion in the air, a wisp of a Divine Soul slowly materialized.

"Dad!!!"

Jiang Cen cried out in joyful surprise, throwing herself into Jiang Wentian’s arms.

Jiang Wentian stared, stunned. He reached out and embraced Jiang Cen’s soul as a single tear slid silently down his cheek.

His last glimmer of hope was shattered.

’His precious daughter... she was really dead!’

’She had died so quietly, and no one had even known...’

He burned with hatred!

He burned with so much hatred!!!!

"Cen’er, you... you..."

Jiang Wentian could barely form a complete sentence. Though his appearance was unchanged, he seemed to have become utterly haggard in an instant.

In that moment, he wasn’t the high and mighty Supreme Elder, but simply a father grieving the loss of his child.

He stroked his daughter’s face, his heart shattering.

"Dad, it was that soul! That soul devoured me!"

"I was only a little injured, but after I fell asleep, a soul suddenly invaded my Sea of Consciousness!"

"I fought back as hard as I could, but I was no match for it..."

"That person said I was some ’vicious female side character’ and that I was doomed to die anyway, so I might as well let her take over and change her life..."

Speaking of her enemy, Jiang Cen gritted her teeth with hatred.

"Dad, you have to get revenge for me! She’s trying to steal my identity..."

"SOB SOB SOB..."

She burst into tears, fat teardrops streaming down her face, her heart filled with indignation.

But she knew she was already dead.

There was no going back.

Seeing his daughter like this, Jiang Wentian felt a pain so extreme that it paradoxically calmed him.

He stroked his daughter’s face, confessing word by agonizing word, "It’s all my fault... I failed to protect you."

"It was my mistake..."

"Rest assured, I will avenge you! No one can replace you. No one!!!!"

A monstrous wave of hatred surged in his heart. He wanted nothing more than to subject the impostor to death by a thousand cuts.

"Dad, it’s not your fault... Don’t blame yourself!"

Jiang Cen quickly grabbed Jiang Wentian’s arm, her eyes filled with love and regret.

"It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have bullied people and thrown my weight around. I was ignorant and lazy, and all I ever did was cause you trouble!"

"Dad, being your daughter has been the greatest happiness of my life!"

’She couldn’t let her father develop a Heart Demon. All her life, she had done nothing but cause him trouble. Not this time. She wouldn’t be a burden anymore.’

"Dad, will you apologize to Brother Liu for me?"

"All these years, I was jealous of how talented he was, so I always bullied him... He never once fought back. I’m not asking for his forgiveness... I just owe him an apology."

It was only in death that Jiang Cen realized how much she had to lose.

And how much of a terrible person she had been.

’She was an unworthy daughter!’

"Cen’er!"

Jiang Wentian stroked Jiang Cen’s face, the pain in his heart beyond words.

But Jiang Cen’s soul was already starting to fade.

A sense of panic seized them both, though they knew there was no turning back from this.

They clung to each other, sobbing, until Jiang Cen’s soul vanished completely. Even then, Jiang Wentian could not stop crying.

Song Wanning stood outside the door. Hearing the sounds of weeping, a complex emotion flickered in her eyes.

’She could hardly condone Jiang Cen’s past behavior.’

’But the invader’s act of forcibly stealing someone else’s life was even more despicable!’

’Therefore, the intruder had to be eliminated!!!’

...

CREAK—

The door opened, and Jiang Wentian emerged, having composed himself.

His expression was perfectly calm, which only made him seem all the more terrifying.

He looked at Song Wanning. "I owe you a debt for this. I will repay you in the future."

"Thank you!!"

’At the very least, she had allowed him to see his daughter one last time, rather than letting him live on in blissful ignorance.’