Chapter 544 - 551: Showdown

Song Wanning looked at the lingering redness in the corners of his eyes and nodded.

"The soul that possessed her is from an Otherworld. Dealing with it might cause trouble, so perhaps I can lend you a hand."

’If she didn’t get involved, Jiang Wentian might not be able to finish off Jiang Cen. He might even end up in danger himself.’

So, she decided to bring it up.

Upon hearing her words, Jiang Wentian clenched his fists again.

"I must avenge my daughter with my own hands!"

Right now, his only thought was avenging his daughter. His own safety was unimportant.

Only if Jiang Cen died by his hand could this burning hatred finally fade.

With that, he strode off and quickly vanished into the night.

Song Wanning watched his retreating figure, waited a moment, then followed.

’She couldn’t allow for any accidents. She had to witness the intruder’s downfall with her own eyes before she could rest easy!’

The little ones were also especially quiet tonight, not saying a word, as if they all sensed the gravity of the situation.

...

Meanwhile, Jiang Cen was still gloating about her escape. To prevent Jiang Wentian from finding her, she had left most of her belongings behind and had done everything in her power to conceal her presence from others.

As a result, she was incredibly excited, feeling as though she was about to start a whole new life.

’After all, she was the one holding the script. She could definitely become the master of this world.’

However, just then, she felt a chill run down her spine as an icy sensation shot up from the soles of her feet to the crown of her head.

Then, to her horror, she found that she was immobilized, completely unable to move.

’What’s happening?’

A flicker of fear crossed Jiang Cen’s face as her eyes darted about, searching for whoever was behind this.

But her surroundings were dead silent. Aside from the power restraining her, there was nothing else out of the ordinary.

Panic surged in her heart, and she shouted into the empty air, "Who is it? Who’s hiding in the shadows?"

"If you have the guts, then come out! Hiding in the shadows doesn’t make you a hero!"

She put on a fierce front, but in reality, every hair on her body was standing on end.

Just as her composure was about to shatter, a figure shot through the air, instantly appearing a few hundred meters away.

Jiang Cen’s heart sank. ’I’m done for,’ she thought.

But when she saw by the moonlight that the newcomer was none other than Jiang Wentian, her worry instantly turned to joy, and all her fear vanished.

’Jiang Wentian is a Combined Cultivator. With him here, I’ll be perfectly safe.’

So she immediately pouted and put on a pitiful expression.

"Father, I was coming out to look for you, but as soon as I got here, some force immobilized me!"

"I don’t know who did it, but you have to avenge me!"

With tear-filled eyes, Jiang Cen looked at Jiang Wentian, waiting for him to protect her as he always had.

But Jiang Wentian just stood there motionlessly, watching her in silence.

His gaze sent a chill down Jiang Cen’s spine, and a sense of panic began to creep in.

"Father, why aren’t you saying anything? Are you angry?"

"I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have disobeyed you, but I was scared after you left."

"I’ll never do it again..."

Jiang Cen’s voice grew fainter and fainter until it trailed off into silence.

’Jiang Wentian was acting so strange today!!!!’

Already feeling guilty, Jiang Cen’s expression shifted, and she wished she could flee that very instant.

But just then, Song Wanning’s figure appeared not far away.

Her pupils contracted sharply, and a murderous glint flashed in her eyes.

"What are you doing here?"

Jiang Cen cast her fear aside and demanded loudly of Song Wanning.

Song Wanning stepped out of the darkness and glanced at Jiang Wentian.

’Jiang Wentian was hesitating only because he wanted to take a few last looks at his daughter’s body...’

’Once Jiang Cen was killed, this body would fall into an eternal sleep, never to awaken again.’

She lowered her gaze, then looked coldly at Jiang Cen, a scornful smirk touching her lips.

"I came, of course, to collect your body."

"What did you say?"

Jiang Cen instantly flew into a rage.

"Father, did you hear that? She said she’s going to collect my body!!!"

Her first instinct was to appeal to Jiang Wentian. "Song Wanning, you’ve got some nerve! You still think you can kill me with my father right here?"

Jiang Cen hated Song Wanning. She really, really hated her!!!

Right now, she wished nothing more than for Jiang Wentian to kill Song Wanning, so she wouldn’t have to look at that eyesore anymore.

But in the next instant, Song Wanning’s words made her feel as if she had been plunged into an icy abyss.

"Are you so sure you’re his daughter?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the color drained from Jiang Cen’s face, her eyes filled with nothing but terror.

"Wh-what nonsense are you spouting? If I’m not Father’s daughter, then who is?"

"Song Wanning, stop trying to sow discord! I’m telling you, if you don’t apologize to me, my father will kill you—"

Before she could finish, Jiang Wentian suddenly exploded into motion, leaping forward and charging straight at Jiang Cen.

The next instant, his large palm landed on top of Jiang Cen’s head, and he tore her soul from her body.

This was his daughter’s body; he would not allow it to be harmed in the slightest.

"AHHH—"

Realizing her dire situation, Jiang Cen screamed in terror, but in the next instant, she was held fast in Jiang Wentian’s grasp.

Because she had devoured the original owner’s Divine Soul, her own Divine Soul was saturated with the original owner’s aura, which was why Jiang Wentian had not acted against her at first.

Normally, a possession would completely overwrite the original owner’s aura; otherwise, occupying the body would be impossible.

Thus, even if someone were reborn through possession, others would be able to sense it.

But Jiang Cen’s situation was different; even Jiang Wentian had been unable to detect it, which made it impossible for anyone else.

Now, looking at this face—identical to his own daughter’s—Jiang Wentian’s heart bled with hatred.

"It was you... It was you who killed Cen’er..."

Jiang Wentian’s eyes were bloodshot as he stared deadly at Jiang Cen, his voice eerily calm yet tinged with madness.

"No—it wasn’t—"

Jiang Cen trembled with fear and immediately burst into tears.

At the end of the day, she was just an ordinary girl. Since transmigrating into the book, she hadn’t accomplished anything, having killed only a few demon beasts.

Now, directly facing the oppressive aura of someone in the Body Integration Realm, she was scared witless.

"I really... I really didn’t do it... Father, you’ve misunderstood..."

She sobbed uncontrollably, shaking her head again and again.

"It’s a misunderstanding... She died, and I just accidentally... I don’t even know how I took over her body... Really, Father, believe me!"

"I didn’t kill her, I really didn’t..."

Jiang Cen wished she could kneel before Jiang Wentian.

She was so scared.

’I don’t want to die!!’

But Jiang Wentian remained expressionless, just staring at her coldly.

"You must pay the price for this!"

With that, a ball of flame suddenly burst forth from his hand.

It sucked Jiang Cen’s soul right inside.

"AHHH—NO—"

A wave of excruciating pain washed over Jiang Cen, making her vision go black. The agony was so intense she almost passed out.

She let out a bloodcurdling scream and was immediately swallowed by the overwhelming agony.