Chapter 437 - 443: Struck by Lightning

The people in the room moved at once.

Their immediate, unthinking impulse was to flee.

But the Huo Clan Leader seemed to have anticipated this. His first reaction was to suddenly extend a hand, and a powerful suction force instantly shot toward Xiao Heyun and Baili Shang.

Huo Jinchuan, also keenly aware of his own danger, had the same initial thought: to grab Xiao Heyun and use him to block the Heavenly Punishment.

In contrast, not a single person made a move against Song Wanning.

Thus, Xiao Heyun became their common target.

"AHH—"

Torn between two forces, he was nearly ripped in half in that instant.

The Huo Clan Leader’s brow furrowed coldly. He released Xiao Heyun, letting him fall into Huo Jinchuan’s grasp, while he himself seized Baili Shang.

It all happened in a flash.

The Heavenly Punishment descended, and its terrifying power immediately engulfed them.

Song Wanning hid in a corner. She didn’t draw her Longsword, but instead readied herself to summon the Divine Thunder at any moment.

Because in the face of absolute power, her sword moves were utterly useless!

The Heavenly Punishment completely enveloped them. Song Wanning thought she could hear several heavy, stifled groans, mixed with Xiao Heyun’s agonized screams.

Soon, the first wave of Heavenly Punishment dissipated, revealing a scene of utter devastation.

Aside from the ice bed, which was protected by countless restrictions, the entire Ice Palace was in chaos.

Although the Huo Clan Leader and Huo Jinchuan had human shields, the presence of their Heart Blood still made them the primary targets of the Heavenly Punishment. Both were struck until they were charred black, their hair curled into brittle crisps that would turn to ash and scatter with the slightest breeze.

They had also suffered internal injuries.

The Huo Clan Leader could still stand, but Huo Jinchuan was already forced to one knee.

Baili Shang was also badly injured, but he seemed to possess some special technique to protect his vital points. So, while he looked disheveled, his injuries didn’t appear to be severe.

The most pitiful of all was Xiao Heyun. He lay collapsed on the ground, his body covered in marks from the lightning strikes. Blood he had coughed up was splattered everywhere, and he was already on the verge of death.

In that instant, Song Wanning knew for certain: the Wood Sculpture World Heavenly Dao had chosen to abandon Xiao Heyun.

’It makes sense. Compared to Huo Jinchuan, Xiao Heyun is just a waste.’

’So of course it now favors Huo Jinchuan.’

Song Wanning pursed her lips, unable to stop the corners of her mouth from turning up.

She truly loved seeing these invaders turn on each other.

"You— How are you unharmed?"

The Huo Clan Leader had just managed to swallow his frustration when he saw Song Wanning standing off to the side, completely unscathed.

Logically, since she was the one who administered the Rejuvenation Pill, she should have been the first person the Heavenly Punishment targeted.

Huo Jinchuan’s expression also changed, a flicker of shock crossing his mind.

But Song Wanning just smiled faintly. "As for why I wasn’t struck by the Heavenly Punishment, I’m sure Huo Jinchuan knows better than anyone, doesn’t he?"

She tilted her head, her face full of ridicule.

"For now, you should all worry about how you’re going to survive the rest of the Heavenly Punishment!"

Saving someone wasn’t as simple as enduring a single bolt from the heavens.

The Huo Clan Leader naturally knew that the Heavenly Punishment consisted of seven strikes in total. He had been full of confidence before, but now, seeing Song Wanning’s demeanor, he felt an inexplicable unease.

The one person who should have been suffering the most was unexpectedly hiding to the side, perfectly fine.

That made her a ticking time bomb, one that could cause them to be consumed by the very fire they were facing.

At this moment, the Huo Clan Leader began to feel a tinge of regret, fearing that Song Wanning had slipped beyond his control.

As for Huo Jinchuan, his face had completely paled.

’Does she know something?’

’What did she mean by that?’

Countless thoughts flashed through his mind, but the Heavenly Dao gave them no chance for regrets, descending once more with furious intent.

This time, the Heavenly Punishment was even more astounding. It had transformed from ordinary Heavenly Thunder into the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder.

Their pupils contracted in shock. They never imagined that merely trying to save someone would provoke such an intense Heavenly Punishment.

The Huo Clan Leader and Huo Jinchuan both reached for Song Wanning without a second thought. After all, if the Heavenly Thunder wasn’t striking her, it meant she had a way to resist it.

But just as the thought arose, they could only watch as Song Wanning produced a jade hairpin, then brazenly passed through the layers of restrictions, appearing outside the Ice Palace in the blink of an eye.

Through the transparent ice, they saw only Song Wanning’s smiling face before the Divine Thunder crashed down upon them.

At this perilous moment, the two once again reached for Baili Shang and Xiao Heyun.

Xiao Heyun was grievously injured and immediately seized by Huo Jinchuan again, completely unable to resist.

Baili Shang, however, had seized the opportunity the moment Song Wanning fled, escaping far away to the lower level.

In such a short time, the Huo Clan Leader had no way to catch him. After cursing loudly, he had no choice but to grab Huo Jinchuan.

And so, the three of them were stacked together, absorbing the blow from the Divine Thunder in an extremely bizarre posture.

"BOOM—"

The violent tremor nearly sent the entire Ice Palace flying. Even Baili Shang on the lower level couldn’t keep his footing and was sent flying by the shockwave.

Cracks rapidly appeared on the surrounding ice walls, which seemed on the verge of shattering.

Song Wanning stood outside the Ice Palace, not leaving immediately.

She still needed to find a way to diminish the invaders’ luck. Sneaking away was not an option. By waiting for the right moment, she might be able to land a fatal blow.

As for Baili Shang, she would save him if she had the chance, because only he knew the exact location of the Demon God Tomb.

Song Wanning’s lips were pressed into a thin line as she stared intently at the figures submerged in the Divine Thunder. For a moment, it felt dreamlike and unreal.

’I used to be the one getting struck by lightning, but now the Heavenly Thunder won’t even touch me.’

’Even though I involved myself, it shows no sign of sending any Heavenly Punishment my way.’

’As for Huo Jinchuan and Xiao Heyun, the Heavenly Dao has wanted to get rid of them for a long time but couldn’t act due to the rules.’

’Now that they’ve willingly involved themselves, isn’t it going to strike them to death?’

The more she thought about it, the wider her smile grew.

The Divine Thunder gradually faded, once again revealing three figures. They were piled on top of each other, looking utterly pathetic.

The Huo Clan Leader was hiding at the very bottom. His injuries were the lightest, but he was still coughing up blood nonstop, his face a deathly pale.

If he hadn’t forced out so much Heart Blood at the beginning, his condition wouldn’t be this dire.

He now saw with perfect clarity that Song Wanning had schemed against every single one of them.

But he still couldn’t understand why Song Wanning wasn’t being targeted by the Heavenly Punishment!!

If he had known this from the start, he never would have fallen for her trap.

But it was too late for regrets now. He could only persevere and withstand the Heavenly Punishment.

As for Meng’er, his heart ached with infinite pain.

He could endure the Heavenly Punishment himself, but if Meng’er lost all hope of survival because of this, he would make sure Song Wanning died with her.

Even if he had to chase her to Heaven and Earth, he would grind her bones to dust.

Dismembering her wouldn’t even be enough to quell his hatred.

And on top of him, Huo Jinchuan’s injuries were even more severe. The meridians throughout his entire body had suffered devastating damage.