“You attacked my family,” Lauren said coldly. “That alone gives me more than enough reason to kill you. Prepare to die.”

  Ten Explosive Spirit Talismans spread between her fingers like death itself. Timothy’s face turned deathly pale—he could already smell the end.

  Only now did he truly understand.

  Lauren had always wanted him dead. She simply hadn’t had the justification. The relationship between their families had restrained her.

  But today—

  His assault on the Evercrest family handed her the perfect excuse on a silver platter.

  Why…?

  He still didn’t understand why things had spiraled into this nightmare.

  Boom!

  All ten talismans detonated at once. Timothy—and the mountainside behind him—were blown apart in a deafening explosion.

  When the dust settled, Lauren saw his body twisted and mangled within the crater. His Nascent Soul was struggling to escape, barely forcing its way out.

  A cold smile curved her lips as she transmitted her voice to Edmund.

  “Quick. Devour his Nascent Soul.”

  Edmund replied calmly,

  “I can’t.”

  “…Why not—?”

  Before she could finish, an overwhelming pressure crashed down on her like the wrath of heaven itself.

  Lauren hurriedly circulated her spiritual energy to resist—but it was useless.

  Her Ice Domain shattered on the spot.

  “Ugh!”

  She spat out a mouthful of blood and stumbled backward.

  Then she saw him.

  Herbert the Immortal descended from the sky like a god, reaching out with one hand and forcibly pressing Timothy’s emerging Nascent Soul back into his body.

  Herbert wasted no time. He forced a pill between Timothy’s lips and poured his overwhelming spiritual energy into him, stabilizing his shattered body and repeatedly smoothing his destroyed meridians.

  Lauren clenched her fists in frustration.

  Edmund had been seconds away from devouring Timothy’s Nascent Soul—and now Herbert had arrived.

  Edmund’s voice rang urgently in her mind.

  “Forget him. This man is finished. Even if he lives, he’s crippled. Run—now!”

  Herbert was fully focused on saving his disciple’s life and paid Lauren no further attention.

  She turned and fled without hesitation, streaking toward the Evercrest family at full speed.

  Recalling Herbert’s expression just now, Lauren knew things had escalated beyond what she could handle alone. This was no longer something she could suppress by herself—her master would have to step in.

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  Guilt gnawed at her chest.

  I’ve dragged Master into trouble again…

  For the sake of her own life, she obediently contacted her master and explained everything in detail.

  Not long after, several figures suddenly shot out of the sky and blocked her path.

  Lauren sneered. Without a word, she flung several Explosive Spirit Talismans at them.

  When those people sensed the aura—

  Sixth-grade Explosive Spirit Talismans.

  Their expressions went blank.

  Since when did the Cultivation Realm even have rank-six Explosive Spirit Talismans?

  And even if they did—who the hell used them like throwing pebbles?

  Not a single one of them dared to stop her. They scattered in terror.

  Lauren finally regrouped with Dante and the others.

  “Ms. Lauren! What happened to you? Why do you look so pale?”

  Those inside the protective formation also saw her return.

  “Lauren…”

  “Lauren…”

  A sea of frightened, anxious faces looked at her.

  Lauren forced a smile and shook her head.

  “I’m fine. Grandpa, open the formation.”

  “Yes.”

  The barrier parted.

  Odessa rushed to her side, grabbing her tightly.

  “Lauren, are you really alright?”

  Lauren smiled gently.

  “I’m fine, Mother. They’re all helpers I called in. Don’t be afraid.”

  Then she turned to Dante and the others.

  “Thank you, all of you.”

  Dante scratched his head awkwardly.

  “We didn’t really do much. We didn’t even see Indiana when we arrived.”

  Lauren shook her head.

  “No—because you came, she didn’t dare show herself. If you hadn’t arrived, things could’ve turned ugly.”

  “So… she’s still hiding nearby?”

  “When I was returning, several people tried to stop me.”

  “Who were they?”

  “Probably the helpers Indiana called. It’s fine—they won’t dare to pursue me again.”

  Dante and the others were furious. They already knew the full story from the Evercrest family.

  That mistress’s daughter—no, that prostitute’s daughter—had really gone too far.

  Threatening to wipe out the entire Evercrest family just to force her way into the genealogy?

  How could anyone be so shameless?

  No respectable clan in the cultivation world would ever acknowledge a prostitute’s child.

  “Ms. Lauren” Dante said grimly, “we already know about your past. I’ll have my master go to the Moonlit Sect and demand an explanation.”

  “No need.” Lauren shook her head slowly. “Herbert made it very clear last time—family matters stay family matters. The righteous sects shouldn’t interfere.”

  She took a deep breath.

  “Besides… I nearly killed Timothy just now. Herbert has already arrived. If anything, he’s probably here for me now.”

  “What?!”

  Everyone was stunned into silence.

  She nearly killed Timothy—and Herbert personally descended?

  “Herbert is here? Then what do we do? Dante, inform the Sect Leader immediately!”

  “There’s no need,” Lauren said calmly. “I already contacted my master.”

  Their expressions were a mixture of shock and disbelief.

  This incident hadn’t only drawn in Herbert—it had also alerted Drake.

  She had nearly killed Timothy.

  Just how close had it been?

  Dante swallowed and asked weakly,

  “Can Timothy survive?”

  Lauren shook her head.

  His heart skipped a beat.

  “He… can’t?”

  “I don’t know,” she replied honestly. “His Nascent Soul already left his body. Herbert was just in time to force it back in.”

  Everyone fell silent.

  That was far too close.

  Normally, a Nascent Soul only escapes when the physical body is utterly destroyed. In such cases, survival was almost impossible.

  Even if he somehow lived, he’d be crippled for life.

  Dante knew better than anyone how terrifying Timothy’s physical body was—tough as forged steel.

  He honestly couldn’t comprehend how delicate Lauren could be so violently overwhelming.

  It was terrifying.

  Seeing Lauren frown, Dante reminded himself that she was still just a young girl. He softened his tone. “Don’t dwell on it. Leave everything to the Immortals. You rarely get to return home—go and reunite with your family first.”

  Lauren nodded.

  She would take things one step at a time.

  “But stay alert,” she added. “I suspect Indiana is still nearby.”

  “Understood.”

  Lauren followed Preston and the others back into the house. The surviving members of the Evercrest family crowded around her at once, firing off anxious questions—most of them centered on the fact that she had nearly killed the personal disciple of the Moonlit Sect’s leader.

  She answered calmly, one by one, explaining that she had already taken Drake, the Celestial Venerable, as her master—and that she was no longer afraid of Herbert or the Moonlit Sect.

  But when she looked at what remained of the once-prosperous Evercrest estate, her anger reignited.

  If she hadn’t been prepared… this place would have been nothing but a field of corpses.