303: Cut the weeds and eliminate the roots

Shang Wan Ning tightened her grip on Lin Ran's hand.

That phrase, "Once possessed a god," struck her ears like a heavy hammer—both light and heavy, making her chest feel stifled.

[A god? What kind of god am I? I can't even keep the person I cherish, so what kind of god am I?]

The air conditioning in the ice cream shop blew onto her arms, feeling chilly. But Shang Wan Ning's throat was parched, and the word "like" was stuck in her throat, unable to go up or down.

"Let's go."

Shang Wan Ning said in a muffled voice. She pulled Lin Ran outside, her steps a bit hurried.

Her ponytail brushed across the back of Lin Ran's hand, feeling itchy.

The river breeze carried water vapor, blowing away the sweetness of the ice cream. Shang Wan Ning and Lin Ran walked along the river for a long time; neither spoke, listening only to the sound of waves hitting the bank.

When the last trace of red clouds on the horizon sank into the river, Shang Wan Ning squeezed Lin Ran's wrist.

"Lin Ran, I must go."

Lin Ran nodded, not holding her back. Her fingertips gently squeezed back in her palm.

"Mm, goodbye."

Shang Wan Ning took one deep look at ARan, her figure fading away on the spot, just like a painting blurred by the river breeze.

...

A ripple quietly spread through the space of Jiaotai Palace; the black phoenix robe replaced her hoodie and jeans.

Shang Wan Ning had just sat down on the throne and hadn't even touched a cup of tea when the hall doors were pushed open.

Ling Qi walked in, holding a glowing jade tablet, her high heels clicking crisply and rapidly against the floor tiles.

The look in her eyes behind her gold-rimmed glasses was calm, and she went straight to the point: "A Ning, the cleanup of the various Demon clans is nearing its end. We have confirmed 371 die-hard loyalists of Zhu Yan. Here is the list."

She handed the jade tablet to Shang Wan Ning, the light screen densely packed with names and faction affiliations.

"How should we handle them? Is it necessary to eliminate them all?"

Shang Wan Ning scanned the list, tapping her fingertips on the armrest without answering immediately.

She looked at Ling Qi: "What is the Secretary-General's proposal?"

Ling Qi pushed up her glasses, her speech fast and clear: "Cut the weeds and eliminate the roots to prevent future trouble."

"Zhu Yan's plans are far-reaching; leaving these nails behind will cause endless trouble. Execute them directly and scatter their souls; it's worry-free and saves effort."

The yin energy stagnated for a moment. ( ﾟ ⊿ ﾟ )ﾂ

Shang Wan Ning moved her gaze from the list and landed it on Ling Qi's face. "Execute them all? That's too big of a commotion. The various clans have just gone through turmoil and need stability, not slaughter."

She stood up, walked to the map of the Netherworld, and pointed to the Demon region.

"Handle them in three tiers."

"Tier 1: Zhu Yan's core confidants who participated in the refining of the 'fake Ghost Gate Pass' and directly planned the attack on Grass Spirit Village, totaling 89 people. Mark the list in red."

"Let You Yu lead a team to arrest them secretly, bring them back to the Netherworld, and throw them into the lowest level of the 'Black Horn Iron Prison,' where they will never be reincarnated."

"Scatter half of their souls and refine the other half into 'Sinful Soul Lamps' to be hung at the entrance of the River of Oblivion for ten thousand years as a warning."

"Tier 2: Those who knew but didn't report and provided resources for protection; mark the list in yellow, 152 people."

"Destroy their cultivation foundations, erase their related memories, and exile them to the Eighteen Levels of Hell."

"Tier 3: Low-level executors and those who were coerced; mark the list in blue, the remaining 130 people."

"Strip them of memories and power imprints related to Zhu Yan, break them up and assign them to the underworld's hard labor camp to build the Yellow Springs Road and dig the River of Oblivion canal. Serve for five hundred years; those with good performance can become candidates for the underworld army."

She turned around, her phoenix eyes locking onto Ling Qi.

"As for Zhu Yan's Demon body, Sister Meng knows how to handle it."

Ling Qi quickly recorded it on the jade tablet, the light in her eyes behind her lenses flickering, evidently evaluating the efficiency and subsequent impact of this plan.

A moment later, she nodded and said: "Your Majesty's considerations are thorough. Tiered handling not only deters the petty, but also avoids inciting large-scale backlash."

"This Subordinate will immediately arrange for You Yu to execute the Tier 1 cleanup, and the exile and hard labor lists will be issued simultaneously."

Shang Wan Ning gave an "Mm," sat back on the throne, and picked up the spirit tea that had long since gone cold.

"With AQi handling things, I am at ease."

Ling Qi put away the jade tablet but did not leave immediately. She looked at the fatigue between Shang Wan Ning's brows and suddenly said: "Your Majesty, regarding Chief Assistant Lin..."

Shang Wan Ning's hand holding the tea paused in mid-air, and she swept a gloomy gaze over.

Ling Qi did not change her expression, her tone as flat as if she were reporting on work. "Ling Xi just updated the assessment report."

"She suggests that if we want to extend Lin Ran's lifespan to the maximum, it is best to keep her away from all supernatural radiation, including residual yin energy from the underworld and Your Majesty's divine aura."

"To completely become an ordinary person with a peaceful state of mind might allow her to last a little longer."

Shang Wan Ning's fingers holding the teacup tightened slightly, and the cup wall emitted a faint creak.

After a long while, she lowered her eyelids, drank the cold tea in one gulp, and her throat bobbed.

"I know. Let her live out these three years well." Her tone was low, with no discernible emotion.

"As for the underworld, do not disturb her unless necessary."

"Understood."

Ling Qi acknowledged understandingly and turned to leave the hall efficiently. She knew A Ning was not in a good mood right now, so it was better to leave Her Majesty alone.

...

Shang Wan Ning hadn't been sitting on the throne for ten minutes when the irritation in her heart grew like wild weeds.

'Lin Ran's smile' was still spinning before her eyes, and the matter of her lifespan that the Secretary-General had just mentioned was stuck in her chest.

She raised her hand to rub her brow, her fingertips ice-cold.

[Forget it, thinking about this is useless.]

She suddenly stood up, flipped her palm, and three fragments appeared in it. A faint, ghostly light flowed along their edges; they were the Law of Reincarnation fragments she had collected earlier.

Shang Wan Ning walked to the center of the hall and suspended the fragments in front of her. Without extra preparation, her divine power probed directly into the interior of the fragments.

"Hum~"

The fragments instantly exploded, turning into three majestic gray currents that rushed into her energy center.

The power of the Law washed over her meridians, carrying the unique heaviness of reincarnation, charging all the way against the bottleneck.

Shang Wan Ning closed her eyes and guided it with all her might.

In her Sea of Consciousness, the golden light representing her cultivation spun crazily; the barrier that had been stuck at the early stage of the eighth rank began to crack under the impact of the Law fragments.

Time passed bit by bit, the divine power fluctuations in the hall grew stronger and stronger, and her sleeves fluttered, whipping up waves of air.

"Crack~"

The barrier in her Sea of Consciousness shattered completely, the golden light ball suddenly expanded by a circle, and her aura climbed step by step to—the late eighth rank.

But it wasn't over yet; the remaining power of the Law was still surging, pushing her cultivation to continue charging upwards.

The color of the light ball became more and more solid, faintly showing signs of perfection.

After a few more joss sticks of time, when the last trace of the power of the Law was absorbed completely.

Shang Wan Ning opened her eyes, and a golden light flashed across them and vanished.

Eighth rank peak!!!

She clenched her fist, sensing the surging divine power in her energy center, and the irritation dissipated quite a bit.

"great host, there is no need for you to rush to improve your cultivation like this." Little Four's voice suddenly sounded in her Sea of Consciousness, puzzled.

"Your foundation will be affected."

Shang Wan Ning walked to the side of the throne and sat down, her right leg crossed obliquely over her left.

The black phoenix robe slid open a little, revealing a small section of her slender, straight lower leg.