Listening to Jiang Yan’s implication, Song Wanxi, who had already fallen into demonhood and was suppressed in the Glazed Pavilion by chains and golden talismans, should possess formidable combat power.

However, she had lost her complete intellect.

Such a beautiful woman, devoid of all sense, lying muddled in this underground demon lair for centuries.

No wonder Song Hengjiang would say that he didn’t know whether he was being more selfish or more loving.

Looking at this Glazed Pavilion, Jiang Wang couldn’t express his feelings, his fingers incessantly stroking the hilt of his sword, engaging in a silent conversation with Lovesickness.

“Why are you always fiddling with your sword?” Jiang Yan suddenly asked.

“I don’t know why, I’m very nervous…” Jiang Wang murmured, tightening his grip on the hilt, and slowly said, “Listening to Song Hengjiang’s words, Song Wanxi’s state seems to have been caused by him… Is it possible for someone else to orchestrate the process of falling into demonhood?”

Jiang Yan seemed to be contemplating something, pausing for a long while before saying, “I’m not sure either. There’s no relevant information in the Bone Lord’s memory fragments. But I imagine it can be done as long as you find the right method. The so-called personal will can only determine so much.”

*I* think, will can determine a lot…

Jiang Wang didn’t voice his dissenting opinion.

He vigorously shook his head. After a brief moment of clarity, that hazy, chaotic feeling gradually gathered again, extremely tormenting and unbearably uncomfortable.

It seems that very strong emotions can maintain a short period of clarity…

He thought to himself, while saying to Jiang Yan, “No, my current state is very bad. I must first find a way to eliminate the inner demon.”

He focused his attention on the Star-Coiling Serpent. Within the Hall of Heavenly Penetration, this usually lively and agile spirit serpent now appeared somewhat sluggish, coiled up in a corner, motionless. The starlight on its body had also dimmed considerably.

Within the Candle of Nether, Jiang Yan’s voice echoed eerily, “Actually… I know how to use the inner demon to fall into demonhood. It’s an ancient secret art. And we have a powerful but mindless Demon General right in front of us. If you can replace her, you’ll have a chance to truly fall into demonhood.”

His voice held a power that bewitched people’s hearts: “I mean, become a true demon. Achieve a True Demon body, one in ten thousand. That way, you’ll immediately have the power to defeat Zhuang Gao Xian.”

He said, “This is very dangerous, but I know you don’t lack the courage to challenge danger.”

“Really… can I defeat Zhuang Gao Xian?” Jiang Wang’s spirit was muddled, seemingly about to agree.

“Of course.” Jiang Yan spoke softly, as if whispering in his ear, appearing intimate, natural, and sincere: “We were originally one. We share the same hatred for Zhuang Gao Xian. I’ve also been thinking about it, searching for a way to defeat him. It’s difficult, but neither of us has given up. And your strength is my strength. Your victory is my victory. Remember? I still need your help to seize the Bone Saint Body. One day, this world will be jointly controlled by us.”

“But after becoming a demon, will I still be me?” Jiang Wang seemed very hesitant, repeatedly gripping and releasing the hilt of his sword, as if he could draw some strength from it.

“Achieving True Demonhood, your wisdom and memories will be preserved… wouldn’t you say it’s still you?”

“Let me think, I need to think…” Jiang Wang murmured to himself.

“Of course, think all you want. No one can make the decision for you. However, I’ve exhausted all my resources, and this is the only way known from the Bone Lord’s memories to quickly become stronger. You must know that the distance between Inner Palace and Cave Heaven is like a chasm. How many geniuses are stopped before the Divine Proximity Realm? Achieving True Personhood is not easy…”

“I know… I know.” Jiang Wang stroked his longsword and slowly said.

Of course, he wouldn’t consider it.

Regarding becoming a demon, what Jiang Yan said should be the truth, but what he *didn’t* say was the key.

Once he achieved True Demonhood, he might indeed retain his memories and wisdom, but why the word “retain?”

A normal cultivator wouldn’t lose their memories and wisdom, why would they need to be “retained?”

And in ancient times, why did those True Demons consider themselves another race?

If becoming a demon was just a different cultivation method, if it was just a simple difference in path, then why did the Demonic Tide that destroyed the world occur? Are there few different paths in this world? Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism, Legalism, Mohism… haven’t they all coexisted?

Why are only demon cultivators despised by the world? Why is the demon the great enemy of the human race?

Those True Demons of course still had wisdom and memories, but they no longer considered themselves human. This shows that their perception of the world and themselves may have changed with their demonification.

This is a fundamental change.

After becoming a demon, one is no longer human!

Jiang Wang certainly didn’t lack the courage to challenge danger. What truly stopped him was not the perilous difficulty of achieving True Demonhood, but everything about being human, everything he loved, cherished, and looked forward to… he couldn’t give it up.

Moreover, Song Wanxi was still lying here, half-dead, having lost her mind for over two hundred years. As powerful as Song Hengjiang was, even after exhausting the resources of the Eight Hundred Li Qing River, he couldn’t help her achieve True Demonhood.

How foolish would Jiang Wang be to “become a demon in her place?”

He would never consider the choice of becoming a demon. But he now had to make Jiang Yan believe that he had lost his clear judgment and that his mind was struggling.

Because the lingering effects of the inner demon did indeed exist, and he was relying on an extremely tenacious will to repeatedly regain clarity and have these thoughts.

So he acted hesitant, confused, and struggling!

“If I replace Song Wanxi, what will happen to her?” Jiang Wang asked hesitantly.

“If you take away all the demonic energy, she will of course…” Jiang Yan said, immediately changing his tone: “We can’t stay here, go to the next cave, quickly! If you don’t want to die, hurry!”

Jiang Wang didn’t hesitate either.

Because he knew very well that the reason Jiang Yan was issuing a warning now could only be that someone else had entered the demon lair, perhaps Song Hengjiang, or perhaps Du Ruhui!

The topic of “becoming a demon for Song Wanxi” was thus dropped.

In the face of the acute sense of crisis, his body and mind returned to ease, regaining self-control.

Without even a moment’s pause, Jiang Wang instantly flew out, returning to the main cave where the one hundred and eight stone coffins hung. With a turn, he had already darted into the entrance of the cave on the right.

The scene in this cave was completely different. Outside the cave entrance, it was unclear, the vision was blurred. Probably due to the concealment of some array patterns, entering the cave was a completely different experience.

First, he felt a “brightness” before his eyes.

This cave was brightly lit, dazzlingly radiant.

Unlike the dark and cramped inner cave next door, this place was paved with white jade, with bright pearls as candles, painted with gold lacquer, and smeared with cloud powder. All the arrangements were extremely exquisite. Amidst the opulence, there were clever designs everywhere.

It didn’t resemble an underground dark cave, but rather someone’s boudoir.

Just one on the left and one on the right, yet one was in hell and the other in heaven.

There would probably be some information here, but Jiang Wang didn’t have time to observe further, because time was so pressing.

Listening to Jiang Yan’s instructions, he acted decisively, immediately finding a dressing table made of green jade, reaching out and pressing the exquisite bronze mirror three times, and then casting a hand seal.

In an instant, flowing light shifted, and what appeared before Jiang Wang’s eyes was a magnificent and resplendent scene.

Golden bricks, jade walls, glazed pillars, fragrant clouds, floating dark fragrance.

Although he had never been here before, Jiang Wang immediately realized what this place was—the Qing River Water Palace!

The bronze mirror in what seemed to be Song Wanxi’s “boudoir” in the underwater demon lair could actually lead directly to the interior of the Qing River Water Palace!

Meanwhile, outside the Qing River Water Palace, while Jiang Wang was still dealing with the Whispering Demon, Song Hengjiang and Zhuang Gao Xian were at daggers drawn.

Du Ruhui and Zhuang Gao Xian had successively arrived, demanding in a tough manner to search the Qing River Water Palace to find the murderer who assassinated Dong A.

And Song Hengjiang’s attitude was firm, regarding this as an insult to him, resolutely refusing the search, even adopting a scorched earth stance.

With the situation evolving to this point, the atmosphere had become extremely tense, and a great battle could break out at any time.

At this time, it was Zhuang Gao Xian, who should have been proud and arrogant these past few days, who maintained a certain degree of restraint.

He took a deep look at Song Hengjiang and slowly said, “If Water Lord wants to fight with me, I cannot be negligent towards my elder. We have a founding alliance and the bond of war against a common enemy, how can we fight to the death and become a laughingstock to others?”

“Water Lord speaks of bloodshed. The blood of the Qing River water race is of course hot and bright, it has flowed through these mountains and rivers and also washed over thousands of miles of the Zhuang territory. I have witnessed it with my own eyes and I will not forget it.”

“But Minister Dong is an important official of the court, the Deputy Prime Minister of the nation. Yet he was brutally beheaded, his death tragic! If I don’t punish the murderer, how can I stand in heaven and earth, how can I face the people?”

“This determination is firm and resolute. It will not be changed by anyone, anything, or any place. Therefore, the search of the Qing River Water Palace is unavoidable and imperative.”

“Song Hengjiang.”

He began to call Song Hengjiang by name, indicating his irrevocable and resolute attitude, and then said, “You are Water Lord, and also a Zhuang citizen. My hands will not be stained with the blood of Zhuang citizens. So I give you a chance.”

“I will now personally search the Qing River Water Palace, only searching for the murderer’s traces, regardless of anything else. You can use all means to attack me and stop my search. I will forgive you for any offense. In this way, both my trust as the Son of Heaven and your honor as Water Lord will be preserved.”

His last sentence was not a question.

Because it was the final decision.

Song Hengjiang could only accept, and had to accept whether he wanted to or not.

Zhuang Gao Xian believed that this attitude was completely worthy of Song Hengjiang and gave him enough respect.

He was forcibly searching in the capacity of the monarch, so no one could say that Song Hengjiang was subservient. It seemed that he could get away with it in terms of face.

The word of the Son of Heaven carries the weight of the nation.

Zhuang Gao Xian stood with his hands clasped behind his back, but his terrifying divine sense had already swept over.

Just then, Song Hengjiang suddenly took a step forward.

The Eight Hundred Li Qing River awakened like a giant dragon, the water surged, and the waves crashed wildly. The power of the entire Qing River waters was added to his body, and he raised a fist, already slamming towards Zhuang Gao Xian’s face!

Anyone who saw this scene would be astonished.

Zhuang Gao Xian was just giving him a way out, but Song Hengjiang actually stepped onto the stage and dared to attack!