Song Hengjiang frowned, evidently taken aback by this turn of events.

“Qingzhi?” he asked.

‘Zhuang Chengqian’ reined in the dominating aura in his eyes, striving to appear more innocent, more youthful.

He earnestly said, “I am Jiang Wang, a student of the Dao Academy in Maple Leaf City. When the upheaval occurred in the Maple Leaf City region, I risked my life to save the little princess. You should be aware of this matter.”

He very naturally took credit for Jiang Wang’s deeds.

Within the First Inner Mansion, Jiang Wang was so enraged that his very soul threatened to explode. What kind of despicable founding ancestor was this? To seize his body and steal his accomplishments!

He had originally planned to use this very event to save his life after Song Hengjiang had defeated Zhuang Chengqian’s soul!

Song Hengjiang was silent for a moment, then asked, “What about the marks on the Blood Vein Stone Coffin?”

This was the most perplexing point for him. Whether intentional or not, the intruder, having stumbled into such a clandestine place, should have been cautious. Why then, would they damage the environment and leave traces behind?

Although the marks were subtle, in the eyes of a powerhouse like him, they were glaringly obvious.

“‘I stumbled upon this place by accident and encountered an evil spirit. I was truly frightened, and unaware that this place had an owner,” ‘Zhuang Chengqian’ said with a wry expression. “Seeing the strange patterns of the blood veins, I couldn’t resist touching them.”

His expressions were so natural, so flawless, proving that he had completed his control over this body in the shortest possible time.

Just as Jiang Wang had been preparing to deal with him.

To better control this body, he had also secretly made many preparations.

Song Hengjiang remained expressionless. “Let’s set aside how you stumbled into this place. Tell me, how did you deceive me?”

As he spoke, he remained standing in front of Song Wanxi, showing his concern for this kin, even though she had been corrupted by demonic influence, and was no longer truly of the Water Tribe.

“I don’t know how I deceived the Water Lord. I simply observed this place carefully, and in that extremely opulent cave, I felt around everywhere. I don’t know how, but I touched a bronze mirror, and… and I entered the Clear River Water Mansion!”

‘Zhuang Chengqian’ answered fluently, as if without any thought, speaking only the truth, his inner thoughts.

This ability to lie through his teeth casually was truly astonishing to Jiang Wang in the First Inner Mansion.

In the underwater demon cave, ‘Zhuang Chengqian’ continued fearfully, “Overwhelmed by the Water Lord’s majesty, I dared not linger in the Water Mansion. I groped around and tried for a long time before finding a way to return, and then I came back here. I truly don’t know, I don’t know how I deceived the Water Lord, my Lord.”

In his account, everything was a series of unfortunate coincidences. By chance, he entered the Water Mansion when Zhuang Gaoxian, Song Hengjiang, and others entered. When he returned, Song Hengjiang and the others had already left. He didn’t even know that Zhuang Gaoxian, Song Hengjiang, and the others had ever been there.

He was ignorant, simple, reliable, and bewildered.

“Then you are truly fortunate.” The wrinkles on Song Hengjiang’s face twitched, and his turbid eyes did not reveal too much emotion. “Did you kill Dong A?”

He quickly connected this to the reason why Du Ruohui had forcefully come to his door previously. Now it seemed that this might not have been an excuse. This somewhat strange youth before him was very likely the murderer of Dong A, and Du Ruohui had truly tracked him here.

The moment he heard Song Hengjiang’s question, ‘Zhuang Chengqian’s’ expression changed.

It became sorrowful, brave, and unyielding, yet with a hint of lingering pain in his eyes. It was remarkably convincing.

His voice trembling, he said, “Yes. Dong A was my teacher. I killed him with my own hands!”

He gritted his teeth, suppressing his hatred. “Because he actually colluded with Zhuang Gaoxian and Du Ruohui, using the lives of all the people in the Maple Leaf City region as the price to obtain the White Bone True Pill! He failed in his duty as an official, he failed in his virtue as a teacher, and he failed in his principles as a person. If I didn’t kill him, I wouldn’t be able to find peace!”

“So that’s how it is.”

Song Hengjiang’s eyes flickered. Only now did he truly understand the truth of the Maple Leaf City region. Of course, he did not care about Maple Leaf City, but he did care about the choices Zhuang Gaoxian had made in this matter.

“The Zhuang Royal Palace should have retained information about the White Bone Dao. It’s not surprising that you know about the White Bone True Pill,” he muttered to himself.

‘Zhuang Chengqian’ said indignantly, “How can a ruler lightly abandon his people! I believe that the Water Lord would never abandon the Water Tribe people!”

He was so impassioned, so sorrowful, that even Jiang Wang himself might not be able to reproduce such emotions.

Song Hengjiang shook his head. “The Human and Water Tribes are different. The Water Tribe does not reproduce easily…”

“How are we different!” ‘Zhuang Chengqian’ interrupted him. “The Human and Water Tribes have an ancient alliance, and were originally as close as brothers. Why must we distinguish ourselves? What I dislike the most are those who discriminate against the Water Tribe, who are too forgetful! Especially we, the Clear River Water Tribe, have shed so much blood and made so many sacrifices for the Zhuang Kingdom! Have they all forgotten?”

Song Hengjiang was clearly expressing that the Human Tribe reproduced more easily than the Water Tribe, and their numbers far exceeded those of the Water Tribe, making them more expendable. ‘Zhuang Chengqian’ however, steered the topic toward the rights and benefits of the two tribes.

At this moment, he presented himself as an idealist. He insisted on equality between the Human and Water Tribes, remembered the history of Water Tribe sacrifices, and was determined to protect the rights and interests of the Water Tribe.

Song Hengjiang, the Water Lord who had the Water Tribe’s best interests at heart, naturally hoped that there would be more and more such people among the Human Tribe. Without considering other factors, the image he had cultivated in a few words could greatly increase his safety.

‘Zhuang Chengqian’ was completely tailoring his words to his audience, appealing to his preferences.

Song Hengjiang’s expression softened slightly.

‘Zhuang Chengqian’ continued, “This has always been my guiding principle. When danger struck the Maple Leaf City region, I didn’t consider the difference between the Human and Water Tribes at all. Whoever was closest to me, I saved, so that I could safely bring the little princess away…”

His eyes reddened. “But my fellow disciples, not one of them…”

“I must thank you on Qingzhi’s behalf,” Song Hengjiang said slowly.

“It is what I should do. Anyone with a conscience should do the same,” ‘Zhuang Chengqian’ said earnestly, his expression sincere. “Actually, I had also saved a girl named Xiaoshuang from the Water Mansion before. At that time, a Human Tribe cultivator kidnapped her, aiming to extract her Dao Vein. I naturally couldn’t stand such a vile act, so I risked my life to intervene! Now that I think about it, perhaps I should have seen the true face of the Zhuang Court at that time! They could harm even the Water Tribe, allies who had fought for the country, and disregard oaths, promises, and true feelings. How could they truly care about the common people?”

“In the end, I was too naive before, so I failed to prevent the tragedy from happening…” he said, weeping sadly.

A man does not weep easily, only when deeply grieved!

He wept for his family and friends in the Maple Leaf City region, showing even more pain than the original owner of this body.

He was not at all afraid that Song Hengjiang would bring Xiaoshuang to confront him, and in fact, it would be best if Xiaoshuang could be brought. Because his words could very well be true.

Song Hengjiang’s expression softened. “It’s not your fault, child…”

Jiang Wang in the First Inner Mansion could no longer restrain himself.

He had lured Song Hengjiang here to drive out a wolf with a tiger, creating a chance for himself to escape death. But these two, instead of fighting to the death, were chatting here!

And judging from this trend, if they continued chatting, these two might even become sworn brothers, forming a friendship across generations!

He gritted his teeth, intending to return to the Towering Heaven Palace and interrupt Zhuang Chengqian’s performance.

But then he heard Song Hengjiang suddenly change the subject. “But you should not have appeared here!”

Before his voice faded, his aura changed abruptly.

His fist struck out once again, carrying an unmatched force.

The power belonging to a top-tier powerhouse in the Divine Transcendence Realm completely suppressed the space around ‘Zhuang Chengqian’.

He could see that ‘Zhuang Chengqian’s’ realm was higher than his power, so he directly suppressed him with power, not giving him any chance to resist.

This was a truly murderous intent.

He was truly grateful to this youth for saving Song Qingzhi, and truly grateful that he had considered the Water Tribe, but he was also truly going to kill him!

Although the performance of this youth before him was impeccable, and even someone like him, who had seen countless people, could not tell the truth from the false for a time.

But he simply did not believe that this youth’s purpose in coming to the underwater demon cave was so simple.

He did not believe in accidental entry, nor in coincidence.

And the underwater demon cave could not afford even the slightest accident.

So even though ‘Zhuang Chengqian’ had said so much and performed so perfectly.

After obtaining the answer he wanted, he still took action without hesitation.

For the future of the entire Clear River Water Tribe, all accidents should be erased. No matter… what that was!

His fist struck out.

Thus, the sound of the tide rose, the river surged, and death descended!