Song Hengjiang quietly watched ‘Zhuang Chengqian’ carve the array patterns. The intricate lines resembled small flowers, blooming around Song Wanxi.

At this moment, Song Wanxi’s eyes were slightly closed, and a scarlet hue adorned her eyebrows—the blood essence from ‘Zhuang Chengqian’s’ heart.

He had always known how much his younger sister loved Zhuang Chengqian.

Since falling into demonic corruption, Wanxi had not closed her eyes for two hundred and eighteen years. Was it because she sensed Zhuang Chengqian that she could finally sleep peacefully?

He felt unaccustomed to Zhuang Chengqian’s current appearance as a handsome youth.

He still preferred the Zhuang Chengqian with the unsightly countenance and the bold, unconstrained spirit.

Indeed. In his memory, Zhuang Chengqian possessed both the chivalrous spirit of “befriending heroes from all quarters” and the ruthless indifference to life and death of a general.

Zhuang Chengqian was neither as magnificent as depicted in the history books of Zhuang, nor as vile as portrayed by the people of Yong.

He was a complex and multifaceted individual.

But as far as Song Hengjiang, his sworn brother, was concerned…

Regardless of how ruthless Zhuang Chengqian was to others, regardless of how the world judged him, at least towards the Clear River Water Tribe and towards Song Hengjiang, Zhuang Chengqian had always shown proper respect.

Just as he had said when confronting Zhuang Gaoxian, when Zhuang Chengqian came to the Clear River Water Mansion, he never brought a single soldier, always behaved as a younger brother serving an elder brother, and never displayed any arrogance. This was the case when he was a general, and it remained so when he became a ruler.

Song Wanxi’s death filled him with immense resentment towards Zhuang Chengqian. However, Zhuang Chengqian’s grief and madness at that time could not have been faked. He even disregarded the stability of his nation, personally executed Gu Yi, who was also his wife, and used the entire White Bone Dao as funerary offerings for Song Wanxi. In the end, he also died a glorious death in the battle against the White Bone God.

He couldn’t say that Zhuang Chengqian had not tried his best or had not atoned for his sins.

It was just that sometimes fate was fickle, and perhaps the heavens did not allow beauty to last.

“This is very much like Water Spikerush,” Song Hengjiang said, looking at the gradually forming array pattern.

In the legends of the Water Tribe, the day the Water Spikerush blossoms covered the water’s surface marked the end of wandering.

It was a beautiful wish, a longing for a settled river, a desire to no longer drift aimlessly for the displaced Water Tribe.

Of course, Zhuang Chengqian knew this legend. He had heard Song Wanxi mention it countless times.

Hence, his voice was hoarse, “Wanxi is coming back soon. We can be reunited…”

No one knew how much of his sorrow was genuine and how much was feigned. Perhaps even he himself couldn’t tell!

But the end of wandering might not be stability; it could also be… death.

The array pattern was completely formed.

Like a sea of red flowers, it surrounded the closed-eyed Song Wanxi.

Song Hengjiang slowly knelt down, reaching out to hold her hand.

Icy cold and bone-chilling.

He murmured, “It’s like the Water Spikerush is in full bloom, and I am returning to my homeland.”

This branch of the Clear River Water Tribe had not originally resided in the Clear River. They had arrived here after a long migration. But even for Song Hengjiang, the memories of his so-called homeland were too distant.

Only the happy times he had spent playing with his younger sister in their youth were as vivid as if they were happening right before his eyes.

He slowly closed his eyes, his spirit leaving his body, following the secret method described by Zhuang Chengqian, pushing aside the demonic energy, and entering Song Wanxi’s sea of consciousness.

‘Zhuang Chengqian’ knelt beside them, tears streaming down his face, “Brother…”

Before his spirit completely entered Song Wanxi’s sea of consciousness and became demonized, Song Hengjiang left behind his last divine thought.

“This is the last time this brother entrusts Wanxi to you. Take good care of her…”

“Brother…” ‘Zhuang Chengqian’ was weeping bitterly, “Please rest assured. This time, I…”

His voice was sorrowful, and his expression was somber.

But his hand was so steady, one hand covering Song Wanxi’s eyes, as if unwilling to let her see the tragic scene, and the other hand directly slashed across like a blade!

Direct, decisive, and ruthless.

Song Hengjiang’s body, now devoid of its spirit, had its head chopped off and fell to the ground in a spray of blood!

At this moment, Song Hengjiang, who was deep within Song Wanxi’s sea of consciousness and undergoing demonization, naturally sensed something was wrong and surged outwards with immense power.

But he crashed into an invisible barrier and fell back into the crimson sea of consciousness.

Zhuang Chengqian pressed a seal onto Song Wanxi’s brow, stopping Song Hengjiang’s resistance.

His current power might not be enough to suppress Song Hengjiang’s spirit.

But using Song Wanxi’s demonic body as a cage provided a sufficient possibility.

Years ago, the three of them had explored this ancient demonic cave together and each gained something. Song Hengjiang was later able to guide Song Wanxi into demonic corruption, preserving her life. Zhuang Chengqian’s gains were actually greater!

It was just that he had never had much opportunity to use them.

After cutting off the physical body’s support for the spirit, ‘Zhuang Chengqian’ extended his left hand, hovering it over Song Wanxi’s face.

With a slight swipe of his right index finger across his left wrist, blood flowed profusely!

The blood flowed more and more, faster and faster.

It was hard to imagine that a person could have so much blood, as if it would never run out.

Zhuang Chengqian tirelessly exploited the potential of this body to produce even more blood.

The surging river of blood completely covered Song Wanxi, enveloping her in a bloody cocoon.

The flowing blood revealed various bizarre patterns, crawling like bloody worms.

What Zhuang Chengqian wanted was even more than Jiang Wang imagined!

He didn’t just want to kill Song Hengjiang and eliminate future troubles. He also wanted to use Song Hengjiang’s spirit and Song Wanxi’s demonic body to complete his true plan.

A plan that immediately arose when he suddenly saw Song Hengjiang return to the underwater demonic cave!

Song Wanxi had the potential of a true demon, and Song Hengjiang had the soul of a peak Divine Proximity expert. By refining them together, he would have the opportunity to create a Blood Puppet True Demon.

A Blood Puppet possessing the combat strength of a True Demon, yet completely controlled by him!

The Blood Puppet True Demon was only a product of his imagination, but he had enough confidence to complete it.

When he completely took control of Jiang Wang’s body and restored his former True Person cultivation, he would wield two great True Person combat forces, truly surpassing his former self.

As blood continued to flow out, his face became paler, but his eyes became brighter and brighter.

The blood flowed, congealed, and formed a bizarre and sinister blood coffin.

Song Wanxi remained silent, lying within it, while Song Hengjiang’s spirit was trapped in the sea of consciousness of this demonic body, soon to be assimilated by the demonic energy.

When this blood coffin was completely stabilized, the moment it was opened would be the moment the Blood Puppet True Demon was born.

Everything was going smoothly. As it had countless times in the past, ‘Zhuang Chengqian’ prepared to welcome his victory.

Just then, he noticed that the wound on his wrist was emitting a ghastly white light.

“What is this?”

The murmuring voice in his inner palace finally became clear, whispering, “Flesh sprouts bone, soul returns to decayed body…”

The wound on his wrist began to heal.

‘Zhuang Chengqian’s’ expression instantly changed, “Flesh Sprouts Soul Return Technique!”

As if an ancient passage had been opened.

An overwhelming pressure descended upon the world.

Squeezing into this long-abandoned ancient demonic cave.

A lofty, indifferent voice, devoid of any emotion, descended upon this place.

“Zhuang Chengqian!”