Black soulfire danced.

Though no physical eyes existed, Zhuang Chengqian distinctly felt that everything about the body he now occupied was being watched by that deity.

“Do you truly believe you can change the *jie*?” The White Bone Divine’s voice was indifferent.

Zhuang Chengqian understood clearly that He spoke of the *jie*, not the end.

This *jie* was the *jie* of No-Life Calamity.

According to his plans from back then, after disrupting the White Bone Divine’s descent and banishing the true form of the White Bone Divine back to the netherworld, his grand life would just be beginning.

Free from the shackles that had long weighed upon his mind and body, he could truly unleash his hands and feet, realizing his grand designs.

Nailing the influence of the Daoist sect into the Western Territory, he wanted more than just an ordinary Daoist vassal state.

Fighting against Han Yin, shedding blood in the Qichang Mountains, he wanted more than just three thousand *li* of rivers and mountains.

He wanted far more than he had already obtained!

But he had miscalculated one thing, miscalculated the White Bone Divine’s power. He had underestimated this netherworld deity who had maintained his divine status for countless years.

Having no hope of descending, the White Bone Divine unleashed His full power, directly crippling Song Hengjiang’s hope of achieving the Cave True realm, and setting a deathly *jie* upon him with the No-Life Calamity!

Even the grandest ambitions were like fleeting smoke in the face of death.

He was afflicted by the No-Life Calamity, facing his demise, and even if he had already become a Living Truth of the era, there was no possibility of survival.

At that time, he had no choice but to die.

Thus, he could only “die” at that moment.

For over a hundred years, the reason he had always hidden within the Nether Candle was because the *jie* was inescapable.

As early as in Green Goat Town, he had offered Jiang Wang a warning: “Do not underestimate the White Bone Divine. Even if there is temporary victory, always remember that He is a near-immortal netherworld deity.”

Rather than a reminder to Jiang Wang, it was actually a warning to himself, a constant reminder to never repeat the same mistake!

He had successfully borrowed the power of the White Bone Dao to establish his own kingdom. As a scion of the White Bone Dao, he had successfully broken free from shackles and prevented the White Bone Divine’s descent. He had self-righteously believed that he was manipulating the White Bone Divine in the palm of his hand.

But when the White Bone Divine truly made a move, he faced an inescapable death. Only then did he truly understand the terror of a deity!

“Yes, I cannot change the end, and neither can you. So many years have passed, what is different in the end? Your descent plan still failed. You will forever be trapped in the Yellow Springs Abyss, forever unable to become a present-world deity. Your slumber will grow longer and longer, to the point of… eternal slumber!”

Zhuang Chengqian’s cold voice was like iron: “So what if you are a deity? Do you not plan to talk to me about the new scion of the White Bone Dao? Talk about how he broke free from you. Is it like me, or did he do even better?”

He knew the other party was talking about the *jie*, but he insisted on talking about the end.

He wanted the White Bone Divine to face the fact that He had also failed, that He could also fail.

He was skilled at bringing despair to people, just as he had done to Jiang Wang. Now, he wanted to bring that despair to the White Bone Divine, even if He was a god!

The soulfire in the eye sockets of the white bone skeleton burned quietly.

The voice remained indifferent: “Human emotions possess great power, it was My negligence.”

“Why was it necessary to descend when the scion was so weak? Why the eagerness to use the White Bone True Pill to spur his cultivation?”

Zhuang Chengqian’s words were like knives, almost determined to provoke the deity’s emotions: “What? Did you learn enough lessons from me that you dare not wait for him to achieve the Living Truth realm? Or have you weakened so much that you no longer have the confidence to control a Living Truth?”

As the soulfire burned, it had already dragged Zhuang Chengqian into illusions several times, but Zhuang Chengqian had broken free each time, completely unaffected.

Compared to Jiang Wang’s steadfast heart of Dao, will like iron, and unchanging sincere heart,

he could watch his own son be killed without shedding a tear. His will had become so firm that it could not be influenced in the slightest. Sincere perseverance was of course perseverance, but cruel determination was also determination.

The White Bone Divine’s power was insufficient, still adapting to this demon cave. Zhuang Chengqian only had the physical combat power of the supernatural inner palace level, and had no intention of starting a fight lightly.

But a silent struggle had already begun.

In spirit, in will, in the mysteries of that No-Life Calamity.

“When Song Wanxi died, you did not even shed a tear. When killing Zhuang Mingqi, that child… was he called Zhuang Mingqi? I only made that scene reappear, and he had already collapsed.”

The White Bone Divine’s voice continued: “Compared to you, that child was more like a human.”

Perhaps it was truly as Zhuang Chengqian said, that His power had been weakened too much, and the power of descending across the distance of two realms was not strong enough. He was also trying to shake Zhuang Chengqian’s heart.

Of course, it was not just that.

Inside Jiang Wang’s physical body, within the first inner palace.

Through a certain connection after using the Flesh-Born Soul Return technique, a high and indifferent voice echoed in Jiang Wang’s ears.

“Help Me kill the rebel, you will have great merit. Chant My name, inherit My Dao. I shall allow you to regain your complete body, drive out the vile soul. I promise you invincibility in this world, eternal life!”

Jiang Wang knew that this was the White Bone Divine’s promise. As long as he offered faith, the White Bone Divine would help him regain control of this body, and even help him become invincible and immortal.

Perhaps it was because He had been a deity for too long, and the promises later on were too grand and empty, but just the matter of regaining the body was still very tempting.

Of course, offering faith naturally meant helping Him to attack from both inside and outside, and eliminate Zhuang Chengqian.

“Submit to the White Bone, and be born from death!” the voice continued.

Innumerable pious voices echoed in the darkness: “Beneath the River of Forgetfulness, in the Abyss of Yellow Springs. The Divine One returns to the world, illuminating the mortal realm!”

Countless “comrades” were calling for Jiang Wang’s participation, waiting for Jiang Wang’s response.

But at this moment, Zhuang Chengqian’s true form of the spirit flew directly to the five palaces above the sea, and slapped the blazing sun manifested by that inner palace.

The blazing sun manifested by the entire inner palace shook violently, and the voice echoing in Jiang Wang’s ears was almost immediately shattered.

Zhuang Chengqian did not dare to underestimate the White Bone Divine in the slightest, keenly noticed the movement within his body, and quickly severed the White Bone Divine’s connection with Jiang Wang.

The White Bone Divine’s voice rose and disappeared, and the entire first inner palace trembled endlessly. The White Bone Divine and Zhuang Chengqian fought fiercely, but Jiang Wang sat cross-legged within, never saying a word from beginning to end.

He was indifferent to the White Bone Divine’s promises.

He was deaf to Zhuang Chengqian’s interception.

It was as if after summoning the White Bone Divine, he had only been waiting. Waiting for the verdict of fate.

From any point of view, he had already tried his best and had no other choice.

Even if Zhuang Chengqian were to think for him from his own realm, he could not find another option.

In this battle, Jiang Wang had already done perfectly. Zhuang Chengqian had to admit that his victory relied on the crushing power of realm and spirit.

If Jiang Wang wanted to break the situation now, he could only choose to piously believe in the White Bone Divine. Through faith, the White Bone Divine could completely infuse power into him, allowing him to break the inner palace’s seal from the inside out.

Therefore, Zhuang Chengqian quickly cut off the connection. Once Jiang Wang chose to piously believe, he would immediately activate his backup plan to block the faith.

He had destroyed an entire White Bone Dao, and had enough involvement to disturb, and even taint, the faith in the White Bone Divine.

But Jiang Wang seemed to have completely despaired, seemingly not intending to participate in the struggle between him and the White Bone Divine at all, sitting still, silent and speechless.

He was waiting for fate.

Both were waiting for fate!

ps: 1 See Volume Two, Chapter 164, Flying Sword Three Great Peaks.