Lao Chun's Dying Smile

Relying on the Ninth Layer Qi Condensation corpse puppet, Zi Yi and Lao Chun finally managed to hack out a bloody path and break through the encirclement.

The two fled with all their might, finally rushing out of the fork in the tunnel before speeding off in the direction Song Wen had gone.

The Forsythia Yellow they were searching for was located in the same direction as the Empty Cicada Wood, only deeper within the caverns.

After completely shaking off the pursuing White Bone Bugs, Zi Yi suddenly came to a halt.

"Junior Brother, let us find a concealed spot to rest and recuperate for a moment," she said.

Zi Yi was currently in a terrible state. She had first been injured by the mental attack of the Dwarf Ghost, and had subsequently spent a long time in battle controlling a Ninth Layer Qi Condensation corpse puppet.

At this moment, not only was the spiritual energy in her body nearing rock bottom, but her mental strength was also severely depleted.

"Very well, Senior Sister."

Just as Zi Yi heard Lao Chun's voice behind her, a sharp, agonizing pain flared in her chest.

She lowered her head.

What met her eyes was a sharp, blood-drenched sword tip.

A cold, gleaming longsword had pierced straight through her torso from behind, its bloody point protruding from her chest.

Blood flowed down the blade, quickly soaking through her garments.

Zi Yi could feel the strength rapidly draining from her body as her life force slipped away.

She knew she was dying, but why would her junior brother launch a sneak attack against her?

Not long ago, he had openly professed his feelings to her, swearing that he was willing to sacrifice everything for her sake, including his own life.

She turned her head with great difficulty, her pained expression filled with utter disbelief.

"Why?"

Looking down at his beautiful senior sister, whose life was reaching its end after his successful ambush, Lao Chun exhibited a trace of madness as he roared.

"Why? You ask me why!"

"I have admired you for twenty whole years, yet you never gave me a pleasant look, completely ignoring everything I did for you!"

"When you chose to become Dao companions with Eldest Senior Brother, I had nothing to say. But you shameless woman, while Eldest Senior Brother was still alive, you were already secretly fooling around with Second Senior Brother!"

"After Eldest Senior Brother died, you became even worse, successively getting involved with Third Senior Brother, Fourth Senior Brother, Fifth Senior Brother, and Seventh Junior Brother!"

"Out of the seven of us disciples, you climbed into every single one of their beds, yet you deliberately acted cold and pure in front of me, playing the part of a chaste, untouchable goddess!"

After his outburst, as if his emotions had been spent, Lao Chun gradually calmed down. However, a deep distortion lingered within this composure.

"Senior Sister, you may depart in peace. With this Ninth Layer Qi Condensation corpse puppet, I will be the one who calls the shots under Master's lineage from now on. I will take good care of the daughter you had with Eldest Senior Brother."

"As for your corpse, I will also take it back and refine it properly so it never rots. I will ensure your beauty is preserved forever. Once I pass away, I will have our bodies buried together in the same tomb."

"You..." Zi Yi's eyes filled with despair, and she collapsed to the ground, breathing her last.

Lao Chun stared at the corpse of the senior sister he had admired for twenty years, his twisted expression suddenly turning strangely sorrowful.

"Senior Sister, do not blame me. You forced my hand. Why did you have to be so heartless to me? If you hadn't been so cruel, I would never have resorted to such drastic measures..."

More than two hundred meters away in a rocky crevice, Song Wen, who was currently refining a Qi-Replenishing Pill, witnessed this scene with a modicum of shock.

Previously, he had merely considered Lao Chun a mindless sycophant. He had not expected the man to be such a deeply calculating, ruthless character.

Their master was heavily poisoned and on the verge of death, desperately requiring spiritual herbs for treatment. Lao Chun had accompanied his senior sister under the pretext of gathering medicine, only to wait until she was weakened to strike her down. By doing so, he could seize the corpse puppet-the strongest combat asset in their lineage-and instantly become the de facto controller of their sect branch.

Having admired his senior sister for twenty years without fulfillment, his disposition had become twisted and morbid, to the point where he was now coveting her daughter. Furthermore, he clearly had no intention of letting his senior sister's corpse go, even planning a joint burial in the future.

This twisted sentiment of love turning into hatred was truly difficult to comprehend and quite horrifying to witness.

It had to be said that this man possessed far-reaching schemes, moving step by step with extreme ruthlessness.

However, plans could never keep pace with sudden changes-such as the present moment.

Song Wen felt it was time to replenish a bit of essence blood.

Just as Lao Chun bent down to retrieve the storage bag and corpse-nurturing bag from his senior sister's waist, he suddenly heard the sound of rushing footsteps in the distance.

Lifting his eyes, he saw a blood-red figure charging toward him at extreme speed.

It was Guo Tao!

Song Wen's speed was simply too fast, leaving Lao Chun with very little time to react.

He slapped both hands against his waist simultaneously, releasing a Sixth Layer Qi Condensation corpse puppet while instantly activating a Fireball Talisman.

Facing the oncoming fireball, Song Wen neither dodged nor evaded, striking out with a palm.

"Boom!"

The fireball was shattered into pieces, exploding in a shower of scattering sparks.

Immediately following that, Song Wen threw out a punch, blocking the attack of the corpse puppet.

Though obstructed by the corpse puppet, causing his speed to drop drastically, the move successfully bought precious time for Lao Chun. A bell artifact appeared in Lao Chun's hand, but just as he intended to channel his Magic Power into it, a sharp pain pierced the back of his head.

Within his perception, two tiny insects had appeared at the back of his skull at some unknown point, shattering the bone and boring straight into his brain.

In that split second, a realization flashed through his mind.

'So his relentless, unstoppable frontal assault was merely a feint to draw my attention... The sneak attack from behind was the true killing blow.'

Lao Chun cast a downward glance at his senior sister's corpse on the ground, then collapsed directly over Zi Yi's body, closing his eyes with a faint smile on his lips.

Unable to share a bed in life, they would at least share a grave in death!

Though his grand scheme had ultimately failed, he had at least died together with his senior sister.

......

Song Wen walked over to the two corpses and thoroughly stripped them of their belongings before smoothly devouring their essence blood and souls.

The fresh corpses of a Seventh Layer and a Sixth Layer Qi Condensation cultivator caused Song Wen's already abundant essence blood to become somewhat oversaturated.

Just as Song Wen finished clearing away the corpses of the senior sister and junior brother, he spotted Xuan Ye rushing over in a highly disheveled state.

"Fellow Daoist Guo, it is truly wonderful to run into you here."

Xuan Ye appeared to have depleted a significant amount of Magic Power, his face filled with relief as he spoke.

Song Wen could not help but feel a pang of surprise. This Xuan Ye was truly like an adhesive plaster, utterly impossible to shake off.

"Congratulations on escaping with your life, Fellow Daoist Xuan Ye. Thank you for leading the way earlier. We shall part ways here."

Xuan Ye froze for a brief instant before immediately realizing that Song Wen had grown wary of him and would not allow him to follow any further.

Xuan Ye nodded and said, "Then I wish you a smooth journey, Fellow Daoist. We shall meet again if fate permits."

Song Wen cupped his hands in a brief salute, turned around, and walked away, quickly vanishing into the pitch-black cavern.

After traveling for two miles, Song Wen came to a stop and released his Beetle Gu. After waiting for a moment to confirm that Xuan Ye was not trailing him, he resumed his journey.

Fifteen minutes later, Song Wen finally arrived at the mound of white bones where the Empty Cicada Wood grew.

The bone mound was located within a massive karst cave spanning roughly two to three mu. The cavern floor was blanketed in skeletal remains, and the bones at the very center piled up to a height of several dozen meters.

At the absolute peak of the bone mound grew two spiritual trees that resembled pure jade. One was a little over a foot tall, while the other was over three feet in height.

This was precisely the Empty Cicada Wood he had been searching for.

Song Wen did not rashly advance. Instead, he released his Beetle Gu to search the karst cave, yet they failed to discover anything unusual.

No anomalies was the greatest anomaly of all!

As the old lair of the Dwarf Ghost and the Green-faced Female Ghost, it was impossible for this place to be completely devoid of danger.

After searching one full round without finding any trace of the Dwarf Ghost, Song Wen decided not to delay any longer. He released his somewhat battered corpse puppet and directed it straight toward the three-foot-tall Empty Cicada Wood.

Meanwhile, Song Wen had already circulated his Blood Evasion Art and Blood Sacrifice Technique, preparing himself to face any crisis that might erupt at any moment.

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