Zhao Yingkong seized Zhao Ruikong by the throat. This time, Zhao Ruikong felt the danger keenly, struggling with all her might from the outset, trying desperately to wrench free of Zhao Yingkong’s grip. But the hand clamped around her neck felt like an iron vise, leaving her utterly immobilized. Zhao Yingkong then hauled her up and slammed her violently against a massive boulder.

With a deafening crash, Zhao Ruikong struck the stone dead center, the impact sending blood streaming from her head. Just as she tried to open her mouth to speak, she heard a piercing shriek from Zhao Yingkong, followed by an even greater force hurling her toward the ground.

Zhao Yingkong had truly gone mad. She kept letting out hideous, mournful cries, whipping Zhao Ruikong around as if she were a rag doll. Now infused with strength beyond imagining, every time she smashed Zhao Ruikong into the earth, a small crater formed. The path she carved was littered with splintered trees.

Rocks cracked under the blows. In mere seconds, she had obliterated everything within a ten-meter radius. Zhao Ruikong, held in her hands, was soaked in blood, appearing barely alive.

“Sister Yingkong…” Zhao Ruikong’s eyes cleared once more. She whimpered softly, “Sister Yingkong, are you trying to kill me? Please let me go. Sister Yingkong, I promise I won’t be naughty anymore, please let me go…” But Zhao Yingkong showed no change. She continued relentlessly hurling Zhao Ruikong to the ground, slamming her several more times before finally grabbing her and lunging in for a bite. Amidst Zhao Ruikong’s screams, Zhao Yingkong tore a large chunk of flesh from her shoulder. Then, gripping that shoulder, she yanked with tremendous force. With a sharp shhhhk,

Zhao Ruikong’s arm snapped off. She had brutally ripped the limb away.

Not far off, Zhao Zhuikong and the others watched with expressions of anguish. Zhao Zhuikong, especially, tried several times to intervene, but his lips only moved before he fell silent. Only after Zhao Yingkong had torn off Zhao Ruikong’s arm did he finally sigh, close his eyes, and wait for the inevitable result. Yet, after a few seconds of waiting with his eyes shut, the horrific scream he anticipated never came.

He quickly opened his eyes and looked over.

Zhao Yingkong held the remaining arm. Zhao Ruikong was now barely breathing. Compared to a Stage Four expert specializing in the physical body, her close-combat strength was clearly much weaker.

After sustaining such brutal attacks, her life hung by a thread. As Zhao Yingkong’s hand swooped down toward her skull, the little girl shrieked and squeezed her eyes shut. Several seconds later, she cautiously peeked open her eyes. Zhao Yingkong’s claw was suspended inches from her face, trembling uncontrollably, as if held fast by an invisible, immense power.

Zhao Yingkong’s claw shook violently; her eyes flickered between madness and perfect clarity. The color of the bloodshot veins in her eyes oscillated between deep crimson and pale red, betraying the violent internal struggle. She was torn between releasing the demon before her or fulfilling her terrible vow… Life? Or death? Was kindness found in sparing her, or in administering the final mercy of death? Zhao Ruikong stared fixedly at the hovering claw. Since Zhao Yingkong held her arm,

she couldn't even snap her fingers. Instead, she managed to bend a single finger and flick it sharply.

A crisp sound rang out, followed by a slow descent into silence.

Far away, Zhao Zhuikong visibly flinched. His eyes immediately glazed over with confusion. He pushed off the ground and rushed toward the pair with blurring speed.

“No, don’t, come here…” Zhao Yingkong’s eyes continued to shift color. She managed to utter those broken words. Though she spoke toward the rapidly approaching Zhao Zhuikong, her gaze remained locked on Zhao Ruikong, as if the slightest movement from the younger girl would provoke her to kill.

“Sister… you lost.”

Zhao Ruikong murmured, “Sister’s power is stronger than I imagined, but the spiritual bond is even stronger. Even in the Stage Four inner demon state, you could still recall yourself through that bond… But this bond only brings failure and death. I thought Sister was the most special soul apart from me and Brother, so innocent, so lovely. Who knew that even the core of this apple was rotten inside… You can’t bring yourself to kill me, can you? You can’t, right? When Brother reaches me… you will surely lose!” Zhao Yingkong seemed unresponsive, her face etched with intense internal conflict. The trembling in her claw intensified. She whispered softly, “Don’t come near, don’t come near…” as Zhao Zhuikong closed the distance between them.

“Don’t come near… Don’t kill little sister, I beg you. I promised everyone would live. I promised little sister would always smile happily. I don’t want to live alone in this world. Zhuikong, don’t kill little sister, or I will hate you forever…” The tremor in Zhao Yingkong’s claw grew wilder, and her whispered words tumbled out faster. To Zhao Ruikong’s surprise, these were not pleas for surrender or for Zhao Zhuikong to kill her, but urgent warnings for him not to approach. Suddenly, she looked toward Zhao Zhuikong, her fingers already bending to flick again. But at that moment, Zhao Zhuikong was right upon them, and his eyes, too, had regained clarity.

“Snap.”

Zhao Ruikong’s finger flicked out in that critical instant. A soft sound echoed.

Zhao Zhuikong froze instantly. He was still several steps away from Zhao Ruikong. Because of the rush, Zhao Ruikong had only managed to control his legs. Fortunately, at this distance, even with a dagger, he couldn't reach her. Throwing the dagger might lack the necessary power or accuracy, meaning she was unlikely to be instantly killed by Zhao Zhuikong now.

Zhao Ruikong finally found breath to speak: “Why? Why is Brother uncontrolled? I could clearly command your physical body. But why is your spirit beyond my control? Brother hasn't even reached the third stage…”

“Little sister.”

Zhao Zhuikong smiled. He abruptly shoved the dagger he held into the grip of Zhao Yingkong’s claw. His body leaned as far forward as possible, managing just barely to press Zhao Yingkong’s hand shut around the dagger he offered. Then, with a thud, having leaned too far, Zhao Zhuikong pitched forward onto the ground.

“Little sister… You said it yourself. My spirit is very similar to yours… If one day I became a person like you, I truly hope someone could end me as cleanly and decisively as I am doing now. My thoughts might change by then, but this is my truest wish right now…” Zhao Zhuikong smiled, reaching out one hand to grip Zhao Yingkong’s small foot. Zhao Yingkong remained rigid, one hand holding Zhao Ruikong’s arm, the other tightly gripping the dagger aimed at Zhao Ruikong’s head. As Zhao Zhuikong dragged her foot, pulling her forward, the dagger thrust straight toward Zhao Ruikong.

Though Zhao Yingkong struggled desperately to deflect the blow at the last microsecond, the distance was too short, and she was already caught between her own consciousness and the inner demon’s thrall. The dagger plunged into Zhao Ruikong’s neck.

It severed her trachea in two places and likely damaged her spinal column as well.

Zhao Yingkong erupted in sobs. Her eyes instantly cleared. She reached out to cover the punctured windpipe, but the dagger was buried to the hilt. Zhao Yingkong dared not pull it out, knowing the slightest removal would cause Zhao Ruikong to die instantly.

So she could only weep, trying futilely to staunch the flow, which only made the blood pour out faster. Zhao Ruikong’s already tragic face became even more bloodless and pale.

“Don’t die! I said we would all live together. We’ll find a way to solve the hidden dangers in our bodies, and then we’ll be happy together forever, playing, working, traveling! Wow, Ruikong, we promised to travel the world, we promised to grow up together… I don’t want to live alone, I don’t want to be lonely! Wah, Zhao Zhuikong! I hate you, I will hate you forever!” Zhao Yingkong cried out in a heart-wrenching wail while clutching the wound. Her voice, already hoarse, became even more agonizing.

Zhao Ruikong’s remaining arm suddenly moved with agonizing effort. But her hand did not snap a finger; instead, she gently caressed Zhao Yingkong’s cheek. The little girl’s mouth moved ceaselessly, but because her trachea was pierced, only blood streamed out, rendering her unable to speak a single word.

(Sister, don’t blame Brother. I told him before that there might be a demon dwelling at the bottom of my Sea of Consciousness. If that demon gets out, everyone I cherish might be killed by her. If that moment truly comes, just let me sleep peacefully… I will pray for Sister in my dreams, so please, Sister, don’t blame Brother; his deepest love has always been only for you…) (…Sister, you are too close, too close to the mid-Stage Four inner demon. I will absorb all your violent consciousness, and I will seal away your memories of me, as well as everyone’s memories of this incident. Sister… sob, I will miss you so much, I want to be with you forever…) Then, Zhao Ruikong smiled and snapped her final, defining finger. Everyone present, including the youths gathered at the perimeter, froze the moment they heard the click. They all stood stock-still, suspended in place… Leaping forward