"Ah!" With his body drenched in blood, Wang Weizhen, his eyes red, clamped down on the Drought Demon's neck, crudely shoving a copper coin into its mouth with his other hand. But in the very next instant, that arm was severed from his body, slowly arcing into the air...

Pfft...

A spray of blood erupted from his mouth, and Wang Weizhen threw back his head and laughed.

Pfft...

The Drought Demon’s twin hands ripped straight through his torso, and what splattered out were fragments of internal organs, while the livid, purplish intestines were already strewn across the floor.

Yet, Wang Weizhen clung to the Drought Demon with the last vestiges of his strength, refusing to let go.

"Quick! Stab it!" Wang Weizhen pointed at his own sternum and roared.

"You... why must you go to such lengths!" Celestial Master Zhang Enpu gripped his sword, struggling to steady his hand.

"Quick!... If you don't stab... it will be... too late..." Wang Weizhen groaned, fighting through the agonizing pain of his body being rent apart.

"Alright!" Zhang Enpu gritted his teeth, his aged eyes filled with tears. "Mr. Wang's merits are boundless; I, Zhang Enpu, will certainly remember this for all my days."

With that, the Celestial Master Sword darted swiftly toward the spot Wang Weizhen indicated.

After a dull thud, the sword tip pierced through Wang Weizhen’s body without resistance, leaving an identical cavity in the Drought Demon behind him.

Once the Corpse Qi leaked out through the wound, the Drought Demon would no longer be impervious to blades and spears—this was its fatal weakness. Zhang Enpu flicked his longsword, and the blade, carrying an infinite measure of hatred, sliced the Drought Demon's head clean off.

With a heavy thump, the creature’s body finally collapsed onto the ground, utterly inert.

Zhang Enpu gasped for air, quickly affixing an amulet to the Drought Demon's corpse. He then shouted toward the people huddled fearfully outside the doorway, "Carry this out and make sure it is burned to ash!"

"As for those bitten by the Drought Demon, apply a poultice of aged glutinous rice mixed with serpent venom externally, and administer three liang of realgar wine internally. They will be fully recovered in three days."

The people outside repeatedly assented, and they carried the Drought Demon away. Zhang Enpu shook his head, squatted down, took Wang Weizhen's hand, and sighed, "Why did you have to do this?"

"Heh heh, you wouldn't understand..." Wang Weizhen spat two mouthfuls of blood; everyone knew that there was no hope of saving him now.

"Alas!" Zhang Enpu squeezed his hand tightly.

"Old Wang, Old Wang..." Young Master Liu shook his arm, his voice choked with tears.

"Young Master, can you promise me one thing?" Wang Weizhen forced himself to draw breath but didn't swallow, clearly having an unfinished desire.

"Don't you die on me! I won't call you 'Old Liar' anymore, and I’ll even find you a wife..." Young Master Liu pleaded.

"After I die... bury... me next to... your Granny Fan..." Before the last word was fully out, Wang Weizhen’s eyes rolled back, and he let go of life.

Young Master Liu understood what he meant: he wanted to be buried beside Granny Fan after death, to talk and perhaps make amends for his failures during life.

In truth, even if Wang Weizhen hadn't said it, he would have done it anyway.

The hand of Immortal Wang felt ice-cold, much like the heart of Young Master Liu.

"Young Master, please restrain your grief! We still have matters to attend to," Zhang Enpu said, placing a hand on his shoulder from behind.

"Isn't it all over now?"

"Heh heh," Zhang Enpu shook his head. "This is not an ending; it is merely a beginning!"

"What do you mean?" Young Master Liu looked up in shock.

Zhang Enpu waved his hand. "Tell the villagers to carry Mr. Wang's body out! Come, let's go to the courtyard, and I'll explain everything."

In the courtyard, several villagers were tidying the scattered mess. Bai Er Laizi and Hei Shan lay on stretchers while others tended to their bandaging. Village Head Tian and Village Head Zhao were chatting over their dry pipes. Seeing Zhang Enpu emerge, they immediately stood up, their gratitude radiating palpably.

Zhang Enpu exchanged a few polite words with them but said nothing further, only instructing them to give the half-immortal Wang a proper, hasty burial before proceeding.