Zhao Zizhao embraced Lin Xihes body. He could still feel lingering traces of her body heat.

Eyes completely bloodshot, he stared intently at Jiangchen, his gaze so intense, he seemed to have crawled directly out of hell. His killing intent was so terrifying, it startled even Jiangchen.

After a brief, stunned pause, Jiangchen narrowed his eyes at Zhao Zizhao and snorted, "Brat, are you trying to provoke me?"

His heart burned with fury. How dare such an ant-like existence threaten him? However, Zhao Zizhao worked for Gu Li, and Gu Li possessed the Beast God Soul Crystal.

Yinggou's soul might very well have already dissipated. In that case, it was even more important that he didn't let the Beast God Soul Crystal slip through his fingers. He forcibly suppressed his inner fury and glowered at Zhao Zizhao as if hoping to scare the sense back into him.

However, this sort of intimidation was no longer effective against Zhao Zizhao.

Lin Xihe was dead.

He cast his lot with the demons and colluded with Gu Li. All of this was for the sake of his grand ambitions. However, he truly loved Lin Xihe. That part hadn't been fake.

He might say Lin Xihe was just a chess piece to him, but..

He truly did love her.

He'd told them to spare Lin Xihe's life before the fighting started. So long as she was safe, he could hide like a turtle in its shell until he felt capable of taking charge of the situation.

But now that Lin Xihe was dead, his grand ambitions vanished without a trace.

"Didn't I tell you to spare her?"

Zhao Zizhao's bloodshot eyes were utterly fearless. He glared directly at Jiangchen. As he spoke, his voice grew increasingly hoarse.

"What was it you said? If I recall.....' it's a trifle, no trouble at all.'

"That's right, I agreed to spare. However, she brazenly provoked me and even injured me. What....I'm not even allowed to defend myself?"

Jiangchen's tone was extremely chilly; he hated it when others spoke to him like that.

"She injured you? So what if she injured you?" Contempt flashed through Zhao Zizhao's eyes. There was a flash of light. Instantly, a streak of red appeared on Jiangchen's face.

"Now I've injured you too."

"You......"

Sensing the pain in his face, Jiangchen instantly knit is brows. He reached out, seemingly on the verge of lashing out and killing Zhao Zizhao. At the last minute, though, he managed to restrain his temper.

"Brother Zhao, I was too angry to restrain myself. You ought to understand the depths of my relationship with Yinggou. He died saving us; my emotions were in turmoil, so I slipped up and killed her accidentally."

Contempt.

Zhao Zichen glowered at him contemptuously, then sneered. "I 'ought to understand the depths of your relationship with Yinggou?' He died, and your 'emotions were in turmoil?' You 'slipped up and killed her accidentally?' Really? Then you ought to understand my relationship with Xihe as well?"

"But earlier, that woman clearly said....."

"Is that any of your business?" interrupted Zhao Zizhao. "Even if she'd said she wanted to kill me herself, what does that have to do with you? I told you to spare her. Now you're telling me...... you 'slipped up?'"

Judging his demeanor, Zhao Zizhao had already lost all rationality. Jiangchen decided not to waste his energy arguing with him.

"How can I make up to you?"

Zhao Zizhao blurted out, "I want your life." He cocked his head into the side. It seemed he had nothing left to live for.

"I don't need anything else. All I want is your life."

Polite words and persuasion seemed ineffective, so Jiangchen simply set manners aside and snorted, "Zhao Zizhao, don't go overboard. If not for my respect for Gu Li, would someone like you even have the right to talk to me?"

"Don't get arrogant," he continued. "Do you really think you can control the blood zombies just because you have that command medallion? Don't forget; we are the main bodies, the source. What are you in comparison?

Still seated, Zhao Zizhao laughed calmly. "Haha......Ziming......."

Before long, Zhao Zizhao dashed over, jade slip in hand.

"Pass me the command medallion."

The command medallion.

Jiangchen's pupils constricted. Even so, he didn't dare forcibly seize it. Who knew? Gu Li might very well be watching them. If they displeased him even a little.....

Jiangchen didn't move, but to his surprise, Zhao Ziming didn't return the medallion.

"Older brother, this isn't what we discussed."

"The command medallion. Give it to me!" Zhao Zizhao shouted menacingly. However, Zhao Ziming still refused to give it to him.

"Oh? Seems you don't want to give it back, Little Brother!" Zhao Zizhao placed particular emphasis on the words "little brother."

However, Zhao Ziming seemed not to take the hint. "Elder Brother, Gu Li gave you the command medallion, but that wasn't so you could just do whatever you wanted with it. It's best I hold onto it for now. Furthermore, it's dangerous here. Elder Brother, you'd better hurry back. I'll have someone make arrangements for Sister-in-law's funeral."

Off to the side, Jiangchen said, "Zhao Ziming, you really do understand the bigger picture."

"You really are my good little brother, always thinking on my behalf," Zhao Zizhao smiled coolly, then narrowed his eyes and snorted. "But, dear Little Brother, did you forget? Everything you know, you learned from me."

With that, Zhao Zizhao pulled a command amulet from his pockets. It was completely identical to Zhao Ziming's.

Seeing this, Zhao Ziming instantly froze. "You didn't trust me from the start."

"It's not that I don't trust you, but it always pays to be cautious, don't you think? Who knows when my dear little brother might decide to stab me in the back?"

Thump! Thump! Thump!

In an instant, the blood zombies currently fighting the forces of the Three Realms all turned away and rushed towards Jiangchen and the Zhao brothers. As the tens of thousands of blood zombies took action at the same time, their footsteps shook the very earth itself.

"Do you really dare?"

Jiangchen's pupils constricted. He inwardly attempted to reach out to the blood zombie horde, only to discover that their connection had already completely vanished.

His gaze instantly fell on the command medallion.

"You can sense it, can't you?" sneered Zhao Zizhao. "It's a command medallion. Naturally, only the person holding it can command the blood zombies. Who cares if you're the main body?."

Earlier, Jiangchen might not have concerned himself with the Blood Zombies. However, he was gravely injured after his fight with Hua Hai and couldn't move properly. Furthermore, he'd sent Hanba and Houqing to search for Yinggou's soul.

If the blood zombie horde truly attacked, he was doomed.

"Give me the medallion."

He didn't hesitate. At a time like this, he didn't care about Gu Li. All he wanted was to retrieve the command medallion.

However, Zhao Zizhao predicted his reaction. The instant Jiangchen made his move, Zhao Zizhao slammed the medallion into the earth, shattering it to bits."

"You want the command medallion? Forget it. Don't struggle. Just sit tight and wait to accompany Xihe to the grave. That goes for you too, my dear little brother!"