Bao Dating's sudden, unusual action left Chen Changan stunned.
However, Chen Changan didn't stop what he was doing.
"Fine. I'll grant your wish!"
Chen Changan didn't waste words or hesitate. He simply swung his sword.
With that single stroke, Bao Dating's body instantly turned to dust.
Unlike Nian Junxin, Bao Dating's soul showed no sign of anything unusual. It was entirely his own.
In other words, Bao Dating had never been body-seized. He had always been himself.
However, Bao Dating's soul was also extremely weak. Though not as bad as Nian Junxin's, it was still damaged.
At that moment, Bao Dating's soul wore an expression of utter relief, as if he had been freed from some burden.
"Finally, I can be myself again."
"Even though I don't have much time left."
"Chen Changan, I never wanted to be your enemy."
"But I... had no choice."
Bao Dating's soul took a deep breath, as if he wanted to breathe in the free air.
"Why didn't you have a choice?"
"What happened to you?" Chen Changan asked, frowning.
"I don't know. I can't even remember when it started. At some point, I could no longer freely control my own body."
"There was always one message echoing in my soul: kill Chen Changan."
"Strange as it sounds, I could feel that neither my body nor my soul had been invaded in any way."
"But that mysterious power simply grew inside me, as naturally as if it had always been there."
"It controlled me. Under its influence, Nian Junxin and I became allies."
"All I could do was watch as that power used my body to do things that went against my will."
"Still, sometimes I could regain control of my body."
"Your earlier question about the Nine Profound Token—that was something I instructed