The heart was the foundation of the flesh, the root of one's strength.
Once the heart was shattered, a person naturally couldn't survive—not even a Wén Realm martial artist.
"Heh... heh..."
"Heh... heh..."
Bai Chen slowly lowered his head and looked at his chest.
There was a massive wound straight through it.
At its center, his heart had stopped beating. It was dry, without a trace of moisture, as if it had been baked dry for years.
"I-I-I... I'm not willing to die!"
Thump!
His body could no longer keep its balance and toppled forward.
As death approached, boundless regret welled up in his heart.
He had never expected that a simple test would end with him trying to steal a chicken only to lose the rice he'd used to lure it. He had failed to ambush Jiang Yan and lost his own life instead.
"Bai Chen?!"
The change was quickly noticed by several other members of the Divine Might Army. Their expressions shifted, and sorrow filled their eyes.
They could clearly sense Bai Chen's life force rapidly draining away, like floodwaters bursting through a dam. It was already beyond saving.
"How could this happen?"
The Divine Might Army was the Wuliang Sword Sect's elite. Everyone chosen for it was a gifted disciple of the sect.
Though they were rivals in some ways, they were fellow disciples, and they shared deep bonds.
Now, seeing Bai Chen die in this underground river, every one of them was stricken with grief. They refused to believe it was real.
"Why didn't you take the blow for Bai Chen?"
"He's dead. Why are you still alive?"
One of the Divine Might Army members came to his senses, his gaze like a blade as it bore into Jiang Yan.
He gripped the hilt, yanked out