The light at the fingertips of Wen Ning's raised hand grew brighter and brighter, as though he had drawn a strand of pure, burning thread from within his body.
But he did not act immediately.
He stared at Golden Toad, then suddenly chuckled, sounding as though he had seen through the trick.
"But before I lay them to rest, there's something I need to tell you."
Golden Toad's yellow eyes contracted, as if he had sensed something. For the first time, his laughter grew stiff and unnatural.
"Y-you can stop your hocus-pocus!"
Wen Ning ignored him and spoke slowly.
"You've been saying all this time that as long as greed exists, you can never die. But have you noticed that the well beneath you is running dry?"
Golden Toad jerked his head down.
Something was indeed wrong with the well.
Earlier, its churning black water had nearly overflowed the rim. Now, fine cracks had spread through the dry ground around it. The black water that had reached everyone's feet had somehow retreated inside the well, and its level was falling visibly.
Golden Toad froze for a moment, then shrieked.
"Impossible! The water in this well is made from their desires! As long as even one person in this village harbors greed, it will never run dry!"
"Well said."
Wen Ning cut him off and hurled the Phoenix-Wing Gilt Trident in his right hand into the sky.
After leaving his hand, the trident hovered in midair. The red light along its shaft blazed wildly, as though it had set the entire night sky alight.
The clouds glowed like fire, and fierce winds swept outward from the well.
"But you forgot something. You've tormented this village for so long—did you really think no one ever fought back? Old Wang Laoshuan did, and