The next morning, sunlight filtered through the Tree of Life's branches and leaves, casting dappled patches of light across the courtyard outside the Worship Hall.
Morning dew still clung to the Tree of Life's tender leaves, refracting tiny glimmers of light. A faint breath of vitality filled the air, yet it could not dispel the heavy tension hanging over the courtyard.
Golden Crocodile strode across the bluestone paving to the stone table, raised his foot, and nudged the figure curled up on a stone stool. His voice carried impatience:
"Stop playing dead. Our eldest brother has questions for you."
The King of Slaughter, bound tightly to the stone stool by pale golden chains of soul power, abruptly opened his eyes. His scarlet pupils brimmed with wariness and venom—the one controlling this body now was the Blood-Red Nine-Headed Bat King, who had broken free of the suppression of the Asura God's Divine Sense.
He struggled to rise, but the sacred runes flowing along the soul power chains instantly flared with a faint light, utterly scattering the wisp of soul power he had just gathered. He could not even move his fingertips.
Seeing Qian Daoliu seated at the stone table nearby, with Golden Crocodile, Jiang Mo, Guang Ling, and the others standing around him, the Bat King's throat bobbed. Still, he forced his chin up and issued an arrogant threat:
"Qian Daoliu... what are you trying to do? I'm a trusted subordinate of Lord Asura God! Lay a finger on me, and you make an enemy of the Asura God. Sooner or later, divine punishment will crush you!"
"The Asura God?"
Holding his freshly brewed Tree of Life tea, Qian Daoliu finally raised his eyes. His voice was calm, yet edged with bone-chilling mockery as his fingertips lightly stroked the rim of