With a creak, the door was pushed open, and then Zhou Zheng came out excitedly, planning to prepare the necessary items for the ritual.
At this moment, he happened to meet Zhao Ya standing not far away.
Zhao Ya looked at him with a calm expression.
A strange sense of panic inexplicably surfaced in Zhou Zheng’s heart, as if he were a thief caught in the act.
However, this feeling was fleeting, and even Zhou Zheng himself didn’t pay it much mind. He even nodded slightly at Zhao Ya before quickly leaving.
Watching his departing figure, Zhao Ya’s eyes narrowed gradually.
Interesting, no wonder his gaze seemed so peculiar earlier; it turns out he’s plotting against me.
At this moment, Shi Bolong maneuvered his wheelchair to Zhao Ya’s side and said gravely, "Sir, how do you plan to deal with him?"
"Deal with what?" Zhao Ya turned to Shi Bolong and asked coldly.
"Uh... this person actually wants to refine you into a clone. Shouldn’t...?"
"No need to complicate matters; let’s proceed as planned." Zhao Ya replied indifferently.
"Oh, alright then!" Shi Bolong felt a bit disappointed.
He had thought about letting Zhao Ya take action to remove Zhou Zheng.
As for whether he could actually do it...
That really wasn’t important at all.
After all, no matter who dies, it would be good news for Shi Bolong.
Of course, if both were to die, that would be even better.
Zhao Ya could also guess Shi Bolong’s thoughts, but didn’t bother with it.
Now, he and Shi Bolong were like grasshoppers tied on the same rope.
Due to the Black Ship’s authority, neither could do anything to the other.
However, relatively speaking, Shi Bolong hoped more for Zhao Ya’s death.
As for Zhao Ya, until he fully understood the Black Ship’s authority, he had no plans to kill Shi Bolong.
But this didn’t mean he would act as Shi Bolong’s free bodyguard.
If Shi Bolong got himself killed, Zhao Ya would be happy to see it.
He always felt that the Black Ship’s authority probably only prohibited their private fights, but if one died accidentally, would the authority then belong to the survivor?
This idea hadn’t been verified yet, but the possibility was high.
Soon, Zhou Zheng had prepared the necessary items and hurried back.
"Senior Brother, everything is ready. We can start now!"
"Alright, take me over!" Shi Bolong said.
"Yes!"
When Zhao Ya followed them into the room for the ritual, everything was already arranged.
A table was filled with numerous magical artifacts, and beside it was a large bed, on which lay a young man.
The young man was completely naked, in a deep sleep.
"Heh heh, Senior Brother, how do you find the quality of this clone?" Zhou Zheng asked with a chuckle.
Shi Bolong maneuvered the wheelchair around the bed twice, then nodded, "Hmm, not bad. You’ve even dispersed this person’s consciousness, which saves a lot of work!"
"Of course, to thoroughly shatter this guy’s consciousness without harming the body, I put in a lot of effort." Zhou Zheng said proudly.
Listening at the back, Zhao Ya’s eyes flashed with a cold light.
The so-called consciousness dispersal was actually a complete destruction of a person’s mental will. One could only imagine what the comatose young man had suffered.
"Hmm, since everything is ready, Junior Brother Zhou, please take off your outer clothes and lie on the bed." Shi Bolong said.
Zhou Zheng nodded but didn’t act immediately; instead, he lightly coughed.
Then a group of guards entered from outside, led by the old butler who had waited behind the pillar while Zhou Zheng took a bath.
"Senior Brother, it’s not that I don’t trust you, but the world here is rather chaotic. To ensure nothing goes wrong, I have these guards stand by. I hope you don’t mind!" Zhou Zheng said with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
"Of course not, it’s understandable, how could I mind?" Shi Bolong smiled.
In their hearts, both were as clear as mirrors.
Zhou Zheng feared Shi Bolong might tamper during the ritual, so he prepared backup measures in advance.
In response, Shi Bolong simply sneered inwardly.
What a fool, if I wanted to act, do you think these guards could stop me?
Zhou Zheng undressed and lay on another bed.
Then Shi Bolong had people bring out several soft threads, made from animal spines, from the altar and connected Zhou Zheng and the young man.
"Junior Brother Zhou, soon you will need to focus and enter meditation. Follow my instructions; don’t resist, or the ritual might fail!"
"Understood!" Zhou Zheng said confidently.
Then Shi Bolong began the ritual.
Despite his limited mobility, he moved swiftly thanks to the wheelchair.
Soon, with his only usable hand, he inscribed strange symbols on the bodies of the comatose young man and Zhou Zheng.
The ritual proceeded step by step.
Zhao Ya observed coldly from a distance, feeling unruffled and somewhat bored.
Because he could sense that most of the so-called ritual was just Shi Bolong putting on a show.
The steps that actually mattered were few.
Finally, after waiting patiently for a long time, the lengthy ritual neared its end.
With a shout, Shi Bolong bellowed, "Junior Brother Zhou, listen to my command: Divine Separation!"
With a sudden wave of his hand, several talisman papers ignited without fire, then the young man on the bed trembled intensely and slowly opened his eyes.
Shi Bolong gasped, drenched in sweat, yet he didn’t pause; he immediately drove his wheelchair to the bed, staring into the young man’s eyes.
"Quick, check if there’s anything wrong with your body!"
The confusion in the young man’s eyes gradually faded, replaced by boundless curiosity.
He lowered his head to inspect his body, pinched his face, and then a look of ecstatic joy emerged.
"So this is what it feels like to control a clone? It’s marvelous, almost like my own body!"
Shi Bolong laughed heartily, "Of course, this is Wuyou Longevity Palace’s signature Secret Technique; it’s not child’s play!"
Zhou Zheng flipped off the bed energetically, and said, "Thanks for the generous help, Senior Brother Shi. I owe you this favor; the batch of Martial Artists will be sent to the ship along with the provisions."
"No need to rush; I have a few instructions for you."
"Feel free to speak, Senior Brother."
"Your main body is of utmost importance; you must place it safely, otherwise, in controlling the clone, it might get harmed by external forces." Shi Bolong advised sternly.