"Master!" Chou's shrill scream reverberated throughout the clearing as he witnessed the horrific scene. He had managed to collect Ben Mo right before the earth beneath the mushroom got covered with pulsating, killing energy. He had immediately perched the Lingzhi Mushroom on one of the nearby trees surrounding the clearing, stationing him in a safer area.

Right as the Plant Spirit was about to return to Li Meirong's side, he heard her yelling, "Don't come back! I order you to stay where you are!"

Once given a binding command, a contracted spirit could do nothing more than follow the order. Li Meirong had very rarely ordered Chou around. Most of the time, she had been consulting with him and making polite requests. However, currently, his master issued a direct order, and Chou could do nothing more except to follow it, despite wishing to contradict it with every fibre of his being.

Chou stood paralyzed with terror. He witnessed as Liang Rou Yan directed another tremendous lightning attack on Li Meirong, pouring every ounce of her strength into it.

"Chou, no matter what happens, protect yourself and Ben Mo from harm, okay? You must find Snowball and go to Bao Li together. She will take care of you. I-If you see Zhu Qinguye," Li Meirong paused a moment and added in a trembling voice, "Nevermind. Perhaps, everything that was needed to be said, was already said." Her desolate whisper reached the Pitcher Plant's sensitive ears.

The speech made Chou's whole body shake. It sounded ominous. Final. It sounded like he would no longer be able to spend time with his silly Master. He would no longer be able to stay with Master.

Chou shook his head left and right, his leaf-like hair swished back and forth around his face in a physical attempt to refuse acknowledging Li Meirong's orders. He had only recently acquired a human form, and he didn't know how, exactly, this new body of his worked, but he began to feel mildly warm liquid pour down from his cheeks.

The liquid trailed down to the corner of his lip. It had a salty, bitter taste.

"Master, Chou refuses! Refuses, you hear? Master better come over here and do everything that needs to be done. Chou is just a plant. This plant can't live without Master anymore!"

Li Meirong raised her face and regarded Chou with a faint smile.

Simultaneously, Liang Rou Yan sent another blast of lightning. The fatal shot struck Li Meirong dead on.