"Xue Feng, you are truly slow, appearing so late." Xue Song said with a sarcastic tone.
Xue Feng sneered upon hearing this, "So, you mean I should have waited until your head rolled off before showing up?"
"You... Xue Feng, you are truly ruthless." Xue Song clicked his tongue in displeasure.
Xue Feng didn't reply. He quickly untied Xue Song, then cut the ropes binding Feng Wu.
"Thank you," Feng Wu said.
"There will be a fierce battle ahead," Xue Feng said, looking at the approaching imperial soldiers from all directions.
Feng Wu stood up, brushed the dust off her clothes, and curved her lips into a smile, "Only their blood can calm my current mood."
He slowly walked forward, approaching the only maiden who could elicit a smile from him. He leaned down and said, "Your Majesty, Feng Wu requests to join the fray!"
He saw the maiden turn, her expression radiating a chilling killing intent, her eyes clear and cold, "Granted."
"Should I bring back any alive?" he asked, looking up.
The maiden's lips parted slightly, "Only if you stay alive."
Feng Wu smirked, his smile as wicked and beautiful as a flower from hell.
"Feng Wu obeys!"
He stood straight, his closed eyes suddenly snapping open. His previously clear gaze turned murky, gradually becoming stained with blood red.
He was like a lightning bolt that struck into the approaching crowd, leaving only flying blood in his wake.
Xue Song watched the scene before him with astonishment, utterly dumbfounded.
Xue Feng, however, remained more composed, only managing to utter, "Feng Yin emerges, rivers of blood flow; it is truly as its reputation claims."
"We can't lag behind that madman," Xue Song rolled up his sleeves and charged in.
Xue Feng smiled, watching the pile of slain bodies grow, and let out a long sigh, "Here they come."
These people seemed endless, a new wave appearing as soon as one was dispatched.
"How can we not kill them all?" Xue Song asked, looking up from the corpses at the new wave of attackers, a wry smile on his face.
Xue Zi Ning's hand, holding her sword, trembled slightly. She knew it wasn't just her who was tired; Xue Yan and the others would also be gradually worn down until they were powerless to resist.
She looked up, her gaze falling upon the young man in the vermilion brocade robe on the city wall.
His face was too familiar; no matter how many years passed, she would never forget it.
The young man also saw her, his gaze colder than ever before.
He leaped into the air, heading towards the city wall.
Suddenly, many archers appeared behind the man. Xue Zi Ning cried out in dismay. The young man waved his hand, and arrows rained down like a torrential downpour.
"Be careful!" Xue Zi Ning shouted.
Xue Yan and the others, who were fighting, saw the sudden barrage of arrows and scattered to dodge. However, there were too many, and soon everyone was grazed by arrows to varying degrees.
"Xue Jing Yuan, ambushing us like this, what kind of hero are you?" Xue Song cursed in anger.
Xue Jing Yuan looked at Xue Song and said calmly, "Deception is a part of warfare."
"Be careful." Xue Yan killed someone who had taken the opportunity to attack Xue Song with a single slash.
Xue Song retracted his gaze, for the first time shedding his nonchalant demeanor, and said, "If we continue like this, we'll be killed by exhaustion, not to mention the hail of arrows from the sky."
Xue Yan frowned at this, "Are you scared?"
Xue Song shook his head, "Not scared, it's just..." His gaze shifted to the maiden in mid-air, who was single-handedly blocking the arrow rain.
Xue Yan slightly faltered, the hand gripping her sword trembling, "I'll go help Your Majesty."
Saying that, she leaped into the air and went to Xue Zi Ning's side, "Your Majesty, leave this to me. To catch the thieves, you must first catch their leader."
Xue Zi Ning glanced at Xue Yan and whispered, "Be careful."
Landing on the ground would only be a burden to Xue Yan.
"You all hold on," she left that sentence and then disappeared into the crowd.
Seeing that no one was pursuing her, Xue Zi Ning circled around to the back of the city wall, only to discover that this area was also heavily guarded.
Trying to sneak in was a pipe dream.
Suddenly, someone patted her shoulder. She turned around and saw a figure flash past.
She thought for a moment and decided to follow. She pursued until she reached a secluded corner, where the person ahead finally stopped.
The person slowly turned around, and Xue Zi Ning was startled. This person was none other than Xue Li.
"It's you..."
Xue Li nodded and said, "It is. The Empress wishes to see you."
Xue Zi Ning blinked, then her gaze turned cold, "She wants to see me? I don't want to."
Xue Li seemed to have anticipated her response and said in a low voice, "It concerns the Crown Prince."
Xue Zi Ning's gaze flickered, "The Crown Prince?"
Xue Li nodded, "The Empress is waiting not far from here. Whether you choose to see her is up to you..."
"I'll see her," Xue Zi Ning said.
"Please follow me." Xue Li led the way.
Xue Zi Ning felt a little puzzled. What was the Empress planning?
Xue Li led her to a very dilapidated temple. Upon entering, they saw a woman dressed as a commoner kneeling inside.
Hearing footsteps, the woman turned her head. It was indeed the Empress.
"You've come." The woman beside the Empress helped her up.
Xue Zi Ning narrowed her eyes and said, "May I ask why the Empress has summoned me?"
The Empress smiled upon seeing her, "You must be resenting me in your heart, aren't you?"
Xue Zi Ning's gaze paused, "If you have something to say, please say it. If not, I have other matters to attend to."
The Empress's gaze paused for a moment, and then the woman beside her spoke, "How can you speak to the Empress like that? The Empress has come at great risk."
Xue Zi Ning looked at the woman speaking. It was Xue Lan, who had always disliked her in the past.
"My people are also risking their lives outside, waiting for me to return and save them," Xue Zi Ning said coldly.
The Empress looked at her, her eyes filled with an emotion that Xue Zi Ning couldn't comprehend, "Is my son's body still preserved?"
Xue Zi Ning didn't understand why the Empress would ask this, but she nodded nonetheless, "Yes, I placed his body in Poison King Valley. It can be preserved for a year. If no solution is found after a year, I'm afraid..."
Her words suddenly stopped. She never thought about, nor dared to think about, what would happen after a year.
The Empress nodded and walked up to her, saying, "The Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart is actually a pair. My son only has one half, and the whereabouts of the other half are unknown. If the two halves can be combined into one Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, it can revive the dead."
Xue Zi Ning's body trembled. She looked up and asked, "Can it truly bring people back to life?"
The Empress neither nodded nor shook her head, "I do not know. However, a wandering monk told me long ago that my son's heart is only half complete. The other half must be found, or he will only live a few more years."
Xue Zi Ning thought of the gem that emitted a colorful glow. She knew that whether it was true or not, she had to try.
"Thank you." For her, who was lost and bewildered, this was good news.
The Empress walked to her side and looked at her, saying calmly, "By holding me hostage, you and your people can escape."