"Rong Bo, don't believe her. If you help her, she won't let you go either," Fan Min said.
Rong Bo looked at Fan Min and said, "If I don't believe her, should I believe my martial uncle? If it weren't for you, we would still be cultivating peacefully at Daoan Temple with our master."
"Rong Bo, your master is still in my hands," Fan Min said angrily.
"My junior martial brothers and sisters are in her hands, and I find it hard to make a choice. But if master were here, he would definitely tell me to choose my junior martial brothers and sisters, because in master's heart, we are always more important than himself. Master is that kind of person, willing to sacrifice himself to fulfill others." Da Feng Xiao Shuo Wang
Rong Bo choked up as he spoke. He looked at Xue Zi Ning and said, "Moreover, I've heard master praise the Empress. He admires the Empress very much. I know master would approve of my choice."
"You beast, you don't care about your master."
"Martial uncle, you have done enough wrong things, stop now!" Rong Bo said.
"Since you will not be of use to me, then die!" Fan Min waved his hand, and a gust of icy wind shot towards Rong Bo.
Rong Bo blocked with both hands, but the force was too great, pushing him backward.
Suddenly, a warm and powerful force entered his body, allowing him to block Fan Min's attack and dissipate the palm strike.
He looked back at the person behind him and realized it was Xue Zi Ning.
"You..."
"I said the people of Huang Ze are all my subjects. If I have the ability, I will protect them completely, and you are included."
Upon hearing this, Rong Bo suddenly lifted his robe and knelt on the ground. "This commoner is willing to devote himself to Your Majesty until death."
A pair of hands helped him up. "Get up!"
Rong Bo rose, and Xue Zi Ning looked at Fan Min and said, "Fan Min, stop!"
Fan Min sneered, "Do you think a few of you can defeat me? Ridiculous..."
"Form the array," Xue Zi Ning said coldly.
Feng Jiu nodded and made a series of quick hand gestures, releasing a faint white light. Xue Zi Ning did the same, and Rong Bo, after watching twice, also learned it.
Three beams of white light surrounded the area. Xue Zi Ning leaped into the air, pushed the white light forward, and shouted, "Go."
The white light shot towards Fan Min.
Fan Min tried to resist, but the white light entered his body and slammed him hard against the wall.
Fan Min, caught off guard, spat out a mouthful of blood, his expression astonished. "This... this is..."
"Soul Striking Technique," Xue Zi Ning said.
"You... how do you have Miao Jiang sorcery?" Fan Min asked incredulously.
"Elder Yu gave it to me," Xue Zi Ning replied.
Fan Min sneered, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. "Do you think this sorcery can be used casually? Did they not tell you?"
"What?" Xue Zi Ning frowned.
Fan Min glanced at her, his eyes full of mockery. "Every use consumes one's own soul."
Xue Zi Ning froze.
"Don't you feel the pain deep within your soul?"
Xue Zi Ning trembled.
Her heart still ached. Was it her soul in pain?
"Your Majesty, be careful..." Feng Jiu's voice suddenly rang out.
Xue Zi Ning looked up and saw Fan Min suddenly strike at her.
She dodged.
She unleashed a palm strike, and this time Fan Min was sent flying back.
Fan Min suddenly slammed his hand heavily onto the ground, causing the earth to shake.
Xue Zi Ning almost fell. Feng Jiu quickly supported her. She saw Fan Min, carrying Xue Chang'an's soul and her corpse, disappear into a door that suddenly appeared behind him.
She pushed Feng Jiu away and rushed towards the door, but it had already closed by the time she got close.
"Your Majesty, let's go. We can't hold out here for long," Feng Jiu shouted from behind her.
Xue Zi Ning turned and said, "Let's go..."
They left the secret chamber, hearing rumbling sounds from within. The secret chamber must have collapsed.
Just then, there were many footsteps outside. Xue Zi Ning and Feng Jiu exchanged a look. Feng Jiu whispered, "I'll go check."
Feng Jiu walked out, and Xue Zi Ning approached Rong Bo, asking, "Can you walk?"
Rong Bo nodded, "Yes."
Xue Zi Ning said, "We'll need to fight our way out later."
Rong Bo said, "Don't worry about me. I can hold on."
He hadn't seen his junior martial brothers and sisters yet; he wouldn't fall.
"Then let's go," Xue Zi Ning said as she walked out.
She saw Feng Jiu's back. Feng Jiu heard her footsteps and said, "Your Majesty, we have a tough battle ahead."
Xue Zi Ning looked up and saw many imperial guards in front of them.
And the person in front of the imperial guards was someone she knew very well.
That person waved his hand. "A Ning, long time no see!"
"Indeed, it has been a long time, Nan Gong Yue," Xue Zi Ning said word by word.
Nan Gong Yue clicked his tongue. "Saying it's been a long time is a bit of an exaggeration. After all, we met in Zhaoping. No, it was another version of you who met me."
"No matter who met you, Nan Gong Yue, you are my enemy."
"A Ning, don't speak so harshly. Haven't you been opposing me at every turn? I merely wanted to obtain the Shen family, and you not only refused to help me but also ruined my plans. A Ning, you really shouldn't have."
"Nan Gong Yue, those who do too many wrong things will perish on their own. Stop now!"
Nan Gong Yue sneered, his eyes full of mockery. "Xue Zi Ning, you advise me to stop, but why don't you stop yourself? If you stop, I will ask His Majesty to spare your life, and these many people won't have to die with you."
"What do you mean?" Xue Zi Ning asked. Knowing Nan Gong Yue, she wouldn't say such things without reason.
Nan Gong Yue chuckled softly. "I won't tell you. My mission today is to capture you alive. Of course..." he changed his tone, his eyes gaining a hint of coldness, "if I can't capture you, I will kill you."
"Your Majesty, fall back!" Feng Jiu took a battle-ready stance.
"If we go, we go together!" Xue Zi Ning walked to Feng Jiu's side.
Feng Jiu was stunned. Xue Zi Ning said, "Princess Hui Min is still waiting for your safe return."
Feng Jiu trembled. "Your Majesty, your subordinate..."
"Don't say anything unnecessary. Our ability to get out of here is the most important thing right now."
"Advance, capture Xue Zi Ning alive. If you can't, kill her on the spot," Nan Gong Yue commanded coldly.
Xue Zi Ning took out the soft whip from her waist and went straight for Nan Gong Yue.
Nan Gong Yue seemed prepared and retreated into the crowd, preventing her from reaching him.
The imperial guards grew in number, and more and more fell behind them.
Fighting like this wouldn't solve anything, Xue Zi Ning thought.
Eventually, she would be exhausted. She retreated and said, "Feng Jiu, protect me."
Feng Jiu dealt with the people around him and came before Xue Zi Ning. "Your Majesty, what do you intend to do?"
"Don't let them get close. I'll set up a formation," Xue Zi Ning said.
Feng Jiu was startled. "Can you do it alone?"
"Yes," Xue Zi Ning replied.
Feng Jiu asked no further questions. If His Majesty said yes, then it was yes. His only job was to protect His Majesty.
Xue Zi Ning sat down on the ground and closed her eyes. "An Ning, are you there?"