12dz Chapter 1226 - 464: Empress: I’m Not So Easily Fooled Anymore! Daoist Venerable’s Duo Invite!
Chapter 1226 - 464: Empress: I’m Not So Easily Fooled Anymore! Daoist Venerable’s Duo Invite!
Seeing Yu Youhan suddenly awake, Ji Hongxiu was caught off guard and froze in place.
"Cough, cough."
It wasn’t until Huo Wuya beside her coughed that she reacted, quickly let go, her gaze drifting, "Don’t misunderstand, I just saw some dust on your face and wanted to wipe it off for you..."
"Ha, do you believe what you’re saying?"
Yu Youhan glanced at her and sneered, "Just now might have been your only chance in this life to severely injure me, but you didn’t cherish it... If you had the courage to act, I might see you in a different light, but you only dared to vent your anger this way..."
"Ji Hongxiu, how old are you? Are you childish?"
"..."
Ji Hongxiu clenched her teeth, her cheeks flushed red.
Seeing the two about to start arguing again, Huo Wuya hurriedly intervened, clearing his throat, "Both of you, calm down. The matter at hand is more important. Her Majesty the Consort, what is the situation in the Secret Realm? Have Chen and the others escaped danger?"
Regarding this matter, Yu Youhan composed herself, "It’s a long story, you might as well ask them yourself when they come out."
Just as she finished speaking, the black hole rippled and then shook violently, brilliant light erupted, accompanied by an indescribable overwhelming pressure.
"This aura is..."
Huo Wuya and Ji Hongxiu exchanged glances, a bit surprised.
Was it an illusion? They seemed to sense a hint of Tao Origin, and the feeling was eerily familiar...
"Form the array!"
The Commander guarding the lakeside shouted loudly.
The armored soldiers formed ranks with a clatter, weapons drawn, blades gleaming with a cold light, an aura of killing intent spreading.
Just as Ji Hongxiu initially suspected, they weren’t preventing outsiders from entering but guarding against those inside trying to escape!
The corner of the black palanquin’s curtain lifted, a pair of deep eyes gazing towards the World Gate, seemingly waiting for something.
Three breaths later, several figures flew out.
Leading them was Chen Mo, with Zhu Huai, Jiang Zhiyun, and others following behind.
Seeing this, Wei Xuan’s eyes flashed with a complex expression, appearing somewhat helpless, yet also somewhat relieved and appreciative.
He then lowered the curtain, speaking faintly, "Let’s go."
"Go?" The black-clad girl hesitated, "Sir, we made such a fanfare coming here, are we just going back like this? Besides, didn’t you say we were ordered to escort a treasure back to the capital?"
"The treasure perished before it was born; there’s no need to waste any more time." Wei Xuan tapped rhythmically on the window sill, muttering softly, "Unexpectedly, that bird could really surpass the Blood Decree Stele..."
Though the black-clad girl was puzzled, she asked no more, raising her hand to shoot a Sound Arrow.
Seeing this, the Mystic Armor Guard Commander issued another order: "Withdraw!"
"Yes!"
The soldiers sheathed their weapons and boarded the palanquin.
With the black palanquin, they soared into the sky, speeding towards Central State.
...
...
Everyone subsequently flew out from the World Gate.
Warm sunlight bathed them, making them feel as if lifetimes had passed.
Chen Mo watched the army depart, his gaze flickering slightly, and he couldn’t help but let out a cold laugh.
Sikong Zuiyue noticed the thin figure beside the black palanquin, surrounded by swirling mist, unable to calm his heart.
"Qing Lin..."
At this time, Ji Hongxiu and Huo Wuya approached.
Seeing everyone’s disheveled appearance, their expressions changed.
Tianshu Pavilion’s situation seemed alright; despite appearing quite miserable, there were no casualties.
Martial Saint Mountain, however, was much more tragic; of the dispatched personnel, including Zi Lianji and Jiang Zhiyun, only six survived, with nearly half lost!
Huo Wuya frowned, "Why are there only a few of you? Where are the others?"
Zi Lianji clenched his fists, redness showing in his eyes, "My junior brothers couldn’t make it out; they’ve stayed forever in the Secret Realm..."
Huo Wuya furrowed his brows even tighter.
He had prepared thoroughly for this Secret Realm exploration.
He sent core disciples, all at Fourth-Level Peak, with a First Grade Grandmaster guarding, and despite the dangers within, it shouldn’t have cost so many lives...
"Jiang Fengzhu, I need an explanation." Huo Wuya raised his brows.
Jiang Zhiyun lowered her head, speaking softly, "Sect Master, it’s my incompetence for not bringing everyone back safely. If it weren’t for Chen’s intervention, I might have died in there..."
Huo Wuya, hearing this, realized the severity of the situation and spoke solemnly, "What exactly happened inside, tell me everything."
"Yes..."
Jiang Zhiyun recounted the events in the Secret Realm succinctly.
Huo Wuya and Ji Hongxiu listened with increasing confusion.
What does it mean for their sect’s ancestor to rise from the ground, chasing them to kill? With even the ashes scattered?
Huo Wuya digested for a long time, saying, "You mean the Secret Realm is actually an ancient battlefield from a millennia ago where humans and demons fought, and The Tao Lord and Martial Saint fell here, with someone pre-setting formations to revive these corpses intending to also refine you?"
"Yes, that’s roughly it." Jiang Zhiyun nodded.
Huo Wuya’s throat felt a bit dry, he swallowed hard.
No wonder he just sensed an extremely familiar Origin aura...
Could it be that Pei Fengmian, the ancestor who mysteriously disappeared back then, was actually buried within this Secret Realm?!
Ji Hongxiu, troubled, pondered aloud, "That can’t be right. According to the Tianshu Pavilion sect records, the founding Tao Lord perished in the forbidden land of Fuyun Mountain. How could the remains appear here?"