The sun shone directly upon the lifeless bodies, casting its rays upon the gruesome scene.
Ye Siheng, accustomed to such sights, remained unperturbed.
It was not only Liao Shaotian who needed to be dealt with, but also his trusted guards, all of them had to be eliminated.
Within the outskirts of the capital, a massacre unfolded.
It was a struggle for power, but more importantly, a means to protect those dear to oneself.
The morning breeze carried with it the stench of blood.
Ye Siheng was well aware that Liao Shaotian’s vulgar words, not only cost him his head, but also his tongue.
It served as a warning to others that anyone who dared to utter obscenities against his people would meet a similar fate.
In the capital city, Xuan Lianzi coughed up a mouthful of blood.
The intricate formation on the sand table had been broken, causing a chaotic whirlwind of sand.
The fresh blood mixed with the sand, creating a macabre blend.
"Senior Brother!" Zhou Min exclaimed in shock, rushing forward to support Xuan Lianzi.
Alone, she lacked the strength to hold him up, and they both fell to the ground.
Xuan Lianzi’s breath grew weak, his face shrouded in a dark aura.
After decades of cultivation, he understood all too well at this moment, "Master’s meticulously crafted Nine Dragon Star-Slaying Formation has been broken. I, too, will suffer backlash and soon depart from this world."
"How could this be..." Zhou Min was both shocked and furious.
"Senior Brother, you will be fine. I will immediately use a life-saving talisman to extend your lifespan by a few years."
"It’s futile," Xuan Lianzi grasped her hand, shaking his head with force.
Tears streamed uncontrollably down Zhou Min’s face.
Second and third senior brothers had already perished in Mu Nation, and now her senior brother was about to die here!
Why was it so difficult to deal with just one Chu Nanli?
How could she, a mere girl, break the Nine Dragon Star-Slaying Formation that Master and Senior Brother had painstakingly developed?
Xuan Lianzi took a breath and spoke slowly, "This formation itself is sinister... Extending my lifespan is useless. Don’t waste it. Listen to me, Master will rely on you for care in the future. After completing this task, immediately return to Qi Kingdom and cease your conflict with Chu Nanli."
"She caused your deaths. How can I let her go?" Zhou Min was unwilling to accept this.
"Exactly because of that, you must not act rashly. Do you... Do you want Master to be left without anyone to care for him? You are the only disciple left," Xuan Lianzi’s gaze pleaded with her as he struggled to hold on to his last breath.
Zhou Min choked back her tears, unsure of how to respond.
Xuan Lianzi looked at her earnestly, then closed his eyes, his breath ceasing.
As he passed away, a sinister aura quickly enveloped him, tearing and devouring his soul.
"Senior Brother!" Zhou Min witnessed it all, her heart aching.
She wanted to stop it, but in an instant, Xuan Lianzi’s soul had been completely devoured.
The use of the sinister formation had only resulted in failure, leading to this outcome.
Zhou Min cried uncontrollably, her hatred towards Chu Nanli intensifying.
How could she leave without avenging her senior brothers?
How could she return to Qi Kingdom without killing Chu Nanli?
At that moment, there was a knock on the door.
The person outside seemed impatient, shouting, "Both of you, the esteemed guest has made a move!"
Zhou Min’s eyes sharpened, wiping away the traces of tears from her face.
She let go of Xuan Lianzi and murmured, "Senior Brother, rest assured, I will avenge you all."
Thinking of marrying Ye Siheng and becoming a blissful bride?
Zhou Min gathered her belongings and walked towards the door.
The Yulin Guard from the Palace were there to escort her.
"Let’s go quickly," Zhou Min said.
The palace guard looked at her, puzzled.
"Just you alone? What about your senior brother?"
"I’ll manage on my own," Zhou Min closed the door, her expression cold and resolute.
The Imperial Yulin Guard noticed her pallid countenance, and though he found it peculiar, the urgency of the situation allowed no time for further delay.
Once aboard the carriage, Zhou Min swiftly changed into the attire of a palace maid.
This residence, arranged by the Prince of Qing, was conveniently close to the palace, ensuring a swift entry today.
Upon arriving at the Yuzhen Palace, despite the suppression of the talisman array they had previously set up, one could still discern the lingering presence of a dense, ominous aura above.
Zhou Min squinted her eyes, acknowledging the formidable power of the unborn child that perished midway.
Consort Yang deliberately withheld the news, waiting until both Zhou Min and the child from outside had arrived before sending word to Emperor Muwu.
However, at this moment, Yang felt the intensifying pain in her abdomen, so excruciating that she nearly fainted.
"The pain...," Yang’s face turned pale.
It felt as if her intestines were being stirred, rendering her unable to exert any strength.
The midwives, seeing that the birth canal had dilated, urged Yan to exert more effort.
Yet, it was a hand, shrouded in dark energy, that emerged first.
The midwives were startled.
A hand emerging first?
This indicated a difficult childbirth!
Before they could even call out, Zhou Min swiftly affixed talismans to them, freezing them in place, erasing their memories.
The ghostly fetus was about to emerge, but there wasn’t enough space, so it began to manipulate its surroundings, expanding the area.
Yang felt the tearing sensation, her screams incessant.
However, when the ghostly child had crawled halfway out, it also dragged out its mother’s intestines, causing a chilling and horrifying sensation.
Yang’s screams ceased.
She died on the bed, drained of vitality by the fetus she had carried for ten months, her cheeks sunken.
The ghostly child, covered in bloodstains, was about to pounce out, eager to consume more life force.
Zhou Min immediately smashed several talismans.
The pre-arranged yellow talisman array tightly enveloped the ghostly child.
The dark energy continued to spread.
Zhou Min affixed another suppressing talisman, ensuring that the ghostly child was sealed, before placing it into a small box.
After closing the lid, she removed the yellow talismans from the midwives.
The midwives suddenly witnessed the gruesome sight of Yang’s death, causing two of them to faint instantly, their eyes rolling back.
The others trembled in fear.
Despite their years of delivering babies, they had never witnessed such a horrific scene.
What was even more terrifying was their complete lack of memory, unaware of what had transpired.
A personal palace maid approached, carrying a child.
Zhou Min exerted some force, causing the child to cry out loudly, the sound resounding.
"Consort Yang has perished due to postpartum hemorrhage, but fortunately, the prince is safe," Zhou Min announced, allowing the midwives to see this healthy child one by one.
"Hurry and prepare Consort Yang’s appearance, then carry the prince out to congratulate the Emperor." The midwives glanced at each other.
Though they were unaware of what had occurred, did it truly matter?
What mattered was the safe birth of the prince, and the rewards they would receive!
They quickly attended to Yang, then carried the child out.
Emperor Muwu had been anxiously waiting outside for a long time.
Upon hearing the cries of the child, he couldn’t contain his excitement and stood up, softly asking, "Is it a princess or a prince?"
The midwife holding the child replied, "It is a prince! Congratulations, Your Majesty! Celebrations for Your Majesty!"