Chapter 473: A Caged Thing

Looking at the five Nascent Soul Realm Cultivators surrounding her.

Chu Yaoyao’s brow furrowed slightly; she knew that returning would not be that simple.

By this time, many Cultivators had already reached Chu Yaoyao’s side.

They had to ensure Chu Yaoyao’s safety.

After all, Chu Yaoyao was their lord—their symbol, one might say—and nothing could be allowed to happen to her.

Otherwise, they would truly be beyond redemption.

But precisely because Chu Yaoyao was so important, no one wanted to let her go.

For the Fifth Prince, She Wu, this was the best opportunity—bar none—to eliminate Chu Yaoyao and completely crush the remnants of the former dynasty.

If he missed this chance, he would likely regret it for the rest of his life.

Consequently, more and more troops followed She Wu, charging toward Chu Yaoyao and the others.

Generals of the Ten Thousand Demon Country and Upper Five Realms Cultivators also killed the enemies before them and moved closer to Chu Yaoyao.

A Yupu Realm Clan Chief of the Black Bear Mad Armor Clan transformed into his original form and sprinted toward Chu Yaoyao.

This giant black bear, standing four meters tall, was clad in black lightning armor, his paws crushing the soldiers in his path one after another.

He paid no heed to the injuries on his body.

Finally, he stood before Chu Yaoyao.

For the Black Bear Mad Armor Clan, once they recognized a master, they would follow them for a lifetime.

Thus, the Black Bear Mad Armor Clan had always been the most loyal supporters of the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox Clan.

No other selfish desires, no extra thoughts—simply because of loyalty!

The other Upper Five Realms Cultivators on Chu Yaoyao’s side also wanted to reach their lord as quickly as possible.

But the problem was that the enemy’s numbers were too great; they were all pinned down and unable to break away for the time being.

Lei Luo looked up, glancing hatefully at She Qiqi in the distance.

She Qiqi still maintained that calm expression, appearing completely unruffled.

It was as if everything was within her expectations.

In truth, Lei Luo couldn’t understand it.

He really couldn’t understand why She Qiqi would do this to him.

Lei Luo felt that his prediction was absolutely correct.

She Qiqi should have joined him in a pincer attack on the Fifth Prince’s army.

For She Qiqi, that would have been the wisest choice.

But She Qiqi had chosen to counter-attack the Crown Prince of the Ten Thousand Demon Country instead.

What was the use of counter-attacking him?

Once the Crown Prince retreated into the city, wouldn’t her efforts be in vain?

And it wasn’t just that She Qiqi counter-attacked the Crown Prince.

Now, She Qiqi still held a force of a hundred thousand Iron Cavalry.

Yet she hadn’t even thought of coming to support him.

What exactly was going on?

Could his side’s defeat possibly benefit She Qiqi?

No!

Impossible!

If his side lost, there would be no benefit for She Qiqi at all.

If his side suffered a crushing defeat,

then the resistance against the Ten Thousand Demon Country would lose a major power.

The Ten Thousand Demon Country could then focus all its energy on dealing with She Qiqi.

This was definitely something She Qiqi would not want to see.

A so-called chaotic era meant several or even dozens of powers competing for the Central Plains together.

That was a true chaotic era.

And only in a chaotic era

would there be a real chance to vie for that supreme throne.

If only She Qiqi remained

to face the Ten Thousand Demon Country alone, her chances of winning would be extremely low.

Even if She Qiqi was as resourceful as a ghost or god, so what?

Faced with such a massive disparity in power, She Qiqi was not yet strong enough to confront the Ten Thousand Demon Country.

Otherwise, She Qiqi wouldn’t still be alive in this world.

It was because the Demon Emperor believed She Qiqi wouldn’t rebel so soon.

It was because the Demon King believed that even if she did rebel, her chances of winning were near zero.

That was why the Demon Emperor tolerated She Qiqi, continuing to exploit her value.

Otherwise, no matter how valuable She Qiqi was,

if she couldn’t be used, her threat would be too great—

too great to be controlled.

She Qiqi would have been gone long ago.

So as for why She Qiqi still hadn’t deployed her troops,

what exactly was she thinking?

Lei Luo really couldn’t figure it out.

But regardless,

Xuanfeng City was now at a complete disadvantage.

For Lei Luo, Chu Yaoyao absolutely could not die.

Not just because he liked her, but because he also wanted to achieve great things.

If Chu Yaoyao died, then everything would be over.

But now, who could possibly save her?

“Lord, please leave as soon as possible!”

Beside Chu Yaoyao, another Yupu Realm and an Immortal Realm Cultivator arrived.

However, the opposition also increased their stakes.

Two Yupu Realm generals by the Fifth Prince’s side personally joined the fray, and an Immortal Realm Cultivator who had been stationed in the rear also joined the battlefield.

Their goal was singular: to completely kill Chu Yaoyao and quell the rebellion!

Once Chu Yaoyao died, the remnants of the former dynasty would vanish completely, with no chance of a resurgence.

Of course, this was based on the premise that Chu Jiutao was also dead.

But after all this time, Chu Jiutao hadn’t appeared, so she must have met with misfortune.

Without any words, only a silent exchange of glances, the battle began.

Although Chu Yaoyao had some combat power as a Nascent Soul Realm Cultivator, she was still far behind those in the Upper Five Realms.

Chu Yaoyao also knew she couldn’t stay here long.

Otherwise, she would only become a burden to these Seniors.

She knew what she had to do was return to the city as quickly as possible.

But the problem was, how could the enemy let Chu Yaoyao return so easily?

Through one dangerous attack after another,

Chu Yaoyao had already sustained some injuries.

But she was getting closer and closer to the city.

Just as Chu Yaoyao was about to enter the city gate, a Magic Formation suddenly activated.

Chu Yaoyao was trapped within the Magic Formation… “Husband, aren’t you going to help her?”

One hundred and fifty miles away, She Qiqi glanced at Lin Xun beside her.

Lin Xun shook his head: “When her life is truly in danger, I will naturally step in. But before that, I’m quite curious to see what exactly you’re planning to do.”

“What could I be doing?”

She Qiqi smiled, her eyes curving.

“They… or rather, that Lei Luo, thinks that only in a chaotic era can I truly contend with the Ten Thousand Demon Country, and that without them, I will be completely wiped out by the Ten Thousand Demon Country.

But in reality, in my view, it’s exactly the same whether they exist or not.

For me, Chu Yaoyao’s army is merely optional.

This Lei Luo thinks far too highly of himself.

There are very few people I like—only one, and that’s you, husband.

But there are quite a few people I dislike.

For example, this Lei Luo.

He has a bit of cleverness and starts to be conceited, thinking he’s invincible under heaven; it really makes me uncomfortable.

So, since he makes me uncomfortable, let him die here.”

She Qiqi spoke these cruel words in the most contemptuous tone.

However, Lin Xun had every reason to believe that She Qiqi would do just that.

But as for her reasons, they were definitely not just what she said.

At the very least, She Qiqi was hiding something from him.

Lin Xun looked up and continued watching the battle beneath Xuanfeng City.

By now, Chu Yaoyao’s side had already lost three Nascent Soul Realm Cultivators.

This was an enormous loss for her side.

Not only that, but because the army was retreating and morale was low, Chu Yaoyao’s side was retreating in defeat.

Chu Yaoyao was trapped in that Magic Formation and could not escape.

One could say that in another hour—

no, in just half an hour—

if Chu Yaoyao didn’t break this Magic Formation,

then her line of defense would completely collapse.

Chu Yaoyao would become a caged thing.

Beneath Xuanfeng City, feeling this massive Magic Formation around her,

Chu Yaoyao looked at the Seniors fighting for her.

She couldn’t help but sigh.

She felt that her cause was lost today.

But even if she was about to die, Chu Yaoyao didn’t hate Lei Luo or She Qiqi at all.

This was the nature of the battlefield; there was no need to hate anyone.

If there was anyone to blame, she could only blame herself.

“Chu Yaoyao, you might as well die here today!”

Seizing an opportunity, the Fifth Prince of the Ten Thousand Demon Country entered the Magic Formation. With the formation’s boost, he, who was originally at the Nascent Soul Realm Middle Stage, immediately reached Nascent Soul Realm Perfection.

The Fifth Prince only wanted to kill Chu Yaoyao with his own hands; only then would his prestige reach its peak.

And once the Crown Prince died, he would be the one most qualified to vie for the position of Crown Prince.

Chu Yaoyao didn’t waste any words on him and directly transformed into a white Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox.

Nine long tails stabbed toward him like long swords.

Chu Yaoyao was already heavily injured, and now her Realm was inferior to his.

It could be said that in the duel between Chu Yaoyao and the Fifth Prince, she didn’t have the slightest chance of winning.

In less than half a stick of incense’s time, Chu Yaoyao fell into a disadvantage.

Seizing an opportunity, the Fifth Prince’s great hammer smashed directly toward Chu Yaoyao.

Chu Yaoyao blocked it but was sent flying fifty meters away.

A mouthful of bright red blood sprayed from her mouth.

The Fifth Prince, She Wu, carried that great hammer and approached Chu Yaoyao step by step.

“What a pity!”

Looking at Chu Yaoyao, She Wu shook his head.

“Such a beautiful woman, yet reduced to this state.

If you had stayed quiet, it wouldn’t have been impossible for you to be one of my concubines.

Now I can only kill you. Do you have any last words?”

Having transformed back into human form, Chu Yaoyao looked at him coldly: “If you’re going to kill me, just do it. Why so many words?”

Fine, since you’re seeking death, don’t worry, I’ll give you a quick end.

With those words, She Wu raised the great hammer in his hand and swung it toward Chu Yaoyao.

It seemed that in the next moment, She Wu would crush Chu Yaoyao into mincemeat.

Chu Yaoyao closed her eyes, and various scenes from the past flashed through her mind.

She wondered how her sister was doing.

Whether that fellow Lin Xun was taking good care of her sister… he probably was.

After all, Lin Xun wasn’t someone who would go back on his word.

Plus, with Qingshang helping her, she believed her sister would be fine.

It was just that without seeing her sister, she felt like something was missing.

Also, that fellow Lin Xun wouldn’t really have “married” into She Qiqi’s family, would he?

Probably not, how could that be possible?

Sister, I’m sorry… I failed in the end.

But Yaoyao has done her best.

Just as the scenes flickered before Chu Yaoyao like a revolving lantern,

one breath, two breaths, three breaths.

A full four breaths passed.

Chu Yaoyao didn’t feel any pain.

It was as if that hammer had never swung toward her… When Chu Yaoyao opened her eyes, before her was a familiar yet strange figure.

The tip of a wooden spear in his hand was braced against the iron hammer.

The hammer could not descend even a fraction further.

At the same time, everyone looked in shock at this strange man standing in front of Chu Yaoyao.

Who was this man? How did he appear?

And why was he here?

At that moment, in the distance, the corners of She Qiqi’s mouth curled slightly.

“Pass my command: Charge!”

She Qiqi gave the order.

In the next moment, those hundred thousand Iron Cavalry charged straight at the Fifth Prince’s army.

She Qiqi’s Iron Cavalry were like a sharp sword, completely tearing through the battlefield!

The charge of the Iron Cavalry caused immense trouble for the opposition.

Not only that, with a loud roar from out of nowhere,

tens of thousands of the Giant Race joined the battlefield.

For the Giant Race, who were born to be weapons, they crushed enemies with every step, demonstrating slaughter and violence to the fullest.

They had prepared for She Qiqi to act.

They had prepared for She Qiqi’s Iron Cavalry.

But they could never have guessed where these damn tens of thousands of Giants had come from.

Why hadn’t they noticed them from the start?

And besides the Giant Race, hundreds of Flood Dragons also appeared in the sky.

They spat fire and lightning from their mouths, dealing a fatal blow to the Fifth Prince’s army.

Seeing that things were going poorly, a Yupu Realm Cultivator recklessly charged into the Magic Formation, wanting to bypass the strange man and kill Chu Yaoyao.

But the strange man’s strength was truly terrifying; with a single thrust of his spear, that Yupu Realm Cultivator directly had his Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering.

He swung his spear again, and if an Immortal Realm Cultivator hadn’t desperately blocked for the Fifth Prince,

he would have lost his life on the spot.

Even so, he lost an arm.

“Retreat!”

Knowing the situation was hopeless, She Wu didn’t hesitate and immediately ordered a retreat.

Meanwhile, the Crown Prince, who had been chased to the outskirts of Linggui City, ordered the gates to be opened.

But what awaited the Crown Prince were the various heavy hunting crossbows of the city guards.