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Zhu Yuyan slowly withdrew her right hand, her wide black sleeves falling to conceal the jade-like finger that had just easily crushed Zhao Deyan's resistance. Looking at Zhao Deyan, who lay on the edge of the ink pool, struggling to get up, his face a mixture of horror, pain, and disbelief, she gently shook her head.

"A frog at the bottom of a well, how can it know the vastness of the Milky Way? Do you think that reaching the eighteenth level of the Heavenly Demon Technique is the pinnacle of martial arts? That you can then look down upon the world without any scruples?"

A faint smile curved at the corners of Zhu Yuyan's lips, a smile that held a complex and unfathomable meaning:

"You are no match for me. And even with my cultivation, I am no match for that Alliance Leader."

"what?!"

Zhao Deyan abruptly looked up, his eerie green eyes contracting violently with extreme shock, as if even the excruciating pain from his shattered arms and the poison's corrosive effects were ignored in that instant. He stared intently at Zhu Yuyan, trying to find even the slightest trace of exaggeration or bluff on her face.

But all he saw was a bottomless calm.

Empress Zhu Yuyan, the only person in the Demonic Sect in hundreds of years to cultivate the Heavenly Demon Great Art to the legendary eighteenth level of perfection, actually admitted that she couldn't even withstand a single move from that so-called "Alliance Leader".
How could this be?! How could such a person exist in this world?!
Is it Shi Zhixuan? No, although Shi Zhixuan is strong and unpredictable, there is absolutely no way he could make Zhu Yuyan willingly say that he is "not even a match for him".

Ning Daoqi? Fu Cailin? Bi Xuan… even less likely!
Just who exactly is this alliance leader?!
A profound sense of absurdity, like the cold, ink-stained water of a pond, instantly overwhelmed Zhao Deyan's mind. He had initially believed he had been defeated by the superior Zhu Yuyan, but only now did he realize with horror that he, along with the deceased Bi Shouxuan, Zuo Youxian, and others, were perhaps, from the very beginning, merely insignificant pawns in a much larger game. Their ambitions, their schemes, were likely, in the eyes of that alliance leader, as laughable as ants fighting for food.

"Impossible... This is absolutely impossible..."

Zhao Deyan muttered to himself absentmindedly, the shock of his completely collapsed beliefs even surpassing the physical pain.

In his mental breakdown, a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes. Ignoring the dire situation of his shattered arms and poison attacking his heart, he suddenly opened his mouth and let out a sharp, piercing scream that went straight to his soul!

"Soul-capturing demonic sound!"

This is a mental attack technique from Zhao Deyan's demonic arts, paired with the "Returning Soul Claw," designed to disrupt the opponent's mind and create a momentary opening! Simultaneously, his remaining intact legs slammed into the ground, his body shooting out like an arrow, head first, feet back, with a headbutt-like force, carrying the remaining death energy and power of his entire body, like a desperate mad bull, crashing into Zhu Yuyan's abdomen! This is a true suicidal fighting style!

However, Zhu Yuyan's expression did not change at all in the face of this desperate counterattack.

The "soul-capturing demonic sound," powerful enough to make ordinary experts lose their composure and rupture their eardrums, was like a stone thrown into the ocean when it touched the solidified demonic field around her, failing to even stir a ripple.

As for that seemingly ferocious headbutt... Zhu Yuyan simply raised her left foot slightly, the hem of her skirt embroidered with dark gold spider lilies fluttering slightly. Then, as if stepping on an insignificant insect, she gently stepped down. The space seemed to distort slightly, and an invisible and intangible force field, as heavy as a mountain, instantly enveloped Zhao Deyan's charging body!
"Oh!"

A muffled sound!
Zhao Deyan's frenzied charge was abruptly halted, as if he had crashed into an invisible wall, stopping just three feet away from Zhu Yuyan! All his momentum and power were easily dissolved and absorbed by the invisible Heavenly Demon Field. He was imprisoned in mid-air by a gentle yet irresistible force, like a mosquito trapped in amber, unable to move!
Zhu Yuyan's feet did not actually step on him, but the power that controlled his life and death was more suffocating than any physical contact.

"It seems that this is all you can do."

Zhu Yuyan looked at Zhao Deyan, who was bound by an invisible force field, and shook her head slightly: "I wanted to stretch my limbs, but unfortunately..."

She seemed to find it somewhat boring.

"The Demonic Appearance Sect's martial arts are extreme and vicious. If left in the world, they will only bring disaster. Zhao Deyan, as the sect leader, you are guilty of heinous crimes. You have even colluded with foreign invaders and plotted against the Central Plains... If it weren't for the Alliance Leader's order to spare your life, I would have made you suffer the pain of having your soul searched and bones scraped! Very well, today I will remove your harmful martial arts on behalf of the Alliance Leader."

As soon as she finished speaking, Zhu Yuyan gently pressed down with her raised left foot, and the invisible force field that was binding Zhao Deyan suddenly contracted and collapsed!
"Uhhhhhh-!!!"

Zhao Deyan let out a bloodcurdling scream that was inhuman. The pure and domineering Heavenly Demon True Qi, like countless red-hot steel needles, wildly pierced and destroyed within his body, utterly shattering and crushing his decades of painstakingly cultivated demonic arts!
Wisps of gray-black death energy and remnants of true energy emanated from his pores. Like a deflated balloon, his originally violent aura receded like the tide, instantly becoming listless, and his eyes quickly dimmed.

"Clean it up."

Zhu Yuyan slowly withdrew her foot, turned around, and no longer looked at Zhao Deyan, who was slumped on the ground like a rag doll. She then gave a brief instruction to Wen Caiting and Danmei behind her.

"Yes, Sect Master!"

Wen Caiting and Danmei bowed and accepted the order.

Wen Caiting stepped forward, waved her colorful brocade sleeves, and a surge of pure Heavenly Demon True Qi emerged, coiling around the limp Zhao Deyan like a snake and lifting him up as if he were a package.

Zhao Deyan groaned, but he didn't even have the strength to struggle and could only let others do as they pleased.

Stepping out of the secret chamber, Zhu Yuyan ignored the scattered gold and silver jewels, the mountain of divine weapons, and the thousands of sets of Mingguang armor, enough to arm an elite army.

"These things, left here, only cause strife and sow confusion. Burn them, and everything will be clean."

Danmei had no objection to this and bowed, replying, "Yes, Sect Master."

Danmei moved with lightning speed, weaving through the mountains of treasure and weaponry, and found a canister of flammable oil stored in the armory, originally intended for lighting and moisture protection. With a slight flick of her palm, she shattered the canister, evenly spilling the thick, black flammable oil onto the wooden crates, silks, and the wooden parts of the weaponry. The pungent smell of the oil quickly filled the air, masking the previous stench of blood.

Zhu Yuyan watched quietly. When Danmei was ready, she extended a slender finger. At the tip of her finger, a deep, dark black flame, seemingly capable of swallowing light, silently ignited. She flicked her finger.

The wisp of black flame landed lightly on a pile of silk soaked in raging oil.

"boom--!"

Unlike ordinary flames that burn with crimson and scorching heat, this black flame, as if alive, spread instantly. Wherever it passed, precious silks, sandalwood chests, and the leather and wood parts of fine weapons and armor were silently reduced to ashes! Gold ingots and silver coins, licked by the black flames, quickly softened and melted, turning into pools of flowing golden and silver liquid that mingled with the ash. As for the weapons and armor forged from fine iron, although the main body remained intact, the leather, silk ribbons, and other accessories were completely burned away. The metal parts were deformed and annealed by the high temperature, losing their original sharpness and toughness; to reuse them, they would have to be melted down and reforged.

Fueled by the flammable oil, the fire spread rapidly, quickly turning the vast underground treasure trove into an inferno. Countless riches and weapons—the wealth accumulated by Sui Dynasty General Yang Su over half a lifetime—vanished into nothingness in the silent and eerie black flames.

Zhu Yuyan and the other two calmly walked out along the passage they had come from.

The passage wound its way upwards, the air gradually becoming fresher, and the faint sounds of footsteps and clashing armor of the Imperial Guards patrolling could be heard from the outside.

When the three of them emerged from the hidden cave and reappeared beneath the Yue Ma Bridge pier, flames were already raging outside!
Thousands of torches illuminated the area around Yuema Bridge as if it were daytime.

The bridge, riverbank, and streets leading in all directions were densely packed with soldiers in full armor! They held long halberds and powerful crossbows, their formation disciplined and their killing intent palpable. Clearly, they had already received orders to surround the area like an iron barrel! Judging from their armor, in addition to the Imperial Guards originally responsible for the blockade, there were also many garrison troops belonging to the Chang'an city defense, far exceeding the previous numbers, probably no less than three thousand!

These soldiers had sharp eyes and a fierce aura; they were clearly elite troops, far superior to ordinary city guards. They formed a battle formation, nocked their crossbows, and the cold arrowheads gleamed in the torchlight, aimed at the four people who had just emerged from underground.

A middle-aged man dressed in gleaming armor, wielding a lance, and resembling a general, stepped forward from the crowd, his voice booming: "You audacious fiend! How dare you trespass into forbidden territory and cause chaos! Surrender immediately, or you will be killed without mercy!"

Thousands of gazes, imbued with the killing intent of the battlefield, pressed down with an almost tangible pressure. Any ordinary martial arts master facing such a massive battle formation would likely have their mind overwhelmed, trembling with fear before the battle even began.

However, Zhu Yuyan and the other two didn't even lift their eyelids.

Zhu Yuyan's gaze swept calmly over the densely packed military formation, finally settling on the general who had shouted the order. She shook her head slightly, as if sighing at their overestimation of their abilities.

She didn't speak, but simply nodded slightly to Danmei beside her.

Danmei understood, stepped forward, and slightly raised her head. A strange light suddenly shone in her icy, snow-white eyes. She took a deep breath and let out a sharp, long whistle!

The whistling sound didn't seem harsh at first, but to the soldiers who were on high alert, it was like a demonic sound piercing their brains! It was as if countless cold silver needles were piercing their eardrums and stirring their brains at the same time.

"A chilling wind howls, chilling the soul!"

This is Danmei's unique skill, which uses pure, cold internal energy combined with a special vocal technique to attack people's minds, create illusions, and disrupt their senses!

In an instant, the soldiers in the front row, holding powerful crossbows and aiming at their targets, suddenly became confused and disoriented! They felt the scene before them begin to distort and shake, and their comrades' faces became ferocious and terrifying, as if countless ghostly figures were flickering in the firelight! Their fingers trembled involuntarily, and some even subconsciously pulled the triggers to shoot at the "ghostly figures" beside them!
A small commotion suddenly broke out at the front of the army formation!

And just as this commotion began, and a crack appeared in the military formation's murderous aura—

Zhu Yuyan slightly raised her hands, her ten fingers gently plucking at the invisible strings of a zither in front of her.

With each subtle tremor of her fingertips, an invisible yet vast spiritual force, like mercury spilling onto the ground, silently spread from her to the thousands of soldiers in front of her!
Heavenly Demon Art - Heavenly Demon Force Field: Bewitching Mind!
This time, Zhu Yuyan did not use it for defense or direct physical attack, but rather brought out the strange characteristics of the Heavenly Demon Force Field—its ability to manipulate people's hearts, amplify desires, and incite inner demons—to the fullest extent!

This invisible force field silently penetrated the soldiers' defenses, which had been weakened by Danmei's "Soul-Stealing Howl".

The next moment, a chilling scene unfolded!

The confusion and bewilderment in the eyes of the front-line soldiers, who had initially been somewhat agitated, were quickly replaced by a frenzied killing intent! They seemed to see their mortal enemies, their life-threatening demons, standing right where their comrades stood!

"Kill! Kill them!"

"Demon! Die!"

"For the Crown Prince! For His Majesty!"

The frantic shouts rose and fell, yet they were filled with distortion and chaos!

A soldier suddenly swung his halberd and plunged it deep into his comrade's chest! The comrade looked down in astonishment at the halberd tip protruding from his chest, his eyes filled with disbelief. He then roared furiously and swung his sword back at the attacker!
Like the first domino falling, chaos spread rapidly through the army like a plague!
The soldiers in the front ranks began to kill each other in a frenzy! Everyone's eyes were bloodshot, and they looked like madmen, forgetting the battle formations they had trained in. They only had eyes for the "enemies" around them! The sounds of clashing swords and spears, sharp blades cutting flesh, dying screams, and frantic roars... instantly replaced the previous grim silence!
The soldiers behind, unaware of what was happening, witnessed their comrades in the front ranks suddenly turning on each other in a frenzied attack, plunging them into panic and chaos. Some tried to intervene, but were indiscriminately attacked by the bloodthirsty "madmen"; others, confused and believing it to be an enemy illusion or ambush, also began blindly swinging their weapons; and still others, under the continued influence of Zhu Yuyan's invisible force field, had their latent fear, greed, and violence amplified to an extreme degree, joining the frenzied infighting!

The Yuema Bridge and the banks of the Yong'an Canal instantly transformed into a bloody battlefield! Three thousand elite troops, without even exchanging a single blow with the enemy, were slaughtered and killed by their own side, their blood flowing like a river!
The general who had spoken earlier was now also furious, brandishing his lance in an attempt to quell the chaos, shouting hoarsely, "Stop! Stop! It's sorcery! Maintain formation!"

However, his voice sounded so weak amidst the frenzied fighting and screams. A cold arrow shot from nowhere, striking him squarely in the shoulder. The general groaned and nearly fell from his horse, forced to watch helplessly as his men slaughtered each other as if possessed.

Zhu Yuyan stood silently beneath the bridge pier from beginning to end, her dark palace attire appearing even more mysterious against the backdrop of towering flames and bloodshed.

"Let's go."

Zhu Yuyan spoke calmly, her voice clearly reaching Wen Caiting and Danmei's ears, completely unaffected by the deafening shouts of battle around them.

Wen Caiting carried Zhao Deyan, with Danmei following closely behind. The three of them strolled leisurely, as if they were taking a walk in their own courtyard.

Wherever they went, not a single soldier driven to madness could get within three zhang of them! It was as if an invisible barrier kept all the flashing swords and frenzied fighting at bay. Occasionally, a soldier who had lost his mind would rush over with a howl, but before he could get close, he would be affected by the invisible demonic force field, either standing there blankly or turning to attack other "enemies" beside him.

The three of them strolled away leisurely amidst the thousands of soldiers frantically killing each other. (End of Chapter)