From the fake emperor to the concubine

“You…” Qiu Miaoyin pursed her lips, her eyes glistening, as if she might burst into tears at any moment.

A night breeze swept by, lifting a few strands of her hair from her forehead, making her delicate face appear even paler than paper.

Her slender body trembled slightly, like a delicate orchid swaying in the cold wind. Her tearful eyes swept across the faces of the crowd, carrying a hint of pleading and a touch of stubbornness.

They looked exceptionally pitiful, making one feel an irresistible sympathy.

Zheng Yi could sense a fluctuation of spiritual energy emanating from her. That fluctuation spread out like ripples, carrying a peculiar rhythm that made one unconsciously want to approach her and protect her.

Clearly, this is some kind of martial art.

She was trying to use her charm to influence these people, hoping to change Jian Shisan and the others' minds.

Qiu Miaoyin's actions surprised Zheng Yi greatly. He narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze lingering on her for a moment. This Pavilion Master of Tianyin Pavilion would actually go to such lengths for a complete stranger.

Like the Joyful Union Sect, the Heavenly Sound Pavilion is a demonic sect that generally doesn't do anything good. Various rumors about the Heavenly Sound Pavilion flashed through Zheng Yi's mind: the soul-capturing Heavenly Demonic Sound, the Seven Emotions Chart that kills without a trace.

But at this moment, it was the head of Tianyin Pavilion who, mindful of the debt of gratitude he owed her for saving her life, wanted to protect her.

Although Jian Shisan, Liehuo, and the others were all renowned leaders of righteous sects, they were more inclined to sacrifice him to protect the Eastern Wilderness.

Zheng Yi's gaze swept over the crowd, seeing expressions that were either indifferent, hesitant, or resolute; all of them were wary of him.

Of course, Zheng Yi didn't think there was anything wrong with it; a self-deprecating smile appeared on his lips.

This is a world where the strong prey on the weak, and the so-called distinction between good and evil is sometimes just a matter of different perspectives.

I wasn't originally on the same side as these people.

After discovering that the extraterrestrial demons might threaten the Eastern Wilderness, these people were able to put aside their prejudices and rush to provide support at the first opportunity, which can already be considered repaying evil with kindness.

The night wind picked up, making Zheng Yi's robes flutter. He looked up at the Eye Demon, half of whose body was hidden in the dark clouds, where crimson lightning could be faintly seen.

Despite Qiu Miaoyin's best efforts, her seductive skills had absolutely no effect on the people present.

Jian Shisan's eyes were somewhat vacant, and he seemed lost in thought. Liehuo looked disdainful, while the others were also preoccupied with their own thoughts and remained unmoved.

Soon, Jian Shisan's gaze returned to calm, without the slightest ripple: "Sect Master Qiu, this matter concerns the safety of the entire Eastern Wilderness. Please do not act on emotion."

His voice was as cold as his sword, each word like an ice pick piercing Qiu Miaoyin's heart.

Liehuo looked at Zheng Yi provocatively: "Kid, if you're a man, stand up bravely. What kind of skill is it to hide behind women?"

Crimson flames erupted around him, scorching and distorting the surrounding air, and his copper bell-like eyes were filled with contempt.

With a faint smile on his face, Zheng Yi gently stepped past Qiu Miaoyin: "I will always remember the kindness of Pavilion Master Qiu in protecting me."

The voice was soft, yet it sent a shiver down Qiu Miaoyin's spine. She instinctively reached out to tug at his sleeve, but only managed to grasp a wisp of breeze.

“However, since this extraterrestrial demon came down for me, there’s no reason for it to implicate others. I’ll handle it myself.” Zheng Yi’s eyes gradually sharpened, and a chilling aura began to emanate from his body.

For some reason, Zheng Yi's calm words made Qiu Miaoyin's heart tremble.

His solitary figure walking towards the abyss appeared exceptionally tall between heaven and earth, almost becoming something she had to look up to.

The moonlight shone on his sharply defined profile, casting a cool, silvery glow on Zheng Yi.

Qiu Miaoyin's heart suddenly trembled, and an emotion she had never felt before spread through her chest.

Liehuo was secretly pleased with himself, thinking that his provocation had worked.

"Sect Leader Zheng's righteousness is truly admirable, and we will never forget his contributions." Feng Tianji's narrow eyes gleamed with a sharp light. He bowed slightly, his brocade robe gleaming luxuriously in the moonlight.

"We, the Red Dust Pavilion, will certainly take good care of the Joyful Union Sect in the future, so that the sect's lineage will not be cut off." He spoke with sincerity, and even his eyes became slightly moist.

However, Zheng Yi didn't believe a single word he said.

He looked at the shrewd businessman with a half-smile, his gaze seemingly able to pierce through the man's carefully crafted mask. Feng Tianji felt a chill run down his spine under that gaze, and unconsciously tightened his sleeves.

This guy isn't lying.

Zheng Yi knew this guy's character all too well. Feng Tianji's agreement to take care of the Hehuan Sect was truly from the bottom of his heart.

After all, they still need to go and die themselves. Zheng Yi's smile deepened, but it showed no warmth whatsoever.

However, Feng Tianji is more like a businessman than a cultivator.

Regardless of whether there is a promise or not, as long as that day comes, betraying the Hehuan Sect will bring huge profits.

Zheng Yi believed that Feng Tianji would absolutely not heed today's so-called guarantee.

He didn't even blink an eye when he betrayed the Hehuan Sect for his own profit.

"The Heavenly Profound Sword Sect will also guarantee to maintain the heritage of your Joyful Union Sect." Jian Shisan's voice remained cold and stern, but his tone carried a rare hint of hesitation.

His long hair fluttered gently in the wind, his brows furrowed as if the words he was about to say troubled him. "However..."

As the leader of a righteous sect, Jian Shisan couldn't compare to Feng Tianji in terms of shamelessness. Especially since Zheng Yi was about to sacrifice himself for the entire Eastern Wilderness, he felt even more embarrassed to deceive Zheng Yi.

Under the moonlight, a rare hint of guilt appeared on the face of this usually aloof swordsman.

After hesitating for a moment, Jian Shisan still said, "As you know, many of the techniques of the Hehuan Sect are still too ruthless."

After much deliberation, he replaced "ruthless" with a more moderate word.

"Therefore, I can only do my best to ensure the safety of the Hehuan Sect members. If they don't go out and harm people, our Tianxuan Sword Sect will not actively cause them trouble. What do you think of this?"

He spoke these words with great difficulty, carefully choosing each word, fearing that he might not be able to keep the promises he made.

This swordsman, who never hesitates to kill his enemies in battle, has probably never said anything so soft in his life.

Liehuo looked completely unconcerned: "I agree with this guy."

He spoke in a gruff voice, waving his hand and creating a wave of scorching heat: "As long as the people of the Hehuan Sect don't provoke us, we, the disciples of the Lihuo Sect, won't go looking for trouble with you either." "However, if the people of your Hehuan Sect provoke us," Lihuo suddenly changed his tone, his eyes flashing with terrifying firelight, and the temperature around him suddenly rose.

“We, the people of the Li Huo Sect, will never show mercy.” His words carried an undisguised threat.

Hearing Liehuo say that, Zheng Yi suddenly chuckled and pretended not to understand, saying, "Isn't that the same as before?"

His laughter carried a hint of amusement, and his eyes slightly upturned, revealing a meaningful expression.

"If that's the case, why should I sacrifice myself for the Eastern Wilderness?" Zheng Yi spread his hands, making a helpless gesture.

"Why don't we just fight that extraterrestrial demon? Anyway, even if the entire Eastern Wilderness is destroyed, it won't make any difference to our Hehuan Sect."

He spoke these words casually, yet they caused the expressions of everyone present to change drastically.

“You…” Liehuo’s face turned ashen, veins bulged on his forehead, and his sword-wielding hand trembled slightly with rage.

"Sect Leader Zheng, you'd better understand one thing: we are not making a request of you." The voice suddenly turned extremely cold, each word seeming to be squeezed out from between clenched teeth.

"If you don't want to..." The Blazing Fire Sword hummed. Although it was not yet drawn, Zheng Yi could feel the scorching heat emanating from the blade.

The scorching heat rushed towards him, as if it would burn his skin. The patterns carved on the scabbard grew brighter and brighter, as if they might erupt at any moment.

The threat was all too obvious.

Zheng Yi remained unfazed, even taking the time to straighten his sleeves, which had been ruffled by the heat. He seemed completely unconcerned about the threat of the raging fire.

Meng Feiyang wanted to say something, his lips moved a few times, but in the end he could only sigh helplessly.

This usually proud swordsman was unusually silent at this moment, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

As a sword cultivator, he naturally disagreed with this approach.

However, his strength was utterly inadequate against the extraterrestrial demon. Not to mention the demon's true form, even the monsters the demon had thrown into the Eastern Wilderness nearly killed him.

Without a way to defeat the enemy, anything he said would be meaningless; he simply didn't know how to begin. His gaze shifted between Zheng Yi and Liehuo, before he finally lowered his eyes and chose silence.

Qiu Miaoyin looked full of self-reproach, biting her lower lip so hard it almost bled.

Her slender fingers twisted together, her knuckles turning white from the force. Her usually smiling, almond-shaped eyes were now brimming with tears, but she had no other choice but to look helplessly at Zheng Yi, her eyes filled with guilt and worry.

Master Zhenjing kept his eyes closed, circulating his inner energy. His withered body was shrouded in a faint golden light. The previous battle with the extraterrestrial demons seemed to have taken a heavy toll on him.

Fine beads of sweat kept seeping from his forehead, and the golden Buddhist seal between his brows dimmed slightly. He was focused on healing his injuries and couldn't care less about anything else.

"Well, it seems I don't have any other choice?" Zheng Yi's expression was very relaxed, even with a hint of a smile, and he didn't look like he was going to his death at all.

He casually brushed off non-existent dust from his sleeves, his movements as elegant as if he were simply going to a banquet.

Even the arrogant Meng Feiyang couldn't help but take a second look at his performance.

This sword cultivator, who had always been arrogant, held Zheng Yi in the highest esteem.

He never imagined that this demonic sect leader, despised by the righteous path, could be so composed in the face of life and death.

Jian Shisan looked ashamed, and a rare look of struggle appeared on his usually cold and stern face.

If it weren't for the safety of the entire Eastern Wilderness, given his temperament, he would have preferred to fight to the death alongside Zheng Yi against the extraterrestrial demons rather than make such a humiliating choice. (Sword)
This is not only because of Jian Shisan's personality, but also because, as a sword cultivator, this practice of avoiding enemies and fearing battle could even become his inner demon.

A sudden clap of thunder came from afar, as if mocking his cowardice at that moment.

Liehuo said calmly, "It's good that you know."

A hint of impatience flashed in his eyes. His hair danced in the wind like leaping flames, highlighting his sharply defined face.

"Besides, this isn't exactly unfair to you, is it? Isn't this extraterrestrial demon something your Hehuan Sect recruited?" he said, pointing to the ferocious eye demon in the sky, whose countless small eyes were greedily scanning the earth.

"You should take responsibility for cleaning up the mess you created yourself; that's only natural." Liehuo's tone grew increasingly forceful, and three feet of flames rose around him, scorching and distorting the air.

"We've done more than enough to help you," he said the last sentence with particular force, as if trying to convince himself.

In the firelight, his resolute face appeared somewhat unpredictable.

Zheng Yi nodded slightly; what he said was true. He looked up at the Eye Demon in the sky; the monster's body was covered with countless eyes, and no matter how many times he looked at it, he felt a chill.

Both Jian Shisan and Liehuo fought to the bitter end and were severely injured in this battle.

Zheng Yi's gaze swept over the crowd; there were still bloodstains on Jian Shisan's clothes.

Despite his seemingly aggressive demeanor, Liehuo's injuries were no less severe than Jian Shisan's, and he would undoubtedly require a long period of seclusion to heal.

And there is also Master Zhenjing, who is still working hard to heal her wounds.

These powerful figures, who are usually high and mighty, all looked so disheveled at this moment.

He's not the kind of person who takes it for granted that others will do things for him.

"I, Zheng Yi, will always remember your kindness and will never forget it." He said this calmly, yet it stirred a strange emotion in everyone present.
Liehuo thought Zheng Yi was mocking them, so he snorted but didn't refute. The usually irritable Lihuo Sect Master was unusually silent at this moment, just staring intently at Zheng Yi's back.

If possible, Liehuo certainly wouldn't want to do that.

The scene of his battle with the Eye Demon flashed through his mind, and the feeling of powerlessness made his chest feel tight.

Even the Blazing Fire Sword, which he had painstakingly crafted and believed he could rely on to dominate the Eastern Wilderness, seemed so insignificant in front of this monster.

Under these circumstances, they had no other choice but to push Zheng Yi out to take the bullet, right?

"Leave the rest to me," Zheng Yi said casually, then stepped out from the crowd to face the giant eyeball in the sky alone.

His steps were steady, his back straight as a pine tree, showing no sign of fear of impending death. The night wind whipped his robes, outlining a solitary silhouette.

The Eye Demon stared at Zheng Yi, its tiny eyes opening and closing incessantly. Each eye gleamed with an eerie light, its pupil reflecting Zheng Yi's image. (End of Chapter)