She pleaded, and Feng Wu shook her head. "Your Majesty, if we cannot shield you from hardship, then the Phoenix Guard has no reason to exist."
"This is an order, My command. Feng Wu, you must obey me..."
"Your Majesty, as the head of the Phoenix Guard, I have the authority to make decisions," Feng Wu said, word by word.
"But as your master, I also have the right to command you to obey me."
"Your Majesty, don't delay any longer, or none of us will be able to escape."
"If we can't escape, then we won't. I cannot abandon you," Xue Zi Ning declared, stepping in front of Feng Wu, silver whip in hand, awaiting the pursuers.
"Since escape is impossible, let us carve a path of destruction!" Xue Zi Ning said slowly.
Her soft, melodious voice now sounded like a phantom from hell, weaving a soul-stirring melody.
Feng Wu would, for a long time to come, remember that day, standing before her, the Emperor, who, with her slender and delicate figure, shielded him from the oncoming army.
The pursuers quickly caught up. Xue Zi Ning raised her silver whip and charged in, leaving bodies in her wake.
Xue Zi Ning found herself gradually losing ground, but she knew she could not retreat. If she did, what would happen to Feng Wu?
More wounds appeared on her body, and she felt her strength waning. If this continued, she would eventually be exhausted.
"Your Majesty, that's enough..." Feng Wu said, shaking his head. If this went on, His Majesty would be in danger.
"Feng Wu, I always do as I say."
"Xue Zi Ning, stop struggling and surrender yourself meekly. This King promises to give your subordinate a chance to live," the King of Beijiang commanded, seeing Xue Zi Ning's diminished combat power.
"Xue Zi Jie, it's not yet decided who will emerge victorious," she said, leaping up and landing on a tree not far from Feng Wu.
The King of Beijiang said coldly, "Now, there are only you and your subordinate. He is already injured, and how do you intend to face my forces? 'Thousands of troops' would not be an exaggeration."
Xue Zi Ning looked at him coldly and said slowly, "I did not wish to resort to this, but now that I am cornered, I have no choice but to use this last resort."
"Unleash whatever tricks you have. Do you think this King fears you?" the King of Beijiang retorted coldly.
Xue Zi Ning sat cross-legged on the treetop and muttered a few words. The bodies that had been lying on the ground suddenly began to move.
The King of Beijiang's face turned pale with shock. "What sorcery is this?"
Xue Zi Ning said coldly, "The secret arts of Miao Jiang. Xue Zi Jie, you should have heard of them."
The King of Beijiang trembled. How could he not have heard of the secret arts of Miao Jiang? It was something he had always dreamed of. It was said to be able to bring the dead back to life and even summon an army of thousands.
"I am now using the secret arts of Miao Jiang..." Xue Zi Ning said coldly to the King of Beijiang.
With that, Xue Zi Ning began to command the reanimated corpses, who then charged at the King of Beijiang. As the number of bodies grew, countless soldiers were terrified, dropping their weapons and fleeing in all directions.
This was because these bodies were indestructible and could not be felled, appearing like specters.
Seizing this opportunity, Xue Zi Ning leaped down, helped Feng Wu up, and whispered, "Let's go..."
"Your Majesty, where are we going?" Feng Wu asked.
"The Yan Mansion," Xue Zi Ning replied.
After a perilous journey, they arrived at the Yan Mansion, only to find it heavily guarded. Xue Zi Ning quickly retreated, and seeing Feng Wu's increasingly pale face, she helped him towards Shen Yun Xiu's residence, only to find that place also heavily guarded. Her own residence was out of the question; it would undoubtedly be under surveillance, waiting for her to walk into a trap.
"Your Majesty, don't worry about your subordinate..." Feng Wu whispered.
"Nonsense, how can I not worry about you?" Xue Zi Ning took out two human skin masks from her embrace, applied one to Feng Wu, then to herself, before heading to an inn to book a room.
For safety's sake, she had to share a room with Feng Wu.
In the middle of the night, she noticed Feng Wu seemed to have a fever. No matter how she tried to cool him down, it was no use. Reluctantly, she decided to find a doctor to prescribe some medicine.
She locked the door when she left.
Only then did she step out with a sense of relief.
Few medical clinics were open in the middle of the night. After much difficulty, she found one, only to be told they would not prescribe medicine for her.
"If you prescribe medicine, all of this is yours," Xue Zi Ning said, pulling out gold ingots from her waist.
The doctor merely glanced at her. "Old man, if I say no, then it's no."
Xue Zi Ning looked at him coldly. "Then tell me, do you want your life or your money?"
The doctor became enraged. "You..."
He was unable to finish his sentence, for her dagger was at his throat. It seemed that if he moved, the dagger would slice through his neck.
"Customer, spare my life, spare my life..."
Xue Zi Ning got the medicine she desired, and without spending any money.
Upon returning to the inn and administering the medicine to Feng Wu, she finally felt at ease.
The next day, she was awakened by the clamor outside. Pushing the door open, she saw the doctor she had coerced yesterday speaking to the soldiers.
Xue Zi Ning quickly closed the door. What a coincidence, or rather, what bad luck. By the time the soldiers knocked on their door, Xue Zi Ning had already changed into the disguise of a young servant.
Opening the door, she saw the soldiers and the doctor. "May I ask what business you have, officers?"
A soldier said, "Last night, someone coerced Doctor Li. Have you seen anyone?"
Xue Zi Ning shook her head. "This little one knows nothing of such matters."
After a cursory inspection that revealed nothing unusual, the soldiers left.
Xue Zi Ning breathed a sigh of relief.
"Your Majesty, did you threaten someone last night?" Feng Wu, lying in bed, couldn't help but ask.
"I asked him to prescribe medicine for you, but he refused, so I had to find another way," Xue Zi Ning replied.
Hearing this, Feng Wu looked into the distance and said, "Your Majesty, your subordinate suddenly remembers the past."
Xue Zi Ning paused and said, "The most important thing is for you to recover."
Feng Wu nodded. "Yes, your subordinate obeys."
"I'll go see if the food is ready," Xue Zi Ning said.
Feng Wu nodded.
Xue Zi Ning returned with the food, only to find a crack in the door. She quickly pushed the door open and saw that Feng Wu was not in bed.
She rushed out and saw Feng Wu's figure not far away.
"Feng Wu..." she called out softly.
Feng Wu turned around, seemingly saying to her, "Take care!"
Xue Zi Ning leaped up to chase after Feng Wu but was intercepted by someone. She asked angrily, "Who are you? Why are you taking him away?"
"Miss, this humble one is merely following the orders of my master. However, you need not worry, my master harbors no ill will towards you."
"Let him go," Xue Zi Ning commanded, frowning.
"Miss, I am taking him with me." With that, the man turned to leave.
Xue Zi Ning's hand flicked, and her silver whip shot out towards the man.
The man dodged, saying, "Miss, my master means no harm."
"Give him back to me..."
"Miss, I apologize, but I cannot give him back to you..." the man said before leaving.
Xue Zi Ning frowned. Who exactly had taken Feng Wu away?