While the chaos raged, Xiao Yu'er, too preoccupied to care, turned and commanded Mingyue and Duanri, "Hurry and help His Majesty. Shen Yu, let's go blow up the prison door."
"Yes," they all replied in unison, their actions calm and coordinated. Mingyue and Duanri soared into the air, heading to assist the Emperor, sweeping through the enemy ranks towards his position.
Xiao Yu'er and Shen Yu stealthily moved forward.
The scene was a maelstrom of confusion, with everyone's attention fixed on the man fighting with ferocious abandon. No one noticed Xiao Yu'er and Shen Yu's movements.
Upon reaching the prison door, Xiao Yu'er unceremoniously detonated a grenade. Instantly, a deafening explosion ripped through the air, killing many people at the prison entrance.
Everyone recoiled in shock, taking several steps back. Amidst the explosion, before Xiao Yu'er and Shen Yu could enter, three figures emerged from the thick smoke: the Empress, her subordinates Mochou and Bingxiao.
As the three appeared, a portion of the people outside the prison immediately surrounded them.
Meanwhile, Qingyao's gaze cut through the crowd, spotting the Emperor, Murong Liuzun, fighting with unbridled fury.
His black hair whipped wildly in the dark night, his white brocade robe spread out dramatically, his entire being resembling a bloodthirsty Asura.
He seemed possessed, and her heart pounded with alarm. Her figure blurred as she ascended, her clear, cold voice calling out, "Liuzun, Liuzun!"
Unfortunately, his will was completely consumed by the killing intent. Madness and a sea of red filled his vision; nothing else could penetrate his mind. In his heart and eyes, there was only one thought: kill, kill these bad people, and then his wife would be safe. Kill these people, and his wife would be free!
Qingyao's calls went unheard.
At this moment, besides Qingyao, the Prince of Nan'an and Mingyue, among others, were also consumed by anxiety and dread. What was to be done?
If the Emperor couldn't break free from his possessed state, if he remained in this state of qi deviation, he was unlikely to survive the night.
Qingyao's heart ached unbearably. Letting go of all reservations, she moved like a swift sword, soaring into the air and directly towards Liuzun. He was already beginning to falter, his movements showing a slight lag.
As Qingyao approached his side, she suddenly reached out, embraced him, and pressed her lips directly against his.
The soft touch, light as a feather, landed on Murong Liuzun's cool lips. It struck a chord deep within him. He snapped back to attention, the demonic aura receding from his crimson eyes. A faint sweetness bloomed in his mouth, and he gazed, unblinking, at the gentle lips kissing him.
His exquisitely carved face lit up with excitement. A soft, delicate voice murmured, "Wife, wife."
He extended a large hand, pulling Qingyao into a tight embrace. Their long black and flowing hair, their white robes, danced together in the dark night as they slowly descended. The onlookers were stunned, the scene before them utterly sacred and inviolable.
The Empress had kissed him in public! Who was this man?
One kiss to tame the demon. Had it not been for this kiss, the man would have surely gone mad. It was unbelievable that a single kiss had restored his consciousness.
The Prince of Nan'an and the others breathed a sigh of relief. Though their hearts ached with a touch of bitterness, the Emperor's recovery was a cause for celebration.
As Murong Liuzun and Qingyao landed, Qingyao's clear, cold voice commanded, "Attack!"
Her words unleashed the forces of Fengchen Palace and the Prince of Nan'an's men, who were already fighting fiercely.
The gap between the two sides widened considerably. Those who had seen the Emperor's state were filled with doubt, their attacks inevitably weakened.
Seeing Bingxiao standing by the Empress and fighting her way out, Xiangbo, taking advantage of the chaos, surged towards her and whispered, "Bingxiao, what are you doing? Have you betrayed our master?"
Bingxiao ignored her, a cold laugh escaping her lips as she retorted, "It remains to be seen who has truly betrayed the master."
With that, she continued fighting, paying no heed to Xiangbo. The current situation left no room for further conversation.
An Dingfeng, leading his men, retreated while fighting, not engaging with his full strength. However, the Prince of Nan'an, Murong Liuzhao, relentlessly pursued him, striking swiftly and viciously. In an instant, An Dingfeng was overwhelmed.
A sword darted out, aimed at An Dingfeng's chest. He dodged, falling backward. Immediately, someone cried out in alarm, "General An!"
An Dingfeng was gravely wounded in this confrontation. Meanwhile, Qingyao, leading the people of Fengchen Palace and the Prince of Nan'an's forces, carved a bloody path, their objective the outskirts of the imperial city.
News of this swiftly reached the imperial palace. Shangguan Hao was greatly alarmed, never expecting that so many men would fail to capture that woman.
Her escape was truly troublesome. What he had least expected was that this woman was actually someone of deep affection and loyalty. He had always believed her to be cold and indifferent, certain she would reluctantly hand over the man under duress.
Within the imperial palace, Shangguan Hao was consumed by anxiety, utterly helpless. His dark eyes gazed at the inky night sky. Even now, dispatching troops to stop them from leaving the city would be too late…
Another contingent of Fengchen Palace forces rescued several members of the Mu family and headed straight for the city gates, where they rendezvoused.
The city gates were breached. Xiao Yu'er's grenade exploded, shattering the gates. In the dark night, it startled many, but no one dared to intervene, merely watching as their group triumphantly swept out of the city.
They galloped furiously for fifty miles before Qingyao, certain they were not being pursued, ordered everyone to stop and take stock.
The casualties for Fengchen Palace this time were immense; many brothers had fallen. Qingyao's heart was heavy.
The only solace was that the Emperor was safe. He had finally left the palace. Now, all that remained was to mend his meridians and remove the blood clot in his brain.
The Left Prime Minister, Mu Hen, was deeply shaken upon seeing the Emperor. He was astonished by the Emperor's current state. His sole comfort was the deep affection between the Emperor and the Empress. After this ordeal, their bond would surely be forged in iron, and Yao'er's romantic destiny, it seemed, had finally settled.
"Father, His Majesty is injured. I've decided to send him to Tianshan to find Elder Chixia. However, it would be inconvenient for you to travel with us, so I've arranged for people to escort you to Wuqing Valley. Once His Majesty has recovered, I will bring you back to the capital, and together we will confront Shangguan Hao."
"Alright," Mu Hen agreed. He knew that the most urgent matter was to heal the Emperor. Only when the Emperor was well could they deal with that scoundrel Shangguan Hao; otherwise, all their efforts would be in vain.
The group then parted ways. Qingyao instructed Lin Simiao and others to escort her father and the Mu family members to Wuqing Valley. She, along with Liuzun, Xiao Yu'er, and a few subordinates, would head to Tianshan to find Elder Chixia. As long as they found Elder Chixia, Liuzun would be out of danger.
As dawn began to break, Qingyao stood by the ancient road, watching as everyone departed. She turned to glance at Liuzun and Xiao Yu'er beside her, then softly said, "Let's go, Liuzun. We will return."
"Wife," Liuzun reached out and naturally embraced Qingyao.
A smile curved Xiao Yu'er's lips. Despite the immense losses and hardships endured,
the bond between her father and mother had truly deepened. Heaven surely had its plans. She believed their family would return, and once Shangguan Hao and Ximen Xinyue were eliminated, they would live happily ever after.
"Let's get in the carriage!" the little girl chirped, leaping into the carriage first with a joyous shout, reminding the couple embracing outside of their impending journey…