Chapter 182: West Courtyard
With a loud boom, dust and smoke billowed as another tall building in Yu Garden was violently shaken and collapsed by the fierce Qi, the sound of exploding stone bricks echoing throughout the surroundings.
But at this moment, within the black palace city, which lay like a giant beast, a majestic Aura suddenly began to surge.
Feeling this Aura, the Scale Clan leader and the Fang Clan Chieftain immediately turned their heads, looking in the direction of the Demon Emperor Palace,
and instantly clenched their fists.
“It seems—Your Majesty already knows.”
“I also sensed the Aura of a Heavenly General.”
“Brother Mule, you’ve truly gotten me into deep trouble this time.”
“Although it was delayed for a while, since Shu He has already infiltrated, it can still be considered a success. It’s just a pity, I wanted to kill a few cultivators to make this matter even more irreversible—”
The Scale Clan leader murmured in the cold wind, then turned his head to look in the direction of the West Courtyard.
There had been a Sword Intent clash there earlier, indicating someone was guarding the courtyard and was encountered by Shu He. But now, that Sword Intent had subsided, which put his Heart-Nature at ease.
At this moment, the Imperial Demon Generals had already arrived with the Imperial Demon Soldiers, roaring as they landed, instantly filling the entire street.
They were all clad in heavy black armor, holding gleaming long spears. Arranged in formation, they resembled a massive dark cloud, rolling in with a powerful oppressive Aura that instantly swept across the entire street.
Then, the surging Demon Soldiers and Demon Generals, under their watchful eyes, all rushed into Yu Garden, causing the sounds of battle within the courtyard to suddenly intensify.
But there were also four other individuals who did not enter the courtyard. Instead, they stomped the ground in front of Yu Garden, their heavy Qi directly shattering the accumulated snow on the ground, and leapt into the air onto the tall tower.
Then, without a word, the four of them simultaneously acted, directly grabbing the shoulders of the two Clan Chiefs of the Scale Clan and Fang Clan, escorting them from the top of the tower to the ground.
Throughout this process, none of them resisted, not even making the slightest movement, nor did anyone cry out for injustice.
Just as the Demon Emperor said in front of the palace, they were not rebellious traitors; they did not commit insubordination. They merely sought to relieve His Majesty’s worries, and at the same time, wished for their clans to return to the Nine Provinces.
So even when apprehended, they still stood proudly, as upright as pines.
At this moment, a series of footsteps sounded, and Feng Yang walked through the snow-covered street.
She was still wearing her thin, plain white dress, her Face pale, and she looked at Yu Garden with a solemn expression, then her gaze fell upon the two Clan Chiefs.
“Is a war that devastates lives truly a good thing for our Yao Race?”
The Scale Clan leader looked up upon hearing this: “Your Highness, our clans originally lived in the Nine Provinces. It was out of necessity that we came to the Snow Region. We have a responsibility; we cannot let our descendants hide in this barren land for generations.”
Princess Feng Yang looked at this fearless Clan Chief with icy eyes: “If all our clansmen die in war, what generations will we have left?”
“We must at least try, otherwise, won’t we never have a chance?”
“This is clearly your own selfish desire. Do not act so self-righteously. Prepare to spend the rest of your lives in the Cold Prison at Twin Peaks.”
The Scale Clan leader raised his eyes upon hearing this: “Your Highness, Mule knows he is guilty, but Mule will not enter the Cold Prison.
Because after tonight, Mule is willing to die in battle for His Majesty, to atone for his sins to His Majesty.”
“If there are casualties among the Human Race, then kill them all, be thorough.”
“If the Human Race envoy truly dies, our Yao Race’s counterattack on the Nine Provinces will be a foregone conclusion.”
Thinking of her Imperial Father’s and Imperial Brother’s words, Feng Yang’s pretty Face turned even paler: “What about Shu He? Where did he go?”
The Scale Clan leader suddenly revealed a relieved smile: “Shu He has already infiltrated the West Courtyard with the wind. Not long ago, the sounds there suddenly ceased. Your Highness, this was not my choice; this was Heaven’s choice.”
The Clan Chief of the Mao Clan and the Clan Chief of the Claw Clan also arrived at this location. This was because the concealing Magical Artifacts used by the Scale Clan and Fang Clan had failed earlier, and they had therefore heard the sounds from Yu Garden.
Hurrying over now, upon hearing Mule’s words, they couldn’t help but show a hint of bitterness.
Although they disagreed politically, they were not enemies. Hearing that the Scale Clan and Fang Clan had acted so decisively tonight, they didn’t know how to comment.
At this moment, Feng Yang gritted her silver teeth, then stepped into Yu Garden.
The battle in the central courtyard had already ended under the powerful Battle Intent of the Heavenly Demon Realm. All three Demon Generals of the Scale Clan were suppressed to the ground by the Demon Soldiers and Demon Generals.
The demonization time of these Profound Demon Generals had now ended, but their Battle Intent had not yet faded, and their eyes were filled with unwillingness.
Yan Chuan, Huo Hong, and others stood on the opposite side, panting, their figures appearing somewhat disheveled, and many of them were injured, but they were still alive at this moment, their eyes filled with vigilance.
“Using a banquet as bait to scatter us, then attacking and killing the envoys at night—is this how your Yao Race treats guests?”
Feng Yang entered the courtyard and spoke: “Last night’s incident was just a misunderstanding, caused by rebels in the city. Our Yao Race will certainly give everyone an explanation.”
Yan Chuan snorted coldly: “No need. It seems this Yao Race is not so easy to deal with. How dare we stay? Our Human Race sent envoys this time simply because we didn’t want the ancient friendship between our two races to be provoked by those with ulterior motives. But since the Yao Race doesn’t think so, we will not shy away from battle.”
“Please calm down for a moment, and first see if there are any casualties.”
Feng Yang said, then looked towards the silent West Courtyard.
The battles in the central courtyard and East Courtyard had continued until the soldiers and generals arrived from the Demon Emperor Palace, with Sword Qi still filling the air.
But the only difference was the West Courtyard, the courtyard where the Human Race envoys were staying.
Long before they arrived, it had already been as silent as death.
Feng Yang was, after all, a woman. Although her status was noble and her combat power was not bad, she felt a bit hesitant when facing the West Courtyard at this moment.
Demon General Shu He’s combat power was not high, but his rank within the Scale Clan could be among the top three.
And earlier, the Scale Clan leader had said that Shu He had infiltrated the West Courtyard for a long time.
So she didn’t know what kind of scene she would see when she stepped inside.
Throughout this journey, Night Chill had been following behind his Imperial Sister. Seeing her silent for a long time without stepping forward, he knew her fear.
“Is anyone guarding inside?”
Feng Yang turned to look at Elder Yan Chuan of Lingjian Mountain, who was standing beside her.
Yan Chuan, leaning on his sword on the ground, spoke upon hearing this: “Since nightfall, Ji You has been guarding the courtyard. But during this time, no one has been able to cross my Sword Intent and enter the West Courtyard.”
At this moment, Jiang Chenfeng arrived from the East Courtyard and frowned upon hearing this: “No, I saw Ji You draw his sword.”
Yan Chuan: “?”
Upon hearing this, Night Chill subconsciously looked at his Imperial Sister, finding her Face even paler than when she learned that the Scale Clan and Fang Clan were besieging Yu Garden.
Gongshu Chou arrived from the East Courtyard at this moment, his left sleeve already soaked with blood. Upon seeing the Clan Chiefs of the Scale Clan and Fang Clan, he was furious and immediately raised his foot to kick them, but was persuaded to stop after much coaxing.
Then Jiang Yan, Yan Qiubai, and Jiang Yuerou also gathered, holding their swords, looking at the Yao Race in front of them,
their anger simply could not be hidden.
“Who entered the West Courtyard?”
“Demon General Shu He, extremely fast, best at assassination—”
“?”
At this moment, Jiang Yan, Yan Qiubai, and Jiang Yuerou and others realized the atmosphere was off, so they turned to look at Jiang Chenfeng: “What happened? What West Courtyard?”
Jiang Chenfeng looked at his Elder cousin: “During the chaotic battle last night, a Demon General who is best at killing silently infiltrated the West Courtyard.”
Yan Qiubai’s eyes widened: “How is that possible? To enter the West Courtyard, one can only go through the central courtyard or the East Courtyard, and those two places are guarded by Elder Yan and Elder Huo. They are both boundless Realm experts; how could they not have noticed?”
“Therefore, this is what’s terrifying—”
Upon hearing this, Gongshu Chou stepped forward, directly drawing his sword and shattering the West Courtyard’s main gate, and the others followed.
When everyone stepped into the courtyard, the first thing they saw was utter disarray.
The snow pines planted in the courtyard had all been cut in half, covered by the fresh snow that fell after they broke, and the doors and windows were all covered with deep cuts, with even a crossbeam that had been cut and collapsed.
And the accumulated snow on the ground also seemed to have been cut by sharp swords, all broken into pieces.
Most importantly, even before they entered the courtyard, they had already seen blood spatters everywhere on the snow.
These blood spatters must have been incredibly hot when they splashed, to have scorched deep pits into the pure white surface.
Seeing this scene at the entrance, everyone's eyes froze, as if they had already foreseen the envoys in the courtyard being killed in their rooms, being killed while rushing out of the door, being killed in their terrified sleep, and then being gathered together, a scene of rivers of blood.
That's right, this was the habit of that bloodthirsty Demon General.
He was extremely cruel and terrifying, always liking to gather the people he had killed and admire them alone for a long time.
Feng Yang was the last to enter, and upon seeing the mess at the entrance of the courtyard, her jade hands hidden in her sleeves couldn't help but tremble slightly, and her eyes seemed to be ravaged by wind and snow.
Only the Scale Clan leader and the Fang Clan Chieftain, their gazes changed from their previous calmness to an intense fervor, as if they wanted to see through the entire courtyard at a glance, to see if everyone had truly died.
Yan Chuan was furious: "You—why would you let Ji You guard this place alone? He's only in the Tong Xuan Realm!"
Gongshu Chou frowned upon hearing this: "He arranged it himself."
"Why is that?"
"He said that if he arranged for several Elders to guard the central courtyard, the East Courtyard, the Flower Pavilion, and the outer perimeter of the Bamboo Forest, no one would be able to break in. His arm hasn't recovered, so he should avoid using it if possible, which is why staying in the West Courtyard is the safest."
Huo Hong covered his wound, his eyes slightly narrowed: "It seems he brought this upon himself."
The Scale Clan leader and the Fang Clan Chieftain exchanged glances at this moment, only then realizing that everyone had not attended the banquet tonight, but had instead each guarded Yu Garden. It turned out to be arranged by that Human Race person in the Tong Xuan Realm.
Such a person who could see the whole picture made them feel a chill.
But it all ends here, everything ends here.
Just then, a faint sound suddenly came from the courtyard. Everyone was instantly drawn back to attention and immediately stepped through the bamboo forest in front of the West Courtyard gate, walking to the deepest part of the courtyard, but couldn't help but freeze in place.
The courtyard was even more chaotic than the area in front of the courtyard gate, with broken scenes everywhere.
And indeed, as they had expected, there was a corpse in the West Courtyard.
But what was different was that there was only one corpse, and it was not a Human Race, but a slender Yao Race.
At this moment, he was lying Face down in a snowdrift, or rather, a blood pit, with the back of his head facing the sky.
Because the snow around his body had long been soaked with blood.
And on his back were seven incredibly terrifying sword marks, deeply cut to the bone. The cut flesh had long been frozen solid by the extreme cold temperature of the Snow Region, and the fresh blood that soaked the snow was overflowing from these sword wounds.
In the position of his hands, there were two long, narrow pits.
It seemed these should be the marks left by his weapons in the snow when he fell, but now only the imprints remained, and no weapons.
At this moment, Ji You was sitting to the left of that corpse, or rather, on the stone steps of the West Courtyard's east wing, with a bloodstain on his Face, slanting from his chin to his cheek.
This was a previous strike from Shu He towards his throat, which he dodged, but not completely.
His clothes were also torn open, and there was a wound between his collarbone and shoulder. This was a previous strike from Shu He attempting to pierce his heart, which he also dodged, but not completely.
At this moment, hearing the sound of footsteps, Ji You turned to look.
His Sword Intent had not yet receded at this moment, and sitting under the doorway, his gaze was extremely sharp.
However, when his gaze swept across the Faces of the Immortal Sect Prodigies and found that no one was missing, he quietly let out a sigh of relief in his heart.
Everyone present began to feel dazed, looking at the corpse on the ground, then at the sword marks all over the courtyard, their gazes couldn't help but settle on him.
He killed Demon General Shu He.
During the chaotic battle last night, there had been an unknown but extremely dangerous battle in the West Courtyard, a place that should have been empty.
Some thought the envoys living in the West Courtyard were doomed, others thought the corpses here had piled up into a small mountain.
And then, he slew Demon General Shu He here.
In fact, the Yao Race present were not familiar with Ji You. Feng Yang's impression of him was that he was a bit frivolous and didn't seem to possess the immortal demeanor that the Human Race spoke of.
But last night, he single-handedly guarded the West Courtyard and killed the most difficult and dangerous Demon General Shu He.
Among the crowd, the most difficult to accept this outcome were naturally the two Clan Chiefs of the Scale and Fang Clans, because in their view, among the attacks on Yu Garden tonight, the battle in the West Courtyard should have been the easiest.
However, this Demon General, who had always taken lives with his attacks, fell today, lying in the snowdrift, unable to rise again.
At this moment, Feng Yang quietly looked at him, lost in thought for a long time, and finally averted her gaze.
It was also at this moment that Ji You's voice suddenly echoed from the deathly silent West Courtyard.
"This Yao Race is incredibly powerful. I never expected that he could, with just his bare hands, inflict so many knife wounds on me."
"?"
Night Chill did not follow the others into the courtyard. Instead, he summoned three Heavenly Demon Generals simultaneously and ordered them to lead the Demon Soldiers to completely surround the West Courtyard.
His view was the same as everyone else's before entering the courtyard. Upon learning that Ji You was guarding the West Courtyard alone, he seemed to have already envisioned the entire Human Race envoy group tragically dying in the courtyard.
Because he had personally experienced Shu He's extreme speed when he heard of his killing renown before.
With that kind of speed talent, combined with his hidden talent, truly no one could survive.
Father Emperor said that if any Human Race truly died tragically, then it should be done thoroughly, because although the Human Race Immortal Sects were not united, they valued Face the most. If people truly died, it would be difficult to explain clearly.
As an Elder brother, Night Chill knew his younger sister Feng Yang's Heart-Nature.
Even if it was truly Father Emperor's imperial decree, she would not possibly obey it. Therefore, the matter of massacring the Human Race in this courtyard would have to be done by him.
"Actually, even I don't like facing Shu He alone. That guy is just too troublesome."
The Heavenly Demon General Chaocang, who was guarding the main gate, couldn't help but murmur at this moment.
"It's not just you. I heard that although Mule is willing to use him, he doesn't want him to be too close, because that guy truly possesses a danger that doesn't match his Realm."
As soon as the words fell, Feng Yang suddenly walked out of the courtyard, her gaze burning as she looked at Chaocang: "Arrest everyone involved in this matter tonight and send them to the Demon Emperor Palace, including the Scale Clan leader and the Fang Clan Chieftain!"
Night Chill turned to look at Feng Yang, his brows slightly furrowed: "Feng Yang, I know you can't bear it, but you shouldn't act impulsively. Let me handle the rest."
"Imperial Brother, I am fulfilling Father Emperor's imperial decree."
"?"
"Shu He is dead, and the Human Race envoy group is safe and sound."
With Feng Yang's command, all the Demon Soldiers and Demon Generals immediately took action, apprehending everyone who had been subdued earlier.
In the chaotic environment, Night Chill, filled with doubt and bewilderment, stepped into the West Courtyard. His first glance saw Shu He lying motionless on the ground, and also the sword wounds all over his body.
Shu He's greatest strength was not stealth but speed. Some people couldn't even touch the hem of his clothes, let alone strike him.
But looking at his body now, it was clear he had been struck squarely, and every sword strike was incredibly even.
This Demon Imperial Prince was silent for a long time, then raised his head and looked towards the west.
Ji You had already been helped into a wheelchair, his two hands hanging limply, and he was pushed out of the courtyard into his light, looking frail and sickly like a delicate scholar.
At dawn, the sun began to slowly rise from behind the snow-capped peaks, and the east turned white, even the cold mist was somewhat illuminated.
Yu Garden, which had been noisy all night, suddenly fell silent, but the scattered broken bricks and tiles everywhere indicated the ferocity of yesterday's battle.
The Clan Chiefs of the Scale and Fang Clans, as the masterminds of the entire affair, were put in shackles after leaving Yu Garden. Along with all the Demon Generals from their clans who participated in tonight's attack, they were escorted by the Imperial Guards and sent to the Demon Emperor Palace.
However, the Demon Emperor did not appear to meet them. Instead, it was his chief minister, named Shandian, who was waiting alone in front of the palace gate.
Seeing Princess Feng Yang escort them back, Shandian stepped down from the main hall and bowed before the two: "Your Majesty is very disappointed in you and does not wish to see you."
The Clan Chiefs of the Scale and Fang Clans clenched their fists upon hearing this, remaining silent.
Shandian couldn't help but add: "You are not helping Your Majesty alleviate his worries, but rather forcing His Majesty to make a choice."
Mule sighed upon hearing this: "We—are guilty."
"You are indeed guilty, so go to the Cold Prison to reflect."
(Finally home, going to catch up on some sleep, will be more diligent tomorrow, asking for monthly tickets—or2)