Elizabeth was scared stiff. In a flash, some of the strongest experts in the Alzar Kingdom were cut down like wheat. As soon as Cardinal Hui took to the field, the stalemate ended. The three Cardinals won without a scratch on them! Benedict had a grim expression as well. He was aware of the power that Royal Guards possessed. He even sparred with his father, Sir Roland, on several occasions. To call it a one-sided beating was putting it lightly. Now, that same disparity existed here. Any resistance was futile! Shirley and Freon were less knowledgeable when it came to Royal Guards, but they faced Imperial Sentinels in Kuthong Forest before. As they remembered, they could not help but quiver. They were completely dominated! The feeling of death was never more prevalent.
Everything started and ended in a matter of seconds, giving no time for the two Royal Guards to react, much less break through the blockade. The Four Cardinals glanced dismissively at the Royal Guards and stood aside for someone. Elizabeth's eyes narrowed as Emperor Lianghu personally arrived. Even before he did anything, his bloodlust was frightfully potent. His regal aura was replaced entirely. He was like a walking sea of bloodlust! Everyone facing him felt chills going down their spines. He was not powerful like the sentinels, but his aura was truly horrific. It was something that dwarfed everything else on the battlefield. Not even Cardinal Hui could compare! As the target of his bloodlust, Elizabeth felt plunged into an icy ocean. It was enough to paralyze her!
At the same time, General Illion was hesitating. Elizabeth's group was left behind and the difficulty to rescue her kept increasing. There were two options for him. One was to immediately act, break apart their defensive formation, and spearhead into the Xingyuu army to save her. The other was to retreat, reform, and strike decisively. The pros and cons of each was evident. The first option would grant the greatest chance of rescuing Elizabeth, but the deaths associated were immense. It would suffice to say that he would be sacrificing hundreds, if not a thousand, of men. General Illion may be cold-hearted; however, he did not treat the lives of his men so lowly. Elizabeth was stupid enough to trap herself and General Illion thought that she deserved her just retribution. Still, she was the heir apparent of the Alzar Kingdom!
Sir Lorenzo noticed his general's indecision and frowned. Setting aside his obligations, Benedict was his precious little brother. He really did care about him. Moreover, ever since his crushing defeat in Port Silic, he was lamented about his powerlessness. Although it did not affect his heart, it was something that became his regret. As soon as he saw Benedict in a dangerous situation, he wanted to lead his brigade into spearheading the offensive. Yet, he did not. Sir Lorenzo knew his place and obediently awaited General Illion's decision. He was a full two ranks beneath General Illion. It was not his place to question his superior. Not to mention, if he should say anything that sways the battle against them, it would spell disaster for everyone. By that point, not even the goddesses could save them.
Ultimately, General Illion decided. Despite the various emotions flashing through everyone's minds, that moment of hesitation lasted for mere seconds. Fundamentally speaking, General Illion was a decisive person. That much was required for any general. Especially for him, something that could make him doubt himself was as rare as a phoenix feather. He had to admit, Elizabeth presented a unique opportunity. Her actions surprised both friend and foe. The Xingyuu Empire clearly did not anticipate such a thing and their formation was equally as flimsy. Furthermore, Emperor Lianghu was physically here. If he played his cards right, he could behead the Xingyuu Empire right here!
Thinking up to this point, he shouted out his orders! Sir Lorenzo was filled with relief and hurriedly arranged for things alongside his fellow Brigade Commanders. The soldiers were quick to react, forming into a spearhead formation. They boldly charged straight into enemy ranks and the battlefield once more descended into chaos. That said, the Alzar Kingdom maintained its plentiful disadvantages. Their malnourishment and morale limited their fighting potential. It nearly took two Alzar soldiers to defeat one Xingyuu soldier. That, combined with the already disproportionate numbers, made their progress pitiful. They were dying in every breath.
Unexpectedly, there was one side of the battlefield that went as they pleased with little to no resistance. It was the Twin Imperial Princesses and their two Protectors! As soon as General Illion saw Emperor Lianghu willing to attack, he lost interest in keeping the princesses as prisoners. They lost their value. Of course, he was not generous enough to let them go. He was intending to order the Royal Guards to execute them, but the situation spiralled quickly out of control. It was something that slipped his mind. For the Royal Guards themselves, they were at a loss of what to do. Elizabeth had already given her word to protect the princesses, so they were unrestrained to begin with. As a result, the Royal Guards did nothing to stop the princesses from charging out.
On the Xingyuu Empire's side, it was a weird sight. The soldiers did nothing to stop them from reaching the emperor. Minister Linshi declared the princesses were traitors, and yet, no one dared to raise their hand against them. Although the previous confrontation was a baffling one, the emperor's stance on the matter was ambiguous. Who did not know how Princess Xiuying and Ming were the beloved children of the emperor? No one wanted to be the odd one out. No one wanted to strike first. In this situation, they would much rather offend Minister Linshi than Emperor Lianghu. Hence, they moved effortlessly through the army.