At that moment, urgency etched itself across Orion's face as he swiftly navigated the ruins of Chang'an City. Had it not been for the protective aura of several immortal weapons surrounding him, he might have been reduced to blood mist by the aftermath of the fierce battle raging around him.
"Hurry up…" he muttered, his expression growing increasingly ferocious.
Just moments ago, while caught up in the chaotic fray, Orion had glanced back. To his horror, he saw Li Sandao being flung away like a ragdoll by the black-robed figure opposing him. Li Sandao coughed up three bowls of blood and seemed almost embedded in the ground.
Despite his grievous injuries, Li Sandao struggled to his feet and charged at the black-robed man once more.
"Hmph! Seeking death!" the black-robed figure sneered, his anger palpable.
Li Sandao's reckless bravery bought Orion precious seconds.
"This is it..." Orion's Martial Emperor-level power surged within him. Drawing strength from his imperial and immortal weapons, he pressed onward, arriving at the location where Zhou Linglong was imprisoned.
Orion cast a nervous glance around. Fortunately, the black-robed man searching for Zhou Linglong hadn't yet discovered this place. A sigh of relief escaped him; he had strategically used a captured auxiliary fairy weapon to mask his aura, making it nearly impossible for the emperor-level adversary to detect him.
The cell where Zhou Linglong was held was situated in a camp that had once housed the Imperial Army of the Zhou Dynasty. Remarkably, despite the chaos outside, the structure remained largely intact, spared from the devastation of the emperor's battle.
"Squeak..." The door to the cell creaked open, and Orion stepped inside, his face darkened by urgency.
In the shadows, Zhou Linglong's bright eyes snapped open, shining with a fierce light. But as she recognized him, hatred flared in her gaze.
"Hmph… Orion!" she spat. "How dare you come here! I want to kill you!"
Though shackled by iron chains, her fury was evident as she writhed and struggled against her bonds, resembling a vengeful spirit rather than the majestic empress she once was.
Seeing her desperate state brought a twisted smile to Orion's lips.
"Ah, my empress, we meet again!" he chuckled, his voice laced with malice. "But I don't have time to chat now. I'm here to send you off on your way!"
Time was of the essence. He could not afford to linger; each second spent here put Li Sandao in greater peril.
With a swift motion, Orion drew his imperial sword, a grim expression settling on his face as he approached Zhou Linglong.
"Are you serious?" Panic flickered across Zhou Linglong's features, realizing the intent behind his expression.
Before, she might have welcomed death, eager to escape her torment. But now, the flames of revenge burned brightly in her heart. She didn't want to die; she wanted to live, to exact vengeance on Orion for the wrongs he had inflicted upon her.
"Zhou Linglong, it's time for you to die!" Orion declared, his voice devoid of emotion as he lifted his blade.
Internally, his hands trembled despite his determination. Though accustomed to the sight of bloodshed, the thought of taking a life weighed heavily on him.
"No! Orion, I am your woman now! You can't just kill me!" Zhou Linglong pleaded, desperation dripping from her words. "I can help you become emperor, and we can rule this great Zhou together!"
Her words, laced with a façade of vulnerability, might have swayed a weaker soul. But beneath her outward charm lay a heart filled with venomous hatred for her captor.
"Orion, it's time for you to die!" she growled, forcing herself to sound resolute despite the turmoil within her.
"Orion, you killed the emperor! You will not die a good death!" Zhou Linglong's tone shifted, transforming her pleas into curses. "Even if you conquer the world, your name will be forever tainted! You, a cruel and tyrannical wretch, will surely face divine retribution!"
Her words, once drenched in fear, turned into threats as the realization of her impending doom settled in.
Yet, as despair loomed over her, the depths of her spirit ignited.
"Boom!"
With a surge of defiance, Zhou Linglong tapped into the remaining fragments of her Holy Emperor potential.
"Boom!"
In an instant, the energy of her spiritual light bracelet flickered, momentarily loosening its grip on her.
Unfortunately, the bracelet was a formidable magical artifact, and after enduring extensive torment, her strength had waned to a mere fraction of its former glory.
"Buzz!"
A bright light erupted from the bracelet, but in the end, it held firm against her desperate struggle.
As if sensing a shift, the black-robed man hunting Zhou Linglong honed in on her presence.
"Huh? There..." His eyes gleamed with intent as he locked onto Zhou Linglong's location.
"Whoosh..."
In a flash, he appeared at the entrance of the cell, and his eyes widened at the scene before him.
Orion stood poised, his sword glinting ominously in the dim light, aimed directly at the woman he was meant to protect—the very embodiment of the Holy Body, as designated by His Highness himself.