Kong Ying ran alone through the empty streets of Tai Cang. A mix of unspeakable fear and regret twisted on her face, and tears constantly welled in her eyes. The emotions within her chest felt as if they were about to tear her apart.
"The monarch drank that bowl of porridge, and the poison in it was given by that pigeon-dog person."
"I personally handed the poison to the monarch, and the monarch didn't suspect me at all, even asking about my father's illness..." She seemed to see Ji Xia, who had always been easy-going, sometimes joking with her.
"Monarch, don't blame me. I'm not afraid of death, I could even die for Tai Cang, for the monarch. But my parents are in danger, I was caught off guard, and I feel utterly lost..." Before she could finish defending herself, a gust of wind blew through, stirring up smoke and dust, which gathered into black smoke in front of her.
Kong Ying's heart sank in fear. From a distance, she could see the black smoke forming a figure—this figure had no face, and even its outline was barely human.
"Kong Ying, where are you going?"
A male voice suddenly emerged from the figure of black smoke.
Kong Ying trembled and stood frozen, her face pale as though she had just recovered from a serious illness. Sweat beads dropped from her sides, falling onto her maid's attire.
"Lord Meng Si... I..." She recognized the voice from the black smoke figure.
The black smoke dissipated, revealing a figure in black robes standing before her. Every part of the person was cloaked, with only two cold, indifferent eyes visible.
"At this late hour, you left the palace without permission. Where are you going?"
Meng Gui's voice was devoid of emotion, as if he were a puppet speaking.
Coincidentally, Meng Gui had been in seclusion, practicing his Dark Dust Manifestation technique using the Taillai Spirit Water. After much cultivation, he had broken through to the Ninth Heaven level tonight, mastering the technique that allowed him to manifest dust. He had just broken through and was rushing to the royal palace to report to Ji Xia when he encountered Kong Ying, who was also running frantically.
Seeing her panic, fear, and anxiety, he instantly knew that something was wrong!
Meng Gui held a high position in the palace, controlling all defenses, orders, and coordination, including the supervision of Kong Ying. She had always feared him, especially now that she had committed a guilty act. The fear in her heart nearly overwhelmed her.
"Kong Ying! I am asking you, why did you leave the palace in the middle of the night? Who was attending to the monarch's bedchamber today?"
Meng Gui's voice grew loud and harsh. With his shout, black smoke transformed into a sharp spike that shot across the distance between them and hovered just before Kong Ying's forehead.
Even Kong Ying, whose cultivation was lower, could feel the killing intent in the spike.
If she didn't answer, Meng Gui would certainly kill her!
"Lord Meng Si... My father is sick... his old illness relapsed, I must..." she began to explain, but was cut off.
"Shut up! Who was attending the monarch's bedchamber?" Meng Gui roared, his eyes fixated on her.
Kong Ying opened her mouth, but the pressure of the situation and her overwhelming guilt tortured her to the point of agony.
"The monarch drank the poison, he should have already died, right?" Her heart was torn. On one hand, the monarch, who had always treated her well, the young ruler with Tai Cang's future in his hands; on the other hand, there were her family members, kidnapped by the pigeon-dogs, whose lives depended on her immediate actions.
The conflict in her heart intensified.
Meng Gui, seeing that Kong Ying didn't answer, activated his Dark Dust Manifestation technique. Black smoke split off, forming a rope that flew toward Kong Ying, binding her tightly.
No matter what had happened, the immediate priority was to get to the royal palace and check on the monarch's condition!
"Lord, please release me. If I don't go, my family will die..." Kong Ying struggled against the black smoke, but it didn't budge an inch. She could only plead desperately.
Meng Gui, surrounded by swirling black smoke, moved like a gust of wind, completely ignoring Kong Ying's pleas.
At that moment, his only concern was the monarch's safety—nothing else mattered.
Meanwhile, at the royal palace, the single-eyed pigeon-dog opened its massive mouth and lunged at Ji Xia!
Ji Xia's consciousness had become fragmented, and his mind was forcibly filled with many false memories, dulling his senses.
The black-robed figure from the Pigeon-Dog Kingdom, who had at least reached the Ninth Heaven in cultivation, used a rare and powerful technique. Ji Xia, with only Three Heavens of cultivation and having ingested the spiritual medium meant to enhance the black-robed figure's magic, was like a puppet, with no consciousness of his own.
The single-eyed pigeon-dog's mouth opened wide, far larger than Ji Xia's body. Even though everything was an illusion, under the power of the spell, if Ji Xia were bitten, his soul would be devoured, and he would become a complete fool.
With a deafening snap, the massive mouth closed around Ji Xia.
But then, a powerful spiritual energy surged into Ji Xia's body, filling him with an invigorating force. Suddenly, the false images in his mind shattered!
He regained clarity and felt an incredible flow of spiritual energy coursing through his body. Looking down, he saw the Tai Cang Royal Order, which had once been inconspicuous, now glowing with intense golden light. The light continued to infuse an indescribable power into him.
In an instant, an overwhelming aura erupted from Ji Xia. The single-eyed pigeon-dog, its fangs closing in, was struck by a wave of immense force, crashing into Ji Xia with tremendous power!
The pigeon-dog let out a mournful cry as golden light erupted from its body, piercing the darkness and causing its massive form to shatter into countless pieces.
In the Pigeon-Dog Kingdom's palace, the black-robed pigeon-dog let out a scream of shock as the golden light shone on her face. Her eyes were seared, leaving behind two streams of blood tears.
Covered in golden light, Ji Xia looked at the illusory sky of this place, and suddenly an idea sparked in his mind. He snapped his fingers, and the black-robed pigeon-dog from a thousand miles away stood frozen in place as her soul was pulled into the void.
Ji Xia's pupils turned gold as he looked at the black-robed figure before him.
The figure laughed maniacally. "Human brat! This is the spell realm I created using the Curse Spirit Technique, the Illusory Copper Mirror, and the Soul Prisoning Spirit Medium that you drank. In this realm, I am the master. Even gods and demons will die at my hands!"
"You couldn't do anything to me unless you pulled me into your spell realm. But how foolish of you to bring me here yourself. Today, I will devour your soul and take vengeance for my daughter!"
Before she could finish her words, Ji Xia transformed into a blur, appearing before the black-robed pigeon-dog in an instant. Golden light flashed as he threw a punch!
The black-robed figure's cheek was struck by Ji Xia's fist, and she was sent flying, crashing far away.
"Is hiding behind that mirror fun?" Ji Xia rubbed his wrist. "If not for the terrifying power in the Tai Cang Royal Order, you would have killed me by now. But now, I have a question for you."
"You've been toying with me like this, and as the ruler of a nation, do you think I have no temper?"