"Lord Huaixi, you are free to leave if you wish. But the person in your arms is an accomplice of the Night Demon. His Majesty, the Human Emperor, has issued a decree to execute all accomplices as a sacrifice to the departed souls. By openly disrupting the execution ground and even attempting to take Ren Woxiao away, are you defying an imperial decree?"
Huaixi’s expression turned icy. He spoke in a harsh voice, "I will say this one last time: move aside!"
"Lord Huaixi! We advise you not to act on your own impulses. Otherwise, you will suffer the same fate as Ren Woxiao. Offending us is one thing, but offending His Majesty the Human Emperor is a consequence neither you nor I can bear... Pfft..." A cold blade pierced through his chest. The man had only enough time to look down before he breathed his last.
Lord Huaixi had always been known for his gentleness and refinement. Once, even when Lord Xiao had trampled all over him, he had at most offered a few words of rebuttal.
Yet today, Huaixi chose violence. This caused many of the warriors blocking his path to hesitate, and even the leaders from the Southwest and Northwest were astonished.
For some reason, although the Human Emperor, Taishu Xu, saw everything, he did not speak to intervene, choosing instead to watch the situation unfold.
Seeing that the warriors blocking his path had not retreated but instead continued to hold their ground, Huaixi decided that if it had to be this way... then so be it.
Countless sword shadows swept across those blocking his path. Even those prepared for battle had not expected this exceptionally low-profile Lord Huaixi to be so powerful. Even the leaders of the Southwest and Northwest felt the pressure.
"Huaixi, do not ruin yourself."
"I have no desire to involve myself in these many disputes, but I am going to protect him."
The "him" was naturally Ren Woxiao, who, after enduring such prolonged, inhuman torture and finally being beside someone he trusted, had collapsed into unconsciousness with a sense of relief.
Huaixi looked down at the person in his arms with a complex expression, then raised his eyes, his gaze cold. "If you wish to fight, then let us fight!"
"Since you remain obsessed and blinded, do not blame us for being merciless!"
"Attack!"
The Human Emperor’s silence seemed to signal his approval of their actions. Seeing this, more and more warriors charged into the execution ground to join the slaughter. As the blood-red light barrier turned increasingly crimson, many felt a deep sense of unease.
The elders of the Di, Hua, and Leng clans, who had remained on guard, found their eyelids twitching violently.
Even the ancestors of the remaining nine Ancestor Witch Clans frowned, sensing that something was amiss, though they could not pinpoint exactly what.
As one legion after another leaped into the execution ground to participate in the carnage, it seemed they would not stop until everyone in the arena was dead. In particular, the warriors surrounding Huaixi and Ren Woxiao were now being joined by several of the great lords themselves.
Is a mere bait worth sacrificing so many warriors?
They only needed to wait for Ye Shiqi and the others to appear so they could be captured like turtles in a jar.
"Your Majesty the Human Emperor, if the slaughter in this execution ground continues like this, the bait will be completely wiped out. By then..." The ancestor of the Lan clan hesitantly voiced his opinion, but before he could finish, he was interrupted by the Human Emperor.
"If this batch of bait is gone, then prepare the next one."
"This... these are the people closest to Ye Shiqi and the others. If they are gone, Ye Shiqi will certainly not fall into the trap. Our entire plan will have been in vain."
The Human Emperor smiled without a word, making everyone all the more anxious.
The elders of the Hua, Di, and Leng clans hurriedly attempted to send messages to their families, only to discover that all communications were blocked. Their attempts to project their spiritual sense were also completely thwarted. They realized at once that something was wrong.
The three exchanged glances and began to retreat quietly.
But they had not taken two steps before they were overcome by a sudden, intense agitation, coughing up blood as they collapsed to their knees. When they tried to channel their Xuan Qi, they discovered their cultivation had been sealed, rendering them completely ordinary mortals. Cold sweat drenched them instantly.
They had been cautious enough, yet their cultivation had vanished without a trace.
When exactly had the blow been struck?
"Taishu Xu, what have you done to us? Why is our cultivation gone?"
The sudden collapse of the three served as a wake-up call to many. Those who could reach this place were not fools.
Within the various great clans and sects, who didn't have their own little secrets or agendas?