Chapter 400: I Want to Keep You—Why Is This So Hard?

I came here with your second older brother, Tuan Tuan! Are you alright? I was dying of worry.

Gongsun Yue saw that Tuan Tuan was safe and sound, and he immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

The one sitting beside her must be the National Preceptor of Fierce Kingdom, right?

Why does Tuan Tuan have so many golden threads on her hands?

He turned his head to look opposite the golden threads—what is this?

Then he saw that person he never wanted to see again.

Wu Luo?

His face turned deathly pale in an instant, he instinctively stepped back a few steps, his lips trembling, unable to utter another word.

Wu Luo saw that the person who had come was actually Gongsun Yue, and he too was startled.

Then, as if he had discovered something extremely amusing, he let out a low laugh: "It seems your relationship with the Fierce Kingdom Immortal Envoy is quite good, huh?"

"Of course!" Tuan Tuan puffed out her little chest, looking proud, "Xiao Yueyue is my good friend!"

"Good friend?" Wu Luo drew out his tone, his gaze sweeping back and forth between Gongsun Yue and Tuan Tuan.

"Little girl, do you know why he went to Fierce Kingdom as a hostage? And why he insists on being your companion reader?"

Gongsun Yue's whole body shuddered violently; he lifted his head to look at Wu Luo, his eyes full of fear and pleading.

"No! Don't say it! Don't tell her!"

This is his deepest fear!

Tuan Tuan, this one who unreservedly treats him well, regards him as a 'person,' this little sun, is the most precious light in his life.

He is terrified, deathly afraid, afraid that this sole light will be completely extinguished upon learning the truth.

Tuan Tuan blinked, looked at Wu Luo, then at the terribly pale Gongsun Yue, and furrowed her little brow: "Why do you care about him? He likes being my companion reader, and I like being with him!"

"Like? Hahaha!" Wu Luo burst into laughter.

Gongsun Yue's lips moved, his face deathly pale.

Chu Yuan frowned slightly; this child is precisely the Da Xia hostage who serves as Tuan Tuan's companion reader.

Strange, why does he have a boy's shadow on him?

Wu Luo savored the fear on Gongsun Yue's face, nodding with satisfaction.

With one hand he fended off the endless golden threads Tuan Tuan kept flinging, and with the other he raised his palm, where a cone about a foot long gradually appeared, its tip flashing with a cold light.

The cone's surface was covered in twisted runes, looking extremely eerie.

"It seems Your Highness cherishes this affection." Wu Luo's voice was soft, laced with deadly temptation and threat, "Then I'll give you a chance."

With a thought, the cone floated lightly into the air and landed beside Gongsun Yue's feet.

"Pick it up!"

"Do you see that person beside her?"

"Go over, use this Soul-devouring Cone, and plunge it into the center of his heavenly spirit cap."

"If you do as I say, I'll keep my lips sealed—how about that?"

Gongsun Yue stared blankly at the Soul-devouring Cone at his feet.

"Wu Luo's face showed impatience: 'Pick it up already! What are you waiting for?'"

"Hmph, this little highness has been in my hands since childhood, tormented for over ten years, terrified of me to the extreme."

"How could he dare not obey me?"

"Now this stalemate—having him break it is just perfect."

"That girl and her senior brother are so close; once the senior brother dies, she will surely fall into chaos, and then I can seize her in the confusion—everything will be mine!"

Gongsun Yue trembled all over from his shout; years of obedience made him slowly bend down and pick up the Soul-devouring Cone.

"Xiao Yueyue?" Tuan Tuan exclaimed in surprise, "What are you doing? That's a bad thing! You can't pick it up!"

Gongsun Yue rose to his feet, gripping the Soul-devouring Cone tightly, his whole body trembling.

He looked at Tuan Tuan, his eye sockets gradually reddening.

"Tuan Tuan, what should I do?"

"If you knew I came to your side to kill the father you cherish most, would you still pay attention to me, would you still smile at me?"

"Kill this National Preceptor, and Wu Luo won't tell you my secret."

"What are you picking it up for?" Tuan Tuan cried out, but she couldn't free her hands, entangled tightly by Wu Luo, and could only stare fixedly at Gongsun Yue.

"Her little face scrunched tight as she shouted loudly, 'He's my master! Xiao Yueyue! If you listen to that lousy National Preceptor and use this bad thing to harm him…'"

"I'll never pay attention to you again!"

"Never pay attention to me again?"

"The National Preceptor is your master? If you kill him, you'll still ignore me?"

"I want to keep you by my side—why is this so hard?"

"Wu Luo roared fiercely: 'What are you still waiting for? Hurry up and go!'"

Gongsun Yue was torn between left and right.

"But, his fear of Wu Luo since childhood made him instinctively walk toward Chu Yuan!"

"Tuan Tuan looked at him in disbelief: 'Xiao Yueyue?'"

Gongsun Yue walked to stand between the three, facing Tuan Tuan and Chu Yuan.

He slowly raised the Soul-devouring Cone in his hand.

"Wu Luo widened his eyes excitedly: 'Quick! Aim at his head and plunge it in!'"

At this moment on the battlefield, it had come to a matter of life and death.

"It's over—this icy thought rose simultaneously in the hearts of all Fierce Kingdom soldiers and grassland warriors."

The Gathering Killing Formation was like an invisible noose, long since draining them of their last strength and fighting spirit.

Under the stimulus of the urging drums, the Da Xia army smashed shields, pushed into the spear thicket, leapt onto horsebacks to drag riders down… wild as madness.

After barely holding the line for a long time, it finally collapsed completely!

Like a breached dam, the Da Xia army's frenzy surged through the gap in an instant, throwing the Lie Guo army and the grassland fighters' formation into utter chaos.

The soldiers were split and surrounded, each fighting on their own, as the number of fallen grew, their screams and roars quickly drowned in the enemy's frenzied slaughter.

At the center of the battlefield, several people stood back to back, forming the last island.

Xiao Yuanhang's Dragon Roar Spear was planted in the ground; a deep wound on his right arm down to the bone, flesh turned outward, blood staining half his body.

Jifeng's Golden Blade was already notched, his dark cloak stained with sticky blood.

Xiao Ningchen's handsome face bore several blood streaks; Xiao Ningxun had exhausted his strength, could no longer wield his weapon, and lay limp on the ground, leaning against his second brother and father's feet.

Xiao Ran and Xiao Er barely waved their sidearms, both equally scarred, breathing heavily.

Around them, layer upon layer of Da Xia soldiers approached, eyes glowing red, emitting strange hoarse cries.

"Damn it! That was a satisfying kill." Jifeng licked his split, bleeding lips, tried to grin, but the motion tugged at his wound, making him hiss in pain.

Xiao Ningchen glanced at his father, heart aching: "Father! I am unfilial, unable to rescue you. On the road to the Yellow Springs, I will lead your horse and stirrup for you again!"

"Nonsense!" Xiao Yuanhang shouted low, turning his head through the enemy ranks to gaze toward the Main Camp, his mind full of worry: "Lu Qi, Tuan Tuan, and the National Preceptor have already left, right?"

Xiao Ningxun smiled faintly: "Tuan Tuan is so clever, nothing will happen to her."

Xiao Ran's eyes reddened: "Don't worry! The little one is blessed with great fortune and destiny; she must have left already!"

Xiao Er said nothing; the sword, its edge rolled from hacking, was tightly bound to his hand with a strip torn from his battle robe.

"Miss, I can no longer protect you."

The wind swept past, carrying thick smoke and the stench of blood, the enemies' faces drawing ever closer around them,

They exchanged a glance, slowly adjusted their breathing, gripped their broken weapons, and prepared to meet the final onslaught.