Chapter 401

In the Soul Realm.

Gongsun Yue's hand-held soul-devouring awl was ice-cold and bone-piercing, the tip trembling, slowly descending toward Chu Yuan's head.

Wu Luo's eyes flickered with excitement and cruelty; he had almost seen Chu Yuan's soul scatter and Tuan Tuan collapse, captured, a wonderful scene.

Tuan Tuan's eyes welled with tears, but Wu Luo tightly bound her with black mist; she could only shout desperately: "Xiao Yueyue! Don't! The rotten National Preceptor isn't a good person! Don't listen to him!"

Gongsun Yue lowered his head to look at her, the pearl hairpin!

Mother Consort's hairpin!

He stared at that hairpin, which he himself had placed on her head!

She had always worn it!

This is Tuan Tuan, who gives me candy to eat, no matter when, always protecting my Tuan Tuan!

Wu Luo's voice sounded from behind, incessantly urging: "Hurry! Plunge it in! Dare you not obey my words?!"

Obey?

Yes, I must obey him, otherwise he will torment me in various ways; each time I seek death wholeheartedly, he tortures Mother Consort, so I cannot even die.

The fear of being controlled by Wu Luo since childhood turned into a chill that crawled up his spine; the soul-devouring awl in his hand had already touched Chu Yuan's hair.

Chu Yuan saw his fear of Wu Luo, gazing at him with pitying eyes.

But how did Wu Luo treat himself?

It was he who told Father Emperor: "He is not a devout believer, unfit to be a divine child. Since he is so skilled at pretense, let him continue as such."

Thus, I became a monster that would never grow up!

After enduring seven years of excruciating day-and-night torment.

He then said: "This is the Bone-eroding Pill; you must take one each month. If you do not, your bones and meridians will be severed throughout your body, as in death by a thousand cuts."

Wu Luo! You demon!

The demon who controls me, tortures me, making me and Mother Consort live neither like humans nor like ghosts!

Obey you?

Have I ever had a good day obeying you?

Does obeying you make my little sun sad?

No! This time, I won't obey!

"Ah——!"

Gongsun Yue let out a non-human howl.

He suddenly turned, mustering all his strength, and fiercely plunged the soul-devouring awl into Wu Luo's head!

Everything happened too fast!

The excitement and triumph on Wu Luo's face hadn't yet turned to shock.

The soul-devouring awl that he himself had condensed, born specifically to destroy souls, had already been driven into his own head, carrying all of Gongsun Yue's hatred.

"Uh... you..." Wu Luo's eyes widened instantly, his eyeballs almost popping out.

Soul power surged like a flood bursting through a breach.

He wanted to roar, but could not even make a sound.

Soul-devouring awl, soul-devouring awl... ultimately devouring was none other than his own soul!

"Bang!"

Wu Luo's soul was like a punctured skin bag, suddenly collapsing inward, then silently exploding, together with that soul-devouring awl, dissipating in the Soul Realm.

The next moment.

"Hum——!"

The entire Soul Realm trembled violently!

The surging gray mist and intangible barriers, like a shattered mirror, appeared with countless cracks, beginning to twist, spin, and dissipate!

Chu Yuan looked around: "The Soul Realm is going to shatter!"

Shattered? Ah! My earthly treasure!

Tuan Tuan quickly ran to where the soul-locking cover had been, swiftly gathering the ragged scraps on the ground and holding them in her arms.

Chu Yuan grabbed Gongsun Yue with one hand and shouted at her: "Come back quickly! Tuan Tuan!"

"Here I come!" Tuan Tuan ran to Chu Yuan's side, and a tremendous suction force came over.

Chu Yuan, one hand on each: "Close your eyes, don't move."

Tuan Tuan and Gongsun Yue obediently held his hand, closing their eyes.

Light and shadow shattered, the world spun.

In the main camp of the Lie Kingdom, inside the great tent.

Lu Qi stared fixedly at the three lifeless bodies before him, anxious as if burning.

Where have you all gone? When will you return?

Suddenly——

"Cough... cough cough!"

Chu Yuan opened his eyes, coughing violently.

Tuan Tuan's long lashes fluttered a few times, she opened her eyes to see Lu Qi, her little mouth pouting: "Uncle Seven!"

Gongsun Yue's body went limp; she could no longer stand, collapsing directly onto the ground, gasping heavily.

He was drenched in cold sweat, his gaze unfocused, still not recovered from that shocking slaughter just moments ago.

Did I kill Wu Luo? He's so powerful—did I really kill him?

"Miss! National Preceptor! You're awake!" Lu Qi rejoiced, taking a swift step forward and scooping up Tuan Tuan.

Chu Yuan looked at the light seeping into the tent; dawn had arrived.

On his pale, weak face appeared a smile: "The killing aura has dispersed."

"The formation is broken."

He looked at Tuan Tuan hanging from Lu Qi's neck: "Good child, you needn't worry anymore; your father... will not lose."

Having said that, he seemed to have exhausted his last strength; his body swayed slightly and he collapsed.

Tuan Tuan cried out in panic: "Master!"

On the distant battlefield.

The deafening shouts of battle suddenly ceased!

Tens of thousands of Da Xia soldiers awoke as if from a dream together.

Simultaneously they uttered painful cries and collapsed one after another.

The red light in their eyes suddenly vanished; as if instantly losing all support, they collapsed in swaths upon the ground!

Like wheat flattened by a violent wind.

Everyone stared in astonishment as the enemies who had just frenziedly lunged at them suddenly collapsed in patches, their gripped weapons frozen mid‑air; for a moment none could believe it.

Xiao Ningxun was the first to react: "The formation... is broken?"

Gongsun Chi gazed at the strange changes on the battlefield, so shocked that the scars on his face kept twitching, making him look especially ferocious.

"What's going on? Where's the formation? Hurry! Bring the National Preceptor here!"

A guard raced off, then moments later came running back, stumbling: "Your Majesty! The National Preceptor isn't in the tent!"

"The sentry said he never saw the National Preceptor come out, but the tent was empty inside!"

"What?"

Gongsun Chi's vision blacked for an instant, and a towering rage surged to his head.

He had painstakingly prepared, sparing no effort to launch a great war, all to annihilate the Lie Kingdom's war god and his elite forces, thereby laying the foundation for his own victory in unifying the world.

Just as victory seemed within reach, the formation vanished at this critical moment!

And the National Preceptor, who had confidently guaranteed the formation's infallibility, has now disappeared without a trace!

"Wu Luo, you good‑for‑nothing! You've ruined my grand plan!"

He looked upon the wailing army spread across the field, feeling no pity, only cold calculation and utter resentment.

"They are merely expendable pawns! As long as I return to Tianqi Cheng, a comeback is imminent!"

A blood‑soaked soldier stumbled forward: "Your Majesty, we can't hold the front any longer! All our brothers have fallen!"

The defeat is settled.

Gongsun Chi's gaze turned dark as iron; without hesitation he mounted and ordered: "Issue the command—all who can still move, follow me to relocate the camp! Retreat!"

"Retreat?" the camp commander blinked, looking at the countless comrades struggling in pain on the battlefield: "Your Majesty! Those brothers..."

"Shut up!" Gongsun Chi snapped his head back; the ferocity in his eyes silenced the officer instantly: "Didn't you hear? Retreat! Disobey, and you'll be beheaded!"

Surrounded by hundreds of guards, Gongsun Chi led the charge, ignoring the wailing army behind him, and galloped swiftly toward the heart of Da Xia.

"Prince! Look over there!"

Xiao Er's keen eyes spotted a unit that had just burst out of the Da Xia camp.

Hearing the shout, Xiao Yuanhang looked over, his pupils contracting: "Gongsun Chi! He's trying to flee!"

A chill flared in his eyes; this man had made countless sons of the Lie Kingdom bleed on the battlefield—how could we let him escape?

"Chase!" Xiao Yuanhang bellowed, grabbed a warhorse, and vaulted onto it: "We must not let the tiger return to the mountain!"

"Xun Er, return to the main camp and check whether Tuan Tuan and the National Preceptor are still there!"

Xiao Ningxun replied: "Yes, Father!"

"The rest of you, follow me!"

Xiao Ningchen and Xiao Er each found a warhorse and joined them.

Xiao Ningchen shouted: "Anyone who can mount up, follow me! Let's capture the Emperor of Da Xia!"