Chapter 750: My Defeat Was Not Unjust

A lone figure stepped out of the shadows of the inner hall at an unhurried pace, as if born from the darkness.

He wore a dark indigo robe, and a bronze mask covered his face.

Xiao Jieyun thrust Tuan Tuan from his arms onto the dragon throne, using his body to block her: "Guards!"

The Imperial Guard outside the gate rushed in, surrounding the dragon throne, their blades all pointing at the Masked Man.

Everyone's gaze fixed on him.

The Masked Man slowly walked to the center of the hall, halted unhurriedly, his robe hanging down.

Xiao Ningchen lunged forward a few steps and pressed his knife across the Masked Man's throat.

Xiao Er and Lu Qi had already stood in front of Xiao Yuanhang.

Xiao Ran and Chen Hao froze in place.

Bai Buluo squinted at the Masked Man and asked Xiao Yuanhang, "Who is this person?"

"The one I mentioned to you," Xiao Yuanhang said with an unchanged expression, "the one who set a trap for me and An'er."

The faces of the Bai tribe changed instantly.

The Masked Man ignored the knife at his throat, quietly looking at Tuan Tuan, who was being protected by the Emperor.

Xiao Feifei's fur bristled slightly as she stared intently at him.

Tuan Tuan gently stroked Xiao Feifei's body, "Don't be afraid, Xiao Feifei."

The Masked Man let out a soft sigh, "Princess Jiayou, I finally see you."

He looked around, "If they didn't have you, they could never win this battle."

"I didn't go to fight," Tuan Tuan blinked, "It was clearly my father, my brothers, and my uncles who fought."

The Masked Man was startled, then gently shook his head.

Xiao Jieyun's gaze was deep as it fell on the bronze mask, "Who exactly are you?"

The Masked Man gave him a faint glance, then his eyes returned to Tuan Tuan, saying nothing.

Xiao Jieyun frowned, "I am asking you a question."

"Who are you, why do you dare not show your true face? And why do you wreak havoc on my Fiery Nation's court?"

"What kind of person am I?" the Masked Man finally looked at him, "When the turbid world tilts, the nether realm becomes the pinnacle! Do you understand?"

"You don't understand." He slowly shook his head, "His Majesty, having sat on that throne for so many years, have you ever lowered your head to look at the ants beneath your feet?"

Xiao Jieyun gave no reply.

The Masked Man continued on his own, "Civil officials covet wealth, military generals cherish their lives, and the barbarian princes stir restlessly."

"The court of this world has long been rotten through."

"You lot, scurrying like flies and dogs, fighting for power and profit, have turned the orderly world into a haze of foul smoke."

He paused, his tone sincere, "I am merely cleaning up; shouldn't you thank me?"

"Nonsense!" Xiao Jieyun's voice grew cold.

Xiao Yuanhang stared intently at the enemy before him, "You kept me on a sickbed for three whole years, nearly caused my beloved wife's death, all for this?"

"What does Prince Ning think?" the Masked Man turned to him, his tone even, "You are the war god of the Fiery Nation; if I don't eliminate you first, should I wait for you to lead an army to ruin my plans?"

"I bear no grudge against you, but you blocked my path, that's all."

Xiao Ningchen twisted his brow, pressing his knife a little tighter against the Masked Man's throat.

The Masked Man was unfazed, instead tilting his head slightly upward, turning once more toward Tuan Tuan.

"However, your daughter truly is an unexpected delight."

"In this great war, the Xibei Daying's plague has vanished, Jingcheng's weapons rusted overnight, and the siege canals cannot be dug…"

He laughed self‑deprecatingly, "At every step, she steps on the most crucial spot."

"The men I sent to kill her fell one after another into her hands."

He sighed again, "I have been wondering what kind of child she is, that renders me so helpless."

He stared tightly at Tuan Tuan's little face, "Finally seen you."

"Say whatever nonsense you like, just don't stare at my daughter!" Bai Buluo stood up.

He drew a curved blade, lazily slinging it over his shoulder, "I came all the way from Kucha Kingdom, not to listen to your ramblings here."

The Masked Man turned to him, scanning him up and down, then nodded, "Kucha King, you are not part of my game, merely an accident."

"An accident?" Bai Buluo bared his teeth and laughed, "You have been meticulously arranging the board for years, yet didn't even count me, and you still have the nerve to say everyone else is a piece while you are the player?"

"In my view, your game, even if you don't play, is too foul!"

The Masked Man stared silently at him, surprisingly offering no rebuttal.

Xiao Ningyuan couldn't help but ask, "What exactly do you want?"

"What do I want?" the Masked Man repeated his question.

He thought seriously, "Young Master, you are a businessman."

"Tell me, if you have a batch of goods that you know cannot be sold, would you discard them outright or keep them in storage taking up space?"

Xiao Ningyuan was startled.

"The world to me is that batch of goods." The Masked Man withdrew his gaze, slowly scanning each face in the hall, "The greedy, the foolish, the weak, occupying space, are merely wasting provisions, of no use at all."

"I am merely helping to clean this world; you should thank me, shouldn't you?"

When he said this, his tone was utterly sincere, sending a bone‑chilling cold through everyone in the hall.

The living under heaven, in his eyes, are treated like merchandise?

The hall fell silent.

Everyone looked at him, each thinking the same: he's a madman!

"So," the Masked Man exhaled softly.

He seemed to finally lay down some burden, raised his hand and pointed at Xiao Yuanhang, the white cloth, and finally pointed at the Emperor, "You, you, you, are all just pieces in my hand."

His finger paused in the air, then slowly pointed at Tuan Tuan.

"Unfortunately, I only missed one person," his voice suddenly softened, as soft as muttering to himself, "You."

"Me?" Tuan Tuan lifted her hand and pointed at her little nose tip, "I don't know you!"

"Don't know me," the Masked Man murmured, then burst into laughter, "You don't know me, yet you destroyed the life's work of my heart."

He stepped a stride toward Tuan Tuan.

Xiao Ningchen's blade was tightly lodged against his neck, not moving a hair.

A streak of blood was carved on the Masked Man's neck.

Xiao Er and Lu Qi both stepped forward at the same time, staring at him intently.

The Masked Man was completely unaware, simply staring straight into Tuan Tuan's eyes: "At this point, I only want to know one thing."

"Can you tell me where that double‑headed gu that's lodged in Princess Consort Ning's mind actually is?"

Tuan Tuan lowered her head to glance at Xiao Feifei in her arms, then looked up at the Masked Man.

She lifted Xiao Feifei, raised it toward the Masked Man and said, "It's right here!"

The Masked Man's eyes were full of doubt: "Here?"

He stared at the Xiao Tuanzi before him: "Where?"

Tuan Tuan withdrew her arm, touching the little horn on Xiao Feifei's head: "It's my Xiao Feifei!"

"Is… this fox?" the Masked Man's voice showed surprise for the first time, "Really?"

"Yes! Look, it used to be so ugly!"

"I fed it my blood, and it turned into this!"

Tuan Tuan patted Xiao Feifei's head: "See, isn't it much prettier than before?"

Xiao Feifei let out a "ying" sound, nudged her in her arms, and flicked its fluffy big tail.

The Masked Man stared blankly at the white fox with a horn.

So this fox was the gu!

It had actually become a fox!

Being held by this child, it was raised plump and white, and even learned to act coquettishly.

He suddenly threw his head back and laughed loudly.

Sweat soaked Xiao Ningchen's hand that gripped the blade, the edge pressed tightly against his neck; what on earth was this madman trying to do?

"Good! Good! Good!" the Masked Man stopped laughing, "You truly have such destiny; I lose without grievance!"

Xiao Yuanhang was about to speak again when the Masked Man suddenly slammed into the blade on his neck.

Xiao Ningchen hurriedly withdrew his hand, but it was already too late.

The blade's edge sank deeply inside.

Eunuch Cheng hurriedly covered Tuan Tuan's eyes.

The Masked Man's body swayed, then slowly collapsed onto the ground.

Fresh blood meandered over the golden brick.

Xiao Yuanhang stepped forward, bent down, grasped the edge of the bronze mask, and gently lifted it off.