Chapter 454: Key Arrival

The chessboard of intrigue shifts in an instant.

The situation in the Cloud Kingdom also twists and turns between black and white moves.

The Cloud Emperor placed another piece, smiling outwardly, and said:

"I heard that sister has been closely associating with the Grand General's daughter in recent years; that girl naturally carries great atmospheric Qi, making her suitable for recruitment into the royal family."

"What a pity to have a marriage pact with an outsider."

"If one wishes to enter the royal house and wield great power, the ancestors will not permit it; such a person would instead become a threat."

"What is not permitted?" the Princess replied, "I quite like that girl; the Cloud Kingdom also needs such assistance, a step up."

"That is too regrettable."

The Cloud Emperor jested, "I have a few short-sighted subordinates who have strong opinions about that girl; they may act impulsively."

"Is that so?"

The Princess still smiled, "I've said it, I like that girl, so I naturally won't let short-sighted people harm her."

As the words fell, both faces darkened simultaneously, then instantly returned to normal.

The Princess added, "After some time, when the turmoil across the Cloud Kingdom's regions is quelled and the National Fortune steadied, Your Majesty should head to the Black Mist battlefield, right?"

"Indeed."

The Cloud Emperor sighed, "I just don't know whether this turmoil can be settled; if it cannot, I will have to trouble sister again to go."

"After all, during the upheaval, the succession harms the National Fortune."

"For the Cloud Kingdom's everlasting cause, we must sacrifice sister a bit."

"It will certainly be pacified," the Princess smiled.

"Who can say?"

The Cloud Emperor's mouth corner rose, "Lately the turmoil intensifies, truly unpredictable."

At those words, the Princess's willow eyebrows knit sharply.

She sensed a strange aura!

It came from a Demon!

Could it be…

She raised an eyebrow at the Cloud Emperor, who smiled without replying, his grin growing more mocking.

The Princess's expression turned grim, yet she could not point it out directly; she hadn't expected the Cloud Emperor to resort to such extremes.

He actually colluded with the Demon Tribe?!

Truly a downright coward!

Yun Zhi Yi is probably in danger.

…

Grand General's Residence.

Yun Zhi Yi was perusing a military treatise; she could sense that the Cloud Kingdom's Qi fortune was becoming increasingly turbulent, now mixed with foreign elements.

"Jie jie jie."

A bizarre laugh rang out.

Seven figures descended into the General's Residence.

"Indeed."

Yun Zhi Yi's heart sank; the worst-case scenario she imagined had indeed occurred.

The Cloud Emperor, in order to win, disregarded the rules, unafraid of ancestral punishment, and enlisted external forces.

This caused a stark disparity in forces.

The assassin burst straight into the General's Residence.

"All seven of them are above my realm, likely great powers of the Void God realm; with the Qi Fortune Array, I can at most match one of them."

"Seven together, I have no chance of victory."

Yun Zhi Yi calmly analyzed in her mind.

"We can only flee."

Even fleeing might not succeed.

She sensed that outside the General's Residence there was a faint aura, like invisible chains winding around this realm,

perhaps outside also lay a heavenly net awaiting her.

Going outward would also be death.

"Within the General's Residence, aided by the Qi Fortune Array, we can hold out a while longer for rescue; stepping out, the odds are grim."

Yun Zhi Yi quickly calculated the optimal path.

Even though this route remains perilous, at least there is a sliver of hope.

"Tsk tsk tsk, this girl, the aura on her is quite enchanting."

Among the seven attackers, one licked its tongue; the tongue was long and sharp, not human, more like a snake.

Yun Zhi Yi also smelled the Demon aura.

"So that's it."

She finally understood.

She further realized today would be a blood battle, with grim odds.

"If A Chuan were here, it would be better."

Perhaps feeling it was the last moments of life, she involuntarily recalled the silhouette she hadn't seen for years.

She felt a bit relieved.

If A Chuan is present, then we must die here together.

Even without herself, she still hopes A Chuan can live well.

"If what Father said is true, A Chuan has founded his own force and made new friends; I could probably get along fine without me, right."

She is sad, yet relieved.

The seven attackers gave her little time to prepare and were already rushing in to kill.

"Array, commence."

Yun Zhi Yi immediately activates the Qi Fortune Array.

Boom!

Clusters of White Lotus bloom at her feet; over the sea of lotus flowers, a gigantic White Lotus envelops her.

The Dao of Qi Fortune is inherently adept at defense, not offense.

It is the Way of protection, not the Way of slaughter.

"Puff!"

Yet facing the onslaught of seven Void God Realm beings, the gap is simply too great; even though she meticulously arranged and made many preparations in advance,

under such a disparity, it remains hard to defeat.

The White Lotus is stained with blood; Yun Zhi Yi can barely hold on.

Boom—boom—boom!

It is at the moment the White Lotus is stained with blood that the Heavenly Dome over the General's residence trembles.

Yun Zhi Yi rejoices, "Father and the Princess's reinforcements have arrived?"

She sees a black arc encircling the Heavenly Dome, encompassing this world, isolating it from the outside, preventing her from perceiving who the reinforcements are.

The seven Great Demons' expressions change dramatically.

"What's happening?"

"The Cloud Kingdom's reinforcements arrived? That's unreasonably fast."

"To be able to shake Senior Yang's isolation array, the one coming is probably no ordinary person; hurry, strike swiftly."

The seven Great Demons Shapeshift into humans; mounting such a grand display is solely to kill Yun Zhi Yi, cutting off the Princess's left and right arms.

He had thought the Princess had no recourse, yet she also kept a fallback.

Who exactly came to kill?

The seven Great Demons, terrified, launch a frenzied assault on Yun Zhi Yi.

Yun Zhi Yi also knows this is the crucial moment; if she can withstand this wave, she will evade the disaster.

In her sight, the seven Great Demons, unable to conceal themselves, reveal their true forms, snarling, fangs and claws lashing forward.

The Great Demon lunges to the array, not yet touching the White Lotus,

Buzz—!

An invisible surge pierces the black arc on the Heavenly Dome, rippling through the entire General's residence.

Swept by the surge, the seven Great Demons are fixed in place, motionless.

The only thing that moves is their facial expressions, shifting from snarling to terror.

"So strong."

Yun Zhi Yi is shocked; a single surge can restrain the seven Void God Realm Great Demons, something perhaps even a True God Realm cannot achieve.

"Who came?"

In the Cloud Kingdom, there are only a few who possess this ability, all well‑known individuals; Yun Zhi Yi has seen them all and knows who they are.

"Never mind."

In an instant, Yun Zhi Yi discards the tangled thoughts and rushes toward the immobilized seven Great Demons, seizing the chance to end them.

This is the best moment.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

The immobilized seven Great Demons glare furiously, yet have no room to resist, only watching helplessly as sharp blades slash their necks, erasing their Primordial Spirits,

remaining motionless until death, not even a chance to utter a last word—how tragic.

Bang! Bang! …Bang!

Seven corpses crash down with a thunderous impact.

Not far away, a figure appears; seeing the newcomer, Yun Zhi Yi's eyes instantly redden, tears streaming down her cheeks,

she lunges fiercely toward that soul‑tethered, dream‑entwined figure.

"A Chuan!"