Chapter 226: Trapped in the Chessboard

Yuan Yao, seizing the gap, quickly darted toward the main house.

"Quick, stop her!"

The wolf demon guards and the dark guards inside the city lord's mansion all pursued in Yuan Yao's direction.

Just as Yuan Yao was about to reach the main house, a powerful aura of force suddenly closed in.

Yuan Yao turned her head and saw a massive wolf demon that had taken its true form lunging toward her.

It bared its sharp, keen fangs and lunged fiercely.

Yuan Yao raised her sword to block.

But it clamped its fangs onto the blade, and she could not pull it out for a moment.

At that moment, the surrounding wolf demons also revealed their true forms, leaping at Yuan Yao as if to tear her apart.

Yuan Yao's lips curled.

She cast a technique with one hand, instantly forming a formation totem.

Immediately, the green formation totem shone brightly.

Yet in an instant, Yuan Yao was transported away by the formation.

Simultaneously, somewhere in the city, the ground's broken stones trembled lightly, then gradually emitted a green glow, which then coalesced into the shape of a teleportation formation totem.

A wolf demon, its face smeared with blood, was instantly teleported to this spot.

The wolf demon was Yuan Yao.

After Yuan Yao escaped, she let out a breath of relief.

Fortunately she was clever and had set an anchor point for the teleportation formation here in advance; thus, once she casts a teleportation formation elsewhere, she will be sent to this spot.

However, her formation skill is still low. Therefore, the distance between two teleportation formations cannot be too great.

From not far away came the sound of fierce fighting, exuding an extremely strong oppressive aura.

Yuan Yao's eyes narrowed slightly.

When she had slipped into the city lord's mansion earlier, she did not see the wolf king nor the eagle clan commander Cang Ming, assuming they were merely drawn to the seal she had set, but unexpectedly—

They had not returned to the mansion for a long time because they were tripped up by someone else.

Who could it be?!

Could it be one of the two hundred human Cultivators who entered the Flowing Light Secret Realm?

Yuan Yao decided to get closer to see the situation.

The closer she got, the more she could feel the astonishing wave of power.

She hid in a corner, looked up, and saw the eagle clan commander Cang Ming and the wolf king fighting four people.

She had seen those four before!

The youth wielding the Xuan Ice Sword, face like polished jade, sword‑browed eyes, tall figure, dressed in a light purple robe, was undoubtedly Xiao Zhufeng.

The other, a young woman wielding a Phoenix Feather Sword, face serene as autumn water, eyes bearing a fierce edge, lips tightly pursed, wearing a blue dress, was the blue‑clad woman Yuan Yao had met in the dungeon when she first entered the Flowing Light Secret Realm.

The remaining two: the youth wore a green combat outfit, holding a green python short sword; the girl wore a red dress, one hand holding a talisman brush, the other gripping a talisman book; both had similar fox eyes.

Clearly a brother‑sister pair.

They were the brother‑sister pair Yuan Yao had encountered in the forest.

Yuan Yao saw them four facing the wolf king and the eagle clan commander Cang Ming without being at a disadvantage, and felt a slight surprise.

She thought.

Why did they suddenly appear in the city lord's mansion?

And why did they confront the wolf king and Cang Ming directly?

Could they be planning an alliance to deal with the demon tribe?

While she was pondering, suddenly another aura appeared behind her.

Yuan Yao instantly turned, pressing the Phantom Spirit Sword against the newcomer's neck side.

The newcomer had thief‑like eyebrows and mouse‑like eyes, wore wolf demon soldier attire, yet his eyes carried a hint of familiarity.

"It's me," he said.

Yuan Yao recognized his voice and hesitantly asked, "Zhai Qingye?"

"Didn't expect you could actually recognize me," the thief‑eyed wolf demon said, gently pushing aside Yuan Yao's Phantom Spirit Sword with his finger, and laughing.

Yuan Yao curiously asked, "Then how did you recognize me?"

Zhai Qingye laughed, "In this world, perhaps only you possess such a unique long sword."

Yuan Yao: "……"

Zhai Qingye glanced upward at Xiao Zhufeng, who was battling the wolf demon and eagle clan commander Cang Ming, and softly said, "Looks like many people have already slipped into this Tianrui City."

"Did you see my Eldest Senior Brother and the others?" Yuan Yao's heart stirred.

Zhai Qingye shook his head.

"That's not the case."

Yuan Yao whispered, "Does Xiao Zhufeng know them?"

Zhai Qingye: "Probably doesn't know."

He had been watching the wolf king and others from the start; originally only those three dealt with the wolf king and the eagle commander, but as the fight went on, Xiao Zhufeng rushed out.

He seemed to come with a stance of defending the wronged.

After hearing Zhai Qingye's words, Yuan Yao fell silent.

Zhai Qingye added, "They are now fighting the wolf king, and it's all because of you."

"Me?" Yuan Yao was stunned, "What does it have to do with me?"

Zhai Qingye lifted his gaze, "Were those four explosive formation seals you set? The fourth seal's location happened to be where those three passed, and it attracted the wolf king and the eagle commander."

Yuan Yao fell silent again.

She had no way of knowing that the three would pass there.

If she had known earlier, she wouldn't have placed the explosive formation barrier there.

Yuan Yao looked at Zhai Qingye, "How do you know so much?"

Zhai Qingye: "I just happened to discover it."

Zhai Qingye, seeing her half‑doubtful expression, smiled and retorted, "Then why did you set up these formation barriers? Do you have some idea?"

Yuan Yao: "Then do you also have some idea?"

Zhai Qingye nodded, "Yes."

Yuan Yao: "Can you tell me?"

Zhai Qingye gazed at her, "Then are we friends?"

Yuan Yao raised an eyebrow and smiled, "If you don't scheme against me, I'll consider you a friend."

Zhai Qingye's lips curled slightly, then he spoke slowly, "I originally intended to kill the Wolf King and take his place. Then, using the Wolf King's identity, I would enter the Demon Clan's territory to wield power and cause trouble, inciting internal conflict between the two tribes."

Yuan Yao, after hearing this, felt rather moved.

"Your expression… could it be—" Zhai Qingye, seeing her 'as expected' look, let the smile at his lips fade slightly, "You have the same thought, right?"

"Almost." Yuan Yao nodded, then she suddenly thought of a question, looked up at Zhai Qingye, "Do you know what the mysterious mission of the Liuguang Secret Realm is?"

Zhai Qingye shook his head.

Yuan Yao said, "We both don't know what the mysterious mission of the Liuguang Secret Realm is, but we both independently wish to help the Human Race defeat the two demon and monster tribes. Could this mysterious mission be to have us prevent this great war from happening?"

"Possibly." Zhai Qingye thought the same.

Yuan Yao, thinking more, grew uneasy; her brows serious as she looked at him, "Then tell me, could there be any Human Race Cultivator standing on the side of the demon and monster tribes, opposite to us?"

Upon hearing that, Zhai Qingye seemed jolted, suddenly feeling a breakthrough, his complexion turning complex.

The two exchanged a glance.

Yuan Yao pursed her lips and slowly said, "We are all situated within a chessboard."