Chapter 114: Night Terror

Although the woman's face was haggard, she still maintained the dignity of royalty; her eyes remained bright and resolute.

The woman lifted her head, her gaze meeting Quan Quan Tianchen's, and tears instantly welled up in her eyes. Five years of longing, five years of suffering, transformed in this moment into tears that slid down her cheeks.

"Chen'er..." The woman covered her mouth with both hands, her voice hoarse and faint.

"Mother Empress!" Quan Quan Tianchen likewise could not suppress the emotions within his heart and cried out involuntarily.

Quan Quan Tianchen's gaze fixed intently on the woman in the corner; that was the Empress who had vanished five years ago. Since he lost his birth mother at age seven, this Mother Empress, who loved him and raised him, existed in his heart just like a biological mother. The woman who was once peerlessly elegant and the model for all under heaven was now imprisoned in this lightless dungeon, subjected to endless torment.

"Empress?" Jun Jun Zijin's voice carried a tone of disbelief.

Before her words had fully faded, another volley of arrows descended. Quan Quan Tianchen swung his sword to block, the sword light weaving like silver snakes, knocking down each arrow one by one.

"Go!" Quan Quan Tianchen tightly grasped Jun Jun Zijin's wrist; Fei Yan and Gua Zi protected the Empress as the group rushed toward the stone door.

However, just as they reached the stone door, a hurried sound of footsteps came from ahead, followed immediately by dozens of black-clad figures surging out to surround them completely.

"As expected, someone has broken in!" The leader of the black-clad figures, wearing a mask, spoke with a hoarse voice and sneered coldly:

"I didn't expect you to actually find this place. Since you are here, don't even think about leaving alive!"

Jun Jun Zijin frowned; wearing a mask and deliberately altering her voice, she did not want them to recognize who she was, as they might well be acquaintances.

Before the masked man's words had finished, the black-clad figures surged forward like a tide.

"Protect the Empress and the Princess!" Quan Quan Tianchen shouted to Fei Yan and Gua Zi.

A cold light flashed in Quan Quan Tianchen's eyes; he gripped the long sword in his hand tightly and said coldly, "Those who block me shall die!"

Jun Jun Zijin shielded the Empress beside her, while Fei Yan and Gua Zi also drew their swords to meet the enemy, and both sides instantly plunged into a chaotic battle.

Quan Quan Tianchen, his white robes fluttering, moved with the speed of lightning; amidst flashing sword light, he had already cut down several black-clad figures. His form was elegant, his sword technique ruthless; every strike went straight for a vital point. Although the black-clad figures were numerous, they found it difficult to get close.

The tranquilizer gun in Jun Jun Zijin's hand fired repeatedly; her aim was incredibly precise, every shot hitting its target. These black-clad figures simply looked down on the tranquilizer gun in her hand, thinking, 'She only shoots such a tiny needle; how much power can it have?' They had little guard against the gun in her hand, unaware that the silver needles inside the tranquilizer gun had not only been soaked in anesthetic but were also coated in poison; one touch and they would fall, and even if they didn't die immediately, they wouldn't survive.

For those not immediately felled by the drug, Quan Quan Tianchen immediately delivered the finishing blow. Fei Yan and Gua Zi likewise coordinated their sword techniques perfectly; these few people formed a flawless team.

The group kept the Empress protected in the center, fighting as they retreated.

But these people were not fools; after suffering several hidden losses, the remaining ones grew smarter, guarding against her tranquilizer gun while fighting.

However, since the black-clad figures had to deal with three first-rate experts while also dividing their attention to guard against Jun Jun Zijin's occasional cold shots, although they no longer fell in great swathes as before, they still found it strenuous.

Yet the black-clad figures were too numerous, their attacks surging wave after wave like a tide. Although the few possessed high martial arts, dragging the fight on like this would gradually exhaust their stamina, making the situation increasingly critical.

"Master, Your Highness, you take the Empress and my master and leave first; I will hold them back," Fei Yan urged anxiously.

Jun Jun Zijin shook her head, her tone firm:

"No, these people possess high martial arts; we cannot separate."

Jun Jun Zijin's tranquilizer gun was empty; she put it away.

Just then, a black-clad figure shouted, "Kill that woman; her hidden weapons are used up!"

Immediately, some black-clad figures blocked the attacks of Quan Quan Tianchen and the other two, while two others charged straight at Jun Jun Zijin without dodging or avoiding.

"Seeking death." Jun Jun Zijin let out a cold shout, firing two silver needles soaked in poison; neither missing nor straying, they struck precisely at fatal acupoints. The two men, as if seeing a ghost, widened their eyes and fell dead to the ground.

Seeing they had gained no advantage against Jun Jun Zijin, the black-clad figures immediately turned their schemes toward the Empress; these people were determined to pick the soft persimmons to squeeze.

In the very next instant after those two men fell from the needles, a black-clad figure suddenly lunged at the Empress, intending to capture her as a hostage.

Jun Jun Zijin's pupils contracted sharply; she flashed forward urgently, throwing her dagger and an anesthetic needle simultaneously. The moment the needle struck the black-clad figure's waist and his movement stalled, she brought her hand down and her blade fell, slicing through that person's throat with her dagger without any hesitation. The person didn't even make a sound before falling dead to the ground.

Seizing a gap, Quan Quan Tianchen glanced at Jun Jun Zijin; what kind of person was this wife Yu'er had found? When acting to save people, she was so devout; when working for the nation and its people, she was so serious; yet when killing, she was so cold-blooded and ruthless—it was truly contradictory. Under heaven, perhaps only Yu'er is worthy of her.

Fei Yan and Gua Zi, however, were accustomed to it; their master frequently killed people and plundered goods, so this was nothing significant.

At this moment, the black-clad figures launched another wave of attacks; Quan Quan Tianchen suddenly swung his sword to force back several of them and lowly shouted:

"We cannot delay any longer!"

"Your Highness, take the Empress and my master and leave first; I will cover the retreat!" Fei Yan shouted.

Just then, another gust of wind carrying the smell of mud and blood blew in. Jun Jun Zijin felt a surge of joy in her heart, concluding that the exit was not far from here. She carefully discerned the direction and shouted, "Retreat that way!"

Quan Quan Tianchen also realized it; his heart grew solemn. The far end of the cave seemed to reveal faint glimmers of light; it appeared there was an exit at the other end of the cave.

The group resisted the black-clad figures' attacks while protecting the Empress and retreating toward the other end of the cave.

The black-clad figures obviously sensed their intention, and their attacks became even more fierce. The four protected the Empress, striving desperately to break through the encirclement.

The cave entrance was right before their eyes; Fei Yan alone blocked the black-clad figures and shouted:

"Master, Your Highness, hurry and leave!"

"No, if we leave, we leave together," Jun Jun Zijin and Quan Quan Tianchen said in unison.

The number of black-clad figures was truly too great; the group's stamina gradually failed, and their sword movements began to slow. Just then, a black-clad figure took the opportunity to sneak attack from the side; Quan Quan Tianchen was unable to dodge in time, and a bloody gash appeared on his arm.

"Chen'er!" The Empress, who had been walking calmly with everyone, let out a startled cry.

"Hmph!" Quan Quan Tianchen snorted coldly, reversing his hand with his sword to slay the sneak attacker.

Just at that moment, a "creak-creak" sound echoed from within the cave, followed suddenly by a violent tremor; the stones at the top of the cave began to loosen, and debris continuously fell from overhead, filling the air with dust.

Quan Quan Tianchen yanked Jun Jun Zijin and the Empress over, and the group sprinted through the crumbling cave. Fei Yan continuously swung his sword to knock away falling rocks. His arms had already been sliced by the debris into streaks of blood, yet he remained completely unaware.

"They triggered a mechanism; they want to bury us alive!" Quan Quan Tianchen said in a deep voice.

The black-clad figures obviously hadn't anticipated this turn of events either and scrambled to dodge.

Quan Quan Tianchen seized the opportunity, pulling the Empress and Jun Jun Zijin as they swiftly flew out of the cave. Gua Zi and Fei Yan followed closely behind.

The four flew out of the cave entrance and barely landed when a loud "Boom" resonated, and the cave entrance collapsed downward.