Chapter 1021

Lin Ling looked at You Sisi with a strange expression.

No matter how you looked at it, this tree-being was bizarre—its head was You Sisi, but everything else was nothing but a withered tree.

"I'll explain the details later—right now, tell me what happened in the Imperial Palace? Are Jing Yan and the others alright?" Fang Yue asked anxiously.

"They were injured, but Lord Han fought to protect them. However, they lost too much blood and have fallen into temporary unconsciousness. As for what happened in the Imperial Palace..."

Lin Ling gave a strange look at Captain Wu.

"It's the Seventh Prince. A massive change has occurred outside—the city is shrouded in emerald-green light. Even the Seventh Prince's surviving followers hiding in the Dixia Midao have rushed back to the surface, heading straight for the Imperial Palace to attack."

"The forces led by the First Prince clashed with the Seventh Prince's men. We were caught in the crossfire. Lord Han was injured while protecting us, exhausted his strength, and cannot reappear for now."

The Seventh Prince?

That makes sense. Since the Mo Xian Array's power shifted underground, the Seventh Prince's faction hiding in the Dixia Midao would naturally be the first hit.

The Seventh Prince actually dared to do it—he was just driven out of the Imperial Palace by the First Prince and others, and now he dares to come back and attack again.

But given the current state of Jingcheng, there's no safer place than the Imperial Palace. Even I had to return here to protect You Sisi's life.

"Captain Lin, I'm not the Seventh Prince—I'm Wu..." Captain Wu said awkwardly; he'd been mistaken for the Seventh Prince many times because of this face.

"I know. I saw the real Seventh Prince storm into the Imperial Palace and haven't seen him come out—there's no way the true Seventh Prince is outside the array, sealed off by the royal formation." Lin Ling shook his head slightly.

After a pause, Lin Ling asked: "Xiao Ye, what do we do now?"

"What do we do...? Naturally, take control of the situation!"

Since Fang Yue intended to settle You Sisi inside the Imperial Palace, he wouldn't allow any unstable elements to remain.

Whether it was the Seventh Prince or the First Prince, Fang Yue would crush them all—the Imperial Palace would be under his command alone!

This wasn't a time of peace. In such a crisis, Fang Yue had no patience for matters of status or rank.

But just as Fang Yue was about to act, Captain Wu suddenly spoke up.

"Captain Ye, we should part ways here. You're already inside the Imperial Palace with Captain You—your presence ensures her safety. As for the others, you can guarantee their safety too. As for me, I'll take my leave now."

"Captain Wu, wait!"

Fang Yue called out quickly.

"I know what you want to do—but right now, even if you go to An Dong'er'er's side, you can't do anything... you're too weak!"

His fist clenched suddenly.

Captain Wu lowered his head, gritting his teeth, saying nothing.

Compared to others, Captain Wu possessed extraordinary strength; combined with the bloodline of the Golden Phoenix, he was nearly invincible.

But against opponents like the Uyu Tribe's First Prince or An Dong'er'er's level, Captain Wu had no chance of victory.

Yet Fang Yue wasn't saying this to crush his morale—

"Captain Wu, there's still one way to reverse the current situation, rescue An Dong'er'er, and even break the crisis in Jingcheng!"

"What way?" Captain Wu snapped his head up.

Fang Yue stared into Captain Wu's eyes and slowly spoke four words.

"The Guardian Stone Lions!"

The Guardian Stone Lions?!

Captain Wu froze on the spot—he, as a citizen of Qing Guo, knew exactly what the Guardian Stone Lions were.

But the problem was...

"You mean... I can control the Guardian Stone Lions?"

"I'm not certain. But according to Xingchen Shu, the First Prince briefly controlled the Guardian Stone Lions. He speculated that controlling them is likely tied closely to bloodline. You, who have been recognized by the elders of the Four Great Families, might be able to control them!"

"If you can control the Guardian Stone Lions—even for just a moment—it would be enough to resolve the current situation."

The legends surrounding the Guardian Stone Lions in Qing Guo were exaggerated—they were nearly invincible.

If they were held in such high regard, they shouldn't fail him. A mere anomaly not yet reaching the Immortal realm, and An Dong'er'er still ascending toward it—the Guardian Stone Lions should easily handle them.

Fang Yue's words clearly shook Captain Wu.

He believed in the Guardian Stone Lions' power—but he had little confidence in his ability to control them.

"Believe in the power of your bloodline! It has saved you countless times—this time won't let you down!"

"Of course, if after all I've said, you still insist on going to An Dong'er'er's side, I won't stop you. But I must tell you—even if I unleash my full power, I cannot break through An Dong'er'er's defensive stance. And killing the Uyu Tribe's First Prince would likely trigger something far more terrifying descending from the Black Cloud—a force so overwhelming that, aside from the Guardian Stone Lions, I can't imagine anyone capable of standing against it."

An even stronger presence...

Captain Wu's heart lurched.

In his mind, Fang Yue's strength was already at the ceiling.

If there was something in the Black Cloud that even Fang Yue couldn't handle, then only the current ruler—or the Guardian Stone Lions—might possibly defeat it.

As the two spoke, Lin Ling's eyes widened—he thought both of them had gone mad.

The Guardian Stone Lions were Qing Guo's Sacred Object, the very foundation of the nation!

To steal the Guardian Stone Lions was equivalent to treason. No matter the outcome, they would lose their foundation in Qing Guo and be hunted by the entire nation.

Lin Ling was a native of Qing Guo, raised on its stories and legends. Though he showed no outward emotion, he loved Qing Guo deeply.

Therefore, stealing the Guardian Stone Lions, in his eyes, was the ultimate act of betrayal—far worse than killing the royal family!

If the royal family perished, new rulers would rise. But if the Guardian Stone Lions were damaged, Qing Guo would fall—utterly and irreversibly.

Yet even so, Lin Ling never considered retreating or abandoning the two.

After all, Lin Ling wasn't that kind of person!

Without Fang Yue and Captain Wu knowing, Lin Ling wrestled with intense inner turmoil, then took a deep breath and followed behind them.

Although they intended to use the power of the Guardian Stone Lions to suppress the entire scene, first they had to quell the internal conflict within the Imperial Palace.

The entry point? Naturally—have Captain Wu impersonate the real Seventh Prince!

"Look! It's the Seventh Prince!"

How could this be?! Didn't the Seventh Prince already enter Shi Sheng Lin and engage in fierce battle with the First Prince? Has the outcome already been decided?!

The Seventh Prince is here, while the First Prince is not—this clearly means the First Prince has been executed! This is our victory!!

(End of Chapter)