Chapter 963: Grand Assembly! (3/2, Extra Chapter for 'Ruichi Tianxia')

A faint, tinkling laugh came from behind Eight Hands' strange back, but Niu Zuo couldn't hear it—he thrashed violently, his gaze locked straight ahead, eyes wide as he watched helplessly the origin of all he had guarded, all he had fought for, the woman he had longed for, thud heavily to the ground, blood splattering across the earth.

She… died.

Aaaahhhhh!

Niu Zuo let out a piercing scream, his eyes rolled back, and he gradually lost consciousness.

"Too noisy—glad the guy passed out."

Ming finally removed her hands from her ears and turned to look at the rooftop of Qing Gao Lou.

"Feng Wang and Huang Hou are even more troublesome than I thought—thankfully I kept a backup plan and didn't go up to watch the show, or things would've gotten truly messy."

According to her knowledge, Niu Zuo hadn't planned to act so hastily.

But rumors spread within the Phoenix Organization that Feng Wang intended to use one of the Three Black Feathers—Huang Er—as the core of the 【Mo Xian Array】. That's why Niu Zuo lost his composure and immediately rallied all his forces to launch the attack.

As a result, the timing coincided exactly with the Seventh Imperial Prince's side, and their planned backup ally, 【Yese Liming】, was not in Jingcheng.

This left Niu Zuo's side significantly weaker in raw strength.

Yet Niu Zuo still launched the full-scale assault.

The outcome, naturally, is what we see now.

"The situation in Jingcheng right now is truly complicated."

Ming looked up at the vast Black Cloud that had nearly covered half of Jingcheng and sighed. Beside her, Nian Tianjiao sat silently on Five Ghosts, offering quiet companionship.

On Qing Gao Lou, Feng Wang watched the retreating shadow and asked: "Are you sure it's fine? Letting them escape like this?"

Huang Hou giggled, removed her blue phoenix mask, revealing a breathtakingly beautiful face, then leaned into Feng Wang's arms.

"Don't rush—the real show has only just begun."

If any member of the imperial family saw Huang Hou's face now, they would immediately cry out in shock.

Because that face was… the Eighth Imperial Princess!

But Feng Wang acted as if he had known Huang Hou's identity all along, his gaze following the direction she pointed.

Below, Huang Er's corpse, fallen to the ground, suddenly arched—then its muscles swelled and expanded rapidly, transforming into a massive, spherical fleshy tumor that rose and fell with each breath.

As if sensing a scent, it locked onto the direction Niu Zuo had fled and rolled toward it at high speed.

"You actually used that thing—I wondered why that short sword looked familiar."

"Our modified 【Mi Chou Gui Jian】 is quite fascinating," Huang Hou laughed lightly, twirling the short blade in her hand.

"Merely a little post-meal entertainment—the real importance lies in Elder Mo's 【Mo Xian Array】."

Feng Wang looked again toward the distance, beneath the churning vast Black Cloud, where the spirit tree only they could see continued its rapid movement.

Almost done—so close to completion!

And hanging from one corner of that towering spirit tree was… You Sisi!

…

Above Jingcheng, within the Black Cloud.

Hei Qing Gui stared down at the sprawling city below and laughed cruelly.

"Jiejiejieje! O King of Wu Yu, look! This is humanity! This is the capital of Qing Guo! Twist! Struggle! Flee! The real show has only just begun!"

The King of Wu Yu stood beside him, frowning slightly as he gazed downward, his expression wary.

"The King of Qing Guo and the Guardian Stone Lions could appear at any moment—aren't you at all concerned?"

"Relax—when they appear, I'll act. If they dare not show themselves, Qing Guo is already dead in all but name."

The fall of Qing Guo will happen today!

Watching the lower-level ghosts within the Black Cloud, unable to contain their impulses and beginning to stir, Hei Qing Gui said: "Let your people go out and play—no need to hold back. The Black Cloud now covers such a vast area—I can spare a little power to seal off the entire capital and ensure no one escapes."

Of course, this would require Hei Qing Gui to expend some energy on the sealing.

But before the Guardian Stone Lions appeared, he had no real need to act.

Hearing Hei Qing Gui's words, the King of Wu Yu grinned with a bloodthirsty smile and gave a command.

Countless, sky-covering bone kites plunged downward from the heavens!

Leading them were his five princes!

Everyone still in Jingcheng looked up and saw the dense black dots falling—every face turned pale.

The sheer number of ghosts terrified everyone into panic, yet they were swiftly swallowed by the black swarm—screams and cries for help erupted everywhere, and in an instant, the most prosperous capital of Qing Guo became a living hell!

…

Ji Bing Sect.

Gazing at the vast Black Cloud shrouding Jingcheng, the cane-wielding Weiba asked, face grim: "Did Ye Ge really lead people back to Jingcheng?"

"Yes…" replied the Ji Bing Sect Elder, holding a bowl of medicine, bowing respectfully.

The herbal decoction steamed hot—clearly just brewed—but Weiba didn't even glance at it, instead clenching her tiny fist tightly and said:

"…Prepare fast horses—I'm returning to Jingcheng too!"

The Elder beside her gasped in shock, the medicine bowl slipping from his hands and shattering on the ground with a bang.

"No! Sect Master, returning to the capital now is tantamount to suicide!"

Weiba's face turned cold: "I said—I'm not your Sect Master!"

Before the Elder could speak again, other Ji Bing Sect disciples knelt on the ground.

"Please, Sect Master, reconsider!"

Weiba glared at them furiously and turned to leave.

"If you won't prepare horses, I'll go myself!"

Only then did the Ji Bing Sect Elder and disciples panic, rushing to follow.

And Weiba kept her word—she found a fast horse and, dragging her wounded, sick body, rode straight toward Jingcheng.

The Elders, seeing this, turned pale with fear, summoned a group of elite soldiers, and immediately mounted horses to chase after the tail.

……

Jingcheng, You Mansion.

A swift horse, without pause, smashed through the main gate of You Mansion; amid the guards' cries of alarm, a man leapt from the saddle and rushed into the grand hall.

"Who are you?!"

"Attack?!"

"Stop him!!"

In the grand hall, everyone shouted in alarm—but when they looked closely, they all froze in shock.

"How is it you?"

"Ye Ge?!"

"Thank heaven! Ye Ge is back!"

Fang Yue had returned looking for You Xingchen, but he never expected to see so many familiar faces.

Jing Yan, Lin Ling, Niu Niu… and, Qing Chen!?

"You—you're still alive? Qing Chen? Are you really Qing Chen?"

Fang Yue was stunned; when he saw You Sisi hanging from an unknown tree branch, he had thought everyone was dead.

Yet, not only were they all still alive, but Qing Chen—missing for who knew how long—had reappeared.

Though Qing Chen was gaunt as bones, slumped on the table, at least he was barely conscious.

(End of Chapter)