Chapter 80: The Mystery of One's Life

  Under Zhuge's worried gaze, the first thunder had already struck.

  Ling Feiyang hadn't even reacted yet when he was struck by that bolt of lightning, his body stiffening suddenly, his long hair singed black in some places.

  "Fantastic!" Zhuge Mingyue exclaimed, about to rush over, when she saw Ling Feiyang raise his hand to stop her. He spat out a mouthful of white air and patted his face, exclaiming, "Really awesome!"

  Zhuge Mingyue let out a sigh of relief, looking at Ling Feiyang's unprecedented disheveled appearance and wanting to laugh, but couldn't. If the legendary Heavenly Thunder Infusion was this easy, then Sacred-level experts wouldn't be so rare.

  The clear sky suddenly turned gloomy, in the blink of an eye, dark clouds gathered above, like thick cotton blocks piled up layer by layer, blocking out the sunlight and turning the entire earth as dark as dusk.

  Dark clouds with lightning and thunder, thick and sturdy electric lights like angry dragons shuttling in the sky, issuing one after another deafening roars.

  The earth is trembling, all things are crying.

  In the midst of that earth-shaking thunder and lightning, Zhuge Mingyue even felt a sense of despair and fear as if doomsday was approaching. Such a terrifying scene gave people a feeling that no one could withstand such heavenly wrath, no one could resist this most violent disaster in nature. Not only Zhuge Mingyue, but even Ling Feiyang himself rose with a helpless feeling.

  Another bolt of lightning fell, and this time the pale blue light column that flashed was actually several times thicker than an adult's thigh.

  Although the vast majority of Soul-level experts fell under this Heavenly Thunder Infusion, those who survived became revered as Saint-level experts! Ling Fei Yang knew he couldn't avoid it and mustered up his courage to draw out his Broken Kill Sword, striking out against the heavenly thunder.

  Zhuge Mingyue's heart tightened, was this what it meant by the terror of heavenly thunder infusing one's body? Could Feiyang hold on?

  "Boom", Ling Feiyang was struck by the heavenly thunder and directly fell to the ground, with his whole body emitting a burst of green smoke. However, the lightning bolt was also split in two by his sword, disappearing into thin air.

  Ling Feiyang's eyes flashed with confidence and recklessness: What's the big deal about being struck by thunder, if others can take it, I can too!

  Before he could catch his breath, another thunderbolt descended from the sky, even thicker and more terrifying than the previous two. It flashed with arc lights that were so bright they made it hard to keep one's eyes open.

  Ling Feiyang let out a furious roar, gathering all his energy to unleash two consecutive sword strikes. After a blinding flash of light, Ling Feiyang was seen lying on the ground, his clothes tattered and charred, the earth beneath him scorched black as if it had been roasted by fire.

  "Fly!" Zhuge Mingyue was completely stunned, and she ran towards Ling Feiyang. This was the first time she had seen the Heavenly Thunder Infusion, and although she knew it was terrifying, seeing it with her own eyes was a different matter altogether.

  "Don't come over!" Ling Feiyang suddenly stood up, with a thread of blood oozing from the corner of his mouth, and loudly roared at Zhuge Mingyue.

  As soon as the words fell, a flash of lightning struck again. Ling Feiyang raised his Broken Kill with force, and his gaze at Zhuge Mingyue was filled with determination and confidence.

  Under his gaze, Zhuge Mingyue stopped in her tracks, staring wide-eyed as bolt after bolt of thunder struck Ling Feiyang's head.

  One strike, two strikes, three strikes... nine strikes of heavenly thunder, each one stronger than the last, each one more terrifying than the last. But Ling Fei Yang relied on his unyielding will and courage to withstand them time and again.

  Finally, the world fell silent.

  Ling Feiyang lay on the ground, completely silent, his clothes had long been tattered and worn out, like a bunch of torn rags hanging from his body. His face, hands, legs, every inch of skin on his body was not intact.

  "Ah!" In the face of such a miserable situation, Zhuge Mingyue's heart was in severe pain as she rushed forward to lift up Ling Feiyang's body.

  "It's not that scary after all... I'm fine, don't worry! I made it through!" Ling Fei Yang struggled to open his eyes and looked at Zhuge Ming Yue's worried and sorrowful face, trying hard to squeeze out a smile to comfort her.

  "Fei Yang has made it through, great, just great!" Zhuge Mingyue exclaimed excitedly, finally putting her mind at ease in this moment.

  The thunder in the sky stopped, the lightning no longer flashed, and the whole world was left with a dull grayness. All around, there was an eerie silence, even the wind had come to a standstill, and a heavy atmosphere pressed down on the two like a massive mountain.

  Wei Chi Hong stood at the top of the bamboo, staring in shock at this scene. The heavenly thunder had already passed, and Ling Fei Yang had also survived it. How could there still be heavenly thunder? And one that was so ferocious?

  "Not good!" Ling Feiyang exclaimed, struggling to push away Zhu Ge Mingyue. In the dark clouds, a faint blue light suddenly appeared and shot out in all directions, like an explosion of fireworks ignited by a spark, emitting a fierce explosion. All the lightning converged into one place, gathering into a blue light column with a diameter of tens of meters, falling from above Ling Feiyang's head, enveloping everything around him.

  Zhuge Mingyue cried out in surprise, hadn't the heavenly thunder already passed? Why was this still happening? Why was there still such terrifying thunder and lightning?

  Even the previous nine heavenly thunders combined were no match for this one. Ling Feiyang didn't understand why there would be such a terrifying heavenly thunder, Zhuge Mingyue didn't understand either, and Wei Chonghong understood even less.

  Who can withstand such heavenly thunder?

  Zhuge Mingyue didn't have so many concerns, she didn't even hesitate, and pulled out her dagger, urging the powerful and mysterious force inside her to its limit, and pounced on Ling Feiyang. She wanted to block this heavenly thunder for Ling Feiyang. She was very clear that Ling Feiyang had just gone through nine heavenly thunders, and this one would be unbearable no matter what. At this moment, she didn't even consider whether she could withstand this heavenly thunder.

  Ling Feiyang was also stunned by Zhuge Mingyue's actions, did she know what the consequences of doing so would be? At this moment, his breathing seemed to have stopped. Looking down at the person standing in front of him, his heart was trembling. In his heart, he made a decision at that moment, for the rest of his life, he would only be for her!

  Wei Chi Hong Fei was on the top of the bamboo forest, rushing to get here. His heart was also constantly sinking. Ling Fei Yang couldn't withstand this strange heavenly thunder. Zhuge Ming Yue was even more absurd, actually going to block it with his own body. Wei Chi Hong's inner self was anxious and worried. He wouldn't allow anything to happen to Zhuge Ming Yue. However, after Ling Fei Yang became his disciple, he gradually really liked this diligent and strong young man. These two people, he didn't want either of them to get into trouble. It's just that now it seemed like they couldn't make it in time to save them!

  Time seems to have completely stopped at this moment!

  That strange heavenly thunder has suddenly struck down, enveloping both Zhuge Mingyue and Ling Feiyang within it.

  Wei Chi-hung's heart sank to the bottom of the valley.

  But at this moment, Zhuge Mingyue, who was shrouded in heavenly thunder, had a completely different feeling.

  "This, is this what death feels like? No pain, no struggle, it's so calm?" Zhuge Mingyue discovered that this bolt of lightning, which seemed to be the most terrifying, didn't seem as brutal as she had imagined. Being enveloped by this pale blue column of light was like basking in the warm sunlight on a winter day, feeling an indescribable comfort. Looking up, neither Ling Feiyang nor herself showed any signs of abnormality, and the heavenly lightning seemed to have lost its electrical power, leaving only its radiance in space.

  "How could this be?" Zhuge Mingyue woke up, the heavenly thunder strike that Ling Feiyang had suffered earlier was not an illusion, something special must have happened.

  The dagger on her body suddenly made a "hissing" sound, and Zhuge Mingyue took out the dagger to find that countless electric lights were rapidly flowing on the outer scabbard, weaving a dazzling dark blue light. Meanwhile, in the heavenly thunder pillar outside her body, the remaining electric lights also continuously flowed towards the array on the outer scabbard of the dagger.

  "Heavenly Thunder, Refine Equipment?" Zhuge Mingyue was both shocked and delighted, stunned.

  Under the tempering of Tian Lei, the dagger became flawless, with a hint of crystal clarity. The flowing luster lost its previous chilling aura, but gained a sense of hidden killing intent, presenting an elevated quality.

  Zhuge Mingyue tried to continuously pour power into the dagger, discovering that it was like a boundless and endless ocean. No matter how much power was poured in, there would be no impact at all, nor would there be any danger of being burst open by one's own internal power like last time.

  If this dagger can only be considered a sharp tool, then now, after being tempered by the heavenly thunder, it has become a truly worthy divine weapon!

  "Success! The Thunderbolt Furnace is mine, I've succeeded!" Zhuge Mingyue's heart was once again shocked and delighted. She never thought that the Thunderbolt could be used by her to forge equipment!

  Ling Feiyang felt his whole body burning at this moment, his skin was about to crack open, and he went soft all over, falling straight down.

  A flash of lightning, and then it was gone. The dark clouds dispersed, the sky turned a brilliant blue, and the world was once again full of vitality and life.

  Ling Fei Yang's body shed piece after piece of charred black skin, revealing smooth and tender skin like that of a child. A soft and pure glow emanated from him. Although he was unconscious, his body still exuded an aura of vastness, as high as the sky and as broad as the earth.

  A Saint-level expert has emerged beside Zhuge Mingyue!

  Zhuge Mingyue sat down and stared steadily at the unconscious Ling Feiyang. He's fine, that's really great.

  "What's going on?" Wei Chi Hong had already arrived at their side, squatted down, and first checked Ling Fei Yang's condition. After confirming that Ling Fei Yang was fine, he let out a long sigh of relief and sat down.

  "I, it seems I can use the Heavenly Thunder Refiner." Zhuge Mingyue pulled out a dagger and handed it to Wei Chi Hong. After taking it, Wei Chi Hong looked at the dagger with increasing surprise on his face.

  "Moon, this matter, do not tell anyone, including your two masters!" Wei Chi Hong's face became increasingly solemn, "Promise me, do not reveal it to anyone!" He knew that Zhuge Mingyue respected her two masters, and those two old men were also good to her. Otherwise, Wei Chi Hong would not have interfered. If one were to calculate the qualifications, those two people did not even qualify as Zhuge Mingyue's masters!

  After a brief moment of stunned silence, Zhuge Mingyue immediately understood the reason behind Wei Chi Hong's solemn attitude. Being able to use the Heavenly Thunder Refining Furnace means something significant! Firstly, it means that one can refine divine weapons! Secondly, it means that one can help others overcome the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation. Either way, it would cause a stir in history unlike any other, even sparking a frenzy of competition. It's imaginable that Zhuge Mingyue would become the target of recruitment for the entire continent, but if she couldn't be recruited, they would resort to forceful means. With her around, anyone's Heavenly Thunder Tribulation would no longer be a danger. Once this news gets out, she would be in grave danger. The crime of possessing a precious treasure - Zhuge Mingyue herself had become a gigantic treasure trove! This would only bring about even greater danger!

  Wei Chi Hong returned the dagger to Zhuge Mingyue, his heart still unable to calm down for a long time. Being able to harness the power of thunder was an unthinkable and terrifying thing. But the girl in front of him had actually done it.

  "This alchemy formation is the one your master taught? Impossible." Yu Chi Hong said with a suspicious tone. He didn't believe that old man would know such a formation.

  "My master taught me, and I improved on it a bit." Zhuge Mingyue showed Wei Chi Hong the intricate array method on the scabbard of his dagger, leaving Wei Chi Hong in awe. The phrase "the student surpasses the teacher" is tailor-made for Zhuge Mingyue. As for Xing Linzhou, he was also incredibly lucky to have met Zhuge Mingyue; it was actually a stroke of good fortune for him.

  "Remember, don't mention this matter to anyone." Wei Chi Hong once again solemnly reminded.

  Zhuge Mingyue also nodded solemnly.

  "Uncle Yuchi, what's going on with Feiyang's last heavenly thunder? Is it like this for everyone who undergoes the heavenly thunder baptism?" Zhuge Mingyue turned to look at Ling Feiyang, who was still unconscious beside her. At this moment, Ling Feiyang's skin was as white and tender as a newborn baby's.

  "Not everyone who has experienced the heavenly tribulation will be like this, and I'm not sure what's going on either. The previous nine heavenly tribulations should have been over already. I thought that Ling Fei Yang would be able to withstand those nine heavenly tribulations. But I didn't expect the last one to be so terrifying." Wei Chi Hong also looked at the unconscious Ling Fei Yang, pondering, "Perhaps this is an opportunity."

  "What opportunity?" Zhuge Mingyue was stunned, "What does it mean?"

  "This can't be clearly stated. In short, this time may be a turning point. As for what kind of person Fei Yang will become in the future, I'm not sure either, it'll be known later." Wei Chi Hong said with a slightly furrowed brow.

  "It's all right as long as he's fine." Zhuge Mingyue looked at Ling Feiyang, who was wearing tattered clothes, and thought to herself that if she were to undergo the Heavenly Thunder Refining Body in the future, she would need to prepare a set of clothes. No, wait, she could use the Heavenly Thunder Furnace, haha, nothing to worry about! As for Fatty and Xiao Hao, although Wei Hou had told her not to tell anyone, Zhuge Mingyue felt that these two, along with Xiang Xiang, wouldn't mind knowing. They were people she could entrust her life to, and it was precisely this trust that made Zhuge Mingyue certain that they wouldn't leak out this earth-shattering secret. So, Fatty and Xiao Hao's Heavenly Thunder Refining Body wasn't anything to worry about, with herself around, no big deal!

  "Alright, I'll take him back to clean up and change clothes first." Yuchi Hong picked up Ling Feiyang and was about to step forward when he suddenly stopped again, looking at Zhuge Mingyue and asking a question, "Mingyue, can I ask you something?"

  "Huh? Uncle Yuchi, you ask." Zhuge Mingyue looked at Yuchi Hong, somewhat perplexed, unsure what Yuchi Hong was really asking.

  "I'm asking you, if it were your friends, the fat one, the thin one, or that little girl, or even me, who had to go through heavenly tribulation and couldn't hold on, would you still rush over like today without any regard for consequences?" asked Wei Chi Hong.

  "Agreed." Zhuge Mingyue replied without hesitation.

  Wei Chi Hong smiled slightly and let out a soft sigh, then said: "Girl, you must cherish your own life. Do you know how much your mother paid for this life of yours? You absolutely cannot lightly give up on life."

  Zhuge Mingyue was stunned, "Mother", another word that made people yearn. Zhuge Mingyue suddenly felt a little jealous of the person who had this body before. She had such a deeply loving mother, but she didn't cherish it and ended up disappearing after self-destruction.

  "What are you thinking about?" Wei Chi Hong suddenly spoke out and interrupted Zhuge Mingyue's thoughts.

  "Huh? Nothing." Zhuge Mingyue shook her head and chased those chaotic thoughts out of her mind.

  "Your mother once said that when you become different from before, that's when you're truly her daughter." Yu Chi Hong suddenly spat out these words, then ignored the momentarily stunned Zhuge Mingyue and carried Ling Feiyang forward.

  Zhu Ge Mingyue stood there, staring blankly at Wei Chi Hong's receding back, her heart almost jumping out of her throat. What did it mean? What did Wei Chi Hong's words just now mean? What had he seen through? Or what did he know? Zhu Ge Mingyue's mother, what did these words mean? Zhu Ge Mingyue's heart was a mess, with some hope and more fear. Why did Wei Chi Hong's words imply that Zhu Ge Mingyue's mother had expected her to travel through time? And thought she was her own daughter.

  Zhuge Mingyue's body hair was slightly erect, but in her heart, there was a faint glimmer of hope. She took off after Wei Chi Hong, she was very excited, running very fast, to the point where she stumbled slightly.

  "Uncle Yuchi, what did you mean by those words just now?" Zhuge Mingyue found that her own voice was trembling.

  "Your mother once said she would bring you back." Wei Chi Hong's footsteps didn't stop, still looking forward and walking in big strides. "Your mother had gone to another world, saying that you would also return. I have been waiting for you for sixteen years."

  Zhuge Mingyue was completely stunned on the spot. His whole body began to tremble, what does this mean? What is the meaning of this?

  "Do you think I'm a fool? Sixteen years, and such a huge change in one night, wouldn't I find it strange?" Wei Chi Hong slightly turned his head, looking at Zhuge Mingyue who was trembling on the spot, and smiled, "If you were really a lonely soul occupying Mingyue's body, I would have killed you long ago. I've been guarding you for sixteen years, only appearing when you became a summoner, don't you understand? You are the real Zhuge Mingyue, you are your mother's true daughter!"

  Boom!

  Something thoroughly exploded. Zhuge Mingyue's whole body trembled, her heart racing very fast at this moment. Wei Chi Hong's revealed messages were like a thunderclap on a clear day, exploding her mind and soul into turmoil, leaving her at a loss for what to do with her hands and feet.

  "Your mother..." Wei Chi Hong raised his head and gazed at the distant horizon, saying slowly, "Your mother is a truly extraordinary woman!"

  "What's going on here?!" Zhuge Mingyue rushed forward, crying out in a state of utter bewilderment.

  "The art of soul exchange is unbelievable, but it really exists. Many things, you have to find the answers yourself." Wei Chi Hong stopped and looked at Zhuge Mingyue's face, continuing, "You must become stronger, Mingyue, as soon as possible. Strong enough to truly protect yourself, strong enough to know your own origins. Only then will you be worthy of being her daughter. Remember, you are Zhuge Mingyue, Zhuge Mingyue!"

  Wei Chi Hong finished speaking and took a step forward.

  Zhuge Mingyue stood there in a daze, then slowly sat down. She sat on the grass, looking up at the distant horizon, the sky was a vast blue, seemingly endless. Then, she slowly lowered her head, looking at the grass beneath her feet. Her turbulent heart slowly calmed down.

  Soul-swapping technique?

  Could it be that this body is actually hers? Was she supposed to be a person of this world? Did her mother swap her soul with another Ge Mingyue's? Is that so?

  Then, what about Zhuge Mingyue? Is she alright now? Is she still in her previous body?

  These Zhuge Mingyue didn't know, now she knows one thing, that is, she has a mother who loves her very much! Her mother did many many things for her!

  Mother, it turns out I'm not an orphan, I have a mother!

  Phoenix fairy grass, phoenix fairy grass, phoenix fairy grass, phoenix fairy grass...

  Mother's name is Feng Wuxuan!

  Zhuge Mingyue raised her head and gazed into the distance. At this moment, her heart seemed very broad and very calm.

  Ling Feiyang was still unconscious, and Wei Chi Hong told Zhuge Mingyue not to worry, saying that after the Heavenly Thunder Infusion, many people had this kind of reaction. Therefore, the Heavenly Thunder Infusion required someone trustworthy by their side to protect them. Because even if someone survived the Heavenly Thunder Infusion, but afterwards became unconscious and powerless, if someone launched a sneak attack, it would be disastrous. So, it was necessary to have someone trustworthy guarding them.

  Wei Chi Hong let Zhuge Mingyue go back first, and after Ling Feiyang woke up, he let Ling Feiyang go back by himself.

  Zhu Ge Mingyue gladly agreed, and for the first time since she arrived in this world, her mood was so good. Although she had friends and a master, who knew what her true feelings were deep down? When someone travels to a completely unfamiliar place, people are strangers, food and clothing habits are also strange, everything around is strange, even if that person is strong, they will feel helpless and uncomfortable in their heart. Now it's different, now she knows that this is where she truly belongs, and there's a mother who has done so much for her, her state of mind is completely different.

  Zhuge Mingyue summoned a hurricane and rode on it, then summoned Fat Parrot Sleeping Handsome Guy and Night Enchantress Xinlan. Although she didn't say a word, the hurricane, Handsome Guy, and Xinlan all felt Zhuge Mingyue's mood was extremely good.

  "What's good?" The parrot perched on Zhuge Mingyue's right shoulder, blinking its small eyes to ask.

  "Why tell you about good things? Just tell me alone." Xinlan sat on Zhuge Mingyue's left shoulder, squeezing the parrot.

  The fat parrot touched its beak with its wing: "A handsome guy doesn't fight with a beauty, so I won't bother with you."

  Xinlan snorted disdainfully, ignoring the parrot, and instead quietly asked Zhuge Mingyue: "Master, what's going on?"

  "What a great thing! I was thinking of inviting you all to have a big meal! Buying lots of chestnut cakes, rose cakes and chicken legs, do you want some?" Zhuge Mingyue's mood soared, smiling brightly as she said.

  "Let's go!" The three demon pets said in unison. Then Fei Yu and Xinlan urged the hurricane to run faster. In fact, they didn't need to urge him, as the hurricane was already using all his might to sprint forward.

  "Your state of mind has changed. It's beneficial for your strength to increase." The usually silent Houkou suddenly spoke up with a sentence.

  Zhuge Mingyue smiled faintly, without responding to the wolf's howl. She understood that if even the wolf said so, then it must be true. The broadening of her horizons would only make her grow faster.

  ……

  In the imperial palace of Beijing, Xue Ying stood elegantly in the royal garden, holding a piece of pastry in her hand and gently tearing it apart to feed the koi fish in the pond. The small pieces of pastry were thrown into the water, creating ripples, and soon the koi fish opened their mouths and swallowed them up quickly.

  Man Xueying listlessly broke off a piece of pastry, with two maids standing behind her. These two maids were also from the temple and held positions slightly lower than hers; Nan Gongyin had left them by her side to assist her.

  "How's the preparation going over there?" Xue Ying's voice was very soft, and people who didn't know her might have thought she was talking to herself.

  "It's already ready." A maid behind her replied in a low voice.

  "That's good. Once this task is completed, the adults will surely reward us. We can also go back." Man Xueying smiled faintly and threw all the pastries in her hand into the water pool. A group of goldfish jumped up to grab food in the water pool. She watched this scene and her mood inexplicably improved.

  "That Zhuge Mingyue, she's been entering the palace frequently lately. The Emperor treats her even better than his own biological daughter." Man Xueying sneered with a smile.

  The two maids behind her did not respond, but silently lowered their heads.

  Man Xueying let out a cold laugh, stood up straight, turned around and walked back.

  ……

  In the afternoon, the Emperor indeed summoned Zhuge Mingyue again after her return.

  "Ah, Bright Moon, as long as that little scamp Ling Fei Yang is fine. Come on, let's play a game of chess." The Emperor loved playing chess with Zhuge Mingyue. Because he was terrible at it and liked to take back moves, those who played against him were extremely miserable. Not only could they not win, but they also had to think of ways to lose to him, the most unbearable part being having to endure the Emperor's atrocious chess skills. Zhuge Mingyue was different, she played against the Emperor with no mercy, often ruthlessly devouring his pieces until he was left with nothing.

  "Alright." Zhuge Mingyue raised an eyebrow, in her opinion, that was just the Emperor looking for trouble again. She liked being close to the Emperor even more now, she wanted to ask him some things about her mother.

  However, Zhuge Mingyue never expected that such a thrilling thing would happen today.

  She and the Emperor were about to cross the corridor to play chess in the pavilion of the Imperial Garden.

  Sudden and drastic change.

  Zhuge Mingyue suddenly felt a strange and eerie aura, just like the feeling of being stared at by venomous snakes hiding in the grass and tree branches during his past training. A chill rose inexplicably on his body. Zhuge Mingyue swiftly turned around, his pupils rapidly constricting. A silent and invisible sharp arrow was flying rapidly towards him, its target being the monarch standing right in front of him. Assassination!

  The arrow's speed was too fast, so fast that it seemed like a slightly distorted air in the line of sight, and there was no sharp whistling sound produced by the general rapid flight of arrows. If not for the instinctive sensitivity to danger honed from numerous battles, Zhuge Mingyue almost felt nothing about this arrow's existence.

  What kind of archer can shoot such an arrow? Zhuge Mingyue had seen Wu Kaiyuan's archery skills before, and even a soulful archer like him might not be able to shoot such an arrow.

  At present, apart from Zhuge Mingyue and the Emperor, there was no one else around. Several palace maids and guards were standing far away, and even if they reacted now, it would be too late to take action. It was clear that the assassin had already made thorough inquiries and knew that when the Emperor summoned her, no one else was allowed to attend!

  In the blink of an eye, the arrow had already arrived in front of Zhuge Mingyue, less than three meters away, and it would pierce into the emperor's chest without any obstruction. It was now impossible to summon a storm, Zhuge Mingyue thought quickly, drew out her dagger, activated the power within her body, and with a whistling sound, the dagger struck the arrow fiercely. Originally, being summoned by the emperor did not allow one to bring weapons, but Zhuge Mingyue had this special exception, and her dagger had not been taken away. At this moment, her dagger played a crucial role.

  The arrow was struck by a dagger and instantly snapped in two. The great force caused the arrow to deviate far away, and then fell to the ground.

  The emperor was stunned, looking at the arrows on the ground, his face changed greatly.

  The guards in the distance also heard the commotion here, and turned their heads in shock, "There's an assassin..." Before the guard could even shout out, a cold blade had already slit his throat.

  Three assassins, as if emerging from the darkness, suddenly shot towards Zhuge Mingyue's direction. At this moment, more than a dozen Imperial Guards in palace attire also appeared out of nowhere and surrounded the three assassins from all sides, their swords and knives weaving a dazzling light. Meanwhile, another three guards wearing similar uniforms chased after the direction where the arrow was shot from.

  Zhuge Mingyue let out a sigh of relief as the Imperial Guards hiding in the shadows made their move. Those who were selected to become Imperial Guards were all incredibly talented and powerful, and it was likely that only someone like Qing Gongzi, the Sword Saint, or Cang Wuji, the reclusive master, could be considered their equal in the entire Danling Kingdom.

  Of course, the assassins who dared to come to the imperial palace were not weak either, but under the siege of more than a dozen inner guards, they were in a precarious situation. Zhuge Mingyue was surprised to find that these guards seemed to understand a magical teamwork technique, advancing and retreating in an orderly manner, cooperating tacitly, and their sword lights and shadows merged into a powerful aura, gathering into a mighty and unmatched aura, which was far stronger than their own strength. Not to mention the assassins, even ordinary sword saints might find it difficult to escape if they were trapped in this situation.

  In just over ten seconds, the two assassins were killed by the swords of the imperial guards. The last assassin was also in a precarious situation, and just as a swift sword was about to pierce his chest, "Spare him!" rang out the cold and majestic voice of the Emperor.

  His Majesty the Emperor's face was filled with rage, his entire body exuding the majesty of a ruler, making it impossible for anyone to look him straight in the eye, and he was like a completely different person from just a moment ago.

  The guards stopped in time, but the assassin's mouth suddenly revealed a strange smile, and his hand squeezed hard, a thick smoke rose up.

  Poison! The guards, who had just come to their senses, hastily retreated. Although they reacted quickly, two of the guards still inhaled the toxic fumes and fell to the ground on the spot, with a thick greenish color rising to their faces.

  Just as several guards retreated in a panic, a figure appeared out of nowhere, like a swift bird taking flight, shooting towards the Emperor. A strong and intense killing intent enveloped Zhuge Mingyue and the Emperor, making it seem almost palpable, weighing heavily on them to the point where their hearts could hardly beat, and their feet felt as if they were shackled by heavy iron chains, unable to move even half a step.

  This feeling is so familiar, yet so strange. Zhuge Mingyue had only felt such pressure on Yue Jingchu's body, but he absolutely didn't have such thickness, such heaviness. What kind of strength does this assassin actually possess?

  A guard commander saw this and couldn't care about the poisonous fog anymore, holding his breath and rushing forward with all his might. However, he suddenly stumbled, his chest caved in, a mouthful of blood spurted out, and his entire body's joints and bones were crushed like they had been pinched to pieces, collapsing to the ground like a puddle of mud. Until his death, he still stared wide-eyed, unable to believe that someone could kill him so easily. He was a top swordsman at the peak of the soul level, just one step away from being mentioned in the same breath as the Guardian Sword Saint, an absolute master.

  In the blink of an eye, the assassin had already approached the Emperor's side. Under the immense pressure, the Emperor leaned against a stone pillar, his body surging with a wave of weakness, but his expression remained cold and majestic. As the ruler of a nation, even in the face of desperation, he would never show any sign of retreat. He stood in front of Zhuge Mingyue, shielding her body behind him. The unyielding pride that emanated from his body at this moment was truly admirable. And the act of shielding her behind him had moved her heart.

  She took a slight step to the side, and Xue Ying stood beside the Emperor, her tightly gripped dagger radiating a faint halo of light. The terrifying power that even she herself felt was frantically gathering within her body.

  In the assassin's icy, emotionless eyes, a hint of surprise flickered. Under his murderous intent, even a high-level master like Lingyun couldn't move easily, but the girl in front of him seemed to be floating on water, drifting with the current as if she hadn't been affected at all.

  The assassin's gaze suddenly became heavy, still the first time to have such a feeling on someone below the holy level. When did Danling Country produce such an astonishingly powerful girl? What a pity, such a genius is about to fall. There was not a hint of hesitation in the assassin's heart, nor was there any sympathy, and he struck out with a punch.

  Zhuge Mingyue pushed the emperor away with one hand, and the dagger directly met him.

  The assassin's eyes flashed with disdain, a small dagger also wanted to harm him. When a person becomes strong to a certain extent, ordinary weapons are nothing to them!

  But the next moment, something happened that shocked and regretted him.

  "Boom!" The air currents collided violently, and a tornado over three meters high burst into the sky. The assassin's body flew out horizontally, and Zhuge Mingyue felt her palm go numb, almost dropping the dagger.

  So strong! Zhuge Mingyue gazed at the assassin who had fallen to the ground, her heart shocked beyond measure.

  This girl is very strong!

  However, just relying on her was not enough to disrupt his actions. The assassin drew out a long sword with his left hand, and the killing intent in his eyes grew thicker. His sword had always only been used at the final moment of absolute kill, but today he had no choice but to make an exception once.

  With a sword in hand, the assassin's entire being seemed to be condensed into the sword, radiating a cold aura as if it had been frozen for thousands of years.

  Several imperial guards finally woke up, raised their weapons and charged at the assassin again. At the same time, the commotion here had alarmed the guards outside, countless guards grasped their weapons and rushed towards this place like crazy. The assassin looked at several imperial guards indifferently, and swung his long sword lightly.

  A flash of rainbow light, a blood mist soared to the sky, several Imperial Guards took a step back, looking at the assassin in front of them with unbelievable eyes, their divine light scattered, and they fell to the ground. One sword, just a lightly drawn sword, easily beheaded several powerful Imperial Guards, unable to encircle and perform a combined attack, the guards were no different from fragile ants in the eyes of the assassin. Seeing this scene, the servants who were rushing over were filled with intense fear, but still rushed forward without hesitation.

  But with them, how could they possibly stop this assassin's final blow?

  "Moon! Step down, this person is too strong." The Emperor growled, he wouldn't allow Moon to get hurt.

  ……

  The assassin looked at him coldly, raised his long sword again, and slashed it towards the emperor. A brilliant light like a rainbow flashed, shining brightly enough to make people unable to open their eyes.

  Zhuge Mingyue's eyes turned sharp at this moment, and the dagger in her hand was gripped even tighter. The opponent was very strong, but she absolutely would not allow anyone to hurt the Emperor in front of her! Not because he was the Emperor, but because he was a caring elder who cared about her!

  Just as Zhuge Mingyue was about to make a move, a brilliant light suddenly appeared in the night sky above, shining like a meteor. The dazzling light was so beautiful that it moved people's hearts, and even the entire capital city was illuminated by it at this moment.

  A thick and mellow breath came with it, like a sweet rain on a hot summer day, bringing a refreshing feeling to the whole body, washing away all fears and unease in the heart. But in an instant, this breath turned violent and fierce, like thunder from nine heavens, making one feel awe-inspiring from the bottom of their heart.

  A sword blade as mighty as a dragon descended from the sky, and under its powerful momentum that seemed to soar through the nine heavens, the assassin's once-feared sword blade now looked weak and laughable like a small snake.

  So this is the true power of the Sword Saint, it turns out that thinking of challenging him after advancing to Sword Saint was so naive and laughable!

  At this moment, the assassin's cold eyes also involuntarily revealed a heartfelt reverence. The next moment, under the sword tip like a blue dragon, his body and soul were both reduced to nothingness.

  Mr. Qing slowly fell to the ground, still wearing a simple long gown, still with a calm and serene expression, but at this moment, everyone felt a deep shock and reverence.

  This is Danling Country's Guardian Sword Saint, the guardian deity of its tens of millions of citizens.

  Zhuge Mingyue was also surprised to see the appearance of Qingyun State. So, this is his true strength? How strong! When can I surpass him?!

  A faint smile appeared on the emperor's face, a majestic and domineering smile that belonged to someone who had everything under his control.

  Digression

  Parallel world, I wonder if everyone knows this term. Zhuge Mingyue exists in two worlds, with corresponding people. Would you like to see the modern-day Zhuge Mingyue's story? If there's interest, I'll write an extra chapter later on.