Chapter 43: Dying with Eyes Wide Open (Seventh Update)

"Little Princess..." Elder Mu was struck as if by lightning; his aged body trembled violently, and his face turned ashen beyond compare. "Little Princess, please believe me. I always keep my word!"

But Bing Muer no longer spoke. She stood motionless, rooted to the spot.

Elder Mu was utterly desolate! In this moment, Bing Muer's resolve was as iron—no one could sway her. Just now, Elder Mu had even used the Demonic Hand against her; Bing Muer would absolutely never forgive him.

Now, Elder Mu had only one path left—death. There was no other possibility.

Suddenly, with a grimace, Elder Mu raised his hand and struck his own head with all his might.

A muffled thud—his skull shattered like a watermelon, crushed by his own palm.

With this, all those from the Southern Domain Prefectural Palace had perished.

A deathly silence fell upon the field; not even the sound of breathing could be heard. Everyone’s hearts sank into a bottomless abyss.

...

Far away, thousands of miles from the Ten-Thousand Mountains, at the Prefectural Palace of the Southern Domain.

Duke Bing Changtian sat before a stone table. Upon it lay a thin jade slip, within which was imprinted a trace of Bing Miaoguo’s divine sense.

Revealing the exact location of the Demon Emperor’s Tomb this time was a great risk. Even though he had dispatched Elder Mu—such a peerless expert—and dozens of elite Golden Armored Guards to protect Bing Miaoguo in the heart of the Ten-Thousand Mountains, he was still uneasy.

And so, before her departure, he had Bing Miaoguo leave a sliver of divine sense in the jade slip.

Suddenly—

Crack!

The jade slip shattered, turning to powder.

“Miaoguo is dead!”

Bing Changtian’s body shuddered violently, his face instantly twisting in horror.

“Damn it...” He was pierced to the heart, his spirit crushed. “Even Elder Mu and all those Golden Armored Guards could not keep Miaoguo safe. Could it be... that the legend is true? Has the Demon Emperor truly returned to life...?”

Clearly, this time he had gambled, betting that nothing would happen at the Demon Emperor’s Tomb.

But, regrettably, he had lost.

Only if Bing Miaoguo had perished would the jade slip before him shatter.

“Why has it come to this... why did this happen...”

Suddenly, Bing Changtian lost control and roared to the heavens, “Ah! Damn it! What happened to Miaoguo in the Demon Emperor’s Tomb? Who killed her? Has the Demon Emperor truly returned?”

Blood surged to his heart; with a violent cough, he spat a mouthful of thick blood.

It was all over—everything was finished.

Now, regret overwhelmed him, and he wished only for death.

He should never, ever have done this...

...

Deep within the Ten-Thousand Mountains.

At the Demon Emperor’s Tomb.

She felt not the slightest pity for those from the Southern Domain Prefectural Palace who had all met their ends.

Her gaze soon fell upon Zuo Xiangyu.

“Did you not ally yourself with the people from the Southern Domain Prefectural Palace?” Bing Muer’s words were cold as ten thousand years of ice. “Were you not planning to slaughter everyone here and claim all the treasures of the Demon Emperor’s Tomb for yourselves? Now that they are all dead, why are you still alive?”

“Little Princess, you...” Zuo Xiangyu’s face was ashen; he could no longer maintain his usual elegance. Suddenly, he snapped coldly, “Little Princess, I am the young master of the Thousand Dragon Sect. Do you intend to make an enemy of us?”

“Hmph!” Bing Muer snorted with utter disdain, turning away, not even deigning to look at him.

The crowd was thunderstruck, jaws all but shattering on the ground. They never dreamed Bing Muer would take action against Zuo Xiangyu as well.

They recalled how she had just now captured the newly resurrected Demon Emperor with a single painting. The mysterious Young Master Chen at her side could likely annihilate the entire Thousand Dragon Sect with a mere wave of his hand.

Zuo Xiangyu’s body began to tremble, his teeth chattering audibly. He bitterly regretted his alliance with the Prefectural Palace. Had he known such a terrifying Young Master Chen stood behind Bing Muer, he would have gladly served as her lowest attendant.

With a sudden thud, he struck his own chest with a fist, punching a gaping hole through it.

His heart shattered.

“Ch—Chen Young Master... who is he...?” Even as he fell, Zuo Xiangyu could not help but ask in a strained voice.

“You? Are you even worthy to know who Young Master Chen is?” Bing Muer replied with icy contempt.

Zuo Xiangyu’s eyes widened in death; he died with bitter resentment.

Everyone remaining, including Nalan Ruoshui, was seized with terror, treading as if on thin ice.

“Um, Little Princess, I...” Nalan Ruoshui’s voice trembled. “I didn’t...”

“Senior Nalan, I have no intention of harming you,” Bing Muer shook her head.

Nalan Ruoshui finally let out a long breath, her body slick with cold sweat, nearly collapsing from relief.

The others felt as if they’d narrowly escaped death as well.

Thus ended this great upheaval that had shaken the entire Southern Domain.

The outcome was wholly unexpected. The newly resurrected Demon Emperor had been immediately sealed away by a painting produced by Bing Muer. And who had given her this painting? A man known only as Young Master Chen.

The Southern Domain’s Prefect, mastermind of this chaos, had suffered a grievous loss: the eldest princess was dead, Elder Mu—their most powerful expert—was dead, and dozens of Golden Armored Guards had perished as well. As for the mysterious Young Master Chen who had gifted Bing Muer that painting, no one knew what kind of awe-inspiring existence he truly was.

“This time, we truly owe it all to the Little Princess. Otherwise, the Southern Domain would have been doomed.”

“Indeed. Had the Demon Emperor been allowed to run rampant, the Southern Domain would have become a living hell.”

The crowd discussed in hushed, complex tones, all eyes on Bing Muer.

She turned to look at the shattered remains of the Demon Emperor’s stone coffin. There was nothing there—no treasures, no martial arts, nothing but rubble.

“Let’s go,” Bing Muer beckoned with a slender hand.

Everyone hurried to follow.

After all, the Ten-Thousand Mountains were still crawling with demon beasts. They would need to rely on Huangfu Meng’s zither to safely make their way out.

...

Half a day later, they had left the Ten-Thousand Mountains behind.

“Little Princess, the Sacred Sword Sect welcomes you as an honored guest at any time,” Nalan Ruoshui said respectfully. “And if you could bring Young Master Chen with you, it would be our greatest honor.”

With Young Master Chen’s unfathomable abilities, the Sacred Sword Sect’s prestige would soar if they could form an alliance with him.

Bing Muer thought for a moment, then shook her head. “Young Master Chen is a recluse who has returned to simplicity. He has no wish to be entangled in worldly affairs.”

At this, Nalan Ruoshui could not hide her disappointment. “I see. Then it seems the Sacred Sword Sect lacks the fortune to meet such a transcendent figure.”

She paused, then added, “Little Princess, forgive me for speaking out of turn. After forcing the eldest princess and Elder Mu to their deaths in the Demon Emperor’s Tomb, I fear the Prefectural Palace will not let this go. Many were present at the time and word will spread. If the Prefect wishes to learn the truth, it will be all too easy. Though you have Young Master Chen behind you, the Prefect is hardly an ordinary man—his methods are many, or he would not have risen to power.”

Bing Muer nodded. “Thank you for your warning, Senior Nalan. I will be careful.”

“Very well, then. Farewell!” Nalan Ruoshui cupped her hands in respect and departed, thinking to herself that she must do all she could to assist the Little Princess and strengthen her connection, in hopes of one day meeting the mysterious Young Master Chen.

“In time, we must make a trip to Clearwater Town to report our safety to Young Master Chen,” Bing Muer said to Nangong Ba. “Afterwards, Elder Hua and I will go to reside at the City Lord’s Manor in White Emperor City. Returning to the Prefectural Palace is out of the question.”

“Haha!” Nangong Ba laughed heartily. “It would be White Emperor City’s greatest honor to host the Little Princess in my manor.”