Yi Tianxing had already reined in the fury burning within him, but a chill still lingered in his voice. The moment he heard that a foreign powerhouse wanted to force Yao Yue into becoming a concubine, flames of rage erupted uncontrollably from within. That past experience had long engraved a mark upon his heart—buried only by separation, not forgotten.
Now that he had heard news of her again, the flame was fully reignited.
"I don't know the full details," Sikong Zhaixing said quickly. "When the Battlefield of Gods and Demons opened, I figured there'd be countless opportunities and fortunes to be found. Naturally, many geniuses from the Eternal Continent would gather here, including elites from the human race. So I chose to enter the battlefield. I arrived the day before yesterday. The moment I came in, I found the place crawling with alien races. I had no choice but to use a secret technique to hide. I stayed hidden until this morning."
"What kind of technique did you use? So powerful that you stayed hidden this long?" Green Emperor snorted.
"Hmph! So what if I dug a hole and laid low using Turtle Breath Technique for a whole day? A technique that preserves your life is a divine art," Sikong replied irritably, his face darkening.
He glared at Green Emperor with clear disdain. Every time they met, it was bad luck. He felt like they must've been mortal enemies in a past life—nothing ever went right when they crossed paths.
"All right, please continue," Yi Tianxing interjected.
In a place like the battlefield, merely surviving was a great feat. There was nothing wrong with Sikong's choice to hide. It was only natural to prioritize survival when faced with overwhelming odds. Given Sikong's personality, hiding made perfect sense.
"After lying low for a day, I was just about to crawl out when I noticed there were still people above. I was at the edge of a valley. I heard voices and realized a group was trapped inside. Among them was Daoist Yao Yue. They were surrounded by the Three-Eyed Race, specifically by a powerful faction called Atlantis, founded by the Three-Eyed Divine Clan. They called their leader a divine son—Pupil (Tong) Twelve, the Twelfth Divine Son of Atlantis."
Sikong's tone turned grave. "I don't know all that happened, but I did hear that this Pupil Twelve was demanding Yao Yue become his concubine—or else, everyone in the valley would die."
"Despicable! Do they really think the human race is defenseless?" Lu Zhishen snarled in rage.
"Go on," Yi Tianxing said, voice calm but cold.
"I was originally going to sneak away and seek reinforcements to rescue Yao Yue and the others. But hearing that bastard's words filled me with rage. I couldn't stop myself—I charged out and struck at Pupil Twelve. That's when the Three-Eyed tribe started hunting me down. By great fortune, I encountered you. With you and this crazy mutt, we can definitely rescue Yao Yue."
Green Emperor looked at Sikong with utter disdain. "This little crook, brave enough to confront a divine son of the Three-Eyed Race? Please. More likely he saw something valuable and tried to steal it, then got caught and ran like a rat."
"Where are they now?" Yi Tianxing asked sharply.
"Your Majesty, are you planning to go personally?" Jia Xu interjected. "Should we rally an army first? The Three-Eyed Race is a top-tier force with no shortage of elites. We must be fully prepared."
"No need. Rescuing them is a race against time. With my strength, not even a thousand troops could stop me. And with my Space Gate, no one can prevent me from leaving," Yi Tianxing said decisively. "You all remain behind. Sunset City has only just stabilized. It is our foothold on the battlefield—it cannot be left undefended. Strategist, return to Sunset City. I will return afterward. Until then, seal the gates. No one is to enter or leave."
Sunset City required strong defenders. Without Yi Tianxing and his generals, any mishap could unravel all their previous efforts.
"Very well. But Your Majesty must promise that if things become untenable, you'll withdraw immediately," Jia Xu said solemnly. "Your life is no longer yours alone. It belongs to all the citizens of the Great Yi Dynasty."
"I promise!" Yi Tianxing nodded.
"Sikong, on the chariot. I'll have to trouble you to drive it to the valley."
"With such a divine chariot, being a coachman is an honor," Sikong Zhaixing said excitedly. He had already recognized the creatures pulling the chariot—three of the Dragon's Nine Sons, direct descendants of the Ancestral Dragon. Though they didn't look like true dragons, their bloodlines were even more powerful. Each one possessed unique divine abilities and innate powers. Their combat strength surpassed that of true dragons.
Green Emperor's face shifted at the sight of Sikong boarding the chariot. He instinctively backed away, wary of any... "ambushes" from behind.
ROAR!!
With Sikong at the reins, the Nine-Dragon Chariot surged forward, tearing through the skies with unmatched speed. Clouds gathered around it as if divine beings were descending.
Watching the chariot vanish into the distance, Ye Zhiqiu frowned.
"Strategist, is it really safe for His Majesty to go alone? Should we catch up, just in case?"
"No need," Jia Xu replied. "For a rescue mission, going alone is actually the wisest choice. With the Space Gate, even in dire situations, he can escape. Our priority is to defend Sunset City."
A subtle glint passed through Jia Xu's eyes.
On the Battlefield of Gods and Demons, a secluded valley lay nestled between mountains. Though small in size, it had a single entrance and exit. For ordinary mortals, this would be limiting, but for cultivators—especially those at the Life Aperture Realm—terrain was no obstacle.
At this moment, dozens of human cultivators were gathered within the valley, tension written across their faces. Outside, Three-Eyed Race warriors blocked the only exit. Some wore ornate robes, others glimmering battle armor.
One figure stood out—wearing a blue robe covered in arcane runes, the very image of nobility and mystique. His very presence was striking, his tall frame and divine bearing making him look like a deity among mortals. His features were almost painfully handsome, crowned by the closed third eye on his forehead. He radiated awe and authority, his aura so regal that few dared to meet his gaze.
This was Pupil Twelve, Twelfth Divine Son of Atlantis—a royal prodigy destined to stand above all races, one of the foremost heavenly talents in the world.
"Daoist Yao Yue, cease your resistance," Pupil Twelve called calmly into the valley. "This valley is covered by my Nebula Net. There is no escape by land or sky. I am the Twelfth Divine Son of Atlantis. To be chosen by me is your honor. If you agree to become my concubine, I will spare the lives of everyone else here."
His voice was soaked in arrogant confidence—born from bloodline and identity. As a royal of the Three-Eyed Divine Clan, women of other races were gifts, not equals. Just his desire alone would cause countless women to throw themselves at him.
For him to mobilize this many elites just for a single woman—especially a human—was unprecedented. But from the moment he laid eyes on her, he had been seized by a fierce urge to possess and conquer her.
He had never been so moved at first sight by a woman before.
This was the first time.