The faint night sky above the towering walls of Man City revealed only jagged, blurred silhouettes, lending an air of desolation and solitude.

Kuang Shi peered at the distant ramparts with a touch of confusion! The scene before him possessed an inexplicable strangeness.

It was too quiet! There was no discernible trace of life within the city walls.

As a Thunder Warrior, Kuang Shi’s perceptive abilities were significantly sharper than those of an ordinary Heavy Armor General, allowing him to sense the anomaly from this distance.

At almost the same moment, the sound of urgent cavalry hooves suddenly shattered the night air.

From afar, a brilliant beam of light streaked across the hazy darkness, carving a dazzling band of luminescence.

In the blink of an eye, the rider was before Kuang Shi.

“Report, General! Large cavalry forces have been sighted to the south and north of Man City.

They are advancing rapidly toward Wusituosimu.” The rider was a scout dispatched by the Thunderflame Legion.

“What?” Kuang Shi exclaimed in shock.

“Did the Black Flag Legion retreat overnight?” Connecting this to the strange sensation he had just felt, Kuang Shi immediately confirmed his suspicion.

“Notify Mo Luo Yin Feng on the western route; have him pursue the retreating Black Flag forces heading north immediately,” Kuang Shi commanded.

“Yes!” The nearby messenger received the order and withdrew.

“The vanguard will follow me to pursue the Black Flag forces fleeing south.” Kuang Shi was livid, bursting with rage.

This damnable Jiuyao Shenzhen, he had resorted to trickery again! Was he attempting to lure them deep into the interior of the Byron Grasslands for a decisive counterattack using the old method of 'luring the enemy deep'? Recalling the prior crushing defeat of the Thunderflame Legion, a chill still ran down Kuang Shi’s spine.

However, letting Jiuyao Shenzhen escape now was something he could not easily accept.

Trying a fire attack again? As long as I am careful about the growth of water plants and pay attention to the terrain prone to burning, I have nothing to fear! Having settled this thought, Kuang Shi felt a considerable measure of reassurance.

On the other side! Inside the Demon Sealing Imperial Palace! Eight figures and one beast were rapidly closing in on the direction of the Fengyi Hall! By this time, the palace was already filled with clamor, and dozens of people wielding Phoenix Lumina Pearls were rushing toward them.

“They are here.” Our presence was quickly discovered! And almost simultaneously with the confrontation, countless bolts of lightning, fireballs, and ice roars rained down like a tempest! Ji Du and the others merely let out slight, disdainful snorts, not even bothering to evade! They casually slashed out several crescent-shaped sword energies! Swish, swish, swish, swish! Thwack, thwack, thwack! “Ah…” Amidst a chorus of agonizing screams, the dozens of palace guards, unable to react quickly enough to dodge, were cleaved in half by the violently surging sword strikes! Severed limbs, mingling with spurting blood rain, instantly dyed the entire world a hazy crimson! Perhaps they never dreamed they would be so utterly helpless, split in two upon the very first exchange.

A few who reacted swiftly cried out in alarm: “Heavy Armor Generals!” Swish, swish, swish! Boom! Almost simultaneously, several dazzling pillars of light shot toward the heavens, followed by the bursts of blue light clusters, instantly illuminating the night sky.

Accompanying this were several deafening roars.

These were emergency signals fired by the few quick-witted guards.

In the royal palaces of all nations, there are four types of alert signals: red, green, violet, and blue magic flares.

And the blue signal, most critically, was reserved for situations of utmost peril.

Shouts of command echoed from all directions, and nearby guards charged toward them with reckless abandon! However, the speed of Heavy Armor Generals was far beyond that of ordinary guards! Charging at full tilt, we did not slow down an instant, relying solely on our formidable protective Battle Qi to smash straight into the dense crowd.

The massive Mammoth King roared like thunder, leading the charge! In an instant, countless figures were sent flying far away amidst sounds of heavy impacts.

In the blink of an eye, we pierced through the guards’ interception and arrived before the entrance of a magnificent, imposing hall.

The open plaza was brightly lit by countless massive torches mixed with the dazzling glow of the Phoenix Lumina Pearls.

This created a stark, chilling contrast against the gloomy, dark sky, enhancing the eerie atmosphere of impending slaughter! Low growls and rapid footfalls hammered the hard ground like swift thunder, sounding as if a colossal demonic beast were poised to leap out of the dark night sky at any moment, fangs bared and claws extended.

This sight instilled in everyone present an irrepressible tremor and sense of unease! Yet, those present were all preeminent experts with extraordinary skills.

Tiemu Chuan, Tiemu Feng, Zhurong Mingxuan, Zhurong Mingjing, Chiyue Qinfang, and Chiyue Qinkong—the Iron Guards of the Fengyi—were all battle-hardened Heavy Armor Generals whose martial prowess and mental fortitude stood head and shoulders above the rest, allowing them to reach the Fengyi Hall almost instantly.

Yes, upon hearing the alarm bells, Mo Luo Yin Sha and everyone present sensed that something terrible had occurred.

Everything seemed too coincidental.

The heavy armor forces of the Demon Sealing Empire had already been dispatched to crucial cities and fortresses across the continent to counter the unprecedented scale of the Black Flag Army's guerrilla campaign.

Yet, even so, facing the endless, elusive decentralized surprise attacks of the Guerrilla Corps, their strategy still proved inadequate.

Consequently, even the Heavy Armor Generals guarding the Imperial Palace had been sent out to assist in defense across various regions.

This left the palace's defensive strength at its absolute minimum.

The original contingent of at least twenty Fengyi Iron Guards tasked solely with palace protection was now reduced to only eight.

What shocked Tiemu Chuan and the others further was that just moments ago, they had clearly sensed the life auras of Tieshan and Tieshi vanish.

Connecting this to the sudden appearance of powerful enemies, even a fool could guess what had transpired! If even Heavy Armor Generals like Tieshan and Tieshi had no chance to escape, one could imagine the sheer strength of the attacking opponents! Tiemu Chuan and the others forcibly suppressed the unease in their hearts, slightly collected their focus, and immediately regained their composure! With swords drawn, they formed a semicircle, tightly shielding Mo Luo Yin Sha behind them.

Mo Luo Yin Sha took a deep breath, finally managing to calm himself.

Although the enemy had yet to reveal their presence, Mo Luo Yin Sha had an unshakeable intuition that the intruder who would soon appear before him was certainly him.

Yes, even yesterday, Mo Luo Yin Sha was certain that Jiuyao Shenzhen was still thousands of miles away in Man City.

Yet, at this moment, Mo Luo Yin Sha was convinced that the one breaking into the palace and about to stand before him must be him! Mo Luo Yin Sha didn't even bother to consider how he had crossed the expanse of ten thousand miles in such a short time; it seemed utterly natural, as if it were meant to be! Indeed, perhaps in this entire world, only he could cause the Demon Empress of the Demon Sealing Empire, Mo Luo Yin Sha—without even a face-to-face meeting—to feel fear and unease simply by hearing a single name! That person was Jiuyao Shenzhen! A demon whose name caused everyone in the Demon Sealing Empire to blanch! In fact, ever since Jiuyao Shenzhen set foot on the Demon Sealing Continent, Mo Luo Yin Sha had vaguely sensed that this day would eventually come! But no matter what, Mo Luo Yin Sha never expected Jiuyao Shenzhen to choose this precise moment to appear here! Yet, driven by the dignity of a monarch, Mo Luo Yin Sha abandoned any thought of evasion and chose to face him.

Of course, Mo Luo Yin Sha was also eager to witness the true appearance of this individual who had nearly overturned the entire Demon Dragon Continent.

Furthermore, Mo Luo Yin Sha was confident that this time, he could finally make this figure—who robbed him of sleep and appetite—vanish permanently.

Come! Jiuyao Shenzhen, perhaps you never anticipated that this Empress has long been waiting for this very day! Roar! Amidst a deep, rolling roar, a gigantic phantom materialized in the open plaza as if conjured from thin air! It was accompanied by earth-shattering sound waves and violent ground tremors, along with a sudden explosion of dust rising toward the sky! Only at this moment did Mo Luo Yin Sha and the others clearly see that the suddenly appearing figure was a ferocious beast of immense size! Its long, thick horns and eyes like pulsating copper bells immediately allowed everyone present to recognize it as the mount of Jiuyao Shenzhen—the peerless, notorious savage beast, the Mammoth King.

Surrounding the Mammoth King were several Heavy Armor Generals clad in heavy armor! Each held a weapon, radiating palpable killing intent.

And the most conspicuous among them was the figure seated high atop the Mammoth King's back.

“Jiuyao Shenzhen,” Mo Luo Yin Sha ground out the four words between clenched teeth, almost spitting them! Although he appeared the shortest among the group, his striking black hair, black eyes, and a terrifying killing aura disproportionate to his stature ensured that no one could overlook his presence.

The massive Mammoth King, its bulk solid as a mountain, seemed like a volcano on the verge of eruption.

As if sensing its master's intent, its copper-bell-like crimson eyes fixed intently on Mo Luo Yin Sha, emitting chilling, low growls intermittently! This was accompanied by a destructive killing intent so substantial it felt like a physical force, relentlessly assaulting the minds and wills of everyone present.

“Mo Luo Yin Sha.” Jiuyao Shenzhen’s dark, sea-like black pupils flashed with a searing killing intent as he stared fixedly at Mo Luo Yin Sha.

No one could describe that gaze! Mo Luo Yin Sha even suspected whether the person before him was truly human.

He had seen many powerful figures: Heavy Armor Generals, Thunder Warriors, even the legendary Phoenix Sky War God.

Yet, none of them possessed such an uncanny pair of eyes.

Dim, pitch-black, profound, yet containing the purest coldness and the most violent, concentrated killing intent in the cosmos.

These were demonic eyes existing solely for slaughter and destruction.

Jiuyao Shenzhen! This was truly Jiuyao Shenzhen! Despite having heard countless rumors of his evil reputation and preparing himself mentally, facing the legendary demon in person still caused Mo Luo Yin Sha to break out in a cold sweat.

However, the dignity of a monarch and his innate, inherent arrogance compelled Mo Luo Yin Sha to forcefully suppress the fear and trembling in his heart! His gaze met Jiuyao Shenzhen’s unflinchingly.

Jiuyao Shenzhen’s scorching eyes instantly turned cold and gloomy, examining Mo Luo Yin Sha as if assessing a corpse: “Hand over my Marshal’s sister and brother, and Yun Shang.” “How dare you!” Tiemu Feng was greatly enraged.

“How dare you show disrespect to Her Majesty the Empress!” Tiemu Chuan and Zhu Rong Mingxuan’s expressions were equally grim.

The Mafa Continent had always strictly observed hierarchy and seniority, a principle especially pronounced on the Demon Sealing Continent.

For Jiuyao Shenzhen to address Mo Luo Yin Sha with such arrogant words was tantamount to openly disregarding the prestige of the Demon Sealing Imperial Family.

“Hmph.” Jiuyao Shenzhen offered no reply, merely giving a slight, cold snort, his gloomy eyes never leaving Mo Luo Yin Sha.

“Young man, did your father not teach you court etiquette?” Mo Luo Yin Sha asked with measured composure.

“Imperial dignity, etiquette,” Jiuyao Shenzhen sneered dismissively.

“I truly cannot recall anything about the Demon Sealing Imperial Family worthy of respect.” “What a sharp tongue you possess,” Tiemu Feng roared in fury.

“…” Tiemu Chuan’s face was ashen, but without orders, they dared not make any rash moves, settling only for glaring fiercely at Jiuyao Shenzhen.

“Indeed worthy of the name Jiuyao Shenzhen,” Mo Luo Yin Sha remained unmoved.

“Truly arrogant, but unfortunately, overestimating yourself.” “Worthy of Mo Luo Yin Sha,” Jiuyao Shenzhen seemed to have anticipated this, letting out a slight cold snort.

“Your skin is indeed thick.” At this, Jiuyao Shenzhen assumed an expression of great interest, staring pointedly at the Empress’s draped phoenix crown: “I wonder what Her Majesty looks like beneath that.

Could you remove the crown so this Marshal can see just how thick that old face of yours is?” “…” Mo Luo Yin Sha was momentarily stunned, then chuckled lightly.

“If you wish to see this Empress’s visage, you will need to rely on your true abilities.” “Then forget it!” Jiuyao Shenzhen suddenly sounded bored.

“Just an old hag, nothing worth looking at.” “You!” Chiyue Qinfang was furious, unable to formulate a proper retort.

“You court death!” Tiemu Chuan was even more enraged.

The Empress held the utmost prestige; no one had ever dared to critique Her Majesty so brazenly.

As if provoked by Tiemu Chuan’s words! Roar! Jiuyao Shenzhen’s massive Mammoth King let out a roar so immense it nearly shook the entire Fengyi Hall to collapse.

Unprepared, Tiemu Chuan and the others felt a violent ringing in their minds, their bodies nearly paralyzed! What shocked them even more was that the Mammoth King’s colossal body was already hurtling toward Mo Luo Yin Sha like a bullet from a chamber! Behind the Mammoth King, Ji Du, Yin Chi, Yin Hu, and the others followed like shadows, their target equally focused on Mo Luo Yin Sha.

No one had anticipated that Jiuyao Shenzhen would attack so abruptly, exchanging barely a few pleasantries before drawing steel.