The three captives on the pillars exchanged looks, each with a different expression. Mu Jiu cried out in horror, "Hey, you blacksmith! What on earth is your insane father trying to do? Quick, break this cursed array!"
"Be quiet if you want to live!" Hua Hong snapped, and Mu Jiu promptly shut his mouth.
The Yiren King stared at Hua Hong, disappointment evident in his eyes. "If you know what I am doing, you should also know that Yong’s ascension is our people’s only hope. Without this chance, the Yiren will never see the light of day again. Red child, the wrongs of the past are my fault alone, but Yong is innocent. Your grievances should not fall upon him."
Hua Hong burned with fury, too exasperated to continue the argument. "Who told you to slaughter the celestials and demons and turn the Locking Spirit Array into a sacrificial array?"
The Yiren King’s face shifted but he did not answer. "Leave! Get out of the Foreign City. You are no longer a part of the Yiren Clan, and today’s events—whether they end in victory or defeat—are no concern of yours."
"Fool! Don’t you understand? The souls of the Yiren people have been drained by that dark entity. They’re using you to corrupt the protective array, turning it from a god-making array into a killing array. If the dragon soul awakens, everyone will die!"
"Impossible!" The Yiren King faltered, his hand guiding the four Stone Swords wavering. "No one could drain an entire clan of its souls in a single night!"
"You—!" Hua Hong, seeing he did not believe her, was beside herself with rage. Just then, Hua Yong, lying in the blood pool, let out a pained wail as his supply of spiritual energy was abruptly cut off. Blood seeped from his eyes, ears, and mouth, and the dark energy coiled around him began to disperse.
"Yong!" The Yiren King’s face turned ashen, and with a furious shout, he bellowed, "Wuzhao, hold her back!"
From the shadows, Wuzhao leaped into the air, slashing through Hua Hong’s staff with a sword strike.
While Hua Hong was held at bay, the Yiren King flicked his hand, sending the four Stone Swords hurtling once more toward the foreheads of the four captives on the stone pillars.
"Hua Lin!" Hua Hong roared, but she was too late to stop him.
The instant the flying swords aimed at the four’s foreheads, a flash of silver sliced through the air. A silver chain whipped across, knocking the swords away. In a glimmer of light, Fan Yue appeared mid-air, coldly staring at the Yiren King.
The Yiren King saw the silver chain in Fan Yue's hand and his expression changed, blurting out, “You… you are…!”
“Whoa! Incredible!” muttered Mu Jiu in awe. Had his hands not been bound, he would’ve eagerly applauded. The Yiren King was at the peak of the Sovereign rank, yet Fan Yue had managed to counter his sword!
“Yiren King, Hua Hong wasn’t lying to you. The souls of your entire people have been taken!” Bai Shuo shouted from the entrance of the stone hall, rushing toward them.
“Nonsense!” The Yiren King frowned.
“You stupid girl, you’re finally back! Hurry up, save me!” Mu Jiu shouted excitedly.
“Shut up! Enough nonsense!” Bai Shuo snapped, resisting the urge to spit at the loud fox. Mu Jiu clammed up, looking pitifully offended.
“Ah Shuo!” Zhong Zhao’s previously calm eyes showed a glimmer of anxiety, but Bai Shuo had no time to reassure him and urgently shouted at Fan Yue, “Mumu, break the evil energy over the blood pool!”
Without hesitation, Fan Yue lashed out with the silver chain, striking at the blood pool.
“How dare you!” The Yiren King’s expression darkened as he let the Yiren King Sword fly from his hand to intercept the blow.
“Yiren King, didn’t you sense that Master Rong’s golden elixir has dissipated? I used it to save Auntie Qiu Gua’s son!” Bai Shuo suddenly shouted. The Yiren King hesitated just for a moment, but that was enough. The silver chain slashed through the dark aura over the blood pool.
A sudden cacophony of tormented wails erupted from the pool, echoing through the stone hall. Startled, everyone turned to see the spectacle: thousands upon thousands of Yi souls surged within the blood pool, only to be swallowed repeatedly by it, transforming into streams of black evil energy.
The dark energy trapping everyone in the hall was, in fact, composed of the spirits of these innocent Yi people.
Nearby, Hua Hong and Wu Zhao also paused their fight, staring at the blood pool in shock.
“Yiren King, you actually used your entire people to forge divinity for your son? You’re insane!” Even Mu Jiu, known for his sharp tongue, could not help but feel pity at the sight.
The Yiren King’s expression was rigid, his face full of disbelief as he stared at the Yiren King Sword in his hand, trembling. The weapon fell from his grasp, clattering to the ground.
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