“Your Majesty…” Mu Fuwan finally spoke, her expression shifting rapidly as she said, “This Subject has betrayed Your Majesty’s trust. Since things have come to this, I will hide nothing further. My existence was for the sole purpose of killing Your Majesty.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, Mu Fuwan drew from her waist. From within her belt, she pulled out a gleaming bolt of white silk, which transformed into a sharp flexible sword.
The sword’s edge was cold, colder than the night!
The sword’s tip was frigid, more frigid than the moonlight!
“Seize her,” Shangguan Yuchan immediately commanded upon seeing this.
Hearing Shangguan Yuchan’s order, Dongxue and Dongmei, who were already prepared, lunged forward. Both wielded long sabers, their swings creating glints of snowy blade-light with piercing, bone-chilling sharpness.
“Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!”
Sparks flew as the two sides clashed fiercely.
Dongxue and Dongmei’s attacks were extremely methodical, each compensating for the other. The blade-light they unleashed enveloped Mu Fuwan so tightly that not even a drop of water could slip through.
But Mu Fuwan’s strength was immense. Even fighting one against two, she was not at a disadvantage. Her sword-light was icy and cold, and the flexible sword seemed to dance in her hands, moving in countless unpredictable ways.
It went without saying that wielding a flexible sword was exceptionally difficult, far beyond that of an ordinary blade. But when such a difficult weapon was mastered, the results were remarkable. It became nearly impossible to judge where the next attack would come from; its angle could be as unpredictable and cunning as one could imagine.
As the Vice Commander of the Imperial Guard, it was no surprise that Mu Fuwan possessed such skill. That position was not one anyone could simply occupy. From this perspective, the fact that Dongxue and Dongmei could fight her to a standstill was, in fact, the more surprising outcome.
For a moment, neither side could gain the upper hand.
Seeing that Mu Fuwan could not be subdued, Di Lingwei grew anxious.
The reason Shangguan Yuchan hadn’t waited until they returned to the Imperial Palace to report, but instead revealed the situation here, was clearly because she believed that with Di Lingwei, the Heavenly Mandate Empress, present, suppressing Mu Fuwan would be effortless. The problem was that Di Lingwei did not possess such strength.
What if Dongxue and Dongmei could not capture Mu Fuwan?
Both Shangguan Yuchan and Xing Ruolan were clearly on the civil official path. She couldn’t possibly send them into battle, could she?
Realizing this, Di Lingwei knew she had to take the initiative and figure out a way to deal with Mu Fuwan. Letting the battle stagnate like this would only bring her endless harm with no benefit.
Taking a deep breath, Di Lingwei stepped forward.
One single step was all it took to throw Mu Fuwan, who had been keeping an eye on Di Lingwei, off balance. As she fended off Dongxue and Dongmei, she frequently glanced up, clearly deeply concerned about Di Lingwei’s actions.
After all, this was the Phoenix Dynasty’s number one expert, the one known as the Heavenly Mandate Empress!
Who could ignore the actions of such an existence?
Di Lingwei also noticed Mu Fuwan’s movements becoming erratic and knew her plan was working. She immediately felt relieved.
“Commander Mu, do you still wish to resist? In front of Zhen, do you think resistance holds any meaning?” Di Lingwei spoke with her hands clasped behind her back, assuming the demeanor of a peerless expert.
Mu Fuwan was a complete wreck internally.
She felt Di Lingwei’s words were painfully true. Under Di Lingwei’s watch, any resistance was futile. She couldn’t even escape, as the other party had surely locked onto her. The moment she tried to flee, she would undoubtedly be caught.
But should she just give up?
Deep down, Mu Fuwan was still unwilling to accept this.
“Commander Mu, surrender yourself. Zhen is giving you a chance by telling you to cease your resistance. If Zhen is forced to act, Zhen cannot guarantee your safety.” Di Lingwei’s eyes were sharp, her tone unfriendly, radiating an immense pressure.
This situation instantly increased the pressure on Mu Fuwan even further.
She had been able to fight evenly against two opponents, but now, with the pressure from Di Lingwei, her technique became sloppy. She began to be suppressed by Dongxue and Dongmei’s combined assault and could only struggle to defend.
As she defended against attacks, Mu Fuwan retreated, trying to find an opportunity to escape. Yet, although the surrounding area was pitch black, it was too open, lacking any cover. In such conditions, she could be seen from a great distance, making escape difficult.
What should she do?
“It seems you truly wish for Zhen to act. Very well, Zhen shall oblige. There is no need to capture you for interrogation. Someone so stubbornly unrepentant likely won’t yield any useful information. Zhen shall simply execute you on the spot.” Di Lingwei’s gaze was like a knife, her voice filled with killing intent.
Hearing Di Lingwei’s words, both Shangguan Yuchan and Xing Ruolan’s eyes lit up as they watched her expectantly.
They were eager to witness the Heavenly Mandate Empress in action. The Heavenly Mandate Empress represented not only ultimate power but also unparalleled charm. No one’s combat was as captivating as that of the Heavenly Mandate Empress.
As for Mu Fuwan, hearing Di Lingwei’s words sent her into sheer panic.
‘If Her Majesty acts, I’m finished. I won’t have the slightest strength to resist; I’ll die instantly!’
All the legends about Di Lingwei surged into Mu Fuwan’s mind, and the fear of death enveloped her entire being in that instant.
Although Mu Fuwan knew that after Di Lingwei saw that letter she shouldn’t have left behind, she was likely already condemned to death—which was precisely why she had been resisting and trying to escape—but if this act only brought her death sooner…
Seeing Di Lingwei step forward, one step at a time, Mu Fuwan quickly shouted, “I surrender! I surrender!”
Di Lingwei halted her steps. Heaven knows how many sighs of relief she breathed internally the moment Mu Fuwan surrendered.
But outwardly, Di Lingwei maintained a majestic expression: “Bind her.”
Dongxue and Dongmei had already prepared ropes and quickly tied Mu Fuwan up. During this process, Mu Fuwan dared not make any strange moves, with Di Lingwei still watching her.
She felt that if she showed even the slightest sign of making an unexpected move, a thunderous strike would come her way.
Seeing Mu Fuwan’s fearful and awed expression, Di Lingwei knew exactly what she was thinking.
‘Sigh, I’ve bluffed my way through again using this paper tiger act. But I can’t keep doing this forever. Continuing like this, I’ll be exposed sooner or later. I must find someone truly and utterly loyal to me, and also strong, to protect me… Damn it, I originally thought Mu Fuwan might be that person.’
Thinking about this gave Di Lingwei a headache, and the future seemed somewhat bleak.
Still, outwardly, she maintained a stern expression. Her gaze towards Mu Fuwan was so severe that Mu Fuwan instinctively shrank her neck.
