The sudden turn of events completely bewildered the rebel army. They were supposed to be the ones encircling the enemy with superior numbers, so how did they end up being surrounded by the very same force?
Panic, fear, and confusion spread through their ranks.
"What's going on! How did we get surrounded?"
"I don't know!"
A group of terrified soldiers, filled with unease, quickly turned their gaze towards the central banner. What they saw made them freeze.
The banner of the King of Liu was nowhere to be seen!
"The central banner is gone! We're defeated!"
"What! How did we lose so suddenly!"
"Never mind that, let's run!"
In an instant, fear consumed the entire rebel army. What had been a semblance of order collapsed as soldiers, each desperate to save their own lives, tried to carve a path to escape or threw down their weapons, begging for mercy. The thought of any promised rewards vanished completely.
Time rewound slightly. Chu Chen, who had been fighting with great fervor, suddenly noticed that arrows were no longer being shot in his direction.
He spun around and saw that King of Liu, Li Mengdie, was no longer beneath the banner. Only a few individuals remained guarding it, while Li Mengdie herself had already fled.
"Damn it, trying to escape?"
Chu Chen was furious. How could this person be allowed to slip away at such a crucial moment of the plan?
He immediately abandoned the soldiers who were still trying to engage him. Channeling his Wind God's Legs, Chu Chen leaped into the air, stepping on the shoulders and heads of a string of soldiers as he rapidly pursued the fleeing King.
"Your Highness, that demon is catching up!"
The eunuch escorting Li Mengdie suddenly felt a chill and looked back, his soul nearly leaping out of his body.
"What!"
Before Li Mengdie could react, Cai Guangyao exclaimed in alarm, gritting his teeth. "Where are the personal guards? You men, lead the troops to cover our retreat!"
"...Yes, Your Highness!"
Despite their reluctance to stay behind and face certain death, their families resided within the city. Disobedience would lead to fates far more terrifying than death.
With no other choice, the captain of the personal guards rallied the surrounding guards and fleeing soldiers, attempting to gather enough men to form a rearguard.
However, the others were not fools. They had followed the King of Liu in the hope of a higher chance of survival or perhaps for the reward of escorting her. Now, with the probability of death increasing, who would continue to follow?
Suddenly, out of the original three thousand-plus men, they scattered in all directions, leaving fewer than three hundred gathered around the captain of the personal guards.
"These cowardly wretches! His Highness and the General treated them well, yet this is how they repay their loyalty in their time of need?"
The captain of the personal guards trembled with rage.
"Captain, stop talking and quickly see if any brothers have bows and arrows! Shoot them! Once that person gets close, there will be no hope of survival!"
A soldier, disregarding the difference in rank, shouted a reminder.
The captain of the personal guards immediately reacted and shouted orders.
Unfortunately, they had brought very few crossbows. Among the three hundred-plus men, there were only about a dozen hand crossbows. After firing one bolt, they were useless.
"Those who block me die!"
Chu Chen roared, unleashing a punch.
Powerful spiritual energy erupted, transforming into an ice dragon that roared forward.
After Chu Chen passed, all that remained were human-shaped ice sculptures, which shattered into fragments with the wind.
"General, that demon is upon us again! The rearguard is useless!"
The eunuch cried out in a tearful voice.
Cai Guangyao, feeling extremely vexed, shouted, "What good is telling me this? Do you think I can stop him?"
As Cai Guangyao pondered how to respond, Chu Chen had already leaped in front of them, directly blocking their escape route.
"Your Highness, King of Liu, where are you off to?"
Chu Chen, his pristine white robes stained with blood, asked with a smile.
King of Liu, Li Mengdie, remained silent, staring at him blankly.
"Your Highness, escape quickly! I will cover your retreat!"
Cai Guangyao gritted his teeth, reluctantly wielding his saber and channeling spiritual energy within him, launching a military saber technique towards Chu Chen.
"What is this trash? Get out of the way."
Chu Chen didn't even look at him. With a mere wave of his sleeve, a fierce wind erupted, shattering Cai Guangyao's protective aura and sending him flying, covered in saber wounds. He stopped in his tracks and then collapsed heavily onto the ground.
His armor was broken, his body was covered in blood, and he was unconscious.
The few eunuchs remaining by King of Liu's side were terrified by this brutal display, completely stunned and unable to move, their legs trembling.
"Alas, it is fate!"
King of Liu, Li Mengdie, sighed. She struggled slightly and broke free from the eunuch's arm, taking a few slow steps forward, her gaze fixed on Chu Chen with a dazed expression.
"Are you here to kill me? Come on, kill me!"
"..."
Chu Chen was conflicted. Should he kill her or not?
After all, she was the second daughter of the Empress. If he killed her, the Empress might go berserk. Furthermore, this second daughter was rumored to have been implanted with the 'Dao Heart Demon Seed' by the Empress, making her a cultivation cauldron.
However, if he didn't kill her, she would still be a problem. Leaving her alive would create political complications and would be aiding the Empress.
"What? Hesitating? Why are you hesitating? Is it because I'm a princess of the current dynasty? Is it because I'm that person's daughter?"
"Or, is it because I'm my fifth sister's elder sister?"
Li Mengdie said with a cold laugh, her eyes complex as she looked at Chu Chen, her heart turning to ice and her face devoid of color.
"Uh~"
Chu Chen pondered for a moment, then decided it would be best to capture her first. He could then use the Life Simulator a few times to see the optimal solution.
Having made up his mind, Chu Chen no longer hesitated. He suddenly struck, unleashing a saber attack.
The saber energy swept past Li Mengdie, killing all the eunuchs and guards around her.
Now, only Li Mengdie remained. Chu Chen's eyes darted around. He channeled his Wind God's Legs and appeared before Li Mengdie before she could react.
He placed two fingers against her forehead. "Forgive me, Princess Mengdie!"
With that, he channeled spiritual energy into her. Li Mengdie's vision went black, and she slumped to the ground.
Catching Li Mengdie in his arms, Chu Chen sighed.
"This princess also has her own troubles at home."
Saying this, he gently placed Li Mengdie on the ground. He then removed his own robe, took off her outer garment, and put his own Qi-transforming artifact, the Lingyun Immortal Robe, on Li Mengdie. Finally, he stored her outer garment in his Qiankun Ring.
Next, he took out the red-grade treasure, the Myriad Transformation Jade Ruyi, which he had obtained from a lottery but had never used. He then channeled spiritual energy into it and directed it at Li Mengdie.
"Ruyi, Ruyi, as I wish, transform!"
Instantly, the jade ruyi transformed into a mirror, and a radiant light shone down, enveloping Li Mengdie.