Chapter 15
Wei Yuming, leading twenty handpicked scouts of the Black Armor Guard, had been searching this deep, secluded mountain forest for an entire day. They had followed the messy footprints from outside the Star-Adorned Pavilion, tracking them all the way here, only to lose the trail completely at a fork in the path. Days of worry and exhaustion had etched anxiety and unease onto the face of this young nobleman, who had always lived a life of comfort. His once-pristine combat attire was now stained with dew and mud.
"Everyone, stay sharp!" Though young in age, Wei Yuming forced himself to sound calm as he barked at his subordinates. "The Young Palace Mistress is blessed by the heavens; she must be unharmed! We'll search further. We must find some trace of her before dawn!"
Though he said this, his heart was already burning with anxiety. The thought that his dear sister Miaoshu might have met with misfortune made his chest feel as if it were being squeezed by an invisible giant hand, leaving him unable to breathe.
Just as the men prepared to split up and search again, a rich, intoxicating sweet fragrance of a mature woman so potent it could make one's bones go soft wafted in from the depths of the forest on the night breeze, without any warning. The scent was domineering yet full of temptation, like an invisible, silken net that instantly enveloped them all.
This was followed by the crisp, alluring click-clack-clack of high heels striking the ground, echoing abruptly in the silent mountain forest.
"Who goes there?!" the captain of the Black Armor Guard scouts roared. The men drew their weapons in unison, forming a defensive circle back-to-back, their gazes fixed warily in the direction of the sound.
From the shadows of the trees emerged a figure of a bewitchingly sexy, voluptuous mature woman, who swayed forward with an enchanting gait.
The newcomer was none other than the leader of the Evil Moon Sect, the "Mystic Bewitching Demon Empress," Yin Luoyan.
She wore a tight black dress, tailored to her body. The dress was made of semi-transparent lace patterns, revealing large expanses of her snow-white, delicate skin in a tantalizing display. The low-cut, off-the-shoulder style left her fleshy shoulders and sexy collarbone completely exposed. Her full, magnificent breasts were barely contained by a black half-cup bra, almost threatening to burst free. The towering, firm peaks pushed against the thin fabric, squeezing out a deep, tempting cleavage that made one's blood boil. As she walked, those snowy-white mounds quivered as if they were alive, sending out soul-stirring ripples.
Her supple waist, looking so slender as if one could grasp it with one hand, was cinched tightly by a belt inlaid with dark red gems. Below the waist, her curves flared dramatically, outlining a round, plump, and voluminous peach-like buttocks.
The tight fabric of the dress wrapped around her perky buttocks snugly. The plump rear, gleamed with a smooth luster in the moonlight. As she twisted her waist, her meaty ass cheeks pressed and rubbed against each other, sending sexy ripples through her bottom.
The hem of the dress reached only mid-thigh, below which were a pair of long, beautiful legs encased in ultra-thin, sheer black stockings. The texture of the stockings was fine and smooth, clinging to her fleshy, tender thighs, faintly revealing the natural pinkish hue of her skin. On her elegant feet, she wore a pair of ten-centimeter black stiletto heels adorned with dark red phoenix patterns, adding a touch of bewitching opulence.
Behind her, a dozen or so disciples of the heretical sect, dressed in black and exuding a cold aura followed as silently as ghosts.
"Hehehe..." The Demon Empress Yin Luoyan laughed seductively as she looked at the group of vigilant palace guards before her. She stuck out her pink, fragrant tongue and gently licked her full, sexy red lips, saying in a syrupy voice, "This Palace thought it was some little kitten or puppy wandering around in the middle of the night. Turns out it's the running dogs of the Heavenly Star Immortal Palace."
"What, is your cowardly Master not around, so he sent small fry like you to your deaths?"
Wei Yuming, though his heart was shaken by her peerless beauty and her sexy figure, was after all a scion of the Wei clan. He suppressed the turmoil in his heart and mustered the courage to shout, "Demoness! I am Wei Yuming, younger brother of Wei Yufeng, the Young Master of the Heavenly Star Immortal Palace! How dare you fiends of the evil sect have the audacity to appear here? What are you plotting?!"
"Oh? The Divine Emperor's nephew?" The Demon Empress's bewitching eyes lifted with a flicker of interest in them. She took a few steps forward, swaying her black-stockinged legs, twisting her lithe waist and plump buttocks in a seductive manner. "This Palace was wondering who it was. So it's one of the Wei family's little monkeys. What this Palace is doing here is hardly your place to ask. But you... leading so many men hurriedly in this desolate mountain wilderness... what are you looking for?"
Seeing this, the scout captain whispered to Wei Yuming, "Second Young Master, this demoness is the leader of the heretical sect, the Mystic Bewitching Demon Empress. Her martial arts are unfathomably deep. We are no match for her. We should retreat first and plan our next move!"
Wei Yuming also knew the gravity of the situation, but he was a fearless young cub. How could he show weakness before this demoness? He gritted his teeth and said, "What is there to fear! We disciples of the Immortal Palace, do not fear the fiends of the heretical sect! Attack! Capture this demoness and rid the martial world of this scourge!"
"Overestimating yourselves." A contemptuous sneer played on the Demon Empress's lips.
"Form the formation!" the scout captain roared. The remaining twenty Black Armor Guard scouts responded instantly. Well-trained and perfectly coordinated, they formed a small Black Tortoise Battle Formation in a split second, with shields on the outside and long blades on the inside, exuding a chilling killing intent.
The evil sect disciples behind the Demon Empress did not form any formation. Instead, like a pack of bloodthirsty wolves, they pounced from the shadows in all directions. Their weapons were diverse: curved blades dripping with green poison, iron claws with barbs, and chain-hammers that wailed like ghosts as they swung. Their techniques were sinister and ruthless, without any discernible style, yet every strike aimed at a vital point.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Sparks from clashing weapons exploded in the dark forest! The Black Armor Guard's formation was incredibly solid, and they managed to forcefully repel the first wave of the heretical sect's fierce assault. The shields fit together seamlessly, trapping several descending curved blades. Through the gaps in the shields, several long blades shot out like vipers from their den. With a few thwacks sounds, two of the heretical disciples who had charged the furthest fell with shrieks, their chests riddled with transparent holes.
However, the heretical fiends showed no fear of death. The deaths of their comrades only fueled the ferocity in their bones! A small, thin disciple actually scaled a tree trunk like a gecko and pounced down from above, the short blade in his hand aimed straight at the back of the scout captain's neck!
"Captain, watch out!"
A Black Armor Guard roared, turning to swing his shield and barely blocking the fatal blow. But on another side, a heretical disciple grinned sinisterly as he plunged a poisoned dagger deep into the guard's thigh along the edge of his shield. The guard let out a muffled groan as a black aura instantly rose from his leg, and his face turned a ghastly purple at an alarming rate.
Relying on their exquisite formation and extraordinary coordination, the Black Armor Guards repeatedly repelled the heretical sect's frenzied attacks. Their swordplay was steady and powerful, with broad, sweeping moves filled with the righteous aura of orthodox martial arts. The heretical fiends, however, were like a parasite, with ghostly movements and vicious techniques. They were even willing to trade injuries for a kill, using non-vital parts of their bodies to take a blow, just to inflict a deeper wound on their opponent.
For a time, the mountain forest was filled only with the mournful cries of clashing weapons, the dull thuds of tearing flesh, and the unwilling death throes. Blood soaked the ground until it was a muddy mess. The thick, coppery smell of blood mixed with the intoxicating fragrance wafting from the Demon Empress, creating a bizarre yet sensual atmosphere.
The battle raged for some time, and both sides suffered heavy casualties. The Black Armor Guard's formation had long been broken. Now, only seven or eight men remained, standing back-to-back, fighting a last, desperate battle like cornered beasts. Their bodies were covered in wounds, their armor shattered and bleeding, but the fighting spirit in their eyes had not waned in the slightest. The heretical sect, in turn, had paid the price of nearly ten casualties.
"Demoness! I'll take your life!" The scout captain, knowing his poison wound was fatal, let out a heroic roar. He actually burned his final life essence, his entire body turning into a streak of light as the long blade in his hand chopped directly toward the Mystic Bewitching Demon Empress!
"How boring."
Watching the blade, which was powered by the man's final, desperate effort, the Demon Empress slightly furrowed her willow-like brows. As if her patience had run out, she slowly raised a slender, jade-white hand. Without any discernible gesture, she simply flicked her long index finger, painted with scarlet nail polish, casually and lightly toward the front.
Pop. A soft sound, like a bubble bursting. A wisp of thin, cyan-blue electric light flashed from her fingertip.
Though the electric light seemed weak, its speed surpassed the limits of human vision. It did not meet the captain's blade head-on. Instead, it bizarrely split into seven in mid-air, becoming seven even thinner arcs of electricity. Like living serpents, they twisted at unbelievable angles, instantly bypassing all defenses and piercing with unerring precision into the foreheads of the last seven Black Armor Guards!
The movements of the seven guards froze in place. The expressions on their faces, whether of fury, resolve, or heroism were completely frozen. The final light in their eyes rapidly dimmed. Then, a layer of fine frost appeared on the surface of their bodies, which was then thoroughly penetrated from the inside out by the cyan-blue electric light! There was no explosion, no scream. In Wei Yuming's pupils, which had contracted from extreme terror, the seven loyal guards, along with their armor and weapons, silently disintegrated bit by bit, like a sand sculpture weathered by the wind. They finally crumbled into a handful of black ash, which was blown away by the night breeze, disappearing completely into this bloody mountain forest.
From the moment the Demon Empress made her move to the moment the seven elite scouts turned to dust, the entire process took but an instant. Wei Yuming stood frozen in place, his body ice-cold, as if he had fallen into an icy cavern. He drew his long sword, intending to charge and fight to the death, but he was instantly bound by an invisible force, unable to move.
The Demon Empress swayed forward until she stood before him. She extended a slender, jade finger, painted with scarlet polish, and gently lifted Wei Yuming's chin, forcing him to meet her gaze. With eyes as bewitching as silk, she chuckled, "Little monkey, you've quite a temper. Now, are you ready to obediently answer this Palace's question? What are you doing here?"
"Demoness! Don't you dare think you'll get a single word out of me! If you have the guts, then kill me!" Watching his subordinates from the Immortal Palace die one by one before him, Wei Yuming's heart filled with grief and rage, and he roared.
*****
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