The Empress's No.1 Lackey-Chapter 699 - 461. Empress Sets the World with One Sword (5k)_3

Halfway along, they unexpectedly saw a large group led by the Python Robed Old Eunuch gathering in the mountain forest, coming forward to meet them.

As both sides met, Eunuch Hai was also taken aback, and then, recalling the golden light he had seen in the distant sky just now, he revealed a look of realization: "Greetings, Your Majesty."

Behind the old eunuch, the others also paid their respects one after another: "Salutations, Your Majesty!"

Zhao Douan set his feet on the ground, glanced around, and found familiar faces like Tang Jinzhong, Song Jinxi, Lang Shiba, Ji Yue, among others. Many from the Martial Arts Hall were injured, but there were no obvious casualties.

"Where are the Magicians of the Magic God Sect?" asked the Empress.

Song Jinxi hurriedly reported: "In response to Your Majesty, we were entangled with those magicians to cover Young Master Zhao’s retreat. After he left, the leader of the Magic God Sect suddenly disappeared while still fighting. Without the desire to continue fighting, their magicians also turned and fled collectively. Worried about Mr. Zhao’s safety, we did not pursue but came to assist instead."

Tang Jinzhong, holding a knocked-out magician, said sullenly: "We also left behind three or four magicians."

He pointed to the magicians in the team, some knocked out, others nearly dead, being carried.

Zhao Douan was not surprised and said, "These magicians only had the advantage of ambushing us first. Once the real fight began, they were no match for us. The leader of the Magic God Sect tried to intercept me, so the others naturally fled. Your Majesty, can you give chase?"

The Empress suddenly looked into the distance, her beautiful eyes emitting a faint light. After a moment, she shook her head and said, "There must be a Teleportation Array nearby, all have already run far away. Do not pursue a cornered enemy, as it might be a ploy to lure us away while changes occur in the city. Let’s return to the city first."

Zhao Douan nodded with lingering fear: "As you command."

Then, as if recalling something, he explained: "Your Majesty, my luck may not be good now..."

...

...

At the bottom of a mountain forest valley.

The ground, covered with yellow leaves, suddenly lit up with a peculiar array of beams, a giant circular array appeared, and then extinguished.

A large group of magicians from the Magic God Sect appeared in the forest, some sat down heavily, some tended to their wounds, others watched the surroundings warily.

The Body Refining Mage Xiong Ba clutched his blood-covered body, the Warlock Robe almost torn to shreds, he plopped down on the ground, turned his head to see the Little Fatty sorrowfully cradling the ’Ghost Banner’ riddled with holes, and couldn’t help but mock loudly: "Why aren’t you dead yet."

The Little Fatty, enraged, retorted coldly: "Aren’t you alive too?"

"Enough, we are temporarily safe now. Luckily, the leader is proficient in teleportation magic and had this planned in advance, otherwise it would have been really dangerous..." The lecherous old Taoist inventoried the talismans inside his robe, sighing, "And lucky that the leader arrived early today, otherwise we would have been in danger; dealing with those Inner Court Contributors indeed is not easy."

Everyone sighed, someone worriedly said: "I wonder how the leader is doing."

As the words fell, a nearby stone suddenly bulged, and a "Stone Man" emerged from within, saying to everyone, "The leader’s message is to temporarily hide and recuperate in the forest; soon, we will take revenge."

The magicians felt reassured and breathed a sigh of relief.

...

...

Prince Jing Mansion.

In a pavilion, Prince Jing Xu Wen was playing a match of Go with the Princess Consort today.

Lu Yaner was not skilled at Go; even with Prince Jing letting her have three stones, she still suffered a mid-game defeat and conceded the match.

"Today, your play was scattered; in the past, you would have at least held until the endgame." Prince Jing glanced at the Princess Consort and commented mildly.

In front of outsiders, elegant and quiet, the usually cold-faced Princess Lu replied calmly: "I was thinking about whether Zhao Douan is dead."

Prince Jing gazed at the Princess Consort for a few moments, then smiled: "I know your heart harbors anger and resentment from being severely injured by him in the battle at Hu Ting last time. Counting the days, the Curse Killing Technique has reached its seventh day today, and now past noon, the curse’s power should have dissipated, that Zhao should have fallen ill and died. I have sent people to watch, any news will be reported promptly."

Lu Yaner silently lowered her gaze, picking up the pieces on the wooden chessboard: "Are you relying on that White Clothes Sect magician from the mansion? I think you are still reluctant, didn’t you say many magicians have been gathered, why not act together?"

Prince Jing harbored no suspicions and sighed: "The magicians of the Magic God Sect do not fall under my command, they only take orders from the self-proclaimed ’Magic God’."

Lu Yaner casually asked: "Then why don’t you ask the Magic God to take action? Isn’t Zhao Douan your greatest threat?"

Prince Jing shook his head: "The Magic God is not in Jianning yet, but should be arriving these few days. It’s said that his cultivation is near that of a Fake Celestial, rivaling Hai Chunlin during his peak when he single-handedly ascended Qingshan. With such help..."

Lu Yaner paused in picking up the chess pieces, a grave look flashed in her eyes, yet she commented nonchalantly: "The Empress is going to Sealing soon; at this time, you brought over the Magic God Sect... I don’t care what you plan to do, but are you really not afraid that the Empress might just kill you directly?"

Prince Jing shook his head: "She won’t; the closer to the Sealing, the less likely she is to do so."

Suddenly, the Princely Heir, Xu Jinglong, rushed over, his voice arriving even before him: "Father! Bad news, the secret agent reports that Zhao Douan isn’t dead and isn’t in the Cao Transport Office either. He was seen leaving the city with Mr. Hai and others, heading to... heading to..."

"Heading where?" Prince Jing stood up abruptly, staring at him intently.

Xu Jinglong glanced at the silent Princess Lu picking up chess pieces, then continued: "Heading towards the Magic God Sect."

Prince Jing’s expression instantly darkened, pacing back and forth within the pavilion, seemingly pondering something, before suddenly walking out of the pavilion.

"Father? Where are you going?" Xu Jinglong hastily followed.

Prince Jing did not reply, heading straight towards a pavilion in the mansion, the same one where the White Clothes Sect’s curse practitioner had been conducting rituals in the mansion these days.

The seven-day period had passed, and logically, after noon, the sustained curse should have ended.

The seven-day period had passed, and logically, after noon, the sustained curse should have ended.

...

To be updated and revised later.