Quite a few people had actually rushed here from afar.

The crowd shouted "Your Highness," one after another charging toward the Demon Spirit. Even if they might only be able to muster a single strike, even if their attacks were insignificant against the Demon Spirit, they still pressed forward without hesitation. As long as they could help Ye Luo, they were content!

The Imperial Guards were shaken to their core; some even had eyes blurred with tears.

Their hearts were surging with emotions. Ye Luo’s deeds had earned the people’s recognition, and how could the Imperial Guards not feel the same?

At this moment, the Imperial Guards were already deeply moved to the extreme!

Perhaps Ye Luo hadn’t noticed, but when the Demon Spirit had moved earlier, these Imperial Guards would retreat while maintaining the encirclement stance.

But now, even as the Demon Spirit’s bloody mist came sweeping in, not a single Imperial Guard flinched—none even blinked their eyes!

Because their gaze was fixed solely on the ever-battling Ye Luo!

"Kill, kill him!"

An elderly man mustered a feeble fireball, exhaling harshly as he withdrew, only to be replaced immediately by a veiled woman.

The young maid accompanying the woman was overwhelmed with emotion. Even their household staff, who would usually fend off anyone approaching their mistress with immediate reprimands, now allowed her to stand among the crowd. Their faces were filled with fervor!

In their hearts, being able to help Ye Luo in this way already felt like enough satisfaction!

Hundreds of people!

Literally, hundreds of individuals possessing some knowledge of fire-based abilities stepped forward.

Unfortunately, Ye Luo frowned deeply. He understood their good intentions, but their powers were utterly incapable of harming the Demon Spirit. Worse, their presence only put them at risk of dying in vain! 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Just as Ye Luo was about to caution them, a scream sliced through the air.

A middle-aged man, dressed in the style of a Sect disciple, had been caught off guard.

The Demon Spirit had extended a bloody misty tendril, wrapping it around the man as his life hung by a thread—the creature’s intent to drain him was evident!

Once drained, there would be no surviving it!

"Damn it!"

Ye Luo cursed furiously, immediately activating Dragon Soaring Nine Heavens to rapidly appear before the man, grabbing him and tossing him away to safety!

"Your Highness, be careful!"

The crowd shouted in alarm, numerous voices warning Ye Luo. As he turned around, a massive bloody mist tendril was already sweeping toward him.

"Your Highness!"

Several Imperial Guards nearby threw themselves toward him, disregarding their own safety to try and save him. But how could they hope to make it in time?

The tendril mercilessly coiled around Ye Luo. He tried to summon Earth Fire to repel it.

Yet just as he began, he was struck by an overwhelming sense of weakness!

His Earth Fire had been exhausted!

Whoosh!

Ye Luo was dragged straight into the Demon Spirit’s body.

"Your Highness! Your Highness!"

"Save His Highness!"

"Can anyone save His Highness?!"

The crowd erupted in a frenzy, shouting and wailing as they watched Ye Luo being absorbed by the Demon Spirit. Many even surged forward in blind desperation, and if not for the Imperial Guards’ restraint, they might have thrown themselves into the Demon Spirit to save him!

At this moment, Yun Liancheng and the other Imperial Guards stared wide-eyed, their faces stricken with terror!

Heavens above! The Ninth Prince had been consumed by the Demon Spirit!

Those desiccated corpses lying on the ground—they were clear proof of the Demon Spirit’s malevolence. Could it be that the same fate awaited the Ninth Prince?

No! It must not happen! The Ninth Prince had risked everything to save others; he must not perish like this!

"Quick! Everyone attack together! We must rescue His Highness!"

An elderly man bellowed, conjuring a fireball and hurling it toward the Demon Spirit.

The shouts and cries continued incessantly, and many in the crowd were already breaking into tears.

But no one cared about their own distress. Everyone’s concern was solely fixed on Ye Luo’s safety.

"Save His Highness!"

A sudden voice echoed as dozens of cultivators soared into view—it was a group from a nearby Sect specializing in Artifact Refining. Having received Ye Luo’s summons, they had rushed over, only to witness this horrifying scene of him being consumed by the Demon Spirit!

Without hesitation, they unleashed their abilities, launching assaults on the Demon Spirit.

Simultaneously, more figures were surging forward—the first wave of reinforcements had arrived!

...

Meanwhile, within the Demon Spirit’s body, Ye Luo felt an immense suction force trying to drain his blood.

It was a bizarre and terrifying power. Despite Ye Luo’s unique constitution, even he found it unbearable!

If not for the timely emergence of the Seven-colored Power, Ye Luo feared he would already have been drained dry.

However, the Seven-colored Power could only temporarily counteract this effect.

Ye Luo attempted to gather his strength but was shocked to discover that within the Demon Spirit’s body, a peculiar paralyzing force rendered him completely unable to control his own body!

"Boom!"

A blast of fire ignited near Ye Luo, clearing a small area of the bloody mist. However, within moments, the blood-red substance surged back inward.

Yet Ye Luo noticed something—during that fleeting moment, he seemed to regain a faint sense of control over his body!

It was the blood mist! Within the Demon Spirit, the true threat lay in this vile blood mist!

Although Ye Luo didn’t understand why this was so, he realized he had no choice but to rely on those outside for now.

While the Demon Spirit couldn’t outright destroy Ye Luo, he was equally unable to do more than defend himself!

Outside, the gathering had swelled to over a thousand people around the Demon Spirit!

Among them, many lacked substantial strength, yet without exception, they were giving everything they had, unleashing their flames with unrelenting determination. At this moment, everyone was united with one single goal in mind—rescue Ye Luo!

Of course, it wasn’t just this place that was focused on the battle. Across countless locations, people were watching it all unfold through live projections!

...

"Damn it! Who could’ve imagined that Ninth Prince of the Great Tang Empire possessed such skills, even deducing the Demon Spirit’s weak point? But fortunately, he’s been consumed by the Demon Spirit now. Hmph, as long as he dies, losing one Demon Spirit will be worth it!"

A Demon Clan member sneered as he watched the projection, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction.

Yes, this entire operation had been under his command!

To him, sacrificing one Demon Spirit and a few assassins was an acceptable price to pay for Ye Luo’s life.

However, as he noticed the growing crowd around the Demon Spirit, his brows knit slightly with unease. He worried that they might succeed in rescuing Ye Luo.

But soon, he discarded the thought. In his view, the Demon Spirit was an invincible force far beyond what these people could handle!

"His Highness will come out safe; His Highness is blessed with boundless fortune—nothing will happen to him!"

An elderly man knelt on the ground, murmuring incessantly. Beside him, dozens more also dropped to their knees. They were part of a cultivation family from the Great Tang Empire—neither excessively wealthy nor entirely common. But at this moment, every member of this family prayed fervently for Ye Luo’s safety.