17: Capture the Empress

*Swoosh—*

The dignified Empress of Great Qin was actually forcibly pulled from her quiet room by a force and disappeared into that hundred phoenix diagram!

Within the hundred phoenix diagram, a world of its own existed.

As soon as Empress stepped inside, what met her eyes were not auspicious Phoenixes, but murderous intent lurking everywhere!

The Nine-Nine Return to One God-Locking Formation, which had been lying in wait, activated instantly! Su Wu's charm-based soul-bewitching, the Supreme Second Elder of the Hehuan Sect's soul-locking technique, the Supreme Third Elder of the Hehuan Sect's heart-freezing bone-corrosion, the Old Ancestor's Noble Emperor Punch, and Chu Changge's Extinction Sword Finger... Five Emperor Realm killing moves, combined with the power of the Formation and the suppression of the hundred phoenix diagram's laws, descended upon her like an inescapable net!

"How audacious!"

Empress remained calm in the face of danger. With a cold snort, her long-hidden cultivation erupted without reservation!

Not an ordinary Great Emperor, nor the Middle Stage... but the terrifying Aura of the Peak Emperor Realm swept in all directions like a blazing sun!

Purple Qi came from the east for thirty thousand miles, manifesting within the diagram as a Dragon's roar shattered the Void Realm! That seemingly unbreakable God-Locking Formation was shaken by her Aura alone, its light flashing wildly!

"She hid her cultivation! It's the Peak Emperor Realm!"

Old Ancestor's pupils constricted as he shouted sharply, "Give it your all! We must not let her break the Formation!"

The five Emperors held nothing back, frantically channeling their Yuan Qi and unleashing their ultimate techniques!

Su Wu and the other elder even integrated the Hehuan Sect's most secret arts of charm, soul-enchantment, and bone-corrosion into their attacks, using every means possible!

Though Empress was strong, she was ultimately outnumbered. Furthermore, within this hundred phoenix diagram, her power was mysteriously suppressed, while Old Ancestor and the other four were faintly bolstered by the scroll's Aura.

As one side waxed and the other waned, although she personally repelled several attacks with a purple-gold Dragon shadow protecting her body, she was gradually being suppressed. Her magnificent imperial robes were torn by the sharp Qi, revealing a heart-stirring glimpse of snowy white skin.

Yet her gaze remained cold and proud, without a hint of panic.

She formed hand seals, actually invoking the power of the Dragon Veins bolstered by the national destiny of Great Qin. Majestic purple-gold imperial Qi surged like a volcanic eruption, frantically battering the barriers of the hundred phoenix diagram!

The entire scroll began to tremble violently, as if it might burst apart at any moment!

"Not good! She's channeling the national destiny to break the diagram!"

Chu Changge's expression changed drastically.

At this critical moment, when success or failure hung by a thread—

An unnatural flush suddenly flashed across Empress's beautiful face, and her movements suffered a momentary delay and paralysis!

The surging Emperor power within her body also stagnated slightly!

"Now!" Chu Ye, who had been hiding his figure at the core of the Formation's eye, had a sharp glint in his eyes!

The "Elysium Bliss Smoke"—colorless, odorless, and long since merged with the Phoenix's glow throughout the hundred phoenix diagram—finally took effect!

This was a "good item" prepared specifically for high-level experts, drawing on the Hehuan Sect's ten-thousand-year heritage. Even a Peak Emperor Realm expert would find it difficult to be completely immune during a full-strength battle when their mind was agitated!

A split second of paralysis was a fatal flaw in a battle of this level!

Empress felt the blood and Qi in her body stagnate, and her sea of consciousness grew dizzy.

"Suppress!"

With a low shout, Chu Ye controlled the God-Locking Formation to tighten with all its might, while the attacks of the five Emperors fell once again with destructive force!

The purple-gold Dragon shadow was torn apart, her imperial robes were completely shredded, and Empress finally couldn't hold on any longer. Her delicate body swayed, and she slumped to the ground.

Even so, she kept her back straight, her cold gaze sweeping over everyone, still carrying an arrogant disdain for the world.

Chu Ye walked slowly out of the Formation's eye. Looking at this disheveled yet still peerless Empress of Great Qin, a playful smile curled on his lips. "Your Majesty the Empress, do you like this birthday gift?"

Empress gritted her teeth, her beautiful eyes filled with chilling killing intent. "Chu Ye! How dare you plot against me! Great Chu will surely perish!"

Chu Ye crouched down, his fingertips lightly brushing the bloodstain on her cheek, his tone flippant. "I don't know if Great Chu will perish. But right now, Your Majesty the Empress, you've fallen into my hands."

He stood up and gave a look to Old Ancestor and the others. "Old Ancestor, keep a good eye on her. Next, it's time to 'discuss' the diplomatic relations between our two countries properly."

Old Ancestor grinned and waved his hand to set up a Restriction, firmly trapping Empress in place.

Meanwhile, Great Qin outside the hundred phoenix diagram had no idea that their Empress had already become Chu Ye's prisoner.

A meticulously planned "birthday celebration" finally concluded its first act in such an absurd and thrilling manner.

Within the hundred phoenix diagram, a world of its own existed.

Although the Empress of Great Qin, Empress, was suppressed by the Nine-Nine Return to One God-Locking Formation, the Ziwei Imperial Qi and True Dragon Qi around her were like being stuck in a quagmire, difficult to mobilize.

Empress was imprisoned, her hair slightly disheveled with a few strands of black hair falling beside her neck, yet her back remained as straight as a solitary, precipitous peak.

Her black imperial robes rustled under the pressure of the Formation, and the gold Phoenix embroidered on them seemed ready to break free and cry out with its head held high.

Her face remained peerlessly beautiful and cold. That imperial majesty of holding the world in her hands and looking down on all living beings in her brows had not diminished in the slightest due to her situation. Instead, it became even more dazzling because of the desperate situation, as if it wasn't a Phoenix that had fallen into a net, but a Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady temporarily resting.

Her back remained as straight as a pine tree, her Phoenix eyes filled with frost; in her gaze, her imperial majesty did not diminish one bit.

Even as a prisoner, it was as if she were merely staying temporarily in a side courtyard rather than being controlled by others.

Seeing her calm, cold, and aloof demeanor in the face of danger, the desire for conquest in Chu Ye's bones flared up.

He stepped forward, his smile carrying a hint of playfulness and wickedness. "Empress Qin, the scenery here is excellent and isolated from the world. Any messages, calls for help, or sensing... save it. No one outside can help you."

Empress slowly lifted her eyelids. Her deep Phoenix eyes were like a cold pool reflecting the moon, clearly mirroring Chu Ye's figure, yet there was no panic, only a cold scrutiny.

"Chu Ye."

Her red lips parted slightly, her voice clear and resonant like a jade chime striking ice. "Speak plainly. Do you wish to humiliate me?"

"I can tell you clearly, a scholar can be killed but not humiliated. Even if my Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering occurs, my True Spirit can still return through Reincarnation using Great Qin's national destiny."

"When that time comes, I will surely bring the wrath of the entire nation to wipe out your Chu Bloodline, leaving not even a chicken or dog alive!"

Every word was powerful and filled with killing intent. Although her imperial power was restricted, her Aura actually overwhelmed his.

Hearing this, Chu Ye laughed instead of getting angry, his smile full of playfulness and cruelty.

Chu Ye raised an eyebrow. "Oh, quite stubborn. But has Your Majesty forgotten? You are a Great Emperor, your Divine Soul is indestructible, and you can undergo Reincarnation to cultivate again? Killing you would indeed be troublesome."

A cold and disdainful arc curled at the corner of Empress's mouth. She finally looked directly at Chu Ye, her gaze like an ice pick. "Since you know I can undergo Reincarnation, how dare you act like this? Are you not afraid that on the day I return, I will wipe out your Chu Bloodline, leaving not even a chicken or dog alive?"

"I'm afraid, of course I'm afraid."

Chu Ye suddenly leaned down, one hand gently pinching Empress's exquisite chin, forcing her to lift her face and look directly at him.

The skin felt delicate and cool to his fingertips, carrying the unique Dao rhyme of an imperial body.

"So, how could I give Your Majesty a chance at Reincarnation?" He laughed wantonly. "This is my world. If your Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering occurs here, you won't even be able to find the gates of the Underworld. You can only be trapped here forever as a lonely ghost, never entering Reincarnation, never seeing the light of day."

He leaned closer, his breath almost brushing against Empress's face, yet his tone carried a cruel excitement. "Or... when Your Majesty 'unfortunately' perishes, I will use ancient immortal arts to refine your imperial body into a Living Puppet."

"Your appearance will remain unchanged, your body temperature will persist, and even your cultivation can be mostly preserved... At that time, wouldn't I be able to achieve my goals just the same? It's just a pity that your vivid charm will be missing."

Empress's pupils constricted imperceptibly, and she fell silent for a moment. Even though her will was as firm as iron, hearing methods like "refining into a Living Puppet" and "not entering Reincarnation" couldn't help but cause a chill to rise in her heart.

She stared fixedly at Chu Ye's face so close to hers, trying to see through his true intentions from the depths of those seemingly dissipated and unruly eyes.

"What... do you actually want?"