The group decided to travel by land in order to avoid attracting the attention of Shelua's troops.
The sky had begun to darken when they left their hiding place in the mountains.
The forests in the northern region of Shelua were extremely dense. Ancient trees towered high like gigantic pillars, blocking out most of the sunlight.
However, for high-level beast warriors like them, such terrain was actually the best path to move swiftly without being detected.
Xiang Tianxuan, the former Emperor of Shelua, had recovered enough to use his true form.
His body lengthened and expanded, transforming into a massive black serpent, its scales shining like obsidian under the evening light.
Part of his strength had already returned.
His once gaunt and pale face now appeared far healthier, and the sharp lines of his features once again revealed the handsome appearance that had made him famous in his youth.
His enormous serpent body moved swiftly through the towering trees, almost completely silent.
Beside him glided Xiang Shuai in his half-serpent form.
The lower half of his body had transformed into a long, elegant silver snake tail. His scales shimmered softly like moonlight.
Each time he moved, that tail swayed gracefully between the tangled roots of the ancient trees, like a calm yet deadly dance.
Although his body had not fully recovered, Xiang Shuai's speed remained astonishing.
Behind them, Yun Wu had transformed into a gigantic wolf.
His black-silver fur gleamed like steel beneath the fading sunlight.
His body was powerful and massive, every step crushing twigs and leaves beneath his paws.
On his back lay the Empress of Shelua, who was still weak.
However, her condition had improved greatly.
Her once thin body had begun to regain some strength after several days under Xue Yunxue's care.
Her delicate face looked far more lively now.
Her long silver hair—similar to Xiang Shuai's—flowed softly in the wind as Yun Wu ran between the trees.
Her extraordinary beauty slowly began to return.
Sitting behind her, Xue Yunxue maintained her balance on the back of the giant wolf.
The night wind brushed against her face, sending her black hair fluttering through the air.
Her eyes remained sharp and vigilant as she carefully observed the forest around them.
Meanwhile—
Lu Xiao and Lin Yuan were not traveling on the ground.
Their bodies had transformed into energy.
Lu Xiao became a dense mass of black mist, moving like a living shadow among the trees.
Lin Yuan turned into a bluish-green mist, resembling a rushing current of seawater flowing through the air.
The two clouds of mist darted ahead of and behind the group, taking turns scouting the path.
They moved incredibly fast.
The vast forests of Shelua were crossed in a short amount of time.
However, the journey to Mount Tianluo would still require at least half a day of travel.
Because of that, they decided not to stop at all.
Time was something they simply did not have.
Because at that very moment—
Xiang She's army was most likely already on the move.
------------------
Eventually, they arrived at the foot of Mount Tianluo.
The mountain rose before them like a colossal pillar piercing the heavens.
Its peak was wrapped in thin swirling mist, as though hiding something that should never be seen by the outside world.
Before them stood an ancient stone gate, leading to the climbing path toward the temple.
However, the entire mountain appeared to be enveloped in a transparent energy barrier.
A faint glow shimmered in the air like ripples on water, revealing the presence of an incredibly powerful spiritual shield.
No outsider could enter without permission.
Xiang Shuai narrowed his eyes.
"How are we supposed to get inside?"
At that moment—
a small voice suddenly echoed inside Xue Yunxue's mind.
"Sister Xue… I can open the barrier for a moment. You can all go inside."
It was Moa.
Xue Yunxue was slightly surprised.
It had been quite some time since she last heard the little creature's voice.
Moa's spiritual consciousness had indeed disappeared for several days.
It had returned to the Immortal Peach Tree to meditate and strengthen its spiritual energy.
However, its physical body had remained by Yunxue's side.
The small root wrapped around her wrist still looked like nothing more than a simple vine bracelet.
Even though its consciousness had left, it had still been able to hear everything that happened around her.
Now that Moa had finished meditating, its spiritual energy had increased dramatically.
Its pure energy was strong enough to interfere with the barrier of Mount Tianluo for a short period of time.
Xue Yunxue answered silently in her mind.
"Alright… I'm counting on you."
"What's going on?" Yun Wu asked.
"Moa will help us open the barrier for a moment."
Everyone looked slightly surprised.
But before they could ask more—
a beam of greenish light emerged from Xue Yunxue's wrist.
The energy touched the surface of the barrier.
The spiritual shield trembled.
Then—
a small hole appeared in its surface.
The hole slowly grew… wider and wider… until it was large enough for a person to pass through.
Xiang Shuai looked astonished.
"Moa? Who is that?"
Lin Yuan, Lu Xiao, and Yun Wu exchanged glances.
"Long story," Lin Yuan said briefly.
"We'll explain later."
They moved immediately.
One by one, they entered the opening in the barrier.
But just as most of them had stepped inside—
a sound echoed in the distance that made everyone tense.
THE ROAR OF ENGINES.
Military vehicles.
The ground trembled.
Dust rose in the distance.
A large army was approaching.
Yun Wu's expression hardened instantly.
"Xiang She's forces."
They quickly passed through the opening.
And the moment the hole in the barrier sealed shut—
a large convoy of armored military vehicles stopped outside the mountain gate.
From the leading vehicle stepped down a man.
Xiang She.
His long black robe fluttered in the wind.
His eyes were as cold as those of a venomous serpent.
Now only the spiritual barrier of Mount Tianluo stood between them and Xiang She.
He slowly smiled.
"You think hiding here will keep you safe?"
His voice echoed coldly.
"Sooner or later… every one of you will die by my hand."
The old emperor Xiang Tianxuan looked at his son sadly.
"You have committed too many sins, my child."
"Stop now… and repent."
Xiang She snorted with mocking laughter.
"Old Emperor…"
"As if you ever cared about me."
His eyes were filled with deep hatred.
"Since childhood, you only cared about the Crown Prince and Xiang Shuai."
"You even sealed Xiang Mo somewhere because you feared his power would steal your throne."
"My twin brother and I were always your last choice."
"You never liked us."
His eyes burned with madness.
"And now I will take my revenge."
"My revenge… and Xiang Mo's as well!"
Xiang Tianxuan slowly shook his head.
"Xiang Mo has already gone mad."
"He studied forbidden techniques that are extremely dangerous."
"He deserved to be imprisoned."
Xiang She's eyes flashed wildly.
He looked at each person standing behind the barrier.
Then his gaze stopped on Xue Yunxue.
Suddenly—
his eyes lit up.
"You…"
"That girl."
Xiang Shuai immediately stepped forward, standing closer to the transparent spiritual barrier as he stared at Xiang She.
Xue Yunxue instinctively stepped back a few steps.
Even though the barrier separated them, the aura of this man was incredibly oppressive.
"Don't you dare come near her."
Lu Xiao, Lin Yuan, and Yun Wu also prepared themselves.
Their auras surged sharply.
However, Xiang She suddenly laughed.
"I will kill all of you."
"And take that girl for myself."
His eyes narrowed sharply.
"Doesn't she possess healing power?"
Everyone fell silent.
That single sentence—had exposed the secret they had been hiding all this time.
Lin Yuan and the others immediately exchanged glances.
Xiang She smiled coldly.
"How interesting."
"A girl with healing power…"
"How incredibly valuable."
Xue Yunxue looked at him without fear.
"I would rather die with them…"
"than fall into your hands."
Xiang She chuckled softly.
"Now I want you even more."
His gaze turned cold.
"I will kill them all…"
"right in front of your eyes."
Xiang Tianxuan slowly shook his head.
This son of his…
had truly lost his sanity.
He then spoke to Xiang Shuai in a low voice.
"Go."
"Climb up to the temple."
"We cannot waste any more time."
They immediately hurried toward the temple.
Xiang She watched their retreating figures.
Then he turned back toward his vehicle.
With a cold command, he ordered his generals to break the barrier.
-----------------------
They finally reached the last flight of stairs.
The long stone staircase ended at a vast, silent courtyard.
Mountain winds blew gently, carrying the cold scent of mist hanging around the peak of Mount Tianluo.
Before them stood a magnificent temple.
The structure was built from white marble, reflecting the pale light of the setting sun.
Tall pillars rose like ancient guardians, carved with images of dragons and serpents entwined together as if alive in eternal silence.
The entire place radiated an incredibly powerful spiritual aura.
Even Lin Yuan and Lu Xiao, who were usually unaffected by spiritual pressure, could feel a subtle force enveloping the entire temple.
And standing right before the temple gate—
was an old man who had clearly been waiting.
His robe was long and silver-white.
His long gray hair fell all the way to his waist.
His face appeared calm, yet his gaze was sharp enough to seem capable of seeing straight into someone's soul.
That man was the Grand Priest of Shelua.
Shen Qiyun.
He stood with both hands behind his back, as if he had known of their arrival long ago.
His gaze slowly swept across the group.
Emperor Xiang Tianxuan.
The Empress.
Xiang Shuai.
Yun Wu.
Lin Yuan.
Lu Xiao.
And finally—
his gaze stopped on Xue Yunxue.
Shen Qiyun's eyes narrowed slightly.
He had already known that the emperor's family would come here.
The movement of spiritual energy on Mount Tianluo could never escape his perception.
However, something surprised him slightly.
Among the group…
there was an aura that felt extremely unfamiliar.
An aura he had never sensed before.
Yet beneath that unfamiliar aura…
there was a faint scent that felt strangely familiar.
The old priest slowly took a breath.
Then his eyes narrowed.
"Hu Shui?"
That single name instantly froze the atmosphere.
Xue Yunxue's four beast husbands immediately tensed.
They stared at Shen Qiyun in shock.
How could this old priest recognize Hu Shui?
That name had almost never been spoken in this world anymore.
Had Shen Qiyun met her before?
Even Emperor Xiang Tianxuan and the Empress of Shelua turned to look at Xue Yunxue with surprised expressions.
Xue Yunxue herself felt a moment of panic.
She tried to smell her own body scent.
And at that moment she realized something.
Today she had forgotten to use the rose perfume she normally wore to hide her natural scent.
Before the situation could grow even more strange—
Lu Xiao stepped slightly forward.
He spoke in a relaxed tone, yet his words carried deeper meaning.
"She is not Hu Shui."
Everyone looked at him.
Lu Xiao continued calmly.
"Perhaps you have mistaken someone?"
"After all…"
"Hu Shui died long ago, didn't she?"
Emperor Xiang Tianxuan also spoke calmly, as if trying to ease the tension.
"Priest Shen, perhaps you are mistaken."
"Hu Shui passed away long ago."
Shen Qiyun did not answer immediately.
His eyes remained fixed on Xue Yunxue.
His gaze was deep.
As if weighing something.
Several seconds passed in silence.
Finally—
Shen Qiyun slowly let out a breath.
His expression returned to calm.
"Yes…"
"It seems I have mistaken someone."
He spoke flatly.
But deep within his eyes—
a faint glimmer remained hidden, something no one else noticed.
The old priest then turned toward the emperor.
"Emperor Xiang Tianxuan."
"It has been a long time since we last met."
He offered a slight bow.
"Please come in."
"Tianluo Temple is always open to you."
But as the group began walking through the temple gates—
Shen Qiyun glanced once more at Xue Yunxue.
His gaze was deep.
Very deep.
As if he was trying to confirm something.
And within his heart, a thought slowly surfaced.
That aura is unfamiliar… clearly not Hu Shui's.
It is impossible for me to be mistaken.
But that scent—
he himself had given that scent to Hu Shui as a blessing upon her birth.
And there could not possibly be another person in this world who possessed the same scent as her.
---------------------
When they entered the main courtyard of Tianluo Temple, everyone was immediately stunned.
The vast square in front of the temple was filled with more than a hundred people.
They stood in groups among the stone pillars and ancient trees surrounding the temple grounds.
Xue Yunxue immediately recognized them.
They were the prisoners she had rescued earlier from the imperial underground dungeon.
The tension in her heart slowly eased.
Ever since they escaped, she had been worried that the prisoners would be captured again.Xiang She had ordered a massive search across the entire territory of Shelua.
But now…
they all seemed safe within the domain of Tianluo Temple.
The prisoners clearly did not recognize Xue Yunxue.
When she freed them earlier, she had worn a veil and never revealed her face.
The moment they saw Emperor Xiang Tianxuan and the Empress, everyone in the courtyard immediately dropped to their knees.
"Your Majesty, the Emperor!"
Their voices echoed across the temple courtyard.
Some of them even began to cry, overwhelmed with emotion at seeing their emperor alive.
Xiang Tianxuan looked at them with eyes full of emotion.
He recognized many of their faces.
Old ministers, veteran generals, noble families, and loyal palace servants.
People he had believed had already died inside Xiang She's prisons.
"How did you all escape from there?" the emperor asked in a deep voice.
An elderly man stepped forward.
From his attire and bearing, it was obvious he had once been a high-ranking court official.
He bowed respectfully.
"Your Majesty…"
"A mysterious girl saved us."
"We never saw her face."
"She took us out of the prison and transported us far away into the remote mountains."
The man paused briefly before continuing.
"Two days ago… Grand Priest Shen Qiyun found us."
"He then brought all of us here to Tianluo Temple."
Xiang Tianxuan briefly glanced toward Xue Yunxue.
He knew very well that the girl standing not far from him was the one who had saved them all.
He had heard that Xue Yunxue had rescued several prisoners from the dungeon, but he had not expected that they were all his most loyal subordinates.
From Yunxue's demeanor, it was clear that she did not want her identity revealed.
Xiang Tianxuan smiled faintly.
He understood her intentions.
Before the emperor could say anything—
Priest Shen Qiyun spoke calmly.
"That is what I heard from them."
"I found them when I returned from the coronation ceremony."
His gaze was deep, though his face remained as calm as ever.
Xiang Tianxuan simply nodded slowly.
He already knew what had happened at the palace.
The coronation ceremony had failed.
The Royal Scepter had rejected Xiang She.
But the man had still forced himself to become the Emperor of Shelua.
With military power and the support of the rebel faction, he had seized control of the entire empire.
Cold mountain winds blew across the temple courtyard.
Suddenly—
BOOM!
A heavy impact sounded from the outer walls of Tianluo Temple.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Each strike grew stronger.
The entire Mount Tianluo trembled as if a giant were trying to tear it down.
Small stones fell from the temple pillars, and the air filled with chaotic spiritual vibrations.
Grand Priest Shen Qiyun looked toward the outside with a serious expression.
"Unfortunately, we cannot remain here any longer," he said calmly despite the continuing impacts.
"We must take everyone away immediately."
Lin Yuan stepped forward.
"That is exactly why we came here," he said.
"We wish to ask about the gate leading to the Snake King's Tomb, which is rumored to connect to the Eastern Sea Empire."
The Grand Priest frowned slightly.
"You do not know where that gate is?"
Everyone exchanged glances.
"Where is it then?" Xiang Shuai asked impatiently.
Shen Qiyun slowly raised his hand—
and pointed at Xiang Shuai's right eye.
"The gate is there."
Everyone froze in shock.
Xue Yunxue even thought she had misheard.
"In… his eye?" Lin Yuan murmured.
Xiang Shuai himself looked completely confused.
Before he could speak—
Shen Qiyun's index finger suddenly emitted a soft white light.
The light shot straight toward Xiang Shuai's right eye.
Xiang Shuai was startled.
He felt something being pulled out from inside his eye.
Yet strangely…
he felt no pain at all.
A few seconds later—
a small black sphere floated out from his eye.
It was slightly larger than a marble.
Xiang Shuai instinctively caught it.
He stared at the object in confusion.
"This…?"
Shen Qiyun replied calmly,
"That is the gate you are looking for."
Before they could say anything else—
BOOOOM!
Another tremendous impact shook the temple.
From outside, golden light spread across the surface of the barrier like creeping roots.
The spiritual barrier of Mount Tianluo was beginning to crack.
Xiang She's army was clearly no ordinary force.
They were strong enough to pressure the temple's defenses.
Shen Qiyun wasted no time.
He took the black sphere from Xiang Shuai's hand and activated it.
Spiritual energy spiraled outward.
The air before them twisted and distorted.
Then—
a spatial rift slowly opened.
The tear looked like a small rip in reality itself, revealing a dark space filled with deep spiritual energy.
"Go inside," Shen Qiyun told the refugees.
The prisoners who had once been saved by Xue Yunxue immediately began moving.
Xue Yunxue saw the small lion cub who had once looked skinny and miserable now looking far healthier as he ran into the rift.
One loyal servant supported the still-weak Empress of Shelua, guiding her toward the gate.
One by one—
they disappeared into the Gate of the Snake King's Tomb.
Soon all the refugees had entered.
Shen Qiyun then turned to them.
"You should enter as well."
But Emperor Xiang Tianxuan slowly shook his head.
"How could I abandon my people and leave?" he said calmly.
"I will face them here."
"Let the Empress and my son go."
Xiang Shuai looked at his father with sharp eyes.
"If Father stays here…"
"then I will not leave either."
He clenched his fists tightly.
"I am tired of running."
"This time… I will face Xiang She together with you."
Xue Yunxue looked at Xiang Shuai.
The determination in his eyes was unshakable.
She took a slow breath.
"Then…"
"I will stay here as well."
Xiang Shuai was shocked.
"No."
"You must go."
"You could die here."
"You have already helped me more than enough."
Yun Wu spoke as well.
"That's right."
"It would be better if we returned to our own lands."
But Xue Yunxue simply shook her head.
"Don't make me feel guilty by leaving you all behind."
She looked at them calmly.
"If you fight… then I will fight too."
"Xue'er…" Xiang Shuai murmured.
Lin Yuan clearly looked unhappy.
He almost used his mental power to knock Yunxue unconscious and forcefully take her away.
But before he could—
Xue Yunxue spoke again.
"If this problem is not resolved here…"
"then no matter where I go, Xiang She will continue hunting me."
"And more people will die because of me."
Lu Xiao smiled faintly.
"Then I will stay with you."
"Me too," Yun Wu said without hesitation.
Lin Yuan clicked his tongue.
"Tch…"
"I'm only staying because I have no choice."
Grand Priest Shen Qiyun looked at Xue Yunxue with deep eyes.
A strange glimmer appeared in his gaze.
As if he had just witnessed something extremely rare.
It seemed…
this world had given birth to a new savior.
The Grand Priest then stood in the temple courtyard alongside the other priests of Tianluo Temple.
Beside them stood Emperor Xiang Tianxuan, Xue Yunxue, and her four beast husbands.
Everyone prepared for battle.
They stared at the temple's protective barrier, now filled with cracks.
Seconds passed painfully slowly.
Then—
BOOOOOOM!!!
A massive blow struck the barrier.
The wall of energy collapsed instantly.
Dust and spiritual light exploded into the air.
And beyond the shattered barrier—
Xiang She's army surged forward like a dark tide flooding into the temple courtyard.