The Puresteel Sword Strikes Toward Her

Leo Li bowed to Soren Lann. "Divine Lord, apologies, but I have many matters to attend to. I can't keep you company any longer."

Soren Lann said nothing.

Leo Li turned and shouted, "By decree of the Celestial Empress, Drake Abyss is sealed! Anyone who dares to force their way in—no matter who—will be executed without mercy!"

"Yes, sir!" the Divine Guards responded.

Soren Lann led his group away and headed toward Ethan Lu.

He gave the order directly: launch a full assault.

"You dare!" Suddenly, the Qilin Empress Dowager appeared.

Soren Lann frowned. "Mother, why are you here?"

She strode up to Soren, furious. "Are you insane? You want to send troops to rescue a witch who plotted against the Celestial Emperor?"

"Mother, they've branded Ethan Lu with a sigil! There's something fishy about this whole thing!" Soren insisted.

"Do you have any evidence?"

Soren stayed silent.

"If you have no evidence, on what grounds do you send troops? Launching a baseless campaign is rebellion. You’ve barely settled into your Divine Lord seat and you’re already planning to rebel against Drake Abyss?" the Qilin Empress Dowager demanded.

"Mother, please go back for now," Soren frowned.

The Qilin Empress Dowager suddenly pulled out a hairpin and pointed it at her own throat. "Let me make this clear: if you insist on sending troops to rescue Lucia Lu, you’ll have to step over my dead body!"

...

Execution Day.

Lucia Lu, bound to the execution platform, let out a breath of relief.

At least she’d made it before the fifteenth day—the deadline.

The execution platform was charred black, the air thick with murderous tension, lightning roiling in the sky—while across from her, the others were laughing and joking as if nothing was wrong.

Princess Quinn Xiao and Jenna Summers stood arm in arm, pointing and laughing at her, clearly enjoying themselves.

Lucia really ought to have been angry.

But for some reason, she wasn’t angry at all.

Instead, she suddenly thought of her mother.

If her mother knew she was about to die, she’d be heartbroken, wouldn’t she?

Her mother really was a tragically fated Fiend.

Her biggest regret was that during their last meeting, she hadn’t managed to hug her…

Then she thought of her Lu Clan family.

She must’ve saved the world in a previous life to be lucky enough to spend over nine hundred years as a Lu daughter!

She really wanted to return to Peach Blossom Haven, to smell the earth and watch the butterflies play…

Her second brother must have finally learned to pluck peach fuzz, right?

And Lian-Lian—who would she marry someday? Maybe Adrian Drake, or maybe she’d end up as Divine Empress with Soren.

And then there was Sean Shaw… These past few days, Lucia kept wanting to dream of him.

But he never once appeared in her dreams.

Maybe it was because he thought she’d killed the Celestial Emperor, and couldn’t bear to see her…

It sounded like Leo Li shouted, “Begin the execution!”

Lucia closed her eyes.

She waited quietly.

But before she felt any pain, she heard screams first.

Suddenly, she opened her eyes and saw the Puresteel Sword gleaming coldly as it slashed toward her.

With a clear metallic clang, the iron chain binding her snapped, and she was snatched away by an invisible person.

They slipped through a breach at the base of the barrier, diving into the Primeval Sanctuary beneath the execution platform.

Strangely, no lightning struck this place.

Then they heard Leo Li’s voice: “Sean Shaw, I was just waiting for you to take the bait! Enjoy your lifelong stay down there together! Hahaha!”

The once-cracked barrier above flickered with sigils, instantly becoming impenetrable.

Lucia stared up at the changing barrier, then looked at Sean. "They guessed you’d come to save me, and figured this was the only way in. They want to trap you here forever."

Sean pulled her close with one arm. "No way they’ll trap us! I’ve still got the Fish, remember? It can get us out of here."