I Will Take You to the Demon Emperor’s Palace

Out of the eleven people, Lily Bai led the way, while the other ten flew in pairs, side by side.

"S‑Senior Sister, are you sure we won't get struck by lightning?" a junior sister stammered.

"Just stick close to me. Don't fall behind, not even a step," Lily Bai replied.

"Senior Sister, I can't see that Evasion Node you mentioned at all!"

Lily Bai: "Your cultivation is too shallow."

"Senior Sister, if we really find the Array Core, does that mean we'll have to leave this Evasion Node?"

Lily Bai: "Yep."

"Then won't we get zapped by lightning?"

Lily Bai: "Don't even worry about that right now. There are tons of traps and mechanisms in here, and honestly, the Demon Emperor might've already noticed us barging in. Let's dodge those first!"

"Senior Sister, I'm scared..."

......

Outside the array, Lord Faustin stood on the celestial ship, palm facing up, eyes closed to the sky, murmuring a prayer.

Leo Li glanced at him and asked, "Lord Faustin, what are you doing?"

"I'm praying," Lord Faustin said. "Hoping they'll come out safely."

"The moment they went in, all the Messenger Charms stopped working," Leo Li said. "Even your Sigil Sect's charms too?"

Lord Faustin said, "Yeah! None of the charms work at all! Now... their lives are in fate's hands."

Leo Li’s expression was gloomy as he walked away in silence.

......

Azure Flame led them to a spot where the black mist suddenly thickened and a wild storm erupted.

Everyone was swept up by the whirlwind and flung in some unknown direction.

"Ah!" Suddenly, Lily Bai cried out as a surge of power swept her away, flinging her in another direction.

"Senior Sister!" Nine Li exclaimed, grabbing her tightly—and then he was dragged off with her, flying in the same direction.

After spinning through the air, the Sigil Sect disciples realized they were still alive—and had landed in a valley.

Inside the valley, green trees flourished, the grass was soft, birds sang and flowers bloomed—it was like a hidden paradise.

Outside the valley, black mist churned and thunder crashed, separated by a strange barrier.

"Where are we?"

"Where's Senior Sister? Where's Nine Li?"

"I saw them get blown away by the wind in another direction."

"There's a weird barrier here. What do we do if we can't get out?"

......

The Sigil Sect disciples were thrown into total chaos.

Lily Bai and Azure Flame stood in the black mist outside the barrier, invisible to the Sigil Sect disciples.

"How long do you plan to keep them in there?" Azure Flame asked.

Lily Bai said, "At least a month or two—long enough for Leo Li to believe they all died in there."

"What about him?" Azure Flame glanced at Nine Li.

Nine Li instantly hid behind Lily Bai.

"Let me go down with him!" Lily Bai said. "Miss Azure Flame, could you please send us down to the valley too? If we're there, our juniors won't panic so much."

But Azure Flame shook her head. "I'm taking you to the Demon Emperor's Palace."

Lily Bai froze. "Why?"

"Orders. If you want to know why, ask him yourself."

Lily Bai pressed her lips together, her heart beating faster.

He ordered Azure Flame to take her to the Demon Emperor's Palace... for what?

"You go down," Azure Flame said to Nine Li.

"No, no! Wherever Senior Sister goes, I go!" Nine Li clung tightly to Lily Bai's arm.

"Then take him too," Lily Bai said. "He knows anyway."

Azure Flame said nothing more and led them through the formation zone, heading to the Demon Emperor's Palace.