275: Ambush from all sides

Gu Xiaoyue instinctively turned her head, squinting her eyes against the stimulating glare to look at the man backlit by the strong light.

Although she wasn't very familiar with his silhouette, that voice—

Gu Xiaoyue's peripheral vision caught Zheng Jie, who was clinging to White Gaze's arm, cowering behind him, her body seemingly trembling slightly.

“Your Highness, long time no see! Did you specifically wait for me here?”

She raised an eyebrow slightly, took half a step forward, and subtly spread her arms, shielding everyone behind her.

Prince Yi Bai Jin Yi chuckled dryly and slowly said,

“Besides the capital, White Gaze has been in the Imperial Mausoleum for several years. He has the key to the secret realm entrance—

If not in the capital, then naturally he'd be in the Imperial Mausoleum!

I specifically sent people to detect special magnetic field fluctuations, and besides here, there were a few other places. I’ve been guarding this spot for quite some time now!”

After Prince Yi Bai Jin Yi finished speaking, he tried to find a look of surprise or wariness on Gu Xiaoyue’s face.

But she listened with unwavering composure, as if what he said had nothing to do with her.

Prince Yi Bai Jin Yi scoffed, tilted his head slightly, and locked his gaze on Zheng Jie.

He extended his hand to Zheng Jie, beckoning her to come to his side.

“Jie'er, come home with me!

I’ve kept your left hand well preserved; you can reattach it anytime you return!”

Zheng Jie’s face instantly turned pale. She somewhat awkwardly pulled out her left sleeve to cover the wrist where her left hand was missing.

During these days in the secret realm, no one had mentioned Zheng Jie’s missing left hand.

After all, in the Yu Beast World, missing limbs were commonplace.

Everyone just assumed Zheng Jie had lost her left hand during a failed encounter with a fierce beast.

Being reasonably tactful, no one rubbed salt in Zheng Jie’s wound, tacitly ignoring it.

At Prince Yi Bai Jin Yi’s words, everyone’s gaze, consciously or unconsciously, fell on Zheng Jie.

Even if it was only for an instant before they looked away, it made Zheng Jie feel utterly humiliated.

“I, I won’t go back with you!

You’ll only treat me as a blood puppet, locking me up! Imprisoning me!”

Zheng Jie yelled, hiding further behind White Gaze.

Even with her current Yu Beast abilities, she didn’t dare face Prince Yi Bai Jin Yi.

It was clear how much psychological trauma he had left on Zheng Jie.

“Jie'er, if Gu Li truly cared for you, why would she deliberately leave your left hand behind when she saved you back then?!

You should know, Mr. Gu prolonged the former king’s life for over a year.

With her abilities, if she had taken your left hand then, why would you be in this state now?”

Gu Xiaoyue looked at Zheng Jie unperturbed, and Zheng Jie happened to be looking back at her.

Their eyes met, and Gu Xiaoyue saw a hint of doubt and struggle in Zheng Jie’s eyes.

“It’s alright, Zheng Yi. If you don’t trust me, you can certainly take White Gaze back!”

In that situation, if she had been even a split second slower, both of them might not have made it out.

Gu Xiaoyue had a clear conscience, and at the time, Zheng Jie had cut off her own left hand; she wasn't coerced by Gu Xiaoyue.

She looked at Prince Yi Bai Jin Yi and scoffed.

“Your Highness’s instigation is quite good. I also know you must be reluctant to part with two blood reservoirs!

After just a few years of worrying and toiling, your demeanor is no longer what it used to be!”

Gu Xiaoyue took an emergency light from her Yu Beast Space and shone it on Prince Yi Bai Jin Yi.

Only then did Zheng Jie see that Prince Yi Bai Jin Yi, who had looked to be in his early thirties when she left, now appeared decades older!

His originally lustrous black hair was now gray, and deep wrinkles were etched into his face!

“Zheng Yi and White Gaze’s maternal grandfather’s blood once maintained Your Highness’s youth and healed severe injuries.

White Gaze’s maternal grandfather has passed away, so Your Highness had to settle for the next best thing!

Hmm?”

Prince Yi Bai Jin Yi was willing to confront them for so long because he was reluctant to give up Zheng Jie and White Gaze.

With ambushes all around, at his command, these few people would likely be instantly annihilated!

“Mr. Gu calculated everything, so naturally, you should have calculated that there are ambushes all around. You can also persuade them to obediently return with me.

Otherwise—

All of you will die here!”

Gu Xiaoyue’s composure made Prince Yi Bai Jin Yi feel a bit uneasy. Had she truly calculated everything?

Perhaps her calmness was just an act, and she was actually terrified inside?

Regardless, he absolutely wouldn't let them escape today!

The palace treasury and the heavenly treasures in the secret realm, if he killed them, all would be his!

If Zheng Jie and White Gaze were sensible, they should come to his side; otherwise—

He wouldn't be blamed for putting righteousness before family!

Prince Yi Bai Jin Yi’s eyebrows were tightly furrowed, his gaze fixed intently on Gu Xiaoyue.

“Rather than go back with you, I’d rather die here!

I trust Mr. Gu, and you shouldn’t try to sow discord between us!”

White Gaze tightly squeezed Zheng Jie’s hand, seemingly giving her strength.

As a mother, she had to be strong; she couldn't let herself and her son live that dark, sunless life again!

“Heh heh, since Zheng Yi has made up her mind, then I will naturally guarantee your safety!”

Gu Xiaoyue chuckled, looking provocatively at Prince Yi Bai Jin Yi.

“Anyone I bring, I will naturally ensure they leave unscathed! I’m afraid Your Highness will be disappointed again!”

She flung her right hand towards the sky, and a massive pet beast appeared in the heavens—

With a colossal roar from the pet beast, within an instant, several bolts of lightning struck down within a five-hundred-meter radius!

Not only were countless of Prince Yi Bai Jin Yi’s subordinates killed or injured, but even a small portion of the Imperial Mausoleum was destroyed!

Prince Yi Bai Jin Yi, being closer to Gu Xiaoyue and the others, was not injured.

But just as several lightning flashes passed, he only momentarily lost focus, and everyone in front of him instantly vanished!

“Anti-Invisibility Spell, quick! Someone, cast the Anti-Invisibility Spell for me!

I want them to have nowhere to hide! Someone!”

Prince Yi Bai Jin Yi roared hysterically. The Beastmaster proficient in the Anti-Invisibility Spell, whom Bai Shengrui had found, hurriedly ran over.

He had just been nearby and almost got struck by the falling lightning and turned into charcoal!

“Your, Your Highness—”

The Anti-Invisibility Beastmaster responded tremblingly to Prince Yi Bai Jin Yi, “They’ve already run, or—her invisibility level is above proficiency!”

“What?! Useless! What good are you?!”

Prince Yi Bai Jin Yi was furious. He kicked the Beastmaster in front of him, sending him sprawling, and kicked him several more times!

The divine beast blood he relied on to maintain his youth, the heavenly treasures on Gu Xiaoyue—all of it instantly turned into smoke!

“Gu Li, don’t think you can escape!”

Prince Yi Bai Jin Yi clenched his fists, squeezing out a few words through gritted teeth—

At this moment, Gu Xiaoyue and the others were already in Little Black’s hidden space.

In fact, from the moment she entered the secret realm, she had already anticipated Prince Yi Bai Jin Yi’s intentions.

He had been able to endure for so many years; he would surely try to capture her, White Gaze, and Zheng Jie in one fell swoop!

Prince Yi Bai Jin Yi believed that Gu Xiaoyue had stolen from the treasury, and he was waiting for her to emerge from the secret realm.

With Bai Rongxuan stationed in the capital, he only needed to ambush Gu Xiaoyue, kill her, and seize the treasures.

It was possible Prince Yi Bai Jin Yi had even promised Bai Rongxuan and Bai Shengrui the pet beast eggs on her!

Coincidentally, just as Gu Xiaoyue and the others exited the secret realm, Little Qi also awakened.

Gu Xiaoyue took advantage of his Thunderbolt Spell to blind the opponents, not only preventing them from attacking but also having a high probability of striking the surrounding ambushers into charcoal!

Meanwhile, she took everyone into Little Black’s hidden space and immediately used Instantaneous Movement!

Little Black’s proficient-level Instantaneous Movement could cover a maximum distance of six kilometers.

They could move anywhere, as long as they got out of Prince Yi Bai Jin Yi’s encirclement!

If she had been even 0.1 seconds slower just now, everyone might have been riddled with bullets by the ambushing snipers!

In a life-or-death situation, she couldn't worry about exposing Little Black.

Little Qi was already Lord-level, and her combat power had greatly increased, adding another trump card for survival.

Before they came, they had entered Damon from the Yunlian border.

Gu Xiaoyue planned to take a detour on the way back, going through Ruijiang City, which borders Damon, and then taking an Albatross back to Hechuan.

No one had any objections; after all, Little Black and Youming Tiger were doing the hard work, while everyone else just rested in the hidden space.

The return trip was different from the journey there; the atmosphere wasn't oppressive at all.

Charlie even suggested that everyone play cards and games together, as it would be livelier with more people.

Duan Yao, Qian Ce, and He Zhichen all agreed. Gu Xiaoyue, meanwhile, moved a chair next to them and watched them play with a slight smile.

They took a long detour, with Little Black and Youming Tiger alternating between invisibility and mad dashes, only reaching Ruijiang on the fifth day.

“Let’s find a place to rest first—”

Back in Long Country, Gu Xiaoyue’s tense nerves relaxed considerably.

She didn't rush to the transport station but suggested resting first.

As soon as Gu Xiaoyue finished speaking, her vision went black, and she fainted—