CHAPTER 694: CHAPTER 561: REINFORCEMENTS OR CORPSE COLLECTORS?

Pale flames suddenly counterattacked.

The Nine Corpse Wanderer was shocked beyond belief.

She quickly tried to retract the Nine Corpse Fire, not knowing that the pale flames, seemingly feeble, possessed an astonishingly terrifying power.

They were like a starved predator, rapidly devouring the Nine Corpse Fire. In the blink of an eye, the nine clumps of cyan-blue Nine Corpse Fire were completely consumed.

Only then did the Nine Corpse Wanderer realize that she had encountered a case of the predator becoming the prey.

Her attempt to devour the other’s Mutant Fire had backfired, and instead of gaining, she ended up losing what she already had.

Daring not to linger, her figure turned into a residual shadow, intending to flee swiftly.

But her Lifebound Pill Fire had been devoured, her cultivation greatly diminished, nowhere near Ye Lingyue’s speed.

A slender figure appeared like a ghost, closely following her, and in an instant was already in front of her.

And accompanying her was that bean-sized pale flame, floating in front of the Nine Corpse Wanderer’s forehead, the small body emitting terrifying energy fluctuations.

The Nine Corpse Wanderer was so frightened that her knees buckled, and with a plop, she fell to the ground.

"This isn’t White Fire, what exactly is that fire of yours?"

"I call it Gray Fire. Nine Corpse Wanderer, if you don’t want to be directly devoured like your Corpse Fire, you’d better obediently tell me who instigated you to set the fire," Ye Lingyue hooked her lips with a smirk.

Gray Fire, what on earth was that?

The Nine Corpse Wanderer had lived for quite some time yet had never heard of Gray Fire among Mutant Fires.

"What master and orders - I set the fire myself." The Nine Corpse Wanderer stubbornly refused to admit anything.

"I knew you wouldn’t talk, but it doesn’t matter. I’ve heard that those with Corpse Fire can control it to enter the brain and incinerate a person’s innards until nothing is left, turning them into a Corpse Puppet, obeying her commands. If I’m not mistaken, your master sent you because he knew you had this ability. You had the chance to act against me earlier, but upon discovering I had Mutant Fire, you planned to devour mine first and then turn me into a Corpse Puppet. Am I right?" Ye Lingyue demanded coldly.

The Nine Corpse Wanderer didn’t expect that her and Emperor Beiqing’s plans would be guessed by the other party so thoroughly.

Emperor Beiqing had previously stated that Ye Lingyue was just a fourteen-year-old girl who would be easy to deal with.

But now, she felt that the opponent’s schemes greatly surpassed her own, despite having lived for eighty years.

"You don’t have to talk; it doesn’t matter. I’ve already devoured your Corpse Fire, and once it enters your brain, you will become my puppet. Then, you’ll beg for life in vain and death for relief, suffering more than death itself. But if you tell me who the mastermind is, considering you’re just an accomplice, I might let you go," Ye Lingyue said, ready to command the Gray Fire into the Nine Corpse Wanderer’s body.

"Wait, I’ll talk," the Nine Corpse Wanderer was frightfully alarmed.

She was only serving Emperor Beiqing for wealth and glory, but if turned into a Corpse Puppet, everything would be over.

"Hold on!"

Just as the Nine Corpse Wanderer was about to reveal Emperor Beiqing, sounds of iron hooves echoed especially clearly through the night.

A squad of Beiqing Soldiers galloped forth, and the young General leading them, tall and robust in military attire, sword at his waist, was none other than Cong Lv.

"Guard Cong Lv of the Beiqing Palace, upon hearing of the fire at the Daxia Embassy late at night, has dispatched soldiers for reinforcement."

Ye Lingyue looked at Cong Lv and the guards behind him with a mocking smile on her face.

The fire at the embassy had already been burning for nearly two hours, and yet not a single Beiqing soldier had come to aid from the vast Beiqing City.

By the time the embassy was reduced to ashes and nearly everyone was dead, Cong Lv finally arrived with reinforcements. Was he here to assist, or to collect corpses?

Seeing Ye Lingyue’s cold gaze, Cong Lv couldn’t help feeling somewhat embarrassed.

The Daxia Embassy was located on a street just outside the Beiqing Imperial Palace.

When the flames first broke out, Cong Lv received Emperor Beiqing’s command, and after two hours, he sent troops to assist.

He also knew the fire originated from the direction of the Daxia Embassy and was concerned that Ye Lingyue might have encountered trouble, so he hurried over following the Emperor’s orders.

"Guard Cong arrives just in time. The fire has been extinguished, and the arsonist has been captured. I was about to start the interrogation, and here you are," Ye Lingyue said with a lukewarm laugh.

Cong Lv was somewhat embarrassed, looking at the Nine Corpse Wanderer who was subdued by Ye Lingyue.

"Since I’ve arrived late, I ask for Yue Marquis’s understanding. Fortunately, you are unharmed due to divine favor. This person committed arson in Beiqing, a grave crime. According to the law, she must be handed over to the Beiqing Ministry of Criminal Justice for interrogation and punishment."

"Guard Cong, but she burned down my Daxia’s embassy, and the people who died were from my embassy. Besides, she’s just the perpetrator; the mastermind behind the scenes is someone else. I think it would be more appropriate for Daxia to handle her," Ye Lingyue was not willing to let the person go.

The Nine Corpse Wanderer naturally would not confess easily, but as long as she is administered the Ghost Language Needle, she would surely confess honestly.

"Yue Marquis, once the Ministry of Criminal Justice has finished the interrogation, they will apprehend the mastermind. Emperor Beiqing is also aware of the fright you’ve endured tonight and has specially ordered me, after capturing the criminal, to invite Yue Marquis to stay at the palace temporarily," said Cong Lv. Then, with a wave of his hand, two guards stepped forward to capture the Nine Corpse Wanderer.

Ye Lingyue’s gaze sharpened, gripping the Nine Corpse Wanderer’s arm tightly.

Ye Lingyue knew very well that tonight’s incident must be related to Beiqing, perhaps even to Emperor Beiqing himself.

Handing over the Nine Corpse Wanderer would mean that the Daxia Embassy burned down for nothing, and her people died in vain. She would have to swallow the indignation.

She, Ye Lingyue, would never do something so suffocating.

"Guard Cong, I caught her, and you say you’re taking her away; isn’t that a bit presumptuous? Tonight, she must reveal the real culprit, otherwise, none of you will take her away!"

"Yue Marquis, what do you mean by this?" Cong Lv bellowed, drawing his sword, while nearly a hundred Imperial Guards behind him drew their weapons at the same time.

For a moment, in front of the ash-ridden Daxia Embassy, blades glinted in the dim light.

"Cong Lv, is this how you welcome the honored guests from Daxia? If His Majesty were to find out, I’m afraid he would not be pleased."

A familiar voice came from behind.

The Imperial Guards behind Cong Lv stepped aside, making way.

Feng Xun and Sword Slave walked over; perhaps it was the lighting, but Feng Xun’s complexion looked somewhat gloomy tonight.

"Feng San, I’m glad you’re here. Help me persuade Yue Marquis. She has had a disagreement with me and refuses to hand over the arsonist to the Ministry of Criminal Justice. Anyone who commits a crime in Beiqing must be dealt with according to Beiqing’s legal procedures," Cong Lv said, his expression easing when he saw Feng Xun.

He was not willing to start a conflict with Ye Lingyue on the street, but the arson was a serious matter that required strict handling.

"Indeed, someone should be persuaded..." Feng Xun walked beside Cong Lv, and just as he spoke, a subtle tremor came from beneath his sleeve, and a silent force struck towards Cong Lv.