The Legend of the Princess' Counterattack

Chapter 722 Altar Illusion

The wasteland to the northwest, perpetually shrouded in blood mist, resembled a dormant prehistoric beast, emitting a chilling aura. Yun Yao and Chu Mochen galloped across the land, piercing through the thick blood mist and finally entering the ancient battlefield where the Divine Court and the Demon Cultivators fought a thousand years ago.

As soon as they landed, the mournful cries of the wronged souls surged like a tidal wave, piercing their eardrums and sending chills down their spines. The white bones on the ground, as if driven by some evil force, suddenly trembled violently, then rapidly twisted and merged, transforming into giant blood-red pythons, claws and fangs bared, coiling around Yun Yao's ankles.

Chu Mochen reacted with remarkable speed. He swung his sword, and golden sword energy emanated like a blazing sun, slashing towards the giant pythons with a swish. Wherever the sword energy passed, the blood pythons were chopped into dust, dispersing into clouds of blood mist. "Yao'er, purify them with the Lotus Heart Technique." Chu Mochen turned to Yun Yao, his gaze firm and concerned.

Yun Yao took a deep breath, suppressing her fear. She quickly mobilized her spiritual energy, and silver lotus petals instantly condensed from her fingertips. She closed her eyes slightly and chanted the "Rebirth Mantra." The crisp syllables seemed to contain a mysterious power. As the sound waves spread, the once ferocious blood pythons, like soothed beasts, gradually calmed down, then slowly transformed into tiny specks of light and dissipated between heaven and earth.

After the blood python dissipated, a blood-red altar, suspended deep within the wasteland, gradually emerged. A thick bloody glow swirled around the altar, as if cast from endless blood, emanating a potent aura of murder and evil. In the center of the altar, a fragment of the Law of Slaughter, gleaming with a piercing red light, pulsed like a beating heart, emitting a frightening wave of vibrations.

The two exchanged glances, each seeing solemnity and determination in the other's eyes, and then steadily approached the altar. However, just as they were only a few feet away from the altar, something strange happened.

Yun Yao felt a flash of light before her eyes, and then, like a mirage, a scene of utter luxury emerged. Looking down, she saw herself clad in the most opulent attire worthy of a princess. Her skirt, woven of gold and silver threads, trailed down the floor, embroidered with auspicious designs that were vivid and lifelike, each stitch and thread radiating the utmost luxury. The phoenix crown on her head was a dazzling spectacle, its various rare gems gleaming brilliantly in the sunlight. The beaded curtain dangling from the phoenix's mouth swayed gently, emitting a crisp, melodious sound.

Around her, a group of people dressed in court robes bowed respectfully to her, chanting "Long live the princess." Yun Yao was startled and subconsciously tried to find Chu Mochen, but saw him kneeling at her feet in a plain robe, his face haggard, his eyes full of pain and struggle.

"Yao'er, are you satisfied with everything now? This is the honor you deserve. As long as you grasp the law of killing, the entire cultivation world will crawl at your feet." A charming voice sounded quietly in Yun Yao's ears, like the whisper of a devil, bewitching her mind.

Yun Yao's heart trembled. She knew full well that this was the lure of the Law of Killing, attempting to sway her heart with this most desired scene. She bit her lower lip, trying to use the pain to awaken her reason, but the illusion was like a maggot on the tarsal bone, becoming more and more real.

At this moment, Chu Mochen's voice was like a sharp sword, piercing through the layers of illusions and reaching her ears: "Yao'er, remember, our goal is to stand shoulder to shoulder, not to look down on everyone. All of this is false, don't be fooled by it!"

Yun Yao suddenly opened her eyes, a cold light flashed in her eyes, and the Lotus Heart Art instantly turned into an arrow of light, carrying her firm will, and shot fiercely towards the core of the altar.

As the arrow of light struck, the fragment of the Law of Slaughter trembled violently like an enraged beast, then shattered into a thousand shimmering fragments that shot out in all directions. Each fragment was like a mirror, reflecting a different future for Yun Yao.

In one fragment, Yun Yao was dressed in the imposing robes of an Immortal Emperor, a crown adorned on her head, and a nine-colored halo encircled her. She stood in the clouds, overlooking the countless beings in the Immortal Realm, accepting their worship. That was her as the Immortal Emperor, wielding endless power and glory. But in the blink of an eye, in another fragment, she was dressed in black robes, a demonic aura swirling around her, her eyes cold and mad. Wherever she passed, lives were destroyed, having fallen into the path of evil. In another fragment, her figure dissipated, transforming into tiny points of light, her soul scattered, and dissipated between heaven and earth...

Yun Yao gazed at the fragments, a mixture of emotions welling up in her heart. She knew that these futures were only possibilities, but a single misstep could lead to irreparable destruction. At this moment, she had only one conviction: to join forces with Chu Mochen, break the shackles of fate, restore the Way of Heaven, and protect everything they held dear.

Seeing this, Chu Mochen quickly came to Yun Yao's side. Spiritual energy surged through his body, transforming into a golden shield that protected Yun Yao and shielded her from the violent force emanating from the fragments of the law. "Don't be afraid, Yao'er. I'm here." His voice was low and firm, like a reassurance to Yun Yao.

Yun Yao gazed at Chu Mochen's resolute profile, a warmth welling in her heart. She closed her eyes slightly, catching her breath, then opened them again, a look of determination in her eyes. "In the name of the Lotus Heart, I will slay all evil!" Yun Yao shouted, and the silver lotus and the golden Lotus Heart Lock instantly resonated. A mysterious and powerful "Yin and Yang Law Domain" rapidly unfolded, centered around her.

In this realm of laws, time seemed to stand still, space distorted. As if drawn by some powerful force, the frantic fragments of laws halted their flight and slowly gathered towards Yun Yao. Yun Yao held her palms upward, letting the fragments pierce her flesh. The excruciating pain instantly spread throughout her body. Sweat beads covered her forehead, and her teeth clenched, yet she remained silent.

At the same time, her mind was like a cauldron of boiling water, countless sounds of fighting, roars, and screams intertwined, as if a brutal war was unfolding deep within her consciousness. It was the memory of the Law of Killing, filled with endless blood and cruelty, trying to break through her rational defenses.

Yet, Yun Yao clung to her heart, her gaze fixed on Chu Mochen. In this chaotic world of consciousness, Chu Mochen's presence was like a bright beacon, guiding her. He continuously channeled his spiritual energy into Yun Yao, helping her resist the backlash of the laws. Their spiritual energies blended together, forming an impenetrable defense.

Finally, with Yun Yao's persistence and Chu Mochen's assistance, all the fragments re-condensed within the Yin-Yang Law Domain, transforming into a blood-red lotus petal. The lotus petal trembled gently, as if alive, and then slowly embedded itself between Yun Yao's eyebrows.

Instantly, Yun Yao's entire body shone brightly, and a powerful and mysterious aura emanated from her. Her cultivation had unexpectedly leaped forward at this moment, and her understanding of the laws of heaven deepened.

But before they could recover from their shock, the altar collapsed with a loud bang, and a burst of crazy laughter came from underground: "You've come just in time, my 'Half-Immortal Fusion Formation' is just in need of the souls of two saints!" The laughter seemed to come from the Nine Nether Hell, revealing endless gloom and evil. It was the voice of Saint Youyue.

Yun Yao and Chu Mochen exchanged glances, each seeing the wariness and fighting spirit in the other's eyes. They knew that the ultimate showdown with the Holy Maiden of Youyue had begun, and every step forward would determine the fate of the entire cultivation world, and indeed the Three Thousand Worlds...

Without hesitation, the two men swiftly descended the underground staircase revealed by the collapsed altar. On either side of the staircase, a strange, blood-red light flickered, like a pair of evil eyes gazing down at them. As they continued deeper, a strong, demonic aura overwhelmed them, nearly suffocating them.

Finally, they arrived at the underground chamber. Inside, Saint Youyue sat cross-legged at the center of a formation composed of semi-immortal skeletons. Her body had become translucent, as if it could dissipate at any moment, but behind her, twelve semi-immortal phantoms emerged. These phantoms exuded a powerful aura, yet each radiated a strange, demonic aura that sent shivers down one's spine.

Yun Yao took a closer look and was shocked. She sensed that these phantoms were the twelve elders of the Divine Court back then. They used to be heroes who protected the Divine Court and blessed the people, but now they were all polluted by the evil spirit and became puppets of the Holy Maiden Youyue. It was really heartbreaking.

"Chu Mochen, look at these elders! They loved you the most back then." Upon seeing them arrive, Saint Youyue laughed sinisterly, her laughter echoing through the secret room like the howling of countless ghosts and wolves. "Now, their souls are in my hands—" She raised her hand and grabbed the neck of an elder's phantom, the ferocity on her face growing more intense. "Speaking of which, should we save them, or your lover?"

Chu Mochen saw this, his muscles tensed, his eyes burning with rage. He wanted to rush forward and tear Youyue Saint into pieces, but he knew he couldn't act rashly at this moment, otherwise he would fall into the other party's trap.

Yun Yao suddenly noticed a faint lotus mark between the brows of these phantoms, but she recognized it instantly: they were clearly under the Imperius Curse. Her mind raced, and she quickly devised a countermeasure. She quietly merged the fragments of the "Mirror Flower, Water Moon Lamp" she had acquired from the Wanbao Pavilion into the Law Domain. Then, with her exquisite control of the power of the Law, she created twelve false souls, identical to the elders' phantoms, making it difficult to distinguish the real from the fake.

When the Holy Maiden of Youyue cast the Imperius Curse into the false soul, Yun Yao seized this fleeting opportunity and quickly activated the Law of Backlash. The light of the blood-red lotus petals was like a surging torrent, flowing back into the body of the Holy Maiden of Youyue along the curse mark.

"Ah!" Saint Youyue let out a shrill scream. She had never expected Yun Yao to have such a back-up plan. The half-immortal phantoms, sensing the backlash of the curse, broke free from her control and knelt before Chu Mochen, "Your Highness, save us!"

"Yao'er, use the Lotus Heart Lock to purify the curse!" Chu Mochen seized the opportunity and injected the origin of the Divine Court into Yun Yao's body without hesitation, providing her with powerful support.

Yun Yao took a deep breath, focused her mind, and swept her fingertips across each shadow. Golden lotus petals blossomed from her fingertips, and wherever they passed, the evil spirits melted away like ice and snow encountering the warm sun. With the two of them working closely together, the elders' minds finally regained clarity. The confusion and pain in their eyes faded, replaced by gratitude and relief.

Seeing the situation was hopeless, Saint Youyue became enraged and suddenly detonated the center of the formation. In an instant, the chamber began to collapse violently, huge rocks tumbled down, and smoke and dust filled the air.

Chu Mochen reacted quickly, leaping forward, picking up Yun Yao and teleporting to the ground in an instant. But as soon as he touched the ground, he noticed Yun Yao's breath was unusually weak, and his heart tightened. The recoil had severely injured Yun Yao's soul. Her face was as pale as paper, and her breath was weak, like a flower about to wither.

"Yao'er, how are you?" Chu Mochen called out anxiously, his voice thick with worry and self-blame. He hugged Yun Yao tightly, continuously injecting spiritual energy into her body, trying to alleviate her injuries.

Yun Yao opened her eyes slightly, looked at Chu Mochen's anxious face, and a weak smile appeared at the corner of her mouth: "I'm fine... don't worry..." Although she said so, her voice was as light as a mosquito, revealing endless fatigue.

Chu Mochen's heart ached. He carefully picked up Yun Yao and rushed towards their temporary resting place. At this moment, he had only one thought in his mind, which was to heal Yun Yao's injuries as soon as possible, no matter what the cost...

After returning to his temporary base, Chu Mochen didn't hesitate a moment, quickly unleashing his "Divine Court Secret Technique" to warm Yun Yao's spirit. In the secret room, he sat cross-legged, Yun Yao lying before him, enveloped in a soft golden light. Chu Mochen's forehead was covered in sweat as he concentrated intently on controlling his spiritual energy, inputting every ounce of it with precision and care, fearing any inadvertent mistake would worsen Yun Yao's injuries.

While Yun Yao was unconscious, her consciousness seemed to have entered a strange world. She dreamed of standing at the pinnacle of the universe, with countless worlds flowing beneath her feet, like a dazzling galaxy. In each world, a "Yun Yao" was acting out a different story. Some were ordinary peasant girls, working from sunrise to sunset, living a simple and happy life; some were female generals galloping on the battlefield, clad in armor, awe-inspiring, fighting for her country and her people; and some were exceptionally talented female poets, writing masterpieces that will be passed down through the ages...

In every world, she could see Chu Mochen. He would either be guarding Yun Yao, protecting her from the wind and rain; or fighting alongside her, overcoming difficulties together; or silently watching from afar, his eyes filled with deep affection... No matter how her identity changed, no matter how difficult the situation, he was always looking for her, accompanying her, and never leaving her.

Yun Yao's lips curled up unconsciously, as if these beautiful dreams had given her strength. Under Chu Mochen's careful care, her injuries gradually stabilized, and her breathing became more stable, but this thrilling adventure continued...