The Legend of the Princess' Counterattack

Chapter 723: Laws Recognize the Master

Amidst the vast expanse of heaven and earth, the blood-red wasteland resembled a deadly purgatory. A howling wind swirled a cloud of blood-red sand, whimpering memories of the horrific war between the Divine Court and the demonic cultivators a thousand years ago. Yun Yao and Chu Mochen stood side by side, their sleeves rustling in the strong wind, their gazes fixed fiercely on the suspended blood-red altar before them.

On the altar, the fragment of the Law of Slaughter resembled a beating bloodshot eye, its crimson glow flickering as if to devour all life in the world. Yun Yao's heartbeat accelerated unconsciously. With each step closer, the overwhelming pressure from the fragment of the Law pounded like a heavy hammer, hammering down her mind.

"Yao'er, be careful." Chu Mochen's expression was solemn. The long sword in his hand trembled slightly, and the sword's halo flowed, as if he was trying to resist the unholy pressure. He stepped sideways, half-protecting Yun Yao behind him, and glanced around vigilantly, guarding against any more surprise attacks from the dark.

Just as the two were mere feet from the altar, something strange happened. Yun Yao felt a flash of light before her eyes, and in an instant, the scene had shifted. She was startled to find herself clad in the magnificent attire of a princess, intricately woven with gold and silver threads, and the pearls adorning her phoenix crown shone brightly. Surrounded by a crowd of people, they worshiped devoutly, chanting, "Long live the princess." Chu Mochen, however, was dressed in plain clothes, kneeling on the ground with his head bowed. His usually resolute eyes were now filled with pain.

"This is..." Yun Yao's heart was shaken. She subconsciously raised her hand, but found her fingertips trembling slightly. The scene was too realistic, as if it were happening in real life, but a voice in her heart screamed frantically, telling her that all this was an illusion.

"This is the lure of the Law of Slaughter, swaying the mind with the most desired scene." Chu Mochen's voice was like a sharp arrow, piercing through the illusion and reaching her ears. Yun Yao looked in the direction of the voice, only to see Chu Mochen's figure, a little blurry in the illusion, but revealing an incomparable determination. "Yao'er, remember, our goal is to stand shoulder to shoulder, not to look down on all living beings."

Yun Yao bit her lower lip, the stinging pain instantly dispelling the slight trance brought on by the illusion. She took a deep breath, activated the Lotus Heart Technique, and a silver light surged from her palm, transforming into an arrow of light. With her resolute determination, it shot fiercely towards the core of the altar.

With a crisp sound, the fragments of the law split apart like an enraged beast, instantly transforming into thousands of blood-red rays that surged towards Yun Yao. Each fragment was like a mirror, reflecting her completely different future.

Surrounded by celestial light, she wore an imperial crown and dragon robes, her ministers adorning her behind her, overlooking the myriad realms. That was her now the Immortal Emperor, yet her eyes shone with loneliness and coldness. Then the scene switched again, revealing demonic figures lurking all around her. She was dressed in a black robe, her long black hair dancing wildly, her magic weapon brimming with blood, her body swirling with demonic energy. She had fallen into the devil's path, her face twisted and hideous. In another instant, the stars shattered, the heavens and the earth collapsed, and her figure vanished in endless chaos, her soul shattered, leaving only despair...

Yun Yao stared wide-eyed as she watched the future flash by like a revolving lantern. Her heart was pounding with fear, confusion, and despair. But at this critical moment, she caught a glimpse of Chu Mochen, who had remained motionless beside her.

He was dressed in white, whiter than snow, his figure erect as a pine tree. He held his longsword pointed diagonally at the ground, its radiance echoing with her Lotus Heart Technique, continuously channeling spiritual energy to shield her from the backlash of the laws. His familiar face, etched with trust and protection, was like a towering mountain, unmoved by the wind and rain.

"In the name of the Lotus Heart, I will slay all evil!" Yun Yao roared to the heavens, her voice resonating across the heavens. Instantly, the silver lotus between her brows shone brightly, resonating with the golden Lotus Heart Lock on her chest. The silver and gold radiances intertwined, transforming into a "Yin and Yang Law Domain."

This domain of laws resembled a primordial chaos, imbued with boundless vitality and destructive power. Within it, a silver lotus unfolded its petals, each like a page from a heavenly book, inscribed with mysterious runes. A golden lotus heart lock hovered within, its core gushing with golden threads, weaving into a net that firmly bound all incoming fragments of laws.

Under the suppression of the Law Domain, the violent fragments, like stray lambs returning to the right path, gradually ceased their struggles and slowly converged. Yun Yao's face was as pale as paper, beads of sweat dripping from her forehead, but she gritted her teeth and persevered, her hands constantly changing the magic formulas, guiding the fragments to merge.

"Puff—" A mouthful of blood spurted from her mouth, staining the front of her clothes red. The pain of the fragments of the law fusing together was like a thousand ants gnawing at her heart, like her soul being placed in a raging fire. But Yun Yao's eyes grew more determined. She remembered the hardships she had walked with Chu Mochen, the moments of life and death together, and an unyielding strength surged in her heart.

"Concentrate!" Yun Yao cried out, clasping her hands together fiercely. Within the Law Domain, all fragments shone brightly before merging into one, transforming into a blood-red lotus petal. Runes shimmered on it, as if imbued with the ultimate truth of the universe. Under Chu Mochen's intense gaze, the blood-red lotus petal slowly rose and nestled between Yun Yao's eyebrows.

In an instant, a flash of blood-red light enveloped Yun Yao. Deep within her eyes, it was as if stars vanished and laws of nature flowed. An immensely powerful force surged from her brows into every part of her body. She could clearly sense her connection with the world growing ever closer, as if she had become a part of its laws.

"Success..." Chu Mochen breathed a sigh of relief, his eyes filled with relief and pride. He quickly stepped forward, supporting the shaky Yun Yao, resting his hand gently on her back and injecting a gentle spiritual energy into her to help her steady her breath.

However, before they could recover from their shock, a sinister laugh suddenly rang out from beneath the altar. It was like the roar of a demon from the underworld, chilling the very core of their being.

"You've arrived just in time! My 'Half-Immortal Fusion Formation' is in need of the souls of two Saint Sons and Saint Daughters!" Saint Youyue's voice, like a curse, echoed across the blood-red wasteland. Immediately afterwards, the altar collapsed with a resounding bang, stirring up a cloud of blood. A staircase leading underground slowly emerged. Beneath it lay a dark, deep abyss, as if leading to an endless abyss. Waves of chilling air washed over them.

Yun Yao and Chu Mochen exchanged a glance, each seeing determination in the other's eyes. After a brief pause, they took their first steps, heading towards the unknown depths of the underground. Each step felt like a step on the drumbeat of fate, and they were ready to fight to the death with the Holy Maiden of Youyue, seeking a glimmer of hope for this shattered world...

Entering the underground chamber, a stench of rancidity and unholy force was overwhelming, nearly nauseating. Inside, the Holy Maiden of Phantom Moon, like a demon of the night, sat cross-legged at the center of a formation composed of semi-immortal skeletons. Her body was translucent, as if it could dissipate in the wind at any moment. Behind her, twelve semi-immortal phantoms bared their fangs and claws, emitting a chilling pressure.

Yun Yao's heart tightened as she scanned the scene. Though the faces of these phantoms were distorted, they could still be identified as the twelve elders of the Divine Court. In the past, they had been the pillars of the Divine Court, but now, corrupted by the evil spirit, they had become mere puppets of the Holy Maiden Youyue. It was truly heartbreaking.

"Chu Mochen, look at these elders! They loved you the most back then." Saint Youyue smiled sinisterly, raising her hand to pinch the neck of an elder's shadow, as if pinching an ant. "Tell me, should you save them, or your little lover?"

Chu Mochen's muscles tensed, his eyes blazing with rage, threatening to set the chamber ablaze. His fists clenched, his knuckles white and crackling, and he longed to rush forward and rip Youyue Saint into pieces.

Yun Yao suppressed her rage, her gaze as calm as ice. Quietly channeling her spiritual energy, she carefully sensed the shadows and discovered that each had a faint lotus mark between its brows, clearly under the spell of the incomparably vicious "Soul-stealing Curse."

"Hmph, plotting against us won't be that easy." Yun Yao snorted inwardly, then calmly merged the fragment of the "Mirror Flower, Water Moon Lamp" she had acquired from the Wanbao Pavilion into the Law Domain. Instantly, the Law Domain shone with light, and twelve fake spirits, identical to the elder's phantom, slowly emerged, emitting a faint aura that resembled real people.

The Holy Maiden Youyue was immersed in the pride of being in control of the situation and didn't notice anything unusual. She raised her hand and waved it, and a demonic light rushed towards Yun Yao and Chu Mochen, shouting, "Die!"

At the same time, she cast the Imperius Curse into the false soul. Just as the demonic light was about to reach them, Yun Yao seized the opportunity and activated the Lotus Heart Technique with all her might, radiating the Law Domain. The blood-red lotus petals shone like a raging dragon, flowing back through the curse seal into the body of the Youyue Saint.

“Ah—” Saint Youyue let out a shrill scream, her body trembling violently as if struck by lightning. Like prisoners freed from their shackles, the semi-immortal phantoms broke free from her control, kneeling before Chu Mochen and shouting in unison, “Your Highness, Holy Son, save us!”

"Yao'er, use the Lotus Heart Lock to purify the curse!" Chu Mochen seized this fleeting opportunity and, without hesitation, injected the power of the Divine Court's origin into Yun Yao's body. Yun Yao took a deep breath and lightly tapped her fingertips. Golden lotus petals floated out from the Lotus Heart Lock, and the light flowed, like the light of divine salvation.

Her figure swirled like a dancing fairy, her fingertips brushing past every shadow. Wherever she passed, golden light melted like snow in a spring breeze, and the evil spirits melted away like ice. Illuminated by this light, the elders' spirits finally regained clarity, their eyes revisiting their former wisdom and majesty.

"Thank you, Holy Son and Holy Daughter, for rescuing us!" The elders expressed their gratitude in unison. Their voices echoed in the secret room, revealing their relief at having survived the calamity.

Seeing this, Saint Youyue was enraged, her eyes filled with madness and determination. She stamped her foot, and the demonic evil around her surged wildly, like a black ocean, instantly engulfing her. Then, she detonated the center of the formation.

"Boom!" A loud noise filled the secret room, as if doomsday had arrived. The walls cracked and rocks fell. Chu Mochen reacted quickly, hugging Yun Yao and teleporting to the ground.

As soon as he landed, he noticed Yun Yao's breath was weak, like a candle in the wind. The recoil had severely damaged her soul. Her face was as pale as paper, her eyes were closed, and her brow was furrowed, as if she was immersed in endless pain.

"Yao'er!" Chu Mochen was terribly anxious. He hugged Yun Yao tightly and sped towards his temporary resting place. Along the way, the wind whistled in his ears, and his heart felt like it had sunk into an icy cellar, filled with self-blame and worry. He secretly vowed that no matter the cost, he would heal Yun Yao and, together with her, continue to fight against the darkness in this world...