The spiritual world suddenly felt violently shaken, making Gong Hye and Zhou Ruyu look at each other in panic. Both of them wondered what on earth was happening to make the spiritual world seem as if it was about to collapse. They fell silent for a moment, trying to feel the tremors. Zhou Ruyu’s sharpness finally paid off when she concluded that something might have happened to Song Que. "Sister Hyeye, it seems Brother Song is in danger," said Zhou Ruyu with a worried face. "It seems so, Ruyu. But we can only pray from here. We can’t go out to help!" Gong Hye replied with an anxious expression. "Mm, we really can only pray," said Zhou Ruyu sadly. Meanwhile, outside the spiritual world, Ling Mei screamed hysterically upon seeing Song Que lying weakly on the ground with his body full of wounds and blood. His face was deathly pale, and his breath was ragged as if it would stop at any moment. "What happened, Song Que?!" Ling Mei shouted while running toward him, tears streaming down

In the Wu Empire’s palace, a tense atmosphere enveloped the air. Several people gathered in the vast meeting room, sitting on neatly arranged chairs around a long table plated with gold. Their faces looked serious, not a few showing anxiety and confusion, speaking to each other in low but sharp voices. The walls of this room were filled with paintings of heroes of the Wu Empire from the past, as if they too were witnessing this important discussion. The dim light from the lanterns hanging from the ceiling created drifting shadows, reflecting the bleak and uncertain situation. The topic of discussion was none other than the defeat of the Qu Clan which had now become the spotlight throughout the Empire. No one expected that the number one elite Clan could fall just like that at the hands of the Gold Elite Clan that had newly risen to rank three. There were even rumors saying that the victory would not have happened if not for Song Que. The impact of this defeat was deeply felt by the

At that time, at the gate of the Liu Clan, a figure appeared who had never been seen before. Firmly he declared his presence, "Tell your Patriarch, I am from the Empire and wish to discuss several matters!" The guards on duty were of course confused, because they did not recognize this figure. Even though they were not part of the palace, at least these guards knew some names and important palace people. This was so they would not make mistakes when meeting them. This figure felt completely unfamiliar to them. "Who is he? Is he really from the Empire?" one of the guards muttered in his heart. However, for the sake of maintaining courtesy and the security of the Liu Clan, the guard finally relented, "Wait a moment, I will inform the Patriarch." The young man smiled faintly, feeling satisfied because the guard had listened to his order. Meanwhile, the guard who went to inform the Patriarch felt his heart pounding. He felt there was something odd about the figure who suddenly appeared

Song Que felt confused and uneasy, hesitating to step any further. "Why? What’s wrong?" In an instant, Song Que raised his hand, trying to quell the angry emotions in front of him. "Maybe there’s a misunderstanding between us!" In his heart, he felt he had never done anything wrong. Even in the midst of this attack, he had never fought back. "You criminal! We won’t let you ruin our village! Back off or die!" shouted a villager, full of emotion. In the wrap of tension, pressure, and unending jeers, Song Que faced a life-or-death choice that blinded his mind, while he stared at everyone and stood tall. "Criminal? You so easily call me a criminal, without knowing right or wrong." Song Que felt hurt. He spoke with blazing anger, "If I were really a criminal, all of you in that forest would already be dead!" He truly felt offended, because actually he didn’t know anything about the accusations they threw at him. As he said, he could have killed them all earlier. However, he didn’t do it

The dark night atmosphere was accompanied by heart-wrenching screams that poured out fear and sorrow. In a remote old hut, Song Que and several villagers along with the kidnappers gathered in a tight circle, the dim light from an old hanging lamp casting terrifying shadows on the worn walls. The kidnapper being interrogated sat on the floor with his arms and legs bound, his body showing signs of violence. He shivered in fear, broke out in cold sweat, and his eyes were red from pain. Meanwhile Song Que, with a stern and cold face, gripped the kidnapper’s fingers tightly, ready to break them if the answer given was unsatisfactory. Around them, the other kidnappers held their breath, their faces full of anxiety and tension. They could feel how valuable every finger and every passing second was, while hoping the interrogation would end quickly and they could all breathe a sigh of relief. The air inside the hut felt increasingly thick with the scent of sweat and fear, creating a suffocatin