Just as he hesitated to readily acknowledge her father, Luo Zhiheng was equally hesitant. The feeling of being close to home yet filled with trepidation perfectly described her current emotions. Even though he was right before her, even though she knew he was her father, because of her illegitimate status, because of his favoritism and affection towards this daughter, and because of the grief and despair she remembered about him that year and night, Luo Zhiheng felt guilty and sorrowful. She dared not speak, fearing that she would be doomed by the man's vast and profound paternal love.
Suddenly, a sharp, chilling killing intent swept over them. Luo Zhiheng sensed it, and so did the man. Luo Zhiheng looked up in terror and saw the Great Demon King grinning maliciously as he thrust a sharp blade at the man. Luo Zhiheng's body went cold with fear, and she screamed, "Father, be careful!!"
The man finally turned around, and a smile of utter contempt and disdain curved his sharply defined profile. Without making any move, he simply snorted coldly, "Overestimating yourself!"
The Great Demon King approached, his sharp blade only half a meter away from piercing his heart. But he suddenly raised his hand, his rough fingers accurately clamping the sword tip. Visible sword light and air currents emanated vertically from his fingers and the blade. He sneered, tightened his fingers, and with a crisp hum, the sword tip snapped off.
He raised his hand, seemingly unfazed by the impact of the broken sword charging straight at him, and met it head-on. The broken sword landed directly in his palm, and his body lunged forward. Bang! Bang! Bang! The sword shattered into pieces. His large hand grabbed the Great Demon King's neck, and a hideous scar spread wide across the web of his dark hand, demonstrating the immense strength he possessed!
Slowly raising his head, he finally revealed his face to the Great Demon King and to everyone else.
In that split second, gasps and gasps rose from the silent high wall.
"General Loge!!"
The emperor felt his blood boil with excitement and joy, and loudly corrected himself: "It's the Marshal! Loge, the Grand Marshal commanding the Mu Dynasty's 700,000-strong army!!"
The title of Grand Marshal of the Army had already been secretly bestowed upon Loge long ago, but it was not made public immediately. Today's public announcement is quite opportune.
With a loud bang, the emperor's words caused an uproar of shock throughout the hall!
Commanding 700,000 troops of the Mu Dynasty?! That's equivalent to seven-tenths of the entire Mu Dynasty's military strength! It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that this 700,000-strong army could determine the Mu Dynasty's survival or destruction! And the Emperor actually gave 700,000 troops to an outsider who wasn't even royalty?!
However, at this moment, no one was in the mood to dwell on these matters. They knew clearly that only Loge could save them now.
Some were shocked by his appearance, some by his martial arts skills, some by his identity, and some by his unparalleled masculine spirit. But the greatest shock came from the joy of surviving a calamity, the ecstasy of confirming he was one of their own, and his repeated calls of himself "father"!
Loge's two daughters are both dead, aren't they?! Good heavens, what did this Grand Marshal, who wields immense power, just call that girl?!
Heng, Heng, Heng'er?!
Everyone thought of the first Protector of the State in the history of the Mu Dynasty, the legendary woman named Heng.
Could it be Luo Zhiheng? No way!
These words shocked everyone for only a moment, and even the Great Demon King's dazed state after being captured lasted only a moment. The next moment, the Great Demon King fought back and naturally escaped from Log's grasp. The two faced off, exchanging ruthless and deadly blows.
The crowd was dazzled by the sight, but Luo Zhiheng was terrified, fearing that her father would be harmed. In her anxiety, she instinctively tried to get closer to Luo Ge. As soon as she moved, she fell from the sky.
A sudden fall is tantamount to jumping off a building; at that height, a fall would almost certainly be fatal. Luo Zhiheng was stunned. Her cry of alarm escaped her lips for a fleeting moment, but she immediately stopped herself, fearing she might disturb her father and distract him. However, Luo Ge was very sensitive to and cared deeply for Luo Zhiheng, and even that brief cry of alarm made him turn around without hesitation.
Seeing Luo Zhiheng plummeting, Loge rushed towards her without hesitation. Leaving his back to the enemy was a fatal mistake! Loge knew this, yet he seemed completely indifferent. Perhaps in his heart, his beloved daughter was always more important than his own life.
The Demon King's eyes flashed with a fierce, bloodthirsty light; he certainly wouldn't let such a golden opportunity slip by. Close behind Loge, his hands, sharper than claws, swiftly charged after Loge's back.
The dramatic scene terrified many people; would their newly gained hope be shattered so easily?
Luo Zhiheng's eyes reddened, and she screamed, "Father, don't come any closer! It's dangerous behind us! Kill him! Kill his daughter, and I'll die in peace!"
Upon hearing this, Loge's already gloomy face turned even more terrifyingly dark, and he said sternly, "If he dies, you're not allowed to get hurt either!"
First update! I got back late from shopping today, I didn't even realize it, oops! There's another update today, it's almost finished, I won't be going out anymore, I'll stay home and write the epilogue. Second update will probably be around 8:40 PM. Please vote, leave comments, and give monthly tickets, hugs to all my darlings!
551 took a liking to Log's body! The apple of her eye! She fell for it!
Updated: 2014-01-11 21:21:43 Word Count: 3421
Loge didn't go back to fight the Great Demon King because of Luo Zhiheng's words; nothing was more important to him than Luo Zhiheng. The moment Loge grabbed Luo Zhiheng, he didn't hold his daughter in his arms to protect her. Instead, he quickly threw Luo Zhiheng away, but he used a very gentle force, throwing her towards Mu Yunjin.
Mu Yunjin wasn't stupid. Even though he was injured, he still rushed forward when he saw Luo Zhiheng in danger. Just then, Luo Ge threw her, and Mu Yunjin immediately flew forward. If nothing unexpected happened, Mu Yunjin would definitely catch Luo Zhiheng.
When Log threw Luo Zhiheng, there was a brief pause. For a moment, he stood still, but in a battle between experts, the outcome could be decided in the blink of an eye. The Great Demon King, who was already pressing forward, seized this brief moment and leaped up, grabbing Log's back with a claw.
This time, there was almost no way to avoid it!
Even if Log had turned around at that moment, he certainly wouldn't have been able to dodge the Great Demon King's claw. Log wasn't foolish; as long as his daughter was safe, he felt it was well worth taking the blow. He also realized that this attack must have been the Great Demon King's all-out effort to kill him instantly, making it extremely dangerous. Rather than turning around to fight back desperately and exposing his most vulnerable internal organs to the enemy's attack, it was better to be attacked from behind, at least temporarily protecting his internal organs.
Just as Loge had guessed, the Great Demon King's claw strike was truly ruthless! His palm was covered in black mist, and when it landed on Loge, it used a suction force, causing Loge's body and face to contort. This suction force was capable of pulling at the soul, and it had already severely injured Loge.
Loge's expression changed; this was definitely the most serious injury he had sustained in all his years of fighting. But it wasn't enough to kill him.
He sneered: "Sucking up my soul? You want to possess me!"
The Great Demon King sneered, "So what if it is? I've suddenly discovered that your body is a hundred times stronger than Mu Yunhe's. Not only are you physically robust and strong, but you also possess extremely profound internal energy and martial arts skills. Most importantly, you also know the martial arts of the Heavenly Palace. Although they are not as refined and authentic as Mu Yunhe's, the fact that you know things from the Heavenly Palace is truly a surprise to me. Wouldn't you consider this an unexpected delight?"
Loge wasn't afraid. Since he was already injured, he might as well catch his breath and said sarcastically, "So you've got your eye on my body?"
The Great Demon King secretly intensified his soul-devouring power. Suffering a severe injury and then draining someone's soul to seize their body was the perfect opportunity. He said coldly, "You should be happy that I've taken a liking to your body. This way, Mu Yunhe's body can be returned to him, right? You seem to love your daughter very much. Let Mu Yunhe return to be with your daughter. You, as her father, are fulfilling the wishes of these young people. Isn't that a good thing? Your daughter will be grateful to you until her death."
He certainly wouldn't return Mu Yunhe's body to Mu Yunhe. Once he took over Loge's body, he would completely destroy Mu Yunhe's! Leaving Luo Zhiheng utterly bewildered and helpless.
Seeing Luo Zhiheng being caught by Mu Yunjin, Luo Ge finally felt half relieved and sneered, "You think I would believe your nonsense? You underestimate me too much. You really can't take my body."
The Great Demon King was secretly on guard. Log was indeed much stronger than Mu Yunhe, and also fit his aesthetic preferences. While Mu Yunhe was exceptionally good, his physique was too fragile, unsuitable for the robust builds of the demon race. He hesitated, knowing that forcibly taking Log's body was dangerous, but he was still unwilling to let this opportunity slip by.
"That's alarmist! I'll show you what true strength is!" the Great Demon King sneered.
Loge's eyes darkened as he slowly turned around. Suddenly, he roared, a warm current surging through his body and sending the Demon King flying backward with a sudden burst of power. Loge then abruptly turned and unleashed a full-scale, ruthless attack on the Demon King. The Demon King was instantly at a disadvantage, being uncontrollably thrown back while struggling to fight Loge.
However, in just a short while, the Great Demon King was already injured, and Log was also physically wounded and his soul was also affected. He could deal with the Great Demon King, but killing him was impossible.
They were evenly matched to begin with, but at this moment, his injuries meant he could only hold his own against the Great Demon King. Loge was worried about Luo Zhiheng; he couldn't let the Great Demon King see his condition and stop attacking. The Great Demon King was on guard and needed to catch his breath, and so did Loge. He said expressionlessly, "Mu Yunjin, take Heng'er and leave!"
Luo Zhiheng quickly said, "I don't want to! Father, please don't let your daughter leave. Your daughter wants to see the Great Demon King die with her own eyes."
Luo Zhiheng desperately wanted to know how Luo Ge was doing, whether he was alright. That claw attack from the Great Demon King just now was probably no simple matter. Luo Zhiheng was secretly anxious, and also wondering why the Prince Shi, who was hiding in the shadows, hadn't come out yet. She could understand the Prince Shi's indifference when her father was injured, but she had also been in great danger just now, so why hadn't he come out?
Could something else have happened?
Luo Zhiheng was somewhat surprised and uncertain. She couldn't call out, so she secretly gave Yao Niang a look, signaling her to quickly go find the Prince. Yao Niang nodded and left.
"You're not listening to your father?" The voice was sterner than ever before. For the first time, Loge felt he had spoiled her too much, and for the first time, he was annoyed by Luo Zhiheng's willfulness.
Luo Zhiheng didn't mince words and raised her voice, "I am Luo Ge's daughter. Do you think I'm afraid of death? Father was able to come back at this critical moment, so how could I leave at such a dangerous time? Besides, the two men I love most are here. Where would Father send me?"
She even acted with such self-righteousness!
Loge glared, but was helpless. Yet, he felt a surge of warmth and happiness at his daughter's words. This child had finally grown up. She wasn't mischievous anymore.
Among countless people, he spotted Luo Zhiheng at a glance. Even though her face had become so unfamiliar, he immediately felt that it was his daughter. He felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity and warmth, a desire to cherish and protect her, just like when she was first born and placed in his hands. At that moment, that soft, fragile little life held so much joy and contentment for him. At that moment, the child he held in his palm filled his mind with only one phrase: the apple of his eye!
That's why I love it so much, and that's why it's so precious.
The Great Demon King couldn't stand their ignoring him, as if he were incompetent and didn't need their respect. He interrupted them with a cold laugh: "Kill me? Watch me die? I will make you all perish! None of you here today will escape!"
"You're talking nonsense!" The words were shouted in unison by Luo Zhiheng and Luo Ge.
The father and daughter's chemistry instantly reached its peak. Loge's lips curled into a slight smile, a smile of satisfaction and pride. His daughter was fearless and unafraid, strong and brave—truly his good daughter. Luo Zhiheng was also happy; having such a rapport with her father was a truly blissful thing.
"Then let's see who dies first!" The Great Demon King roared fiercely and launched another attack on Log.
Luo Zhiheng dared not speak again, afraid of distracting her father, but seeing the two fighting so fiercely and evenly matched, she couldn't help but worry. She looked up and saw Prince Shi standing on a distant rooftop, simply watching them. Luo Zhiheng wanted to shout anxiously, but quickly stopped herself. She couldn't understand why Prince Shi wasn't coming to help destroy the Great Demon King.
The Queen had her own considerations. She wanted to see if this man who had won her sister's heart was truly qualified to bear her her sister's children. Luo Zhiheng was undoubtedly excellent, but even if she was, it was because of her sister's superior bloodline, the superior bloodline of their Silver Moon Kingdom. She didn't believe it had anything to do with this unknown man. Moreover, Luo Ningshuang's failures were probably due to inheriting this man's bloodline.
But she was shocked that this man, whom she looked down upon, was actually connected to the Divination Palace!
What's going on with this Mu Dynasty? Are diviners really that worthless? Why are they popping up all over the place?
She hadn't missed Luo Zhiheng's pleading look, but she wasn't going to intervene. She wanted to see if Luo Ge had the ability to protect his beloved daughter.
Loge was physically strong and had some connection to the Divination Palace, allowing him to persevere even with injuries. His attacks were ruthless enough that even the Great Demon King was starting to falter, his efforts stemming more from a sense of tension and apprehension. Those who had been hit by his attacks were still unharmed; just how powerful must he be?
He wasn't stupid; knowing he couldn't win over Loge anytime soon, he turned his wicked thoughts to Luo Zhiheng.
Suddenly, a cloud of mist appeared around the Great Demon King's body. Loge cautiously attacked, knowing his opponent might retaliate, so Loge didn't think much of it. But no one noticed that the Great Demon King's mist was gradually diminishing, disintegrating into the air, and inconspicuously flying towards Luo Zhiheng.
When some mist flew in front of Luo Zhiheng, it suddenly turned into sharp blades, stabbing at Luo Zhiheng with no chance of escape!
In terms of cunning and aggression, no matter where Luo Zhiheng is, the Great Demon King will succeed in his schemes.
This move was undeniably vicious!
Mu Yunjin roared and blocked many blades for Luo Zhiheng. Luo Zhiheng also knocked the blades away, but was still injured. As for Luo Ge, he was obviously distracted once again.
A two-birds-with-one-stone strategy. It would both inevitably hurt Luo Zhiheng and distract Loge. After witnessing Loge's willingness to do anything for Luo Zhiheng, the Great Demon King believed he had found Loge's weakness. But the next moment, the Great Demon King's smug expression froze on his face.
552 My soul leaves my body to protect her! (Bonus chapter for 43,500 comments)
Updated: 2014-01-11 22:14:48 Word Count: 3574
Luo Zhiheng's situation was like stirring up a hornet's nest; there was no way to avoid it. The blades weren't large, but they were all very sharp, and when they pierced Luo Zhiheng's body, the pain was excruciating. Her skin and bones were already much more fragile than normal people's, and even a single stab would cause her to cry out involuntarily.
Although Mu Yunjin helped Luo Zhiheng deflect many attacks, the blades were everywhere and could penetrate from all directions. Mu Yunjin couldn't protect Luo Zhiheng in every way. Luo Zhiheng herself could only resist frontal attacks and couldn't protect herself from all sides either. Shi Wangzaoju rushed over with a drastic change in expression, but the distance prevented her from arriving quickly.
Log turned back without hesitation to save Luo Zhiheng once again. The Great Demon King, as if he had calculated it perfectly, revealed a smug and arrogant smile. But before he could even make a move, he was dumbfounded.
He felt an uncontrollable force surging through his body, and in the blink of an eye, it burst forth, carrying him forward at breakneck speed. The Great Demon King's expression changed drastically, his eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets.
To outsiders, the Great Demon King was charging straight at Luo Zhiheng! Even Loge, with a cold expression, tried to stop him, but when Loge turned around, he was completely stunned, his expression one of shock!
Above the Great Demon King's head, a pale white light shone. To others, it appeared as a blurry ray, but to Loge, it was a person! More precisely, a soul! A soul filled with light!
Log's expression changed rapidly, but after guessing who the soul belonged to, he finally stopped all his actions.
Before the soul carrying the Demon King's body could reach Luo Zhiheng, Mu Yunjin rushed forward to stop it, disregarding everything. He couldn't see any soul; he only knew that the masked woman beside him might be Luo Zhiheng! Perhaps it really was Luo Zhiheng! Shock and disbelief were palpable, but he couldn't care less about anything else. He could die, but Luo Zhiheng couldn't die!
"Push Mu Yunjin away, he won't hurt Heng'er!" Loge's words rang out just in time. No matter how fast he was, he couldn't outrun the soul that had just flashed past him. Just for that speed, just for appearing at that crucial moment, Loge's impression of him was incredibly good.
Mu Yunjin paused instinctively, wondering if the marshal had been attacked by some kind of demon or monster by the great demon king, causing him to lose his mind. But before he could figure it out, the great demon king had already passed by him like a gust of wind, so fast that he couldn't stop him in time.
Luo Zhiheng struggled to deflect some of the blades, but it seemed endless. Exhausted, she deflected another portion, only to have her back pierced by the blade. She groaned and staggered weakly. Suddenly, she felt a strong sense of familiarity behind her, and without thinking, Luo Zhiheng turned around abruptly.
In that instant, all the black blades around her froze. Her veil and hair fluttered in the oncoming wind, her long eyelashes trembled, and her captivating eyes were fixed on the light and shadow before her. It was that almost ethereal figure, forehead to forehead with hers, looking down at her from above.