The highest building in the palace, the Observatory.

The Star Shining Sky Plate quietly hovered in mid-air.

Yao Concubine, dressed in an Alchemist Robe, chanted and took steps, performing a bizarre dance.

As the night passed, Emperor Xia, Chou Alchemist, and others were exhausted, their eyes bloodshot.

However, in Emperor Xia's eyes, there was a deep worry, while a trace of excitement lurked in Chou Alchemist's.

When the Southern Twelve Stars, the brightest in the sky to the south, rose,

Yao Concubine's dance abruptly changed, and she rose into the air, standing upon the Star Shining Sky Plate.

Behind her, a radiant beam of light suddenly refracted.

Inside the column of light, Yao Concubine seemed like a fairy from heaven, surrounded by auspicious light of various colors.

"Where is the Xiahou family of the Emperor of Daxia!"

Yao Concubine's voice differed from the seductive tones earlier; it now carried a regal authority.

On the mainland, only those above the Reincarnation Realm and those of Fang Venerate Level supreme strong could stand suspended in air,

Yao Concubine was merely a Fifth or Sixth Rank Alchemist, her cultivation nowhere near sufficient to allow her to fly in the sky.

When Emperor Xia saw Yao Concubine again, standing in the air like a deity, he was startled and hurriedly knelt down.

Chou Alchemist also followed suit, prostrating and starting to worship her.

"Marquis Xia, to the northwest of Xia Capital, a demon energy pierces the sky. The demon that threatens our nation must be there. You must dispatch forces to eradicate it immediately." After speaking, Yao Concubine's figure flashed as she searched toward the northwest of Xia Capital.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Xia immediately deployed three thousand men of the Imperial Army and urgently summoned Grand Protector Hong Fang into the palace.

The two led the Imperial Army, following Yao Concubine to search for the demon's whereabouts.

"Your Majesty, that estate up ahead is engulfed with demon energy. The demon is hiding inside."

Yao Concubine led Emperor Xia and Grand Protector Hong Fang in front of an estate and commanded with absolute authority.

Emperor Xia took a careful look and realized this estate was none other than the Lan Residence.

His brows furrowed instantly.

While he indulged in superstitions, he hadn't become feebleminded to such an extent. Recently, there had been too many rumors against Princess Ye, so many that even Emperor Xia started to doubt.

Seeing Emperor Xia hesitating, Hong Fang bellowed.

"What demon dares to hide in General Lan's Mansion, endangering the nation of Daxia? Show yourself and accept your death." With a wave of his hand, the Imperial Army behind Hong Fang kicked open the gate of the Lan Residence.

It was still early in the morning, and the people inside the Lan Residence were all deep in sleep.

When they heard someone breaking in, Lan Yingwu was the first to wake up. He got out of bed, grabbed his weapon, too rushed even to put on his armor, and charged out.

"Hong Fang, it's you again, you scoundrel." A few days earlier, in the Golden Throne Hall, General Lan had fought with Hong Fang, with both still bearing injuries from the encounter.

Seeing Hong Fang causing trouble outside his own mansion so early in the morning instantly enraged him.

Upon seeing Lan Yingwu, viciousness flared in Hong Fang's eyes. He shook his fists and launched his family's Xuan Yang Bomb Fist.

The same Xuan Yang Bomb Fist coming from Hong Yulang, who was at the Reincarnation Second Realm, had a completely different impact than when Hong Fang used it. His fists were charged with Fiery Sun Power, and a fearsome sonic boom akin to the roar of the wind violently smashed towards Lan Yingwu.

How could Lan Yingwu show any weakness? He stomped his foot, sinking the stone slabs beneath him slightly, and spirals of Reincarnation Fire wrapped around his fists, roaring into life.

Only a bursting sound was heard, followed by a scent of scorched air.

Behind Lan Yingwu, a fire giant appeared, bellowing angrily as it breathed out a stream of flames straight at Hong Fang.

The wind from the punch clashed with the flames. Hong Fang staggered and landed on the ground while Lan Yingwu took a deep breath, causing cracks to appear beneath his feet on the stone slabs.

For Lan Yingwu, this first head-on confrontation was not easy. In terms of their cultivation realms, Hong Fang was already at the Reincarnation Second Realm, while Lan Yingwu was only at the Reincarnation First Path. In a direct clash, Lan Yingwu was slightly inferior.

"Lan Yingwu, as an Imperial Mandate official, are you really going to shield a demon?"

Looking up, Lan Yingwu saw Yao Concubine standing in the sky, her feet on the Earth-level Spirit Treasure Star Shining Sky Plate, with auspicious light of various colors diffusing behind her, making her look like a descending goddess.

Seeing this, Lan Yingwu knew things were not good and inwardly cursed his luck.

"Minister Lan, the State Preceptor has detected a demon that poses a threat to the well-being of Daxia. This demon is hidden within your residence. To avoid any suspicion, you should call everyone out from your mansion." Emperor Xia intervened, stopping Lan Yingwu and Hong Fang, who were about to continue their fight.

Both men were pillars of strength for Daxia, and Emperor Xia was unwilling to see harm come to either.

"A demon? Father, just as I said, with the demon energy skyrocketing this early in the morning, it turns out there really is a demon."

A lazy female voice was suddenly heard.

Emperor Xia and Hong Fang looked in the direction of the voice to see a young girl in white garments walking out, her black hair smooth as silk and wearing an Alchemist Robe, her deep and bottomless black eyes.

Ye Lingyue!

Emperor Xia and Hong Fang could not help but be moved.

Upon hearing Ye Lingyue's voice, Yao Concubine, with old and new grievances in her heart, was just about to accuse Ye Lingyue of being the demon.

Suddenly, a dazzling light shone from the eastern sky.

Amidst heavenly music-like beautiful cries, a wave of multicolored clouds made its way toward the sky above Lan Residence.

Upon closer inspection, what seemed to be multicolored clouds was actually a colorful Phoenix.

"A Divine Bird, it's the Divine Bird Phoenix!"

Emperor Xia and the entire Imperial Army were dumbstruck.

In the sky, Yao Concubine standing on the Heavenly Mechanism Plate, her face turned pale as soon as she heard the cry of the Phoenix.

The Divine Bird Phoenix spread its wings, measuring two to three meters in length. With a flap of its massive wings, gusts of wind arose from nowhere.

Yao Concubine couldn't see her surroundings and only heard exclamations from the ground below.

There was a snap, and her body received a heavy blow, and behind her back, a pair of sharp claws appeared.

With one slash of the claws, Yao Concubine's back was split open, skin and flesh burst forth in pain and terror, causing her beauty to fade.

What's worse, Yao Concubine felt the effect of the Flying Elixir she had taken begin to wear off.

This was hundreds of meters in the air - she didn't want to die.

As the Star Shining Sky Plate plummeted downward, Yao Concubine only had time to cry out.

"Help, Your Majesty, Lord Grand Protector save me."

At this moment, Yao Concubine couldn't care less about accusing Ye Lingyue of being a demon. Her ability to fly was all thanks to the Flying Elixir given to her by Grand Protector Hong Fang, who had said that the effect would last for half an hour. But why...

Yao Concubine didn't have time to understand as she plunged to the ground.

What used to be a charming and alluring beauty turned into a pile of unrecognizable flesh and blood in an instant, leaving all the onlookers profoundly affected.

Even Lan Yingwu, who had seen many horrific scenes on the battlefield, felt his stomach churn.