"Damn it..."
Even though the Blaze City Lord had long suspected that He Pingfan's formation was no ordinary trap, he hadn't expected it to be this fearsome.
A single seventh-stage Blood Realm cultivator like He Pingfan was actually able to erupt with a presence that rivaled even a Transcendent Realm powerhouse.
Which could only mean one thing the array beneath his feet was not just high-grade... it was likely a peak-grade fourth-rank formation!
"For a mere Blood rank cultivator to even lay down a second-rank peak-grade Moltenburst Lava Array would be impressive enough. A third-rank? That'd already be enough to crown him a genius formation master."
"But a fourth-rank peak-grade array? That's something only a late-stage Transcendent Realm expert could achieve... Could this formation be someone else's legacy?!"
The realization struck him like a bolt of lightning.
That had to be it. There was no other explanation. Only an inheritance left behind by a powerful Transcendent cultivator or above could grant a man like He Pingfan such capability.
And the more he thought about it, the more convinced he became.
The same thought was mirrored in the minds of the gathered cultivators. The moment their suspicions took root, it flourished and turned into belief.
A legacy that could transmit knowledge of a fourth-grade peak formation!
If such an inheritance fell into their hands...
The Blaze city Lord's breathing grew heavy, and greed flickered in the eyes of many around him.
But just as they were drowning in their thoughts of being a powerful cultivator with the formation a voice cut through their day dream.
"Heh... if you want me to release these people, fine."
Everyone's attention snapped back to He Pingfan.
His gaze never left Serena Firegrave, as his eyes gleamed with greed and obsession. His tone also dropped, now laced with chilling intent.
"You will come to me in exchange for them. Does that sound fair to you?"
With that, he waved his hand and a rift opened within the confines of the Moltenburst Lava Array—a narrow path leading directly toward the central platform where he stood. But he didn't drop his guard yet. His entire body remained tense, ready to shut the path the moment if anyone else made a move.
"Impudence! The dignity of a royal princess is not something for a grave-robbing rogue to toy with!"
"You dare demand the Crown Princess as a hostage? You will Die for your insolence!"
A chorus of outraged shouts burst from the Blazecity's side. The proposal had lit a firestorm of fury in the assembled powerhouses.
Even if she was only in the ninth stage of Blood Stage, Serena was still the beloved daughter of Prince Firegrave, a royal bloodline of the Dusk Empire. Her body was protected by countless hidden safeguards. She could not, under any circumstance, fall into the enemy's hands.
If she were harmed, there was no telling what wrath the Firegrave family or Prince Firegrave himself would unleash on them.
"Enough!"
Just as the outrage reached a certain point, Serena lifted her hand in a quieting gesture.
Instantly, the entire area fell silent.
Without another word, she turned her gaze to He Pingfan and walked steadily toward the array's opening.
"You can fulfill your part of the deal now," she said calmly.
"Well then... no wonder you're known as the ice-blooded princess of the Dusk Empire. You're even decisive in your actions."
He Pingfan grinned in admiration.
As her footsteps echoed up the stone path toward his platform, he flicked his sleeve and several exits opened within the formation, revealing glimpses of the outside world.
From within the array, tens of thousands of trapped villagers caught sight of the openings. And like lost wanderers glimpsing an oasis, they surged forward with everything they had even crawling, stumbling and running driven by pure survival instinct.
Within minutes, the once packed interior of the formation was empty, save for He Pingfan and Serena.
"See that?" He Pingfan sneered, pointing toward the villagers disappearing into the distance. "That's the loyalty you just risked your life for. Not a single thank you."
"Do you regret it now?"
Serena's expression didn't change in the slightest.
"Regret?" she softly her voice echoing inside the formation, tilting her head.
"Why would I regret it?"
"As a member of the royal family, isn't it my duty to protect the people of the Dusk Empire? I never expected their gratitude."
Her voice was calm with more determination than what a lot of senior cultivators had.
She had only some months left to live. If she could use her remaining time to save thousands of lives, then it was very much worth it for her.
In death, she would leave behind a legacy of honor. Her name would be remembered, her father would gain prestige, and the Firegrave name would shine even brighter in the Dusk Empire.
It was, as she saw it, a perfect trade for her life.
"No more stalling. Say what you brought me here to say."
"I?" He Pingfan's grin slowly twisted into a snarl as he heard her words and saw that she didn't show any suffering that he wanted to see from her. His eyes were now filled with hate and long-buried pain.
"What do I want?"
"I WANT YOUR LIFE!"
His voice cracked as blood welled in his eyes.
"The Firegrave soldiers crippled my parents for the sake of you. They wanted our family's Dragonbeard Herb to enhance your cultivation, and when my parents refused, they... they..."
His body shook with grief and fury. Finally, he pulled out a black crystalline object the control core of the array.
One squeeze, and the entire fourth-rank peak-grade formation would explode with destructive force rivaling a Soul Stage cultivator's full strike.
"HAHAHA!" He Pingfan roared. "To die with a Crown Princess at my side... I can finally face my parents!"
"This entire land will remember me the madman who took down a royal!"
But just as he was about to crush the core, he hesitated.
Wait... why wasn't she reacting?
There were shouts from the royal guards, cries of panic from the soldiers outside the array, but Serena Firegrave...
She just stood there.
Calm.
Composed.
Expressionless.
She wasn't screaming, wasn't flinching, she wasn't even blinking.
"…Huh?"
"You're not afraid to die?"
His hand trembled as confusion bloomed inside him.
What kind of royal looked death in the face with that kind of serenity?
Why was this woman... so emotionless?