The Choice

The earth trembled, and the dark clouds above the royal palace flashed with lightning, emitting bursts of muffled thunder.

Inside the royal palace, enveloped by the grand array, chaos had erupted.

A figure cloaked in starlight, using light wings on its back, flew back and forth across the array. Many guards gave chase from behind, but they were always left far behind by this figure.

The battle had already begun underground. Since Wu Wang had decided to act, he didn't want to waste any more time. He swaggered through various parts of the royal palace, hiding crystal balls in numerous corners.

The Star Invocation Technique originally had no arrays, but after much tinkering, arrays were incorporated.

After circling the royal palace a few times, hundreds of figures were already following Wu Wang. Urgent arrows began to appear in the air, but their speed couldn't match the Star Wings behind Wu Wang.

He suddenly changed direction, charging straight for the Queen's chambers. The guards stationed everywhere fell into disarray, their shouts rising one after another, all variations of the same old pleas:

"Assassin!"

"Stop him!"

"Protect Her Majesty!"

Unfortunately, the experts in the royal palace who could pose even the slightest threat to Wu Wang had all been dispatched to the grand hall in the northwestern palace at this very moment.

Wu Wang burst into the chambers as if no one were there. He dropped over a hundred ice sculptures and, leaping up through the skylight, rapidly descended towards the opening in the northwest corner.

On the queen's bed, the queen was still in a deep sleep, her flushed face wearing a smile as if from intoxication. However, a necklace made of ice crystals now adorned her wrist.

The National Teacher, who had been lying by the wine table, ignored by everyone, groggily opened his eyes and sat up, holding his forehead.

"What... what happened..."

Meanwhile, deep within the underground palace.

The strangely shaped Fierce Beast had left the area where it had been sitting. It let out roars from its mouth, and the peculiar human-like hand gripped a long staff, from which wind, fire, and lightning erupted.

Every time its strong four hooves charged forward and stomped, the underground palace would shake, and debris would fall from all directions.

The military officers who had followed Fengge were now dispersed. Most of them harassed it from a distance with arrows, attempting to shoot the Fierce Beast's eyes, mouth, neck, and other vital points. However, the powerful bows they held, capable of piercing stone and penetrating metal, were repeatedly deflected by the Fierce Beast's tough hide.

Those who directly engaged the Fierce Beast... had already suffered significant casualties.

This was even with the Fierce Beast's gaze constantly drawn to Ling Xiaolan, and Ling Xiaolan had done her best to avoid crowded areas while dodging and weaving.

The main force currently attacking the Fierce Beast was undoubtedly Ling Xiaolan, Ji Mo, and Fengge.

Fengge, wielding her long spear, transformed her charging trajectory into crisscrossing lightning bolts. Each time a lightning bolt struck the Fierce Beast's legs, spurts of blood would fly.

Charge, an endless charge!

Figures who approached the Fierce Beast were continuously sent flying, and military officers were constantly consumed by flames or swept away by fierce winds and hurled far away.

Yet, this group of warriors from the Women's Country showed no intention of retreating.

They roared and shouted, wanting to use their own fury to slay the Fierce Beast that devoured the souls of their people. Although their attacks were too weak against the Fierce Beast's body, not a single one of them showed fear in their eyes.

But still, people would fall.

Gradually, those who fell could no longer get up. They could only strain their necks to look up...

"Great General! Have your people retreat!"

Ji Mo, hovering in mid-air, shouted loudly. He clasped the small hammer crackling with lightning in his hands, his eyes glowing with purple light. The small hammer rapidly expanded, suddenly growing to dozens of feet in length!

Fengge let out a cry. Those surrounding the Fierce Beast immediately retreated. Ji Mo raised the immortal hammer high and smashed it down fiercely onto the Fierce Beast's spine, causing it to stagger. Its front legs bent, and it directly knelt down.

Ling Xiaolan's sword erupted with brilliant white light. She shot up into the sky, weaving and dancing in the air, scattering boundless sword Qi.

The swords rained down like a river, as if a mighty torrent from the heavens!

The Fierce Beast roared upwards, its body engulfed by the sword Qi. Boundless dark energy exploded from its body, leaving behind streaks of blood.

Fengge clenched her long spear and took a deep breath. Seeing Ji Mo panting in the air, unable to wield the immortal hammer again in a short time, she gripped her spear, lowered her stance, and charged forward again.

One step, two steps, her spear erupted with lightning. Her figure was like a fierce wind as she darted into the swirling dark energy.

In the air, the light in Ling Xiaolan's eyes returned to calm. She carefully observed the situation below, only to see streaks of lightning appearing within the dark energy. The Fierce Beast's body seemed to be collapsing...

Was it finished?

Ling Xiaolan swept her Spiritual Consciousness across the area, only to discover that there were already heavy casualties.

In an instant, disaster struck!

The dark energy rapidly expanded, and a blood-red membrane surged outwards like a shockwave. Fengge was directly thrown back, and the Fierce Beast's injuries were healing at a visible rate.

Ling Xiaolan was about to draw her sword and dive down, but as the blood-red light surged, she heard piercing screams in her ears.

Her Nascent Soul vibrated, her soul stirred, and her vision went black. She almost fell from the sky.

This was a soul-damaging technique!

Ji Mo, whose cultivation was inferior to Ling Xiaolan's, was even worse off. He was sent flying directly, spitting out a mouthful of blood. His face was as pale as paper, and his eyes were filled with terror.

"Great General!"

A shout suddenly came from the side. Several military officers rushed to Fengge's side after she was knocked back. Their figures moved like the wind, and they were about to surround the Fierce Beast.

"All of you, retreat! Attacking it is useless! Retreat!"

Fengge roared, "This is a military order! Take the injured and withdraw immediately! Fairy Ling! Give me some time!"

"The fierce demon has been vanquished!"

Ling Xiaolan let out a soft cry, her sword moving like a swimming dragon. Magic power surged through her, and she attacked from the air. However, the fierce beast swung its wooden staff, sending out layers of red light that completely blocked Ling Xiaolan's advance.

The fierce beast's gaze was locked onto Fengge.

Fengge gritted her teeth, pushed away the military officer beside her who was hesitating whether to retreat, took two steps forward with her spear, and then her legs trembled as she knelt on the ground.

Two ferocious beams shot from the fierce beast's eyes, and its terrifying human face slowly approached Fengge, as if intending to swallow her whole.

Your Majesty... Jiayi...

A flicker of confusion crossed Fengge's eyes, and a few scenes surfaced in her mind before quickly vanishing...

'National Teacher, what should we do with her? She went to the divine temple by accident.'

'Execute her,' the white-haired old National Teacher sighed. 'Her soul is not yet mature. If she lives, she will live in fear for the next three years. Strengthen the guard there and prevent such incidents from happening again.'

*'That...'

She would never forget it. The small child who stepped out from behind the National Teacher, only about seven or eight years old, with red-rimmed eyes, quietly said:

'Can she be allowed to live? My mother is about to take over from my grandmother, and there will be at least a few decades of peace. We have enough sacrifices here. Can she be my bodyguard? National Teacher, haven't we lost too many people already?'

'Your Highness, to suddenly say this... Alas, the decision is yours.'

The scene shifted to beside the swing under that tree.

'What's your name?'

'Your Highness, I, I don't have a name.'

'Then, from now on, can you be called Fengge? My name is Jiayi, please guide me.'

"Jiayi..."

Fengge murmured, the confusion in her eyes vanishing instantly. She looked at the giant beast before her, its massive mouth agape, and suddenly flames ignited all over her body, with a bright flame flickering on her forehead.

Burn my soul, offer it up!

"Freeze."

A dense ice-blue aura suddenly appeared around Fengge, and she instinctively jumped backward. A large block of ice appeared where she had been standing, and the giant beast bit it to pieces, scattering ice shards everywhere.

"Is this your plan? To bury the fierce beast with lives?"

A voice filled with confusion came from behind. Fengge and Ji Mo both froze. Ji Mo, however, looked behind him with great surprise and shouted, "Brother Xiong, save me!"

"Isn't it time for you to drug me?"

A point of starlight flickered, and the sound of breaking air rapidly followed. Countless ice shards condensed in the air, forming an ice river that shot down towards the fierce beast!

With extremely fast incantations and the surging spiritual energy throughout the underground palace, several ice spikes pierced the fierce beast's feet, drawing out thick blood.

Fengge saw a figure fly out from behind the ice river, a pair of Starlight Wings spread across its back, and seven Crystal Balls filled with starlight orbiting it.

This empty underground palace seemed to have welcomed the starry sky.

The fierce beast was about to pounce, but one ice wall after another appeared before it, and countless ice spikes erupted from the ground, making it afraid to move.

"General Fengge, take your people and retreat."

Wu Wang turned his head slightly, looked at Fengge, and curled his lips. "Fierce beasts aren't fought like this."

Taking a deep breath, Wu Wang raised his hand and clutched the necklace on his chest, then popped a few Pills into his mouth. His Star Wings gave a gentle flick, and he shot towards the fierce beast. Just as the fierce beast raised its wooden staff, he rapidly swooped towards the ground, circling past the beast's front legs.

A few Crystal Balls stopped at the fierce beast's ankles, and stars began to shine within them.

"Praise the Star God."

Starlight surged, and pure star power condensed into a giant ice blade, forcefully cutting into the fierce beast's ankle.

The fierce beast stumbled, and its forelegs directly knelt.

Wu Wang's figure, however, had already appeared on its left. Six-pointed snowflakes materialized behind his Star Wings, and a gust of wind carrying icy cold swept across half of the fierce beast's body. As Wu Wang moved, it sprinkled all over the fierce beast.

Several Crystal Balls exploded into an ice mountain, smashing directly onto the highest point of the fierce beast's back;

Silver-white lightning burst towards the fierce beast's eyes, forcing it to shut them tightly;

Cold air condensed into a hundred-zhang-long ice sword, which was swung down at the fierce beast.

Who would have thought that these were all feints to attract the fierce beast's attention? Wu Wang's figure appeared ghost-like at the fierce beast's ankles and back, targeting its various joint points, throwing Crystal Balls, and quickly retreating.

His voice also echoed through the underground palace:

"The Women's Country might find this knowledge useful, so you'd all best remember it. When dealing with large fierce beasts, you must find their weak spots. No matter how strong a fierce beast is, as long as it can't kill you instantly, it cannot be so strong as to have no weaknesses. The larger the body, the greater the destructive power, and the more weaknesses it will have. Generally, you should prioritize attacking its ankles, armpits, and other areas to cripple its mobility."

By using its divine sense fluctuations generated each time it casts spells like wind, fire, lightning, etc., we can lock onto the position of its beast core. We'll strike its beast core with our strongest attacks, and even a needle piercing it would injure it.

..."

The people of the Women's Country stared blankly at the scene before them, listening to the calm voice.

"General, why... didn't we invite this Divine Envoy from the very beginning..."

Fengge, her flames now extinguished, spoke with a pale face, "How would I know he could be this strong? I feel like he's about the same strength as the National Teacher, how is this possible?"

"When it comes to dealing with fierce beasts, Brother Xiong is clearly more experienced than us."

Ling Xiaolan's voice came from above them. Everyone looked up and saw Ling Xiaolan had taken out her jade flute and was gently playing it.

Wisps of green ripples spread out from around her and converged towards Wu Wang, enveloping him as he flew rapidly.

Wu Wang's forward momentum increased significantly, almost causing him to crash directly into the fierce beast's embrace!

Wu Wang turned and glared at Ling Xiaolan. She pursed her lips, closed her eyes, and smiled a little sheepishly...

"Play again!"

Wu Wang shouted lightly, his figure flying to a position directly above the already heavily wounded fierce beast.

Ling Xiaolan played the immortal melody again, layers of ripples enveloping Wu Wang, and his aura suddenly surged.

Ji Mo looked at Ling Xiaolan with a hint of helplessness, his eyes filled with frustration.

After all this time, why didn't he get this treatment? He had never experienced the Heavenly Origin Mystic Maiden Sect's renowned signature technique even once.

Crack!

Wu Wang clapped his hands together and then forcefully pulled them apart. A rapidly spinning ice ball materialized in his palm. He held it with one hand and threw it towards the fierce beast's face.

The fierce beast swept its long staff, and those blood-red shockwaves appeared again.

The necklace on Wu Wang's chest glowed with an ice-blue light, completely enveloping him. He stood firm against the continuous onslaught, like an ice-blue reef.

With a half-snort, Wu Wang moved with lightning speed, his hands constantly forming seals as he scattered crystal balls from his sleeves.

His figure flickered like lightning, and the underground palace was soon filled only with Wu Wang's afterimages.

The fierce beast's wounds couldn't recover in time. Its body was already riddled with holes pierced by ice, and its limbs were embedded with ice blades.

Finally, as Wu Wang stopped in front of the fierce beast, crouched down, and pressed his hands to the ground, the chant he had been reciting grew louder. Dozens of ice spikes shot up from the ground, piercing the beast's now immobile body.

The fierce beast collapsed with a roar, its blood frozen solid.

Wu Wang let out a light breath, swallowing the last pill in his mouth to replenish his depleted divine sense.

The flute music didn't stop immediately but became soothing, making Wu Wang feel quite comfortable and giving him a bold idea...

He wondered if the disciples of the Heavenly Origin Mystic Maiden Sect had found suitable employment. His Northern Plains were in desperate need of a band of musicians.

This was just too comfortable.

If it weren't for his peculiar illness and the fact that Fairy Ling was inconvenient to be close to others, he would have already gone to propose marriage.

"Divine Envoy, the Women's Country will be eternally grateful!"

Fengge shouted loudly, carrying her spear, she strode forward, about to leap up and end the fierce beast's life.

But Wu Wang suddenly acted. The ice wings on his back exploded, transforming into ice walls that protected the fierce beast behind him.

Fengge frowned and looked at Wu Wang, stating firmly, "Divine Envoy, what is the meaning of this?"

"Let's state our position first," Wu Wang said with his hands behind his back, speaking loudly. "I support humanity in fighting all fierce beasts that persecute them, and I support the Women's Country in escaping the shadow of fierce beasts."

He paused, then added, "But the prerequisite is that everyone present has the right to know the truth."

Fengge retorted, "What truth?"

"The truth about this fierce beast," Wu Wang said calmly. "General Fengge, have you concealed something from the subordinates who followed you?"

The warriors of the Women's Country, who were supporting each other, all looked towards Wu Wang.

Fengge said, "Everyone saw the fierce beast devouring human souls."

"Then what about the fact that this fierce beast is the core of the Women's Country's protective formation?"

Wu Wang countered, "Do they know? If my guess is correct, this should be a secret known only to the National Teacher and the Queen."

Fengge couldn't help but clench her spear, her face filled with shadows.

"Core of the protective formation? What does that mean?"

"Great General, isn't this fierce beast simply a guardian divine beast?"

"Does this relate to the border barrier?"

Fengge was completely engulfed in shadow, her spear trembling slightly.

Ji Mo flew over, stepping on his magic treasure, and asked in a low voice, "Great General Fengge, this seems to be somewhat different from what you stated in your plea for reinforcements."

"Does the Great General not wish to say? I'll say it."

Wu Wang swept his right hand across, and a disk formed of starlight appeared above his head, displaying words like "Capital" and "Border."

He said, "This is a map of your Women's Country that I've recorded. The entire country is a grand array that draws upon the power of ley lines and star power, covering an area of sixteen hundred li, turning this place into a paradise.

The one who created this grand array was clearly an Innate God.

According to your mythology, this Innate God later left this place for reasons unknown. While there are no explicit words stating this, the text is filled with the complaints of the priests at the time.

The goddess who abandoned this place left behind a disaster that would destroy the Women's Country. Those twinkling stars on the periphery, each star represents a Fierce Beast. You've all seen their stone statues at the border.

I surmise that once the barrier fades, these stone statues will immediately come alive and advance towards your capital.

Clearly, this goddess did not want any other deities to meddle with the paradise she built."

He paused, looking at the hundreds of eyes that were fixed on Wu Wang, and was unable to speak.

Wu Wang continued, "The foundation of the entire grand array is the Spirit Nurturing Pool. That should be a supreme treasure and the factual basis for the existence of the Women's Country.

And this Fierce Beast is the core of the entire grand array. If it dies here today, the barrier will shatter, and the one hundred and eight Giant Beasts on the border will awaken. The Women's Country...

By my rough calculation, it will lose about thirty percent of its population, and that's in a more ideal scenario."

Silence. For a moment, not a sound could be heard in the underground palace.

Wu Wang added, "If you retreat now, the Fierce Beast's injuries will recover in half an hour."

"Then why are you helping us?"

Fengge suddenly spoke, staring intently at Wu Wang. "You're saying so much, and you even helped us suppress the Fierce Beast. What exactly do you want?"

"The right to know,"

Wu Wang said coldly. "The fate of the Women's Country should not be decided by one person. You cannot decide it, and the Queen cannot decide it either.

To prioritize personal gain, disregard significant casualties, and fail to make contingency plans—is that appropriate?"

"I spent decades cultivating a large number of elites at the border!"

Fengge's voice suddenly rose. "We are prepared to face the Fierce Beasts!"

"Your performance tonight shows you have no idea how powerful the Fierce Beasts are," Wu Wang said. "If those one hundred and eight Fierce Beasts appeared in the Northern Plains, they would flatten even the strongest Wave Tribe overnight.

The one you should hate is the Innate God who created the Women's Country and then abandoned it."

"Then it's even more necessary to put an end to all this left behind by the Innate God," Ji Mo said loudly from the side. "If the entire Women's Country can only exist through the sacrifice of countless women, what meaning does such an existence hold?

Brother Xiong, if the foundation itself is unjust, what future can this nation speak of?"

"But the people of the Women's Country are not involved in this," Ling Xiaolan said. "To sacrifice so many lives because of the decisions of a few individuals—that is truly unjust."

Fengge brandished her spear and moved forward.

Wu Wang was about to step forward to stop her, but Ji Mo landed in front of Wu Wang, his face pale but his eyes filled with determination.

Fengge took a few steps, but Ling Xiaolan's figure blocked her path, her long sword, shimmering with layers of water, pointed at Fengge's neck.

Ling Xiaolan said, "Let's evacuate the citizens first."

Fengge gritted her teeth and cursed, "What do you all know!"

Just then, a figure stumbled in from the palace entrance. Upon seeing the almost frozen Fierce Beast, they couldn't help but cry out:

"Your Ma-Majesty... what, what are you doing!"

Majesty?

Wu Wang was stunned. Was this Fierce Beast related to the sleeping Queen?

No, the Queen's soul was intact, and her aura was completely different from this Fierce Beast's. There was no similarity in their spiritual consciousness fluctuations; they were definitely not one and the same.

Could it be...

"Ah—"

Fengge suddenly screamed, and brilliant flames erupted from her body. A bright fire ignited on her forehead again, and layers of fire waves surged around her, blasting Wu Wang, Ji Mo, and Ling Xiaolan away!

She leaped up, raising her spear high, her eyes filled with resolve.

The moment Wu Wang was blasted away, he suddenly understood the missing piece of the puzzle he couldn't figure out before.

The Fierce Beast, the disc, the fading divine light of the goddess...

The Fierce Beast here was part of a succession ritual. The one lying there was very likely the previous ruler of the Women's Country, the current ruler's mother...

The fading divine light could likely refer to the Queen, who, upon reaching the core of the array, gradually became unable to withstand some form of divine power erosion, degenerating into a beast and sustaining herself by absorbing souls.

Wu Wang's peripheral vision caught sight of Fengge, covered in blood, her spear carrying her soul flame, piercing the Fierce Beast's forehead.

A blood-red beam shot straight into the sky, bursting through the earth, through the Royal Palace's grand array, shattering the dark clouds. It transformed into a wave several li wide, spreading across the sky