Chi Hong looked behind. His heart almost shrank. As the Lord of the Divine Constabulary in charge of guarding the Northern Lands Five Constabularies, this had immeasurable confidence and bravery.

But…

That did not mean he wasn"t cautious.

After all, there was a difference between confidence and arrogance. And more importantly, didn"t this seem a tad too exaggerated?

Something huge appeared from thin air and loomed above him. This figure was entirely covered in thick black armor, and two ma.s.sive, curved horns were erected on its head.

Dark green rays of light flowed freely in its eyes.

Under its gigantic, powerful body were four ma.s.sive hooves covered in black fur stepping toward Chi Hong.

The sky was blocked by the enormity of this giant. The stars the and moon were gone. Its black shadow engulfed the palace gates.

Chi Hong finally understood what Fang Zhengzhi meant when he said the last in line would be the first to suffer.

Apparently…

The Demon King appeared when Fang Zhengzhi leaped over the palace gates. Its goal was simple: to close the distance with Fang Zhengzhi and kill him in mid-air.

Chi Hong was in a dilemma.

At this juncture, of course, he could run away. Because the Demon King"s target was Fang Zhengzhi. But could he really do so?

No.

It did not matter if Fang Zhengzhi would survive if he escaped. Chi Hong couldn"t abandon Fang Zhengzhi for the sake of the Near-Life Gate in his hands.

"Little rascal, you owe me one!" Chi Hong squatted, then his body glowed brilliantly in emerald green rays.

"Whoos.h.!.+"

In an instant, Chi Hong leaped up forcefully, with his palms outstretched, ten bright green rays shot out from his fingers.

"Boom!"

The ten rays blasted out from his fingers with lightning speed and instantly smashed on the giant Demon King"s head.

And the ten rays simultaneously exploded.

"Pshh…"

Countless emerald green rays interweaved in the air, forming a giant green net, upon which the Demon King"s giant head lunged against.

"Snap!"

The green net was on the verge of breaking.

Such a shockingly bizarre scene in the dead of night.

The Palace Guards by the palace gates first saw Fang Zhengzhi leaping past the palace walls, then watched an enormous black figure looming above them while it stepped forward. And finally, its head knocking hitting against the giant green net.

Truly astounding.

"What creature is that?!"

"So powerful!"

"Quick, run, it"s coming!"

All the Palace Guards gasped and started to disperse. To them, it was a battle they could never win.

"Roar!"

At this moment, the Demon King roared like a beast. The green net was torn into pieces, then its giant figure suddenly shrank. In an instant, he had returned to his original size, dressed in white like a scholar.

"Oh my G.o.d!"

"A demon in human form, could it be the Demon King?!"

"It"s the Demon King! What is going on? Save me now!"

The scattered Palace Guards was bewildered upon this transformation as they searched for concealed places to hide.

"So you think you can stop me?" King Xieluo didn"t care about the petrified Palace Guards but stared right at Chi Hong with his cold, strange, green eyes.

Chi Hong"s body fell painfully on the ground, a trace of blood streaked from his mouth, his face slightly pale.

The Demon King.

What a terrifying existence.

Even the emperor might not defeat him in a fight, how could the Lord of the Divine Constabulary expect to stop him?

But Chi Hong had no regrets.

Because he was one of the thirteen residences who fought alongside the emperor in battles. He was responsible for the defense of the palace and of the Great Xia Dynasty.

He could resort to unscrupulous means in the quest for power, he could kill hundreds of people for the sake of the dynasty"s progress, but he could not choose to save himself over the Great Xia Dynasty when it was on the brink of death.

"I have stopped you!" Chi Hong stared back at King Xieluo"s green eyes. Despite his pale face, his expression was unrelenting.

"Good!" King Xieluo nodded, then he moved. But this time he did not charge at Chi Hong, instead, he continued his chase for Fang Zhengzhi.

"You"re not killing me?" Chi Hong looked at King Xieluo who began to run toward Fang Zhengzhi. He didn"t get it. After all, he was already injured.

And he did anger King Xieluo.

Not killing…

How did that make any sense?

Chi Hong was puzzled.

On the other hand, Fang Zhengzhi felt as though he had gone to h.e.l.l and back. Indeed, the Demon King was powerful. If it weren"t for Chi Hong who stopped him, he would have been severely hurt, if not already dead.

But why did King Xieluo not stop to fight Chi Hong?

Fang Zhengzhi saw King Xieluo who, once again, started to charge at him. He was momentarily confused, but he finally understood when he spotted the three figures behind him.

Yan Xiu, Shan Yu and Prince Li of the First Rank.

Of course, King Xieluo had the chance to kill Chi Hou. But if he delayed any further, he would be stopped by them.

What that happened, it would be one versus four.

Though he could probably defeat them, it would waste some of his time.

"Indeed, a clever Demon King!" As the one and only target of King Xieluo, he felt immense pressure.

Didn"t he just go to the palace for the "show"? Why did he need to chase so relentlessly? Well, Fang Zhengzhi didn"t offend him, and it was just a Near-Life Gate!

No time to hesitate any further.

Fang Zhengzhi could only run.

…

It was such a happening night. The moonlight cascaded from the skies, wrapping tenderly around the historic Yan Capital like fine layers of silk.

Countless people streamed about the streets and alleys of Yan Capital, for the noise in the palace and at its gates were too loud for them to sleep.

Then…

A figure appeared in their vision.

He emerged from the palace and weaved around them, wearing in a new black imperial dress bearing "Imperial" on its chest, a symbol of his ident.i.ty.

After all, this man was once of high status.

The teacher of many geniuses, the youngest of the Chief Imperial Messenger of the Imperial Academy, and the Chief Examiner of this year"s Imperial Examinations: His Excellency Fang Zhengzhi.

Had someone in Yan Capital not heard of him, this person would be grossly ignorant.

But with his glory as the Chief Examiner of the Imperial Examinations, why would he end up in such a sorry state?

And what was he holding on his hand?

In ancient texts, it was mentioned that powerful people could lift enormous weights.

Could it have been that powerful people could lift… gates?

And most importantly…

How could His Excellency Fang, whose powers were wasted in the Southern Region war, run so insanely fast while lifting such a giant bronze gate?

Everyone had so many questions.

Of course, all questions consolidated into the most crucial one: His Excellency seemed as though he was running to escape something, but where was he running to?

Confusion, shock, astonishment…

Countless expressions appeared on their faces as they really wanted to stop him from "running away" and ask him: why?

But when they saw King Xieluo chasing behind Fang Zhengzhi, these transformed into terror as they felt fear from deep within.

"What demon is that? Why does he have two horns on his head!"

"Demon King! He"s the Demon King in human form!"

"Huh? Demon King!"

"Quick, run!"

The commoners, who were about to ask and learn what was going on, immediately dispersed upon seeing King Xieluo.

No one was in their way. Or rather, no one wished to stand in their way.

Yan Capital was big.

But when the two figures were running at such a mind-bending speed, Yan Capital didn"t seem that big after all.

Fang Zhengzhi was in a difficult situation. But when he saw the mayhem at the Yan Capital gates, which was closing…

He felt even worse.

"Open the gates, let me out!" Fang Zhengzhi"s voice, filled with misery and helplessness, reverberated through the night.

It didn"t seem like it was shouted by an eighteen-year-old teenager, for it was too melancholic. As if there were a thousand sorrowful cuts upon his heart.

It was a depressing atmosphere.

Of course, there was a demon behind him. A Demon King.

Existence was painful.

Fang Zhengzhi had no other choice but to keep running.

When the soldiers and others at the capital gates heard Fang Zhengzhi"s distressed cries, they instinctively looked behind him.

Then they were astonished.

"Fang Zhengzhi?!" Su Qing exclaimed. He stood at a high position at the top of the capital gates, while his clothes flapped incessantly in the winds.

At the most important juncture of this campaign…

He had to remain absolutely calm.

He never forgot this even when he was facing Marquis Xing Yuanguo of the Stabilization Constabulary, and when they were attacked by thousands of soldiers of the Mountain Breaking Army.

But now…

He really couldn"t remain calm.

Because witnessed so clearly that Fang Zhengzhi was holding up a bronze gate, and the most valuable treasure of the Holy Barbarian Empire, the Near-Life Gate.

At this moment, he felt as though he had been struck by lightning.

Numb and a little dumb.

How did the Near-Life Gate end up with Fang Zhengzhi? And it was even brought to the capital gates? How could he lift the Near-Life Gate? How could he run so fast…

Like the countless commoners who witnessed this sight, many questions emerged in Su Qing"s mind. His intelligent, quick-witted mind suddenly halted.

Because he was totally confused as to what was happening.

And he wasn"t the only one.

The soldiers of the Holy Barbarian Empire around him couldn"t understand too. Everyone looked at Fang Zhengzhi who was running toward them and the s.h.i.+ny Near-Life Gate glowing under the moonlight…

They were completely baffled.

"Stop Fang Zhengzhi now!" Su Qing commanded the only order he could think of, his mind snapped back after it had frozen momentarily.

He didn"t know what had happened for such an unbelievable scene to happen, but he was certain that the palace gates should be shut and the Near-Life Gate must not remain in Fang Zhengzhi"s hands.

With his order, the Holy Barbarian soldiers moved into position, raising their pikes and ready to attack.

"No, guard the palace gates, stop him from leaving the capital!"

As a commander in a battle, Su Qing was aware that changing his orders at the last minute was a fatal mistake. The soldiers may not be able to adapt, and they might lose trust in him.

But…

Su Qing ordered once again.

If he was described as dazed a moment ago, he was now much calmer. At least he felt so.

The reason was simple. He saw the white figure chasing behind Fang Zhengzhi and the Mountain Breaking Army charging toward the capital gates.

If he had ordered them to attack…

They would be destroyed.

It could be said that Su Qing corrected his mistake at the appropriate time. But a mistake was still a mistake, just like how one could not simply apologize and walk away after he had reached in a girl"s pants.

Su Qing corrected his mistake quickly.

Su Qing was still captured by Xing Yuanguo, because he had much experience in the battleground, and he understood that anything could happen in battle.

Just like…

Fang Zhengzhi lifting the Near-Life Gate, running toward him.

He was shocked, but this kind of shock did not make him confused and dazed but presented to him an opportunity.

And this was related to his position.

His goal was to break through the capital gates. And now that someone was running toward him, with the Near-Life Gate, how great of an opportunity would it be!