I Became the Devil Queen's Heart Demon

Chapter 1336: Chapter 517: Her Majesty the Consort’s “Dao”! Yuanmen Shooting Spear!

"If you’re weak, just practice more."

"......"

Ji Hongxiu’s face looked extremely displeased.

If it weren’t for her significant physical exhaustion lately, she wouldn’t be in such a sorry state; at least catching this arrow wouldn’t have been a problem.

But it was one thing to catch it, and another to be as effortlessly graceful as Yu Youhan, redirecting force. She had to admit, there was indeed a huge gap between them, one that couldn’t be bridged in a short time.

Though she was very annoyed inside, she forced herself not to make a sound.

After all, if it weren’t for this female demon stepping in, she would probably have met her end today...

"Feels good."

Seeing Ji Hongxiu’s frustrated look, Yu Youhan felt immensely refreshed.

This woman, protected by Hong Ling, had challenged her time and again, and now she finally got a big chance to teach her a lesson!

"Let’s see if you dare to challenge this Empress again in the future!"

"Ahem..." Flying over, Chen Mo heard their conversation and looked a bit odd, carefully saying, "Empress, it seems like you’re using all my catchphrases?"

Using others’ sayings without crediting them is equivalent to intellectual property theft, a typical case of academic misconduct...

Yu Youhan’s expression stiffened, and she glared at him, saying coldly, "Whose words are whose? Whoever says them first owns them. What, do you have a problem with that?"

Chen Mo vigorously shook his head and quickly waved his hand, saying, "No, no problem at all. When the Empress says those words, they indeed sound much more imposing!"

"Hmph, that’s more like it." Yu Youhan gently landed before him, frowning, "I promised you I would act at the critical moment, naturally I wouldn’t renege. So why were you in such a hurry to charge over?"

"I saw the situation was critical, and couldn’t control my emotions for a moment..." Chen Mo said.

"Spare me, do you think this Empress doesn’t know what you’re thinking?" Yu Youhan said in a deep voice, "For that Ji woman, you’re willing to risk your life?"

Chen Mo gave a sheepish smile but didn’t defend himself.

Ji Hongxiu heard those words and couldn’t help but be puzzled, "Wait a moment, since you were always observing in secret, you should have noticed something was off long ago. Why did you delay taking action until the last moment..."

Before she finished speaking, she suddenly came to a realization, her face changing instantly, "You intended to use someone else’s hand to get rid of me?!"

With Yu Youhan’s strength, those demons couldn’t have gotten anywhere near the training ground before being wiped out. The fact that she delayed acting shows it was deliberate, planning to let things play out naturally and watch her get taken down by the Demon Extermination Crossbow!

Seeing her thoughts exposed, Yu Youhan remained calm, speaking in an even tone, "At first, this Empress indeed didn’t know what those demons intended, hoping to leave a few alive for a Soul Search, only to find out they were merely bait to draw the Demon Extermination Crossbow’s ire."

"Since the Crossbow Arrow had already fired, this Empress wasn’t in a hurry anymore."

"If you could catch it, there was no need for me to intervene. But if you died on the spot, it merely highlighted your lack of skill. How does that equate to using a borrowed knife to kill someone?"

"Hong Ling only restricts me from harboring murderous intent toward you, but doesn’t require me to save your life. Besides, I’ve long been displeased with both you and your master; your death would bring peace..."

Hearing her admission so openly, Ji Hongxiu felt a chill run through her heart.

All along, because of Chen Mo’s presence, her relationship with Yu Youhan had been delicate. Rather than arch-nemeses, it felt more like rivals in love.

It almost made her forget that the person before her was a female demon known for a waterfall of killings, one of the most dangerous figures in all of Jiu Zhou!

If given the chance to kill her, the other would not hesitate in the slightest!

"Alas, in the end, this Empress was still soft-hearted."

Yu Youhan sighed and continued, "After all, I had promised beforehand to ensure the alchemy wouldn’t be disturbed. Besides, if you died, Chen Mo would surely be heartbroken, and I don’t wish to face resentment..."

Actually, Yu Youhan had thought it through clearly.

She and Chen Mo had a special bond, and as long as Hong Ling existed, Ji Hongxiu could never hold a higher place in his heart than her. But if Ji Hongxiu were to die, she’d instead become a thorn in Chen Mo’s heart, possibly even affecting his and her relationship—

Since the living could never compete with the memory of the dead.

This time stepping in to save someone was, in essence, a carefully considered decision, weighing the pros and cons.

Though she was overly persistent and swayed by emotions before Chen Mo, toward others she remained deeply indifferent, even slightly merciless, devoid of any laughable notions like loving those related to him.

"Who would have thought, this guy, worried that I wouldn’t keep my promise, would actually rush forward to meet his death, trying to force my hand through this method." Yu Youhan’s eyes bore into Chen Mo’s, a hint of resentment flickering through them, "For another woman, you dare to threaten me with your life. How ruthless of you!"

Chen Mo sheepishly looked down, not daring to meet the Empress’s eyes.

Ji Hongxiu, recognizing the underlying factors, wore a complex expression.

No wonder these days, Chen Mo had remained stalwart at the training ground entrance, not moving an inch even when attacked by demons.

It was because only with his presence would Yu Youhan honestly play the role of bodyguard, ensuring her safety... Conversely, if Yu Youhan hadn’t been present earlier, wouldn’t he have died alongside her?

"This fellow..."

"He is indeed putting his life on the line to protect me..."

Ji Hongxiu clutched her sleeves tightly, an indescribable feeling welling up inside her.

...

...

The parade grounds were absolutely silent.

The crowd stared blankly at the tall figure.

The cataclysmic scene just now sent a shudder through their hearts and minds, leaving them stunned for a long time.

They had thought everyone present was doomed, never expecting this woman to effortlessly dismantle disaster in just a few moves, along with extinguishing the newly formed robbery cloud!