Chapter 232: My life in exchange for hers
Xiao Yu walked down the altar step by step, holding the person in his arms.
His face was as pale as paper, with a trace of undried blood still at the corner of his mouth, and his aura was a little disordered.
"Your Majesty."
Xuan Er, the commander of the Xuanjia Guard, stepped forward quickly and knelt on one knee.
"Block the four gates of the imperial city and no one is allowed to enter or leave." Xiao Yu said coldly.
"Pass on this king's order. Order the Jingzhao Yin and the Five Cities Military Command to work with the Black Armor Guards to immediately eliminate the Yun clan's followers and seal off all related mansions. Anyone who resists will be killed without mercy."
"Yes." Xuan Er replied in a deep voice.
"Also..." Xiao Yu paused, his gaze sweeping over the officials who were frozen in silence. "No one is allowed to discuss today's events privately. Anyone who violates this will be treated as an accomplice to treason."
"We obey your command." Everyone bowed together, and cold sweat instantly soaked their backs.
Chu Xuanyi followed closely behind, frowning as he looked at Xiao Yu's back. The breath in Xiao Yu's body had become extremely disordered, and he was only holding on with his willpower.
The group quickly crossed the square and headed straight for the Regent's Palace.
Inside the palace, Xiao Yu carefully placed Ajiu on the couch and covered her with a brocade quilt with his own hands.
A mouthful of fishy-sweet taste rushed up his throat, but he forced himself to swallow it.
"sit down."
Chu Xuanyi's voice came from behind.
He walked forward, pressed Xiao Yu onto the chair beside him, and placed two fingers on his pulse.
After a moment, Chu Xuanyi's expression became extremely solemn.
"You're crazy," he said in a deep voice. "Your internal organs have been shaken to pieces by the restriction, and your meridians have been damaged in many places. Yet you dare to forcefully mobilize your dragon energy to resist. You still have time to regulate your breathing now. If you delay any longer, you will suffer from incurable hidden injuries."
"She won't die." Xiao Yu's eyes never left Ajiu lying on the couch. "Go check on her quickly. How is she?"
Chu Xuanyi looked at him like this, feeling helpless and sighing. He shook his head and walked to the edge of the couch, reaching out and placing his hand on Ah Jiu's slender wrist.
At first, his expression was calm.
But after just three breaths, Chu Xuanyi's expression suddenly changed.
"No..." He withdrew his hand suddenly, as if he had touched something extremely hot, his eyes full of horror and disbelief.
"What's wrong?" Xiao Yu's heart instantly rose to his throat. He stood up suddenly and rushed to the couch.
"Her soul..." Chu Xuanyi's voice was trembling. He stared at Ah Jiu intently, "It is being rapidly devoured by an extremely sinister force."
Xiao Yu's pupils suddenly constricted.
He bent down and discovered that a black line as thin as a hair had appeared deep between Ah Jiu's eyebrows.
"What is this?" Xiao Yu asked in a trembling voice.
"The Soul Pulling Curse." Chu Xuanyi's expression was extremely grim. "It's one of the most vicious ancient spells in Southern Xinjiang's witchcraft. This spell doesn't attack directly, but acts like a chain, locking Ah Jiu's soul at one end and connecting to the core of the dungeon's restriction, Yun Wende's soul, at the other end."
He took a deep breath and continued, "Ajiu just used the power of her divine pupil to forcibly sever Yun Wende's connection with the restriction, but the curse was completely activated at the last moment. It will continue to suck the power of Ajiu's soul like a maggot on the tarsal bone until her soul is completely exhausted and returns to silence."
"Nirvana..." Xiao Yu's figure shook.
“Is there a solution?”
"Yes." Chu Xuanyi nodded with difficulty. "This curse is extremely sinister and evil. To break it, we must use the most masculine and masculine power in the world to forcibly cleanse it from the source of our soul."
"What power?" Xiao Yu asked.
Chu Xuanyi looked at him with extremely complicated eyes and slowly uttered four words.
"Purple Dragon Qi."
Moreover, this wasn't just ordinary dragon energy; it had to be the very essence of dragon energy. It was the essence of the emperor's energy, innate and deeply rooted in one's very being. Any loss of it would severely damage one's vitality at best, and even shorten one's lifespan at worst.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yu did not hesitate at all, and a faint golden light immediately began to gather around his body.
"Stop it." Chu Xuanyi pressed down on his shoulders and growled, "With your current physical condition, using the Dragon Energy Source again is like seeking death. We still have time, and we will definitely find another way."
"Time?" Xiao Yu shook off his hand and said, "Tell me, how much time do we have left?"
Chu Xuanyi's lips moved, and he finally uttered the cruel answer.
"Judging from the speed at which her soul is being devoured... within three days."
"Three days," Xiao Yu smiled bitterly. He turned his head and looked at Ah Jiu's pale little face, his eyes filled with tenderness and guilt. "She became like this to protect me. I owe her this."
"Brother Xiong Xiong..."
The unconscious Ajiu seemed to feel something, his brows furrowed in pain, and he murmured unconsciously.
This whisper completely broke the last line of defense in Xiao Yu's heart.
"Get out of the way." He pushed away Chu Xuanyi who was blocking his way.
"Xiao Yu, calm down." Chu Xuanyi wanted to persuade him again.
"I said, get out of the way." Xiao Yu turned around abruptly, his bloodshot eyes filled with madness and paranoia that Chu Xuanyi had never seen before. "If she dies, what use is there for me in this world? If I can't even protect her, what kind of regent am I?"
Xiao Yu walked to the couch and sat down, reaching out his trembling hand and gently placed it on Ajiu's forehead.
"Don't be afraid."
"Ajiu, don't be afraid."
"Brother is here."
The next moment, dazzling golden light burst out from his palm, like a small sun rising in the hall.
"Your Majesty."
Chu Xuanyi cried out in surprise and wanted to step forward to stop them, but was gently pushed away by a domineering force. No matter how he mobilized his spiritual power, he could not get any closer to the couch.
That is the barrier formed by the Purple Star Dragon Qi. It protects the rescuer and the rescued, while also rejecting all external interference.
Chu Xuanyi could only watch Xiao Yu transfer the little dragon energy that was already left in his body into the depths of Ajiu's sea of consciousness.
The golden dragon energy transformed into countless fine silk threads, wrapping around Ajiu's almost transparent soul which was being continuously devoured by the black energy.
“Sizzle…sizzle…”
Wisps of black air were forced out by the golden light, purified, and evaporated.
This process was redemption for Ajiu, but for Xiao Yu, it was excruciating pain.
His face turned pale at a speed visible to the naked eye, and beads of cold sweat oozed out of his forehead, sliding down his handsome cheeks and soaking his clothes.
But his hand remained firmly on Jiu's forehead, without even the slightest tremor.
In his mind, every detail of his encounter with the little girl emerged uncontrollably.
The corners of Xiao Yu's mouth slowly curled up into a very faint, yet extremely gentle smile.
Is it worth it.
He asked himself in his heart.
There is no answer, or rather, the answer is already self-evident.
As long as she could survive, as long as she could still follow him softly and sweetly like before and call him "Brother Xiongxiong".
Not to mention shortening his lifespan, even if it means taking his life, it wouldn't matter.
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