Chapter 116: Invasion
Shunde stood barefoot inside the empty hall of the imperial court. Dust covered everything.
"La la la la..." She sang to herself as she joyously walked across the floor. When she reached the dragon throne at the top, she suddenly turned around and extended her hand, "Zhu Ling, come here."
A green string connected her fingertip to the forehead of a person behind her. Zhu Ling, who had been killed by the Grand Master, was back to life.
He wore the same black armor, but his face looked lifeless and his skin glowed with an eerie green. Every Time Princess Shunde moved her fingers with the string, he would take a few more steps forward. He followed her string and sat on the dragon throne. Shunde smiled happily.
"See, this court is all mine now," she said.
"I can have anyone sit on the throne." She moved another finger and a second string pulled Ji Chengyu over. Like Zhu Ling, his skin also glowed with a faint green light and his eyes were dull.
"I remember you two used to be great friends. He suffered a lot of bullying and ridicule when his brother betrayed the Grand Master's house and became a monk, you were always there to help him.
Later on, when your face was destroyed saving me, others were all afraid of you, but he came to see you everyday. You were as close as brothers, so you should sit on the throne together." Shunde moved her fingertips and Ji Chengyu sat down next to Zhu Ling.
"Isn't this great?" She gave a smile so bizarre that it was chilling.
"How wonderful would it be if everyone in the world could be this obedient."
She turned around and walked out the hall, stepping onto the dusty floor with her bare feet.
The entire palace was a dead silence. Bodies and rubble littered the ground, showing the horrific events that had taken place. Shunde took a deep breath and a green thread pulled a black crow into her hand.
"Come, good boy. Tell me what's new with the northern border. I finally finished making my puppets, it's time to take them out for a walk..."
...
After Lin Haoqing dropped the news that Princess Shunde was coming soon, the preparations in the Northlands became more tense than ever. Having laid down the final piece for the fire boundary, Ji Yunhe saw a familiar face, Ji Ning. He had fled the capital and came back to the north.
The boy matured quite a bit. Back when he left the northern border and returned to the capital, he was still full of confusion and doubt. But now, such emotions are no longer on his face. This young disciple of the Grand Master's house grew up after the sudden death of his master, Ji Chengyu.
"Aji," Ji Ning still called Ji Yunhe as such.
"Princess Shunde has gone crazy... She created many puppets with her magic, then had them kill more people... Everyone in the capital... " He took a deep breath and continued, "They are all dead. They have all been turned into puppets on Shunde's string..."
Ji Yunhe was silent for a moment then asked, "How many?"
"Too many to count..."
"How many can she manipulate at once?"
"She can manipulate all of them…
Those puppets, tens of thousands, all listen to her. I was barely able to escape." Ji Ning's body began to shake involuntarily, and Ji Yunhe patted his shoulder to comfort him.
"Don't think about it right now, go rest first..."
"I also brought a friend." He abruptly lifted his head and looked at her with some excitement.
"Hopefully he can help you..." Ji Ning turned sideways, allowing Ji Yunhe to see the person behind him. She was stunned...
Ji Yunhe's black fox fire had created a boundary that burned straight up into the sunset sky, its flames lighting up the approaching darkness.
Ji Yunhe's black fox fire had created a boundary that burned straight up into the sunset sky, its flames lighting up the approaching darkness.
Standing behind the impenetrable wall of fire, Ji Yunhe looked at the two people still dressed in the Grand Master's uniform and said, "I will take you both into the city."