Chapter 2395: Going and Returning

"What!" The Mermaid Queen was completely unsettled by this news. She immediately rose, intending to go to the rescue. She assumed the notorious Incest King would be presiding over whatever ceremony was planned. She had no desire to encounter such a powerful demon, but for the sake of the Peacock Princess, she had no choice but to take the risk.

The Xuan-Su Guards quickly offered, "We'll go with you!"

The Mermaid Queen cast a cold glance at them. "If I hadn't just healed you, you likely wouldn't even be able to stand right now. How do you expect to rescue anyone?"

The Xuan-Su Guards' faces flushed crimson. They knew her words were true; their current state made combat impossible. Accompanying her would only hinder the mission. Seeing their crestfallen expressions, the Mermaid Queen felt a pang of confusion. Why was she less patient with them than she had been with that simple-minded guard earlier? Logically, their relationship with her was even somewhat closer than that of the strange, foolish guard.

"Before the guards outside discover you, seize this chance to escape. You'll preserve yourselves to serve your demon clan another day." With that, she disregarded them, her form flashing as she moved swiftly towards the largest and most luxurious room in the center of the Hall of Four Directions.

Watching her disappear, the Xuan-Su Guards exchanged a bewildered glance.

"Xuanxuan, what do we do now?"

"If anything happens to the Princess, what meaning is there in our lives?"

"Well said. Since we can't fight, let's create a diversion in the Hall of Four Directions to draw the demons' attention. It will be our way of helping our benefactor, in hopes she can rescue the Princess."

"We'll die."

"What is there to fear in death?"

"What is there to fear in death!"

Their eyes gradually hardened with resolve. They strode out, having decided to sacrifice their lives to minimally increase the chances of success. However, just as they stepped out of the room, their vision abruptly went dark, and they both fainted.

Zu An emerged from the shadows, lifted them by their collars, and sighed. "These two are truly loyal and righteous. They shouldn't die like this." He had sensed the demonic presence earlier and, unable to rest easy, had quietly followed them. Observing from the shadows, he had grown to admire these loyal guards and couldn't bear to see them throw their lives away.

After moving the two outside the Hall of Four Directions and concealing them, Zu An pondered. This was an event from ancient times; did his actions here truly have meaning? If their fates were predetermined, saving them now would only postpone their inevitable deaths. But if his intervention meant they didn't die, would that constitute changing history? What kind of impact might this have on future generations?

Zu An had seen numerous time-travel dramas on Earth, and it always seemed that any alteration to a historical point could be extremely dangerous, potentially even leading to the non-existence of future protagonists. These two guards were probably inconsequential to the grand sweep of history. However, the Mermaid Queen was undeniably a pivotal figure. If his actions altered her destiny, would it affect the Shang sisters in future generations? The thought filled him with regret for not having clarified this matter with the Chronicler of Ages sooner. He attempted to question Mi Li, but she seemed to be in a deep slumber, offering no response.

Remembering the Mermaid Queen's sincerity, Zu An sighed, hoping she would manage to escape unharmed. If she genuinely faced danger, he would certainly intervene. But to be safe, he absolutely could not reveal his true appearance or identity. Without further hesitation, he re-infiltrated the Hall of Four Directions.

Meanwhile, the Mermaid Queen cautiously approached the main hall. She closed her eyes, sensing her surroundings, and a flicker of confusion crossed her face. She detected no strong spell fluctuations in the water. Had the evil ceremony already concluded? Facing the infamous Incest King, she dared not use her Deep Sea Lyre. While the lyre might hypnotize lesser demons, it would never affect the Incest King and would only serve to prematurely alert him.

Holding her breath, she crept around to a secluded window. She carefully placed a small mirror against the pane, and the room's interior swiftly appeared on its surface. To her surprise, the Incest King was not present, nor were any other demons.

"Oh?" The Mermaid Queen was greatly surprised. She gently pushed open the window and slipped inside. Indeed, the room was empty. After a quick search, she stopped before the central hall. Traces of the Peacock Princess's aura lingered here. The water-elemental spell fluctuations left from when she had healed the princess might be imperceptible to others, but she sensed them acutely.

Her gaze fell upon a nine-pointed star pattern on the floor. Besides the remnants of her own water-elemental magic, there was a palpable evil aura. Remembering the words of the two demons, her heart sank. It seemed the evil ritual had already been completed. Had the Peacock Princess already been sacrificed?

She decided to leave and question other demons about Mogard's whereabouts, hoping to ascertain the Peacock Princess's fate. Yet, just as she reached the doorway, her body suddenly froze, compelling her to step back, one pace at a time.

"What is it with today?" Mogard murmured as he slowly entered, his expression grim as he fixed his gaze on her. "Why is everyone so eager to die?" He had just returned from an errand and was surprised to find someone had infiltrated his room.

Alarm bells blared in the Mermaid Queen's mind. With a swift motion, she conjured several water arrows, unleashing them toward him. The water arrows appeared translucent and ethereal, yet each one possessed the destructive force of a siege crossbow bolt.

"Hmm, interesting," Mogard remarked, slightly surprised. This assassin's power seemed greater than he had anticipated. "This ground is as solid as bedrock!" No sooner had he spoken than a transparent shield materialized before him. The water arrows struck the shield, shattering into fine spray.

The Mermaid Queen had never expected that initial attack to harm the notorious Incest King. Thus, immediately after firing the water arrows, she swiftly moved towards the window. Watching her twist her waist and slip out the window, Mogard's eyes gleamed as if he'd just realized something. "Escape is forbidden h—"

He was cut short as a lyre suddenly appeared beside her. Its strings vibrated, emitting waves of sound that dispersed, astonishingly negating his Verbal Command spell. Mogard was stunned. Reacting quickly, he blurred into motion, instantly pursuing her.

The lyre was strummed again, and visible musical notes swirled around him. He immediately perceived the surrounding space thickening, and a sensation akin to a massive mountain slowly pressing down upon him. With a solemn expression, he quickly declared, "The greatest sound is silence; this place shall be mute!" No sooner had he spoken than the musical notes surrounding him shattered. The massive "Gong" character, which had just formed, crumbled instantly.

The Mermaid Queen's heart lurched. She never imagined her signature technique would be so easily countered. "Escape is forbidden here!" Mogard's voice rang out once more. The Mermaid Queen's normally agile body suddenly felt impossibly heavy. She frantically strummed her lyre; while Mogard's recent silence spell had negated her musical attacks against him, she could still use it to dispel her own negative status effects. As expected, a few notes enveloped her, instantly restoring her ability to move.

However, this brief delay cost her the chance to escape. Demons from throughout the Hall of Four Directions, alerted by the commotion, swarmed in, completely encircling her. Witnessing this, the Mermaid Queen's heart sank. It seemed her fate was sealed here tonight.