Volume 13, Chapter 864 – Sudden Surge in Power

This battle was extraordinarily brutal. Countless immortals and evil spirits joined in, each believing themselves to be the mantis poised to strike the cicada. Only to realize they were the cicada themselves, or perhaps even something more insignificant. Their deaths held no value.

As the surrounding planets were obliterated one by one, the entire star system rapidly collapsed. Survivors grew fewer and fewer, until only the strongest remained to continue the slaughter.

As days passed, Qianqian grew increasingly worried. She would often sit in front of the gates of the Queen of the Underworld’s Palace, waiting all day without moving.

Qi Huang tried many times to cheer her up, but with each attempt, the results became worse.

That night, a middle-aged zombie court lady walked into the princess’s sleeping quarters in a panic and immediately dismissed all the servants with a wave.

Qi Huang recognized this woman. She was Duan Qing, the steward in charge of the Queen of the Underworld’s Palace. Usually composed and steady, it was rare to see such a panicked expression on her face.

Qi Huang felt a sudden sense of foreboding, though she didn’t know why.

“Aunt Duan, has my mother returned?”

Qianqian asked eagerly, eyes full of hope.

“Princess, Her Majesty the Queen of the Underworld likely won’t be returning anytime soon.”

Steward Duan averted her gaze as she answered.

“Why not?”

Qianqian’s face crumpled as she pressed her question.

“Well… the Queen said… she had something very urgent to take care of. It might take several… several years before she returns.”

Duan Qing stumbled over her words, unable to meet Qianqian’s eyes.

“What? Several years?!”

Qianqian’s little face collapsed entirely, and she whimpered miserably, “But I miss her so much!”

“It’s okay, it’s okay. You still have me with you, don’t you?”

Steward Duan hurriedly pulled Qianqian into her arms to comfort her.

‘Looks like my premonition wasn’t baseless after all.’

Qi Huang was no fool, she could clearly sense something was wrong. Most likely, the Queen of the Underworld had perished.

At first, if she had heard this news upon arriving on Minghou Planet, she would’ve celebrated with drums and gongs. After all, it meant her chances of escape would soar. But now…

Rеaⅾ оո KаtRеaⅾiոɡСаfе

She didn’t know why, but her heart felt unbearably heavy. Perhaps it was because she had been here for so long, and had grown attached to Qianqian. She couldn’t bring herself to see the girl as a simple enemy anymore. As the saying goes, people have hearts of flesh. Once you’re in the game, who can truly stay out of it?

“Hehe… what’s the point of lying to her? She’ll find out sooner or later anyway.”

A sultry, mature woman’s voice drifted down from above.

“Who’s there?!”

Duan Qing looked up sharply, eyes alert.

“Such boldness, to dare intrude upon Minghou Planet!”

Outside, soldiers’ shouts began to echo as well.

“The Queen is dead. What is left to guard?”

That mature woman’s voice mocked them coldly, then bellowed, “Kill them all! Spare no one, except the one with the blood-tear mole!”

“Yes! Kill them all! Wipe out Minghou Planet!”

With a roar, a wave of charging warriors surged forth outside, and battle erupted instantly.

“What’s happening?!”

Qi Huang looked around in confusion, completely at a loss.

“Aunt Duan… sob… is what she said true? Is my mother gone?!”

Qianqian sobbed as she turned to Duan Qing.

“Don’t listen to her lies! Her Majesty is fine!”

Duan Qing forced herself to speak calmly, though her voice trembled.

“Fine? She’s real fine! That wretched body of hers was cut into pieces by the Ziji Immortal Emperor. It’s currently hanging at the gates of Ziji City, on full display.”

A mocking voice rang out as a woman with the upper body of a human and the tail of a snake suddenly appeared in the doorway.

Qianqian’s small body trembled violently upon hearing this, unable to hold back her sobs.

Qi Huang’s gaze narrowed. She hadn’t sensed the woman approach at all, meaning this snake-tailed woman was far stronger than her.

Rеаԁ οո КаtRеαⅾіոɡСαfe

“You vile woman! Shut your filthy mouth!”

Duan Qing shouted furiously.

“Oh? Can’t handle the truth? Well then, here’s another tidbit: that wretched woman indirectly died by my hands.”

The snake-tailed woman slithered in with her tail swaying, clearly pleased with herself.

“What did you say?!”

Duan Qing’s entire body shuddered.

“Fine, I’ll spell it out. That heart shard from Baofeng Planet? That was bait. I planted it there and spread the news across the entire Immortal Realm. How could she not die? Hehehe… Shame, though. The five shards of the Demon Ancestor’s heart she collected ended up in the hands of the Ziji Immortal Emperor, not mine.”

The snake-woman’s smugness grew with each word.

“So that’s how it is… You went to great lengths just to destroy the Queen.”

Duan Qing’s teeth gnashed together with an audible grind, her face contorting with rage.

“That wretch’s life wasn’t even worth the effort. At best, she was a bonus. The one I really want… is her.”

The snake-woman turned her gaze toward Qi Huang.

“Me?”

Qi Huang’s whole body tensed. An intense sense of danger surged in her heart. The woman claimed to be “This Queen”—likely one of the “Five Queens”, just like the Queen of the Underworld. If she were caught by her, death would be certain.

“Sister, run! That old witch is the Sea Queen! If she catches you, she’ll suck you dry and leave you a dried husk!”

Qianqian, eyes full of tears, turned to shout urgently.

Qi Huang hesitated, caught in a dilemma.

“Sister, don’t worry. The necklace I gave you… it’s just a regular one. A gift from me. It won’t explode.”

Qianqian added quickly.

“…”

Qi Huang’s pupils trembled, and her eyes burned with an emotion she couldn’t name. She hadn’t expected this at all.

Rеαd οո ΚаtRеαԁiոgСafе

“What about you?”

Qi Huang asked, her voice tight with concern.

“My mother was killed by her. Even if I die, I’ll take her with me.”

Qianqian wiped away her tears viciously.

“But you’re not even her real daughter. Is it worth dying for?”

The Sea Queen sneered.

“What?”

Qi Huang stiffened again.

“She treated me like her own. That’s enough reason for me to make you pay.”

Qianqian clenched her tiny fists, face full of resolve.

“What a dutiful little daughter. Too bad… the more loyal you are, the more I must kill you to eliminate all future trouble.”

The Sea Queen’s eyes gleamed with killing intent.

“You lost a piece of the heart shard, didn’t you? I bet your strength’s taken a dive. Let’s see who kills who.”

Qianqian bit down hard on her lip. “CRACK!” A soft sound echoed from within her small body, and a mysterious energy surged out from her, instantly spreading outward and enveloping Qi Huang.

Qi Huang looked around, still lost. But then her eyes flew wide open, her Divine Sense was skyrocketing. First-tier Monarch Immortal… second-tier… third-tier…

And not just Qi Huang. Qianqian and even Duan Qing beside her were seeing their strength surge rapidly.

“What is this…?”

Even the Sea Queen, not far away, wore a stunned expression.

“Want to know why Mother made me her adopted daughter?”

Qianqian gritted her teeth, her face slick with sweat. The secret technique she used was clearly painful, but it was worth it. Her strength had already broken through to first-layer of Earth Demon level.

Duan Qing, too, had reached the Earth Demon first layer, but there was no joy on her face. Only sorrow.

Rеаԁ oո КαtRеαⅾіոgCаfe

“I don’t care why! Die!”

The Sea Queen could no longer afford delay. Her figure vanished on the spot.

“Protect the princess!”

Duan Qing called out, then charged forward without fear.

“Courting death!”

The Sea Queen snapped, and the two collided at high speed.

Qi Huang’s Divine Sense still wasn’t strong enough to track their movements. All she could see were violent spatial ripples spreading from their clash, annihilating everything in their path. The princess’s sleeping quarters disintegrated in an instant.

As time passed, Qianqian’s strength kept rising, advancing toward the second layer of Earth Demon.

Qi Huang, meanwhile, had made unprecedented gains, her Divine Sense soared to the peak of the Monarch-grade Immortal realm, and then ascended into the first Baofeng Planet of Earth Immortal, as effortlessly as a breeze.

‘What secret art is this?! It’s heaven-defying!’

Qi Huang’s eyes widened as she felt the strength in her body multiply manyfold.

Time pressed on. Qianqian broke through to the second layer of Earth Demon, then pressed toward the third layer.

Qi Huang’s Divine Sense never stopped growing. She reached mid-tier Earth Immortal, finally able to perceive the two zombies’ movements clearly.

Duan Qing was already covered in wounds, but she fearlessly hurled herself at the Sea Queen again and again.

“If I hadn’t lost a heart shard, killing you would be easier than slaughtering a dog!”

The Sea Queen snarled, humiliated and enraged. Her flexible snake tail became a blur of lethal afterimages as it lashed at Duan Qing once more.

Duan Qing couldn’t dodge in time. The blow landed—

CRACK!

The clear sound of bones snapping rang out. Duan Qing’s chest collapsed inward, but she clung to the snake tail with all her strength, blood gushing from her.

Within a dozen heartbeats, Qianqian broke into the third layer of Earth Demon. Her aura grew heavier, more overwhelming.

And Qi Huang? She had somehow reached the ninth layer of Earth Immortal. The Sea Queen’s movements now seemed no faster than a turtle to her.