Tie Ci’s figure flashed—but remained in place.

Too shocked to be amazed, she raised her hand.

No electric light burst from her fingertips.

Two consecutive ability failures.

Fortunately, she had already lunged forward while attempting to use her ability. She was now in front of Dan Ye. After the two failed attempts at using her innate power, whether due to issues with channeling her inner energy or excessive anxiety, the familiar sensation of reverse energy flow rushing back to her dantian—something that hadn’t happened in a long time—returned. Her body rumbled chaotically inside. She jerked her head up, her eyes burning with pain.

For an instant, hesitation flashed through her mind.

It seemed her innate ability had activated again, but there appeared to be limitations. Excessive activation seemed to bring side effects. What if opening a new talent caused her original abilities to diminish or disappear?

But there was no time for hesitation, contemplation, or refusal.

The urgent matter was that she had to deal with this damn kid Dan Ye.

She looked up. Dan Ye met her gaze, immediately froze, then became vacant and confused, saying nothing, his fingers stopping mid-motion.

Tie Ci immediately moved his fingers away, casually hoisted him from the throne, and threw him far away from the seat.

During this brief time, Dan Ye remained blank and dazed, allowing her to do as she pleased. Tie Ci was furious—if time hadn’t been so tight, she would have loved to throw him behind the mountain into the waterfall to wash his brain. She could only shout: “Tian Wu!”

Tian Wu came at her call. Tie Ci pointed at Dan Ye and said: “Tie him up, bind him from head to toe, and stuff him in the inner chamber. Tell him that if he dares make any rash moves again, I’ll kill Huyin.”

She had a feeling that if she threatened to kill him, Dan Ye probably wouldn’t be afraid.

Tian Wu showed no questioning or surprise, loudly acknowledged, and actually found rope to tie up Dan Ye. During the binding process, Dan Ye blinked, his expression suddenly came alive. He looked at Tian Wu in bewilderment, still making pressing motions while saying: “Pang Hu, why are you tying me up! How did I suddenly end up on the ground?”

Hearing this, Tie Ci knew he had awakened. The process was brief, about a minute by her master’s time calculation. After awakening, he seemed to have no memory of what had happened before.

It looked like her gaze controlled people’s minds, but judging from how Dan Ye’s actions continued smoothly after awakening, it also seemed like her gaze could stop people’s movements, freezing them in that moment’s state.

Because if it were mental control, after it ended, the person would have brief mental confusion and couldn’t possibly continue their previous actions so quickly.

Tie Ci put on her mask and rushed down frantically. While running, she tested her abilities. She could still see through things, summon lightning, but teleportation wasn’t working. As for restoration—

While sprinting, she grabbed a leaf and crushed it, attempting to restore it.

She opened her palm.

Half fragments, half intact.

Tie Ci frowned.

Was this temporary or permanent?

There was no time to think. She had lured people up here; if she didn’t eliminate them, the entire royal palace would truly be finished.

She ran to the palace wall, squeezed through the fighting crowd, dodged flying arrows shot upward, and showed her face at the palace wall, just meeting Qiu Wujiu’s upward gaze.

The two faced each other. She nodded slightly, turned, and ran toward the gate.

Behind the heavy stone door was a team of soldiers specifically guarding the iron chains that controlled the gates. Seeing “Wu Liang Yunzhu” approach, they instinctively drew their swords. Tie Ci lifted her mask to reveal half her face, and the soldiers immediately relaxed and made way.

This was Dan Ye’s order—Tie Ci enjoyed the same status and treatment as him in the royal palace.

Tie Ci glanced at the iron chains.

Outside the gate came the sound of knocking for the password.

Unfortunately, if her teleportation ability hadn’t malfunctioned, she only needed to lure Qiu Wujiu up, teleport out, and kill him.

But now that was impossible. She had to open the gate partially and go out through it to gain Qiu Wujiu’s trust and get closer to him.

Tie Ci pulled the iron chains.

The soldiers were shocked and rushed forward to stop her.

A minister in the distance noticed and shouted: “Someone is trying to open the gate to betray us!”

Before he finished shouting, someone strangled his neck from behind and silently dragged him behind a pillar.

Yang Yixiu peeked out and made a reassuring gesture to her from behind the pillar.

Rong Pu silently emerged, walked in a circle, and people in that direction who might have seen her all fell down one by one.

But the soldiers behind had already pounced.

Having the same treatment as the king was one thing, but opening the gate concerned everyone’s lives. Even if the king came to open it, it wouldn’t be allowed.

Dan Shuang drew his sword, blocking everyone’s path.

Suddenly cold light flashed as someone charged from the side, a curved blade aimed straight at Tie Ci’s back.

Tie Ci shifted her body, preparing to dodge as much as possible. If unavoidable, suffering minor injuries would be acceptable.

She couldn’t delay any longer. Once the gate wasn’t opened in time and Qiu Wujiu became suspicious and retreated, all previous efforts would be wasted.

The blade was about to reach her ribs.

Suddenly that person flew backward in a straight line, crashing thunderously into the mountain wall.

Silver light flashed as a chain swung up, creating a whooshing wind that blocked the group of soldiers.

From the corner of her eye, Tie Ci saw Dan Ye, who had been tied up like a large worm, had broken free with one hand gripping a long silver chain.

Someone shouted in grief and anger: “He wants to open the door, he wants to harm us!”

Dan Ye roared: “Then let’s be harmed!”

Tie Ci: “…”

No one knew what she wanted to do, but everyone chose to cooperate with her.

Tie Ci couldn’t spare attention for all the chaos behind her. Following her unique method, she pulled the iron chains, and the gate slowly rose.

Cheers thundered outside.

The heavily protected elder looked up.

The gate was slowly rising, currently only knee-high.

Armies on both sides of the gate anxiously watched that gradually expanding space.

Inside and outside that space lay victory and defeat, life and death.

Tie Ci crouched low and squeezed through the gap.

She flew out almost flat against the ground, inevitably colliding with opposing soldiers. She knelt with one knee, pressing down a soldier with a bang, one hand pointing at the shocked elder looking up under the umbrella, electric light flashing in her palm.

She saw the elder under the umbrella stiffen from the electric shock.

At this moment, no one had reacted yet.

Tie Ci reached back to draw her blade and chopped down.

Arc light crossed the mountain path, descending like lightning.

A crisp crack.

A head rolled out along the mountain path.

Tie Ci immediately shouted loudly, “Qiu Wujiu is dead!” while quickly retreating.

At this time the gate had opened to half a person’s height. Some soldiers tried to squeeze in, but Western Rong soldiers rushed forward to push them out. Some shouted to close the door, Dan Ye shouted from afar not to close it. Inside was complete chaos.

Tie Ci retreated backward. Behind her, crowds surged, layer upon layer, instantly blocking her path.

Tie Ci’s expression changed slightly.

Something was wrong.

Upon hearing that Qiu Wujiu was dead, why did they remain unmoved, still maintaining effective formation and blocking her path?

She suddenly raised her head.

Opposite, farther away, at the edge of the mountain path, someone lifted the helmet from their head and smiled faintly at her.

The smile was calm and quiet, almost benevolent.

Tie Ci: “!!!”