Immortal Martial Emperor

'Wudi's in trouble!'

Hong Yu's eyes flickered, a sharp glint like the edge of a blade flashing within them.

A cold aura began to emanate from his body.

The chill was so intense, it was likely no exaggeration to say it rivaled Ten Thousand Years Cold Ice.

Standing to the side, Young Master Yeban's brow furrowed. He asked in a low voice, "What happened?"

"A friend of mine is in mortal danger."

Hong Yu said gravely.

'I casually refined this Sensing Spirit Plate as a backup, just in case the Teleportation Array malfunctioned and sent us to a random location like the one in the Ice Tower.'

The other Spiritual Plate was in Xu Wudi's hands.

Hong Yu knew Xu Wudi's personality very well. She would never crush the Sensing Spirit Plate unless she was truly in a situation with no hope of survival.

In other words…

Xu Wudi could die at any moment.

"If you need my help, just say the word!" Young Master Yeban said, raising an eyebrow.

He didn't even consider the strength of their opponent or whether it would endanger his own life, directly offering to assist Hong Yu.

This frank and sincere offer touched Hong Yu.

Glancing at Little Chenxi in the bedroom, Hong Yu took a deep breath. "Not for now. You stay here and protect Little Chenxi. I'll give you this Spiritual Plate. Once Little Chenxi has finished receiving her inheritance, use the plate to find me. Or, if I resolve this matter first, I'll come back for you both!"

"Alright!"

Young Master Yeban nodded.

He knew how important Little Chenxi was to Hong Yu, so he didn't insist on going with him.

Hong Yu took another deep breath, a cold glint rising in his eyes. 'I hope Wudi hasn't been hurt too badly. Otherwise, no matter who hurt her, I'll make you pay a hundred times over!'

BOOM!

Six black rays of light surged from Hong Yu's back as his Divine Demon Wings suddenly unfurled.

Each wing was a full ten meters long. Spread out, they made him look like a Demon God.

"Yeban, I'm leaving Little Chenxi in your care!" Hong Yu said, turning his head.

Young Master Yeban nodded. "Don't worry, I'll protect her with my life!"

"Mm!"

Hong Yu nodded, turned, and with a beat of his Divine Demon Wings, shot off like a bolt of black thunder. The sound of him tearing through the air was piercingly loud.

...

「Five thousand kilometers from the lake where the Crystal Palace was located.」

A lush mountain forest flourished, thick with undergrowth. The tallest trees reached a hundred meters, ancient giants touching the sky.

Within the forest, over a hundred powerful experts moved hastily, seemingly searching for something.

"Damn that bitch! How can she run so fast with a broken leg?"

"Stop talking nonsense and find her. The higher-ups specifically ordered her capture!"

"I heard Grand Elder Liang Hunran gave the order himself. It seems they want to capture Xu Wudi to force Hong Yu out into the open and kill him!"

"Didn't the Grand Elder already lose to Hong Yu? Where does he get the confidence to face him again?"

"Hehe, you wouldn't know, would you? I heard that the Grand Elder isn't the only expert from our Blood Demon Palace who entered the Profound Ice Secret Realm this time..."

"Not just the Grand Elder? Who in our Blood Demon Palace is stronger than him? Wait, don't tell me you mean... *him*?" A Blood Demon Palace disciple's eyes filled with terror.

"It's enough that you know. No need to say it out loud!"

The disciple from before nodded repeatedly. "If *he's* making a move, then Hong Yu is a dead man for sure!"

The group continued their conversation as they swept through the area.

After they had traveled several dozen kilometers away...

...from the very tree they had just been standing near, a piece of bark was suddenly pushed aside. A haggard Xu Wudi stumbled out and collapsed.

Her blood-red leather armor was in tatters, and her entire body was drenched in blood.

Her right leg was twisted at a ninety-degree angle, the blood-stained bone piercing through her skin in a gruesome display.

GASP, GASP!

Xu Wudi heaved for breath.

Her eyes burned with venomous hatred and fury. "Damn you, Blood Demon Palace! If I survive this, I swear I'll slaughter every last one of you, down to the chickens and dogs!"

Amidst her rage, Xu Wudi pulled the Sensing Spirit Plate from her clothes.

A bitter expression crossed her face. 'To think this Spiritual Plate that Hong Yu gave me would end up saving my life.'

Her mind couldn't help but flash back to when she was ambushed and surrounded by the Blood Demon Palace not long ago.

She had been grievously injured, one of her legs broken.

Liang Hunran had even struck her in the chest with his palm. If the Sensing Spirit Plate hadn't blocked some of the impact, she would have been severely wounded, if not killed outright, and fallen into the hands of Liang Hunran and the other Blood Demon Palace experts.

Her expression was filled with misery and self-reproach. 'Hong Yu must have sensed that the Spiritual Plate shattered. I'm afraid he'll come to help me. But the Blood Demon Palace is obviously using me as bait to lure him out. This time, I'm going to get Hong Yu killed.'

'No, I can't let Hong Yu get dragged into this because of me.'

A determined light flickered in Xu Wudi's eyes.

She turned and stuffed the shattered Spiritual Plate into a crevice in the broken tree. After carefully concealing it, she limped off toward the depths of the forest.

This place wasn't safe.

She feared that when the Blood Demon Palace experts couldn't find her elsewhere, they would circle back. Xu Wudi had to leave this spot immediately.

However...she failed to notice that as she left, a furtive figure emerged from the tall grass.

The man was clad in Battle Armor. It was none other than the Tang Family Head, Tang Zhan!

He glanced at Xu Wudi's former hiding spot, the corners of his lips twisting into a cold, cruel smirk.

With a wave of his hand, a sharp blast of Primordial Gang peeled back the bark. Using a telekinetic technique, he snatched the broken Sensing Spirit Plate into his grasp.

A bloodthirsty glint shone in Tang Zhan's eyes. "So this little thing can lure Hong Yu over here? Jyejyejye, in that case, there's no use keeping that Xu Wudi girl alive! Hehe, the only reason I've never been able to crush the Xu Family is because of that damn girl. Today, I'll settle all our old and new debts at once!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a Command Arrow appeared in his hand, and he abruptly activated it.

PWISH!

A bright signal flare shot straight into the clouds, bursting in a brilliant flash of light.

At the same time…

As Xu Wudi stumbled forward, her face changed drastically. 'A Blood Demon Palace Command Arrow? Dammit, have they found me?'

She focused her senses and could already feel numerous powerful auras rushing toward her location.

'Bastards! I absolutely cannot fall into their hands!'

Xu Wudi clenched her jaw.

The surrounding forest was crawling with Blood Demon Palace experts. If she tried to fly, she would be flying right into a trap. Her only option was to flee into the denser parts of the woods.

But...her leg was useless, and her body was severely wounded. Her speed was drastically reduced; how could she possibly be a match for the well-rested experts of the Blood Demon Palace?

A little over ten minutes later, she was discovered by the Blood Demon Palace experts.

"Xu Wudi is here!"

A low roar shattered the silence of the forest.

The color drained from Xu Wudi's face.

She could only desperately pick up her pace, but more and more Blood Demon Palace experts were converging on her. They didn't seem to be in a hurry to capture her, instead toying with her like a cat with a mouse, chasing her at a leisurely pace.

When Xu Wudi sped up, they sped up.

When Xu Wudi slowed down, they slowed down with her.

They tormented her in this endless cycle. Xu Wudi was constantly shrouded in the threat of death. If not for her resilient will, she would have already suffered a mental breakdown and gone mad.

"Bastards! You animals from the Blood Demon Palace! If you have the guts, come out and take my life!" Xu Wudi roared.

She swung her Dragon and Phoenix Long Whip, lashing out at a Blood Demon Palace disciple.

Normally, an ordinary disciple would never be able to block this strike. But now, gravely injured and having fled for so long despite her wounds, she was already at the end of her rope.

Faced with the whip, the Blood Demon Palace disciple dodged to the side. He paused for a moment in surprise, then burst out laughing. "Wahaha, this bitch is done for!"

The moment he finished speaking, he charged forward.

"Get lost!"

Xu Wudi lashed out with her whip again.

The disciple caught it with a backhand grip and yanked hard, causing Xu Wudi to stumble and fall to the ground.

The Blood Demon Palace disciple strode forward and stomped on Xu Wudi's back, pinning her to the ground. He laughed wantonly, "Hahaha, is this the great First True Dragon? In the end, you're still just something for me to trample underfoot!"

At this moment, more and more Blood Demon Palace disciples arrived.

Seeing the ordinary disciple trampling Xu Wudi, they looked on with envy. Someone spoke up, "Hey, how can you keep all the fun to yourself? Let me have a try!"

"Haha, then come on over! Let me tell you, trampling the First True Dragon feels incredible!"

The disciple laughed loudly and stepped aside.

Another disciple walked up from behind and viciously kicked down.

Xu Wudi, who had just started to push herself up, was stomped back down to the ground, the impact jarring her internal organs.

"My turn!"

"Me too!"

"Damn it! During the tournament, this bitch was the one who slapped me off the stage and made me lose all face. Today, I'm going to trample her good!"

One disciple came up and stomped on her viciously three times in a row.

WAH!

Xu Wudi was incredibly weak, blood continuously pouring from her mouth.

At this point, Xu Wudi could no longer bear it. Despair filled her eyes, a longing for death.

"Tsk tsk, you want to die? It won't be that easy!"

Another crazed Blood Demon Palace expert stepped forward. He didn't stomp on her again, but instead pulled her up and tied her hands with a long rope.

He then grabbed the other end of the rope.

Laughing wildly, the man began to sprint through the forest, dragging the weak Xu Wudi behind him. Her body tumbled and rolled along the ground.

THUD! THUD! THUD!

Along the way, Xu Wudi's body was constantly slammed against trees.

In their wake...

...they left not only a trail of drag marks, but also one of chillingly fresh blood.

Xu Wudi's aura was faint; she was on the verge of death.

"Hey, don't let her die so easily. Feed her a Healing Spirit Pill and we can keep playing!" someone suggested.

A Blood Demon Palace disciple took out a Healing Spirit Pill.

It wasn't high-grade, but it was enough to save Xu Wudi's life.

Seeing some color return to Xu Wudi's face as her vitality was restored, the Blood Demon Palace experts continued their torment. Apparently tired of running, one disciple threw the rope over a tree branch and pulled hard, hoisting Xu Wudi high into the air.

"You like using whips, don't you? Well today, this grandpa will let you have a taste of one!"

As he spoke, he violently swung the Dragon and Phoenix Long Whip. With a loud CRACK, it struck Xu Wudi's body.

Flesh tore and blood flew.

"I want a turn!"

"This feels amazing!"

One after another, a hundred Blood Demon Palace disciples took turns whipping Xu Wudi with the Dragon and Phoenix Long Whip. Her skin was flayed open, without a single intact patch left on her body. She was covered in blood.

Even breathing was an immense struggle.

"Tsk tsk, is this the great First True Dragon? She's nothing special!"

Another disciple was about to step forward, but Tang Zhan stopped him.

Tang Zhan shot him a glare and said flatly, "If you beat her up like this, how am I supposed to enjoy this body?"

"So Patriarch Tang has such tastes. In that case, be my guest!"

Tang Zhan nodded in satisfaction and walked toward Xu Wudi with a savage grin.

He shaped his hand into a claw, about to rip off Xu Wudi's clothes. But just then, a roar filled with infinite fury, like a clap of thunder, exploded in the air...

"You dare touch her?!"