Liu Yunfei sought Ye Liuyun’s instructions: "I’m going to find Liu Yunyao. Do you think she’ll take the bait?"

"She will. Hand over all the resources you have to her. Just go ahead," Ye Liuyun replied.

"Give her everything?" Liu Yunfei was baffled. Why would they do that? But Ye Liuyun offered no explanation, only exerting control through the slave mark to ensure compliance.

With no other choice, Liu Yunfei gathered all his resources into a Interspatial Ring and set off to find Liu Yunyao.

When they met, he presented the ring and explained his purpose.

To his surprise, Liu Yunyao didn’t hesitate. She accepted the resources and immediately agreed.

"Come find me first thing tomorrow morning. I’ll leave the city with you!" she said decisively.

*What’s going on? Why did she agree so easily?* Liu Yunfei was utterly confused, unable to fathom how Ye Liuyun had known she’d accept. *Was it because of those resources?*

Though he couldn’t make sense of it, he still informed Liu Yunheng that he’d bring Liu Yunyao with him the next morning.

Liu Yunheng didn’t ask for details. As long as Liu Yunyao and Liu Yunfei showed up, he could eliminate them both in one strike. That night, he positioned his elite axe-wielding guards around his tent, preparing them for the ambush.

These were Liu Yunfei’s own men. If they killed Liu Yunyao, it would give him the perfect excuse to execute Liu Yunfei afterward.

With everything in place, Liu Yunheng waited calmly for Liu Yunyao’s arrival.

At dawn the next day, Liu Yunfei went to fetch Liu Yunyao. To his astonishment, she brought only one guard—the Nine-Headed Demon Dragon—while Xuanwu followed invisibly.

"You... you’re bringing just *one* guard?" Liu Yunfei couldn’t believe his eyes.

"Isn’t this a negotiation? What’s the point of bringing more? Even if I had an army, it wouldn’t compare to Liu Yunheng’s fifty thousand troops," Liu Yunyao reasoned.

"You’re absolutely right!" Liu Yunfei had to admit she made a valid point. More escorts would only mean more casualties—numbers wouldn’t make a difference.

Liu Yunyao and Liu Yunfei arrived at the city gates, instructing Lin Fengzhi to open them.

"Your Highness, you’re only taking one guard? Should I dispatch twenty thousand troops to accompany you?" Lin Fengzhi couldn’t hide his astonishment. Though he knew this guard was formidable, facing fifty thousand enemy soldiers alone was another matter. No single warrior, no matter how skilled, could guarantee the princess’s safety.

Seizing the moment, Liu Yunyao amplified her voice, ensuring her words echoed throughout the city.

"Unnecessary. To deal with Liu Yunheng, one is enough. His mother, Lin Mengxian, attempted to poison me but ended up poisoning herself. Now he leads an army to besiege the royal capital, committing treason and defying the will of the people.

Today, I take only one person beyond these walls to resolve this crisis and restore peace to the capital. No one else is to interfere. Commander Lin, your duty is to hold the city and guard these gates!"

With that declaration, the entire capital knew Liu Yunyao intended to face Liu Yunheng’s fifty thousand troops with just one guard.

Her sheer audacity and presence left even the bravest men feeling inadequate.

"As you command!" Seeing her resolve, Lin Fengzhi could say no more. He ordered the gates opened and watched as the princess and her escort strode toward Liu Yunheng’s encampment.

From the city walls, countless martial cultivators took to the skies, observing Liu Yunyao’s every move.

Among her supporters, some fretted for her safety, while others refused to believe she would foolishly challenge an army alone—surely, she had a hidden strategy. Spies were dispatched to monitor the unfolding events beyond the walls.

This was the decisive clash between Liu Yunyao and Liu Yunheng. By day’s end, victory or defeat would likely be decided. As for peace talks? No one held such illusions.

Following Liu Yunyao toward the enemy forces, Liu Yunfei felt the crushing weight of the army’s oppressive aura ahead and the watchful eyes of the city’s defenders behind. Yet Liu Yunyao advanced with unhurried confidence, her composure deepening his admiration for her courage and poise. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

From within his ranks, Liu Yunheng watched Liu Yunyao approach, his excitement mounting with every step she took.

A dark satisfaction settled in his heart. *At last, the day has come. Though we share blood, the royal family is a battlefield where only the strong survive. Don’t blame me, dear sister, for showing no mercy.*

"Once I eliminate you, the entire Willowwood Dynasty will be mine! I’ll lead our armies to crush the barbarians and finally unite the Twin Dynasties galaxy, bringing unprecedented glory to our empire!"

Liu Yunheng was still lost in his grandiose fantasies when, unbeknownst to him, every step Liu Yunyao took toward him brought him closer to his doom.

Under the watchful eyes of the gathered forces, Liu Yunyao strode calmly into the heart of Liu Yunheng’s army. Seeing her enter the camp, Liu Yunheng relaxed, his earlier urgency fading.

"It’s a shame we’ve come to this, sister. Born into royalty, we were doomed to face each other like this," Liu Yunheng sighed, his voice tinged with regret.

"Indeed," Liu Yunyao echoed softly, her gaze lingering on him before she uttered, "Fourth Brother."

Liu Yunheng nodded, though his expression hardened. "No point delaying the inevitable. The outcome was always going to be the same."

With that, he raised his hand and signaled to the surrounding executioners.

Liu Yunyao merely smiled, waiting for his move.

But the moment Liu Yunheng gave the order, the executioners roared, "Kill!"—only instead of attacking her, they turned their blades on him. Others charged toward nearby soldiers in a sudden, coordinated betrayal.

Liu Yunheng’s personal guards rushed forward, desperately shielding him from the onslaught. Realization struck him like a bolt of lightning.

"Liu Yunfei! You betrayed me?!"

Liu Yunfei, feigning shock, sprinted toward Liu Yunheng, even theatrically cutting down one of the rogue executioners.

"Never, Fourth Brother! I swear I had no idea this would happen!" he protested, his face the picture of bewildered innocence.

Liu Yunyao’s clear voice rang out, "Surprised, Fourth Brother? Your little sister has a gift for you!"

Her words instantly lifted the siege around Liu Yunfei. Liu Yunheng quickly deduced that Liu Yunyao must have orchestrated this ambush.

Yet he remained unshaken. While ordering his men to continue battling the axe-wielding troops, he chuckled, "Two thousand soldiers count as a gift? Yunyao, you underestimate your fourth brother!"

Liu Yunyao’s laughter tinkled like wind chimes, "If two thousand aren’t enough, how about adding another thousand?"

No sooner had she spoken than the Nine-Headed Demon Dragon unleashed a thousand demonic warriors. These towering fiends, each twice the height of a human, radiated rolling demonic energy that carried the oppressive aura of Dominator-level cultivators. Their mere presence crushed the morale of ordinary soldiers.

"ROAR!" The demonic dragon’s earth-shaking bellow sent the thousand demon warriors fanning out in all directions like a dark tide.

The monstrous dragon itself charged straight at Liu Yunheng, its full cultivation power erupting like a volcano.

Liu Yunyao stood motionless amidst the chaos, her mysterious guardian Xuanwu remaining invisibly by her side like a shadow.

The bodyguards surrounding Liu Yunheng—all sent by Lin Yuan’an—exchanged grim looks. The moment they saw the demonic legion and the charging Nine-Headed Dragon, they knew they’d walked straight into a trap.