Every legion commander within the Great Yi Emperor Dynasty bore a spatial gate imprint upon them, allowing them to open a portal instantly in times of peril. It served as an escape mechanism to avoid irreparable catastrophes. Now, it was this very imprint that Guan Yu and Zhang Fei activated—without a moment's hesitation or reluctance.
Zhang Fei didn't hesitate in the slightest.
He knew all too well the terrifying might of Guan Yu's blade. Yet even that power had been easily blocked. Worse still, Guan Yu had been seriously injured from the counterattack.
The old man they'd encountered… was no ordinary foe. He was a monstrous adversary of the highest caliber.
Their only option now was to return to the Great Yi, reach White Crow City, and seek Yi Tianxing's help. Without his intervention, they couldn't imagine any way to save Liu Bei.
Whoosh!
The spatial gate opened and vanished in the blink of an eye. Even the Myriad Tribulations Demon Sovereign couldn't stop it.
Yet his gaze remained calm.
"Two great herbs have escaped," he said warmly, patting the medicine basket slung over his back. "But with so many divine herbs wandering this battlefield, there's no rush. I'll make up for it soon enough."
White Crow City Plaza
A spatial gate suddenly opened, and two figures emerged—none other than Guan Yu and Zhang Fei. Upon arrival, Guan Yu spat out another mouthful of blood, his face pale as paper. Though he'd taken healing pills, his internal injuries were still severe.
"It's General Guan and General Zhang!"
"General Guan is hurt! What happened?!"
"Hurry! Notify the Pavilion Master and the Emperor!"
The surrounding cultivators of Great Yi were instantly alarmed. Everyone recognized the duo, but none had expected them to return so suddenly—let alone wounded.
The alert spread like wildfire.
Before long, Zhuge Liang arrived with a group and quickly stepped forward.
"General Guan, what happened?" he asked in surprise. "Weren't you going to meet with your elder brother? How could you end up wounded?"
This turn of events had completely blindsided him.
Meeting Liu Bei shouldn't have led to violence. Their bond made such a scenario seem absurd. And yet here they stood, one of them gravely injured. With Guan Yu's level of power, for him to be hurt so badly… the situation had to be far beyond ordinary.
Something had gone terribly wrong.
"Master Zhuge, quickly—take us to the Emperor. My brother is in danger!" Zhang Fei urged, visibly anxious.
"Don't worry, let's go. His Majesty is already waiting in the palace."
Zhuge Liang nodded without hesitation and led the two straight to the City Lord's Mansion.
Yi Tianxing was already waiting. As soon as they entered:
"How are your injuries, General Guan?"
"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty," Guan Yu said with a bow, his heart warmed. "My injuries are not too serious. I only need some time to fully recover."
"Heal!"
Yi Tianxing calmly uttered a divine command.
A wave of invisible power swept over Guan Yu. Instantly, his pale complexion regained color, and his internal injuries began to mend at a visible rate.
Under the power of Golden Decrees, miracles were natural.
This was the Divine Ability of the Imperial Dao—capable of defying the natural order.
"My deepest thanks, Your Majesty."Guan Yu bowed again, feeling completely restored and free of hidden wounds.
"Your Majesty, my brother has been abducted by a powerful being from the Eternal Night. He's in mortal peril. I beg you to intervene. If Your Majesty agrees to help, I—Guan Yu—swear an oath: from this day forward, I shall fight only for the Great Yi, serve only the Emperor, and dedicate myself to the battlefield for all eternity."
Guan Yu dropped to one knee, voice firm and eyes burning with conviction.
For his brother, he was willing to give everything. This was not an impulsive declaration—it was a solemn vow. No matter what Liu Bei might say in the future, it would never sway him again. His loyalty now belonged to Great Yi alone. It was the only price he could offer for Liu Bei's rescue.
"I, Zhang Fei, swear the same. So long as my brother lives, I will live and die with the Great Yi. Nothing else matters. I beg the Emperor to act."
Zhang Fei echoed the oath without hesitation.
This was the price they would pay for the brotherhood they'd once forged with Liu Bei. This was their final decision. Even if there was only the slightest chance of saving him, they would give it everything. Otherwise, Liu Bei was doomed without question.
It was also a way to silence the doubts in their hearts—once and for all.
Yi Tianxing smiled faintly. "Back when you first joined Great Yi, I told you both: if there ever came a day when you wished to leave, I would never stop you. Great Yi will always be your home, your strongest support. But if you remain, that is even better."
He could already tell—these two had now fully and truly chosen to belong to Great Yi. No matter what Liu Bei said in the future, it would be useless.
Over the years, Great Yi had treated them well, and they had developed a powerful sense of belonging. The scales within their hearts had already shifted.
"Generals, tell us exactly what happened so we can formulate the proper strategy," Zhuge Liang requested.
He too was burning with curiosity. What had happened to turn a friendly reunion into a disaster?
Guan Yu quickly recounted everything, without embellishment or delay.
Zhuge Liang's eyes narrowed. "An old man in white who knocked out Liu Bei with a single blow and injured General Guan with ease… that must be one of the two Eternal Night threats recently revealed on the battlefield. They abduct Eternal Heaven geniuses and treat them as living divine herbs."
His conclusion was swift and grim.
"Your Majesty, please! My brother is in grave danger. No one knows where that Eternal Night fiend might go. If we don't act now, we might never find him again!" Guan Yu pleaded.
Yi Tianxing nodded slowly, a fierce light flickering in his eyes. "Those Eternal Night fiends… I wasn't planning to act just yet. But now that they've dared to strike at our human geniuses—right near White Crow City—how can I let that pass? It's time I meet this one face-to-face and see what he's made of."
His voice was calm, but the battle intent was unmistakable.
"Crow Emperor, can we track his movements?"
"Don't worry," said the Crow Emperor confidently. "In the Divine-Demon Battlefield, if my White Bone Crow race wants to find someone, they will be found. And since he's still nearby, this'll be easy. White Crow City can catch up in no time."
As soon as he finished speaking, White Crow City's speed skyrocketed.
Carried by the White Bone Crow Emperor, the city soared through the skies. The Demon Lord of Ten Thousand Tribulations hadn't gone far—he wasn't fleeing, merely roaming for more prey.
But already, the Crow Emperor had locked onto his position.
On the city walls, Yi Tianxing and his empresses stood tall, watching the landscape blur by as they approached their quarry.
Soon enough, a white-clad old man appeared in the distance, bamboo staff in hand and medicine basket on his back—looking like a kindly herbalist out gathering herbs, rather than a vicious Eternal Night fiend.
"Hm?"
The Demon Lord of Ten Thousand Tribulations halted his steps and looked up into the sky. His eyes locked onto White Crow City—and then directly onto Yi Tianxing.
His gaze grew searing with interest.
"A divine herb... a supreme divine herb. What a delightful surprise."
A smile crept across his face.
"Demon fiend! Return my brother at once!" Zhang Fei roared in fury.