"You know why I didn't hesitate to walk into this formation?" Serena Firegrave asked calmly as she stared into his eyes directly.
"Huh? Why?" He Pingfan blinked in confusion, his hand still hovering with the activation key of the Moltenburst Lava Array.
"Because the moment you named me and demanded I come, I never intended to walk away alive."
"…What? Why? You're a royal princess, you should have everything anyone could ever want. Why would you be so eager to die?"
Seeing Serena so composed and resolved, He Pingfan instantly faltered and started asking questions. He had expected fear, desperation from her once she knew she was going to die, but all he got was calmness from her.
"Because I possess the Extreme Yin Constitution," Serena said softly. "And that means I will die by the time I turn thirty. I'm twenty-nine now. I only have some months left before i die."
Hearing her reasoning He Pingfan was stunned and couldn't utter a single word from his mouth.
"I was devastated when I first learned the truth. But it's something the Dusk Empire, no, even my family's own Redridge Province itself—cannot fix. Our kingdom doesn't have the means or treasures to find the cure."
"I've lived comfortably, basked in endless privilege. I was spoiled and loved beyond measure… yet I have contributed nothing back to the empire, to my father, or to the people."
Her eyes grew distant as she continued her words.
"So when I heard you wanted to see me, I knew this was my only chance. If I'm going to die, I might as well die for a cause. If I can trade my life to save thousands and leave behind a name of honor, that's a price I'm willing to pay."
Serena's lips curled into a serene smile.
"So stop hesitating and crush the formation key. If I'm going to die, let it be within the detonation of a top-tier fourth-grade array. I think it suits my status as a princess."
He Pingfan stood there stunned.
Something wasn't right.
"Wait a minute," he snapped, his brows furrowing. "You think this is some grand sacrifice? I didn't bring you here to let you go out like some tragic martyr. I brought you here for revenge!"
He pointed a finger at himself, then at her.
"This is about me getting closure, not you getting a heroic ending!"
"…You're seriously fussing over that?" Serena blinked. "Isn't the result the same? You get your vengeance, I get to do something worthwhile. It's mutual."
"No! Absolutely not!" He Pingfan stomped his foot and clenched the formation key tighter. "This doesn't count if you're the one stealing the show!"
"Just crush it already," Serena sighed, stepping toward him. "Let's end this."
"Wait—WAIT! Don't be so reckless! Do you have any idea what'll happen if this array explodes? It'll incinerate the entire forest region, kill countless spirit beasts, and reduce everything within ten miles to ashes. This is a fourth-grade array!"
"Then do it," she said flatly. "What's the delay?"
"I'm not doing it. No way!"
He stumbled backward, hurriedly stuffing the array key inside his robes like a squirrel hiding an acorn.
"You're the only one with a future!" he shouted, half-panicked. "You're dying in six months! I'm twenty-eight—I've got years ahead of me! Why the hell should I die here with you!?"
Serena raised an eyebrow.
"Didn't you want revenge?"
"Yes, but not like this! I just wanted justice, not to go down as some madman who blew himself up with a princess! You get a martyr's name, I get cursed through history! It's not fair!"
He Pingfan panted. Then, a strange look crossed his face. His gaze slowly scanned the edges of the formation.
Outside, the Dusk Empire's guards had it tightly surrounded.
If he wanted to escape now… he needed leverage.
And there it was.
His eyes locked on Serena again.
"…Sorry about this."
Before she could react, He Pingfan surged forward. Using the power of the Moltenburst Lava Array, he conjured a massive burning hand and lunged for her trying to seize and hold her hostage.
"Bold!"
"Impudent scum!"
The elite guards outside roared, spiritual energy erupting like tidal waves. Blades of qi, searing arrows, and phantom beasts surged toward the array barrier, hammering it with deafening explosions.
Yet the array didn't falter even the slightest bit.
The only ones who didn't panic were Governor Liang, Lord Wang, and Lady Lan those who knew what hidden treasures and trump cards Serena carried.
Still, their expressions darkened watching the scene ahead of them. The moment He Pingfan reached for the princess, his death sentence was signed by the three of them.
BOOOOM!
A massive shockwave erupted from the skies as molten air surged out, clearing the dust in an instant.
After the dust cleared away the people below could see a person floating in the sky looking at the scene below them.
There, standing in midair like a god descending from the heavens, the man wore a golden-scaled robe and a black imperial crown set with burning red gems. His face was stern and regal, with sharp brows and eyes like smoldering embers giving the vibe cold, yet blazing with suppressed fury.
Flames wreathed his body like a sovereign of fire itself.
Down below, Serena stood unharmed, enveloped in a warm red glow she looked towards the man with a pained expression.
"Father…" she whispered.
"The Firegrave King…" gasped the soldiers.
"All hail His Grace!"
Everyone present in the scene soldiers, generals, cultivators fell to their knees as they pay respect to the most powerful man in their province.
Even Governor Liang knelt with beads of cold sweat dripping down his back.
They had allowed the Firegrave Princess to fall into a hostage situation which was a capital offense.
"Get up all of you, I will deal with you lot later," the Firegrave King said, his voice calm and unbothered.
His eyes fell next on He Pingfan, who lay on the ground trembling in terror.
"A mere ant of the Blood Realm… dares to raise a hand against my daughter?"
He said with his teeth grinding as he raised a single palm.
"Not a trace of you will remain in this world."
A blazing red palm the size of a carriage struck downward the very instant those words left his mouth.
He Pingfan opened his mouth to scream as he saw the palm moving closer towards him.
He never got the chance to anything as the palm struck him.
He was vaporized as his bone, blood, soul and all were incinerated before his consciousness could even register the pain.
Only ashes remained even which were blown away, fluttering like feathers in the wake of divine judgment.