From cute to empress

Chapter 223: The Hidden Mystery of Soul-stealing Technique

The icy feeling quickly spread from my fingertips to my entire body, and I couldn't help but shudder. Zhen Youcai stood there in a daze, his face pale and his eyes empty, as if his soul had been taken away. My heart tightened, and I reached out to grab his arm, calling out anxiously, "Youcai, what's wrong with you? Speak!"

However, he didn't react at all, simply standing there motionless. Just as I was at a loss for words, he suddenly let out a strange sound, like some ancient spell, or a call from the distant past. The sound grew louder and clearer, echoing in the empty mountain forest, seeming particularly eerie and terrifying.

Suddenly, I felt the ground shake violently, and the scene before me began to distort. By the time everything returned to normal, we were in a completely unfamiliar place. It was a dark cave, with glowing stones embedded in the walls, emitting a faint light.

A figure in a black robe and a conical hat slowly emerged from the darkness, gently waving a folding fan in his hand. "How are you, both of you?" His hoarse voice echoed through the cave, a hint of teasing.

"Who are you? Why did you bring us here?" I stared at the man in black in front of me warily, my heart full of confusion and uneasiness.

"Don't be nervous, I mean no harm." He said, slowly taking off the bamboo hat on his head, revealing a handsome face with a faint smile on the corner of his mouth. "I am Ghost Hand Scholar. Like the two of you, I am here to stop the Black Demon's conspiracy."

"Ghost Hand Scholar?" Zhen Youcai finally came back to his senses, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. "I've heard of your great name for a long time, and seeing you today, it's true to its reputation."

"General Zhen, thank you for your compliment." The Ghost Hand Scholar smiled slightly. "Please follow me, both of you. This is not the place to talk."

As he spoke, he turned and walked deeper into the cave. Zhen Youcai and I exchanged a glance and quickly followed. After walking for about an incense stick of time, we arrived at a spacious stone chamber. In the center of the chamber stood a stone table, upon which sat an ancient book—the same one we had seen in the ancient tomb.

"What secrets are hidden in this ancient book? Why is Heisha so obsessed with getting it?" I pointed at the book and asked in confusion.

The Ghost Hand Scholar took a deep breath and said solemnly, "This ancient book is not an ordinary history book, but..." He paused, his eyes swept over the two of us, and said word by word, "It records a forbidden technique that can control people's minds!"

"What?!" Zhen Youcai and I exclaimed in unison, our hearts awash with shock. I stared at that seemingly ordinary ancient book in disbelief. How could it possibly possess such terrifying power?!

The Ghostly Hand Scholar walked over to the stone table, opened the ancient book, pointed to a page, and said, "This describes a forbidden technique called 'Soul Stealing.' As long as..." He hadn't finished his words when hurried footsteps suddenly sounded outside the stone chamber. Then, a cold voice echoed throughout the cave: "Do you think you're safe hiding here?" The cold voice was like a basin of ice water, instantly extinguishing my hope. Black Demon! He actually followed me here!

I looked at the Ghost Hand Scholar in panic, but he looked normal, only with a cold glint in his eyes. "It seems we have no choice," he said, closing the ancient book and tucked it into his arms. "You two, follow me and fight your way out!"

Before he could finish his words, the door to the stone chamber collapsed with a loud bang, and a group of men in black, armed with sharp blades, poured in like a tide. Heisha stood in the center of the crowd, a sinister smile on his face, and he approached us step by step. "Hand over the book, and I can spare your life."

"Don't even think about it!" Zhen Youcai drew the long sword from his waist, blocked in front of me, and looked at Heisha with a firm gaze, "If you want this book, you have to step over my dead body!"

"You don't know your own limitations!" Heisha snorted coldly and waved his hand. The men in black immediately swarmed over and surrounded us.

A fierce battle erupted instantly. Zhen Youcai was a skilled warrior, his swordsmanship sharp and fierce, each strike imbued with murderous intent. In a flash, he defeated several men in black. However, the enemy was outnumbered and well-trained, and we were quickly put at a disadvantage.

Although I had never practiced martial arts, I couldn't care less at this moment. I could only do my best to fight against those men in black. However, I was only a weak woman after all, and it didn't take long for my strength to wear out. I was almost hit by the knife of one of the men in black.

"Mengmeng!" Zhen Youcai's eyes were bloodshot when he saw this. He pulled me behind him with all his strength and protected me with his body.

"Youcai!" I called his name anxiously, my heart aching.

"Hahaha, stop struggling in vain." Heisha laughed wildly and complacently. "Hand over the ancient book obediently, and I'll consider giving you a quick death!"

"Dream on!" Zhen Youcai roared and swung his sword towards Heisha.

Heisha dodged Zhen Youcai's attack with ease, a flicker of disdain in his eyes. "You're overestimating yourself!" He said, transforming his right palm into a claw and grabbing at Zhen Youcai's chest like lightning.

"Be careful!" I exclaimed, but it was too late.

With a muffled "puff" sound, Zhen Youcai's body flew backwards like a kite with a broken string, fell heavily to the ground, and blood spurted out of his mouth.

"You have talent!" I shouted heartbreakingly, rushed to him desperately and hugged him tightly in my arms.

"Ahem..." Zhen Youcai opened his eyes with difficulty, a bitter smile on his lips, "It seems that we have to explain ourselves here today..."

"No, no, there must be a way..." I shook my head desperately, tears blurring my eyes.

"Don't waste your energy." The Ghost Hand Scholar came to our side without us noticing, and said in a heavy tone, "The Black Evil has obtained the ancient book. We have no chance..."

"No, there must be a way..." I muttered to myself, and suddenly the words of the Ghost Hand Scholar flashed through my mind. "This ancient book is not an ordinary history book, but records a forbidden technique that can control people's minds..."

Controlling people's minds? Could it be...

I suddenly looked up at the Ghost Hand Scholar, a glimmer of hope in my eyes. "You said that this ancient book records a forbidden technique that can control people's minds, right?"

The Ghost Hand Scholar was slightly stunned, then seemed to understand something, and a glint of surprise flashed in his eyes, "You want to..."

"Yes, perhaps we can..." I clenched my fists tightly, looking firmly in the direction of Heisha, "Use this ancient book to deal with him!"

"Mengmeng, you want to use the forbidden techniques in ancient books to control the Black Demon?" Zhen Youcai held on tight, grabbed my hand, and said with a worried tone, "This is too dangerous. What if..."

"No chance of a calamity!" I interrupted him, my eyes determined. "This is our only hope. For you, for the sake of all people, I must give it a try!" I turned to look at the Ghost Hand Scholar. "You must know how to break the forbidden techniques in the ancient books, right?"

The Ghost Hand Scholar pondered for a moment and nodded. "Yes, this ancient book does record a forbidden technique that can control people's minds, called 'Soul Stealing'. However, this forbidden technique is extremely dangerous. If used improperly, it will backfire on oneself, with unimaginable consequences."

"I can't care about that anymore!" I gritted my teeth. "As long as I can defeat Black Demon, I will pay any price!"

"But..." Zhen Youcai wanted to persuade him again, but was stopped by my firm look.

"Let's start now without further ado!" I took a deep breath, opened the ancient book, and began to read it carefully.

The words in the ancient tome were obscure and difficult to understand, but I was completely captivated by them, unable to extricate myself. As time passed, I felt like a flame burning in my mind, growing hotter and brighter...

"Mengmeng!"

"His Majesty!"

I could hear the anxious cries of Zhen Youcai and Ghost Hand Scholar, but I seemed not to hear them. I was still immersed in my own world, unable to extricate myself.

Suddenly, I felt like something exploded in my mind, and a powerful force instantly surged through my body. I couldn't help but let out a painful groan.

Zhen Youcai and Ghost Hand Scholar exclaimed and wanted to go forward to check on me, but were bounced away by an invisible force.

I slowly opened my eyes, and a golden light flashed in them.

"I... I seem to understand..." I murmured to myself, with a confident smile on my lips.

"Mengmeng, how are you?" Zhen Youcai asked anxiously.

"I'm fine." I shook my head, stood up, walked to Zhen Youcai, and helped him up. "I have found a way to break the soul-stealing technique."

"Really?" Zhen Youcai and Ghost Hand Scholar were both surprised when they heard this.

I nodded, a determined light flashing in my eyes, "Heisha, your doom has come!"

At this moment, a chaotic sound of footsteps suddenly came from outside the stone chamber, and then a group of men in black broke in and surrounded us.

"Oh no, it's Heisha's people!" The Ghost Hand Scholar's face changed and he said in a deep voice.

"Hmph, you can't escape!" The leading man in black sneered, drew the long sword from his waist, pointed at us and said, "If you know what's good for you, surrender obediently and avoid physical pain!"

I looked at the men in black coldly, with a sneer of disdain on my lips.

"You think you can catch me with just a bunch of you?" I said, slowly raising my right hand. In my palm, a ball of golden light gradually condensed and took shape.

"Kill!" Seeing this, the leader of the men in black's face changed and he shouted sternly.

Upon receiving the order, the men in black immediately rushed towards us, waving their weapons.

"Protect Your Majesty!"

Zhen Youcai shouted loudly, drew the long sword from his waist, blocked in front of me, and started a fierce battle with those men in black...

I closed my eyes and focused all my attention on the golden light in my palm.

"Soul-stealing technique, broken!"

I suddenly opened my eyes and fiercely smashed the golden light in my hand to the ground...