The Emperor's Favorite: The Useless and Crazy Concubine Who Conquers the World

Ice spikes rained down like raindrops, instantly knocking down most of the flying birds. The remaining birds, seeing the situation was not good, fled in droves.

Lin Wan'er and Yun Mengyao breathed a sigh of relief and returned to Lan Yunyan. Lin Wan'er said, "These birds seem to be controlled by someone. Their attacks are very organized."

Lan Yunyan nodded: "It seems that our enemies have not given up yet. They are still planning something in secret."

Yun Mengyao said, "No matter what conspiracy they have, we are not afraid. As long as the three of us are together, we will be able to deal with any difficulties."

Lan Yunyan looked at the determined eyes of her two friends and was deeply moved. She knew that in this world full of dangers and challenges, having such friends by her side was her greatest fortune.

After a short rest, the three decided to continue on their journey, seeking the secrets of the manipulator behind this. As they followed the winding path, the only sound was the silence of their footsteps.

Suddenly, Lin Wan'er keenly noticed something strange, and she stretched out her hand to signal everyone to stop.

"Did you hear any sound?" Lin Wan'er asked softly, with vigilance in her eyes.

Everyone held their breath and listened carefully. At first, there was only the rustling of leaves in the breeze, but gradually, a low humming sound came from the distance and became clearer and clearer.

The ground also began to shake slightly, as if thousands of troops were galloping towards them.

Lan Yunyan frowned: "The situation is not good, everyone be careful."

Before he could finish his words, a group of knights in black armor and riding huge black panthers emerged from all directions.

Their armor was engraved with strange runes, gleaming with a cold light in the dim light. Without a word, the knights raised their spears and charged directly at the three men.

Yun Mengyao quickly drew the long sword from her waist, the blade flashing a dazzling cold light in the sunlight: "Those who come here have ill intentions. We can't just sit there and wait for death."

Lin Wan'er, unwilling to be outdone, formed hand seals and muttered something. Instantly, the air around her seemed to freeze, and icy blades formed before her, like rows of sharp teeth. With a wave of her hand, the ice blades whistled towards the knights.

The ice blades collided with the spears, making a crisp clanging sound. However, the strength of these knights was beyond imagination. They easily broke through the ice blade defense and continued to advance.

Seeing this, Lan Yunyan gently waved the staff in her hand, and countless vines suddenly grew out of the ground, like giant green pythons, wrapping around the knights.

But the black panthers were nimble, carrying the knights as they nimbly moved through the vines. Seeing the enemy about to rush in front of them, Yun Mengyao shouted loudly and rushed towards the enemy formation like a flash of lightning.

Her swordsmanship was extremely sharp, and each sword strike carried great power and momentum. She engaged in a fierce battle with the leading knight.

Lin Wan'er and Lan Yunyan cooperated with each other. Lin Wan'er continuously created ice spikes to attack the enemy's flanks, while Lan Yunyan used vines to interfere with the black panther's movements and at the same time released healing spells to replenish Yun Mengyao's physical strength and heal her wounds.

The battle entered a white-hot stage, with both sides fighting back and forth and neither side giving in.

During the fierce battle, Yun Mengyao gradually discovered a weakness of these knights.

Every time she struck their heads, the knights would slow down for a moment. She watched the moment and shouted, "Attack their heads!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Wan'er and Lan Yunyan immediately adjusted their tactics.

Lin Wan'er concentrated on creating larger and sharper ice spikes, which she shot specifically at the knights' heads; Lan Yunyan used vines to restrain the black panther, allowing Yun Mengyao to attack the enemy more smoothly.

After a bitter battle, the knights finally began to retreat, their numbers gradually decreasing and their formation becoming chaotic.

Just when the three thought they were about to win, a sharp whistle suddenly sounded in the distance. After hearing the whistle, the remaining knights quickly retreated and disappeared without a trace in the blink of an eye.

Yun Mengyao returned to Lan Yunyan and Lin Wan'er, breathless, with a hint of confusion on her face: "What's going on? Why did they suddenly retreat?"

Lan Yunyan shook her head. "I'm not sure, but I feel like there must be a bigger conspiracy behind this. We can't take it lightly."

Lin Wan'er looked in the direction the knights left and said thoughtfully, "They seem to be following some kind of command. Could this be the same group that controlled the birds earlier?"

In order to find out the truth, the three decided to continue exploring in the direction the knights came from. Along the way, they became more cautious and kept an eye on the surroundings.

As we went deeper, the scenery on both sides of the road became increasingly eerie and strange. The once lush trees became dry and twisted, and unidentified objects emitting a foul smell hung from the branches.

The grass on the ground also became dry, yellow and sparse, as if it had been eroded by some evil force.

As we walked, we saw an ancient castle in front of us. The castle walls were covered with black vines, and the gate was closed, giving off a depressing atmosphere.

Yun Mengyao walked forward and pushed the door, but it didn't move.

Lin Wan'er looked at the gate carefully and found some strange patterns and words engraved on it.

She gently touched the patterns, trying to decipher their meaning, while Lan Yunyan searched around for other ways to enter the castle.

Suddenly, Lin Wan'er's eyes lit up: "I think I know how to open this door. These patterns are an ancient mechanical device that requires a specific force to activate."

As she spoke, she mobilized her soul power and injected it into the pattern on the door. As the soul power was injected, the pattern on the door began to flicker. Then, the door slowly opened, and a stale, decayed smell filled the air.

The three of them walked into the castle cautiously. It was dark, damp, and filled with thick fog.

There were some shabby tables, chairs and statues in the hall, and faded portraits hung on the walls. The people in the portraits seemed to be staring at them, which was creepy.

As they walked along the hall, they heard a faint sound of voices, which seemed to come from the depths of the castle.