As soon as I put it on, I met a sickly man

Jiang Yue clenched the jade pendant in her hand, the cool touch calming her slightly. She glanced back. The man in black was still locked in a struggle with Mu Yang, but the odds were clearly against him. Mu Yang's moves were brutal, tinged with a frenzied determination to win. Despite his immense martial arts prowess, the man in black was gradually showing signs of fatigue.

She knew she couldn't hesitate any longer. She bent down to lift the unconscious Ding Chen, struggling to drag him to a relatively safe place. Ding Chen's body was heavy, and Jiang Yue almost exhausted all her strength. Qiu'er also rushed to help, and the master and servant worked together to place Ding Chen in a safe place.

"Miss, let's go quickly!" Qiu'er urged anxiously. Her little face was pale and she was obviously frightened by this sudden change.

Jiang Yue nodded and was about to help Qiu'er leave when she noticed that Mu Yang had already broken free from the men in black and was striding towards them. He had a sinister smile on his face, like a predator stalking its prey, which was chilling.

The man in black, Xuanyuan Che, tried to intervene, but was entangled by Mu Yang's henchmen. He was anxious, but unable to escape. He could only watch helplessly as Mu Yang approached Jiang Yue, feeling overwhelmed with powerlessness.

Mu Yang's trusted followers, well-trained and coordinated, surged towards the Imperial Guards like a tide. Despite their valiant resistance, they were gradually overwhelmed. The clash of weapons and the screams of soldiers intertwined into a chaotic battlefield. The ground was stained red by blood, and the air was thick with the stench of gore.

Xuanyuan Che fought hard, but he was struggling. The wounds on his body grew more and more, and blood continued to flow, staining his clothes red. He knew he couldn't hold on for much longer.

Jiang Yue watched all this, her heart filled with despair. She knew they would have a hard time escaping today. Mu Yang only had eyes for her, and his possessiveness made her feel suffocated. She hugged Ding Chen tightly, as if that would give him a sense of security.

Mu Yang walked up to Jiang Yue and looked down at her. He stretched out his hand, wanting to touch her cheek, but Jiang Yue dodged.

"Jiang Yue," Mu Yang's voice was low and hoarse, "You can't escape."

Jiang Yue didn't say anything, but just hugged Ding Chen tightly and looked at Mu Yang vigilantly.

Mu Yang sneered, a fierce look flashing in his eyes. He grabbed Jiang Yue's arm and pulled her away from Ding Chen.

"Let me go!" Jiang Yue struggled, but couldn't break free from Mu Yang's grip.

Mu Yang ignored her struggle and held her tightly in his arms.

"You..." Jiang Yue was interrupted by a sudden exclamation before she could finish her words.

Suddenly, strange black shadows appeared in the sky, as if something was rapidly approaching. The shadows were moving at an extremely high speed, accompanied by sharp sounds as they moved closer and closer, becoming increasingly clearer. Everyone was captivated by this scene, and they all looked up at the sky, their faces filled with uncertainty.

The Imperial Guards and Mu Yang's closest associates all stopped fighting, watching the strange phenomenon in the sky with vigilance. Even Mu Yang, who had been frantically watching, temporarily let go of Jiang Yue and turned his gaze to the rapidly approaching shadows.

The shadows drew closer, and their outlines finally became visible. They were a flock of enormous birds, pitch black, their wingspans several feet wide. Like dark clouds, they pressed down, obscuring the sky and the sun. They shrieked and swirled through the air, like messengers from hell, bringing a suffocating sense of oppression.

No one knew what these birds were, let alone where they came from. Fear spread among the crowd, and some timid soldiers even began to tremble.

Jiang Yue's heart was also filled with uneasiness, but she knew that now was not the time to be afraid. She had to seize this opportunity to escape from Mu Yang's clutches.

Taking advantage of Mu Yang's distraction, Jiang Yue quickly picked up a fallen sword from the ground. This sword originally belonged to a Royal Guard soldier, but now it became her last hope.

She took a deep breath, mustered up the courage, and rushed towards Mu Yang. With trembling hands, she raised the sword, pointed it at Mu Yang, and shouted with all her strength, "Don't come over here, or I won't let you go!"

Mu Yang was startled by Jiang Yue's sudden action. He turned his head and looked at the weak but determined woman in front of him. He was stunned at first, then burst into laughter.

"Hahaha..." Mu Yang's laughter was filled with mockery and disdain. "Do you think you can resist me? With just this broken sword in your hand?"

Jiang Yue said nothing, but held the sword tightly in her hand, staring at Mu Yang with a determined look. She knew she was no match for Mu Yang, but she would never give up resistance.

Mu Yang's laughter stopped abruptly, and the expression on his face became cold and cruel. He glanced at the sword in Jiang Yue's hand with contempt, then slowly stretched out his hand.

"Since you want to die so much, I will grant your wish!" Mu Yang's voice was as cold as a knife, filled with strong murderous intent.

Jiang Yue took advantage of the moment Mu Yang spoke and rushed forward, stabbing the sword in her hand straight into Mu Yang's chest. She knew that her attack would probably not work, but she had to fight with all her strength, even if there was only a glimmer of hope, she would fight for it.

However, Jiang Yue's attack seemed like child's play to Mu Yang. He easily dodged Jiang Yue's sword by leaning sideways, then sent it flying with a backhand palm strike.

The sword fell to the ground with a clang, and Jiang Yue's wrist was tightly grasped by Mu Yang.

"You..." Jiang Yue was interrupted by Mu Yang's cold voice before she could finish her words.

"Do you think you can resist me?" Mu Yang tightened his fingers, and Jiang Yue felt a sharp pain in her wrist.

Jiang Yue gritted her teeth and struggled hard, but she couldn't break free from Mu Yang's grip. She closed her eyes in despair, waiting for death to come.

"I told you, you can't escape..." Mu Yang's voice sounded in her ears, like the whisper of a devil, making her shudder.

Mu Yang's hand slowly caressed Jiang Yue's cheek...

Mu Yang's fingers, like iron pliers, tightly gripped Jiang Yue's slender wrist, causing her to feel a piercing pain. He smiled contemptuously, his eyes filled with mockery and ridicule. "Do you think you can resist me?" he repeated, his tone filled with unquestionable dominance.

Jiang Yue gritted her teeth and struggled, but like a trapped animal, she couldn't break free from Mu Yang's grip. She looked desperately at the sword scattered on the ground. It had been her last hope, now reduced to cold scrap metal.

At this moment, the unconscious Ding Chen uttered a faint groan and mumbled, "Jiang Yue... Jiang Yue..."

This voice was like a flash of lightning, piercing Jiang Yue's despair. She turned her head sharply to look at Ding Chen, tears welling up in her eyes. She saw Ding Chen's pale face, his closed eyes, and the horrifying wounds on his body.

"Ding Chen..." Jiang Yue choked up, her heart filled with self-blame and regret. She knew she had failed. Not only had she failed to protect Ding Chen, but she had also put herself in a desperate situation. She lowered her head helplessly, letting the tears blur her vision.

Mu Yang looked at Jiang Yue's pained expression, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes. He did not stop Jiang Yue from looking at Ding Chen, but instead pulled her closer so that she could see Ding Chen's injuries more clearly.

"Look, this is your choice." Mu Yang's voice was cold and cruel. "For him, you gave up the chance to live."

Jiang Yue didn't say anything, but just shed tears silently. She knew that Mu Yang was right. She had given up everything for Ding Chen.