The Legend of the Princess' Counterattack

Chapter 745: Xiao Cui's Choice (Heartbreaking Reversal)

Night fell as dark as ink, shrouding Lotus Town. The town square, however, was ablaze with lights and bustling with activity. Colorful lanterns hung high, their flickering light illuminating the joyful faces of the people. The members of the Lotus Heart Cult gathered there, their laughter and joy blending into a melody of victory. Not long ago, they had united to repel another invasion by the remnants of the Blood Demon Sect, successfully defending their homeland.

At the banquet, table after table was filled with delicious delicacies. The aroma of wine filled the air, blending with the laughter and joy of the people. Xiao Cui moved among the crowd, her tray steady in her hands. With a smile in her eyes, she served each delicious dish to each member. This former maid in the palace has now become a pillar of the Lotus Heart Sect. Her tenacity, kindness, and wisdom, like a shining star, illuminate the path forward for everyone.

"Sister Xiao Cui, come and try this!" A chubby little boy, holding a piece of soft and glutinous cake in his hands, called to Xiao Cui in a baby voice. Xiao Cui walked over with a smile, squatted down, gently pinched the boy's cheek, and said softly, "You eat it, sister is not hungry." But the boy refused to give in. He stood on tiptoe and brought the cake directly to Xiao Cui's mouth, his eyes full of innocence and expectation. Xiao Cui had no choice but to take a light bite. The sweet taste spread instantly on the tip of her tongue, but for some reason, a sense of inexplicable unease welled up in her heart.

At that moment, Xiao Cui stumbled and nearly dropped the tray in her hands. The people around her rushed forward to support her, their gazes filled with concern. "Xiao Cui, what's wrong with you?" an elderly parishioner asked anxiously. Xiao Cui raised her hand to rub her temple, feeling a surge of dizziness. She forced a smile and said, "Maybe I'm tired these past few days. I'm fine. Everyone continue..." Before she could finish her words, her legs gave way and she fell forward.

Instantly, the laughter and joy at the banquet ceased, and everyone gathered around in panic. Yun Yao was at the side of the square, discussing the subsequent plan against the Blood Demon Sect with Chu Mochen. Upon hearing the commotion, her heart suddenly tightened, and she hurried to Xiao Cui's side. She knelt down and helped Xiao Cui to her feet, but her body felt icy cold, and her breath was as weak as a candle in the wind.

"Xiao Cui!" Yun Yao called out anxiously, her spiritual energy surging through her hands, pouring it continuously into Xiao Cui's body, trying to stabilize her life. However, Xiao Cui's face remained as pale as paper, devoid of any color. Yun Yao looked closely and saw that above the lotus seal of wish power between Xiao Cui's eyebrows, a series of dark, inky incantations slowly emerged. The incantations twisted and twitched as if alive, emitting a terrifying, sinister aura.

Yun Yao was horrified. Using her spiritual power, she probed into Xiao Cui's sea of consciousness, seeking to uncover the truth. Suddenly, fragments of images flooded her mind—a spiritual conversation between Xiao Cui and Saint Youyue. In the images, Saint Youyue's face was grim, and she sneered, "Xiao Cui, do you think you can escape my control? If you betray Yun Yao and channel the power of the Lotus Heart Cult's faith into the devil's way, I will spare these ant-like people. Otherwise, they will all die because of you!" Tears streamed down Xiao Cui's face, and she shook her head desperately, "No, I will never betray the princess!" But as time passed, the Saint Youyue's voice echoed in Xiao Cui's mind like a curse, gnawing at her resolve.

"Princess, I'm sorry..." Xiao Cui, who was in a coma, had tears sliding down her cheeks as she muttered to herself, "I heard the voice of the saint. She said that as long as I betray you, she will let these people go..." When the Lotus Heart sect members heard this, their eyes instantly turned red. They surrounded her, held Xiao Cui's hands tightly, and said in unison: "Xiao Cui, we believe in you, just like you believe in the princess!" Everyone injected their own willpower into Xiao Cui's body again, trying to suppress the evil spell.

However, at this moment, the Saint's voice, like a thunderclap, suddenly exploded in everyone's mind: "Foolish mortals, your faith is but nourishment for me!" Immediately afterwards, everyone felt a powerful suction. The willpower they had injected into Xiao Cui's body suddenly surged back towards the spell like a flood, rapidly devouring it. The spell grew more ferocious, its light growing brighter. Xiao Cui's body began to tremble violently, and her breath grew weaker.

Yun Yao was terrified. Watching Xiao Cui's gradually transparent soul, countless thoughts flashed through her mind. Suddenly, the "Xiao Cui's darkening path" she had seen in the Narrative Law Center surfaced in her mind—the plot she had abandoned. Now, it hung like a shadow, looming over everyone. But Yun Yao gritted her teeth, a flicker of determination in her eyes. She drew the Heavenly Dao Pen and spoke with a firm and powerful voice: "This time, I will rewrite your fate, not as a host, but as a friend."

With that, Yun Yao tapped the tip of her pen between Xiao Cui's eyebrows, closed her eyes, and mobilized her spiritual energy. Using the pen as a medium, she infused her will and emotions into it. Slowly, she wrote within Xiao Cui's sea of consciousness: "The true power of the mortal god bloodline lies in accepting one's own imperfections." Each word she wrote was like a brilliant golden light, dispelling the darkness within her sea of consciousness.

Xiao Cui's body trembled violently, and her eyes, which had been tightly closed, suddenly opened, a light flashing in them. The lotus seal of her wish between her brows now transformed into black and white. The black portion represented the remnants of evil, like a dark cloud, swirling and surging; the white portion represented the purity of her faith, like a ray of warm sunlight, radiant and brilliant. Xiao Cui took a deep breath, a relieved smile spreading across her face. She whispered, "It turns out I don't need to be a perfect saint. I just need to be the Xiao Cui who served tea and water to the princess."

As she spoke, Xiao Cui slowly stood up. Her figure seemed frail, yet she exuded an air of tenacity. She looked down at the blood-stained jade slip in her hand. It had once carried her hopes and mission, but now it had been defiled by the Holy Maiden Youyue. A flicker of determination flashed in Xiao Cui's eyes. She suddenly raised her hand and slammed the jade slip to the ground. With a crisp "snap," it shattered.

"But this time, I will personally defeat the Saint and vindicate all mortals!" Xiao Cui's voice was clear and resounding, echoing through the silent square. Seeing this, the Lotus Heart Sect members rose to their feet, their eyes burning with anger and fighting spirit. They shouted in unison, "Miss Xiao Cui, we fight alongside you!" For a moment, the power of their faith converged once again, like a surging torrent, surrounding Xiao Cui.

Xiao Cui looked around, her heart filled with emotion at the familiar, welcoming faces. She took a deep breath, channeling the power of her mortal-god bloodline. She slowly raised her hands, a light flickering within her palms. The light gradually condensed, transforming into a longsword emitting a black and white glow. Runes swirled across the blade, seemingly imbued with endless power.

"Let's go!" Xiao Cui gave the order, and the Lotus Heart Sect members followed closely behind, striding towards the Blood Demon Sect. Yun Yao and Chu Mochen exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with satisfaction and admiration. They also flashed and joined this courageous and confident team.

Along the way, the demonic aura grew thicker, like a gloomy haze, shrouding the path ahead. But Xiao Cui and the others showed no fear. With unwavering faith, they advanced step by step toward the enemy's lair. Finally, the Blood Demon Sect's gate appeared before them. The eerie, towering structure, like a dormant beast, exuded a chilling aura.

Xiao Cui, wielding a two-toned longsword, was the first to charge into the Demon Sect's main gate. As soon as she entered, she was met by a swarm of demon cultivators, their weapons flashing with cold light and roaring with gusts. Xiao Cui's gaze fixed, and with a swipe of her longsword, a piercing burst of sword energy slashed forth, sending the leading cultivators flying. The Lotus Heart Sect members, unwilling to be outdone, chanted incessantly, their crude weapons, fueled by the power of faith, like divine weapons, engaging in a fierce battle with the demon cultivators.

Yun Yao and Chu Mochen watched from the sidelines, constantly keeping an eye on Xiao Cui's safety while simultaneously dispatching any who had slipped through the net. As the battle intensified, more and more demonic cultivators appeared within the Demon Sect, and the situation grew increasingly precarious. Xiao Cui's body bore several more wounds, blood staining her clothes red, but her gaze grew more resolute, and the gleam of her sword shone brighter.

Just as everyone was beginning to feel exhausted, Xiao Cui suddenly sensed a familiar aura—that of Saint Youyue. She followed the direction of the aura and saw Saint Youyue standing on the steps of the Demon Sect's main hall, gazing at the crowd below with a mocking expression.

"Xiao Cui, do you think you can compete with me?" The Holy Maiden Youyue sneered, "Today is the day when all of you will die!" After that, she danced with her hands, and a powerful demonic force swept towards Xiao Cui and others like a black storm.

Xiao Cui gritted her teeth, channeling all her strength into her longsword, charging forward against the storm. Her sword collided with the demonic force, creating a deafening roar. The powerful impact sent Xiao Cui stumbling backward. But her feet, rooted to the ground, refused to retreat even a single step.

"Princess, I will never let you down!" Xiao Cui cried out inwardly, exerting her strength once more. A brilliant light shone around her, and the power of her mortal god bloodline surged like boiling magma. Fueled by this power, Xiao Cui inched closer towards Youyue Saint. The sword in her hand crisscrossed with energy, gradually tearing a hole through the demonic storm.

Upon seeing this, Saint Youyue's face flashed with surprise and anger. She hadn't expected Xiao Cui to unleash such formidable power. With a cold snort, she flashed towards Xiao Cui, and the two instantly engaged in combat. For a moment, two figures, one white and one black, intersected and flashed through the air. Sword energy and demonic power collided, sparks flying in the air, like a dazzling and breathtaking fireworks display.

The Lotus Heart Sect members below, seeing this, were greatly encouraged. They shouted and fought even harder against the demon cultivators. Yun Yao and Chu Mochen also seized the opportunity to attack, completely disrupting the demon cultivators' formation. With everyone's concerted efforts, the demon cultivators gradually lost ground and began to retreat.

The battle between Xiao Cui and You Yue Saint reached a fever pitch. Xiao Cui's wounds multiplied, blood staining her entire body, but her eyes burned like a flame, never extinguished. You Yue Saint was also suffering. Her clothes were torn, her hair was disheveled, and her breathing became erratic.

"You ignorant girl!" Saint Youyue was enraged. She suddenly used her ultimate move. An extremely powerful demonic force gathered in her palm, like a black sun, and blasted towards Xiao Cui. Xiao Cui had no choice but to bite the bullet and concentrate all her strength on her sword, resisting with all her might.

At this critical moment, Xiao Cui suddenly remembered the words Yun Yao had taught her: words about faith, courage, and hope. A light seemed to illuminate her heart, and she instantly understood the true meaning of the mortal god's bloodline. A smile played on Xiao Cui's lips. She closed her eyes, gently twisting the sword in her hand. A gentle yet resilient force surged from her body, like a white curtain of light, slowly enveloping and dissolving the black demonic force.

Saint Youyue widened her eyes, her face full of disbelief: "How is this possible?" Before she finished speaking, Xiao Cui had already opened her eyes, with a bright light in her eyes. She flashed and instantly came in front of Saint Youyue, with the long sword in her hand against the saint's throat.

"Saint, your plot ends here," Xiao Cui said softly, her voice filled with unquestionable authority. Saint Youyue's face turned pale as paper; she knew she had been completely defeated.

At this moment, Yun Yao, Chu Mochen, and the Lotus Heart Cult members also rushed over and surrounded Youyue Saint. Seeing this scene, everyone's hearts were filled with excitement and joy. Xiao Cui turned around and looked at everyone, tears flashing in her eyes: "We won..."

As Xiao Cui finished speaking, the crowd cheered with joy. The cheers were like a giant wave breaking through the clouds, echoing for a long time above the Blood Demon Sect. In this moment, with their faith and courage, they wrote a legend that belonged to mortals, and brought a glimmer of hope to this war-torn world of cultivation.