Chapter 121: The Advancing Empress

Just as the red lips were about to meet, a hand suddenly appeared, blocking the demonic energy war automaton in the form of the Empress.

“I appreciate your feelings, but I cannot accept your love,” Luo Yong said, staring at the once-desired artifact. Damn it, it was actually life-sized!

Standing on the ground, taller than himself...

“???”

The demonic energy war automaton looked momentarily stunned, glancing at the hand it had tried to kiss, then at Luo Yong, before turning to look at Pang Ding, who was less than 1.5 meters tall.

“No! Don’t come any closer!” Pang Ding exclaimed loudly, as if suddenly seeing something terrifying in the war automaton. “My heart belongs only to Belinda! I will not accept anyone else’s affection, not even that of an artifact! That’s just who I am—a unique man!”

At that moment, it seemed as if a banner fluttered behind him in the wind.

The war automaton was silent.

Although just an artifact, the Empress form, standing beside Luo Yong with a frown and a look of humiliating anger, was surprisingly humanlike, making it easy to become confused.

Only now did Luo Yong quietly thank his luck that the previous Holy Light Angel had been a chibi character; otherwise, he might not have been able to hold his composure.

If it had been a life-sized Tsunade and a life-sized Empress both trying to pour their love on him, even Ultraman wouldn’t be able to withstand it!

After a moment, the two left and appeared directly at Stonehenge. Luo Yong opened the door to the demon’s secret realm, and they entered together.

As for the Empress, she was a demonic energy war automaton—an artifact, not a living person...

Ahem.

Luo Yong constantly reminded himself not to indulge, not to look away, and to remain emotionless.

“I am a cold and indifferent handsome man; my heart belongs only to Belinda!” Pang Ding muttered softly as they walked.

As an artifact, the Empress didn’t need to walk; like the previous chibi Tsunade, once bound, she could hover around Luo Yong.

Now, she floated behind Luo Yong and Pang Ding, squinting at them as if looking at two useless subordinates, occasionally showing a hint of confusion.

It seemed she couldn’t understand why anyone could ignore her charm, reject her seductive kiss and overwhelming love.

And there were two of them refusing her!

Had times changed?

Had she lost her allure?

“Roar!”

The demon’s secret realm lived up to its name.

The moment Luo Yong and Pang Ding appeared, they sensed a tremendously evil magical force. Waves of malice rose around them, an inexplicable power corroding their bodies and minds.

The key in Luo Yong’s hand transformed into a demon cloaked in black mist. As soon as it appeared, it turned around and looked at Luo Yong and Pang Ding.

Two dark red lights glowed within the black mist.

Then it stretched out a pitch-black claw toward Luo Yong.

“Danger!” Pang Ding shouted in alarm, feeling a magical power fluctuation almost as strong as his own. Perhaps he could endure it, but Luo Yong...

“The guardian spirit of the demon’s secret realm, trying to devour its master as soon as it appears?” Luo Yong, who had been emotionless from the start—though earlier it was feigned—now truly wore a cold expression.

“Death God’s Domain!”

A darker, pitch-black domain spread out, a darkness so profound it seemed to swallow even light. Looking into it brought despair and the sensation of falling into oblivion.

The aura of death surged, and dark powers rose!

Behind Luo Yong, besides the Empress, another shadow appeared, its features indistinct, but wielding a scythe-like weapon.

“Roar!”

The demon roared, seemingly enraged by Luo Yong’s actions, shifting its form and lunging forward.

Within the black mist, red glow intensified, and razor-sharp claws aimed straight at Luo Yong.

Swish!

Luo Yong swung emotionlessly, and the shadow behind him mirrored the motion. The scythe slashed as if the Death God were harvesting lives.

Crack!

A crisp sound echoed as the black mist dissipated.

The illusion before them vanished.

Thud!

A palm-sized iron fragment fell to the ground, revealing a dark scratch on the demon’s body.

“So it was all an illusion? This is way too realistic!” Pang Ding muttered silently, then glanced at Luo Yong’s back as the shadow slowly faded away.

“Sure enough, you are a ruthless one who secretly studied necromancy, fully immersed in darkness—more so than I,” Luo Yong said.

After all, even though Pang Ding was on the Hero Association’s blacklist, he was only considered to be walking the boundary between light and darkness.

But Luo Yong, if seen by the Holy Light Sorcerers now, would be branded a heretic to be destroyed without respite.

“Nonsense, it’s just a skill, like necromancy—merely a form of magic, neither good nor evil,” Luo Yong said seriously, glancing at Pang Ding. “You’re on the blacklist purely because of your character!”

“...”

Pang Ding drew his slender sword.

Right now, Lord Pang was too lazy to argue.

“Enough nonsense—let’s just fight monsters and level up!”

Swish, swish, swish!

Several demon-shaped monsters surrounding them were swiftly sliced to death by Pang Ding’s sword. He then stopped and looked at Luo Yong.

“Go!”

Luo Yong pointed ahead, and the Empress floated forward.

Though she was somewhat reluctant and annoyed at the man who rejected her, as an artifact she could not defy Luo Yong’s will.

“Ah, foolish beings! How can such things exist in this world? They’re a waste of air...”

The Empress advanced, not attacking immediately but first sneering mockingly.

Roar!

The response was nothing but unintelligent howls.

“Fine... since that’s the case—[Accept my love]!”

A pink glow flashed over the Empress. She placed a hand to her lips and blew a deep kiss.

A small pink heart flew out, growing larger as it traveled before exploding with a pop. The pink energy radiated outward like a huge fireball.

Unlike fireballs, the demon monsters struck by this pink energy hesitated momentarily, then began fighting each other.

“Such a long name—this is just the [Charm] skill, which many heroes have,” Luo Yong muttered quietly.

“Heh...”

Suddenly, the Empress turned around and looked at the two men who had rejected her, speaking seductively, “So, you two want to accept my love as well?”

Luo Yong: “...”

Pang Ding: “...”

“Can a demonic energy war automaton really do this?” Pang Ding was utterly baffled.

“Ahem,” Luo Yong cleared his throat, easing his embarrassment. “You ignoramus, this is an artifact granted by the ancient [Wish Spirit]. Do you think it’s some cheap trinket?”

“What wish did you make to get something like this? Dare you tell your deceased lover?” Pang Ding smirked.

“Bah! I dare! I wished for her resurrection!” Luo Yong stiffened his neck and retorted, “But you, you fatso, why didn’t you wish for a necromancy scroll or a job change scroll? Such wishes would definitely come true!”

“I—” Pang Ding hesitated, feeling frustrated. “Right, why didn’t I... No, only one person’s wish can be granted at a time. Nothing I say matters!”

“Then why didn’t you remind me?!” Luo Yong demanded.

“I...” Pang Ding was speechless, unable to argue. “I just... forgot, okay? I was only thinking about resurrecting Belinda; my mind wasn’t working then...”

“Sigh... who isn’t like that...” Luo Yong sighed deeply, shaking his head repeatedly.

After the Empress finished clearing another wave of demons, she looked at the two humans behind her with disdain.

Noticing that look, and even sensing a flicker of her emotions, Luo Yong felt strange. Then he pointed to another direction and said, “Use your other skills. Use them all.”

“Hmph!”

The Empress rolled her eyes proudly and turned toward the direction Luo Yong indicated, making a heart shape with her fingers.

A pink glow appeared at her fingertips, and a large pink heart floated before her.

She grabbed the heart firmly as if drawing a bow. A pink arrowhead appeared on the other side.

Then she cried out, drawing the bow fully and releasing.

Several pink-feathered arrows shot out swiftly!

Thud, thud, thud!

One by one, the snarling demons struck by the arrows turned into stone statues.

“Wow, petrification!” Pang Ding exclaimed.

Though the method was unconventional, this was a large-area petrify spell, a skill possessed by some special professions.

“Wonder if this thing would be worth anything if sold?”

At that moment, Luo Yong looked at the demon statues scattered on the ground and had this fleeting thought.

But he quickly shook his head, thinking, what value could demon statues really have?

If he turned all demons in this secret realm into stone statues and made it a tourist attraction to charge entry fees, that might be something...

Ahem.

Before Luo Yong could give further orders, the Empress, having used the petrification skill, dashed out in a flash.

Her long legs rivaled those of the Crimson Spider Queen, Adela.

Clap, clap, clap!

She kicked down demon after demon.

Then she retreated and stared at Luo Yong unemotionally.

It was as if to say, “What else do you want?”

“Uh...” Luo Yong felt a bit embarrassed under her gaze and turned to Pang Ding, even more embarrassed, pointing at the entire demon secret realm.

“This is your battlefield. All the monsters in this realm are yours!”

The Empress was speechless.