"Which one of you is the Iron Queen?"

When Yang Liangyu heard the voice, it felt as if the air had stopped moving and the world had frozen, perhaps afraid to offend her. The voice was soft, yet commanding, as if she stood before one of the greatest empresses in the entire world. Even her father had never possessed such a presence.

After a full second, Yang Liangyu realized that she had been addressed. She scrambled to get off the carriage, gave a little bow, and clasped her hands.

"Yang Liangyu from the Twelve Sun Empire greets the esteemed disciple from the Purple Moon Sect," she said. Then, she answered the question. "There is no one with such a title among our group."

A cultivator from the Purple Moon Sect held significant importance, especially since her empire was a vassal to the sect. While this didn't mean she had to treat every disciple as royalty, they were, without a doubt, the elite among the elite in the entire Dark Forest continent. Moreover, Yang Liangyu genuinely didn't know who this "Iron Queen" might be and feared that her answer might offend the disciple. Though Yang Liangyu had enjoyed a leisurely life, unconcerned with politics, a figure with such a striking title as "Iron Queen" would surely have caught her attention.

Caution was paramount when dealing with disciples of the Purple Moon Sect. Aside from Liu Xing, every disciple she had met seemed capable of ending her life with a mere flick of their wrist for the slightest misstep.

"Is that so?" Her tone was cool and quiet, but the lack of an outburst was a small victory. At least this person seemed reasonable.

"Is there anything we can assist you with, esteemed disciple?" Yang Liangyu asked. "A disaster is currently unfolding within the capital, and I wish to evacuate my people to the nearest city." She gestured to the group behind her.

The woman stood impassively, as if she hadn't heard a word. Then, after a moment, she looked past her. Yang Liangyu initially thought she was observing her group, but it soon became clear that her eyes were fixed on the capital of the Twelve Sun Empire. There was no doubt that she could see the orange barrier and the giant silhouette within it.

A sudden urge to ask for her help surged within Yang Liangyu. News had reached her that groups of disciples from the Purple Moon Sect were en route to assist them. Given the timing, this person likely wasn't part of those groups, but there was a chance she had been sent ahead as a scout.

"Who is the current empress of this empire?" She inquired.

Yang Liangyu blinked several times. While there had been instances where the empire was led by a woman, they were few and far between. As far as she knew, for at least five hundred years, the Twelve Sun Empire had been ruled by an emperor. The question felt oddly out of place, and she wondered if this disciple had just emerged from seclusion. Still, she needed to answer, but in a way that wouldn't outright suggest she was misinformed.

"Currently, the throne is vacant. The last emperor has passed away."

"I see," She replied, her expression unreadable.

Yang Liangyu wondered if the woman was reassessing the situation. If she truly was a disciple of the Purple Moon Sect who had just come out of seclusion, considering the time elapsed since the reign of the last empress, she must be an inner disciple, or perhaps even an elder.

"Where are the princes of the empire right now?"

Upon hearing this question, Yang Liangyu's eyebrows furrowed slightly. A pattern was emerging in her questions. First, she had asked about the "Iron Queen" as if she were a well-known figure, then about the current empress. These two questions suggested that this person was looking for someone she knew, but the last question threw her off because the answer was her.

"Her name is Yang Liangyu," she said, "and coincidentally, I am she."

The woman with the piercing blue eyes studied her for a moment, as if appraising her worth, then nodded slightly. "My name is Yan Yu. As you assumed, I am from the Purple Moon Sect. I have come to help you with your trouble."

Yang Liangyu's heart quickened. So, she truly was the scout for the reinforcements! What a stroke of luck to meet her now!

Elation danced in her heart, but her mind raced, considering the best way to approach the situation. Yan Yu was clearly different from Liu Xing, who had no problem mingling and discussing plans. The correct approach, then, was to inform her of the situation, request her assistance, and then let her proceed as she saw fit.

"Thank you for coming to our aid in this dire time!" Yang Liangyu exclaimed. "Currently, my brother, Prince Yang Jinyan, a disciple from the Purple Moon Sect named Liu Xing, and my clan members are fighting inside the dome that encases the capital. Your presence there would be most reassuring to those who are fighting, as well as for us who wait with bated breath for the outcome of this battle."

The heart of the problem was the demonic cultivator, and Yang Liangyu assumed that the enemy was also inside the dome. The best course of action was for Yan Yu to head there and reinforce her older brother. Even if she was just a scout, the addition of another Purple Moon disciple could be the deciding factor.

"Liu Xing again, huh," Yan Yu muttered.

A strange pang surfaced in Yang Liangyu's heart. Did this person know Liu Xing? Were they friends?

"Do you know him? He has been a great help to our empire."

Logically, there was no benefit to asking that question, but it slipped out before she could stop it. Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she tried to rein in her emotions.

Yan Yu didn't answer, leading Yang Liangyu to believe she had made a mistake. She couldn't let her feelings guide her actions. She needed to be logical, to keep her heart as steady as an iron rod. There was no room for a carefree life anymore. She needed to be strong and capable to protect her people.

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"You need to follow me."

Without waiting for a response, Yan Yu turned and began walking toward the side of the road. As she walked, a gust of wind followed her, and the blades of grass near her feet froze, as if winter had suddenly descended upon them. The bushes in front of her wilted, their essence seemingly drained, creating a path for her.

Yang Liangyu and her group remained where they were, still processing the fact that another Purple Moon Sect disciple had arrived and was now instructing them to follow her to a different direction.

When Yan Yu reached a tree, its base beginning to freeze, and realized she wasn't being followed, she stopped and turned.

"You need to follow me," she repeated.

"I'm sorry, esteemed disciple, I don't wish to offend you, but this road is the fastest way to reach the next city."

The next city was only about an hour away if they were in a hurry, and as far as she knew, even with her limited knowledge of the area, there were no suitable roads that could accommodate several carriages in the direction Yan Yu was heading. A cultivator could work wonders for travel, but there was no shorter path than the main road. There was also a river, which they couldn't cross. This disciple seemed to have an ice affinity, and while ice was versatile and could be used to create roads and bridges, Yang Liangyu doubted she would accommodate her group in such a manner.

"You misunderstand. I don't want all of you to follow me. I only want you, Princess Yang Liangyu, to follow me."

"Pardon?" Yang Liangyu blurted out.

"I want you and only you to follow me. I have come here to help you, and believe me, you want to follow me."

She wanted to ask why she should follow, but that question would surely offend her. Instead, she bit her tongue and tried to reason it out herself.

As far as she knew, there was no way Yan Yu could know her personally. While she was a princess AND loved by many of her citizens, there was no way a disciple from the Purple Moon Sect would have heard of her. This meant it wasn't about her, but about her position.

But her position was also insignificant. She held no sway over the citizens, and with the capital in ruins, that status had become much weaker. The only way her position could be leveraged was to use her to get to her older brother, but even that was questionable. While her older brother loved her, there were many things he would prioritize over her.

Yang Liangyu glanced at Yang Meilin, whose face was pale, probably from fear of offending Yan Yu. Yang Meilin nodded frantically, as if urging her to leave the group to her and simply follow Yan Yu.

This reaction reminded Yang Liangyu that if she offended this woman, it wouldn't just be her who suffered, but her entire group. So, the question wasn't why she should follow, but what would happen if she didn't.

This reasoning made the decision easier.

"Alright," Yang Liangyu nodded and took a step.

Yan Yu faced forward and resumed walking, expecting her to follow.

As Yang Liangyu followed, she tried to find answers to the urgent questions swirling in her mind. Where was Yan Yu taking her? Would she truly help the empire? And if so, why move away from the capital and the next city? What was her goal?

Yang Liangyu's anxiety churned, her heart growing more uneasy with each step. Walking behind Yan Yu was like chasing a snowstorm. She just hoped Yan Yu wouldn't turn around and freeze her to death.

They arrived at a river, where Yan Yu conjured two ice platforms. Both were thin, but the one that materialized in front of Yan Yu glowed, as if made from eternal ice that absorbed a great deal of qi. The one in front of Yang Liangyu, while still glowing, felt lacking, as if deliberately made inferior to subtly remind her of her lower status.

When they both stood atop the platforms, they began to rise into the air, moving between the canopy of trees so fast that Yang Liangyu's hairpin came undone, and she had to plant her feet firmly while blinking rapidly to shield her eyes from the wind.

As they moved, the wind rustling her long black hair, which waved like a flag, Yang Liangyu once again pondered their destination.

If Yan Yu was truly a scout, perhaps they were going to meet the rest of the Purple Moon Sect disciples. That made sense. Only someone of her stature would be worthy to face them, and she could provide them with a breakdown of the situation. But she could also be wrong. Yan Yu's timing was slightly off from the four groups expected to arrive in a few days, and the first thing she had asked about was a person called the "Iron Queen," not Liu Xing, or even the emperor or the royal prince. This mystery felt like a fish bone stuck in her throat.

"Who is the Iron Queen?" she muttered to herself.

She had a feeling that knowing the Iron Queen would shed some light on Yan Yu's goal and motive. But was this mystery truly important? It would be good to know more about Yan Yu, to understand how to interact with her, how to persuade her, and how to behave around her. But the most important thing right now was her empire. And since Yan Yu had expressed her willingness to help, wasn't that enough?

After a moment of contemplation, Yang Liangyu decided that it was indeed enough. Anyone willing to help her empire in these dire times should be welcomed with open arms, regardless of their goals or motivations. Still, while she would deprioritize the questions about the Iron Queen and Yan Yu's motivations, she would remember them, just in case they became important later.

"Excuse me, esteemed disciple, but where are we heading right now?" she asked.

This question was more pressing. Since Yan Yu wasn't heading toward the capital or the next city, it meant she possessed a crucial information about the demonic cultivator who dared to wreak havoc in the Twelve Sun Empire. What was it, and why was it connected to her? She didn't know, but she intended to find out.

Yan Yu didn't acknowledge her question, as if she hadn't heard it. But that was impossible. They were both cultivators, and she was certain Yan Yu's hearing was sharper than hers.

After almost half a minute, Yan Yu finally answered. "A cave."

"A cave?" she asked, then carefully, "Is it your base?"

"No."

"An enemy base?"

"Yes."

Yang Liangyu's eyes widened. "Truly?"

"Yes. We will arrive shortly."

Yang Liangyu's mind whirled with hundreds of questions, but she decided not to voice them. If they would arrive shortly, her questions would be answered then.

Not long after, the platforms lowered to the ground, and they began to walk through tall bushes, trees, and roots that jutted out from the ground. Finally, they arrived at a clearing in front of a cave.

Beside the cave opening stood two young men, each holding gleaming white spears. One had brown skin, a tough, sweaty face, as if he had been standing under the sun for hours. There was a crude air about him as he scratched his rear, yet he wore pristine green clothes, rumpled in some parts but gleaming under the sun, as if hastily donned to look presentable. A memory resurfaced of three men who had tried to capture and violate her, and this man reminded her of one of them.

The other man wore a red robe embroidered with suns and flames. He held his chin high, as if the world should bow before him. Yang Liangyu didn't know this young man, but she recognized him as a member of her clan. What was he doing here?

Inside the cave, a yellow light flickered like a candle. Black smoke billowed from the cave mouth, as if something were burning inside, and as the smoke rose, it formed into skulls before dissipating into the air.