Chapter 282: Bluewave city 14.

"Can you?"

Mo Yuxin smiled.

"You have asked that question several times tonight."

The city lord swallowed.

"And your answer?"

"Yes."

She stepped toward the door.

The moment her foot touched the ancient stone, the entire underground chamber shook.

The door opened.

A vast black sea appeared on the other side.

There was no land.

No sky.

Only an endless dark ocean under a moonless void.

A massive palace floated in the distance.

Its towers pierced the darkness.

Thousands of lanterns burned along its walls.

Su Yubing looked at it.

"It is beautiful."

Mo Yuxin nodded.

"It is."

Then something moved inside the palace.

A figure walked onto a balcony.

A woman.

She wore a long white robe.

Her hair was black.

Her eyes were cold.

She looked exactly like Su Yubing.

Su Yubing’s breathing stopped.

Mo Yuxin immediately reached for her hand.

The woman across the sea lifted one hand.

Then she mouthed two words.

Mo Yuxin could read them.

Come here.

The door began pulling them forward.

Su Yubing dug her heels into the stone.

Mo Yuxin grabbed her waist.

"Don’t let go."

"I won’t."

The pull grew stronger.

The beast roared.

The city lord grabbed a pillar.

The walls cracked.

Mo Yuxin released a tiny thread of her real cultivation.

The entire ancient gate froze.

The black sea stopped moving.

The woman on the balcony stared at Mo Yuxin.

For the first time, surprise appeared on her face.

Mo Yuxin took one step forward.

"Who are you?"

The woman smiled.

Her lips moved.

This time, Mo Yuxin heard the voice.

It came directly from inside her mind.

"You finally came back."

Mo Yuxin’s eyes narrowed.

"I am not the person you think I am."

The woman looked at Su Yubing.

Then back at Mo Yuxin.

"You always say that."

The door shook.

Su Yubing suddenly gasped.

A black mark appeared on her wrist.

Mo Yuxin saw it immediately.

"Yubing."

Su Yubing looked down.

The mark spread slowly up her arm.

The woman in the distant palace smiled.

"The Empress has returned."

Mo Yuxin’s eyes became terrifyingly cold.

She reached toward the mark.

It burned her hand.

Not enough to hurt her.

Enough to warn her.

Su Yubing grabbed her wrist.

"Don’t."

"It is hurting you."

"It is not."

"Your face says otherwise."

Su Yubing looked at the mark.

"It doesn’t hurt."

She looked back at Mo Yuxin.

"But I think it is trying to show me something."

Her eyes became distant.

Then she whispered,

"The city."

Mo Yuxin frowned.

"What?"

"The city is not the lock."

"Then what is?"

Su Yubing looked around.

Her gaze landed on the seven circles on the floor.

"The people."

The city lord’s face changed.

"What did you say?"

"The people are the seal."

Su Yubing’s voice shook.

"Eight hundred years ago, the founder did not build Bluewave City around the gate. He built the city to contain the gate. Every household, every street, every spiritual vein became part of the formation."

The ancient beast slowly nodded.

"The Empress remembers."

Su Yubing closed her eyes.

"I can see it."

Mo Yuxin stood beside her.

"What do you see?"

"The first City Lord came here because the Abyssal Court was trying to enter our world. He couldn’t defeat what was inside, so he built a living seal."

"The city."

"Yes."

"Then why did the Sacred Tide Sect try to destroy it?"

Su Yubing’s expression turned grim.

"Because destroying the city would force the gate open."

Mo Yuxin understood immediately.

"They were never trying to close it."

"No."

Su Yubing opened her eyes.

"They wanted to open it."

The city lord stared at them.

"That cannot be."

"Your family has been deceived for generations."

Su Yubing looked at him.

"The prophecy was changed."

The old man trembled.

"Changed by who?"

Su Yubing looked toward the black palace.

"By the person who wants to come out."

Everything suddenly made sense.

The repeated dreams.

The missing name.

The Sacred Tide Sect’s obsession.

The attempt to activate the Tide Lock.

The seven bells.

The formation.

All of it had been part of one enormous plan.

Someone had spent centuries preparing Bluewave City as a key.

And now the key had found its lock.

The woman on the balcony lifted her hand again.

The black mark on Su Yubing’s wrist brightened.

Mo Yuxin’s expression became cold.

"I think she wants you to go to her."

Su Yubing nodded.

"Yes."

"Then we do the opposite."

Su Yubing smiled.

"Exactly."

Mo Yuxin raised her hand.

The ancient gate started closing.

The woman on the balcony suddenly screamed.

The scream was not human.

The entire black sea exploded into towering waves.

Something enormous rose from beneath the palace.

A hand.

Then another.

Then dozens.

The palace began sinking.

The woman disappeared into darkness.

The door slammed shut.

Silence returned.

For several seconds, nobody moved.

Then the ancient beast spoke.

"You closed it."

Mo Yuxin looked at her hand.

"For now."

"It will reopen."

"Then we deal with it when it does."

Su Yubing looked at the beast.

"Can we remove the mark?"

The creature was silent.

Finally it said,

"Yes."

Mo Yuxin immediately asked,

"How?"

"The mark is a summons. It cannot be destroyed from outside. The person carrying it must reject the invitation willingly."

Su Yubing frowned.

"That’s all?"

"No."

The creature smiled.

"The invitation must be rejected by someone with authority equal to the one who sent it."

Mo Yuxin’s gaze sharpened.

"Meaning?"

"The sender is an immortal emperor."

The room went silent.

The city lord looked terrified.

Su Yubing glanced at Mo Yuxin.

Mo Yuxin stared at the mark.

Neither of them said anything.

Then Su Yubing asked softly,

"Do you think we are in trouble?"

Mo Yuxin smiled.

"Probably."

"Very much?"

"Extremely."

Su Yubing laughed.

"I knew it."

Mo Yuxin pulled her into an embrace.

"But you are still here."

"So are you."

"Then it is fine."

Su Yubing rested her head against her shoulder.

"You are too calm."

"I have you."

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TO BE CONTINUED.