The breeze brushed her face as the Goddess raised her eyes.
"Under my perception, I actually failed to notice the arrival of an honored guest."
Ye Qinglan's voice was as clear as moonlight.
Under her veil, her starry eyes gazed at the dense forest in the distance, watching the person emerging from it.
A tall figure dressed in night clothes approached from afar.
The tight black outfit revealed her perfect figure, while her long, straight legs were enough to make anyone envious.
A pair of black high heels made her already tall figure seem even more imposing.
Although her face was concealed, her peerless bearing was still on full display.
The sound of her heels striking the ground was especially clear in the night.
Jun Huang gazed at the figure ahead, a hint of caution in her eyes.
She had originally been dismissive of what Su Qing had said.
Even if there really was a mastermind behind everything, it was bound to be some skulking villain.
Though she might have some strength, she—
But after seeing Ye Qinglan, the contempt in her heart had completely vanished.
She could be certain that the capital could not produce such a pure, extraordinary divine figure.
Who was this mysterious woman? Why was she hiding here? Why was she scheming against the Realm Protectorate?
Although she did not know the other party's name or identity and could not see her true features, the Princess had a premonition.
This mysterious mastermind hidden behind the scenes was after something enormous!
At the same time, a somewhat vexing thought arose in the Grand Princess's heart.
Had I... fallen into his trap?
In a confrontation with such an unknown existence, she had no idea what consequences or risks might arise.
Earlier, because she had felt embarrassed and awkward, she had failed to ask more questions.
And now, the arrow was already nocked and had to be fired.
"Heh..."
Ye Qinglan merely let out a soft laugh.
The Goddess had no intention of asking anything, because there was no longer any need to say anything.
They would settle it directly with their hands!
She set down her teacup and rose, walking toward the uninvited guest.
"I'll capture you in three moves!"
Burning battle intent blazed in Jun Huang's eyes as she spoke.
If this were an ordinary person, her state of mind would not have fluctuated in the slightest. She might even have found it boring.
But now, she only wanted to have a thrilling battle with the mysterious woman before her!
Ye Qinglan noticed this and merely smiled.
She did not panic or speak, maintaining the same transcendent, sacred bearing as before.
The distance between them gradually closed, and they vanished almost simultaneously.
Two shadows became entangled, shattering the lake's calm surface.
The Empress against the Goddess—the battle between the era's Heaven's Chosen.
Su Qing watched the scene before him, his heart filled with emotion.
As expected of my Huang Sis—ruthless and not one for many words.
She did not bother with any pointless talk. She simply went up and started fighting.
Hidden in the darkness, he was like a bystander watching a spectacle.
He looked utterly relaxed, as though none of what was happening had anything to do with him.
"Young Master, do you need me to intervene?"
In the darkness, the silent shadow could not help asking.
The bodyguard hidden in the shadows could clearly sense the extraordinary strength of both combatants.
Whether in strength or aura, they were evenly matched.
In a one-on-one fight, she might not necessarily be able to defeat the other party.
"No need. Our target won't risk her life."
"When she realizes the situation has reached a stalemate, she'll start thinking about retreating."
"Go lie in wait by the back entrance first. Given the situation, cut off her escape route."
"When she least expects it, hit her over the head with a club. Knock her out and carry her away."
Su Qing waved his hand and spoke decisively.
"Ah?!"
The magnetic voice carried a hint of bewilderment.
The shadow trembled slightly, clearly shocked by the order.
"Remember, wait until she's about to escape before you hit her over the head."
Su Qing thought for a moment before adding.
"Young Master, if I join in and attack her together with you, we can take her down too."
The shadow's voice held a hint of unwillingness.
The dignity of an expert would not allow her to do such a thing.
"Tsk, do you understand her better, or do I? How could Huang Sis allow an outsider to interfere?"
"If you insist on attacking, proud Huang Sis might turn around and fight you instead."
"Hurry and squat down along her escape route. It would be best if you left her with a little psychological trauma!"
Su Qing clicked his tongue in disdain.
Although she was an expert, she did not seem to have much respect for him.
She questioned every little thing instead of simply doing it. What a pain!
The shadow did not say anything else.
After a brief silence, she slowly vanished.
Meanwhile, above the surface of the lake, the two had begun a visually pleasing exchange of blows.
At the beginning, they exchanged strikes with their palms in midair.
After initially sensing each other's strength, both their eyes revealed a trace of surprise.
They could both sense that the other's cultivation realm was nearly identical to their own.
Both were First-Rate figures of the current era and outstanding talents among the younger generation. It was simply unclear what their origins were...
After realizing this, their subsequent battle became even more cautious.
They both deliberately concealed their backgrounds and did not use any distinctive personal techniques.
The two fought evenly, and neither could take down the other for the time being.
Their probing battle continued for several minutes.
"Moonlight!"
Ye Qinglan shouted softly.
Her hand seemed to be shrouded in radiance as she launched an attack with unstoppable momentum.
Jun Huang narrowed her eyes and instinctively adopted a defensive stance.
This move seemed to be extremely powerful...
She felt herself surrounded by a mass of light, and the impact forced her back several steps.
But... the pressure she had imagined never appeared.
The Grand Princess inwardly cried out that something was wrong.
She hurriedly lunged forward, leaving the mass of light behind.
Everything before her was silent. The Goddess, who had been brimming with battle intent just moments ago, had already disappeared.
Jun Huang looked around in bewilderment, a hint of annoyance rising in her heart.
Wait, we were fighting just fine. You ran away the moment you felt like it? Isn't that a little too shameless?
Without a doubt, she was already too late to pursue her. She had completely failed.
Ye Qinglan had already retreated along the path, moving extremely quickly.
The radiance she had released just now was merely a minor trick and would not expose her true abilities.
If she insisted on fighting, she knew that she might not be without a chance of victory.
But what meaning would that have?
Her location had already been exposed. Retreating first was the wisest choice.
Relying on her familiarity with the small residence, she was confident she could completely shake off the uninvited guest.
When she saw the dense forest ahead, relief rose in the Goddess's heart.
As long as she entered it, she would no longer need to worry about being pursued.
Her nerves, which had been taut all this time, inevitably relaxed at that moment.
Then she heard a bang.
Ye Qinglan's vision went black, and everything gradually blurred.
She summoned the last of her strength to turn her head and vaguely saw a dark figure.
That dark figure was examining the wooden club in his hand, which had already snapped.
After that fleeting glimpse, she completely passed out.
The dark figure looked at Ye Qinglan lying on the ground, his expression complicated.
He really had guessed correctly?
Before you continue