It was no wonder the Yellow-robed Woman thought so. After all, only half an incense stick remained before the agreed time was up. No matter how one looked at it, summoning wind and rain was impossible. Song Qingshu and the white-clad woman had clearly been driven into a desperate corner.
Although the white-clad woman had displayed formidable martial arts and excellent lightness skill earlier, her internal injuries now meant that not only could she offer no help, she would become a burden. If Song Qingshu were alone, he might perhaps escape the imperial palace with his peerless lightness skill. But if he took her with him, death was certain.
By now, the imperial palace's defenses had been completely mobilized. Leaving aside an unfathomable figure like Master Huang Shang and the top experts among the Imperial Guards with Weapons, all the Imperial Guards of the Dianqian Division responsible for protecting the palace were present as well: the Commander of the Palace Front, Inner Palace Guards, Loose Personnel, Loose Commanders, Loose Captains, Loose Attendants, the Golden Spear Class, East and West Classes, Arrow-Recruiting Class, Loose Guards, Junrong Guards, Imperial Dragon Guards, Imperial Dragon Mace Guards, Imperial Dragon Archery Guards, Imperial Dragon Crossbow Guards, and more. There were also the Imperial City Department's inner-palace secret agents, along with the palace's three guard armies—the Meritorious Guards, Supporting Guards, and Personal Guards. Together, they numbered nearly ten thousand.
If the Imperial Guard was elite troops chosen one in ten thousand, then these men were elites chosen from among those elites. Against such a powerful force, any martial arts master could only be reduced to ashes.
Though doubts had arisen in her heart, the Yellow-robed Woman saw Xiaolongnü's tranquil expression and eyes devoid of the slightest suspicion, and could not help feeling ashamed of herself. *I