The Northern Pacifying King's Residence.
A side courtyard.
"What?" Ashina Long looked puzzled.
The next moment.
His eyes bulged, and his pupils slowly lost focus.
"Your Highness, this..." The Northern Pacifying King reacted instantly.
Ashina Long's vitality was draining rapidly, like water from a wooden bucket with a gaping hole, unable to retain a single drop.
At that moment, the leaders of the Golden Tribes all paled.
Thud-
As Ashina Long's body slowly toppled to the ground, silence fell over the courtyard. No one even dared breathe loudly.
"Ashina, I trust you're a clever woman. You should understand the price of deceiving me!" Jiang Ning broke the courtyard's silence.
In an instant, the leaders of the Golden Tribes all turned their gazes toward Ashina.
They immediately began to understand.
Feeling Jiang Ning's gaze, along with those of the Golden Tribes' leaders behind her, Ashina felt her scalp prickle.
Then she braced herself and nodded.
"Rest assured, Your Highness. As long as you show mercy and spare the elders of the Golden Tribes and the eight thousand Snow Dragon Colts, I will honor our agreement."
Jiang Ning nodded slightly, then waved a hand.
"You're free for now!"
Hearing this, the stone hanging over the hearts of the Golden Tribes' leaders finally dropped. They could no longer spare a thought for Ashina Long's sudden death; all they felt was relief at surviving the calamity.
"Your Highness, Ashina takes her leave!" Ashina bowed to Jiang Ning once more.
The leaders of the Golden Tribes followed suit.
Then they followed Ashina out of the courtyard.
Their steps grew faster and faster, as though they wished they had another pair of legs.
Within moments, they disappeared around the corner beyond the courtyard entrance, leaving only the Northern Pacifying King behind.
"Your Highness, were you just...