Kill the Crown Prince with Me

About half an hour ago, two figures walked out from the Bridge Mechanism Mountain.

Xiao Taozhuo wore a narrow-bodied longsword at her waist, the scabbard engraved with fine flowing cloud patterns, which gleamed with a cold, eerie silver light in the afterglow of the twilight.

She pursed her lips slightly, her brows furrowed, and her face, which should have been bright and radiant, now carried a hint of suppressed grievance as she followed closely behind a burly figure.

The man walking in front of her was broad-shouldered and had a wide back, like a moving iron wall.

A knife hung at his waist, more than two fingers wider than an ordinary goose-feather knife. The scabbard was dark and undecorated, exuding only a heavy, undeniable aura of killing intent.

The mountain wind rushed in from the pass, making his robes flutter loudly.

He was completely unaware of this, and strode forward, his footsteps making a deep and resolute sound on the rocky mountain path.

Xiao Taozhuo at that retreating figure, finally unable to hold back any longer.

She quickened her pace, almost stepping on the hem of the man's black cloak billowing in the wind, her voice tinged with pleading. "Second Uncle! Are you really going to take me back? I finally managed to escape, and I haven't had enough fun yet."

The man with the sword didn't stop walking, only slightly turning his head.

His face was angular and weathered, with high brow bones and deep-set eyes. An old scar ran diagonally from his left eyebrow to his cheekbone. Far from being ugly, it added to his cold and stern demeanor, which was typical of a battlefield warrior.

He glanced at Xiao Taozhuo, his eyes showing no anger, only a deep sense of helplessness.

"Tao Zhuo," he began, his voice deep and resonant, "Your father is Xiao Changlü."

"He is the one who will seize the throne," the man with the sword continued, his pace unwavering. "In the imperial court, in the far reaches of the martial world, amidst the dust and smoke of war, countless eyes are watching him from the shadows, and countless people want to kill him!"

"As his daughter, it's one thing to not share his burdens, but you even dare to sneak off to this capital region all by yourself."

At this point, his tone finally turned serious. "Do you know what kind of place this is?"

Under the emperor's nose, a place teeming with all sorts of people, seemingly prosperous and glamorous, yet murderous intent at every turn. If you were captured...

He paused, his voice grave. "Your father is currently locked in a standoff with the Eastern King in Azure Splendor Prefecture. Knowing his nature, he certainly won't come to your rescue..."

Before he could finish speaking, Xiao Taozhuo suddenly raised her chin.

In that instant, the look of grievance on her face faded somewhat, replaced by a look of pride.

The mountain wind tousled the stray hairs on her forehead, revealing her smooth forehead and a pair of bright, dazzling eyes.

My father is Xiao Changlü.

He is a great hero who saved the common people from fire and water, a figure who has Mystic Entry Realm —I naturally know all this."

"I know my place and will not cause my father any trouble, but I have now cultivated myself to the point of Golden Body Perfection."

As she spoke, the youthful sharpness in her eyes became no longer concealed.

"I just can't stand those things in the Great Li Court..."

She paused, seemingly considering her words, but ultimately chose the most straightforward one. "Those good-for-nothings... barely reached the Golden Body in their twenties, yet they dared to hold banquets in their mansions to celebrate, dared to call themselves geniuses, and dared to flaunt their power in restaurants and theaters."

Pooh!

"I'm determined to make my way around the capital, to see what kind of people they are. Who can stop me?"

She spoke faster and faster, becoming increasingly agitated, and her right hand unconsciously pressed against the hilt of the narrow-bladed longsword at her waist.

The cloud patterns on the scabbard, illuminated by the last rays of the setting sun, shimmered with a faint crimson-gold hue, like a wisp of fiery cloud about to ignite.

"With my current strength, who among ordinary people could possibly subdue me?"

She looked up at the man with the sword, his face hard and cold, her eyes filled with a youthful, irrational yet self-assured confidence.

The man with the sword listened in silence.

"Besides," Xiao Taozhuo, her voice softening slightly when she saw him remain silent. Her sharp edge receded like the tide, replaced by a mischievousness that was almost coquettish.

She leaned forward, lowered her voice, as if she were revealing a very important secret. "Even if my father couldn't save me in time, wouldn't I still have you, Second Uncle?"

He said it very softly and quickly, with a slight upward inflection at the end, carrying a hint of taken-for-granted dependence.

The man with the sword finally stopped.

He turned around, and the mountain wind surged from behind, blowing his black cloak forward like a black battle flag.

He slowly shook his head.

"You inherited your father's talent and are indeed a genius among geniuses. You Foundation Establishment at the age of seven, entered the Iron Body at the age of twelve, and reached the Copper Scarlet Realm Perfection at the age of fifteen. Now, at the age of twenty-two, you have already reached the Golden Body Perfection and are only one step away from the Jade-Qi Realm."

"Such Root Bone and progress are astounding, not only in the capital region but even among the great families that pride themselves on the Aristocratic Clan, they would be considered exceptionally gifted."

His tone carried a hint of genuine approval, but there was not a trace of a smile in his calm eyes.

"But, Tao Zhuo," he changed the subject, his voice suddenly turning somber, "The world is in chaos, and monsters are emerging one after another."

Not only are there countless powerful figures under the command of those rebel kings, but even in this seemingly peaceful capital region, there are countless unfathomable individuals hidden.

Your Golden Body Perfection at the age of twenty-two, is certainly outstanding among the younger generation, but in this vast martial world...

He didn't say anything more, but simply shook his head, the meaning of which was crystal clear.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Taozhuo was not angry at all; instead, she raised her chin even higher.

"Among young people, who can surpass me?"

She said this with absolute certainty and without the slightest hesitation, as if stating an irrefutable fact.

The man with the sword frowned slightly as he looked at her proud demeanor.

He didn't say anything more, but turned around and was about to continue on his way.

At that moment, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

He turned his head slightly, and two extremely sharp lights suddenly shone in his calm eyes, piercing through the deepening twilight and the dense forest, looking straight into the distance.

In the distance, the outline of the mountain was becoming somewhat blurred in the twilight.

But suddenly, a thick surge of Qi and Blood rose into the sky from there.

The fluctuation came without warning, like a long-dormant volcano suddenly erupting, with scorching, almost solidified Blood Qi billowing up like smoke.

The man with the sword narrowed his eyes.

He looked in the direction of the mountain, at the Qi and Blood rising into the sky, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

"Zhong Wuzhu."

He muttered to himself.

"Very well." The man with the sword suddenly spoke, his voice lower than before, yet carrying an indescribable... satisfaction?

"That day on Inlaid Gold Mountain, I was ordered to kill the prince, but I was stopped."

That blow failed to decapitate him, and to this day, the thought still fills me with regret.

As he spoke, the sharp light in his eyes suddenly blazed brightly, as if a ladle of boiling oil had been poured onto charcoal.

He gazed at the mountain, at the plume of smoke rising into the sky, and a bright smile slowly spread across his face.

"If we can't kill the Crown Prince today, we can kill Zhong Wuzhu first."

This man is the Crown Prince's number one lackey and the head of the Eastern Palace's martial arts instructors. Killing him would be a good thing."

He paused, then raised his head and looked in the direction where the Qi and Blood fluctuations were most intense, a faint hint of doubt flashing in his eyes.

"But who is he facing off against?"

"Zhong Wuzhu has cultivated the Jade-Suppressing Treasure Body, a person of Jade Qi Perfection. Ordinary people are no match for him. To force him to unleash such a powerful burst of Qi and Blood, that opponent must be..."

He pondered for a moment, then shook his head, suppressing his chaotic thoughts for the time being.

He turned around and looked at Xiao Taozhuo. The pleasure in his eyes had completely disappeared, and he had returned to being the calm and stern second uncle.

"You wait here and don't wander off." His tone left no room for argument, as if issuing a military order, "I'll be right back."

Before he finished speaking, he had already risen into the air.

A dark cloak suddenly unfurled behind him, like a giant night owl spreading its wings.

He lightly touched a protruding rock beside the mountain path with his toes, and the rock cracked inch by inch. He used this force to leap more than ten zhang (about 33 meters) and disappeared into the depths of the dense forest in an instant.

On the mountain path, only Xiao Taozhuo remained.

The outlines of the mountains were extremely blurred in the night, like deep black silhouettes, or like a group of silent giants crouching between heaven and earth.

Xiao Taozhuo stood still, the mountain wind sweeping past her.

She didn't have to wait long.

About fifteen minutes later, a deep, thunderous roar came from the direction of the distant mountain.

The roar lasted for about half a cup of tea's time before suddenly stopping.

Silence returned to the world.

Then, she saw a figure.

The figure emerged slowly from the dense forest, its steps steady and unhurried.

His dark cloak fluttered in the mountain wind, and the heavy, broad-bladed longsword at his waist remained in its sheath, without a single new scratch on it.

It's my second uncle.

The man with the sword chuckled, "Come with me to see someone."

--

Let's go back to the present.

Bridge Mechanism Mountain, with its cliffs and caves.

Chen Lingxi felt a surge of energy seeping in from outside the cave.

The faint aura that had penetrated so far caused the Spirit Pool in Chen Lingxi Qi Sea to suddenly freeze.

Deep within the bones, the jade-like Qi and Blood were suppressed by this energy, causing their circulation and movement to become much slower.

What alarmed him even more was that even the Undying Willow Puppet guarding the cave entrance hadn't noticed this person approaching at all.

Chen Lingxi's pupils contracted slightly.

He took a deep breath, Qi Sea began to circulate silently, flowing along his meridians into the Xi Yu Talisman wore close to his body.

That talisman was like a lurking ferocious beast; with just a thought, it would awaken and unleash the power of that palm strike.

Then, he raised his head and said loudly, "Since the guests have arrived, why not enter the cave!"

The old vines at the cave entrance were parted from the outside.

Two people, one in front of the other, entered the cave.

It was the two people at the Bridge Mechanism Mountain.

At this moment, Xiao Taozhuo was looking at Chen Lingxi with curiosity.

The man with the sword smiled slightly and nodded to Chen Lingxi.

Chen Lingxi was also looking at him.

I recognized it at first glance.

"This person..."

He had seen this person from Lin Suri's perspective before.

This man was none other than the Inlaid Gold Mountain, who had slain over a hundred cavalrymen with a single strike, his blade flashing like a silver ribbon across the sky.

At that time, this person was alone, stepping out of the mountains from the clouds and mist. His sword was fierce and unstoppable. Even the True Light in the rainbow was cut off by his sword.

If Crown Ying Chi hadn't used the Purple True Treasure Bottle, the outcome on Inlaid Gold Mountain that day would likely have been very different.

This person's cultivation was extremely powerful; the power of that single strike still lingered in Chen Lingxi's mind.

I am no match for this person.

Even with Xi Mu added, they probably couldn't stop the knife at his waist.

His expression remained unchanged, but his spiritual energy continued to envelop the Xi Yu Talisman.

By this time, he had already removed the demon mask and placed it beside his knees, revealing a young face.

There was not a trace of panic on his face, and even his breathing remained steady, as if he were entertaining guests in his own backyard.

He turned slightly to the side, gesturing towards the two smooth blue stones in the cave, and said in a steady voice, "Please take a seat."

The man with the sword then stepped into the cave and sat down on the blue stone, lifting his robe.

Xiao Taozhuo followed her in and sat down on another blue stone, but her gaze kept lingering on Chen Lingxi, her eyes full of curiosity and confusion.

Chen Lingxi raised her eyes, her gaze first falling on the woman, then shifting back to the man with the sword, and asked, "May I ask your names?"

"My name is Xiao Zhushan," the man with the sword said, his voice deep and resonant. "Young friend... I know your background, but I have not come to kill you."

Xiao Taozhuo was somewhat curious upon hearing this.

Xiao Zhushan continued, "I've come to make a deal with you."

Chen Lingxi an eyebrow slightly, remaining expressionless, and simply asked, "What kind of deal?"

murderous intent glint suddenly flashed in Xiao Zhushan's eyes. "Come with me... to kill the Crown Prince!"

Xiao Taozhuo suddenly turned her head and stared wide-eyed at her second uncle.

She stared at Xiao Zhushan's cold, hard face with a look of utter confusion, then glanced at the boy opposite her who looked even younger than him, utterly unable to understand...

This person is so young, and his vital Qi and Blood is so stagnant. What kind of abilities does he possess that would make my second uncle want to make a deal with him?

It's still a deal to kill the crown prince!

P. S.: Only three chapters today. I didn't get 100 monthly votes yesterday, so it's a good time for the author to take a break.