Farther away, Cao Yiyan had already reached the stairs when he suddenly glanced back.
Through the silhouettes of several scholars, he saw that the assassin he had planted had successfully approached Prince Dai. He had expected chaos to erupt at once, but by sheer coincidence, just as the assassin edged closer as though nothing were amiss, Prince Dai moved away. After this happened twice, Cao Yiyan even began to wonder whether Prince Dai had noticed something.
Had Prince Dai already guessed something? The thought had barely occurred to Cao Yiyan when the assassin finally seized the chance as Prince Dai stopped to speak to someone. Like a fish entering water, he swiftly "swam" to his side.
"What are you discussing? Hao Yu?"
Once he drew close, the assassin did not hesitate at all. First pretending to be an ordinary scholar wishing to speak to Su Ziji, he suddenly thrust a hand into his robe and drew a blade.
The short blade concealed in his robe was only about a third the length of a military saber and looked inconspicuous. Now that he had drawn it, however, it radiated a biting chill and murderous intent.
A flash of steel, and he had already thrust it forward.
"Assassin!" A few paces away, the Wild Daoist paled in shock and lunged over with a shout.
With a rip, Su Ziji stepped sideways and back at that very moment. There was only the sound of tearing cloth as a long slit opened in his broad sleeve. The blade barely skimmed his skin without wounding him.
Luck? The short blade had missed by a hair. The assassin paused, but had no time to think. He ducked, pressed close, and then, as though body and blade had become one, slashed upward toward Su Ziji's neck.
The