Ling Xueyao was stunned.
She had anticipated Chu Yunfei's reaction.
If Chu Yunfei showed any sign of backing down, she was prepared to reassure him, promising that she would protect him even at the cost of her own life.
But she never expected that Chu Yunfei would utter such a mercenary three words!
Pay more?
At a time when the fate of the Great Qian Imperial Dynasty rests on our shoulders, this is what he's thinking about?!
Seeing that she didn't speak, Chu Yunfei's smile faded, "Your Highness, it was just a joke."
"You risked your life to save me in the Cangwu Mountain Range, I acknowledge that favor. I will do my best to cure you. However, after it's done, you'll still have to visit your royal treasury, since I'm quite poor."
He paused, then changed the subject.
"Actually, I'm quite curious. Your father's poisoning is such a serious matter, why would you think I could cure it with just a word, and travel all this way to find an unknown kid like me?"
Ling Xueyao's eyes flickered.
She had actually thought about this question before.
In Wen Jiao's letter, she only said that Chu Yunfei's methods were profound and unique, and that he could even cure the poison brought by the Heavenly Yin Baleful Intent Physique, so she must come and invite him in person.
But Chu Yunfei was too young, and his cultivation was only at the Spirit Martial Realm.
And those alchemy masters the royal family invited before, weren't they all renowned figures with over a hundred years of experience and unparalleled cultivation?
Can this eighteen-year-old boy really cure the incurable poison that has baffled them all?
She wasn't really sure herself; she was only willing to come because she wanted to give it a try.
But now, Chu Yunfei is her only hope.
"Do I have any other choice?" After a long silence, Ling Xueyao finally spoke.
Chu Yunfei raised an eyebrow. "So, Your Highness, you really believe I can solve this?"
Ling Xueyao turned her head, her clear phoenix eyes quietly watching him in the night.
I don't believe you.
But I believe in Jiaojiao.
Chu Yunfei was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter.
After all that, it turns out this woman was only trying this as a last resort because of Wen Jiao.
Just then, the Cloud-Chasing Boat suddenly lurched violently.
The Spirit-Gathering Array on the deck flickered with light, and the ship tilted to the right.
Caught off guard, Ling Xueyao lost her balance and fell straight to the side.
Chu Yunfei reacted quickly, reaching out with his right arm to grab her slender, soft waist, pulling her back into his embrace.
The girl's soft body pressed tightly against his chest, and the unique fragrance he had smelled before now penetrated his nostrils more clearly and forcefully, as if carrying some kind of magic, making his heart flutter.
This princess of the Great Qian Dynasty, who usually looks aloof and cold, is actually quite a pleasure to hold in your arms.
The delicate body in his arms was soft yet incredibly elastic; even through the thin fabric of her dress, Chu Yunfei could feel the warmth and smoothness of her skin.
He subconsciously lowered his head, his lips almost touching her crystal-clear earlobe, and whispered something as if possessed:
"Your Highness, you smell so good."
Ling Xueyao's body froze instantly.
An unprecedented heat spread rapidly from the base of my ears throughout my body.
She could clearly feel the man's strong arms tightly wrapped around her waist, and his burning chest, even through the thin fabric, made her skin feel hot.
His flippant remark sent a jolt through her mind, leaving her completely blank.
"Let... let me go!"
Several breaths passed before Ling Xueyao reacted, feeling both ashamed and angry, and pushed hard against his chest.
Chu Yunfei smiled and released his grip.
Ling Xueyao staggered back two steps, her beautiful face flushed red, and even her snow-white neck was tinged with a blush.
She stared at Chu Yunfei with eyes that seemed to want to devour him.
In all her life, as the high and mighty princess of the Great Qian Dynasty, no one had ever dared to treat her so lightly.
Even the holy sons of those first-rate sects behaved respectfully in front of her, yet this guy from the Azure Mystic Sect dared to flirt with her to her face!
" Jiaojiao is right, you shameless scoundrel!" she gritted her teeth and squeezed out the words.
Chu Yunfei was somewhat annoyed.
When did Wen Jiao start talking badly about him behind his back?
When I see her again, I'll have to have a serious talk with her.
But he still shrugged innocently, "I was just worried you'd fall, Your Highness, why are you so angry?"
"You!"
Ling Xueyao was furious and about to lash out.
Rumble!
The airship began to rock violently again, as if it were a small boat sailing in a storm.
A blinding red light shone from the protective shield of the defensive formation, accompanied by a series of cracking sounds.
"What happened?!"
Ling Xueyao didn't have time to argue with Chu Yunfei; her expression suddenly changed drastically.
Chu Yunfei also put away his joking thoughts, released Ling Xueyao, and his gaze swept across the night sky in front of the flying boat like lightning.
Just then, Xiaoxiao Dragon's voice suddenly rang out from the depths of Chu Yunfei's sea of consciousness.
"Hey kid, watch out!"
"An extremely powerful aura is rapidly approaching; it's Divine Sea Realm!"
Divine Sea Realm?!
Chu Yunfei's pupils suddenly contracted.
There was actually Divine Sea Realm expert lying in ambush ten thousand meters in the sky?
"Your Highness, be careful!"
A dark figure appeared on the deck like a ghost; it was the black-robed man who had been hiding in the shadows.
He shielded Ling Xueyao behind him, his eyes beneath the hood fixed on the void ahead, emanating a suffocating aura of the Divine Sea Realm expert.
"Who dares to block the Great Qian Imperial Family's flying ship!"
The black-robed man's hoarse voice boomed through the night sky like rolling thunder.
Hehehehe...
A chilling, piercing laugh echoed from all directions in the void.
Immediately afterwards, the clouds in front were violently torn apart by a terrifying force.
A figure dressed in a gray robe and wearing a golden demon mask slowly emerged from the clouds.
With each step he took, the surrounding space seemed unable to withstand the immense pressure, distorting violently.
A powerful expert at the Divine Sea Realm!
Moreover, judging from the aura emanating from him, he is definitely not just someone who has just entered the Divine Sea Realm.
" The Great Qian Imperial Family's flying ship? We're here to block your way!"
The man in the golden mask had a hoarse voice, filled with intense killing intent.
"Your Highness, someone has paid a hefty price to have you killed."
"Tonight, this place ten thousand meters in the air will be your burial ground!"
Ling Xueyao's expression changed drastically, but as a princess who had seen the world, she quickly calmed down.
" Blood Baleful Intent Tower assassin? That's quite a move, buying my life? Is it the boss, or the second-in-command?"
Ling Xueyao stared coldly at the other party, trying to extract information about the mastermind behind the scenes.
Upon hearing the Blood Baleful Intent Tower, Chu Yunfei recalled relevant information.
The Blood Baleful Intent Tower is a mysterious assassin organization in the Eastern Continent. According to records, it first appeared fifty years ago. No one knows where its base of operations is located or what its overall strength is.
This organization operates ruthlessly, aiming for a single, decisive strike. As long as you can afford the price, there's no one they wouldn't dare kill.
Chu Yunfei never expected that, in order to kill Ling Xueyao, the person behind it would actually enlist the help of a Divine Sea Realm.
"Dead people don't need to know that much."
The man in the golden mask snorted coldly and, without saying a word, raised his right hand.
boom!
A gigantic handprint, formed from raging spiritual energy, blotted out the sky and slammed down on the flying boat with earth-shattering power.
"Arrogant!"
The man in black robes roared and soared into the sky.
He formed a hand seal, and a black pillar of spiritual energy shot into the sky, directly meeting the enormous handprint.
Rumble--
The clash between the two powerful experts at the Divine Sea Realm unleashed unimaginable and terrifying aftershocks.
The entire night sky seemed to be ablaze.
A violent shockwave swept outwards, and the airship's defensive formation shattered in less than two breaths.
"Your Highness, you go first, I'll hold him off!"
The man in black robes clashed fiercely with the man in gray robes and a mask in mid-air, their voices carrying rapidly down to earth.
" Chu Yunfei, quick! Take control of the flying boat and get out of here!" Ling Xueyao shouted urgently.
She knew very well that the aftershocks of a battle between experts at the Divine Sea Realm were far beyond what this Cloud-Chasing Boat could withstand.
Chu Yunfei acted decisively, immediately rushing towards the control array at the bow of the ship and frantically pouring his spiritual power into it.
Buzz!
The Cloud-Chasing Boat emitted a buzzing sound, turned its bow, and transformed into a streak of light, fleeing desperately into the distance.
The masked man sneered repeatedly, his attacks becoming increasingly fierce, seemingly unconcerned about Ling Xueyao's escape.
"Oh no! You've set an ambush!"
Seeing the other person's reaction, the man in black seemed to realize something and turned pale with fright.
"Heh heh, realizing this now? Too late."
The man in the golden mask let out a piercing, eerie laugh, his eyes filled with smugness as he looked at the man in black robes whose expression had drastically changed.
" Shen Qianyue, you are a powerful expert at the Divine Sea Realm Seventh Level, yet you serve the royal family as a guard for a mere girl. What a waste of your talent! Why not join my Blood Baleful Intent Tower? The Tower Master will surely grant you the position of Deputy Tower Master. What do you say?"
Shen Qianyue ignored his attempts to win him over, his eyes blazing with murderous intent.
He was careless.
His Majesty entrusted the princess to him, expecting him to protect her with his life. But now he is stuck here, and the princess is fleeing alone. If there are any ambushes ahead, the consequences will be unimaginable!
He deserves to die a thousand deaths for this crime!
We must deal with this guy as soon as possible and catch up with him.
" Blood Baleful Intent Tower, you're courting death!"
Shen Qianyue squeezed out cold words from his throat.
He held nothing back, unleashing the full power of the Divine Sea Realm Seventh Level. He transformed into a black lightning bolt, charging fiercely towards the gray-robed, masked man, leaving a trail of explosions in his wake.
"Good timing!"
Seeing that his attempt to win them over had failed, the man in the golden mask stopped talking and went to meet them as well.