Chapter 1309: Counterattack

Yu Yanluo frowned, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Lion Rong, standing nearby, snorted, "Stop pretending you don't know! Back then, near an ancient tomb close to Qingqiu Kingdom, wasn't it that human accompanying you who used despicable means to ambush our eighth brother, leaving him still unconscious to this day?"

The people in the carriage exchanged glances, all seeing confusion in each other's eyes.

Lion Ling had indeed sustained serious injuries back then, but it shouldn't have rendered him unconscious until now.

A thought suddenly struck them. They remembered Lion Qian, the Western Lion, who seemed to be residing within Lion Ling's body and practicing a forbidden demonic technique. Could it be that he chose to keep Lion Ling unconscious to prevent their secret from being exposed?

Yu Yanluo had the same thought. She stated, neither humble nor arrogant, "That battle was a fair duel, and elites from various other tribes were present and can testify. Furthermore, while Lion Ling sustained some injuries in that fight, they were certainly not severe enough to keep him unconscious until now. As for the real reason, I suggest you ask your eldest brother."

In such a public setting, she refrained from revealing the matter of the forbidden demonic technique to avoid completely severing ties with the Lion Tribe and initiating a relentless conflict.

After all, as the leader of her tribe, she had many considerations.

Lion Gong was furious. "What do you mean? How dare you sow discord among us brothers!"

Lion Min, standing nearby, stopped him from stepping forward and cupped his hands to Yu Yanluo. "Queen Medusa, we are being courteous to you only because you are the leader of your tribe. As long as you hand over that human, we will let bygones be bygones. Otherwise..."

The implied threat was clear.

Yu Yanluo felt a surge of anger. In terms of status, these Lion Tribe princes were her juniors, yet they dared to speak to her in such a manner.

However, she ultimately suppressed her irritation. "The person you speak of went his separate way after that ancient tomb incident. I don't know his current whereabouts."

It wasn't that she feared these young lions; rather, she was concerned that if the Royal Court learned of Zu An's presence here, it would bring him too much danger.

Lion Min's expression darkened. "Queen Medusa, we have shown enough sincerity. Your attitude is quite uncooperative."

Yu Yanluo's face turned cold. "I am the leader of a tribe, an equal to your father. Who gave you the audacity to speak to me like this?"

Lion Gong beside them let out a loud laugh. "Respect isn't earned by talk. Calling you Queen Medusa is already giving you much face. Your cultivation hasn't even reached the Grandmaster level, and there are countless members of our Lion Tribe far stronger than you. Yet you dare to think you're an equal to our King? Are you even worthy?"

Of the three brothers who came this time, only the seventh brother, Lion Rong, was at the ninth-grade level. He and his third brother, Lion Min, were both Grandmasters. Coupled with their knights, who were elite warriors handpicked from their tribe, they naturally had no reason to fear a mere ninth-grade Queen Medusa.

Yu Yanluo's expression chilled. Among the demon races, there was little room for reasoning; power was the only truth.

She was about to teach these arrogant Lion Tribe princes a lesson. Her Medusa's Gaze was unique and could not be measured by conventional cultivation levels.

Just then, a figure leaped out of the carriage. "Chieftain, as the saying goes, 'king against king, general against general.' Only if the Lion King himself were here would it be worth your effort. There's no need for you to personally deal with these minor characters; your subordinate can handle it."

Seeing Zu An, Yu Yanluo's lips curled slightly upward. This guy always knew how to insult people.

As expected, the expressions of the Lion Tribe princes darkened. "Who are you, you little rat? State your name!"

Rage from Lion Min +277+277+277...

Rage from Lion Gong +277+277+277...

Rage from Lion Rong +277+277+277...

"Listen closely," Zu An declared, "I am General Great-Stick Yan Zu, under Queen Medusa! How dare you disrespect our Queen? Today, I'll make you suffer!"

Yu Yanluo's delicate cheeks flushed. "Under her," "Great-Stick"—she couldn't shake the feeling he was implying something.

In the carriage, Yun Jianyue frowned. "What kind of title is that? It sounds awful."

Yan Xuehen's heart, however, skipped a beat, having experienced it firsthand. She secretly spat, *This guy is truly a scoundrel.*

The Lion Tribe princes, however, didn't think in that direction. After all, Queen Medusa was a renowned beauty, and this fellow was merely one of her subordinates.

"What kind of nobody general is that? I've never heard of such a title," Prince Lion Rong, the seventh prince, cursed. "You're not even worthy of fighting us."

He then signaled a retainer beside him. That man was also at the peak of the eighth grade and known for his bravery. In his view, he was more than enough to handle the Snake Tribe, which was lacking in talent.

The Snake Tribe Queen was only ninth-grade, and their two Great Elders seemed to be at eighth or ninth grade. How strong could anyone else be?

The Lion Tribe general wanted to show off in front of the three princes. Seeing how beautiful Queen Medusa was, his male instincts also prompted him to display his strength before such an exquisite beauty. So, he threw a direct punch at Zu An, aiming to instantly defeat him.

As a result, his vision blurred, and he found himself flying backward.

"How is that possible?" was his last thought before losing consciousness. He then crashed heavily to the ground, raising a cloud of dust.

Inside the carriage, Yun Jianyue couldn't help but nod discreetly. "This guy's moves are becoming increasingly refined. Even if you or I were to choose the timing and force, we couldn't do it any better."

"He has long fought against top experts, constantly teetering on the edge of life and death, so his practical combat ability truly surpasses his peers," Yan Xuehen also expressed some admiration, but then added, "Moreover, he's even seen your behind, so of course, he's well-versed."

Yun Jianyue almost spewed a mouthful of old blood. "You ice woman, I'll fight you!"

Immediately afterward, a commotion of fighting resumed inside the carriage. Fortunately, they understood the gravity of the situation and were careful not to damage Yu Yanluo's carriage, so they only exchanged moves without using any true energy.

Outside, Yu Yanluo and even Star Slave covered their foreheads with a hand. *Those two are at it again.*

Meanwhile, the three Lion Tribe princes had no time to pay attention to the situation inside the carriage. Instead, they looked at Zu An with grave expressions. Everything had happened so fast that they hadn't even clearly seen what happened.

Lion Min suddenly had a realization. "You're the human who injured my eighth brother?"

Zu An said with a look of regret, "That hero is dashing and elegant, handsome and refined, with unfathomable cultivation and impeccable character. Women's eyes turn into hearts when they see him... Oh, if only I had even a ten-thousandth of his ability, I'd probably wake up laughing in my dreams."

Yu Yanluo's face felt slightly warm. This guy really had a way with words; she wondered where he found so many adjectives.

The two women in the carriage instinctively stopped fighting and both spat, "This guy is truly shameless."

The Lion Tribe princes, however, were bewildered. Hearing Zu An's tone of extreme praise and admiration for that person, they were all secretly astonished. Could that person really be so formidable?

At this moment, the hot-headed Prince Lion Rong, the youngest and most impetuous of the seven, could no longer hold back. "Hmph, you look annoying. Let this prince teach you a good lesson."

Just as he was about to make a move, a shout suddenly came from a distance, "Who dares to cause trouble near the Royal Court!"

Immediately, a troop of cavalry galloped closer. Unlike the rough and tattered attire of the demon tribes they had seen along the way, these knights were clad in golden armor, with the symbol of the Golden Crow emblazoned on their helmets, sleeves, and belts.

"Golden Crow Guards?" Yu Yanluo frowned slightly. When the Golden Crow Crown Prince visited the Snake Tribe before, he also brought golden-armored warriors with similar attire, though those warriors had higher cultivation. However, only the Demon Emperor's Imperial Guards were authorized to wear such attire near the Royal Court.

The leader appeared quite young, dressed in a vibrant blue official's robe with a dark yellow jade belt cinched at his waist. His hair was impeccably neat, giving him a refined appearance. However, his narrow, elongated eyes made him seem somewhat unapproachable.

"Lord Zongzheng, you've arrived at the perfect time! These people disregarded the Demon Emperor's ban and openly assaulted our subordinates near the Royal Court. We implore you, Sir, to administer justice for us!" Lion Min reacted quickly and spoke first.

Yu Yanluo became anxious. "Esteemed Sir, please do not listen solely to their side of the story..."

She was interrupted impatiently by the official before she could finish. "Does this official need you to remind him how to do his job?"