Chapter 1502: The Trump Card

Tiger Qianxiao's attack was truly like a fierce tiger descending a mountain, unstoppable. He cleanly and decisively dealt with Xue Han. As a Grand Imperial Secretary, Xue Han naturally possessed considerable cultivation. However, under Tiger Qianxiao's assault, he was utterly helpless.

The Second Prince was quite surprised by this. According to his intelligence, Tiger Qianxiao had been flirting with the Crown Prince and was likely swayed to his side. So how did he end up pledging allegiance to the Little Demon Empress now? More importantly, he was putting in so much effort. Could it be that he was infatuated with that sizzling hot Little Demon Empress? Was he deliberately displaying such bravery just to win her favor? In his opinion, this was the only logical explanation.

As for Zu An, although he was quite active and jumping around, the Second Prince didn't take him seriously at all. Such a person was not worthy of being his opponent. Although the death of Xue Han was a bit regrettable, it was a perfect opportunity to lure the tiger away from its mountain. He gazed in the direction of the Little Demon Empress, a slight smile playing on his lips.

Almost simultaneously, above the palace gate, a black ripple appeared in the air, and a slender sword shot directly towards the Little Prince. The Crown Prince was already dead, and the Third and Fourth Princes had also been eliminated by the Crown Prince's people. Now, if he killed the Little Prince, he would be the sole heir. Once the Little Prince died, those who had briefly gathered around him would collapse and scatter. He had just seen similar situations unfold poorly. As for Tiger Qianxiao, he was indeed a bit troublesome. However, he was a smart man; once the general situation was decided, he would absolutely not risk his neck for a woman.

Clang!

With a crisp clang, the sword that was meant to sever the Little Prince's head was blocked by a crescent moon. The Second Prince's eyes widened instantly. The one who had attacked was none other than the stunning, voluptuous woman by Zu An's side. Duan Tianchou was a formidable Grandmaster, whose assassination skills were divine. How could someone who looked like a mere concubine kept by nobles in their chambers actually block his lethal sword strike?

Duan Tianchou was clearly just as surprised, but he did not linger in combat. A black vortex instantly unfolded, and he appeared dozens of feet away in the sky. The way of an assassin: if one strike fails, flee a thousand miles. He was very fortunate to always adhere to this supreme rule, because almost the instant he left, an icy sword struck where he had just been, even freezing the surrounding air solid. If he had been even a fraction of a second slower, that chilling sword would have sealed off the surrounding space, making spatial leaps impossible.

Two Grandmasters! It wasn't just him who was terrified; the Second Prince and his retinue were equally stunned. They never expected the Little Prince to possess such a trump card.

At this moment, Yun Jianyue snorted coldly, and stepped through the air, charging towards Duan Tianchou. Seeing this, Duan Tianchou almost wanted to laugh. What did this woman take him for? She dared to pursue a world-class assassin! He had no idea how many masters had fallen to his sword. As long as the woman in white didn't intervene, in a one-on-one fight, he was confident he could toy with and kill this woman with hair down to her buttocks. Humph, when masters fight, such large "burdens" on her chest and such long hair were simply weaknesses everywhere. Although this woman's cultivation was high, how could she compare to him when it came to killing? Over the years, he had actually encountered several masters of his own caliber. But without exception, these people merely had high cultivation; they were not skilled at killing. In the end, they all died resentfully by his hand.

However, he quickly found himself unable to laugh. What was this murderous aura, so substantial it felt real? How could a woman who looked like a courtesan have such an intense killing intent? Compared to her, all the people he had killed over the years seemed insignificant.

Seeing Duan Tianchou seemingly at a slight disadvantage in the sky, the Second Prince frowned. He then said to the old man on his left, "Sixth Uncle, I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you." The old man sighed, "Your payment isn't easy to earn. We only agreed to help you deal with Old Wu." Dealing with other minor soldiers was easy enough to handle casually, but confronting another Grandmaster, he was somewhat reluctant. The Second Prince said in a deep voice, "I'll pay more. Double the previous terms." The old man's eyes lit up. "Alright, I'll help you deal with that woman in white. I won't concern myself with anything else." The Second Prince nodded, knowing that as a member of the Elders' Council, it was impossible for him to directly attack the Little Prince.

The old man walked step by step towards the palace gate, as if invisible steps materialized beneath his feet. He directly looked at Yan Xuehen, "Young lady, may I ask your sect? That sword strike just now was truly stunning." What was stunning was not just that sword strike; her white robes like snow, her long hair flowing, made her entire presence even more breathtaking. If he had seen her in his youth, he might have been captivated and fallen for her. But now that he was old, he was somewhat incapable... "Hmm, women only slow down my draw."

Yan Xuehen did not reply. Her response was a sword strike that resembled snow drifting across the human world. Seeing this, Zu An smiled faintly. She had always been like this: an icy face, an icy sword, and an icy temperament. Only he knew the warmth hidden beneath that cold exterior.

The old man's expression changed. Originally, seeing her youthful appearance, he had only regarded her as a junior. He never expected that upon engagement, she showed no hint of inexperience. Instead, she seemed like someone who had been in the Grandmaster realm for a considerable time. He dared not relax in the slightest, concentrating fully on the fight. Soon, terrifying streaks of light erupted in the sky. Both were aware that the aftermath of their battle would affect their respective allies, so they tacitly flew into the clouds to continue their fight.

The Second Prince retracted his gaze. The battle above wouldn't end anytime soon. Ultimately, success or failure would depend on his own side. With a casual wave of his hand, his elite soldiers and fierce generals charged towards the palace gate. He had absolute confidence in his battle-hardened elite troops, and with the newly incorporated Imperial Guards, they were more than enough to deal with the Little Prince's forces.

Tiger Qianxiao was somewhat conflicted at this moment. The Second Prince's military strength was clearly superior, and it was still unclear who would emerge victorious. Was it really necessary for him to get too deeply involved at this point? Or should he wait until the situation became clear before choosing a side? He glanced back at Zu An on the city gate, seeing his calm expression, as if he were unfathomable. He gritted his teeth, let out a tiger's roar, and charged towards the Second Prince. The impact of the arrow that had just killed Lion Zhentian was too immense for him; after much thought, he decided not to test it again. Although the Second Prince's military strength was superior, his high-level combatants seemed fewer. His presence as an additional Grandmaster should play a crucial role.

Seeing him charging at him, the Second Prince sneered. Tiger Qianxiao suddenly felt a sharp warning in his heart, and hastily whipped his massive tiger tail to the side. This was his trump card, cultivated as his innate magical artifact since childhood. It was no less powerful than a top-tier Heaven-grade weapon, and for a short period, it could even achieve the power of an Immortal-grade artifact. Even a Grandmaster, if struck by this whip, would suffer severe injuries.

*Crack!*

With a crisp crack, Tiger Qianxiao let out a yelp of pain, and jumped up, clutching his backside. His formerly majestic tail now had a chunk of flesh torn off, bleeding profusely and looking utterly miserable. If not for his years of cultivation, it would likely have been bitten clean off.

A grotesque man with a repulsive appearance and a few sparse hairs on his head appeared nearby. He bared a wide, toothy grin, revealing a set of sharp, pitch-black teeth. Each tooth was like a sharp dagger. A small piece of bloody tiger skin hung from one, clearly from Tiger Qianxiao's tail. He casually flicked his tongue, swallowed it, and chuckled, "Quite chewy."

Tiger Qianxiao was both shocked and enraged. "Black-Toothed Shatterfang!"

The grotesque man grinned sinisterly. "I didn't expect anyone to still remember my name."

Above the palace gate, seeing a hint of confusion in Zu An's eyes, the Little Demon Empress softly explained: "Black-Toothed Shatterfang is a traitor from the Black-Toothed family. He had excellent talent, but unfortunately, his heart was corrupt. To increase his cultivation, he practiced a demonic art that devoured living beings. The Black-Toothed family's signature skill lies in their mouth, and Black-Toothed Shatterfang surpassed his predecessors, becoming a Grandmaster solely through his sharp teeth."

"Years ago, because he harmed too many living beings and even injured some noble children from the royal court, he incurred widespread public anger. As a result, the old patriarch of the Black-Toothed family expelled him. Without the Black-Toothed family's protection, he became a pariah, hunted by everyone. He disappeared for many years, and everyone thought he was dead. We never expected him to have pledged allegiance to the Second Prince."

"Oh, and the Second Prince's wife is also from the Black-Toothed family, but the Black-Toothed family always favored the Crown Prince's side, and the Second Prince's faction was never given much regard."

Zu An thought to himself, "This Little Demon Empress is truly an understanding person." She explained everything so thoroughly without him even needing to ask. The Second Prince had indeed gone to great lengths, having planned all of this many years ago.

At this moment, Tiger Qianxiao roared angrily, "Just an outdated old fossil! Do you think I, the King, am afraid of you?!" As the King of Beasts, he also had his pride. He had originally intended to play it safe today, but this fellow actually bit him and then arrogantly swallowed his flesh. If he didn't avenge this, how could he, Tiger Qianxiao, ever show his face in the community again?

The two immediately engaged in battle. The Second Prince didn't even glance at them. Instead, he said to the side, "Mister Bat, I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you."

"Jie jie jie~"

A shriek of laughter, and a giant bat suddenly soared into the air. Nearby soldiers, and even some masters, immediately felt their blood boil, then screamed in agony. Their blood burst forth from their bodies, drawn directly into the bat in mid-air.