Chapter 1551: Sending a Deadly Question

Yan Xuehen moved instantly, long sword in hand, a frosty aura condensing around her as she parried all the incoming arrows and crossbow bolts. She trembled, her qi and blood somewhat tumultuous; these were, after all, military crossbows of immense power.

Without a moment's hesitation, she pulled Zu'an and Sang Hong through the shattered carriage wall beside them, knowing that remaining inside would only make them a sitting target. However, their adversaries had clearly anticipated their move, as another colossal arrow shot towards them, a terrifying aura engulfing the group. This was no ordinary arrow volley; it was a bolt from a siege crossbow!

Chu Chuyan's expression utterly changed. A siege crossbow's power could collapse a section of a city wall, and its bolts were often enhanced by intricate formations that locked onto targets, making evasion impossible. It had to be met head-on. Even as a ninth-rank cultivator, she wasn't certain she could withstand the bolt, let alone protect two others simultaneously.

At the same time, a myriad of questions filled her mind. Military crossbows had always been strictly controlled, and siege crossbows were paramount among them. While it might be conceivable for such weapons to be used due to collusion between the military and outsiders in other cities, their overt deployment in the heavily fortified capital region was tantamount to open rebellion.

Her expression grave, she raised her long sword, preparing to meet the bolt head-on with her Snowflake Divine Sword technique. Despite her rapid thoughts, everything transpired in a flash. The siege crossbow bolt was nearly upon them, its terrifying power capable of obliterating the entire area.

Unlike Yan Xuehen, Zu'an was intimately familiar with such weapons. He had been attacked by a siege crossbow before, an encounter that nearly cost him half his life. Had it not been for the Primordial Chaos Scripture imbuing his body with extraordinary resilience, even the remaining half might not have been saved.

But today was different. Zu'an drew his sword directly, and a sharp burst of sword qi shot forth, slicing the terrifying siege crossbow bolt clean in half as if it were tofu. The razor-sharp sword qi continued its trajectory, directly destroying the siege crossbow mechanism hidden within the civilian residence, preventing any further shots.

The entire street fell silent for a moment, primarily because everyone was stunned. Such a massive, thick bolt, severed so easily? Sang Hong, who had been filled with worry, now gazed with shock and disbelief. Only a few months had passed, yet this young man seemed significantly more powerful than before. No wonder Zu'an had been so confident in his ability to protect him.

Yan Xuehen was also momentarily stunned. Her master had been vague about the events in the secret realm, so she didn't know Zu'an's true strength. In fact, upon their reunion, she had sensed no vital energy fluctuations within him, leading her to worry that his cultivation might have plummeted. She had initially intended to protect him, but now it was uncertain who was protecting whom.

At that moment, the surrounding assassins snapped back to reality. Committed to their mission, they surged out from their hiding places. This time, they wore no black cloaks or masks. Instead, they were dressed in simple linen, the most common attire for ordinary citizens. Only their fierce, ruthless eyes betrayed that they were not mere street vendors or laborers.

Yan Xuehen's expression turned solemn. In that instant, she detected numerous eighth- and ninth-rank cultivators among the assassins—individuals who would be regional magnates elsewhere. She wondered why they were willing to serve as mere killers. While she feared no single opponent in individual combat, these assassins seemed masters of combined attack techniques, blocking every escape route. A palpable murderous intent filled the air, seemingly freezing the entire street.

Combined attack techniques were typically favored by lower-rank cultivators, especially in military forces. Through such formations, an army of lower-rank cultivators could even encircle and slay grandmasters. However, these formations usually demanded years of rigorous training for participants to achieve perfect unity in thought and action. High-rank cultivators often possessed considerable pride and were typically occupied with their own significant endeavors, making it improbable for them to dedicate substantial time to training in combined combat techniques.

Yet here were eighth and ninth-rank experts employing combined formations with such precision and familiarity. Who possessed the immense power to cultivate and train so many high-rank cultivators like expendable death soldiers?

Despite her internal questions, she did not hesitate. Holding her sword upright with both hands before her, her robes billowed, and her flowing hair glowed with a faint icy blue light. Clearly, she intended to unleash her most powerful techniques against them. In such a situation, life and death were decided in an instant; holding back was pointless.

Though Zu'an's previous sword strike had greatly surprised her, it was clear they were now vastly outnumbered, and their foes were adept at combined formations. They would have to fight side-by-side; holding out until the capital's defenses arrived shouldn't be a major issue.

Just then, Zu'an swung his sword again. If evasion was impossible, then he wouldn't even try. The assassins who had been closing in felt as though they were going blind. The opponent's sword light was like a blazing sun, utterly straightforward, leaving no place to hide. And then... there was nothing more.

This cohort had been trained as expendable assassins since childhood, receiving the finest cultivation resources and most suitable techniques, coupled with unparalleled effort. Due to a brutal elimination process, survival demanded they be stronger than their peers; their organization never tolerated weakness. Of course, as their cultivation advanced, their ambitions stirred. After all, eighth and ninth-rank cultivators could be high-ranking officials in the outside world, and none wished to remain obscure death soldiers for life.

However, harsh reality swiftly brought them back to their senses. Some comrades, believing their wings were strong enough, had attempted to break free, only to discover that a gu poison had been implanted within them since childhood. Betrayal, without the antidote, meant a fate worse than death itself. From then on, they dared not harbor any disloyal thoughts.

To appease them and avoid dampening their cultivation zeal, the organization had promised them that, upon completing this mission, they would be granted official positions in various locales, free to marry and have children. The thought of impending glory and wealth filled everyone with zeal. All they had to do was complete this mission... Another brother from their organization was initially meant to join them, but upon hearing such promises, he immediately opted for a different assignment. He claimed such pledges were inauspicious. At the time, they had all mocked his cowardice, but now they realized he was the truly astute one.

Unfortunately, they had no chance for regret.

Gazing at the fallen bodies around her, Chu Chuyan was slow to process. So many master assassins, who had made her feel like she was facing a formidable army, were gone in the blink of an eye?

In the shadows, a middle-aged man who had previously maintained a serene composure, sword in hand, now had his eyes wide and his jaw nearly hitting the floor. "My goodness, I thought my progress was already remarkable. How did this kid's cultivation ascend so outrageously fast? No, no, not even for extra money can I risk my life here. I'm out of here." He hastily pulled down his bamboo hat to conceal his face, then turned and vanished into a discreet civilian house.

Had Zu'an seen him, he would have recognized him as Ding Run, the assassin known as "Mister More Money," whom he had encountered during his escort from Moonbright City to the capital. In just a few years, Ding Run had amassed sufficient resources and experienced several fortunate encounters, allowing him to break through to the Grandmaster realm. He had initially believed this to be a lucrative assignment, only for it to nearly become a death sentence.

At that moment, Zu'an gently patted the stunned Chu Chuyan. "Let's go," he said, then helped Sang Hong and continued walking towards the imperial palace. Along the way, Chu Chuyan repeatedly glanced at Zu'an, a blush subtly appearing on her cheeks. Despite her strong, capable demeanor in Moonbright City in previous years, she was, at heart, a young girl prone to fantasy. Initially, upon their marriage, she had been quite dismissive of her legendary "useless" husband. Yet now, looking at him again, he seemed remarkably similar to the sword immortal protagonist in "Overbearing Sword Immortal's Ninety-Nine Days of Love."

No wonder Master had been reticent about the secret realm; she must have feared it would shake my Dao heart and undermine my resolve in cultivation. Master was truly overthinking it. He wasn't just some stranger; he was her husband!

Soon, they arrived at the imperial palace. Chu Chuyan stood guard outside while Zu'an brought Sang Hong in, first settling him, then proceeding directly to the Imperial Study. He happened to encounter Eunuch Wen, who seemed surprised to see him return. "Lord Zu, you've arrived at a most opportune moment," Eunuch Wen said. "His Majesty was just about to send for you."

Zu'an paused, wondering if the Emperor had already learned of the recent events so swiftly. An Earth Immortal indeed lives up to their reputation!

Upon entering the Imperial Study, Zu'an found it filled with the lingering scent of sandalwood. The Emperor sat there, eyes closed in meditation. Zu'an was about to speak about Sang Hong when the Emperor suddenly spoke, "What do you think of the Crown Princess?"