Chapter 599: Flying Queen

Zu'an was very familiar with the dark glint; he had encountered such things countless times on his journey from Brightmoon City to the capital. These were crossbow bolts used by assassins, significantly faster than typical arrows, covering most of the room in an instant.

Eunuch Lu, who had been quietly hidden in the shadows, sprang into action. He positioned himself directly in front of the beaded curtain, and with a flick of his wide sleeve, the arrows – powerful enough to shatter stone – were pulverized by a strange, soft force emanating from his sleeve. Without pausing, he darted out like lightning, clearly intending to swiftly eliminate the assassins outside.

In his assessment, as this was the inner palace, there wouldn't be many assassins. He believed a decisive, swift attack would immediately quell the disturbance. To his dismay, upon rushing out, he discovered he was gravely mistaken. The outside was swarming with assassins, locked in fierce combat with the Kunning Palace guards.

"How is this possible?" Eunuch Lu exclaimed in utter shock. He even pondered if Prince Qi had rebelled and led his army into the palace. Yet, he acted swiftly, instantly incapacitating two assassins who came too close. He was preparing to retreat, his immediate priority being the Empress's safety.

Retreat, however, was no longer an option. One of the black-clad assassins suddenly lunged at him, and the two exchanged three rapid blows. Eunuch Lu's heart tensed. A ninth-grade master! He dared not be careless. These assassins couldn't be judged by ordinary ranks; having long walked the line between life and death, their practical combat skills were formidable, often enabling them to assassinate opponents of higher cultivation.

He quickly regained his composure, focusing all his attention. After the initial panic, he realized these were not soldiers, and thus, it wasn't Prince Qi's rebellion. Judging by their methods, these must be assassins from the Shadow Pavilion. Hmph, the Shadow Pavilion truly values money over life, daring even to assassinate the Empress! He understood that if he could just hold them off for a short while, the palace guards and army would respond, surrounding the area and ensuring the assassins' demise.

At that moment, Zu'an felt utterly exasperated. How was it possible that he encountered such events everywhere he went? Assassination attempts in the Empress's private chambers? Who would ever believe such a tale? Yet, the fierce combat and screams from outside, coupled with the occasional spatter of blood on the windows, grimly reminded him that it was all real. He couldn't help but glance back at the Empress behind the beaded curtain. She sat there expressionless, though her face was a little pale. She appeared much calmer than the eunuchs and palace maids beside her, who were all trembling uncontrollably. He specifically looked for Little Zhuozi and Little Guizi. They weren't among the Empress's immediate attendants but were instead cowering and trembling in a corner of the main hall, their low rank evidently not permitting them to be so close to the Empress.

Just then, with several loud bangs, the doors and windows were violently forced open, and several palace guards, drenched in blood, stumbled into the room. Hot on their heels, several black-clad assassins burst in and began wildly hacking at the guards.

Little Zhuozi: "..."Little Guizi: "..."

They trembled even more violently than before.

The black-clad assassins paid them no heed. Instead, they glanced up at the Empress behind the beaded curtain, then all brandished their blades and charged towards her.

Eunuch Lu, who had been closely monitoring the situation inside, flicked his sleeve. The scattered blades and swords on the floor shot out like lightning, instantly impaling the assassins rushing towards the Empress, pinning them dead to the ground. Zu'an felt a chill run down his spine. A ninth-grade master could channel the power of heaven and earth; the force and speed of their casual attacks were truly beyond ordinary human resistance. It was crucial to remember that the assassins who had just burst in were also skilled masters, yet they were instantly killed from such a distance? Zu'an couldn't help but feel fortunate. Without his miraculous movement technique, "Sunflower Phantom," which allowed him to avoid direct confrontations, and a multitude of other trump cards and external abilities, he would likely have died a hundred times on his journey to the capital.

Just then, a muffled groan from Eunuch Lu echoed from outside. Evidently, his distraction in dealing with the assassins inside had provided his own opponent with a perfect opportunity, leading to a heavy blow. Eunuch Lu was instantly put on the defensive, barely managing to stabilize his position. It was clear he no longer had the capacity to attend to the situation inside the hall. At that moment, another group of assassins burst in, advancing expressionlessly towards the Empress.

Zu'an sighed. He could no longer stand idly by. Firstly, he was now an imperial official, and secondly, he held the rank of an Embroidered Uniform Guard. If he merely watched people die, he would certainly face accountability later. Of course, he wouldn't rush in blindly, risking his life to save her. He had no particular ties to the Empress, and furthermore, he didn't believe she was entirely without means to defend herself. He knew this was a world of cultivation, where one's status often correlated with their power. While he had gradually learned that this rule wasn't always strictly followed, with many influential families still able to secure official positions for their less capable members, the general principle of matching strength with status remained. The Emperor was the strongest in the world, and though the Empress might not be the second strongest, she should still be a formidable master.

So, he casually intercepted two assassins—one fifth-grade and one sixth-grade. This way, if anyone questioned him later, he could account for his actions. After all, in the eyes of most, he was only a fifth-grade cultivator, and blocking two such opponents simultaneously already constituted an immense risk to his life. Some Kunning Palace guards also rushed in to assist, but they were immediately intercepted by other assassins, leaving them to helplessly watch as the remaining assassins surged towards the Empress.

Zu'an's eyelids twitched. Whose home ground was this anyway? Why were assassins swarming everywhere, while the armored guards were outnumbered? In the brief moment he was stunned, the four assassins had already reached the Empress. The Empress's personal maids and eunuchs bravely stepped forward to protect her. After all, as her closest attendants, any harm to the Empress would mean ruin for their own families. It was evident that these individuals also possessed some training, but having been sent to the palace as servants, their innate talent was undoubtedly limited. Despite their cultivation, they were no match for these fierce, wolf-like assassins. Soon, many fell screaming into pools of blood.

The Empress's delicate brows furrowed, and she finally moved. A hand, as white as jade, extended. The movement was deceptively slow, yet the assassin directly opposite found himself utterly unable to evade it, watching helplessly as that soft, beautiful palm pressed onto his head. Ordinarily, he loved frequenting pleasure houses, particularly enjoying the service of the girls' soft, tender hands. The hand before him was more beautiful, fairer, and softer than any he had ever encountered. If he had met such a hand in a pleasure house, he would have been utterly delighted. Now, he "flew" too. He felt his entire being become incredibly light, and then... there was nothing.

Everyone watched this scene in stunned silence, even Zu'an couldn't help but look on with amazement. While he had anticipated the Empress was powerful, this level of strength was simply astonishing. Immediately after, the jade-white palm moved again, pressing directly towards another assassin's chest. That assassin desperately tried to dodge but found the surrounding air had solidified into an impenetrable wall, leaving him utterly unable to move. He could only watch in despair as the beautiful, yet terrifying, hand pressed closer.

However, just as the pale hand was about to make contact, it suddenly faltered, and the Empress gasped, spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood.

Zu'an: "???"

The assassin, who had narrowly escaped death, was ecstatic. "She suffered a cultivation deviation years ago, and her injuries are irreparable! Everyone, attack!" As he spoke, he swung his fist and charged forward. The previously terrifying pale palm was forced to retract, and the other assassins, who had been momentarily immobilized, now swung their blades and attacked the Empress.

The Empress gritted her teeth in frustration. If not for her injuries, she would never have allowed these petty individuals to be so arrogant. She swiftly raised her hand to counter, and although her cultivation was difficult to fully channel, her keen perception remained, allowing her to narrowly evade several of the assassins' lethal attacks. However, she couldn't evade the fist coming from behind. That fist glowed with a yellowish-brown light—the mark of an earth-element cultivator, whose punches, drawing on the power of the earth, possessed immense weight.

The punch landed squarely on her back, causing her to gasp and spit out another mouthful of blood. Gathering her last reserves of strength, she propelled herself outwards. She hoped to use the momentum of the punch to propel herself outside, where Eunuch Lu and the Kunning Palace guards were fighting, who would be far more effective than the eunuchs and palace maids inside. Unfortunately, she had underestimated the severity of her long-standing internal injuries. Mid-flight, her internal energy suddenly failed, and she plunged from the air, landing directly onto Zu'an below.

Zu'an instinctively caught her: "???"