Chapter 828: Desperate Situation

"What do you mean, 'lend him'?" Bi Linglong almost fainted from anger. "Can a wife just be lent out like that?"

Although if it were Zu An, she wouldn't object, but it was simply too embarrassing in front of so many people.

Before she could scold him, she saw a streak of light shoot towards the Crown Prince's chest and gasped in alarm.

Zu An reacted faster than her. With a flash, he appeared in front of the Crown Prince, deflecting the streak of light with his Tai'e sword.

He subtly wiggled his fingers. A Grandmaster's flying sword was incredibly difficult to parry; the impact had numbed the web of his hand.

The Crown Prince clapped his hands and cheered, "Big Brother Zu is amazing! Kill that bad guy!"

Zu An forced a wry smile. Killing a Grandmaster was easier said than done.

Wei Pingyang burst into laughter. "It's truly eye-opening to see the cuckolder and the cuckolded get along so well."

Bi Linglong trembled with rage. "Wei Pingyang, you're a Grandmaster, yet your words are so vile, like a common street ruffian."

Wei Pingyang said coldly, "Enough. Engaging with youngsters like you lowers my status. Kill them all, leave no one alive!"

He gestured for his two guest experts, He Li and Mou Ping, and their subordinates on either side to attack. His own flying sword abandoned the Crown Prince and instead struck the shield formations of the various aristocratic families.

These shields were specially made and protected by intricate magic arrays. However, under the Grandmaster's flying sword, they shattered like paper, instantly creating a gap in the Eastern Palace's formation. The Qin King's Mansion's death soldiers surged through the opening with war cries.

The two sides formally engaged in close combat, and almost instantly, blood and flesh flew.

Zu An dared not be careless. He swiftly flew over to intercept Wei Pingyang's flying sword, preventing him from further destroying their formation, which would have rendered resistance futile.

On the other side, the Qin King's Mansion's death soldiers, led by the two Ninth-Rank masters, He Li and Mou Ping, were like tigers loose among sheep, slaughtering the Crown Prince's faction as if cutting melons and vegetables.

At this moment, Zhao Xi roared, "Our Liang King's Mansion is not to be trifled with!"

He crushed a jade pendant, and his aura suddenly surged, skyrocketing to around the Eighth Rank.

His father, King Liang, was a Grandmaster, and before entering the secret realm, he had given Zhao Xi a protective artifact to be used in life-or-death situations.

Clearly, that situation had now arrived.

The usually taciturn Gao Ying let out a roar, his eyes glowing red, and his aura also began to climb.

Pei You smiled faintly. "Burning vital essence? I can do that too!"

He held his palm across his body, gripping the sword blade. As he pulled the long sword, his palm became covered in blood. He then slammed his hand forward, and countless runes flickered. His face, already pale, now showed no trace of color, appearing like a wandering ghost from the underworld. Yet, in contrast, his aura also soared to the Eighth Rank; though it felt extremely unstable, it was indeed Eighth Rank!

The three combined their strength and managed to forcibly hold back the two masters, He Li and Mou Ping.

From a distance, Zu An's peripheral vision caught all this, and his heart sank. He had seen Chu Chuyan use a similar forbidden technique back in the Brightmoon City Academy's secret realm. This must be the hidden power of these aristocratic families, capable of rapidly boosting combat strength in a short time.

However, the side effects were also quite obvious. After Chu Chuyan used it, all her meridians were severed, rendering her completely crippled.

While he didn't know the side effects of Zhao Xi's family secret technique, he imagined they wouldn't be much better.

They hadn't used these techniques earlier when facing the Ninth-Rank Quantity Sky Jade Moon Dragon, so it seemed they now realized they were on the brink of life and death.

With the two Ninth-Rank masters held back, the pressure on the Eastern Palace warriors significantly eased.

However, the Qin King's Mansion was well-prepared this time. Their death soldiers were all well-trained, and crucially, there were even two or three Seventh or Eighth-Rank individuals among them. The Eastern Palace warriors were generally at a complete disadvantage.

If not for Bi Linglong's skillful and continuous command, directing the formation to leverage strengths and avoid weaknesses, it might have long since been a one-sided massacre.

But tactical command could only compensate for the disparity in strength to a certain extent; it couldn't change the fact of vastly unequal power.

Before long, people from the Eastern Palace began to fall one by one.

An Eastern Palace guard had a long spear thrust through his chest. He clutched the spear handle tightly, enduring the intense pain, and continued to advance, letting the spear pierce through his body. He attempted to close the distance to swing his saber and kill the enemy, trying to drag his opponent down with him to the grave.

A flicker of panic crossed the eyes of the Qin King's Mansion warrior opposite him. No matter how he pulled, he couldn't extract the spear. However, he was a death soldier honed by countless trials. Once his opponent drew near, he directly kicked him in the abdomen, sending him stumbling back.

With such severe injuries from front and back, the Eastern Palace guard's life force finally completely extinguished. Before dying, his eyes were wide open, filled with unwillingness, as if he could not rest in peace for failing to perish with his enemy.

"Jing Yanbao!" Seeing this scene, Pu Duandiao's eyes turned red with fury. This man was his subordinate, but in daily life, they drank, played cards, and visited brothels together, more like close friends.

His face was covered in blood, whether his own or an enemy's, he didn't know. He roared and charged forward, cleaving off the head of the Qin King's death soldier with a single strike.

But at the same time, he was hacked by several other Qin King warriors nearby. If not for his high-quality armor as an Eastern Palace guard commander, which blocked some damage, he would likely have been cut into pieces by now.

Jiao Sigun rushed over. The two fought back-to-back against their enemies, but there were too many. They were constantly being slashed and stabbed, their strength gradually draining, until they could barely lift their weapons.

Just then, another Qin King's death soldier leaped from the side, a faint blade aura flickering on his long saber, aiming directly for their necks. Clearly, he sought revenge for his comrade, wanting them to experience the same pain of decapitation his companion had just suffered.

Pu Duandiao and Jiao Sigun saw the blade from the corner of their eyes, but they no longer had the strength to dodge. They simply abandoned the thought, instead gathering their last reserves of strength to swing their sabers at the nearest enemies, attempting to take one down with them before they died.

At that moment, a sword light flashed, and the Qin King's warrior who had leaped into the air lost his life before he even landed.

Immediately after, a surge of cold air arose, and the dozen or so Qin King's death soldiers surrounding them were all frozen into ice sculptures.

"Big Brother Zu!" The two were both shocked and delighted, looking at Zu An, who seemed to have descended like a divine warrior.

Before entering the secret realm, he had promised to protect them, and he had indeed kept his word.

Thinking about it, how many times had he saved them since entering the secret realm? Unfortunately, both knew that in their current situation, there would be no next time.

The two quickly said, "Big Brother Zu, don't waste your strength saving us. Go quickly and save the Crown Prince and Crown Princess."

Seeing that the two could barely stand, Zu An quickly reached out to support them, then lifted them and flew to Bi Linglong's side. He then used the Great Wind technique to reach Zhao Xi and the others, helping them force back the two Ninth-Rank masters, and then smoothly brought all three back to the center of the formation.

"Escort the Crown Prince and Crown Princess away immediately. I'll cover the rear!"

Pu Duandiao and Jiao Sigun quickly shook their heads. "Big Brother Zu, you take the Crown Prince and leave. We'll cover the rear!"

"Exactly. I don't want to be a deserter this time." Pei You, usually so meticulous about his appearance, now simply wiped the blood from his face onto his clothes.

Zhao Xi also chuckled, panting, "I don't want to be like that bastard Meng Pan."

Although Gao Ying said nothing, the resolve in his eyes spoke volumes.

Zu An shook his head. "You can barely stand right now. Staying to cover the rear won't last long. I'll cover the rear; I can buy you more time. Run as hard and as far as you can. If you can't escape, hide in these mountains. As long as you survive, you'll eventually wait for people from outside to come and investigate."

"Ah Zu..." Bi Linglong's face showed sorrow. She, of course, knew what it meant to stay behind and cover the rear.

The others wanted to say more, but Zu An sharply interrupted, "Don't waste time, or none of us will be able to leave."

Gao Ying said in a deep voice, "I'll stay with you. You might not be able to hold them off alone, and there are still so many family warriors who need to be commanded."

At that moment, Liu Xian, who had been silent, suddenly spoke. "Cousin, you should go. I'll be enough here."

"You?" Seeing it was Liu Xian, everyone present was shocked.

"Why can't I?" Liu Xian's face turned beet red. Clearly, being underestimated in such a situation made him uncomfortable. His usual frivolous demeanor vanished as he said seriously, "This disaster was caused by me, so I naturally have a responsibility to resolve it."

After speaking, he looked at Gao Ying. "I know that in the eyes of all the aristocratic young masters in the capital, they ridicule me. Even when educating their children, they use me as a negative example. I also know I'm not very useful. But Cousin, you're different. Our Liu family doesn't have much talent in the younger generation; we'll need you to support the family in the future. You can't die here. Cousin, you've always looked after me, but this time, it's my turn to look after you."

Without waiting for a response, he turned and plunged back into the battle. "As a Liu family disciple, burning vital essence... I can do it too!"

As he spoke, his eyes turned red, and his hair stood on end. His aura surged, but halfway through its ascent, it suddenly halted.

Unlike those who unleashed forbidden techniques and directly soared to the Eighth Rank, his aura stopped at the peak of the Sixth Rank, not even reaching the Seventh Rank.

Yet, no one present laughed at him. Instead, their eyes filled with tears as they watched his retreating figure. The playboy fop whom everyone usually despised, at this moment, appeared incredibly tall and imposing.

From not far away, Wei Pingyang's sneer echoed. "There's no need for you to argue. No one is leaving today!"

Zu An's expression changed. He pushed out a hand, and an enormous force propelled Bi Linglong and the others dozens of feet away. He himself remained to block Wei Pingyang and his party.

Wei Pingyang scoffed, "Zu, you can't even defeat me alone, yet you think you can stop all of us? Who gave you such courage?"

"Unless I try, how would I know I can't stop you?" Facing Wei Pingyang, He Li, and Mou Ping—the three Qin King's Mansion guest experts forming a pincer attack—Zu An stood alone with his sword, exuding an aura of one man holding a pass against ten thousand.

Bi Linglong looked back deeply, her fingernails digging into her flesh.

"If anything happens to you, I will live on and avenge you, leaving no one alive in the entire Qin King's Mansion!"

Her eyes were filled with resolve and hatred, even though the Qin King's consort was her half-sister...

But her heart's greatest plea was: *Ah Zu, you must survive!*

At this moment, Zu An was being scolded by Mi Li. "Why are you trying to be a hero? Lu Xiao, the strongest cultivator, is temporarily unable to act. With your cultivation, you could barely escape. Why stay here to die?"

Looking at the warriors from various families still fighting valiantly, even the fop Liu Xian was exceptionally brave at this moment, cutting through the Qin King's Mansion's ranks.

Zu An sighed. "Empress sister, what do you say cultivation is for?"

"To become stronger, of course." Mi Li didn't understand why he suddenly asked this.

Zu An shook his head. "No. In my opinion, cultivation is about being able to freely seek revenge, defeat those you want to defeat, and protect those you want to protect. These warriors from various families know they will die, yet they are willing to stay and cover the rear. If I encounter danger and my first thought is to run, making me inferior to these warriors whose cultivation is far below mine, then what's the point of my cultivation?"

"But if you stay, you could really die," Mi Li understood his meaning, her tone exceptionally heavy.

Zu An laughed. "All men must die, some deaths are heavier than Mount Tai, others lighter than a feather... Besides, I'm a person with great fortune and a long life; I might not necessarily die."

Feeling his powerful fighting spirit and will to survive, Mi Li was a little surprised. She had thought he was acting impulsively, wanting to sacrifice himself as a hero, but it turned out he was remarkably clear-headed deep down.

This guy wants to be cool and heroic, but also doesn't want to sacrifice himself. How can there be such a good deal in the world?

At this moment, Zu An had already engaged He Li and Mou Ping, the two guest experts. One was at the peak of Ninth-Rank, the other in the middle of Ninth-Rank, and they initially didn't put Zu An in their eyes.

They thought either of them could suppress him. Who knew Zu An's movement technique was so bizarre, with various unexpected moves and skills, forcing the two to exert themselves constantly, even having to join forces just to barely stabilize their position.

Both were inwardly horrified. How old was this person, at most, for his cultivation to be so formidable?

Even if he had cultivated since birth, it wouldn't be possible!

Wei Pingyang had originally intended to pursue Bi Linglong and her group, but after a few glances, he noticed his two companions seemed to be struggling to deal with Zu An.

Shocked, he stopped. "You two go pursue and kill the Crown Prince and the others. This fellow is mine."

He was worried something might go wrong if he left the two of them to deal with Zu An, so he decided to handle it himself. The Crown Prince's group was already wounded and disabled; two Ninth-Rank masters would be more than enough to pursue them.

The two guest experts' old faces flushed. Failing to defeat a young junior even when fighting together for so long was truly humiliating.

However, this matter was of great importance, and they dared not cause further complications. Moreover, capturing and killing the Crown Prince and Crown Princess would be an immense merit.

So, after a brief hesitation, the two agreed to Wei Pingyang's arrangement and chased in the direction the Crown Prince's party had left.

"Your opponent is me!" Zu An used the Great Wind technique, directly blocking their path.

Wei Pingyang's face darkened. "Your opponent is me!"

The flying sword in front of him transformed into a streak of light, almost invisible, continuously attacking Zu An from every angle.

Zu An hastily used the Sunflower Illusion to dodge sideways, but unfortunately, he was a fraction too slow. Lines of blood blossomed on his body; he had already been struck several times.

Wei Pingyang said indifferently, "A mere firefly dares to contend with the bright moon. You fundamentally misunderstand what a Grandmaster is. With your meager cultivation, you actually dream of fighting me."

Although the opponent's cultivation was indeed impressive, what did it matter? Without reaching the Grandmaster realm, he posed no threat at all—just a slightly stronger ant.

Zu An's heart was calm like still water. "A single Grandmaster talks such a big game. I've even fought with Great Grandmasters, and I haven't seen them act as conceited as you."

Both Mi Li and Yun Jianyue's cultivation were far above this guy's. It was just that for various reasons at the time, they couldn't unleash their true strength. But they were genuine Great Grandmasters, especially Mi Li; Zu An even suspected her realm was higher.

"Great Grandmasters?" Wei Pingyang sounded as if he had heard something hilarious. "You can't even defeat me, yet you claim to have fought Great Grandmasters? You truly are an ignorant brat."

Rage from Wei Pingyang +222 +222 +222...

As he spoke, a streak of light shot forth. Zu An quickly held his sword across his chest. With a loud clang, the web of his hand went numb, and the Tai'e sword almost flew from his grasp.

Mi Li sighed. "The further cultivators progress, the more a single realm's difference becomes like an insurmountable chasm. If you were at the mid-to-late Ninth Rank, with your profound elemental energy, you might have a chance to fight him. Unfortunately, you are only at the early Ninth Rank."

"Even with a gap, it's not a cause for despair," he gritted his teeth and actively charged towards his opponent.

The power of the opponent's flying sword attack was simply too great. Pure defense was too passive. He thought about engaging in close combat to see if he could find an opportunity to land a "Dagger of Poison."

Wei Pingyang stood with his hands behind his back, completely relaxed. His flying sword returned and wove an impenetrable net around him. No matter how Zu An attacked, he remained motionless.

He even had the leisure to look at his two companions on the other side. "What are you two standing around for? Hurry and chase after the Crown Prince and his group!"

The two came to their senses. Just as they were about to leave, a fragrant breeze swept past, and suddenly an incredibly beautiful woman appeared before them.

The fierce battle on the field briefly paused at her appearance, for she was truly too beautiful. She possessed both a pure, clear, and a seductive, enchanting aura simultaneously. With just a glance from her eyes, every man on the battlefield felt half their body go limp.

"What a stunning beauty!" Lu Xiao, who was healing from afar, couldn't help but exclaim. He was already old, long past the stage of being infatuated with women, but at this moment, his normally unperturbed heart suddenly rippled.

Wei Pingyang was similarly affected; the flying sword he controlled momentarily paused. Zu An seized this split-second opportunity to thrust forward to his side, directly summoning "Dagger of Poison" and slashing at him. Just a small wound would be enough to turn the tide of the entire situation.

He deliberately summoned Daji at this moment: first, to restrain the other two guest experts; second, to create such an opportunity.

His plan was successful; "Dagger of Poison" successfully cut an opening on Wei Pingyang's body.

However, Zu An didn't smile at all, because he heard a crisp *clink*.

Wei Pingyang pulled a shattered jade pendant from his robe, his face gradually contorting with rage. "You dare to destroy my life-saving artifact! I will slice you into a thousand pieces to vent my hatred!"

Rage from Wei Pingyang +444 +444 +444...

Zu An inwardly cursed his bad luck. As expected, a Grandmaster had some trump card life-saving methods. Since his attack failed, he probably wouldn't have another chance to use this ambush.

Sure enough, Wei Pingyang's gaze fell upon the dagger in Zu An's hand. "This black dagger can instantly breach my defenses and made me feel the threat of death. It seems to be a divine artifact. It will serve perfectly to compensate for the loss of my jade pendant."

After speaking, a terrifying aura enveloped Zu An, making him feel as if he were in quicksand, finding it extremely difficult to even move.