Chapter 829: Hunter and Prey

Seeing Zu An trapped, Wei Pingyang's face contorted into a cruel smile. "Die!" he snarled.

The flying sword in his hand vibrated intensely, then a white mist suddenly erupted from its tail, followed by a thunderous boom that made the eardrums of many onlookers ache. It was the flying sword breaking the sound barrier. With Zu An now under the control of his aura, Wei Pingyang's lips curled slightly. Once this man was dead, the remaining members of the Crown Prince's faction would be insignificant. Although he had sacrificed a life-saving magical item, acquiring the dark dagger in Zu An's hand would more than compensate for his loss.

Just then, a terrifying pressure emanated from Zu An's direction. Even Lu Xiao, who had been diligently recuperating in the distance, instinctively opened his eyes, staring in utter disbelief towards Zu An. How could such a terrifying pressure exist? Even he felt an overwhelming urge to prostrate himself and tremble. Wei Pingyang, as the direct target, felt the full force of it. His face went ashen, his body trembled uncontrollably, and his knees buckled, sending him plummeting from the air to land directly on his knees.

The Domain of Might of the Tai'a Sword!

Zu An felt the oppressive pressure around him instantly dissipate. Without a moment's hesitation, he charged directly towards Wei Pingyang. He could only activate the Domain of Might once for a short duration, so he knew he couldn't waste it. Suddenly, a figure flashed, stepping in front of Wei Pingyang and effectively blocking the fatal sword strike.

Zu An was stunned. The person in front of him was Mou Ping, another guest elder from Prince Qi's Manor. Why would he suddenly step in front of Wei Pingyang to take the blow? Was the bond between guest elders truly this strong? Even if Wei Pingyang were his own father, one would surely hesitate. As Zu An pondered, Mou Ping didn't look at him but struggled to turn his head towards Wei Pingyang, uttering, "You..." Unfortunately, the curse of "Poisoned Dagger" had already activated. His body glowed with black runes, and he promptly dropped dead.

Wei Pingyang, seizing the opportunity, finally recovered. As a Grandmaster, even the Domain of Might could only momentarily disorient him. He immediately maneuvered his flying sword, swiftly slashing across Zu An's wrist. Zu An rapidly retreated, but it was a step too late. A sharp pain shot through his left hand, causing him to lose his grip on the "Poisoned Dagger."

"Hahaha, your tendons must be severed," Wei Pingyang chuckled, though a hint of lingering fear remained in his expression. He hadn't anticipated that he, a formidable Grandmaster, would nearly perish at the hands of his opponent not once, but twice.

Zu An clutched his wrist in silence. Had anyone else taken such a direct strike from the flying sword, their hand would likely have been crippled. However, given his body's remarkable resilience, this wound wouldn't incapacitate him. He chose not to reveal his true condition, intending to lull his opponent into a false sense of security before delivering a surprise at the opportune moment. What puzzled him most was why Mou Ping had intervened to shield Wei Pingyang; otherwise, Wei Pingyang would undoubtedly be dead by now.

Fortunately, Lu Xiao, from a distance, dispelled his confusion: "Wei Pingyang, you actually cast a Puppet Curse on Mou Ping?" He Li, who had been nearby, swiftly distanced himself, his gaze fixed on Wei Pingyang, filled with both anger and apprehension.

The Puppet Curse, as its name implies, transforms the target into the caster's puppet. Under normal circumstances, no abnormalities are discernible, but when the master faces a life-threatening situation, the cursed individual will selflessly sacrifice themselves to save their master. This technique is exceptionally sinister and its prerequisites are stringent, leading to its condemnation by the mundane world. In earlier times, all practitioners of this dark art were exterminated. It was truly unexpected that Wei Pingyang, a high-ranking expert in Prince Qi's Manor, would possess such a malevolent skill.

Wei Pingyang calmly stated, "If I hadn't happened to master this technique, that boy would have ambushed me just now. If I had died, Brother Lu, you wouldn't have survived either." After his life-saving jade pendant shattered, a sudden premonition of danger surged within him. Fearing that his opponent possessed other unforeseen abilities, he subtly cast the Puppet Curse on Mou Ping, who was closest to him. Among the various guest elders, he had the closest relationship with Mou Ping, was most familiar with his cultivation, and Mou Ping held no suspicions towards him, making the curse easier to cast. Conversely, if he had applied his Puppet Curse to anyone else, even someone with less cultivation than Mou Ping, it would never have yielded such a perfect outcome.

Hearing this, Lu Xiao found himself unable to refute. He was currently at a crucial stage of his recovery; if Zu An were to kill Wei Pingyang and then attack him, he would be utterly defenseless.

Wei Pingyang continued, "Things have come to this; there's no point in blaming me now. Our immediate priority is to eliminate this boy as quickly as possible, then fulfill the task assigned by His Royal Highness."

Lu Xiao nodded. "Precisely. Our priority is to complete the Prince's mission. He Li, why are you dawdling? Quickly deal with that woman and go pursue the Crown Prince and the others!"

He Li looked troubled. Though the woman was only a sixth-rank cultivator, her delicate beauty made her utterly captivating. What man could possibly bring himself to strike her down? However, since Lu Xiao had invoked Prince Qi, He Li found it difficult to argue. He merely grunted, "Understood, understood." He was a peak ninth-rank expert. Once he grew serious, Daji immediately found herself in perilous circumstances. Were it not for her innate enchanting charm, which stirred pity in men, she would undoubtedly have perished countless times over.

Zu An understood that this situation was unsustainable. He quickly gave instructions to Daji, who then took out her pipa and gently plucked its strings, causing a wave of demonic allure to spread outwards. Suddenly, lower-ranked cultivators within Prince Qi's Manor's faction turned their weapons on their comrades, plunging the scene into immediate chaos. Simultaneously, a large number of fierce beasts suddenly emerged from the surrounding forest. Though the strongest among them were merely Pale Giant Wolves, their sheer numbers allowed them to charge directly into the fray, resulting in a chaotic scene of flying blood and gore.

"What's happening?" The Prince Qi Manor's contingent was utterly bewildered; even Lu Xiao and Wei Pingyang looked lost and confused. Their comrades' sudden loss of sanity was easily explained—it was likely due to some enchantment spell cast by that extraordinarily beautiful woman. But what about these fierce beasts? Why had they suddenly run amok? They, of course, were unaware that Zu An had used his jade cong to communicate with nearby smaller beasts, instructing them to harass the larger ones, thereby throwing the entire surrounding animal population into a frenzy. Unfortunately, the beasts controlled by his jade cong possessed limited power. Otherwise, if he could summon some terrifying beasts from the great mountains, he might have been able to wipe out the entire Prince Qi Manor contingent.

He Li, finding himself in a predicament, could no longer focus on Daji. He had to prioritize suppressing the current chaos; otherwise, if this flank were wiped out, there wouldn't be enough manpower left to pursue the Crown Prince. He could have originally confronted Zu An, but after witnessing even the Grandmaster Wei Pingyang nearly perish twice, a deep apprehension settled in his heart. This formidable opponent was best left to another Grandmaster.

"Brat, I must admit, you've truly surprised me. Your insignificant cultivation actually pushed us to this extent. But now, it's all over," Wei Pingyang said, his gloomy eyes fixed on Zu An. He extended his hand, and the "Poisoned Dagger," which had fallen to the ground, flew into his grasp. "This item is mine now. Let's see what other tricks you have up your sleeve."

"Fool," Zu An chuckled softly. With a mere thought, the "Poisoned Dagger" vanished, returning to his keyboard space. He secretly regretted his inability to control the dagger remotely; otherwise, he could have used that moment to scratch Wei Pingyang's palm and end the fight. Seeing the dagger vanish from his hand, Wei Pingyang was not surprised, but rather delighted. "So it can bond with a master! It truly is a divine artifact, hahaha! Once I kill you, it will be mine."

With that, he no longer stood casually as before. Instead, he assumed a sword stance and charged directly at Zu An. "So fast!" Zu An's heart tightened, and he quickly dodged. Yet, no matter how he employed the Sunflower Phantasm, even splitting into three identical afterimages fleeing in different directions simultaneously, his opponent easily saw through his trick.

Wei Pingyang let out a laugh. "Once a Grandmaster's divine sense locks onto you, all your fancy tricks become utterly useless." As he spoke, the flying sword danced in the air, attacking Zu An from all directions, as if two Grandmasters were assailing him simultaneously. Zu An was no match for this onslaught, and soon, crimson blossoms of blood bloomed across his body.

"Oh, your body is quite resilient," Wei Pingyang chuckled lightly. "To endure such severe injuries and still persist. But it's all over now. Let's see if you can continue fighting once your heart shatters." His speed abruptly increased, and he thrust directly towards Zu An's heart. In that instant, Zu An had an immediate premonition: no matter where he dodged, that sword would pierce his heart.

So he decisively activated his skill: "Your pants just dropped!"

Wei Pingyang was just admiring the speed and precision of his attack when he suddenly felt a chill between his legs. He glanced down to find a small, shriveled, trembling 'worm' exposed to the open air.

Wei Pingyang: "???"Lu Xiao: "..."He Li: "..."

"You wretched brat, I'll slice you into a thousand pieces!" With his private parts exposed to so many eyes in plain sight, Wei Pingyang's composure instantly shattered.

Rage from Wei Pingyang +999 +999 +999...

Zu An secretly cursed his luck. He had intended to seize that moment to counterattack, but a Grandmaster's divine soul was simply too formidable; Wei Pingyang could detect his every move in advance. Even while pulling up his pants with one hand and swinging his sword with the other, Wei Pingyang had still nearly wounded him.

"Your pants dropped again." Sensing his opponent's killing intent, Zu An repeated the trick. Unfortunately, it had no effect this time. A clear light shimmered around his opponent, and his pants remained firmly in place.

Wei Pingyang sneered. "You dare be so brazen with a mere word spirit technique." Mi Li's voice echoed in his mind: "Upon reaching the Grandmaster realm, one can establish a divine soul force field around their body, capable of neutralizing certain word spirit abilities. If word spirits truly had no weaknesses, the Dragon race would have long since unified the world."

As Zu An clumsily dodged Wei Pingyang's attacks, he chuckled wryly, "Empress Sister, could you please stop disappearing so often? You're going to scare me to death!"

Mi Li's faint voice replied, "I told you before, do not rely on me. I will not help you."

"You won't help even in this life-or-death situation?" Zu An pressed. "If I die, you won't survive either."

"Don't try to threaten me with that," Mi Li retorted. "This predicament is entirely your own making. If you insist on staying to be a grand hero, then you must be prepared for genuine sacrifice."

Zu An's stubborn streak flared. "I refuse to believe I truly can't survive this." He stopped bothering to argue with Mi Li and charged directly into the ranks of Prince Qi's Manor's elite guards.

Wei Pingyang's cold laughter echoed. "You intend to use Prince Qi's Manor's men as a shield to make me hold back? It's pointless. With my divine soul, I can accurately pinpoint you as the target." As he spoke, he himself shot forward like a flying sword, pursuing Zu An.

Zu An smiled. "Who said I'm using them as human shields? I merely didn't want to waste my ultimate move. I have swords too." The moment the words left his lips, he summoned the Azure Luan. A high, clear cry pierced the air, and then a azure divine bird soared skyward. Following it, a colossal ethereal sword descended, instantly dissolving into countless streams of sword qi that enveloped the entire area.

"Ah!" A chorus of screams erupted as countless elite guards from Prince Qi's Manor were instantly cut down by the fierce sword qi. After the sword rain ceased, only a handful of individuals within dozens of yards could still stand, albeit heavily wounded. Further away, the remaining elite guards of Prince Qi's Manor gazed in utter horror at the scene. So many of Prince Qi's Manor's men had been present, yet more than half were instantly slain by him alone!

"Well done, Lord Zu is formidable!" Liu Xian's weak cheer echoed from nearby. At that moment, three arrows protruded from his back, half a blade was deeply embedded in his shoulder, and a long gash across his stomach revealed his colorful intestines, which he was desperately holding in with one hand to prevent them from spilling onto the ground. It was evident that he was at his last gasp. His cultivation was not particularly high to begin with; even after burning his vital essence, he had only temporarily ascended to the peak of the sixth rank. Many of Prince Qi's Manor's elite guards were at a similar level of cultivation, and given the overwhelming numerical disadvantage, despite the desperate protection of the Liu family's warriors around him, his injuries steadily mounted. As time wore on, watching the Liu family's warriors fall one by one, he too became consumed by a bloody rage. Though he slew many enemies, his own wounds became progressively more severe.

The Crown Prince's faction was already at a severe disadvantage, and after the fierce battle, they were almost entirely annihilated, with only him and a few family warriors remaining alive. As more and more enemies closed in, he was prepared to close his eyes and accept his fate. But then Zu An descended like a divine warrior, single-handedly obliterating a vast number of Prince Qi's elite guards. Those men had countless family warriors' blood on their hands, and witnessing their annihilation brought a measure of grim satisfaction. But the moment that final surge of energy left him, he could no longer sustain himself and collapsed to the ground.

Zu An rushed over to support him. Seeing that Liu Xian's life force had completely dissipated, he said with a regretful expression, "I'm sorry, I couldn't save you all." In his recent confrontations with Wei Pingyang and He Li, he had narrowly escaped death multiple times and dared not allow himself the slightest distraction. By the time he arrived, only a handful of individuals remained on the Crown Prince's side.

"We stayed here fully prepared to die; we didn't need your salvation," Liu Xian said with a smile. His usually obsequious grin now held a remarkable air of liberation.

"Is there anything you wish for me to convey?" Zu An asked in a low voice.

"Yes, there's much I wish to say," Liu Xian's eyes began to glaze over, and his voice grew fainter. "I know everyone in the capital despises me, but with my limited talent, what could I do? If you make it out alive, tell my father that I've caused him to endure ridicule from the capital's populace for years, but at least this time, he can stand tall and proud. His son isn't a worthless lecher who only knows how to chase women!"

Zu An said gravely, "By then, not only your father, but everyone in the capital will know this."

"Really?" A faint smile touched Liu Xian's face. "Oh, and I have a few concubines at home. Please secretly arrange for their departure, lest the Liu family force them to be buried with me. They followed me, and I can't bear to see them harmed. I don't wish to die in a foreign land. If there's an opportunity, please ensure someone from the Liu family re-enters the secret realm to retrieve my remains. I also don't want to be interred in the Liu family ancestral temple, lest I upset my ancestors. My death is quite gruesome, and it would tarnish my reputation as a handsome and dashing man. So, please cremate me and scatter my ashes in the river next to the Heavenly Immortal Pavilion. Then, when the maidens there see the shimmering green waters, they'll know I'm greeting them. Ah, what a pity. I had originally planned to use my unparalleled charm to win over the seven young ladies of the academy after leaving the secret realm..."

Liu Xian's voice grew progressively fainter until it finally ceased. His eyes remained wide open in death, clearly indicating numerous unfulfilled desires.

Zu An gently closed his eyes. "Rest assured, I will fulfill all your wishes."

"You can't even save yourself, yet you speak of fulfilling others' wishes?" A figure shakily rose, covered in bloodstains and with only tattered rags for clothing, resembling the most destitute beggar. However, his eyes were remarkably sharp, indicating that his injuries were not as severe as they outwardly appeared.

Wei Pingyang said with hatred, "I must admit, you brat are indeed quite capable. To force us into such a desperate situation, and that last move was truly impressive. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to kill me."

Zu An's heart sank. That had been almost his most potent attack, yet it still failed to defeat his opponent. Was it truly impossible to overcome a Grandmaster without attaining the Grandmaster realm oneself?

"Everyone else, go capture the Crown Prince and Crown Princess. Leave this one to me," Wei Pingyang commanded. The Crown Prince's rear guard had been almost entirely wiped out, though the attackers had also suffered significant losses. To have an overwhelming advantage in cornering and eliminating this group, yet still incur over half their numbers in casualties, he wondered how he would explain it to Prince Qi upon their return. Indeed, the greatest casualties had been inflicted by this very person standing before him!

He Li, the other guest elder, was a peak ninth-rank expert. He had just managed to reawaken those controlled by Daji and suppress the rampaging beasts when he happened to witness Zu An's overwhelming display of sword qi. His heart grew increasingly cold. If that last move had been directed at him, he feared he wouldn't have survived. It was clearly the wisest course to stay far away from this anomaly. Thus, upon hearing Wei Pingyang's command, he offered no objection. He quickly led the remaining elite guards of Prince Qi's Manor in pursuit, heading in the direction where Bi Linglong and her group had departed. With many of them injured or crippled, catching up to them would not be difficult.

Zu An also realized this and attempted to intercept them, but Wei Pingyang blocked his path, denying him any opportunity. If they were allowed to pursue, the sacrifices of so many, including Liu Xian, would become utterly meaningless. Zu An sighed inwardly, regretting his emotional impulse. Though he thought this, his gaze hardened with resolve. He looked up towards He Li and the others, then activated his "Vile Language" skill. Almost instantly, everyone turned around, glaring at Zu An with intense fury. In that moment, they felt as if he had murdered their fathers and stolen their wives, and a single thought echoed in their minds: "Kill him! Kill him!" Even He Li, who had initially been very wary of him, found various thoughts surfacing in his mind: "This boy possesses such cultivation at such a young age. What will happen when he matures? We must nip such a genius in the bud now, only then can we rest easy in the future."

After activating the skill, Zu An swiftly employed the "Great Wind" technique to depart in the opposite direction from Bi Linglong and her group. He wasn't blindly rushing to his death; he had a degree of certainty. As long as he entered these mountains, with the map Jiang Luofu had given him and the jade cong's ability to communicate with spirits, he could fully leverage the terrifying beasts to deal with his pursuers.

He raced along, and just as he was about to enter the forest, a streak of light, even faster than Wei Pingyang's flying sword, suddenly shot from the side, piercing directly through his back. His body convulsed, a crimson blossom of blood suddenly erupted from his chest, and then he fell limply into the pond below.

Lu Xiao, who had been meditating cross-legged in the distance, slowly rose to his feet. The streak of light returned to his side, reforming into an iron sword.

Wei Pingyang, He Li, and the others looked utterly shocked. "Brother Lu, your injuries have healed?"

Lu Xiao said coldly, "So many of you were left in such a disheveled state by a mere youth. If I hadn't recovered sooner, he might truly have escaped."

He Li's old face flushed. Wei Pingyang chuckled, "Brother Lu's divine power is truly unmatched! Injuries that would typically take an hour to heal have now recovered in just over half that time."

Lu Xiao smiled faintly. "It's largely thanks to the sacred healing medicine Prince Qi bestowed upon me back then; I recovered much faster than anticipated."

Wei Pingyang and He Li exchanged glances of envy and jealousy. "Brother Lu truly enjoys the Prince's deep favor."

Wei Pingyang cursed inwardly. Lu Xiao, that old fox, clearly could have recovered in half an hour, yet he withheld the truth, leaving them to struggle. He must have deliberately held back, fearing it would put him at a disadvantage. From now on, when dealing with this man, he vowed to be far more vigilant.

He Li's gaze fell upon the iron sword circling Lu Xiao. "Brother Lu, your life-bound sword was just destroyed, yet you've refined another iron sword so swiftly. Truly, your depths are unfathomable."

Lu Xiao gently stroked the blade. "This sword was my companion from my early years. It was meant to be discarded and destroyed, but I had used it for so many years that I grew fond of it, so I kept it by my side. I never imagined it would prove so crucial this time. It goes to show, one should always cherish what's old; sometimes, that's where true rewards lie." Had he used a different sword, he would have found it difficult to refine it to such a degree of mastery in a short time, making it nearly impossible to seize that fleeting opportunity to slay Zu An.

"That young scoundrel truly possesses some skill," Wei Pingyang couldn't help but remark. "To have such cultivation at such a young age, even if all of us combined our strength from that same period, we likely wouldn't be a match for him."

Lu Xiao said indifferently, "Have there not been countless astonishing geniuses throughout history? If they fail to reach their full potential, their talent ultimately means nothing."

He Li approached the pond, observing the emerald-green water now stained crimson with blood. "Speaking of which, is that fellow truly dead?"

Wei Pingyang's eyes darted around. "I haven't seen the body yet. Perhaps I should go down and take a look."

"What, are you questioning my judgment?" Lu Xiao snorted. "My sword strike shattered his heart meridian. Not even a Great Luo Golden Immortal could save him now."

Upon hearing this, He Li and the others who had been affected by Zu An's "Vile Language" skill collectively exhaled in relief. The raging killing intent in their hearts finally dissipated, though a lingering confusion remained about what had just overcome them.

Wei Pingyang offered an embarrassed smile. "Of course, I wouldn't dare doubt you, Brother Lu. It's just that this matter concerns Prince Qi's grand ambition, and no living witness can be left behind. It's best to confirm."

"Don't try to pressure me by invoking the Prince. Don't think I don't see through your intentions," Lu Xiao snorted. "You merely covet that dagger and wish to seize the opportunity to claim it for yourself, don't you?"

Wei Pingyang's expression shifted. *Could this fellow be planning to snatch it from me?* he wondered. Just as he was about to speak, Lu Xiao preempted him: "Our most crucial mission right now is to capture the Crown Prince and Crown Princess. They are still at large, and our immediate priority is to pursue them. As for other matters, you can return and retrieve them yourself once the mission is complete."

"Brother Lu is right," Wei Pingyang conceded. Seeing his opponent invoke Prince Qi, and knowing that Lu Xiao's cultivation surpassed his own, he had no choice but to agree. He secretly wondered if Lu Xiao also harbored covetous desires. He would have to guard against him secretly returning to retrieve the treasure.

Following this, Lu Xiao took the lead, pursuing in the direction where Bi Linglong and her group had disappeared. Wei Pingyang and He Li followed closely, trailed by the remaining experts from Prince Qi's Manor.

Before long, the group reached a fork in the path. Prince Qi's elite guards scouted the area before reporting back: "They've split into two groups, heading in different directions."

"Brother Lu, what should we do?" Wei Pingyang asked.

Lu Xiao snorted. "That girl Bi Linglong's petty trick. She merely wants us to divide our forces. Unfortunately for her, they have so few people. We overwhelm them in both expert rank and sheer numbers. So what if we split up? You two take the left, and I'll handle the right. Ensure no one is left alive."

"Good!" Soon, Prince Qi's Manor's forces split into two teams: one followed Lu Xiao, and the other followed Wei Pingyang and He Li. As pursuers, a relaxed smile played on each of their faces. Victory was at hand; with the Crown Prince and Princess eliminated, Prince Qi's ascension to the throne was inevitable. Wouldn't they all become his most trusted ministers? Titles of duke and marquis would be within their grasp, and they would finally be able to firmly establish their own family lineages.

However, their mood soon soured when, shortly after, both teams discovered yet another fork in the path ahead. Evidently, their targets had split their forces once more.

"What a cunning woman!" Both Lu Xiao and Wei Pingyang cursed under their breath. Clearly, only Bi Linglong could have devised such a tactic.

"Unfortunately, it's pointless!" He Li said with a laugh, encouraging his subordinates. They held an absolute advantage; if their targets split, they could naturally split as well, maintaining an overwhelming superiority on every path.

After encountering several more forks, Wei Pingyang and He Li's teams eventually separated. All along the way, Wei Pingyang's mind fixated on the dark dagger in Zu An's possession—the one that had instilled in him a fear of death.

"Could that scoundrel Lu Xiao secretly return now to steal that dagger? Why else would he have stopped me from diving in to retrieve it? Hmph, that fellow has always been wary of me over the years, fearing my cultivation would surpass his and threaten his standing. This time, Prince Qi gave him life-saving pills but not me, simply because he's the chief guest elder