Chapter 830: The Emperor's Trump Card

Unfortunately, shouting "no" was useless in this situation; it only excited the other party more.

Wei Pingyang finally came to his senses and asked with a trembling voice, "Zu An, you're not dead yet?"

Zu An sneered, "How could I bear to die when you're still alive?"

"This is impossible!" Wei Pingyang trembled with both fear and astonishment. "With Lu Xiao's flying sword piercing your heart meridian, you couldn't possibly survive."

Not to mention him, even King Qi or the Emperor might not survive if they dropped their guard and allowed Lu Xiao's sword to strike a vital point.

Zu An sighed, "Do you think you're the only one with a life-saving artifact?"

His thoughts went back to the academy's back mountain before entering the secret realm, where Jiang Luofu had taken him to find Xie Daoyun, who had given him a Thread of Life Talisman.

It could offset twenty percent of the damage from a fatal attack. As for whether one could survive after the twenty percent damage was offset, that depended on individual fortune, which is why it was called the Thread of Life Talisman.

Fortunately, Zu An's body, tempered by the *Primal Chaos Scripture*, was extremely robust. After the damage was mitigated, the sword did not completely destroy his heart meridian.

Even so, if someone had jumped into the pond and approached him at that time, he would have certainly died.

Luckily, Lu Xiao was eager to pursue the Crown Prince and Princess Consort, so he took everyone away, giving Zu An a chance to recover.

Other cultivators also had decent recovery abilities after reaching the seventh rank, but with such severe injuries, it would be impossible to recover without at least half a year.

The *Primal Chaos Scripture*'s recovery ability was far superior to that of ordinary cultivators, allowing him to largely heal his injuries in a short time, at least giving him the strength to fight again.

Wei Pingyang had not expected such a thing and was thus caught off guard and subdued by the opponent's *Gluttonous Devourer Art*.

Hearing Zu An's words, Wei Pingyang felt a surge of despair. Seeing his arm gradually wither, he knew he could no longer break free from his opponent, and a hint of resolve flashed in his eyes.

"Brat, I'd rather die than benefit you!" After saying that, he gathered his remaining strength and directly shattered his heart meridian, dying by suicide.

He was, after all, a Grandmaster and considered a hero of his generation throughout the land, so he naturally knew some special techniques. Furthermore, Zu An's severe injuries at the time affected the control of his *Gluttonous Devourer Art*, making its control weaker than usual, which allowed him to successfully sever his own heart meridian.

Zu An released him, a hint of admiration in his eyes. "He's quite decisive."

Back then, Daoist Mosquito kept trying to break free because he clung to the desire to survive, but in the end, not only did he not escape, his entire cultivation ended up benefiting Zu An.

Zu An had the Blue Drake, which allowed him to live freely in water, so he was not in a hurry to emerge; instead, he first assessed his internal condition.

His internal energy was now abundant, and although the chest injury remained, it was already self-healing. Overall, his combat strength had returned to its peak.

He examined his inner self and found that eight of the nine-rank magic arrays had been lit up, with only one remaining.

Zu An secretly lamented that he had probably only absorbed half of Wei Pingyang's cultivation. If he had absorbed it all, he would likely have broken through to the Grandmaster realm by now.

"You're being delusional," Mi Li snorted. "Breaking through from the ninth rank to Grandmaster isn't that easy; it's not just about accumulating primal energy."

Zu An gave an awkward smile. "I was just saying that casually. By the way, why do I feel like absorbing energy from others is much less effective than absorbing it from Old Man Mi?"

Previously, when Mi Li unsealed him, he only absorbed one-third of Old Man Mi's cultivation and directly transcended a major realm. In comparison, the improvement brought by Wei Pingyang's cultivation was significantly smaller.

"Of course," Mi Li explained, "Old Man Mi thought he could possess you at the time, so he willingly poured all his cultivation into your body. Moreover, he also cultivated the *Phoenix Nirvana Scripture*, so his internal energy was of the same origin as yours. Naturally, that's much better than you using the *Gluttonous Devourer Art* to absorb others' cultivation."

"I see," Zu An nodded and shot out of the water.

A waterspout surged out with him. Zu An leapt into the air, feeling his primal energy surge within him. With a shake of his arms, the pond behind him erupted with a series of huge splashes.

After steadying his internal energy, Zu An looked at his palms and said with some joy, "If I were to fight a Grandmaster now, I feel like I could win."

"Delusional confidence," Mi Li rolled her eyes. "Right now, you only have the power to fight and won't be as pathetic as you were just now. Facing newly ascended Grandmasters isn't a big problem, but against seasoned Grandmasters, while you might have a chance to win if you really fight, the likelihood of losing is greater."

"Haha, that's enough," Zu An chuckled.

Mi Li didn't refute him. This guy was always good at overcoming stronger opponents, always finding a glimmer of hope even in absolute disadvantage. His combat ability was indeed extraordinary.

Seeing him look in the direction Bi Linglong and the others had left, she couldn't help but ask, "Are you still going?"

Zu An nodded. "We've already come this far, how could I give up?"

Mi Li's tone became a bit agitated. "You've already done more than enough for that woman. You almost lost your life; isn't that enough? Although your cultivation has improved now, Lu Xiao is a mid-Grandmaster; you can't beat him."

In the lower ranks, it wasn't impossible for some geniuses to defeat stronger opponents beyond their level, but the further one progressed, the greater the gap between each minor realm became, let alone the difference between major realms. Attempting to challenge opponents beyond one's major realm was almost impossible.

Only a prodigy like Zu An, who possessed various divine skills, could barely attempt such a challenge, but there was ultimately a limit. Clearly, Lu Xiao, a mid-Grandmaster, had already surpassed this limit.

Zu An looked at Mi Li. "Tell me honestly, what are my chances of winning against Lu Xiao?"

Mi Li replied, "A 20-80 split. At most, 30-70. No more than that."

A smile appeared on Zu An's face. "That's enough. In a life-or-death struggle, he's definitely the one who will die."

Mi Li wanted to say something, but recalling how he dared to fight her when he was only at the fifth or sixth rank, a hint of admiration arose in her heart. "Indeed worthy of my regard."

Thinking of this, she stopped trying to dissuade him and instead said, "Fine, go if you wish. You have the heart of a strong individual, unafraid of hardship. While this might easily lead to an early demise for you, if you truly grow, your future will be boundless."

Zu An chuckled, "It's rare for you to praise me."

Mi Li rolled her eyes. "If you keep jabbering, your Princess Consort might already be dead."

Zu An didn't dare to delay and hurriedly pursued them into the mountains.

With his current cultivation, he could also fly in the air for extended periods, so he didn't need to use the Great Wind Blink skill every time.

Before long, he arrived at a fork in the path and immediately realized it was Bi Linglong's strategy of dividing their forces.

Just as he was agonizing over which direction to pursue, surges of primal energy suddenly erupted from the distant mountain forest.

"Lu Xiao?" The other party had just pierced his heart with a sword, so he was intimately familiar with this kind of energy fluctuation.

He hurriedly headed in that direction. As he drew near, he descended from the air, put on the sachet White Concubine had given him again, and simultaneously cast *Bright Mirror, Not a Stand* to conceal his aura.

Although he wasn't afraid of powerful enemies, directly charging in for a head-on confrontation was a foolish act. The cultivation world was incredibly cruel, and such people rarely lived long.

To defeat the strong with the weak, one naturally needed strategy. So, he stealthily approached, intending to deliver a heavy blow while the opponent was unprepared, striving to decide the victor in the shortest possible time and avoid a protracted battle, as a mid-Grandmaster like Lu Xiao would have a greater advantage in such a fight.

Meanwhile, dozens of yards away, Piao Duandiao and Jiao Sigun were in very bad shape. Both were covered in wounds, barely able to stand upright by propping themselves with their swords on the ground. The other Eastern Palace guards had mostly fallen, either dead or barely breathing.

They stared intently at a man floating in mid-air. Although the man had lost an arm, his aura was inexplicable, and his gaze upon them was like that of a god looking down on mere ants.

"You think you're clever, but unfortunately, with Zhao Ruizhi, that fat pig, around, your footprints are always deeper than others'. All I had to do was follow them, and it was naturally easy to find you," Lu Xiao said with a smile, his tone quite relaxed and carefree. Clearly, seeing his years-long mission about to be completed, his mood was exceptionally good at this moment.

"How dare you! How dare you disrespect the Crown Prince!" Piao Duandiao roared.

"At this point, who still considers him the Crown Prince?" Lu Xiao flicked dust from his clothes. He had just been wounded by Bi Linglong's sword, and after so much time, he had already changed into a fresh set of clothes. "I must say, your willpower is strong; you've managed to hold on until now. But now, everything ends."

As soon as he finished speaking, an invisible surge of energy burst forth, striking both men directly.

Piao Duandiao and Jiao Sigun flew like broken kites, crashing into a large tree nearby, then spat blood and fell to the ground without a sound, their fates unknown.

Zu An arrived just in time to witness this scene. His eyes instantly turned cold, but he didn't act rashly, continuing to lie in wait, quietly anticipating the best moment to strike.

Mi Li nodded secretly, observing. This guy had matured. Despite his surging anger, he didn't act impulsively.

At this moment, Lu Xiao descended from the air, looking at the Crown Prince, who resembled a mountain of flesh, not far away. "Huh, at this point, you haven't even tried to escape, nor do you show much fear. You really are a fool."

"Why should I be afraid?" The Crown Prince looked at him with a strange gaze.

Hidden in the shadows, Zu An's heart jolted. Originally, all his attention had been on Lu Xiao, searching for an opportunity for a fatal blow, but at this moment, he couldn't help but glance at the Crown Prince.

It was still the same face, but perhaps because the usual goofy smile was gone, it exuded a profound sense of unfamiliarity.

Lu Xiao also frowned, clearly sensing something strange as well. "Because you're about to die... Sigh, I'm actually reasoning with a fool."

Seeing his annoyed expression, the Crown Prince said, "Do you think you're very clever?"

"Of course, cleverer than you," Lu Xiao replied subconsciously, then frowned and said, "At this point, stop putting on airs as the Crown Prince. Do you people really think you possess a monarch's aura?"

The Crown Prince sighed, "Zhao Jing's subordinates are becoming increasingly useless."

Hidden in the shadows, Zu An suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. He couldn't quite explain why, but the hair on his entire body stood on end.

Mi Li's voice also sounded in his mind: "Be careful, there's something wrong with this Crown Prince."

Her tone was unusually serious; clearly, she had also sensed something.

"Impudent! How dare you call King Qi by his given name!" Lu Xiao said, then suddenly frowned and stared intently at the other party. "You're not a fool?"

The Crown Prince smiled. "Who said I was a fool?"

Hearing his words and seeing his current demeanor as he spoke, Zu An was flabbergasted. He had thought he was surrounded by old schemers, but never expected there to be an even deeper, hidden schemer!

Wait a minute, if he wasn't a fool, then everything between him and Bi Linglong... wouldn't that be...?

Lu Xiao was also shocked at this moment. "I never would have thought, never would have thought that you managed to deceive everyone in the capital for so many years."

The Crown Prince didn't reply, merely looking at him with an indifferent gaze.

Lu Xiao strongly disliked that gaze. Theoretically, he was the one who should be looking at others like ants, not being looked at that way by someone else. "You damn fatty, you've certainly hidden yourself well. You even deceived King Qi. But it makes no difference. You're still facing a dead end now."

"Are you sure *I'm* the one who'll die?" A mocking smile appeared on the Crown Prince's plump face. Normally, it would just look comical, but at this moment, it instilled an inexplicable sense of fear.

Lu Xiao didn't know why he felt a chill in his heart. He quickly dismissed that emotion and then looked at the other party. "It seems the Crown Prince has been quite secretive. But it's still meaningless. Given your age, even if you started cultivating in the womb, what level could you possibly reach by now? Do you think everyone is a prodigy like Zu An?!"

Zu An cursed inwardly, "Let them chat all they want, but why drag me into their conversation and make me a target?"

Every cell in his body was screaming an alarm at this moment. He even wished he could warn Lu Xiao, but he dared not make any move at this moment, only trying his best to conceal his aura.

"Zu An?" the Crown Prince mumbled. "That fellow is indeed quite a prodigy."

Lu Xiao frowned deeply. He kept feeling that something was wrong, but he couldn't pinpoint it.

However, he soon relaxed. He was a dignified mid-Grandmaster, a highly ranked expert even in the capital swarming with masters, and he was actually startled by a foolish fatty.

He snorted, "This old man can't be bothered to waste words with you. After killing you, I still have to go catch the Princess Consort and the others."

As he spoke, he kicked with the tip of his foot. A sword that had fallen from one of the Eastern Palace guards on the ground shot out like a cannonball. The force was enough to shatter the opponent's meridians and then nail him to a tree. This would then attract ferocious beasts from the mountains, leaving no trace of him. Even if the Emperor sent people to investigate later, they wouldn't find a single clue.

The Crown Prince, from a distance, neither dodged nor avoided, not even making the slightest movement. In Lu Xiao's eyes, he simply assumed the other party had been scared witless.

However, the smile on his face suddenly froze. This was because the sword suddenly stopped in front of the Crown Prince, hovering three feet in front of him.

Lu Xiao subconsciously took a step back. "What is your cultivation level, exactly?"

He couldn't even sense how the opponent had acted, yet his fierce move had been neutralized.

A strange expression appeared on the Crown Prince's plump face. "It's been many years since anyone dared to make a move on me. This feeling is truly nostalgic."

Lu Xiao's expression changed. At this moment, every alarm in his body was blaring. As a mid-Grandmaster, he could also sense danger in advance.

Instantly, without the slightest hesitation, he shot straight into the sky, wanting only to fly as fast as possible and leave this place as soon as he could.

However, just as he lifted off, he felt a lightness below him, then his entire body lost balance, and he crashed heavily to the ground.

He inexplicably looked down and found that both his legs had been severed at the knees. Only then did the excruciating pain in his legs surge. He clutched his legs, wailing in agony, rolling in the dust, utterly devoid of the formidable aura he had when pursuing others just moments ago.

A chill ran up Zu An's spine. He stared intently at the ordinary guard's saber floating in front of the Crown Prince, still hovering three feet in front of him, as if it hadn't moved at all. Yet, a single drop of blood slowly dripping from its tip indicated that this very saber had just severed Lu Xiao's legs.

"How could it be so fast?" Zu An was horrified. He hadn't even clearly seen how that saber strike was unleashed. If that strike had been aimed at him, he would most likely not have been able to dodge it either.

"Who exactly are you?" Lu Xiao stared at the distant Crown Prince in utter terror. The fatty who had seemed utterly ridiculous in his eyes moments ago had now become so terrifying.

"Guess?" The Crown Prince grinned at him.

Lu Xiao gritted his teeth and immediately formed a sword art with his hand. His iron sword, which he had refined years ago, suddenly appeared by his side.

He was, after all, a mid-Grandmaster. Although his legs were severed, he could still control his flying sword without using his hands.

The iron sword hummed with a dragon's cry. Then he pointed his hand towards the Crown Prince's direction: "Go!"

The flying sword instantly transformed into a shooting star, its speed even twice as fast as Wei Pingyang's flying sword from earlier!

This was Lu Xiao's strongest attack, the culmination of his life's pride and effort. His chance to turn the tide depended on this one strike.

This time, the Crown Prince finally moved. He slowly raised his hand. To Lu Xiao and Zu An, his movements seemed incredibly slow, yet he somehow reached first despite starting later. Two plump fingers clamped down on the lightning-fast flying sword.

"What?!!!"

Zu An and Lu Xiao's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. This scene was simply beyond anyone's comprehension.

Lu Xiao trembled all over. He had already sensed the threat of death. He tried hard to control his sword art, attempting to regain control of the flying sword.

If an ordinary person dared to clamp his flying sword like that, even a Grandmaster, he could activate the flying sword to twist and shatter their two fingers.

Sensing his control, the flying sword hummed loudly, trembling violently as it tried to break free from the Crown Prince's fingers.

The Crown Prince glanced at it, then with a pinch of his two fingers, the flying sword shattered inch by inch, and as a gentle breeze passed, it instantly turned into dust!

"Pfft!" Lu Xiao spat out a mouthful of blood. In an instant, his entire being withered, and his hair turned white.

The opponent had not only shattered his flying sword just now but had also pressed on with the attack, directly shattering his spiritual consciousness!

This was a technique only available to those above Grandmaster. No, wait. Not even a Great Grandmaster could do it so effortlessly.

He recalled the aura of the other party. A sudden realization dawned on him. Staring at the fatty in utter terror, he hoarsely cried out, "Your Majesty, so you are the Emperor..."