Chapter 2353: Chapter 2353 Guard Down
Ye Liuyun and Yu Yao exchanged glances from afar, both surprised by this unexpected stroke of luck.
Although the Songstress had become more outgoing in recent years, she was far from naive Her past experiences had made her incredibly sharp.
Instead of accepting Mu Tianyan’s invitation outright, she cast a subtle glance at the food on his table, as if comparing which table had the better offerings.
That tiny gesture only reassured Mu Tianyan further. He laughed heartily and said,
"Come over here. I’ve got the best food. It’s all yours if you want it!" Mu Tianyan lured her over.
"Okay then!" the Songstress replied with feigned excitement and sat down beside him.
Mu Tianyan struck up a conversation, trying to learn more about her in a roundabout way.
Songstress painted a vivid picture of a humble background: growing up with her grandfather and brother after her parents left and never returned. Her grandfather had since passed away, leaving her and her brother to depend on each other.
She went on to say her brother had sacrificed his own cultivation for her sake, giving her all their resources so she could advance faster.She spoke highly of Ye Liuyun without holding back.
Upon learning she was from a small town and that her family wasn’t well-off, Mu Tianyan became confident that winning over the Songstress would be easy.
"After the banquet, ask your brother to meet with me," Mu Tianyan said to the Songstress. He wanted to speak with Ye Liuyun, intending to persuade him to let the Songstress follow him in the future.
The Songstress widened her eyes and replied playfully, "My brother’s got lots of girls chasing after him. You’d better not try anything funny!"
"Hahaha..." Mu Tianyan burst out laughing. Her childlike innocence completely disarmed him. "No, no! I just want to talk to him. I think you should come with me."
"No way! I want to stay with my brother!" she replied stubbornly, even placing the piece of meat in her hand carefully back onto the plate, as if afraid Mu Tianyan would try to take her away by force.
Mu Tianyan hurried to explain, "I’m not asking you to leave your brother! If he’s willing, he can come too. Both of you could stay with me. You’ll have all the delicious food you want, and I’ll give you everything you need to cultivate. Your brother won’t ever have to worry about resources again!"
"Really? Then my brother will definitely agree! I’ll help you convince him. He always listens to me!"
Hearing that, Songstress gave a relieved smile. She picked up the meat again, and continued eating with gusto. In between bites, she casually asked Mu Tianyan several questions about himself.
Her thoughts and behavior were crystal clear to Ye Liuyun, thanks to the Slaving Seal.
"This girl’s changed quite a bit lately... must be Ye Ling’s influence. She’s getting clever, tricky and even! I wouldn’t be surprised if we end up relying on her to pull this mission off," Ye Liuyun thought with a quiet smile.
As more martial practitioners arrived, the banquet hall gradually filled to capacity.
Wan weihou appeared at the head seat, dressed in his ceremonial python-robe. As one of the lords of the land, he certainly carried an air of authority. Every one of his personal guards was an Omnipotent-level expert.
The murderous aura radiating from these soldiers was so intense that onlookers instinctively kept their distance.
"So this is the might of the Sanctuary Dynasty’s forces. Impressive. With strength like this, it’s no wonder the dynasty won’t fall any time soon," Ye Liuyun mused inwardly.
Even just this one squad of Wan Weihou’s guards was stronger than Ye Liuyun’s elite Blade Legion. Their formation and combat coordination weren’t inferior either. If anything, they made his Blade Legion look weak by comparison.
Ye Liuyun relayed everything he saw through Divine Sense to Ye Tiandao and Yuan Hao, making sure they too understood the gap in power.
They, in turn, passed the information on to their soldiers. After seeing it, the troops were visibly shaken. Many had believed they were the strongest unit in the land. Yet now, they saw there were heights they hadn’t even approached.
The blow sparked a surge of determination. One by one, the soldiers voiced their desire to go out and sharpen themselves through real combat.
Ye Liuyun gave a firm nod. A truly formidable army wasn’t shaped by seclusion and endless drills. It had to be tempered on the battlefield. The Blade Legion and Dark Legion had spent far too long in cultivation without shedding blood. Their momentum was waning. Only the crucible of real combat could reignite their edge and drive them to new heights.
"Once Tong Xin finishes crafting the Riftblade warships, I’ll leave them to you. Form your own fleet. Go out and pick your fights." Ye Liuyun gave his permission.
"Yes, sir!" The soldiers responded, their eyes burning with anticipation.
Wan Weihou began with a few formal remarks, offering his blessings to the aspiring young talents and encouraging them to devote themselves to the prosperity of the Royal Management.
He then signaled for his attendants to announce the rewards for the upcoming tournament. Anyone who secured a spot in the top one hundred would receive alluring prizes. More importantly, they would gain entry into the Yonglie Mansion to further hone their strength.
As for the top ten, the rewards were even more extravagant. So much so that even Ye Liuyun found himself momentarily stunned. The resources on offer were so valuable, even he felt a flicker of temptation.
The Songstress gasped aloud, her eyes wide with disbelief. Mu Tianyan chuckled when he saw her reaction. "How about giving it your best and aiming for the top ten?"
"Mhm!" she nodded seriously, eyes gleaming with resolve.
Ye Liuyun mused to himself, "No wonder their soldiers are so strong. They truly spare no expense."
But just as cheers erupted throughout the hall, a sudden streak of black light shot across the venue. It was an ominous arrow flying straight toward Wan Weihou.
The black arrow moved with terrifying speed. Before most could even register it, it had already pierced through Wan Weihou’s arm and slammed into his chest.
Although Wan Weihou had raised his arm to block it, the black arrow still pierced through his forearm and struck squarely at his chest.
Thanks to the protective armor Wan Weihou was wearing, the arrow did not penetrate his body. However, the force was still immense enough to knock him off along with his chair.
Ye Liuyun surmised that had Wan Weihou not raised his arm in time to block the strike, that single arrow would likely have killed him on the spot.
"Protect the Lord!"
The captain of the guards roared, and the elite squad immediately closed in around Wan Weihou, shielding him with their bodies.
Simultaneously, the captain led a few men charging toward one of the martial practitioners suspected of the ambush.
Wan Weihou was helped to his feet. However, the blood at the corner of his mouth and the grimace on his face revealed the extent of his injury. The black arrow remained lodged in his arm and it had yet to be pulled out.
The martial practitioner who had launched the arrow now erupted with an overwhelming aura and bolted toward the edge of the parade ground.
His sudden outburst stunned the surrounding martial practitioners. Some were injured on the spot, and many scattered in panic.
Chaos erupted among the competitors as they scrambled for cover.
The guards surged forward in an attempt to intercept the assassin, but a hail of arrows suddenly rained down from behind them. Many were caught off guard and fell under the ambush.
Clearly, the attacker wasn’t acting alone. More reinforcements lay in wait beyond the perimeter.
With a backward palm strike, the assassin blasted the closest guard captain into retreat. Two soldiers behind the captain quickly stepped in to block the residual force, sparing themselves the impact.
But that momentary delay gave the martial practitioner a wider gap.
Few soldiers remained ahead of him. With another forceful palm, he sent them flying as well, breaking through the outer defenses and dashing off into the distance.
