Chapter 368: Chapter 367: Resolved
"Brother, are you Emperor Ren!? No, that’s not right. Emperor Ren is dead. You can’t be him. Who are you!?"
The man in black sized him up, feeling an immense pressure. He couldn’t gauge Yi Tianyun’s power at all. His own cultivation was by no means weak, having reached the sixth level of the Core Formation Realm, but facing Yi Tianyun, he was overcome with a sense of dread.
Even though Yi Tianyun hadn’t made a move, the man trembled uncontrollably, as if he were facing a ferocious beast ready to pounce at any moment.
The next moment, Yi Tianyun answered not with words, but with his fist. He flickered out of sight and instantly sent the other man in black, the one wielding the Dragon-Binding Rope, flying with a kick. The man slammed into the wall and slid to the floor, completely lifeless.
Now free, Ren Zhirou was stunned by Yi Tianyun’s domineering presence. ’Who is this man?’ she wondered. She had never seen him before. His claim to be her brother was utterly baffling.
While she was lost in confusion, Yi Tianyun had already charged forward, throwing a punch straight at the leader of the men in black.
"Fall back! Fall back!"
Seeing Yi Tianyun charge at him, the leader spun around to flee. A cloud of black smoke erupted between them, creating a smokescreen to cover their escape.
"Now that you’re here, don’t be in such a rush to leave. Come back!"
But it was too late. Yi Tianyun reached into the black smoke, yanked the man out, and tossed him into the air before viciously kicking him in his Dantian.
BAM!
The man in black let out a muffled grunt as he flew backward, sliding to a stop beside Ren Zhirou. Clutching his stomach, his face ashen, he gasped, "You... you shattered my Dantian... you crippled my cultivation..."
An expert at the sixth level of the Core Formation Realm had been crushed as easily as a chick, his cultivation crippled without the slightest difficulty. Yi Tianyun had even crushed General Long, whose cultivation was a notch higher than this man’s.
Following that, several more men in black were dragged back, only to be kicked so hard they slammed into the wall, rendered lifeless.
"Ding! Successfully killed an assassin. Gained 260,000 Experience, 3,300 Madness Value, and 200 Sin Value. Obtained Martial Arts Shadow Step, Shadow Flash. Obtained items: Shadow Blade, Dragon-Binding Rope, Dragon Slayer Poison."
"Ding! Successfully killed an assassin. Gained 270,000 Experience..."
As he killed the assassins one by one, the loot they dropped made him pause. ’This Absolute Skill, Shadow Step, is the same one the Shadow Guards from the Netherworld Empire cultivate,’ he thought. ’Could this Martial Art be universal?’
He didn’t stop, however. He continued to drag back the fleeing men in black. With the exception of their leader, he killed every single one with a single kick or punch, showing no mercy.
’Leaving just the strongest one alive is enough,’ he reasoned. ’Even if these grunts didn’t kill themselves, I wouldn’t get any information out of them. Their rank is too low. I can’t expect to get a single word from them.’
In an instant, they were all dealt with. Yi Tianyun strode over to the leader and ripped the black cloth from his face, revealing his true identity.
"General Wang! It’s you!" Ren Zhirou’s expression turned frigid when she saw the middle-aged man’s face.
"That’s right. It is I," General Wang said with a sneer. "I never expected you to have such a powerful ally. We miscalculated. Princess, I advise you to hand over the Celestial Dragon Treasure and go into seclusion. Do not vie for the throne of the Great Emperor, or there will be only one path for you: death!"
"Death?" Ren Zhirou sneered. "My brother’s death had a lot to do with you, didn’t it? For the crime of treason and attempting to usurp the throne, even if I am weak and alone, even if it means my own death, I will drag you all down with me!"
This was all her own speculation; no one knew for certain if it was true. If word got out that the Dragon Chancellor was involved, his reputation would plummet, and he would be reviled by all. After all, when Emperor Ren was alive, the Celestial Dragon Empire was at the height of its glory. Now, it had fallen into such decline that it was being repeatedly attacked by the Netherworld Empire, completely unable to resist.
"Haha, you can’t possibly defeat the Dragon Chancellor..."
As General Wang was laughing, a silver light flashed. A blade plunged deep into his chest. His eyes flew open, and he glared viciously at her.
"Whether I can defeat him is a matter for the future. For now, you can go on ahead and apologize to my brother in the afterlife!" Ren Zhirou’s gaze was ice-cold, her strike utterly ruthless.
"You..." General Wang’s eyes widened, then his head lolled to the side, and the life left him.
"Ding! Successfully killed General Wang. Gained 390,000 Experience, 4,600 Madness Value, and 200 Sin Value. Obtained Martial Arts: Shadow Step, Wave Cloud Palm, Shadowless Whip. Obtained items: Dragon-Binding Rope, Dragon Slayer Poison."
Even though Ren Zhirou was the one who killed General Wang, Yi Tianyun still received the experience.
A moment later, guards swarmed in from outside, drawn by the sounds of the battle. Once the black smoke dissipated, the energy from the fight had traveled outside, alerting them to rush to the princess’s aid. But by the time they arrived, everyone was already dead. They were far too late.
"Protect the Princess!"
The guards quickly formed a circle, their spears pointed warily at Yi Tianyun.
"Princess, are you unharmed?" one of the guards asked, his voice filled with concern.
"I’m fine. All of you, lower your weapons," Ren Zhirou said calmly. "He is not an assassin. The assassins have been eliminated, thanks in large part to his help. Clear these bodies away. As for General Wang, hang his corpse from the city gates for all to see! Announce that he attempted to assassinate me and that I executed him."
"It really is General Wang..." The guards gasped, taking a closer look. It truly was General Wang who had come to assassinate the princess.
They immediately began clearing away the corpses, though a few guards remained, standing watch nearby.
"You may all withdraw. There is nothing more for you here," Ren Zhirou said, waving her hand dismissively.
"Yes, Princess!" They glanced at Yi Tianyun but said nothing more before quickly departing.
After everyone had gone, Ren Zhirou swayed, and Yi Tianyun, who was beside her, steadied her. "Are you all right? It seems that poison has entered your system."
"I’m fine." Ren Zhirou subtly pulled away from his supporting grasp, not wanting his help. She looked at him and asked, "Who are you? And why did you help me?"
"Didn’t you call me ’brother’ earlier?" Yi Tianyun said with a faint smile as he removed his mask, revealing his true face.
"Brother!" Ren Zhirou stared in astonishment, but it seemed the poison was taking a greater toll, and she swayed on her feet again.
Yi Tianyun caught her again. "Stop trying to act tough. I’ll help you inside and treat the poison."
"Mm..." This time, Ren Zhirou was not as reserved. She now trusted him completely.
Comments