Chapter 200

Whoosh—!

A streak of black light, accompanied by a sound that tore through the air, whistled toward them.

Pfft!

The defending academy, standing on the high ground and directing the troops, lowered its head, incredulously watching the wolf‑tooth Arrow pierce through its chest.

He opened his mouth, but no sound came out, then he fell straight backward, hitting the ground with a "Bang".

Immediately after, a rider on a horse rushed forward.

Xiao Ningchen and Xiao Ningxun looked up and cried, "Father!"

It was Prince Ning Xiao Yuanhang!

Tuan Tuan, hearing this, pushed the box lid open and burst out, "Dad!"

Xiao Yuanhang looked at them, smiled, and waved his large hand, "Kill!"

Countless soldiers of the Prince of Lie Kingdom surged like a tide from beside the convoy, pouring into the pass.

Kill—!!!

Iron hooves shattered the pass, blades flashed, and in an instant they engulfed the still‑resisting defenders.

Deprived of command, the defenders lost all morale and were swiftly divided and annihilated.

Xiao Yuanhang spurred his horse to the mule cart, leaned down, wrapped his long arm around Xiao Tuanzi, who had just crawled out of the box, and held the child tightly in his arms.

"Dad! You're here!" Tuan Tuan clung to her father's neck, overjoyed.

Xiao Yuanhang gently patted his daughter's back with his large hand, gazing out over the battlefield.

The battle ended quickly.

The Prince of Lie Kingdom's army did not touch the civilians; it only exterminated the defending troops from Yan Gui City that had been sent to encircle Tuan Tuan, leaving none alive.

Xiao Yuanhang, holding his daughter, stopped before a kneeling, surrendering soldier whose body trembled like a sifter.

"I'll spare you a dog's life."

"Get back and tell your Emperor of Xia."

"This is the fate of those who dare to act recklessly against my Prince of Lie Kingdom and the Princess (Commandery)."

He paused, then said, "If you're not satisfied, feel free to come fight!"

Having said that, Xiao Yuanhang turned his horse and led the Main Camp toward Jingcheng.

Da Xia, Gesang Gong.

An eight‑hundred‑li urgent military report was presented on the imperial desk.

Gongsun Chi's gaze calmly swept over each character, noting that Yan Gui City's pass had fallen, the defenders were slaughtered, and Prince Ning Xiao Yuanhang left a message…

He slowly closed the report and casually tossed it aside.

"Couldn't even stop a child; if he dies, it's clean."

He lifted his eyes and looked toward the direction of the Prince of Lie Kingdom.

"Xiao Yuanhang, you really have a few good children."

He lifted his brush and wrote a letter.

The National Preceptor hasn't awakened, and Zhi Er has become a discarded child; it seems this game of chess needs a new approach.

He pondered briefly, then said, "Someone, deliver this letter into his hands."

"Tell him it's his turn to make a move."

"Yes." The inner attendant bowed, took the order, and withdrew.

Gongsun Chi slowly paced to the window.

Thousands of defenders, a single son, the National Preceptor's life uncertain— the losses cannot be called small.

But as long as the hand that holds the pieces remains, this game is far from its end.

Within the Prince of Lie Kingdom's camp.

After marching for several days, the main army set up camp to rest.

Tuan Tuan greeted the uncles in the army, then ran around her father's main tent, exclaiming, "This is my dad's main camp! That bad National Preceptor in the dream is far worse than this!"

Xiao Yuanhang heard this and grew angry, "That Wu Luo dared to use me to deceive Tuan Tuan; he deserves a thousand deaths!"

Xiao Ningxun nodded, "He did go to great lengths, but despite all the scheming, Tuan Tuan still saw through it."

Tuan Tuan blinked her big eyes, "When we go back I'll thank the National Preceptor properly! If he hadn't given me the earth‑line Tuan, I would have truly given everything of mine to that bad guy."

Xiao Ningchen nodded, "We really must thank the National Preceptor. However, the National Preceptor of our Lie Kingdom turns out to be the senior brother of Da Xia's National Preceptor; that was unexpected."

Tuan Tuan was indifferent, "I don't care who's brother or younger; I only know that National Preceptor Chu Yuan is good, and National Preceptor Wu Luo is a villain!"

Wang Mingrui pulled back the curtain, entered, shed his disguise, and restored his true appearance.

Tuan Tuan was stunned at the sight—so handsome!

"Uncle Wang!" she toddled to Wang Mingrui, grabbed his hand, pulled him to the table, and quietly climbed onto his knee.

She lifted her little face and looked at him, "Uncle Wang, why are you so handsome?"

Xiao Ningchen and his younger brother exchanged a glance and couldn't help rolling their eyes.

Wang Mingrui smiled faintly, "Tuan Tuan, have you rested? Aren't you like the little pig, always crying tired?"

Everyone burst into laughter.

When they first arrived at the camp, Tuan Tuan, exhausted from the escape, could barely muster a shout each morning.

Tuan Tuan's little face flushed as she threw herself into Wang Mingrui's arms, "Uncle Wang, you're so mean! I'm not a little pig!"

Xiao Yuanhang clasped his fists respectfully, "Brother Wang, thank you for your help all the way; otherwise the fate of these children on this journey would have been uncertain."

Wang Mingrui raised his hand in return, "Even if you hadn't entrusted me, little Tuan Tuan once went to Sacred Medicine Valley for medicine on my behalf; now she's in danger, I must protect her."

He glanced at Xiao Ze, bowed, and said, "I have yet to thank Seventh Prince; the Sacred Medicine Valley expedition also owes you credit."

Xiao Ze replied solemnly: "Regarding the Sacred Medicine Valley, I was only uneasy about Tuan Tuan, so I went with her once. But on this Da Xia trip, without Mr. Wang's guidance, we could not have returned safely to the Fiery Kingdom. Thank you."

"Speaking of the Sacred Medicine Valley," Xiao Ningchen frowned, "That Dark Summit, Uncle Wang, how much do you know?"

Wang Mingrui's face changed: "How did you come to know about the Dark Summit?"

Tuan Tuan interjected: "On the way to Da Xia! We met Xue Zhiyou, his mother told us."

Seeing Wang Mingrui still puzzled, Xiao Ningxun hurriedly recounted how they rescued Xue Jin's family in Jiamu City, how they discovered a secret room, and how they heard Ji Wanrun mention the Dark Summit, telling it all.

Wang Mingrui nodded: "I see."

"My people always bypass you, stop at a station to gather information, then send someone back to deliver a letter to you."

"When they arrived, you had already entered Jiamu City, so they didn't linger; therefore I don't know what happened to you in Jiamu City."

"I've been investigating this Dark Summit, but they act meticulously and hide deeply; to this day I still haven't uncovered it fully."

Tuan Tuan asked curiously: "Uncle Wang, why are you investigating them?"

Wang Mingrui patted her little head: "Because, you see, I discovered that the reason I was poisoned and nearly perished last time was their doing!"

"What?" the crowd gasped.

"They too?" Xiao Ningxun found it unbelievable, "Uncle Wang, someone like you, could you also fall for their trap? This Dark Summit is truly something else!"

Xiao Ze frowned: "Mr. Wang is a jianghu person, Prince Ning is a court official, and both of you have been poisoned by the Dark Summit. This Dark Summit… what exactly does it want?"

Xiao Yuanhang asked: "What have you uncovered?"

Wang Mingrui shook his head: "I know very little; it's not worth mentioning."

The group exchanged uneasy glances; such a powerful opponent, hidden in the shadows, could strike again at any moment, and everyone felt a chill down their spines.

Tuan Tuan looked at everyone: "What shall we eat tonight?"

Everyone laughed.

Xiao Ningxun said: "Honestly, Tuan Tuan is the best; every day she just thinks about what tasty food to eat, has no worries, a little pig!"

Tuan Tuan protested: "I'm not a little pig!"

Xiao Ningchen asked her: "What do you want to eat?"

Tuan Tuan thought for a moment: "I want to eat Mom's cooking."

Xiao Yuanhang laughed heartily: "Then let's ride hard and return to Jingcheng!"

That night, Tuan Tuan, who slept all the way like a little pig, dreamed again.