Chapter 159: Respect for the Pure Love Man

Deep within Prince Shun's Mansion, there is a clear little lake, and by the lake there is also a patch of green bamboo.

Zhu Nan stood in the middle of the frozen lake. Zhu Que rushed in, removed the Zhu Que mask from his face, revealing Lin Que'er's face.

Zhu Nantian lifted his head; snowflakes fell on his shoulders, and he reached out to catch a few drifting snowflakes.

"A Que, you said it's snowing—does it give you a feeling of the martial world?"

Lin Que'er grabbed Zhu Nantian's arm: "Nantian, now is not the time to talk about this; we need to run, they're coming."

Zhu Nantian shook his head, turned to look outside the bamboo grove, where a rustling sound had already begun—the sound of boots stepping on snow.

Lin Que'er instinctively gripped the sword hilt, but Zhu Nantian pressed her down.

Zhu Nantian reached out and gently stroked Lin Que'er's hair.

"A Que, I came alone."

Lin Que'er looked toward the direction of the footsteps, then at Zhu Nantian; her gaze gradually softened, and she released the sword hilt.

"I understand."

Zhu Nantian looked toward the bamboo grove, and his gaze collided with Shen Qing's.

"Shen Qing, finally meeting you—I've always wanted to meet you, the current Great Wu's most renowned heavenly pride."

Shen Qing walked over unhurriedly: "I also really want to meet you, this Prince of Peace who almost overturned Qingzhou."

Zhu Nantian's face turned icy, and a faint golden mist rose from his body.

"I ultimately still failed, didn't I?"

"Come, let my sword put an end to your heavenly pride's path."

Zhu Nantian gripped the sword hilt with one hand and swiftly drew it; golden aura instantly expanded.

"Or give me a grand finale with your blade!"

A sharp golden sword qi surged forth, and a faint golden dragon phantom continuously entwined with the sword qi as it rushed toward Shen Qing's face.

Boom

Where the sword qi passed, snowflakes scattered in surprise.

Shen Qing raised the Dragon Slayer; a purple blade aura tore the earth, howling as it met the sword qi.

Bang

A massive shockwave exploded, blowing the bamboo on both sides flat and scattering snowflakes across the sky.

Zhu Nantian let out a low shout; golden light flashed in his pupils, as if dragon energy shimmered, the golden dragon roared, and swiftly condensed onto the tip of his right-hand sword.

"This is my ultimate move! Shen Qing—be careful!"

He swung his sword, seemingly carrying a special charm, faintly revealing a picture of rivers and mountains.

Shen Qing narrowed his eyes; golden and glazed white light intertwined on his body, and he slashed out a purple aura that tore heaven and earth.

Bang

That golden picture was shattered to pieces.

Zhu Nantian's expression changed slightly; he hadn't expected his strongest killing move to be broken like that.

He gritted his teeth, and his right-hand long sword flourished into a beautiful sword flower.

Suddenly, Zhu Nantian's sword-wielding hand froze in midair; he lowered his head in disbelief—the Dragon Slayer had already pierced his chest.

At that moment, heaven and earth fell silent, as if one could hear the snowflakes falling.

Zhu Nantian's eyes showed a look of relief; he looked toward Shen Qing.

"Shen Qing, you've walked the martial world—can you tell me what it's like?"

Shen Qing slowly drew the Dragon Slayer: "Everyone is like that, feeling that the path they haven't taken is filled with flowers."

Zhu Nantian collapsed helplessly; Lin Que'er flew over from the side and caught the falling Zhu Nantian.

He looked up at the sky; snowflakes fell all over his face: "Even if you say that, I still really want to go see the martial world."

Lin Que'er knelt on the ground, holding Zhu Nantian in her arms; her body trembled slightly, and tears continually fell onto Zhu Nantian's face.

Zhu Nantian reached out and gently wiped Lin Que'er's tears, his voice infinitely tender.

"A Que, crying makes you look bad."

Lin Que'er lowered her head, her voice full of grievance.

"I truly feel terrible; we clearly had a chance."

Zhu Nantian's gaze turned to the sky, piercing through the falling snow straight to the clouds.

"Didn't I already tell you that?"

"This is a war destined to be unwinnable; defeat is my fate."

"A Que, I love you..."

"Just... in the next life, don't meet me again..."

Having said that, the last glimmer of light faded from Zhu Nantian's pupils, and his hand went limp.

Lin A Que silently gazed at Zhu Nantian's face, remaining speechless for a long time.

The snow in the sky grew heavier, gradually shrouding both of their hair in a white veil.

"Young Master Shen, may I ask you for a favor?"

"Can we be buried on Dusk Cloud Mountain?"

"Good."

Hearing Shen Qing's reply, Lin Que'er reached out and stroked Zhu Nantian's face.

Without hesitation, she directly used origin power to shatter her own meridians.

Why was Shen Qing so lenient toward them?

Because on the way here, Shen Qing also learned about Zhu Nantian's past.

Zhu Nantian had longed for the martial world since childhood; at sixteen he first slipped out of the imperial palace and ran to Misty Cloud Cliff, where he met the sixteen-year-old Lin Que'er.

They fled together, and their youthful innocence constantly collided, leading them to pledge themselves to each other for life.

Although later Zhu Nantian was still captured and taken back to the palace, he kept his promise, and for the following nearly hundred years he loved only Lin Que'er.

But Emperor Jing obstructed him, and Zhu Nantian was never able to give Lin Que'er a proper status.

Emperor Jing promised Zhu Nantian that if he married the princess of Northern Liang, he would be allowed to marry Lin Que'er, but Zhu Nantian still chose to refuse.

Even after he later fell completely out of favor, Zhu Nantian never bowed his head to Emperor Jing.

Shen Qing had cut his way all the way here; whether it was a clan or an aristocratic family, those inside who had any standing were all surrounded by wives and concubines.

On the contrary, this prince Zhu Nantian turned out to be so devoted.

Shen Qing thought such a man was very handsome.

This was also Shen Qing's respect for a pure‑love man.

At this moment, several lines of text protruded before his eyes.

【You or your subordinates have slain a Primordial Core Realm martial artist, successfully looting the trait: Spear Dao Sovereign (Gold)】

【Congratulations, congratulations! You and your subordinates have already slain fifty thousand people!】

【Congratulations on obtaining the trait: Slaughter Armor (Colorful)】

Slaughter Armor (Colorful): a trait gained by condensing blood qi after slaying fifty thousand people, it can condense slaughter armor, possessing unmatched defensive power, and can even strengthen weapons together; important note: this trait has no limit, the more you kill, the stronger the trait becomes!

It seems the battle outside the Shun Prince's mansion has also ended.

Only the sound of several breaking‑through noises rang out, and the Golden Guard's Primordial Core Realm cultivators landed behind Shen Qing; they gazed at Zhu Nantian's corpse without speaking.

Suddenly, Shen Qing sensed something; a purple flash flickered in his pupils, and he saw the dragon aura on Zhu Nantian's body rapidly rising toward the sky, as if something within the clouds was devouring Zhu Nantian's dragon aura.

Shen Qing gave a cold snort: "You undying old thing, I haven't left yet!"

"Do you want to die?"