Chapter 593: The Cruel Reality!

To prepare for this assassination, Xiang Liang had exhausted every resource, expending untold effort to locate the remnants of the Chu forces scattered across the world. Long Qie had been relatively easy to find, as the Xiang clan had maintained contact with him since the fall of Chu. Ji Bu had also been found, as his reputation in the world was vast; the Xiang clan had used the golden peony petals he left behind in his youth to successfully track him down, and Xiang Liang had persuaded him to join the cause.

The only one who proved difficult was Ying Bu.

As the commander of the Thunder Leopard Legion of Chu, Ying Bu had vanished without a trace after the fall of the state. Ultimately, it was with Ji Bu’s help that Xiang Liang managed to find him.

Initially, Ying Bu had no intention of participating in this assassination, but Xiang Liang’s eloquence was formidable, and he eventually convinced him to join.

After locating the three commanders of the Chu legions, they spent more time gathering their former subordinates, hiding in the marshes of Bolangsha for a long period, all for the sake of today’s assassination.

The earlier volley of crossbow bolts had been merely the first wave. Upon discovering that the bolts could not penetrate the imperial carriages, Xiang Liang and his cohorts decisively activated their second plan.

The second plan was to first identify which carriage Ying Zheng was riding in.

Then, Ying Bu and Long Qie, leading the remnants of the Thunder Leopard and Soaring Dragon Legions, would temporarily hold off the Qin army, creating a perfect opportunity for Ji Bu to strike.

Ji Bu’s martial arts were extraordinary, but what truly set him apart was his mastery of lightness skills.

In the world of the jianghu, Ji Bu had never failed a theft. Even if his targets had built walls of bronze and iron or prepared thousands of troops, Ji Bu could easily steal whatever he desired.

Today, however, was the most dangerous theft of his life.

He intended to steal the life of Ying Zheng from amidst an army of thousands.

"The second carriage and the fourth carriage, is it?"

Ji Bu whispered the information Fan Zeng had given him.

He did not know which carriage Ying Zheng was hiding in, but it did not matter. Even if he failed once, he could simply move to the other carriage. He was confident he could accomplish such a feat.

*Swish!*

The long sword was swung by him. In an instant, the carriage door was shattered. As the sword light broke through the door, Ji Bu’s body slipped inside. At this moment, the golden peony was still in full bloom, its golden light scattering in all directions, scorching the eyes of everyone present and causing them to lose their sight momentarily.

After entering the carriage, Ji Bu clearly saw the person inside.

"Regrettably, you seem to have entered the wrong carriage. As for His Majesty, he is in the other one!"

Inside the carriage, a figure dressed in black robes with a handsome appearance said calmly to Ji Bu.

Upon hearing this voice, Ji Bu’s pupils contracted slightly. Without pondering who the person before him was, he swung the sword in his hand and attacked.

Although the person had said that Ying Zheng was in the other carriage and his luck was poor—choosing the wrong one out of two—it did not matter. Since this person could sit in the six-horse carriage that only Ying Zheng was qualified to ride, he was clearly no ordinary individual. He only needed to kill him, then go to the other carriage to finish off Ying Zheng, and this assassination would come to an end.

The long sword swung, its light dazzling to the extreme.

However, just as the long sword was about to land on his opponent, a faint smile appeared at the corner of the man's mouth.

That smile contained immense power.

As this smile appeared, Ji Bu felt an invisible force sweep over him. The sword in his hand shattered inch by inch, and his body, driven by a vast, overwhelming force, was suddenly sent flying out of the carriage.

Blood gushed from Ji Bu’s mouth.

Ji Bu’s pupils contracted sharply, his face revealing a look of horror.

The strength of the person inside shocked him; a mere glance, a single smile, and he had been severely wounded.

It was also at this moment that the golden light brought by the blooming golden peony vanished.

Everyone saw a figure fly out from one of the six-horse carriages.

Immediately, Qin Army soldiers rushed over, preparing to kill this person to protect the Emperor.

Ji Bu forcibly gathered his last breath and leaped into the air. Naturally, he was not prepared to give the Qin soldiers such an opportunity; he even intended to kill Ying Zheng before the soldiers could arrive.

A promise from Ji Bu is as heavy as Taishan!

Since he had promised to help Xiang Liang kill Ying Zheng and complete this assassination, he had to kill Ying Zheng no matter what to finish the task.

Since this carriage did not contain Ying Zheng, then Ying Zheng must be hidden in the other one.

Ji Bu’s figure flickered in mid-air, leaving behind a trail of afterimages.

In an instant, he arrived beside the other carriage.

Repeating his previous method, he used his remaining strength to shatter the carriage door, and without waiting to see the figure inside, he unleashed a palm strike toward the opponent’s head.

The figure inside this carriage slowly opened his eyes.

Ji Bu felt as if he were facing a pair of majestic and cold eyes. Then, another terrifying force struck, blasting his already severely wounded body away.

Bang!!

Ji Bu’s body slammed heavily onto the ground, blood mixed with fragments of his internal organs spilling continuously from his mouth.

His vitality ebbed away; in a brief moment, his life had reached its end.

He thought of the two people he had encountered in the two carriages and felt that his assassination attempt was like a joke.

In the first carriage, that person had merely given him a smile, and the sword in his hand had shattered, leaving him severely wounded. When he finally used his last bit of strength to go to the other carriage, thinking he could kill Ying Zheng...

Fate had played another joke on him.

Ji Bu had never imagined that Ying Zheng was actually a top-tier expert.

That was it; no one had ever said Ying Zheng did not know martial arts. That Ying Zheng did not know martial arts was merely their own wishful thinking.

After all, the kings of the past had not known martial arts.

Even if it was just one strike, Ji Bu had a feeling that Ying Zheng’s strength was immense—so strong that even if he were at his peak, without any injuries, he would still not be Ying Zheng’s match.

With an Ying Zheng like this, who could kill him?

In any case, he, Ji Bu, could not do it.

"So, this is reality?"

Blood continued to flow from the corner of Ji Bu’s mouth. A bitter smile appeared on his face, and then, his final spark of life faded away. His life had completely ended.