Chapter 97

Yan Ling leaned down to look, and could actually see the situation on the deck directly. Knowing it was a "thousand-mile mirror" made of crystal coated with silver sand for reflection, he couldn't help but laugh, "Good method, to actually set up such a mechanism on the ship." He leaned over to examine the battle situation outside.

As soon as Zhao Yu boarded the ship, a feminine true essence pounced from the sky. Amidst the flying sleeve shadows, a finger as white as congealed fat formed a Dharma seal, resembling a wonderful lotus in full bloom, suddenly becoming clear and expanding as it pressed toward her brow. Shadows of fingers were everywhere, sealing all paths of retreat. Zhao Yu was shocked and used the peerless light-body technique of the Free and Unfettered Method, retreating rapidly like light smoke, but no matter how she changed her movements, the lotus flower followed like a shadow. Zhao Yu was forced to retreat again and again, her toes touching the side rail, and she gritted her teeth, striking out with her palm.

At this moment, the ship shook with a boom, simultaneously ramming three enemy boats. Xiao Luchen, Zhan Xing, and Yi Qingqing leaped away, landing toward the deck, while Fang Feibai, having traded a blow with Ye Xuanshang, also soared into the sky, both abandoning their boats to board the ship.

Zhao Yu's sleeves shook violently, sending out rapid waves. A true essence that was clear and soft like water, yet as cold as ice, from Zi Rao's palm invaded her meridians. She groaned and fell downward. At the critical moment, her toes hooked onto the bow cable, and she urgently raised her true essence to fly into the air, exerting the Free and Unfettered movement technique to the extreme.

Zi Rao always kept a light smile on her face, suddenly floating above her. A brilliance bloomed from beneath her wrist, and her slender hand transformed into an indescribably beautiful lotus Dharma seal. Ten thousand finger shadows filled the entire night sky between the two, pressing toward the clear light that appeared and vanished before Zhao Yu's chest.

At this moment, Xiao Luchen had just flown to the bow, shouted, and shook his chain spear urgently, pointing straight at Zi Rao's back!

A silver halberd swept across her waist, and a sharp sword's cold light rushed at her face. Zhan Xing and Yi Qingqing attacked simultaneously, both striking where she had to save. Under the joint attack of these three, Zi Rao flicked her flying sleeves, and a soaring water wave exploded from the lake. Following a pleasant, clear whistle, countless cold lights rolled toward the side like ice dragons, her right palm's momentum unchanged, still pressing toward Zhao Yu.

"Go!"

When Xiao Luchen's chain spear brilliance appeared, Ye Xuanshang laughed and shouted, taking advantage of Fang Feibai having no place to borrow force in mid-air, and used his strong internal energy to forcefully ram him toward Xiao Luchen. As a great general of the Jun Mansion, Fang Feibai's adaptability was also extraordinary. His double hooks probed rapidly, clashing with Xiao Luchen's chain spear, both borrowing the opponent's true essence. The two shifted positions in mid-air, turning into him rushing toward Zi Rao with all his might, while Xiao Luchen's spear momentum increased dramatically, whistling toward Ye Xuanshang. Even with Ye Xuanshang's ability, he dared not underestimate the power of this spear, which came with the joint attack of two great Jun Mansion experts. His sword Qi surged, and he simultaneously slashed back with his palm, a palm wind breaking through the air to attack Fang Feibai, not stalling in the slightest because of the chain spear's attack.

Fang Feibai secretly applauded, forced to turn back to meet the enemy, otherwise he would surely be injured by Ye Xuanshang's pure palm power before blocking Zi Rao. But although his figure slowed, his right-hand long hook whistled and flew out, shooting toward Zi Rao like lightning. A pair of figures blocked the way ahead; it was the two great generals Shan Qi and Feng Yun. One used his sword to block Fang Feibai's long hook, while the other desperately blocked Zi Rao's palm in the nick of time.

"General, stop!"

At this moment, sword light and spear shadows flourished in the sky, and the sound of force clashing rang out. Two figures met and separated. Xiao Luchen fell onto the deck, retreating continuously until he hit the ship's rail, his face turning pale, clearly having suffered a great loss in the exchange. Ye Xuanshang landed gracefully opposite, his sword Qi remotely enveloping the front, generating a powerful momentum that could not be resisted.

Under the protection of Fang Feibai and the others, Zhao Yu finally escaped Zi Rao's pursuit and stepped onto the ship, her pretty face losing color, her chest heaving, unable to speak for a moment. Staring at the dark and enchanting woman drifting into the shadows of the mast, the Witch Clan's mysterious and unpredictable martial arts were indeed better seen once than heard of a hundred times; only now did she have time to feel fear.

The Jun Mansion generals landed on the deck one after another. Kuang Tian's whip shadows shook, also forcing back the four Freedom Hall envoys and leaving the battle circle. Shan Qi whispered something, and a look of astonishment flashed in Fang Feibai's eyes. He looked forward, then put away his weapon and cupped his hands, "Feibai and the others pay respects to the Nine Princess! Just now, we did not know it was the Princess's phoenix carriage; we hope the Princess will forgive our rudeness!" The generals followed with their respects one after another, all with strange expressions.

"Shan Qi, since you knew it was me, you still dared to block with your sword. Is this how your master taught you?" A lazy, soft, and clear voice rang in everyone's ears. The firelight brightened, and golden light dazzled in the shadows, reflecting a slender and beautiful hand. At the fingertips, ink butterflies fluttered with flowing light, illuminating the woman's peerless face with a dim, flickering glow. The bizarre and beautiful scene was unforgettable.

Butterflies circled her body, and clear radiance flowed. Zi Rao walked forward slowly, the lake wind blowing the flying phoenix patterns on her sleeves, her long hair dancing like ink, her posture blooming with magnificent charm. The night sky withdrew its splendor, and the moonlight bowed to her beauty. Her dark robes fluttered at the edge where light and shadow intersected. Fang Feibai and the others finally saw this royal princess who surpassed all living things, the legendary woman who was like a demon and an immortal. Everyone held their breath under those upturned phoenix eyes, stunned by this moment of cold, enchanting beauty.

Hearing her unkind tone, and having had previous experience, how could he dare to be presumptuous in front of the future mistress of the Shao Yuan Jun Mansion? He stepped forward and knelt, "This general is guilty. His Highness had absolutely no such intention; it was all our own unauthorized offense. Princess, please do not misunderstand."

Zi Rao only gave him a glance from the corner of her eye, neither angry nor smiling, letting this Chu general who commanded the Duqi Forbidden Guard kneel there. Her gaze shifted to Zhao Yu, her water-like eyes rippling softly, her vermilion lips parting slightly, "Is the ice-blue crystal from the Nine-Turn Spirit Stone in your hands?"

The clear brilliance around her sleeves was faint, with flowing water and light. Her soft, laughing voice lingered in people's ears, ethereal and misty, every word clear, delicate, and pleasant, incomparably melodious.

Zhao Yu felt as if warm, moist water ripples were undulating in her heart, spreading out in the void, as clear and beautiful as this voice, making one unable to tire of hearing it or let it go. She smiled and nodded, all her hostility vanishing completely.

Everyone around felt as if they were bathed in a spring breeze. The woman walking slowly in the night was also gentle and affectionate, like a beautiful dream in the misty clouds of spring.

If Zhong Yanzi or Qi Shi were here, they would surely be able to see at a glance that Zi Rao was secretly using the Lotus Heart Method, using high-level soul-absorbing techniques to suppress everyone's minds, exactly the same as the Jiuyou Sword Realm that Zi Hao had used to subdue the entire Jiuyi tribe in the Xima Valley.

The luster of the tourmaline spirit stone appeared frequently, and Ye Xuanshang frowned slightly.

Zi Rao's beautiful eyes locked onto Zhao Yu, and she said softly, "Since the ice-blue crystal is with you, let me see it, shall I?"

Zhao Yu couldn't help but raise her hand and take a step forward. Fang Feibai and the others vaguely felt something was wrong, but they couldn't produce the slightest desire to stop her. Surrounded by this exceptionally soft voice, they only felt that this was very good and that they should do as she said.

Xiao Luchen had just been injured in his lungs by Ye Xuanshang's sword Qi. At this moment, he felt his blood surging, his meridians bursting, and he was extremely uncomfortable. His body trembled violently, and he spat a mouthful of blood onto his lapels, kneeling forward.

Fang Feibai was suddenly startled and shouted, "Careful!"

Zhao Yu seemed to have been struck by a heavy blow, stopping her steps in a shock. Zi Rao snorted coldly, seemingly slightly annoyed, then drifted back with her sleeves, her dark robes disappearing into the shadows of the mast. A piece of flame butterfly, however, swirled out with flying light, ramming into Xiao Luchen's chest.

The butterfly shadows were so fast that there was no time to react. The moment they approached Xiao Luchen, they bloomed with golden and silver light, and several strands of true essence attacked his meridians along the vital points on his chest. Fang Feibai patted his back, and he immediately sat cross-legged on the ground to help him circulate his energy and heal his wounds.

Zhao Yu was stunned for a moment, only then realizing that she had almost been controlled by the spirit and handed the ice-blue crystal to the opponent. She couldn't help but say angrily, "You... how can you use demonic arts to bewitch people!"

A careless laugh came from the shadows, with a somewhat weak flavor. A moment later, Zi Rao said in a deep, soft voice, "Is that so? Good, then I won't make a move now. Are you willing to hand over the ice-blue crystal?"

Zhao Yu's willow eyebrows rose, "What a joke! The ice-blue crystal is the heirloom treasure of my Hou Feng State; how can it be handed over to others at will?"

"Hou Feng State?" Zi Rao laughed again, saying slowly, "Even if the Hou Feng State still existed, it would be nothing more than a vassal to my royal family. What is an heirloom treasure worth?"

She said it so matter-of-factly that Zhao Yu was speechless. Kuang Tian and the others also secretly frowned, thinking that tonight's matter would probably be difficult to end well. With Zi Rao's status and position, let alone a royal princess, five days later at the Jun Mansion wedding, she would be the most powerful woman in the Nine Domains, one person above all others. If all the people present were added together, they might not be able to resist her in the slightest. If she sought out Zhao Yu to forcibly demand the spirit stone, how would it end? Furthermore, there was still the unfathomable Third Young Master Ye present. No one had expected these two to appear on Ranxiang Lake together, causing the scene to completely spiral out of control.

In the secret room, Bai Shu'er looked at Yan Ling and suddenly asked, "Hey, what is the relationship between the Third Young Master and the one above?"

Yan Ling was stunned, "What relationship?"

Bai Shu'er glared at him, "Don't tell me you don't know that the relationship between the Third Young Master and her is extraordinary."

Yan Ling looked back with a smile, "Don't tell me you don't know that the Nine Princess will be the wife of the Shao Yuan Jun in a few days. So what if it's extraordinary?"

Bai Shu'er's beautiful eyes drifted, as if she were calculating something. A moment later, she curled her lips enchantingly and turned back to continue observing the situation above.

Fang Feibai whistled softly, withdrew his hand, and stood up. Xiao Luchen spat out another mouthful of stagnant blood, opened his eyes, and his face had already regained its color. He knelt on one knee, "Luchen thanks the Princess!"

The mysterious Yin true essence that Zi Rao had just injected into his body with the flame butterfly had timely stopped his pulse, which was being counter-catalyzed by the Lotus Heart Method, saving him from the fate of exploding and dying. With Fang Feibai's help, his previous injuries had already healed by more than half.

Then they heard Zi Rao say faintly, "Xiao Luchen is a capable and beloved general whom Huang Fei treats as a brother. One must consider the master before beating the dog. Hmph, if you try to be brave again, you might not be so lucky next time."

Xiao Luchen lowered his head, "The Princess's instruction is correct; Luchen will definitely keep it in mind." He and Fang Feibai had served as generals and ministers with the Shao Yuan Jun, experiencing thousands of storms and waves, and naturally had an unspeakable tacit understanding. Where his gaze landed, Fang Feibai took the opportunity to step forward, bowed, and said respectfully, "Tonight, I fear there was some misunderstanding, leading us to offend the Princess. The matter of the Nine-Turn Spirit Stone is of great importance; I ask the Princess to allow us to report to His Highness before making a decision. I wonder if that is possible?"

The bright moon in the sky and the wind and waves on the lake—the brightness of the moonlight and the deep shadows were inseparable. Zi Rao tilted her head slightly, the clear light at the bow outlining a cold and beautiful eyebrow, like a flying blade of light smoke piercing the night. She stood at the intersection of light and shadow, and with a light, charming smile, "Forget it, I suppose you cannot make the decision. Since this girl is a person of the Jun Mansion, I will go find Huang Fei."

By the side of a dense forest southwest of the lake shore, more than ten gray-clad warriors with black scarves covering their faces watched the Chu army retreat in an orderly manner. Shusun Yi, in his Confucian robes, had a thoughtful look in his eyes. After the Chu army retreated, the Freedom Hall ships also signaled, changed direction, and slowly sailed into the misty waves. He turned and ordered, "Report to His Highness quickly, saying that the Third Young Master has safely left Ranxiang Lake."

The warrior accepted the order and left.

"The Shao Yuan Jun has made his move; I fear Ye Xuanshang will not have such good luck this time." Beside Shusun Yi were actually Sikong Yu, Chu Rang, and a group of Jiuyi tribe experts. It was the divine archer Chu Rang who spoke.

Shusun Yi sighed, "It is only to be blamed that the Crown Prince Yu is arrogant and lawless, causing the hearts of the Mu people to be restless and the political situation to be unstable. Even the power to take advantage of the Chu-Xuan war this time is lacking; he is simply not taken seriously by Huang Fei, and the Third Young Master Ye naturally loses his value."

Sikong Yu continued, "For Huang Fei, not killing this person might even lead to variables. However, this Third Young Master Ye is quite capable; he could even take the Freedom Hall for his own use under the Shao Yuan Jun's nose. If he wants to save his life and leave, it shouldn't be a difficult matter."

"I only fear that the Shao Yuan Jun will make a move himself; after all, this is the Chu State." Shusun Yi mounted his horse, "Let's go, we will secretly escort them for a distance, then return to report to His Highness."

The group rode along the lake shore and soon disappeared into the depths of the night with sparse lights.

(End of chapter)