Chapter 2172: Su Xiao

After drinking a few cups of strong liquor, the Iron Feather King stood up, left two gold pounds, and walked out of the tavern. He actually knew everything, but his heart was willing while his strength was lacking.

On the bustling street, no one bowed to the Iron Feather King. The commoners didn't recognize this old man at all. No, if it had been decades ago, the commoners would have recognized him, which would have actually annoyed the Iron Feather King.

Without servants or guards, the Iron Feather King walked alone on the street. His pace was not fast, but no commoner would block his path; they would subconsciously move aside. This was aura.

Su Xiao waited in the tavern until noon before Xiang Ignoring Bubu Wang arrived.

"Woof."

Xiang Ignoring Bubu Wang detached itself from the environment.

"Lirin is planning to eliminate that old fox tonight? That's normal."

Su Xiao had been somewhat puzzled before as to why the Old Duke was so cooperative, actively providing information. Now it seemed that the old fellow had realized that even hiding in the Holy Court wasn't that safe.

"Where is Lirin?"

"Woof."

Xiang Ignoring Bubu Wang tilted its head and raised a paw to step on the ground, meaning: "Lirin is in Yalansi City."

"Go notify Baha, tell it and Amu to wait at the predetermined location."

Su Xiao took Xiang Ignoring Bubu Wang and walked out of the tavern, heading straight for the west side of Yalansi City. Lirin was in the west of the city.

Xiang Ignoring Bubu Wang rushed forward a few steps, leaped, and stretched out its four paws. Because of the high-speed dive, its lips on both sides were blown by the wind pressure, swaying endlessly. This guy was already having fun.

"Kukulin, you're here. Sit."

Lirin put down the black tea cup in his hand and signaled the servant to pour a cup for Su Xiao as well.

"White Dragon was murdered this morning."

"I went there; I just got back not long ago. Sigh~"

Lirin leaned back in his chair, rubbing his forehead with three fingers.

"The situation on the front lines is not optimistic, and this kind of thing happened in Yalansi. Kukulin, in your opinion, what will be the future of the empire?"

"The country will perish."

"Perish? The empire will not perish. Those polar people from the Northern Continent have no idea what they are facing. Even if the empire perishes one day, it can only be because of the Abyss."

Lirin's tone was firm, or rather, this was his belief. If even he firmly believed the empire would be crushed by the Northern Alliance, then the empire would truly be finished.

"Eliza."

A rare look of tenderness appeared on Lirin's face. Hearing his call, a noblewoman walked over.

"Let the servant, or better yet, you go yourself..."

After Lirin gave a few simple instructions, the noblewoman named Eliza pushed the door open and left the three-story building, going personally to prepare the ingredients needed for lunch.

"Kukulin, stay for lunch before you go."

"..."

Su Xiao didn't speak, just sat there.

"At least let Eliza leave; she is innocent and isn't even a Holy Descendant."

Duke Lirin raised his hand to unbutton his chest and casually pulled off the gemstone ornament at his collar.

"..."

Su Xiao still didn't speak. He was waiting, waiting for the imperial army to completely surround this place.

At this moment, Lirin's hand paused. He smelled the scent of blood nearby—a scent that had just appeared. As a Holy Descendant, he was very familiar with this smell; it was human blood, Eliza's blood.

"To kill me, those soldiers wouldn't dare to act. Alfu wouldn't want to bear the infamy, and White Wolf is too selfish. So, is it you? Are you here to take my life, Kukulin Bai Ye?"

Lirin seemed to be saying meaningless words, but in reality, he was stalling for time, waiting for the Pantheon's subordinates to come and reinforce him.

Unfortunately, he wouldn't get it. Amu and Baha had already gone to attack the Pantheon's underground headquarters. The moment Su Xiao met Duke Lirin was the time for Amu and Baha to strike.

Su Xiao had already dragged Lirin out; naturally, he wouldn't give the other party a chance. Setting up a field to ambush Duke Lirin? That wouldn't work at all; Lirin would definitely notice beforehand.

Su Xiao had basically made no preparations, only letting Xiang Ignoring Bubu Wang monitor Lirin. Once the Pantheon members appeared, Xiang Ignoring Bubu Wang could follow the vine to find the Pantheon's hiding place.

After that, Su Xiao would find Lirin. Not making too many preparations actually had its benefits: he wouldn't be noticed by Lirin, and there wouldn't be too strong of a defense.

In the end, Su Xiao found Duke Lirin alone, while the soldiers surrounding the small building had been summoned by the Old Duke.

During that simple conversation just now, Duke Lirin sensed something was wrong, but unfortunately, it was too late.

Boom!

A loud noise came from outside the small building, and flames scorched the wall on one side of the building.

"Lord Lirin, your subordinate is coming right away!"

A rough roar came, followed by the soldiers' shouts of killing. It was not easy for the newcomers to break through the defense line of hundreds of soldiers, and with nearby soldiers constantly rushing over, they basically couldn't get in.

Lirin had killed the Angry Lion Duke; even if the Angry Lion Duke hadn't done much, he still had many loyal followers.

Inside the second floor of the small building, Duke Lirin slowly stood up. His pupils gradually cracked, and a strange vitality surged around him.

*Crack, crack, crack... *

The seven potted plants in the room grew rapidly, soon piercing through the walls and floorboards, showing very arrogant vitality.

Su Xiao remained sitting on the wooden chair, not even drawing the long blade at his waist.

"Sera will not perish."

Lirin gripped the air with one hand, and the tree branches behind him surged. This was the Dawn Tree, which was both Duke Lirin's crest and his weapon.

*Beep, beep, beep... *

A rapid electronic sound came from below, the sound very faint, seemingly coming from deep underground.

*Thump~*

A dull explosion occurred from underground, the three-story building trembled, large cracks spread across the walls, and the ground sank rapidly.

The three-story building disappeared into the ground, a giant pit appeared, and the surface collapsed.

More than twenty meters underground, sunlight shone down from the hole above, illuminating this underground space.

The whole process took only 2 minutes and 59 seconds. The six miners from Apocalypse Paradise had created such an underground space; one could only say that in terms of digging, they were professionals.

"Done."

"Run!"

After a brief conversation, the six miners ran away along the underground passage. However, before leaving, they set up monitoring equipment, preparing to watch the battle remotely to see what would happen next.

Amidst the wreckage of a building, a plant ball unfolded, and Duke Lirin walked out from inside.

*Zheng! *

A blade glow flashed, and Su Xiao suddenly appeared in front of Duke Lirin.

The long blade slashed open Duke Lirin's torso without any obstruction, cutting him in two. However, no blood gushed from the cut; instead, emerald green shoots grew, pulling Duke Lirin's upper body back, and the wound healed.

This was a Holy Descendant, or rather, this was the strength of an immortal. They had no obvious vital points; even if their head was chopped off, as long as it was reattached in a short time, they could survive.

*Crack, crack, crack... *

Tree branches grew wildly, instantly spreading over a large area, crushing toward Su Xiao, preparing to entangle him and absorb his blood.

Su Xiao's gaze swept left and right, his long blade returned to its sheath, and he assumed a drawing-blade stance.

*Ding, ding! *

A cross-shaped slash mark appeared, the spreading branches stopped, and the next moment they exploded with a bang, turning into large pieces of broken branches and leaves.

Just as Su Xiao was about to step forward, a sharp spike made of intertwined branches suddenly broke through the ground. Because his movement paused, the branches pierced past him.

Su Xiao immediately leaped backward, and while in mid-air, he performed an upward slash, cutting off the branch spikes in front. With the sharpness of Zhan Long Shan, even if these Dawn Trees were blessed with vitality, they couldn't withstand it.

Washinoki Washinoki Jishi of meters away, Duke Lirin saw this scene and clasped his hands together.

With a loud boom, dozens of sharp spikes made of intertwined branches, each over ten meters long, broke through the ground, stabbing toward Su Xiao from various angles, growing rapidly as they traveled.

"Blade Dao Blade · Kill."

With a *whoosh*, a huge blood-colored streak of light slashed out, shattering all the spikes formed by the intertwined branches.

Just as Duke Lirin was about to continue urging the plant vitality, a stinging pain came from his chest.

*Puchi~*

The fragment-blade form of Exile broke out from Lirin's chest, pale blue electric arcs flashed, and Lirin felt the sharp pain from just before again. ===== CHAPTER 2173 =====