Chapter 351: The Appearance of Xiao Yue: The Prince of Yan, Come to Die!

【Inside the tavern.】

【The deaths of the twenty-four assassins still left everyone in shock!】

【You slowly turned to look at the two stone rooms behind the canopy, which served as the tavern's back kitchen and living quarters.】

【Now the gate was locked, as if the old man and his granddaughter, fearing the martial world outsiders, had barred themselves inside.】

【Just as Lu Yu uttered "Thunder in the Mouth," a sound of a porcelain bowl shattering came from within the room.】

【Like a silent warning!】

【Everyone followed your gaze toward the stone rooms.】

【The Four Elders of the Sword Sect had long wished to leave, to escape the turmoil—but now neither of you had spoken, and they dared not move.】

【No one could guarantee that if another "Thunder in the Mouth" came, they wouldn't also lie bleeding on the ground.】

【The corpses of the Senluo Palace assassins were still fresh in sight!】

【The green-clad woman, Huang Yuwei, pulled her wide-brimmed hat back over her scarred face.】

【Inside the stone room!】

【The old man sensed the change outside; his face darkened. He had planned to strike while the moment was ripe.】

【He never expected that Ouyang Huangquan, the lord of Senluo Palace, would flee.】

【Something went wrong!】

【At Xiuer's feet lay a bowl shattered into three pieces; she pressed herself tightly against the wall, her eyes filled with unease. She felt the tension and danger permeating the air.】

【Seeing this, the old man's eyes grew cold—but now was not the time to deal with it.】

【He dared not face Lu Yu alone!】

【If he retreated now, his entire plan would be ruined.】

【The girl named Xiuer was doomed to be left behind—he felt a pang of regret.】

【Just as he hesitated!】

【Under the canopy!】

【You used Sound Gathering to Whisper to Lu Yu: Chase Ouyang Huangquan first—let him escape alive, then return.】

【Lu Yu did not hesitate. He trusted you completely and never questioned your decisions.】

【"Go."】

【Ouyang Huangquan had only just left; his spiritual energy's ripples could still be traced.】

【Lu Yu stepped out of the tavern, identified the direction, then leapt lightly—his feet seemed to tread empty air, moving as if through a realm of nothingness, like a dragonfly skimming water or a bird darting through trees, vanishing in an instant.】

【Such a technique was truly divine!】

【The Four Elders of the Sword Sect watched in utter shock; they had long dwelled in deep mountains, secluded in cultivation, untouched by the martial world for years.】

【They could not help muttering: "Is this the realm of a Grand Master?"】

【"Like an immortal wandering the heavens."】

【The four exchanged glances and sighed together: "Without becoming a Grand Master, one is but an ant upon the earth."】

【All present were deeply shaken. The Seven Disciples of Zhongnan had seen their master wield such power before; watching the others' astonishment, they recalled their own first encounter—and it had been just like this.】

【You knew, however, that this was in fact an expression of the Celestial Realm—through subtle resonance between inner and outer heavens, contracting and expanding the inner realm to achieve exquisite control over spiritual energy, enabling brief flight upon the wind.】

【Simple to say, yet harder than scaling heaven—it required perfect fusion of inner and outer heavens to reach such a state.】

【At this moment!】

【Your group now consisted only of you and the Seven Disciples of Zhongnan—eight in total.】

【The old man sensed Lu Yu's departure; his breath had faded far away. His face was filled with disbelief as he repeatedly confirmed: Had Lu Yu truly left?】

【Only when he was truly gone did he lose all sense of Lu Yu's spiritual energy.】

【Gone?】

【Did he not sense me—or does Lu Chen believe he can handle me alone?】

【"Pathetic!"】

【Xiuer caught the old man's cold smile and fear spread through her like ice.】

【The old man no longer concealed himself!】

【"Lu Chen, you think you're fearless!"】

【A voice echoed from the stone room, reverberating around them.】

【The Seven Disciples of Zhongnan's eyes instantly sharpened with fury—they could not tolerate anyone speaking so lightly of, let alone openly challenging, their senior uncle.】

【"Lu Chen?"】

【Under the canopy, the crowd turned with strange glances; Ma Yiren, with her ponytail, stared with particular intensity—as if she had long suspected.】

【The ragged old man's face darkened further; he knew that if this man was indeed the rumored Prince of Yan, all of them were now plunged into unprecedented peril.】

【How could one escape when at the heart of the storm?】

【The Four Elders of the Sword Sect also knew Lu Chen's name; their hearts sank. Especially with the old man's declaration, they began silently calculating how to protect the two "future seeds" of their sect.】

【A thought quietly rose in everyone's mind: If this man truly is Lu Chen, then the figure who just vanished like an immortal—wasn't that Lu Yu, one of the Five Supreme Masters of the Realm?】

【The Five Supreme Masters—those five above Grand Masters, the true pinnacle of martial cultivation.】

【Luo Feiguang had already recognized the middle-aged man's identity; his heart raced with excitement, but reason told him this was not the time to reveal himself. He gripped his sword tightly, standing firm beside him, ready to respond to any danger.】

【Xiao Yu's face lit up with sudden understanding—as if every mystery had just found its answer.】

【The door opened!】

【All eyes turned as the once-obsequious old man slowly stepped out.】

【The crowd remained puzzled.】

【"I was promised two things: one man ordered me to kill you, another told me to leave you alive—he wants to kill you himself."】

【"Tell me, what should I do?"】

【The old man's voice was low and hoarse, as if squeezed from deep in his throat—but by the final sentence, it had shifted into the tone of a middle-aged man.】

【As he spoke, his hunched frame slowly straightened, like willow buds unfurling in spring, reborn.】

【A withered layer of skin slipped silently from his face and fell to the ground, revealing an entirely different visage.】

【A transformation!】

【In a turn, a slender, ordinary-looking middle-aged man stood before them.】

【He wore a white robe embroidered with golden thread depicting a hundred birds, a white jade belt at his waist, and held a carved ivory fan. His features were plain, cheeks slightly sunken, a faint red mark on his lip, and his narrow eyes held a quiet air of condescension.】

【"Lord Xiao Yue!"】

【The Sword Sect's brocade-clad young lord, Hu Jie, immediately recognized him and cried out.】

【He had once seen this master of Great Snow Mountain—one of the Five Supreme Masters of the Realm.】

【Hu Jie deeply admired Lord Xiao Yue—master of all beauties, peerless in martial prowess—and often carried a folding fan himself.】

【Now, seeing him, Hu Jie's face turned pale.】

【Admiration aside, meeting him like this could be disastrous.】

【Lord Xiao Yue seeks to kill the Prince of Yan—and we, mere onlookers, are now in grave danger.】

【What bad luck today—first Senluo Palace, now Lord Xiao Yue!】

【The Four Elders of the Sword Sect turned ashen; they had barely survived the Grand Master just now.】

【Now, the Five Supreme Masters—what can we do?】

【Luo Feiyun and Xiao Yu exchanged glances and smiled faintly; no fear lingered in their eyes, only a calm acceptance of death. They understood each other's hearts—no regrets remained. Their hands clasped tightly.】

【Having walked through the Gates of Hell, nothing else could frighten them—especially with their beloved beside them. A bold courage rose within them.】

【The Seven Disciples of Zhongnan, now aware of his identity, grew calmer. They formed a formation, firmly guarding their senior uncle behind them.】

【Inside the room, Xiuer watched the old man transform into Lord Xiao Yue—fear and despair twisted across her face; tears fell like broken beads as she hugged herself tightly.】

【Lord Xiao Yue turned to Xiuer's scarred face and said gently: "When this is over, I'll take you back to Great Snow Mountain."】

【"You're the top beauty on the Rouge List this year. I've long been eager to see your true face—but I feared it might spoil the mood."】

【"You fear me now, but once we return to Great Snow Mountain, you'll love me more than anyone else."】

【Xiuer had retreated deep into the stone room, silent now—her heart filled with despair.】

【Lord Xiao Yue smiled indifferently, turning to you, searching for a flicker of fear.】

【Your face remained utterly calm.】

【"Lu Chen, don't wait for Lu Yu to save you—I fear he's already struggling to save himself."】

【Lord Xiao Yue knew that since Lu Yu had left, this had become a death trap. He lazily unfurled his fan and said:】

【"Today, Prince of Yan—prepare to die!"】

(End of Chapter)