Chapter 145: The Exiled Immortal's Anger Is Terrifying

Quan Quan Tianchen's voice was low and hoarse, his gaze locked tightly on Jun Jun Zijin, his eyes filled with an indissoluble worry, even mixed with a hint of hidden anger.

Jun Jun Zijin had never seen a person as gentle as jade wear such a solemn demeanor, especially when angry at her; her heart tightened involuntarily. She subconsciously pressed her lips together, trying to ease the atmosphere with a flattering smile, her voice carrying a hint of tentativeness:

"Fourth Brother, am I not fine? Besides, if I hadn't done this, how could I have drawn out these men in black?"

Her tone carried a hint of cunning, as if defending her own actions, yet she dared not be too bold.

Quan Quan Tianchen's brows locked even tighter, his tone carrying an undeniable severity:

"Do you not know that if there had been even the slightest mishap, the consequences would have been unimaginable? If something had happened to you, I..."

His words cut off abruptly, as if something had blocked his throat, a flash of complex emotion passing through his eyes.

"How would I explain this to Quan Quan Aoyu?"

Jun Jun Zijin looked at him, and a warmth suddenly surged in her heart. Quan Quan Tianchen had taken good care of her for Quan Quan Aoyu's sake, not only because she was Quan Quan Aoyu's fiancée, but because he regarded her as family.

She gently tugged at Quan Quan Tianchen's sleeve, her voice softening, like a child who had done wrong, carrying a hint of coaxing, her eyes full of pleading:

"Fourth Brother, I know I was wrong. Next time I will definitely be careful and won't let you worry again."

Quan Quan Tianchen looked at her, surprised that she, who was usually as cold as ice, had such a good attitude and admitted her fault directly.

Quan Quan Tianchen was stunned for a moment, the anger in his eyes gradually dissipating. He let out a heavy sigh, and his voice returned to its usual gentleness:

"With Quan Aoyu away, I must take care of you for him. Your situation is already dangerous; every step must be taken with caution, without the slightest carelessness. With Quan Aoyu away, Fourth Brother cannot guard you every moment. Remember your words; Fourth Brother does not wish to see you take risks again."

Jun Jun Zijin stuck out her tongue, a smile appearing on her face, her tone becoming even more sincere:

"Fourth Brother, don't be angry. I promise I won't dare to do it again next time."

Just then, Flying Eagle and Flying Swallow came to report that the men in black had been completely annihilated.

The soldiers of the Divine Arrow Team returned and bowed to Jun Jun Zijin one after another. Jun Jun Zijin looked at these soldiers, a hint of admiration flashing in her eyes; achieving such results in just half a month was truly remarkable.

At this moment, Flying Eagle spoke up:

"Master, Highness, those assassins do not seem to be from Emperor Tianqi. They appear to be the same group as last time. As soon as we engaged, Flying Eagle had a few guesses. The weapons in the hands of the men in black were clearly bows, yet the techniques they used had an indescribable strangeness."

Jun Jun Zijin nodded; the secret that these men in black were not from Emperor Tianqi, she had already guessed, as the thief himself had shouted it out just now.

Everyone stepped forward to inspect, and indeed, as Flying Eagle had said, although they wore Emperor Tianqi clothing and tried hard to disguise themselves, their body shapes and the calluses on their hands revealed the flaws.

The men in black were generally a few inches taller than people from Emperor Tianqi. Quan Quan Tianchen squatted down, carefully examining the hands of the dead, seeing the callus marks left by years of gripping curved blades.

When using a curved blade, one needs to grip the hilt tightly and use the strength of the wrist and arm to swing the blade. Since the hilt of a curved blade is relatively short, using it requires more reliance on the strength of the wrist and arm; therefore, the calluses left on the hands are mainly concentrated at the base of the palm and fingers, with a relatively rounded shape.

When using a sword, one needs to grip the hilt tightly, and since the hilt of a sword is relatively long, using it allows for more reliance on the strength of the arm; therefore, the calluses left on the hands are mainly concentrated in the middle of the palm and fingers, with a relatively flat shape.

The calluses on the hands of these men in black were clearly left by habitual use of curved blades, yet they were holding swords, obviously intending to disguise themselves.

He stood up, his demeanor solemn:

"People from the Northern Kingdom are tall and habitually use curved blades; these people are most likely from the Northern Kingdom."

In the previous few times, they had already sensed that these people's identities were suspicious. These thieves had been hiding for five years; for five years, the Emperor and Quan Quan Aoyu had turned Emperor Tianqi upside down, yet found no trace. There were also no traces of these thieves in the cave where Prime Minister Gao had imprisoned the Empress.

Jun Jun Zijin nodded, her brows furrowing slightly:

"This is also the reason I used myself as bait. These thieves have been hiding for five years, and now they are appearing frequently, indicating they are desperate. When desperate, one easily loses one's composure. But with so many people, how did they enter my Emperor Tianqi silently? And where are they hiding? Even if there is an inside traitor, there should be some clues."

Jun Jun Zijin tilted her head, pausing slightly, a coldness flashing in her eyes:

"They were eager for my life before, and now they are eager for my vaccine. I must give them a chance to reveal themselves to make their efforts worthwhile."

Jun Jun Zijin's words revealed an unyielding determination. This was a contest concerning Emperor Tianqi, concerning the safety of Quan Quan Aoyu and herself; she could not sit and wait for death, but must take the initiative to root out these hidden enemies one by one.

Everyone's expressions varied; some held respect and admiration for her bravery and wisdom, while others held concern for her safety.

Quan Quan Tianchen turned around, looked at her steadily for an instant, then spoke, his voice carrying deep helplessness.

"Fourth Brother knows you are not an ordinary young lady, but you promised me you would not put yourself in danger again."

Jun Jun Zijin raised her head, looking at Quan Quan Tianchen seriously:

"Fourth Brother, I understand your good intentions, and I will be even more cautious in my actions."

Just as Quan Quan Tianchen was about to speak, Jun Jun Zijin continued:

"However, although this operation was risky, the gains were substantial. We confirmed that person's collusion with the Northern Kingdom and also learned their urgent purpose in obtaining the vaccine."

Quan Quan Tianchen fell silent for a moment before saying:

"What do you plan to do next? We cannot risk your life every time."

Jun Jun Zijin thought of the empty house in Chengnan and smiled slightly:

"Of course not. I might be able to discover their secrets."

Quan Quan Tianchen nodded helplessly:

"Very well. Since I cannot stop you, I can only fully support you. Just remember to put safety first. Fourth Brother will arrange some personnel for you."

Jun Jun Zijin did not decline, cheerfully agreeing.

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At this moment, Quan Quan Aoyu was negotiating the troop withdrawal treaty with the Northern Kingdom envoy.

In the solemn and magnificent negotiation hall, sunlight filtered through the window lattice, mottled and scattered on the ground.

At the head of the hall, Quan Quan Aoyu sat, a faint smile curling at the corner of his lips, emitting an invisible pressure.

His fingers tapped lightly on the table, producing an empty "thump, thump" sound in the silent hall.

It seemed every tap struck at the very heart of the Northern Kingdom envoy, whose forehead was already secretly sweating.

Quan Quan Aoyu's posture was straight as a pine, his demeanor calm and unhurried; every movement revealed an indescribable elegance and nobility, further highlighting the Northern Kingdom envoy's unease.