Chapter 465

Pan Xiaohei screamed loudly as the eaves above it were repeatedly torn apart, tiles and wood shavings flying everywhere; twice, the claw nearly snatched its tail.

Pan Yun said: "Next house, jump left—into the alley, crawl in, then turn right and run back after two intersections!"

Pan Xiaohei obeyed her; after running along the eaves, it didn't jump to the next roof but shot instantly into the alley, slithered into the clutter, and sped forward hidden by the debris.

The eagle was huge, flapping its wings to dive straight down, but the alley was far too narrow—it couldn't fly down, so it flapped upward instead, its eyes locked on the moving bulge within the alley.

It flicked its wing lightly, and Pan Xiaohei felt it was right behind, unable to help but cry out: "I can't! I can't outrun it!"

Pan Yun said sternly: "Don't go! This demon has high cultivation—my second senior brother can't beat it! Besides, the houses over there are densely packed with civilians—lead it toward the Imperial Prison!"

Pan Xiaohei: "You don't care about your life, but I do! By the imperial palace, the roads are wide and the houses large—it'll grab me in an instant, and can you even beat it?"

It cried "meow" like that, yet its body involuntarily turned right, running toward Pan Yun.

The shadow loomed overhead; Pan Xiaohei felt its life hanging by a thread, sprinting desperately while shouting: "Black cat, spiritually attuned—I spent forever cultivating this body! If it dies, you must promise to let me return to my original form!"

"Fine!" Pan Yun agreed at once. "If it kills you, I'll let you return to your original form—and I won't seal you."

Pan Xiaohei stopped whining.

Though it desperately wanted to return to its original form, for some reason, Pan Xiaohei now fought with all its might to flee, using every possible object as cover.

Wherever it passed, screams erupted everywhere; many people rushed out to watch, crying: "Eagle! It's a giant eagle! So huge! Quick, get the children back inside!"

Pan Xiaohei moved at incredible speed; in the time it took to say those few words, it had already raced back—and just as it leapt to dash through the high window of the Imperial Prison, Yin Song and the four officials—Chun, Qiu, Zhong, Dong—arrived, rushing from multiple directions, shouting: "Demon! How dare you stir up chaos in Jingcheng? Do you think the Imperial Astronomical Bureau is dead?"

The four officials: two charged at the eagle, two charged at Pan Xiaohei; Yin Song didn't blink—he lunged straight at the eagle.

Pan Yun's eyes snapped open as she rose; before Wang Zhen beside her could speak, she leapt upward, smashing the high window with a kick, then shot out through it.

Wang Zhen's eyes widened, then he shouted excitedly: "Pan Yun escaped! Pan Yun escaped! Someone! Someone, please—"

But no one came.

The prison guards all held swords, stationed at every checkpoint, especially thick at the gate, now staring tensely at the sky.

The moment Pan Yun appeared, the eagle in midair instantly swelled threefold, slammed its wings down hard, and sent Yin Song and two other officials flying.

Its claws then lunged violently toward the chests of the flying Yin Song and Chun Official.

Pan Yun, having just emerged, had no time to aid Pan Xiaohei under attack—she leapt straight up, drew her sword, slashed once with a flash—the sword qi clashed with the eagle's claw like metal striking stone, briefly halting it; Chun Official crashed to the ground.

Zhong Official abandoned Pan Xiaohei, leapt forward to catch Chun Official; both retreated seven or eight steps before stopping, then looked up to see Pan Yun locked in fierce combat with the eagle—she grabbed Yin Song, shoved him downward with a palm strike.

Dong Official, also flung back but dodged the claw, crashed to the ground with a thud; Qiu Official caught Yin Song and saw his left arm pierced through—his face paled: "Such a brutal eagle—is it transformed?"

"What a brutal human—Pan Yun can withstand so many strikes from that eagle!"

Yin Song spat blood, grabbed Zhong Official: "No more talk—form the formation now!"

Zhong Official: "What formation? This eagle came for Pan Yun—look, its face turned human! I told you it transformed! Why form a formation now?"

He turned and shouted toward the imperial palace: "Master Zhang, save us—!"

Yin Song paused, then immediately turned too, shouting in unison: "Master Zhang, save us—!"

Chun, Qiu, and Dong Officials: …Chun Official immediately spun around: "I'll ring the bell!"

Qiu Official and Dong Official fell silent for a moment, then silently drew their swords: "We'll help Pan Yun!"

They leapt upward, but before they could close in, the eagle flapped its wing—a gust of air slashed through them, carving bloody gashes across their bodies.

They blocked midair with sword qi, but barely held for less than five breaths before being repelled.

Pan Yun held her sword horizontally before her, qi surging rapidly to block the wind and force; she glared fiercely into the eagle's eyes, and as pressure mounted, she resolved to fight to the death—she roared: "Pan Xiaohei—"

Pan Xiaohei, hidden inside the Imperial Prison, closed its eyes, sent its spirit out, and instantly returned to its original body.

A flash of white light appeared on Pan Yun's forehead—a half-open lotus jade tablet materialized before her; she instantly reversed her sword, slowly raised it, gathered all her strength, then slashed forward with all her might: "Go!"

The sword light pierced through the eagle's wind realm and qi realm, striking straight at the eagle.

It shrieked, flapped its wings upward, evading the slash.

The sword qi pierced its wing, leaving a bloody hole in its left wing.

Enraged, the eagle shrieked at Pan Yun, its wings slicing toward her like blades.

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The next instant, an invisible barrier appeared before Pan Yun, while another, like a pot lid, enveloped the eagle, trapping the full force of its wing strike within.

A man appeared out of thin air beside Pan Yun.

Pan Yun, gripping her sword, turned her head and saw him—she blinked.

Last time she'd seen him through Pan Xiaohei's eyes; now, standing here herself, she realized he was truly tall.

Zhang Zijin turned his head to look at Pan Yun.

The two stared at each other for a moment; Zhang Zijin said: "You don't seem like someone who just passed Tribulation Crossing."

"What?" Pan Yun didn't react at first.

Zhang Zijin smiled slightly, tapped her forehead: "No wonder you're Pan Gong's disciple—you truly have divine qualities."

The luminous white glow on her brow gradually dimmed, returning to stillness; both human and spirit fell silent.

Zhang Zijin finally looked up at the eagle.

Seeing Zhang Zijin appear, the eagle finally regained its wits and instinctively turned to flee.

But an invisible net bound it.

It roared in fury, ready to destroy itself to break free—but the moment it moved, it broke free.

It opened its beak to cry out—when Zhang Zijin flashed before it, seized its wing, and hurled it violently.

The massive eagle, blotting out the sky, was instantly thrown like nothing, tumbling and vanishing into the distance with a whoosh.

Pan Yun and Pan Xiaohei watched this familiar throwing motion, this familiar tumbling posture—and fell silent.

Zhang Zijin clapped his hands: "No matter what demon it is, if it comes again, this will be its fate!"

(End of Chapter)