“Boom!” Before Jade Consort could step into her luxurious phoenix palanquin, the hedgehog-like soft sedan chair suddenly exploded. Hundreds of arrows shot backward, and the guards around were instantly sent to the gates of hell by their own sharp arrows, not even having time to scream.
The shockwaves of the explosion were still rippling through the air when a figure— a figure riddled with arrows— slowly emerged from the smoke and dust, powerfully imprinting itself upon the eyes of the only two survivors.
“Ahh!” The old eunuch’s body went limp, collapsing to the ground. Facing such a terrifying god of death, his earlier cunning had long returned to the womb in fear.
“You… you… are you human or a ghost?” Jade Consort remained relatively calm, though her tongue stumbled, she still managed to stand her ground.
“Jade Consort? So you’re the Jade Consort! Pleased to meet you, ha, ha…” The laughter was piercingly grating. The rogue had intended to sound suave, but how could he possibly sound good with an arrow embedded in his neck?!
With a wave of his big hand, Qiao San took his first bold step forward, and with a sudden forceful motion, he yanked the arrow from his neck.
“Ugh!” The intense pain caused even this miraculous rogue to sway, his furrowed brows cursing angrily, “Damn it—”
Though crude and savage, the curse had barely left his lips when Qiao San’s voice returned to normal within just a few steps, becoming deep, masculine, and even carrying a hint of magnetic allure.
“Ahh! A monster… a monster!” Jade Consort’s face turned deathly pale.
Now, she fully believed the rumors. If he wasn’t a monster, how could someone riddled with arrows still be alive?! Right, how else could the gaping hole in his neck vanish in an instant?!
Qiao San slowly took another step forward, then forcefully brought it down. With that single step, the arrow lodged in the center of his chest flew out, splattering flesh and blood everywhere. Pain shot through him, making him clench his teeth, yet his suffocating killing intent not only didn’t diminish—it intensified.
“Damn it, you cursed woman! I’ve never seen a woman as cunning and ruthless as you! No wonder you’re the spawn of that old dog, Chancellor Zuo!”
With every step he took, another clump of bloodied flesh and arrow was thrown to the ground, another wave of excruciating pain pierced his heart, and another surge of hatred burned hotter in Qiao San’s chest!
“G… Great Immortal, have mercy!” The old eunuch wanted to run, but his trembling legs refused to obey. As the monster approached him step by step, fear gripped his heart so completely he could barely breathe. “Great Immortal, spare me! I’ll… I’ll serve you… as ox or horse, have mercy…”
“Old man, quite cunning, huh!” Thinking back to how he’d been tricked by a mere eunuch, the usually self-proclaimed clever Qiao San grew even more furious. With a forceful yank, he pulled the last arrow from his leg and, with a sweep of his big hand, aimed to plunge it into the eunuch’s heart.
“Taoist Master, it’s in there! I heard screams…” Suddenly, from outside the courtyard, came the sound of hurried footsteps.
The icy gleam of the arrow halted just above the eunuch’s chest. In an instant, a thousand thoughts flashed through Qiao San’s mind. He then turned his gaze toward Jade Consort, catching the glimmer of desperate hope in her eyes.
Their eyes met once again—man and woman—but this time it was no longer a meeting of lovers. It was a unique exchange between rogue and poisoness. In that single glance, an unspoken agreement was reached!
“Peng, peng…” The tightly shut courtyard gate began to tremble. The situation was now on the verge of erupting.
With one hand, Qiao San snatched the venomous and cunning Jade Consort into his grasp. At the same time, he addressed the old eunuch, “Old man, use that clever trickery you used on me. You know what to say, right?”
“I… I know! Great Immortal, rest assured, I won’t utter a single wrong word!”
The unexpected survival reignited Manager Li’s spirit. With a quick roll, he knelt upright, repeatedly kowtowing to Qiao San. When he finally looked up again, the monster and Jade Consort were already gone.
“Bang!” At the exact moment Qiao San’s last trailing garment vanished, the gate was violently smashed into two pieces, and a group of guards and Taoist cultivators rushed inside.
“Taoist Master, save me…” Manager Li half-truthfully trembled with fear, struggling for a long while before finally explaining what had happened. “A monster suddenly burst in, killing all the guards. I was knocked unconscious but miraculously survived!”
“Where is the monster now?”
“I… I don’t know! When I woke up… woke up, I saw you all rushing in!”
“Manager Li, is Empress Jade safe?” The guards were already filled with anxiety. If anything had happened to Jade Consort, even two heads wouldn’t be enough for the emperor’s wrath—there was no reasoning in the royal court!
Manager Li’s thoughts mirrored those of the guards. Wiping away some imaginary sweat, he forced a nervous smile, “The Empress left earlier. Fortunately, or else it would’ve been a disaster!”
“Search! The Emperor has commanded: search the entire palace tonight!”
The imperial city had been completely locked down, and the palace was the most sensitive area. After the old emperor hastily left the palace that night to escape the demon, the harem, which had for centuries been dominated by yin energy, suddenly became bustling and filled with killing intent.
Never before had the palace been so chaotic. Squadrons of imperial guards, torches in hand, charged recklessly through the halls. Taoist cultivators appeared and vanished mysteriously. Ordinary men and cultivators alike joined forces to track down their common enemy.
“Where is your palace? How about we trade your life for the way?”
Qiao San didn’t even need to test it—he already knew that with his current injuries, he absolutely couldn’t escape. The crafty rogue immediately turned his thoughts toward using a hostage.
“The Jade Consort’s palace is in that direction…” After her initial panic, Jade Consort gradually calmed down. Not only did she point out the correct direction, but she also indicated the precise path.
With the last of his residual spiritual power, Qiao San flew into the Jade Consort’s palace. Then, spreading his limbs wide, he gasped for breath and collapsed onto the thick carpet.
The immediate danger had passed. As Qiao San’s tension eased, waves of excruciating pain flooded his mind. His exhausted body began convulsing like never before. His extreme weakness made the rogue realize one undeniable truth—Even the Ten-Yang Body wasn’t omnipotent!
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