“Boom!” Before Consort Jade could step into her luxurious phoenix palanquin, the hedgehog-like soft sedan chair suddenly exploded. Hundreds of arrows shot backward, and the guards around her didn’t even have time to scream before they were sent straight to the gates of hell by their own sharp blades.
The shockwaves from the explosion still rippled through the air, as a figure—covered in countless arrows—slowly emerged from the smoke and dust, powerfully imprinting itself into the eyes of the only two survivors.
“Ahh!” The old eunuch’s body went limp, collapsing to the ground. Facing this terrifying god of death, his earlier cunning and wit had long vanished back into his mother’s womb.
“Y-You… you… are you human or a ghost?” Consort Jade managed to remain somewhat calm, though her tongue stumbled over her words, she still stood her ground.
“Consort Jade? So you’re Consort Jade! What a pleasure to meet you, gah, gah…” The laughter was grating and hideous. The rogue had intended to sound suave, but how could he possibly sound pleasant with an arrow embedded in his neck?!
With a mighty motion, as he took his first bold step forward, he suddenly exerted force and yanked the arrow from his neck.
“Ugh!” The intense pain caused even this miraculous rogue to stagger momentarily, his brows furrowing tightly as he cursed bitterly, “Damn it—”
The vulgar words were crude and savage, but within just a few steps, Qiao San’s voice had already returned to normal, once again deep and masculine, even carrying a hint of masculine magnetism!
“Ahh! A m-monster!” Consort Jade’s face turned deathly pale.
Now, she completely believed the rumors. If this wasn’t a monster, how could someone covered in 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 stamped down. With each step, the arrow lodged in the center of his chest flew out, splattering flesh and blood in all directions. The pain made the rogue clench his teeth, but the suffocating aura of killing intent around him only grew stronger.
“Damn it, you cursed woman! I’ve never met a woman as cunning and ruthless as you! No wonder you’re the offspring of that old dog, Chancellor Zuo!”
With each step he took, another clump of bloodied flesh and arrow shaft was cast onto the ground, another wave of excruciating pain shot through his body, and another surge of hatred burned hotter within Qiao San!
“Boom!” Before the Jade Consort could step into the luxurious phoenix carriage, the hedgehog-like sedan chair suddenly exploded. Thousands of arrows shot backward, and the surrounding guards, without even a scream, were instantly sent to the underworld by their own sharp arrows.
The aftershocks of the explosion were still swirling when a figure—a figure riddled with arrows—slowly emerged from the dust, forcefully imprinting itself into the eyes of the only two survivors.
“Ah!” The old eunuch’s body went limp, collapsing to the ground. Faced with this terrifying killer, the old man’s previous cunning had been scared back into his mother’s womb.
“You… you… are you human or a ghost?” The Jade Consort remained relatively calm, though her tongue was tied, she managed to hold her ground.
“Jade Consort? So you are the Jade Consort! Pleasure to meet you, ha, ha…” The laughter was unbearably grating. The rogue wanted to laugh with ease, but with an arrow stuck in his neck, how could he sound pleasant?
With a swift motion, Bold San took his first step, forcefully pulling the arrow from his neck.
“Ugh!” The intense pain made even the miraculous rogue stagger. His brows furrowed as he cursed bitterly, “Damn it—”
Though the curse was crude, within a few steps, Qiao San’s voice returned to normal, deep and masculine, with a hint of magnetic allure.
“Ah! Demon… monster!” The Jade Consort’s face turned deathly pale.
Now, she fully believed the rumors. If he weren’t a monster, how could he survive being riddled with arrows? And that gaping hole in his neck—how could it vanish so quickly?
Qiao San slowly raised his foot and then stomped down heavily. In one step, the arrow in the center of his chest was dislodged, flesh and blood flying, causing the rogue to grit his teeth in pain. Yet, the suffocating killing intent only grew stronger.
“Damn it, you wretched woman! I’ve never seen such a cunning and vicious woman. Truly the spawn of that old dog, the Left Minister!”
With each step, a chunk of flesh and an arrow were thrown to the ground, each bringing a wave of excruciating pain, fueling Qiao San’s hatred further.
“Great… great immortal, spare me!” The old eunuch wanted to flee, but his legs were too weak to move. As the monster approached step by step, he was terrified to the core. “Great immortal, spare me, this old servant… will serve you… as your slave, spare me…”
“Old man, quite cunning, aren’t you!” Remembering how he had been deceived by an old eunuch, Bold San, who prided himself on his cleverness, was even more furious. He yanked out the last arrow from his leg and raised his hand, ready to plunge it into the old eunuch’s heart.
“Taoist master, it’s inside, I heard screams…” Outside the courtyard, a chaotic sound of footsteps suddenly approached.
The cold glint of the arrow tip paused at the old eunuch’s chest. In that instant, Qiao San’s mind raced through a thousand thoughts, then he turned his gaze to the Jade Consort beside him, catching the glimmer of survival in her eyes.
The eyes of the man and woman met again, but this time it was not a romantic exchange. It was a unique communication between a rogue and a venomous woman. In that glance, they reached a silent agreement.
“Bang, bang…” The tightly shut courtyard door began to tremble, the situation was on the verge of erupting.
With a single hand, Qiao San pulled the cunning and vicious Jade Consort into his grasp. At the same time, he said to the old eunuch, “Old man, use the cunning you used to deceive me. Do you know what to say?”
“Y-yes! Great immortal, rest assured, this old servant won’t say a word wrong!”
The unexpected survival gave Chief Eunuch Li a burst of energy. He rolled over and knelt, kowtowing repeatedly to Qiao San, swearing his loyalty. When he looked up again, the monster and the Jade Consort were gone.
“Crash!” At the very moment the last trace of Qiao San’s robe disappeared, the door latch was violently broken in two, and a crowd of guards and Taoist priests rushed in.
“Taoist master, save me…” Chief Eunuch Li’s legs were trembling, half-genuine, half-feigned. It took him a while to explain what had happened. “A monster suddenly burst in, killed all the guards, and I was knocked unconscious, barely escaping with my life!”
“Where is the monster?”
“G-gone! When I woke up… I saw you rushing in!”
“Chief Eunuch Li, is the Jade Consort unharmed?” The guards were on edge. If something happened to the Jade Consort, even two heads wouldn’t be enough to atone. The royal family had no room for reason!
The old eunuch’s thoughts were similar to those of the guards. He wiped the cold sweat from his brow and forced a cheerful tone, “Her Majesty left earlier, fortunately, or it would have been disastrous!”
“Search! By the Emperor’s decree, search the entire palace tonight!”
The imperial city was completely sealed off, and the palace became the focal point of chaos. After the old emperor fled the palace to escape the demon, the centuries-old, yin-dominated harem suddenly became bustling and filled with killing intent.
The palace had never been in such chaos as it was tonight. Teams of imperial guards charged around with torches, while Taoist priests appeared and disappeared mysteriously. Mortals and cultivators joined forces to hunt down their common enemy.
“Where is your palace? How about exchanging your life for it?”
Qiao San didn’t need to test to know that with his current injuries, he couldn’t escape. The rogue, with his cunning aura, immediately turned his attention to the hostage.
“The Jade Consort’s palace is over there…” After the initial panic, the Jade Consort gradually calmed down, not only pointing in the right direction but also indicating the correct path.
The remnants of his magical power allowed Qiao San to fly into the Jade Consort’s palace, where he sprawled out on the thick carpet, gasping for breath.
The immediate danger had passed. As Qiao San’s tension eased, the pain surged into his mind like a tide. His exhausted body convulsed in ways it never had before. The extreme weakness made the rogue realize one thing—even the Ten Suns Body wasn’t invincible!
“Old man, quite cunning, huh!” Thinking back to how he had been deceived by a mere eunuch, the normally self-proclaimed clever Qiao San became even more furious. He yanked out the last arrow in his leg and, with a mighty swing of his arm, aimed to drive it straight into the eunuch’s heart.
“Taoist Master, they’re inside! I heard screams…” Suddenly, from outside the courtyard, came a rush of hurried footsteps.
The icy-cold arrow tip froze just above the eunuch’s chest. In an instant, a thousand thoughts flashed through Qiao San’s mind. He turned his gaze toward Consort Jade and caught the glimmer of desperate hope in her eyes.
Their eyes met again—man and woman—though this time it was far from a lovers’ gaze. It was a unique exchange between rogue and poisoness. In that single glance, a silent agreement had already been reached!
“Peng, peng…” The tightly shut courtyard gate began to tremble. The tension in the air was about to explode.
With a single hand, Qiao San pulled the vicious and cunning Consort Jade into his grasp. He then said to the eunuch, “Old man, use that cleverness you used to trick me. Do you know what to say?”
“I… I do! Great immortal, rest assured, old servant won’t say a single wrong word!”
The unexpected survival suddenly gave Manager Li a burst of energy. He rolled over, knelt down, and began kowtowing repeatedly. When he looked up again, the monster and Consort Jade were already gone.
“Bang!” At the exact moment the last edge of Qiao San’s robe vanished, the gate was violently smashed into two pieces, and a crowd of guards and Taoist cultivators rushed in.
“Taoist Master, help!…” Manager Li half-feigned, his legs trembling violently. It took him a long while to finally explain what had happened. “A monster suddenly rushed in, killing all the guards. Old servant was knocked unconscious, barely escaping death!”
“Where’s the monster now?”
“I… I don’t know! When old servant woke up… woke up, I saw you all rushing in!”
“Manager Li, is Consort Jade safe?”
The guards’ hearts were already in turmoil. If Consort Jade had been harmed, even two heads wouldn’t be enough to pay the price. In the royal palace, there was no room for reason.
Manager Li’s thoughts were no different from the guards’. He wiped the cold sweat from his brow and forced a cheerful tone, “The Lady Consort left just in time. Fortunately, otherwise it would have been a disaster!”
“Search! The Emperor has ordered a full search of the palace tonight!”
The imperial city had been completely sealed off, 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 filled with voices and brimming with killing intent.
The palace had never been so chaotic. Squadrons of imperial guards carrying torches charged through the halls, while Taoist cultivators appeared and vanished mysteriously. Ordinary soldiers and cultivators joined forces to hunt their common enemy.
“Where’s your palace? How about I use your life to exchange for safe passage?”
Qiao San didn’t even need to test it—he knew with his current injuries, there was no way he could escape. The cunning rogue immediately turned his attention to his hostage.
“Consort Jade’s palace is in that direction…” After her initial panic, Consort Jade gradually calmed down. Not only did she point in the correct direction, but she also clearly indicated the right path.
What little remaining magical energy Qiao San had allowed him to fly into Consort Jade’s palace. Then, spreading his limbs wide, he gasped for breath and collapsed onto the thick carpet.
The immediate danger had passed, but no sooner had Qiao San relaxed his mental guard than waves of excruciating pain flooded his mind. His exhausted body began convulsing violently, something he had never experienced before. In his extreme weakness, the rogue finally understood one truth—Even the Ten Yang Body had its limits!
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