Chapter 4: Stumped the Kidnappers

The Prince whom Zhong Ling had claimed would be scared witless and useless was currently being dragged by the back of his collar, traversing through the dense forest.

Xiao Tian, being carried, wasn't flustered in the slightest, calmly gnawing on the roasted wild boar leg in his hand.

"The taste is really good. It's a pity, Wangcai, you can't taste it," Xiao Tian savored it while teasing the System.

He had no awareness whatsoever of his abducted situation.

[This is my regret, Respected Master.]

The System replied cautiously; every time it spoke, it had to carefully consider its words.

Because if this lord became unhappy, he could erase it.

The people who abducted Xiao Tian were very fast, and in a short while, they arrived in a valley.

"We've brought the person," the black-clad abductor said after landing, throwing the person in his hand onto the ground.

The three figures already waiting in the valley looked towards Xiao Tian, their expressions freezing slightly.

Xiao Tian, sitting on the ground, continued gnawing on the roasted pork leg in his hand, seemingly without the slightest awareness of his own situation.

"Fourth Brother, are you sure you didn't grab the wrong person?" the leading thin man among the four black-clad individuals frowned. "The Empress's husband, could he really be such a simpleton?"

The two black-clad men beside him also had strange expressions.

He's been kidnapped, yet he's calmly eating away. If he's not a simpleton, what is he?

The four stared at Xiao Tian, shaking their heads repeatedly, and started chatting among themselves.

By the edge of the valley, in the shadows of the bushes, Zhong Ling, half-crouching, also had her mouth twitching.

Looking at Xiao Tian still gnawing on the meat, Zhong Ling sighed inwardly, "He truly is carefree. What exactly did His Majesty see in him?

However..."

Gazing at the four people in front, Zhong Ling's expression turned solemn, and sweat beaded on her palms.

When she first started chasing, she noticed something was off. Now, taking a closer look...

Indeed!

These four people were likely assassins from the Blood Cloud Tower.

The Blood Cloud Tower, the Southern Wildlands' number one assassin organization, had its business spread throughout the entire region. These opponents should be from the Great Yan Dynasty's branch tower.

"This matter is probably not simple!" The pressure in Zhong Ling's heart doubled.

The Blood Cloud Tower's branch headquarters in the Great Yan Dynasty was a tough nut to crack; even His Majesty couldn't find it.

The Blood Cloud assassins suddenly abducted Xiao Tian. What was their intention?

The current plan was to quickly take Xiao Tian away and not engage in battle with these four.

Having made up her mind, Zhong Ling observed carefully, and finding the moment when the four were chatting and their guard was down, she suddenly launched her attack.

Her muscular thighs tensed, and the next moment, a terrifying power erupted. Zhong Ling, like a cheetah, instantly burst out from her hiding place.

"Go!" Zhong Ling let out a low cry and reached out to grab Xiao Tian.

Although she didn't know what they were plotting, as long as she rescued Xiao Tian, got out of Qingyan Mountain, and returned to the Imperial City...

...the Blood Cloud Tower assassins wouldn't dare act recklessly.

Buzz!

Just as Zhong Ling approached Xiao Tian, a vibrating hum sounded, and Spiritual Qi fluctuations emerged.

"Oh no, it's a trap!" Panic appeared on Zhong Ling's pretty face. She wanted to retreat, but it was already too late.

Chains formed from Spiritual Qi patterns shot out from the ground, transforming into a cage that directly trapped Zhong Ling.

"Spirit Chain Cage Array?" Zhong Ling looked at the slowly flowing Spiritual Qi chains around her, her expression as dark as water. "A sixth-tier sealing formation array, you really think highly of me."

"Hahaha, a prodigy who entered the fifth-tier Void-Breaking Realm at only sixteen, of course, she deserves enough respect," the leading Blood Cloud Tower assassin said with a laugh, turning to look at the trapped Zhong Ling.

Xiao Tian, sitting on the ground, silently gnawing on his roasted pork leg and watching the show, asked inwardly, "Wangcai, what's this 'Void-Breaking Realm' thingy? Explain it."

[In the current realm where Master is located, cultivation is divided into ten tiers.]

[First-tier Body Tempering Realm, Second-tier Qi Gathering Realm, Third-tier Core Condensation Realm, Fourth-tier Nirvana Realm, Fifth-tier Void-Breaking Realm, Sixth-tier Life-and-Death Realm, Seventh-tier Awakening Realm, Eighth-tier Transcendence Realm, Ninth-tier Saint Entry Realm, Tenth-tier Saint Realm.]

[Each tier is divided into nine stages.]

Xiao Tian became interested, asking while eating meat, "So, what realm am I in now?"

[Master's realm is none. A common person.]

"..."

***

Meanwhile, Zhong Ling in the formation array made no unnecessary movements. A sixth-tier sealing formation array was very difficult to break.

What she truly worried about wasn't being trapped herself, but what the other party was actually plotting.

The four assassins before her actually knew she was secretly protecting Xiao Tian, and had even set up a formation array in advance to ambush her.

Earlier, their casual chatting and lowered guard was deliberately to make her take the bait.

But Zhong Ling didn't give up. Her hand lightly rested on the hilt of the saber at her waist, her gaze sweeping over the surrounding sealing formation array.

"Don't waste your effort. This formation array is specially made, specifically to counter your Armor-Breaking Slash."

The sudden voice of the leading assassin opposite her made Zhong Ling's body stiffen.

"Who are you?" Zhong Ling fiercely gripped the hilt of her saber, staring intently at the other party. "How could you know?"

Armor-Breaking Slash, that was her trump card. How could this Blood Cloud Tower assassin possibly know?

"How could I know?" The leading assassin took off the mask on his face, revealing a hideous face marred by a saber scar. "You tell me, how would I know?"

She was shocked, "Liang Shou, you're Liang Shou of Smoke Wolf Stronghold, you're not dead!"

Smoke Wolf Stronghold had plagued the region. A year ago, she personally led a team to wipe them out, captured the bandit leader Liang Shou, and had him publicly beheaded.

Why...

Liang Shou looked at Zhong Ling's bewildered expression and sneered, "Little brat."

Then, he noticed Xiao Tian had already finished gnawing on the roasted pork leg, and his mouth twitched.

This guy, he's truly carefree.

"Time to get down to business, Empress's pretty boy," Liang Shou reached out, grabbed Xiao Tian's collar, and lifted him from the ground.

Xiao Tian allowed himself to be dragged, looking like a dead fish.

Seeing Xiao Tian's fearless expression, Liang Shou chuckled, "He is that woman's husband after all. He does have some guts."

As he spoke, Liang Shou made Xiao Tian stand properly and lightly patted his shoulder, "Do you want to live?"

Xiao Tian, looking honest and obedient, replied, "Yes!"

"It's very simple to live. I have a task for you here," Liang Shou said, flipping his hand, and a paper packet appeared between his fingers. "Dissolve this in water and splash it onto the Empress's martial training ground."

"This isn't difficult. As long as you do it, not only will you save your life, but you'll also..."

"No problem!" Before Liang Shou could finish his threats and promises, Xiao Tian had already reached out and taken the paper packet, tucking it into his sleeve.

"..." Liang Shou was silent for a moment, then pulled out a jade bottle. "A verbal agreement isn't enough. As long as you..."

Xiao Tian snatched the jade bottle, pulled out the stopper, and tilted his head back to swallow the poison inside.

"Can I leave now?" Xiao Tian put the stopper back into the poison bottle and returned it to Liang Shou's hand, with a sincere expression. "I'm worried that if I delay too long, those female imperial guards will become suspicious, which would be detrimental to helping you with your task."

Liang Shou was speechless for a long moment, just staring blankly at Xiao Tian.

At this, Xiao Tian frowned.

He was truly tired of all the fighting and killing. He just wanted to casually deal with things, quickly go back to eating roasted meat, drinking a little wine, and being a happy little Prince.

He had been so cooperative, yet this guy in front of him, why was he suddenly motionless?

However, it wasn't that the other party had no reaction.

It was truly Xiao Tian's series of actions that had completely disrupted Liang Shou's train of thought.

This question was beyond the syllabus!

* * *

Proofreader & Editor: Fat Goose 🪶