Chapter 533: The Truth Unveiled, and Vengeance
Chapter 533: The Truth Unveiled, and Vengeance
Although they had managed to shake off the soldiers, Shangguan Ling didn’t dare to relax, still driving the carriage at breakneck speed.
"We’re getting further off the main road."
Yu Zichuan said.
Shangguan Ling cracked the whip on the horse's rump: "The area is surrounded by soldiers. Do you think it’s easy to break through their encirclement?"
Yu Zichuan: "That’s why I called you. What good are you if you can’t handle this, Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard?"
Shangguan Ling was left speechless.
It had been a while since they last met, and this kid had become quite the smart mouth.
Who taught him that?
Inside the carriage, Chen Long’s perpetually cold expression was filled with worry. It was hard to believe that this emotionless killing machine could also have such a tender side.
He reached out to lift the veil from his sister’s face.
Lu Yuan stopped him: "What are you doing? Only the groom can lift the bride’s veil, not the brother."
Chen Long said: "Then you lift it."
Lu Yuan said with a serious tone: "There are proper rituals for this, and you can't just lift it randomly; according to tradition, you need to use a jade scepter and then drink the ceremonial wine together."
Chen Long’s expression was indescribable: "Why do I feel like you’re trying to take advantage of the situation again?"
Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow: "Not at all."
Before Chen Long could argue, Lu Yuan continued, "If you really want to lift a bride’s veil, go and marry one yourself. I think Liu Ying would be a good match."
Chen Long said coldly: "If you meddle with love matches again, I’ll kill you."
The carriage entered a deserted road, with endless fields of wheat on both sides.
The further Shangguan Ling drove, the more uneasy he felt: "Grand Commander."
Lu Yuan hummed and lifted the curtain: "I feel it too."
An extremely terrifying aura was waiting for them ahead.
Yu Zichuan put away the cloth he was using to clean his bow, stood up, and looked sternly toward the end of the road.
"Someone’s there."
He said.
Shangguan Ling muttered: "Isn’t that obvious? If it’s not people, it must be ghosts. How many? Who are they?"
Yu Zichuan calmly replied: "Four, and I don’t recognize them."
With a ground-shaking rumble, the earth’s dust was stirred up, and a towering, bearded man wielding two massive iron hammers charged toward the carriage with incredible might.
Shangguan Ling felt as if a mountain was pressing down on him. He swerved sharply, veering the carriage to the side.
The man’s hammers struck the ground, creating two three-foot-deep craters.
Shangguan Ling didn’t dare to imagine what would have happened if those hammers had hit the carriage.
"Recognize him?"
Lu Yuan lifted the curtain and asked Chen Long.
Chen Long frowned: "He looks familiar, but I can’t place him."
The hammer-wielding giant sneered: "You don’t remember me, but I recognize you, Shang Jiu."
Chen Long’s eyes widened.
Lu Yuan rubbed his chin, looking at Chen Long’s bronze fang mask: "I can recognize you just by your voice. Looks like you’re an old acquaintance."
Chen Long pronounced each word clearly: "Heaven-Cleaving Hammer, Stone Heaven."
Lu Yuan mused: "Stone Heaven, one of the Four Protectors of the Seven Star Sect?"
Shangguan Ling suddenly understood, slapping his thigh and gritting his teeth: "It’s Xiao Rong'er’s family protector!"
Xiao Rong'er came from a major martial arts clan in the West City. Her family’s influence once rivaled that of the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion. The marriage between the two families was intended to establish dominance in the West City.
Chen Long had visited the Xiao family a few times when he was a child.
Thinking of his murdered parents, Chen Long’s chest surged with unending killing intent: "Since you’re here, the other protectors should be arriving soon, too."
Stone Heaven swung his hammer: "Ha ha ha! Come out, everyone! Shang Jiu has recognized us!"
Three more figures emerged.
One was a bald man dressed in monk’s robes, though he was clearly not a monk.
To his left was a man with a full beard and a fierce expression, wielding an axe.
To his right was a woman around Xiao Rong'er’s age, the only one among the four who wasn’t holding a weapon.
Shangguan Ling stammered: "A monk? A woodcutter? A female Daoist?"
Chen Long said coldly: "They are Golden Bell, Thunder Axe, and Frost Palm."
Realizing something, Shangguan Ling exclaimed: "Ah, the palm that hit Wuyou last time was Frost Palm, right? And this sect was behind it?"
Chen Long said, "The one who used the Frost Palm was Lady Meng. The person we saw in the bandit camp wasn't her."
Shangguan Ling awkwardly replied, "I must have remembered wrong..."
Lu Yuan's lips curled into a smirk. "You've been in the capital for a while now, but you've stayed hidden. You must have been planning to kill and cover your tracks today, so no one would suspect you, right?"
It was clear that Stone Heaven's hammer had no regard for anyone in the carriage.
This showed that Xiao Rong'er's true intention today was not to be a substitute bride but to take Lady Meng's life.
Even the fact that Lady Meng managed to send out a message was likely due to Xiao Rong'er's tacit approval.
She wanted the Crown Prince's Mansion to intercept the bride halfway.
This way, she could kill Lady Meng and frame the Crown Prince's Mansion, achieving two goals at once.
After listening to his Grand Commander's analysis, Shangguan Ling understood the gravity of the situation. "Truly... despicable."
He jumped off the carriage, gripping the Embroidered Spring Knife at his waist, and said arrogantly, "Young Master, there's no need to waste words with these people. Just kill them!"
He drew his knife and slashed fiercely at Stone Heaven.
Stone Heaven watched him calmly and, as he approached, sent him flying with a single hammer blow.
Shangguan Ling stuck out his tongue, rolled his eyes wildly, and crashed to the ground with a thud.
Yu Zichuan's handsome face darkened as he drew his bow and shot an arrow.
Thunder Blade swung his axe, sending Yu Zichuan flying along with his bow.
If not for the Houyi Bow blocking the blow, Yu Zichuan would have been split in two.
Yu Zichuan landed heavily on Shangguan Ling.
Shangguan Ling, who had just climbed out of the pit, was pushed back in by the impact. "......!!"
Yu Zichuan: "Hmm, so soft."
Shangguan Ling exploded: "That's my face!!"
Lu Yuan dusted off his wide sleeves and calmly stepped out of the carriage. "These tricks are not enough to impress me."
Frost Palm Jade Spirit sneered, "Huang Changsun, you have a big mouth but little skill!"
Lu Yuan smiled and drew the heavy sword from Chen Long's back, slashing fiercely at her.
The road was split open by the force of the blow, the crack spreading rapidly to Jade Spirit's feet.
Jade Spirit slapped her palm down, quelling Lu Yuan's sword energy.
Whoosh!
A sharp, needle-like sword energy shot up, slicing across her neck.
Stone Heaven swung his hammer and laughed, "Jade Spirit, even you can be hurt."
Lu Yuan stroked the inscription "Xiao Jiu" on the sword's hilt and returned it to Chen Long. "It's a good sword, but it's my first time using it, so I'm not very skilled. Teach me next time."
Jade Spirit felt deeply humiliated. "You're asking for death—"
Lu Yuan smiled faintly, "Yu Zichuan, if you don't show your true skills, I won't bring you next time."
Shangguan Ling adjusted his head, nearly flattened by Yu Zichuan. "......You've been holding back?"
Yu Zichuan: "Oh."
He slowly rummaged through his pockets.
Jade Spirit sneered, "Punk, I won't stoop to bullying a child!"
She moved to confront Lu Yuan and avenge her earlier defeat.
But as soon as she moved, Yu Zichuan appeared in front of her.
She looked back at where Yu Zichuan had fallen, the beggar-dressed man was still there, how did this kid get so close to her?
She narrowed her eyes coldly, "Kid, you're no match for me. I advise you to step aside."
But something incredible happened.
No matter how she tried to shake him off, the kid stuck to her like glue.
"Refusing the offer of wine, you'll get the penalty drink!"
"Found it."
Yu Zichuan pulled out a few strange bottles.
Jade Spirit sneered, "Poison? I'm not afraid."
Yu Zichuan: "Oh, it's a charm."
Jade Spirit's smile froze on her face.
Stone Heaven laughed, "Hahaha, Jade Spirit, go play with the kid. I'll avenge you!"
Boom!
A powerful punch slammed into Stone Heaven.
Stone Heaven swung his hammer, but he was still forced back, his arm tingling from the impact.
Shangguan Ling blew on his knuckles. "You really thought you were something back there!"
Oh no!
He should have used his iron hammer!
It killed the Commander!
Lu Yuan: "Choose one."
Chen Long: "No need, both are mine. You take her first."
Thunder Blade said, "None of you are getting away!"
Lu Yuan and Chen Long exchanged a glance and simultaneously attacked Golden Bell and Thunder Blade. However, unexpectedly, while they appeared to be fighting the two, their palm strikes and sword auras suddenly turned and attacked Stone Heaven.
Stone Heaven, suddenly caught in a pincer attack: "...?!"
"Ha ha! I'm out of here!"
Shangguan Ling took the opportunity to break free, jumping onto the carriage and taking Meng Qianqian away, dust flying in their wake!
"Heh heh, to think you’d dare challenge the Grand Marshal. What are you, a bunch of fools?"
He wasn’t worried about the other three getting hurt; if they couldn’t win, they could always run. As long as the Lady was not in their hands, the Grand Marshal and Chen Long had no weak spots.
Just as they seemed to be escaping the danger, the horses began to run faster and gradually became uncontrollable. The horses, as if gone mad, suddenly charged into the nearby forest.
And the forest was already filled with ambushes, with arrows raining down densely from all directions.
The horses lost control completely.
A large net fell from the sky.
"You damn—"
Shangguan Ling swung the Embroidered Spring Knife, ready to slash through the net, but he suddenly felt weak all over. "No good, it’s poisoned..."
The horses, maddened, galloped to the edge of a cliff.
At the last moment, Meng Qianqian slowly regained consciousness and used all her strength to pull out a dagger and cut the reins.
The horses fell over the cliff.
Half of the carriage hung precariously on the edge, creaking and swaying.
Xiao Rong'er, disguised and veiled, walked out from behind a tree with a smile.
"Didn’t expect it, did you, Xiao Jiu? The fake marriage was just a ruse; the real goal was to take your life."
Smack!
Meng Qianqian, exhausted, collapsed onto the floor, using her body to hold the other half of the carriage and prevent it from falling.
Xiao Rong'er heard the commotion inside and easily guessed her predicament.
She smiled cruelly. "What are you, to dare compete with my daughter for a life force? What fake marriage, what Prince Jin’s mansion? Once you’re dead, the Phoenix life force will return to my daughter."
"Ah..."
Inside the carriage, Meng Qianqian let out a hoarse cry.
Xiao Rong'er’s eyes showed no mercy, just as they had when she took Shang Jiu’s life force.
In her heart, her two daughters were her life. Anyone who dared to stand in their way would be eliminated without hesitation!
Thud!
Thud!
Meng Qianqian began pounding on the carriage wall.
Xiao Rong'er laughed triumphantly. "Are you begging for mercy? Too late. For my daughter’s Phoenix life, you must die. As for this arranged marriage... well, the Crown Prince’s Mansion insisted on taking Liu Ying. We were quite troubled, but we should thank you for seducing Huang Changsun. Soon, Liu Ying will be dressed in her wedding gown, taken back by Huang Changsun. His Majesty loves Huang Changsun so much; he will surely approve."
Thud! Thud! Thud thud thud…
Meng Qianqian pounded on the carriage wall with all her might.
Xiao Rong'er smiled coldly. "Bring me the bow."
Red Sleeve handed her the bow and arrow.
Xiao Rong'er said, "I, the Lady, will send you on your way."
She shot an arrow into the carriage, the force of her inner energy shattering it and revealing Meng Qianqian in her wedding gown.
The arrow mercilessly pierced her chest, the wind gently lifting her veil.
But that face was not Meng Qianqian’s.
Blood dripped from her mouth and chest, staining her bright red wedding gown.
She fell over the cliff, like a maple leaf forcibly plucked, gazing at Xiao Rong'er with despair and pain. "Mother..."
Xiao Rong'er’s face turned pale, and she stumbled towards the cliff, letting out a heart-wrenching wail:
"No... no... Ziyu—"
This long chapter finally clears Qianqian’s name. Qianqian is a clever treasure. (End of Chapter)
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