Chapter 096: Slaying the Grandmaster (Requesting Subscriptions)

With Fang Xian’s assistance, the esteemed elder of the Golden Sword Alliance—a master of the highest rank—was instantly slain by a group of personal guards. Among them, the squad leader was only of the second tier, and most of the others were third-rate warriors.

“We killed a top-tier master.” Some of the guards still found it hard to believe after felling their foe, but at least they had avenged the sisters who had died by his hand.

“Kill—!”

At the same time, Wu Qingluan had charged into the fray. Seeing many of her personal guards fallen or wounded, she let out a furious cry and lunged at Wan Li Fei, joining forces with the old eunuch to besiege him.

Arrows whistled through the air as Fang Xian, unconcerned for Wu Qingluan’s safety, directed his attack from afar. Shafts flew with deadly precision toward the Golden Sword Alliance and the black-robed men, wounding one villain after another, who were then promptly finished off by the surrounding guards.

With Fang Xian’s support, the Golden Sword Alliance and their black-robed allies were steadily cut down. The guards and the elite warriors of the Eastern Palace, now freed from their previous opponents, turned their focus to besieging the remaining top-tier adversaries.

“The Princess is a grandmaster?” At that moment, the guards and others nearby—including the surviving criminals—realized Wu Qingluan’s true strength. Wan Li Fei was shocked, but under the assault of two adversaries of equal skill, he soon began to sustain injuries.

“Damn it. How could this happen? When did the princess become a grandmaster? She even surrendered her command seal just to conceal her strength? And who is this absurdly formidable master in blue? Could this all be a trap set for tonight?”

Elsewhere, the black-robed master grew anxious. He had discovered that the master in blue was actually superior; now, entangled in close combat, he found no opportunity to break away.

Cries of agony rang out as disciples of the Golden Sword Alliance and the black-robed warriors fell one after another, most hacked to death in the chaos. Having killed many guards and personal attendants themselves, no mercy was shown to them in return.

“This won’t do. If this goes on, we’ll be finished tonight.” Relying on his agility, Wan Li Fei managed to hold off his two assailants, but with his disciples falling and even two top elders slain, he began to lose heart.

“The wind rises, time to run.” With that thought, Wan Li Fei suddenly unleashed his trump card—the “Endless Sands”—forcing Wu Qingluan and the old eunuch back, then fled in the direction of the Taibai Tavern, signaling his men to break out.

“Careful!” Wu Qingluan cried out to Fang Xian as she saw Wan Li Fei fleeing toward him.

Wan Li Fei had noticed Fang Xian on the roof of the Taibai Tavern, firing arrows that had caused heavy losses among his forces, and decided to kill him before making his retreat—confident in his ability to do so.

But as Wan Li Fei charged toward the tavern, Fang Xian suddenly unleashed his “Three Stars Embrace the Moon” archery technique. Three arrows shot forth in a triangular formation, sealing off every avenue of escape around Wan Li Fei.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Wan Li Fei spun his golden sword, unleashing a surge of power that deflected the three arrows, but the force of the clash knocked him back to the ground. In that instant, a brilliant sword-light, dazzling as the midday sun, descended from the tavern roof to envelop him.

With a roar, Wan Li Fei barely managed to parry Fang Xian’s strike—delivered with the fabled Meteor Sword at full force—having not yet regained his footing from the earlier exchange.

The two swords collided with a thunderous crash, unleashing a terrifying force that sent nearby guards flying.

Wan Li Fei, caught off guard, staggered back several steps and coughed up blood, while Fang Xian, whose downward momentum and unleashed strength carried him back to the tavern roof, remained unhurt.

At that moment, Wu Qingluan and the old eunuch closed in. Wu Qingluan thrust her sword at Wan Li Fei’s back, while the old eunuch appeared at his side in utter silence.

Wan Li Fei, hearing the attack, spun and barely managed to block Wu Qingluan’s blade, but was caught off guard by the old eunuch, whose palm struck his chest.

Wan Li Fei staggered back, blood spraying from his mouth, and crashed into a house by the street, smashing through the wall. Just then, an arrow silently struck his thigh.

Wu Qingluan seized the chance to finish him, leaping through the breach in the wall with the old eunuch to pursue Wan Li Fei. The sounds of furious combat rang out once more.

Only a dozen heartbeats later, Wan Li Fei’s agonized scream echoed forth. His body was hurled out, landing heavily in the street, battered and bloodstained.

“Alliance Master!”

Of the dozens of Golden Sword Alliance warriors, only a handful now remained. Seeing their leader’s pitiful state, they cried out in dismay, but they themselves were trapped, completely surrounded by the Princess’s guards and the Eastern Palace’s elite.

Coughing violently, Wan Li Fei struggled to rise. He looked around at his dying disciples and realized his own leg was ruined—escape was impossible.

His gaze hardened. Even if he were to die here today, he would fight to give his disciples a chance to escape. Roaring in defiance, he hurled his golden sword toward the fray, hoping to break the encirclement.

But all his hopes were dashed by a single, sudden arrow. The golden sword was knocked from his grasp, clattering to the ground. At that very instant, Wu Qingluan’s sword pierced his throat, ending his life.

“Alliance Master!”

The dozen or so survivors of the Golden Sword Alliance cried out in despair. They summoned all their remaining strength and charged toward Wan Li Fei’s corpse. Wu Qingluan signaled her guards to let them through, but the encirclement only tightened.

“Alliance Master, we follow you!” Realizing all hope was lost and not wishing to endanger their families by being captured and interrogated, the last of the Golden Sword Alliance slit their own throats.

From the moment Fang Xian and Wu Qingluan had returned, gravely wounding Qiu Qianqiu and besieging Wan Li Fei, to the latter’s death, only a quarter of an hour had passed. Meanwhile, the black-robed master was still trapped in the clinic by the master in blue, unable to break free.

Sensing Wan Li Fei’s death, the black-robed master’s expression changed dramatically. Abandoning all else, he broke out of the clinic and fled in another direction. The assassination attempt had failed; now, survival was all that mattered.