A fierce wind swept through the hunting ground’s grasslands. At the moment the fire flickered, the clash of blades rang out sharply.
Chaos erupted around the scene. Hai Liangyi sprang to his feet with unexpected strength, crashing into Pan Rugui and shouting, “Eunuch scum! Do not harm my lord!”
Li Jianheng trembled atop his horse, clinging to its neck, eyes shut as he cried out, “Ce’an! Ce’an, save me!”
Xiao Chiye suddenly kicked Ji Lei back, spinning with a blade in hand to pierce the Embroidered Guard attempting a rear attack. Blood splattered across him, but he drew his wolfish blade and advanced two steps, cutting down soldiers from the Eight Barracks as they charged.
Chen Yang had already mounted, yanking Li Jianheng up and blowing his whistle. “Protect the Crown Prince! Break through eastward!” he ordered the prince’s guards.
The horses had barely moved when Ji Lei growled, “Stop them—”
Before he could finish, a blade came swinging at him. He raised his sword to block, only to have the weight of Xiao Chiye’s strike slam into his arms, sending a jolt of pain through him. His throat strained as he stumbled under the impact, eyes widening in shock.
Xiao Er!
“You’re hiding your strength!” Ji Lei crouched, muscles coiling, shouting, “I misjudged you!”
Xiao Chiye sidestepped a sweeping attack, the blade slicing a line of blood from the right side, then collided with Ji Lei again.
Lang Tao’s snow-white cloak surged forward, knocking over a table and dragging the cloth through the fire. The flames roared upward, igniting tents and dry grass. Xiao Chiye, brushing past the cloak, vaulted onto his horse. He struck the horse’s rear under Prince Chu’s mount and commanded, “Go!”
“Protect the emperor!” Xue Xiuzhuo strode forward, pulling Hai Liangyi along. “Hai Lao! Shield His Majesty as we flee!”
Emperor Xiande gasped, lips pale. Xue Xiuzhuo hoisted him onto his shoulders, fleeing through the blaze with the remaining civil officials.
Xi Gu’an moved to pursue, but Hua Sixian pointed directly at Prince Chu. “The emperor’s fate is set. Whether he lives or dies is irrelevant. But tonight, the prince must die! If he escapes, we will all become traitors. Ji Lei, summon the Embroidered Guards and the two thousand troops of Tuan City—surround the hunting grounds! Xi Gu’an, return to the capital immediately! The Eight Barracks will hold the capital firmly.”
At this, Hua Sixian regained a calm composure.
“We have the heir in our hands, and the Empress Dowager guards the palace. So long as the capital remains stable, Prince Chu’s death prevents Qi Zhuyin from acting rashly. As for the Xiao family, there will be ample time to deal with them later.”
Xiao Chiye reeked of blood, lips pressed tight. Every step he took was merciless—anyone who blocked him risked decapitation, regardless of which side they fought for.
Li Jianheng’s stomach churned, but he held his mouth shut, afraid to vomit.
Only forty or so men remained, all Xiao Chiye’s personal guards. The horses thundered relentlessly, while the Embroidered Guards pursued like shadows, never fading.
As they reached the forest edge, Xiao Chiye suddenly shouted, “Scatter!”
The forty men ripped off their guard disguises, revealing identical riding armor to Li Jianheng’s. The group then exploded outward, diving into the trees from multiple directions.
Moonlight hidden behind storm clouds, distance and darkness made it impossible to tell where the prince had gone.
Ji Lei reined outside the forest, spitting fiercely. “Seal the hunting grounds! Dig through the earth if you must! When you find Xiao Er, do not fight him one-on-one—attack in groups of four or more!”
Branches whipped across Li Jianheng’s face, stinging as he blocked them with his arms. The guards had dispersed; only Xiao Chiye and Chen Yang remained.
“Dismount.” Xiao Chiye lifted Li Jianheng and dropped him to the ground, with Chen Yang catching him.
Li Jianheng tumbled in the mud, wailing, “Ce’an, Ce’an, what are you doing?”
“The Crown Prince follows me,” Chen Yang said. “Riding through the forest is too conspicuous! The Embroidered Guards excel at prolonged siege and assassination—mounted, you’d be an easy target!”
“I won’t go!” Li Jianheng trembled, tugging at Chen Yang’s arm. “Ce’an, only you can protect me!”
Xiao Chiye said, “Knock him out and carry him!”
Without waiting for reply, he turned his horse deeper into the woods.
Lightning flashed, illuminating the layered shadows of the forest. Hooves, blades, and running filled the dark with motion, but no words were spoken.
The scent of the coming storm hung heavy. Xiao Chiye rode relentlessly until Lang Tao’s cloak finally slowed.
Suddenly, silence fell.
Rain began to hammer down, a single drop splashing across Xiao Chiye’s vision. In the quiet, a massive presence seemed to rise from the darkness. Countless Embroidered Guards, like a suffocating black net, pressed toward him.
No command was given.
Rain struck relentlessly. A spring-steel blade cut through a drop, reaching Xiao Chiye’s neck.
Lowering his head, his wolfish blade blocked the return of the spring steel blade with a loud “thunk.” He pressed the wolfish blade back into its sheath, the clash shearing the other blade, and the assailant went tumbling into the mud with it.
From all sides, figures leaped.
Xiao Chiye struck his horse, vaulted off, and drew his blade again. The swing cut a circle through flesh, spraying blood across his face as bodies fell.
He landed on the saddle in a crouch, blade half-retracted.
Breathing, rain, silence.
In the pitch-black, he strained every sense. The injured guard from earlier did not make a sound; the surrounding footsteps formed an unbreakable circle around him.
Anyone panicking would give themselves away.
Xiao Chiye waited silently, and Qiao Tianya finally grasped the meaning of a lone wolf.
The more danger, the calmer Xiao Chiye remained, his teeth bared like a predator.
Qiao Tianya’s frustration was palpable—he could not kill Xiao Chiye. Trapped, hindered, every failed attempt risked death. Close-range attacks came only once; fail to seize him, and he would kill you.
Qiao Tianya closed his eyes, reopening them with a ruthless glare. He drew his spring steel blade, stepping forward, and struck at Xiao Chiye’s back.
Xiao Chiye blocked with a twist, elbowing Qiao Tianya in the abdomen. Multiple blades descended. He parried with one arm; a gap on his left was discovered, and a blade slashed toward his face. He elbowed the blade aside, slamming it into his opponent and toppling him.
Qiao Tianya pressed on.
Rain poured, no shouts—only steel rang. Xiao Chiye’s features, washed by the storm, looked even more feral. Amidst the unending siege, he maintained unparalleled focus, repelling wave after wave as if walking on a tiger’s tail in the dark.
Qiao Tianya’s attacks tightened. The wolf is dangerous, yes—but surround him, wear down his patience and calm, and he will reveal a weakness.
Blade wind pressed, rain masked details like hidden crossbows.
Xiao Chiye fought fiercer, blood flowing endlessly. Yet suddenly, Qiao Tianya gestured, retreating his shadows and leaving Xiao Chiye alone in the oppressive silence, disrupting the wolf’s rising momentum.
Rain slid over his hands; he could no longer hear footsteps. Lang Tao grew anxious beneath him, pawing at the ground.
“Click.”
The crossbow’s latch snapped. Xiao Chiye seemed to hear a deafening roar. He spurred his horse, Lang Tao leaping, while he rolled off. Arrows thudded into the mud behind him.
Wiping rain from his face, he saw and heard “click” from all sides, arrows embedded everywhere. He leapt to his feet and bolted.
Annoying footsteps stalked him relentlessly!
An arrow grazed his shoulder, blood running, a tingle of numbness.
Poisoned!
They were hunting him like a predatory beast.
Ahead, the terrain dipped. Xiao Chiye leapt the trench. As his feet hit, a sudden cold gust sliced past.
He rolled forward, just as a blade swung through his previous position. The assassin hadn’t withdrawn in time; Xiao Chiye pressed him into the mud, snapping his throat.
Arrows scattered into nearby trees. Xiao Chiye hadn’t yet risen when a kick struck his back. Detecting a rear threat, he rolled into the brush, steadying himself.
Seeing the figure before him, he licked blood from his teeth, calling tenderly, “Lanzhou…”
Shen Zechuan knelt with one hand on the ground, a thin blade between his fingers, lunging at him in the rain.
Xiao Chiye caught the handle of the blade, surprised Shen Zechuan had reached him, and flipped him onto the ground. Mud sprayed. Wolfish blade swung, aiming for Shen Zechuan.
Shen Zechuan pressed down, face-to-face with Xiao Chiye. He deflected the blade, blood spattering across his face, dripping into the wolf’s brow.
The Embroidered Guards pressed from behind. Shen Zechuan tried to rise, but Xiao Chiye pinned him, faces inches apart.
Breathing hard, Xiao Chiye said, “So eager to die with someone?”
Shen Zechuan lowered his head. “Hit by arrows, the wolf should barely move. Slowed this much… won’t succeed.”
Xiao Chiye’s thumb slid over Shen Zechuan’s throat.
“Crushing a neck like this… achievable.”
Figures emerged from the brush. Shen Zechuan didn’t look, throwing knives that felled them instantly. Eyes still sharp, he dragged Xiao Chiye down the slope.
Qiao Tianya arrived moments too late, only two bodies left. He examined them briefly, removed the blades from their throats, and squinted. “This isn’t Xiao Er’s style… how were these assassins planted? Xiao Er is chained to the Northern Capital—he must not die. Isn’t that understood?”