Chapter 48: Longing for You

“Huh? No!”

A thousand divine steeds galloped through Xuanwu’s mind.

Inner monologue: Dear Highness, could you please tell this subordinate, if we’re running, why did we need to build up our emotions first?

Sorry, he was too naive and innocent.

“Your Highness! Wait for me!”

Xuanwu quickly turned, his movements without a shred of waste. In his forty-plus years, the last time he ran this fast was… the last time.

“Chase!”

Rumble!

Endless iron hooves began to stamp. The sound of tens of thousands of armors grinding shook the heavens. Uneven long spears flashed with cold light as they leveled. The vast plain was covered with dense iron cavalry, like a black tsunami rolling towards the horizon.

On the city wall, the richly dressed nobles showed no intention of joining the pursuit.

Though they all stood here to show their stance, each harbored their own schemes.

They weren’t fools. Just from the aura, they knew how terrifying those six were. Even if they caught up, if the six fought back desperately, they might end up dying too.

In the current situation, with His Eminence dead, the empire was about to reshuffle. At this time, protecting their family interests and gaining more benefits was the priority.

“The crown prince and third prince have already left the city in pursuit.”

The one-eyed elder standing in the middle suddenly spoke.

“What does the Black Blood Duke mean by suddenly saying this?” Another elder leaning on a golden lion cane smiled coldly.

The one-eyed elder remained silent.

At the ruins of the Golden Temple.

“Your Eminence!”

Fansai knelt trembling beside the Barbarian Lord’s corpse, weeping bitterly.

“He is really dead. I never thought that the Qing Dynasty had such a powerful force…”

“The plan has failed again, but it’s not without any gain. The Lord Leader won’t blame me, hahaha.”

“Archbishop Fansai.”

Hearing someone call him, Fansai raised his head in a daze.

The mysterious person’s fingers hooked like an eagle’s talons, violently gouging into his heart.

“You!”

Fansai, realizing too late, tried to unleash all his magic power to fight back, but his heart had already been crushed by the mysterious person. His eyes rolled back, and he finally slumped beside the Barbarian Lord.

“One Divine Wandering realm expert’s corpse, one Heavenly Martial Realm expert’s corpse. If made into corpse puppets… hehehe.” The mysterious person covered his face and laughed wildly, already anticipating how the Sect Leader would reward him.

“Come!”

Two similarly black-robed mysterious figures appeared, respectfully saying: “Guardian.”

“Take them all away!”

“Yes!”

“Wait a moment!” A cold voice sounded.

As the mysterious person turned his head, a gorgeous knight’s longsword was already at his throat.

What a fast sword!

The mysterious person’s pupils constricted.

“You are…”

“Leon Hagen • Austin.”

The second prince flourished his sword before sheathing it.

The mysterious person unconsciously touched the blood trace on his neck and smiled, “What business does the Second Prince have with me?”

“You’re the ones who helped father create the immortality elixir?” Cold light flashed in the second prince’s icy eyes.

“Yes, Your Highness. The immortality elixir now only lacks one catalyst.”

The mysterious person looked with interest at this Purple-Gold Grand Duke, rumored to be undefeated in battle.

Indeed, no one could resist the temptation of immortality.

“I’m not interested in eternal life.”

The mysterious person was stunned, following the second prince’s gaze as he turned his head.

In the ruins, the throne representing eternity remained intact, emitting a faint divine aura.

He instantly understood the second prince’s thoughts.

“What does Your Highness want?”

“What do you want?” The second prince retorted, withdrawing his gaze.

“We…”

“You can take the bodies.”

“This…” The mysterious person was at a loss for words, never expecting the other to be so “filial”.

“They won’t care who’s in the coffin. They’ll only care who sits here and can give them enough benefits.”

The second prince’s purple eyes fixed on the direction of the city wall.

“Your Highness speaks truly.” The mysterious person agreed with a smile, then extended his hand, “What we seek is a pair of divine eyes.”

“Divine eyes? How boring.”

The second prince grasped the mysterious person’s still blood-stained hand.

“A pleasure doing business, Your Highness.”

“Likewise.”

Fifty miles south of the capital.

The four Guardian Knights flew at high speed in the air, relying on flight magic branded on their armor. Their long spears transformed into light spears, continuously shooting out beams.

“Boom boom boom!”

A series of light beam strafing, continuous explosions echoed across the land, large clouds of dust rising from the valley.

“Your Highness, we’ve completely shaken off those tens of thousands of cavalry. Should we engage?” Shen Jun asked via voice transmission while dodging the incoming light beams.

They were surrounded by a chain of valleys where cavalry, even if they caught up, couldn’t deploy in formation.

Now it’s six against four, the advantage is ours!

“No, keep running!”

Shen Yian answered very decisively.

These “Guardian Knights” were ancient alchemical creations. Unless their cores were completely destroyed, they were immortal and indestructible beings that only appeared under specific conditions. There was no need to waste time on them.

Having caused such a commotion, barbarian experts were likely converging from all directions. He didn’t want to be surrounded.

With the Barbarian Lord dead, chaos in the Barbarian Nation was inevitable for a time. The rest could be left to the old man and others to handle.

He had his own important life matters to attend to.

Silly girl, wait a little longer. This prince will return to marry you soon!

After another fifty miles of forced march.

The four Guardian Knights in the sky suddenly stopped pursuing, though their spears continued firing light beams.

After another fifty miles, the six slowed down simultaneously.

“What’s going on? They’re not chasing anymore?”

Xuanwu, covered in dust, spat and asked in bewilderment.

“Out of range,” Shen Yian sighed with a smile. It had been a long time since he’d felt such excitement.

“Your Highness, you seem quite familiar with those four?” Xuanwu asked curiously.

“Not familiar, just heard of them.”

“Your Highness, those four aren’t human, are they?”

Xuanwu was puzzled. Running at the back, he had only felt a mechanical coldness from them, completely lacking the vitality of humans.

“Correct, they’re not human.”

“Is it mechanism art?”

“Similar in principle. Here it’s called alchemy.”

“Your Highness is truly erudite.”

As soon as the flattery left his mouth, Xuanwu received disdainful looks from Yin Hai and the other three.

Xuanwu silently turned away. They were the fastest when running, now they won’t even allow him to be quick with words?

Shen Yian smiled slightly: “Rest a bit, then we’ll continue. Let’s try to leave barbarian territory before dawn.”

Saying this, Shen Yian distributed some qi-replenishing pills, and the six found a hidden spot to recover.

Tianwu City – Duke of State’s Mansion.

Ye Liyan stood on the pavilion roof, holding a jade flute, quietly gazing northward.

“Miss, it’s time to rest.”

Jinxiu called softly from below the pavilion.

“Jinxiu, you all go rest first.” Ye Liyan came back to her senses, a crystal tear in the corner of her eye, her voice struggling to remain gentle.

She sensed her beloved was in the north, sensed that tonight three thousand sword intents had slashed across the sky flying north.

His Highness always called her a silly girl, but the silly girl wasn’t silly.

It was His Highness who was silly, always thinking he could fool her.

“Your Highness…”

Ye Liyan’s starry eyes shone brightly, myriad mysteries surrounding her, letting large teardrops fly north with the wind.

In the Heavenly Gate Pavilion, Lu Wenxuan suddenly opened his eyes, quickly calculated something, then smiled ruefully with relaxed brows: “What a devoted little girl.”

In Tianwu City, the sound of a flute suddenly arose, subtle, long and distant. People who were sleeping felt that the fatigue of the day seemed to disappear without a trace at this moment.

I miss you so much tonight and I just hope you are safe.