The Mirror of Startling Beauty: Her courtiers are everywhere

Emperor Xingze Si Xingzhou, in order to avenge his sickly but arrogant younger brother Si Xingxuan, secretly dispatched his most elite guard force—the Xingyuan Guard.

The decree was clear: to "invite" Princess Tang Xixue, the most precious jewel in Emperor Shengchen Tang Xiye's heart, back to Xingze.

That night, the wind and snow continued.

A group of dark figures swept across the snow-covered surface of Mirror Lake like ghosts, their toes touching the floating ice without disturbing a ripple.

The dark-colored outfit blended perfectly into the night, except for the star-patterned token hanging at the waist, which gleamed with a cold, eerie blue light in the occasional flashes of snow—a symbol of the Star Abyss Guard.

They were well-trained, their presence almost imperceptible, like part of the darkness itself, silently approaching the lakeside "Mirror Night Snow Lodge," its lights already extinguished.

However, just as the leader lowered his hand and was about to lead the group over the courtyard wall covered with withered vines—

"Click."

The extremely faint yet crystal clear sound of ice and snow cracking rang out simultaneously from all directions.

It wasn't the sound of wind, nor the sound of falling snow.

It was the sound of boot soles crushing thin ice, uniform and rhythmic, carrying a chilling, murderous cadence.

In the next instant, the darkness seemed to take on a physical form.

Countless figures, darker than the night, emerged silently from the bamboo groves, rockeries, and even the shadows reflected in the lake surrounding the Snow Pavilion, like an ink tide surging from the ground.

They wore uniform light armor made of black iron, the plates polished to a dull, dark finish, with only a purple crescent moon emblem on their shoulder that radiated a chilling aura in the snowy light.

Each person wore a black iron mask that covered the lower half of their face, revealing only pairs of cold, deep eyes that showed no emotion, only a focused intent on locking onto their prey.

The Nightblade Legion, the most elite assassination and protection force in the War Hall.

Like a pack of wolves that has been lying in wait for a long time, they have encountered an intruder who has entered their territory.

In the blink of an eye, dozens of Star Abyss Guards were silently surrounded by Nightblade, who outnumbered them several times over.

There were no shouts, no warnings, only the almost inaudible metallic scraping sound of cold weapons being drawn, and the sudden, intense, and suffocating killing intent that spread out.

"Intending to assassinate my lord—"

A voice colder than the night wind rang out, and Qian Su slowly stepped out from the shadows under the eaves.

He wasn't wearing armor, just a black outfit, and the bloody aura emanating from him, forged in the crucible of countless battles, caused the leader of the Star Abyss Guards, who was surrounded, to shrink in shock.

Qian Su's gaze swept over the group of uninvited guests like an icy blade, finally landing on the star-patterned token, a cold smile curving his lips.

"The Star Abyss Guards of Xingze? They're a rare sight indeed." His voice pierced through the wind and snow. "Unfortunately, they've come to the wrong place."

He slightly raised his hand and made a simple gesture.

"Take it down."

"yes!"

The responses were deep and orderly, like muffled thunder rolling across a snowfield.

Ye Feng made his move.

There were no dazzling moves, no lengthy grappling.

Their movements were concise, efficient, and deadly, like the most meticulously calculated killing machines.

Although the Star Abyss Guards were also elites selected from among the best, their resistance quickly crumbled in the face of the Nightblade, whose numbers and combat experience far surpassed their own.

In the short time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the one-sided suppression had already ended.

All the Star Abyss Guards had their joints removed and acupoints sealed, and were thrown onto the cold snow like lambs to the slaughter.

Only now did the captured leader of the Star Abyss Guards regain a sliver of his senses from the immense shock and humiliation. He glared at Qian Su, his voice hoarse with pain and disbelief:

"No...impossible! His Majesty clearly said...that she was just an ordinary princess...and this residence...at most, just some ordinary guards..."

His gaze swept over the silent, towering figures of the Nightblade, their auras thick and terrifying. His voice grew softer and softer, finally fading into a desperate murmur:

"How could it be the Lord of the Battle Hall... Nightblade?"

He suddenly remembered a tyrant whose name was circulated among the high-ranking officials and the underworld of various countries, and who inspired fear in all who heard of him.

And the related legends of mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

His face turned deathly pale instantly, and even the wounds seemed to stop hurting, leaving only a bone-chilling cold.

Another Star Abyss Guard, pinned to the ground, was almost in tears, his voice trembling with collapse:

"Master of the War Hall... Bei Chenji? He... how could he be here?! This is completely different from the intelligence! If we had known earlier that the target was that... that master..."

He choked up, as if even saying that name required courage.

"Then it shouldn't have been us who came! This... what's the difference between this and willingly handing our heads to the guillotine?!"

The remaining Star Abyss Guards also looked ashen-faced.

Everyone knows that the Nine Provinces are divided into three factions: Yun Jue controls the treacherous killings, Shan Hai controls intelligence, and Zhan Tang has the largest army and the strongest iron cavalry.

Its lord, Bei Chenji, was known throughout the world for his decisiveness and ruthless cruelty.

That was a name that truly emerged from mountains of corpses and seas of blood, forging a throne of bones through the destruction of countless forces and powerful figures.

Kidnapping a princess who is rumored to be weak and easily bullied?

At that moment, all they wanted to do was grab the person who delivered the intelligence by the collar and roar, "You call this nothing special?! This is clearly an attack on the lair of the most ruthless killer in the underworld!"

Qian Su gave them a cold glance.

He waved his hand dismissively, his tone indifferent:

"Take them away and interrogate them separately."

"yes!"

Ye Feng responded and dragged the powerless Xingyuan Guard into the deeper darkness, as if pulling a sack of potatoes.

Only messy drag marks and gradually freezing bloodstains were left on the snow, which were quickly covered by newly falling snowflakes.

Qian Su turned around and looked at the tranquil and peaceful Mirror Night Snow Lodge behind her.

The prince rarely gets a good night's sleep.

Anyone who tries to disturb the tranquil lights amidst this snowstorm deserves to die.