Joy of Life: Me, the Second Prince? Summon Yuan Tiangang!

The sky was filled with sword shadows, like a black rainstorm, completely blocking Fan Xian who had just rushed out of the carriage.

The assassin, whose sword was of the "Kill" rank, was both incredibly fast and incredibly deadly. The eerie blue light on the blade traced deadly trails in the dim canyon, and a faint, sweet, metallic scent even filled the air.

Fan Xian's pupils contracted sharply, and the domineering true energy within his body was pushed to its limit at this moment. He had already suffered serious internal injuries in Northern Qi, and his meridians were damaged. Now, forcibly circulating his true energy, he felt as if his internal organs were being burned by raging fire.

"Get out of my way!"

Fan Xian roared and thrust both palms forward, unleashing a violent, invisible wave of energy that attempted to shatter the countless sword shadows.

However, the assassins of the Luo Wang (Net of Heaven) are born to kill. They are skilled in stealth and assassination, and even more skilled in how to deliver a fatal blow when their target is at its weakest.

Facing Fan Xian's ferocious palm strike, the assassin advanced instead of retreating. His body twisted at an extremely bizarre angle, actually passing right through the gap in Fan Xian's palm strike. The black rapier in his hand, like a venomous snake's tongue, aimed straight for Fan Xian's brow!

too fast!

A hint of despair flashed in Fan Xian's eyes. He had just exerted his strength, but his old strength was exhausted and new strength had not yet been generated. At this moment, he was unable to make an effective dodge.

At this critical moment, a white figure crashed into them from the side like lightning.

It is Yan Bingyun!

This only son of the Imperial Advisory Council, this intelligence genius who endured torture in Northern Qi but never yielded, made the last and most resolute choice of his life at this moment.

"Pfft!"

The sound of a sharp blade piercing flesh was particularly jarring in the canyon.

Time seemed to stand still at that moment.

Fan Xian's eyes widened, and his eye sockets instantly became bloodshot and turned red.

He saw Yan Bingyun stand in front of him, and the black rapier coated with deadly poison pierced through Yan Bingyun's chest without any resistance, emerging from his back. A drop of dark blue poisoned blood from the tip of the sword even dripped onto Fan Xian's cheek, chilling him to the bone.

"Yan Bingyun—!" Fan Xian let out a heart-wrenching roar.

Yan Bingyun's face turned ashen in an instant. The deadly poison was incredibly potent, instantly destroying the life force within his body. He gripped the assassin's sword-wielding arm tightly, preventing the assassin from withdrawing the sword and retreating. Black blood kept gushing from the corner of his mouth, but his usually icy eyes now revealed a resolute and relieved expression.

"Go...back to Kyoto..." Yan Bingyun uttered a few words with difficulty, each word accompanied by a gush of poisonous blood.

The assassin's eyes were cold, devoid of any emotion. Seeing that his attack had failed to kill his primary target and that his weapon was firmly restrained, he decisively released his grip on the hilt and retreated rapidly.

"Trying to leave?! Leave your life behind!"

Fan Xian went completely mad. The domineering true energy within his body surged out of control like a flood bursting its banks. He drew the Great Wei Emperor Sword from his waist and slashed at the retreating assassin without regard for anything else.

A visible, violent sword aura tore through the air, carving a deep trench in the ground.

The assassin, suspended in mid-air with no way to dodge, could only cross his arms in front of his chest and take the hit.

"Bang!"

The assassin was struck by the violent sword energy, letting out a muffled groan as his body flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily against the cliff wall and spitting out a mouthful of blood.

But he didn't die; the Luo Wang assassins were incredibly resilient. Using the force of the recoil, he clung to the cliff face like a gecko and quickly climbed upwards.

Meanwhile, the other three assassins, who were locked in combat with the Tiger Guards, abandoned their fight after hearing the assassin's sharp whistle. They feinted, forcing Gao Da and the others back, and then, like black lightning, swiftly disappeared into the dense forest on either side of the canyon.

They come like ghosts and go like wisps of smoke.

The entire assassination attempt, from its inception to its conclusion, took only a dozen or so breaths.

But what was left for the mission was a devastating blow.

"Chase him! Chase him!" Gao Da, his eyes red, grabbed his knife and charged into the dense forest.

"Stop chasing..."

Fan Xian's weak voice came from beside the wreckage of the carriage.

Gao Da turned around abruptly and saw Fan Xian kneeling in the mud, tightly holding Yan Bingyun, who had already stopped breathing.

Yan Bingyun's eyes were still open, seemingly gazing in the direction of Kyoto, but his pupils were already dilated. The black dagger was stuck in his chest, and the black poisoned blood had stained his white clothes black.

Fan Xian trembled all over as he tried to protect Yan Bingyun's heart meridian with his inner energy, but the poison was too potent, and Yan Bingyun's body had already turned ice-cold.

"Yan Bingyun... wake up... you blockhead, don't die..." Fan Xian's voice was terribly hoarse, and tears mixed with rainwater slid down his cheeks.

Not far away, two Tiger Guards lay in pools of blood, their fate unknown.

Fan Xian suddenly felt dizzy, and the uncontrolled true energy in his body began to backfire. Coupled with the forced exertion of his power just now, his meridians were on the verge of collapse.

"puff!"

Fan Xian tilted his head back and spat out a mouthful of blood. His vision went black, and he completely lost consciousness.

"My lord!" Wang Qinian rushed over, tumbling and scrambling, letting out a terrified scream.

Inside the Eagle Falling Gorge, only the howling wind and the desperate cries of the delegation remained.

……

Two days later.

A fast horse was charging wildly through the torrential rain, crashing against the gates of Kyoto.

The rider, covered in blood with two feathered arrows embedded in his back, held aloft a red command flag signifying utmost urgency. He roared at the top of his lungs, "Urgent dispatch! The mission has been attacked! Open the city gates! Open the city gates now!"

Upon seeing this, the soldiers guarding the city were terrified and hurriedly pushed open the heavy city gate.

The swift horse charged into the capital like an arrow, its hooves pounding through the puddles on the streets, bringing with it news that would shake the world to this seemingly peaceful imperial city.

"The mission was ambushed by unknown assassins at Eagle Falling Gorge!"

"Yan Bingyun, son of Yan Ruohai, the host of the Four Directions... died on the spot!"

"It is precisely because Lord Fan Xian is severely injured, poisoned by a rare toxin, and his life hangs by a thread!"

The news spread like wildfire, reaching every corner of Kyoto within just half an hour.

The entire city of Kyoto was instantly shrouded in a suffocating shadow.

That was an envoy representing the honor of Daqing! They were heroes who had made great contributions to the Northern Qi and were about to return in triumph! Yet they were assassinated only three days' journey from the capital!

What's even more frightening is that, according to the intelligence that came back, there were only four assassins.

Four assassins wearing black masks with blood-red spiders printed on their foreheads.

Net!

The imperial court was thrown into turmoil! Officials were in uproar!

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