Chapter 296: Precious Tranquility

Chapter 296: Precious Tranquility

The Crown Prince’s toes lightly tapped the ground, and a surge of golden Martial Path Origin Qi erupted from his soles, soaring to the top of the Savage Dragon’s head. His aura towered into the heavens, shaking the very cosmos.

In his hand, he gripped the Dragon-Subduing Sword, its blade shimmering with draconic patterns. With a single slash, it seemed to cleave apart the sky and earth.

"Roar!"

At the same time, the Savage Dragon spewed a mouthful of purple Dragon’s Breath Flames, condensing into dozens of fireballs that rained down from above.

Ning Xiaochiao gripped his blade with both hands and struck the ground. Instantly, a 5-meter-wide Earth Fissure split open beneath him.

"Boom—!"

With the fissure as the epicenter, the earth upheaved, sending rocks and debris flying skyward before crashing down toward the Crown Prince and the Savage Dragon.

"Swish!"

A domineering blade light tore through the debris, slashing directly at the Crown Prince’s shoulder and sending him tumbling off the Savage Dragon.

The Golden Thread Divine Robe on the Crown Prince’s shoulder was torn open—a first in its thousand-year history as a royal treasure. The sight left the Crown Prince utterly shocked.

Twisting midair, the Crown Prince reversed his momentum and thrust his sword toward Ning Xiaochiao’s left rib—the location of his heart.

Unfazed, Ning Xiaochiao landed on the Savage Dragon’s back and raised the Heavenly Emperor’s Blade to block the Crown Prince’s earth-shattering strike.

"Bang!"

The Savage Dragon’s tail lashed toward Ning Xiaochiao with terrifying force, comparable to a full-powered strike from a Martial Venerable.

"Annihilation Sword Soul!"

Ning Xiaochiao wielded the Heavenly Emperor’s Blade like a sword, channeling the Annihilation Sword Soul technique. A wisp of power from the Annihilation Path Founder coalesced behind him, forming a towering demonic phantom.

The moment the phantom appeared, the Crown Prince’s heart trembled, gripped by an instinctive fear.

"Slash—!"

The blade light flashed.

The Dragon-Subduing Sword in the Crown Prince’s hand was severed, its broken half clattering to the ground.

The overwhelming Sword Qi pierced through the Golden Thread Divine Robe and struck the Crown Prince’s body, numbing his limbs and forcing him to retreat explosively.

Had it not been for the protective robe, that single strike would have left him grievously wounded.

"Boom!"

The Savage Dragon let out a mournful cry before its body shattered into eighteen glowing Dragon Eyes—priceless treasures so rare that even one was nearly impossible for ordinary people to obtain. Only someone of the Crown Prince’s exalted status could possess eighteen at once.

With a flick of his sleeve, Ning Xiaochiao collected all eighteen Dragon Eyes into the Heaven and Earth Bag.

"Let’s go."

Ning Xiaochiao reached out and scooped the Black-Clad Woman into his arms, his hand resting on her slender waist. Her body was light, requiring no effort from him.

"Still think you can leave?"

Yue Wuyang’s icy voice disrupted the Profound Qi in the air, resonating like the toll of a Heavenly Thunder Bell.

Emerging from the darkness, his Martial Path Aura radiated with overwhelming intensity—far surpassing the Crown Prince’s. He was a true Marquis, a god of war who commanded awe with every step.

With each stride he took, a 33-meter earthen wall rose from the ground. Sixteen steps later, sixteen towering walls encircled the battlefield.

These were no ordinary walls—they were divine barriers forged from Martial Path Origin Qi, sturdier than the ramparts of most cities, capable of trapping even the most skilled Martial Artists within.

Under immense pressure, Ning Xiaochiao channeled all his Profound Qi and unleashed seven consecutive slashes toward Yue Wuyang.

At the same time, he immediately turned and slashed at the earthen wall, forcibly breaking through all sixteen layers. The recoil sent a numbing shock through Ning Xiaochiao's arm.

Fortunately, the weapon in his hand was none other than the legendary "Heavenly Emperor's Blade." Had it been any other Mystic Artifact, it would have shattered under the wall's backlash.

Holding the Black-Clad Woman, Ning Xiaochiao fled into the darkness and vanished without a trace.

Seven surges of Sword Qi rushed toward Yue Wuyang but dissipated automatically three meters away from his body.

Yue Wuyang pursued them into the darkness, chasing for dozens of kilometers, yet found no trace of Young Master Chuan or the Black-Clad Woman.

The Crown Prince and the Lingyi State Preceptor caught up but also failed to locate Young Master Chuan.

The Lingyi State Preceptor activated the Wisdom Eye Dao Technique, scanning the area within a radius of 500 kilometers, yet not even a footprint of Young Master Chuan could be found.

"No need to search further. They escaped underground," Yue Wuyang said.

The Lingyi State Preceptor's expression turned grave. "What do we do now? If a major figure of the demonic path like Young Master Chuan escapes, the consequences will be endless."

"They are both severely injured and cannot have gone far. As long as we order the military forces from major strongholds to encircle this region and conduct a thorough search, we will undoubtedly find them." Yue Wuyang's calm demeanor and profound gaze suggested everything was under his control.

The Lingyi State Preceptor glanced at the sword wound on his arm. "Young Master Chuan's cultivation is so formidable. Are you certain he is truly injured?"

Yue Wuyang fixed him with a stare. "Hmph. Young Master Chuan's strength may not be as great as you imagine."

With that, Yue Wuyang turned and left.

100 kilometers outside the Imperial City, in a mountain hollow, the soil on the ground began to churn, forming a swirling vortex.

Whoosh!

A massive beast with a Qilin's head and the body of a pangolin emerged from the earth—none other than the underground royal, the Tai Sui Beast.

Ning Xiaochiao, still holding the Black-Clad Woman, leaped down from the Tai Sui Beast's back and carefully laid her delicate form on the ground.

The mist around her had completely dissipated, revealing her fair and slender arms, long and shapely jade-like legs, and silky black hair cascading down. Her figure was exquisitely curvaceous, every line flawless and enchantingly alluring.

Even with her face veiled in black gauze and her body concealed beneath a dark robe, she was enough to make one's heart race.

Ning Xiaochiao took out an Intermediate Elixir, gently lifted the back of her head, and fed the pill into her small, rosy lips.

The elixir melted upon entering her mouth, seeping into her bloodstream and circulating throughout her body to stabilize her injuries.

The Black-Clad Woman had single-handedly held off three Martial Venerables, suffering grievous wounds that left her Martial Arts Heart Palace in tatters. Her vitality had grown dangerously faint.

Fortunately, her cultivation had reached the Earthly Venerable Realm, granting her a physique far surpassing ordinary people. Moreover, her Special Heart Palace had allowed her to cling to life. Had it been any other Martial Artist, they would have long perished.

The Pill Qi from the Intermediate Elixir dispersed, enveloping her body entirely. The skin on her legs, arms, and neck turned crystalline white as it instinctively absorbed the Profound Qi drifting in the air.

Gradually, the Black-Clad Woman's condition stabilized. Her long lashes fluttered as she opened her eyes, propping herself up with her palms to sit upright.

She glanced around, her round eyes fixing on Ning Xiaochiao, who stood beneath a tree.

Her fingers quickly touched her cheeks, feeling the veil still in place, which put her at ease.

Ning Xiaochiao also swallowed an Intermediate Elixir to heal his wounds, glanced at her, and pursed his lips before saying, "Thank you."

"Mmm."

The Black-Clad Woman responded softly, gritting her teeth as she forced herself to stand and prepared to leave.

Ning Xiaochiao said, "Can you take off your veil?"

"No."

The Black-Clad Woman was stubborn, unwilling to let Ning Xiaochiao know her identity. Limping forward, she said, "This is all I can do for you. Whether you can escape from Yue Wuyang and the Crown Prince depends on your luck..."

Her foot slipped, and with a sharp cry, she tumbled down a steep slope. Her wound struck a jagged rock, sending waves of pain through her body until she nearly lost consciousness.

Ning Xiaochiao dashed over, catching her slender waist in one swift motion before landing back on level ground.

"Whoosh—"

A cool breeze swept past, and the black veil on her face slipped to the ground, revealing a delicate and elegant jade-like countenance.

Under the moonlight, her skin appeared exceptionally fair, reflecting a waxy jade-like glow. Her scattered raven-black hair, delicate eyelashes, crystalline nose, and lips like peach petals all exuded an indescribable beauty.

She immediately lowered her head and turned away.

Originally, she had only intended to save Ning Xiaochiao and leave quietly, not wanting him to know that the Black-Clad Woman was her.

But she hadn’t expected Yue Wuyang’s cultivation to be far stronger than she imagined. If not for Ning Xiaochiao’s rescue, she might not have had any chance to escape today.

Ning Xiaochiao released her, also appearing somewhat awkward.

Though he had long known who she was, the moment the veil slipped away, he still found himself at a loss.

Before Ning Xiaochiao could speak, Madam Silver Pool said first, "Manor Lord, don’t misunderstand. The only reason I saved you was for Qi Ming’s sake. If you died at Yue Wuyang’s hands, Qi Ming would lose his master, and he would surely be heartbroken."

Ning Xiaochiao nodded. "Regardless, I still thank you, Madam."

"Now that you’ve escaped, I shall return to the Imperial City."

Madam Silver Pool had barely taken a step when her legs gave way, and she collapsed to the ground, coughing up another mouthful of blood. Her face was as pale as paper.

Her petite body curled up as she clutched her chest, tears of pain welling in her eyes as if enduring unbearable agony.

Ning Xiaochiao quickly knelt beside her, pressing his fingers to her wrist. His expression darkened as he solemnly said, "Madam, your Martial Arts Heart Palace has suffered an irreparable injury. Even if you recover, your martial arts cultivation may never progress further."

Madam Silver Pool, being an Intermediate Heart Nurturer, was well aware of her condition. "Yue Wuyang and the Crown Prince’s men will surely find us soon. We must leave this place as quickly as possible. My injuries are severe—I need seven days to recuperate."

Ning Xiaochiao lifted Madam Silver Pool onto his back and immediately activated his swift movement technique, rushing out of the mountain pass and disappearing into the dense forest.

Madam Silver Pool lay on Ning Xiaochiao’s back, her arms wrapped around his neck, resting her face against him as she slowly closed her eyes. A sense of unprecedented tranquility filled her heart. Even if her Martial Arts Heart Palace could never fully heal, at this moment, it no longer seemed to matter.

She knew that she and Young Master Chuan were completely different kinds of people, and it was impossible for them to be together, so she cherished the current peace all the more.

Her mind wandered, wondering what Young Master Chuan actually looked like. Was he an elegant scholar or an ugly warrior?

None of that seemed to matter much. Even if Young Master Chuan were hideously unattractive, she wouldn’t care in the slightest—because that wasn’t what mattered to her.

As these thoughts drifted through her mind, her eyelids grew heavier and heavier. Finally, with a faint smile, she fell soundly asleep on Ning Xiaochiao’s back.