Chapter 89: Princess Lanfei

Chapter 89: Princess Lanfei

What he had initially thought to be a priceless treasure turned out to be nothing more than a single Bone Bead!

After repeated attempts to study it yielded no results, Ning Xiaochuan tucked the Bone Bead into his robe and resumed his cultivation.

Having absorbed a drop of Martial Venerable’s blood, Ning Xiaochuan’s cultivation had advanced significantly. He needed to refine this newfound power as quickly as possible, converting it into strength truly his own.

"Rustle…"

Late at night, a slender figure descended from the treetops, draped in flowing silks. Her legs were slender and graceful, as pure as polished jade. Her long skirt fluttered in the wind, as if it might lift at any moment, revealing the alluring beauty beneath.

Princess Lanfei was at the tender age of sixteen, her hair like willow strands, her cheeks as bright as the moon, and her eyes deep as emerald pools. A vermilion orchid mark adorned her fair forehead, adding to her noble and elegant aura.

Only a royal woman like her could possess such grace, as if blessed by the heavens—flawless in every way, enchanting without being seductive, captivating without being ostentatious, exuding an ethereal charm.

As she landed, crimson leaves scattered around her like a swarm of red butterflies.

The moment she touched the ground outside the cave, Ning Xiaochuan’s eyes snapped open. He stepped out of the cave and fixed his gaze on the stunning woman standing amidst the trees.

Under the dim moonlight, Princess Lanfei seemed almost like a specter—though Ning Xiaochuan had never seen a specter so breathtakingly beautiful.

Sensing the hostility radiating from her, Ning Xiaochuan silently gathered Profound Qi, his voice guarded as he asked, "Who are you?"

"Ninth daughter of the Yulan Emperor, Yu Lanfei." Her voice was melodious, yet laced with a chilling Cold Qi that sent dust and pebbles skittering across the ground. The force of her words shattered leaves and cracked boulders, revealing her formidable cultivation.

She was no pampered royal—her strength was undeniable.

Ning Xiaochuan frowned. "Princess Lanfei, what brings you here so late at night?"

"To kill you."

Her tone was indifferent, as if ending his life was nothing more than a trivial matter.

Ning Xiaochuan squared his shoulders, shedding any pretense of deference. With a cold laugh, he said, "Your Highness, is this about the Black Firewood Pearls I possess? Or is it because I insulted the Emperor, and you seek to uphold the royal family’s dignity by taking my life?"

Ning Xiaochuan originally carried twenty-six Black Firewood Pearls. After killing the Second Leader, he had taken thirty-two more from his corpse.

Now, he held a total of fifty-eight Black Firewood Pearls, making him one of the examinees with the highest number. Naturally, many would covet them.

Those who sought to kill him and seize the Black Firewood would surely come in endless waves.

"A traitor like you deserves extermination of your entire clan. Though the Emperor deigns not to waste his attention on an insignificant ant like you, this princess will not spare your life. Will you end yourself, or shall I do it for you?" Princess Lanfei’s aura was overbearing.

Ning Xiaochuan understood her confidence—she likely believed his injuries had not yet healed. With her formidable strength, she was certain she could crush him in his weakened state.

However, she would never have imagined that Ning Xiaochuan possessed the Seven Orifices Divine Demon Heart Palace and had consumed both the Blood Toad Pill and the Intermediate Elixir, his injuries already fully healed.

For her, this might very well become a nightmare!

Ning Xiaochuan let out a cold laugh and said, "Your Highness, is there truly no other choice?"

"There is! Submit to me, become my servant, and swallow this 'Heart Palace Jade Gu Worm.' That is your second option—there are no others." Princess Lanfei produced a pill the size of a thumb, its surface smooth as jade, resembling a luminous pearl.

The Heart Palace Jade Gu Worm was not as beautiful as it appeared. On the contrary, it was an extremely vicious poison.

The Divine Masters of the South Wild Tribe cultivated these Gu worms, sealing them within jade pulp to refine this sinister toxin. The worms were then nurtured within a warrior's Heart Palace, used to control high-level servants.

Ning Xiaochuan had not expected Princess Lanfei to be so malicious. "Leave some room for reconciliation—it’s better for future encounters."

"You are in no position to negotiate with me." Princess Lanfei tossed the Heart Palace Jade Gu Worm toward Ning Xiaochuan, as if she had already decided his fate. "Swallow it, and live. Refuse, and die."

Ning Xiaochuan picked up the pearl-like Gu worm pill from the ground and shook his head lightly. "Your Highness is so confident you can kill me? Aren’t you afraid that instead of succeeding, you’ll be captured by me and turned into my... female servant?"

Princess Lanfei sneered mockingly. "You may deceive others, but not me. Your battle with the Second Leader of Dark Emperor City left you severely wounded. Resting at the foot of the mountain for two days—wasn’t that to recover? Even if you weren’t injured, you might not be my match. And now, with your body still heavily wounded, what do you have to fight me with?"

From the forest behind Princess Lanfei, six figures emerged, hidden in the darkness, their sharp eyes coldly fixed on Ning Xiaochuan.

Yu Qianqian and Murong Wushuang were also roused from their slumber, stepping out of the cave, their gazes locked onto Princess Lanfei and her group.

Though both Yu Qianqian and Princess Lanfei belonged to the imperial clan and were known as the "Twin Jewels of the Royal Family," their relationship was far from harmonious. Instead, they harbored mutual hostility, having barely exchanged a word since childhood.

"Attack!"

A strand of Profound Qi shot from Princess Lanfei’s fingertips, striking a large tree in the distance. The moment the tree came into contact with the Profound Qi, it began to grow wildly, its branches twisting into vines and its leaves transforming into tendrils!

"Whoosh—"

The originally 20-meter-tall tree swelled fivefold, morphing into a monstrous tree demon that lashed out madly toward Ning Xiaochuan and his companions.

"Five Elements Divine Body." Ning Xiaochuan circulated his Profound Qi, causing the air within a 100-meter radius to condense into rain, accompanied by flashes of lightning and thunder.

The water vapor coalesced into forty-two Sword Qi Shadows, hovering around Ning Xiaochuan like forty-two flying swords, slicing apart the tree demon’s tendrils into scattered leaves.

After refining a drop of Martial Venerable’s Blood, Ning Xiaochuan could now summon seven additional Sword Qi Shadows, bringing the total to forty-two, their power vastly amplified.

"Thud! Thud!"

Countless branches completely enveloped Ning Xiaochuan.

The Divine Martial Body Princess Lanfei had cultivated was none other than the "Five Elements Divine Body," granting her the ability to manipulate the Wood Element within the Five Elements.

Under the influence of her Wood Elemental power, the trees naturally fell under her control, becoming lethal weapons in her hands.

Wherever there was vegetation, she had an endless supply of blades.

Yu Qianqian and Murong Wushuang clashed with the six warriors, their battle evenly matched, neither side able to gain the upper hand.

"Break!"

Ning Xiaochuan roared, unleashing forty-two Sword Qi Shadows that shattered all the branch-like tendrils!

His long hair cascaded wildly as fury surged through him. With a powerful stomp on the ground, he leaped over eight meters into the air, thrusting a finger toward Princess Lanfei. A three-foot-long Lightning Sword Qi condensed at his fingertip.

Princess Lanfei was slightly taken aback, thinking to herself, Has his injury really not healed yet?

"Whoosh!"

Her body retreated gracefully, light as a celestial maiden, landing atop a tree trunk before darting into the forest.

Once in the woods, it would be her domain.

Ning Xiaochuan also leaped onto the treetops, chasing after her, his feet barely touching the crowns of the towering trees as he pursued her relentlessly.

Swish! Swish!

Two figures, one in front and one behind, dashed across the canopy, leaving behind blurred afterimages.

Princess Lanfei suddenly halted, standing at the heart of the sea of trees. She spread her arms, her hair billowing in the wind, her eyes gleaming like bright pearls as she fixed her gaze on Ning Xiaochuan.

"Plucking Leaves and Flying Flowers!"

Tens of thousands of leaves rose into the air, transforming into a storm of blades, each leaf wrapped in Profound Qi, sharp as a razor's edge.

Princess Lanfei manipulated the leaves, wrapping them around her body to form a massive sphere that rolled toward Ning Xiaochuan with crushing force.

"Lightning!"

"Lightning!"

"Lightning!"

Ning Xiaochuan's shoulders and neck were sliced open by the leaves, but between his hands, he condensed a massive ball of electricity. From within the crackling sphere, a monstrous claw emerged, taking the form of a ferocious Lightning Divine Beast. It tore through the leaf sphere and struck Princess Lanfei squarely in the chest.

"Boom!"

Ning Xiaochuan's palm merged with the beast's claw, delivering a devastating blow that sent Princess Lanfei tumbling from the treetops.

A mouthful of blood spilled from her lips, her starry eyes wide with shock as she reflexively grabbed Ning Xiaochuan's wrist.

Unable to break free, Ning Xiaochuan fell with her, both crashing heavily into the thick bed of fallen leaves below.

"Thud!"

Princess Lanfei landed beneath him, her Protective Profound Qi Armor shattered. The excruciating pain wracked her body, forcing another spurt of blood from her lips as she nearly blacked out.

Ning Xiaochuan, cushioned by her soft frame, escaped serious injury.

Before she could recover, he struck like lightning, twisting her delicate jade-like arms behind her back and snapping them.

He stood abruptly, summoning a sharp Profound Qi Sword in his palm and pointing it at her head. "Your Highness, this is the third path I choose!"

Princess Lanfei, who had been adored and pampered since childhood, had never tasted defeat—until now. With both arms broken, the agony nearly overwhelmed her.

She was in an extremely wretched state at this moment, with traces of blood at the corners of her pristine lips, and her lustrous black hair strewn with fallen leaves. Despite her disheveled appearance, she remained breathtakingly beautiful—so much so that it made one's heart tremble. In all the world, perhaps only Ning Xiaochuan would dare to treat her so mercilessly.

With a bitter expression, she said, "Ning Xiaochuan, I underestimated you. Next time, I won’t be so careless."

"There won’t be a next time." The chill in Ning Xiaochuan's eyes deepened, his killing intent surging outward as the Profound Qi on his sword blade grew even brighter.

He raised his sword, poised to strike her down.

Princess Lanfei had not expected Ning Xiaochuan to truly dare kill her. Her face paled in terror, and she hurriedly said, "Ning Xiaochuan, don’t you think killing me would be… a waste?"

Ning Xiaochuan slightly lowered his sword, eyeing the proud yet elegant woman with a hint of amusement. "Your Highness, are you referring to your beauty… or your figure?"

"Am I not your war prize now? If you wish, you may take anything from me." Princess Lanfei had calmed down, her almond-shaped eyes smoldering with a seductive glint as she gazed at Ning Xiaochuan.

She knew that no matter what method she used, she had to stabilize Ning Xiaochuan first if she wanted to survive today.

Only by staying alive could she repay the humiliation she had suffered tenfold.

In this desolate wilderness, a woman as beautiful as her—if she extended an invitation—would find it difficult for any man in the world to resist.

"Are you telling me, Your Highness, that I may freely violate you?"

Ning Xiaochuan did not immediately swing his sword to kill her. Instead, he used the tip of his blade to lift the hem of Princess Lanfei’s long skirt, revealing the alluring undergarments beneath and a pair of legs as flawless as carved jade—slender, delicate, and undoubtedly full of elasticity even without touching them.

Her curvaceous figure, full and ample bosom, and the soft, snow-white warmth between her jade-like thighs were enough to stir wild desires in any man.

This was an immense temptation—not just the allure of her beauty, but also the sense of achievement in conquering a noblewoman of unparalleled talent and grace!