A dark figure dashed swiftly across the mid-air!
Moving with blinding speed, he shot straight toward the woman at the edge of the precipice.
A cold smirk crossed Feng Qi’s lips as he swept out with a massive wave of his hand. “They’re here. Close the net!”
After waiting for so long, the target had finally taken the bait.
Golden rays of light rose sequentially from the ground all around them, and countless beams of light enclosed the target tightly from every direction.
“City Lord, judging by his build, it doesn’t appear to be Shen Jin!”
“If it isn’t him, then who could it be?”
Feng Qi scrutinized the person trapped inside. Based on his physique, it was indeed not Shen Jin; he was merely draped in Shen Jin’s cloak, which made it difficult to discern at a glance.
Though trapped, the man still sprinted desperately toward the edge of the cliff. The sharp blade in his hand flashed with a chilling, fierce light as he struck out with a single slash, shattering the shackles binding the woman!
“I’ve come to save you.”
The corners of the man’s lips curled upward beneath his veil. With another strike of his sword, he severed the fetters around the woman’s ankles.
Mu Chengyan’s expression shifted slightly. “Not good he isn’t saving her, he’s trying to silence her! Stop him!”
The golden Wind God Rope slipped from his hand. The exact instant the shackles were severed, the woman bound at the edge of the cliff plummeted backward into the abyss!
Mu Chengyan lunged forward, gripping the Wind God Rope with all his might, but his strength was too feeble; his frail body was instantly yanked forward, lifting off the ground!
“Gege, I will help you.”
Jun Xun immediately lunged forward to grab the tail end of the rope. Mu Chengyan’s body jerked to a sudden halt, and he let out a sigh of relief, realizing he wouldn’t be dragged down the precipice after all.
“Thank you, Ah-Xun.”
To think Ah-Xun, despite his tender age and slight frame, possessed such formidable strength.
Jun Xun clutched the rope tightly with both hands, pressing his lips into a thin line. “Gege doesn’t need to thank me.”
Meanwhile, Feng Qi and Yueying were locked in fierce combat with the black-robed man, leaving them entirely unable to spare a hand to rescue the falling woman.
“Who on earth are you? Where is Shen Jin? Why didn’t he come?”
“None of your concern!”
With a single flick of his hand, the black-robed man deflected countless sharp blades, his long sword sweeping past the chests of the surrounding guards.
“Since you’ve delivered yourself to your death, don’t blame this City Lord for being merciless!”
A dark, brooding gloom flashed across Feng Qi’s eyes. After all, he was an associate of Jun Qingyu; how gentle could his methods possibly be?
The crimson treasured sword left its sheath, reflecting a blinding, freezing glare. With a single sweeping strike through the air, he easily batted the man’s weapon out of his grip, sending it clattering to the ground.
The surrounding air pressure dropped drastically, rendering the nearby guards too terrified to even breathe aloud their City Lord was truly enraged.
The razor-sharp blade pressed directly against his throat, forcing Lu Yunting to finally recognize the gravity of the danger.
The black veil across his face was sliced cleanly away by the sword’s edge, drifting slowly downward through the air to expose an exquisitely beautiful face to the surrounding gazes.
Though it fell short of matching Mu Chengyan’s ethereal visage, it was hardly far behind.
“I am the Crown Prince of the great Lu nation, Lu Yunting! Do you dare lay a hand on me?”
Lu Yunting produced a golden token engraved with bold characters: Crown Prince of the Lu Nation!
“The Crown Prince of Lu…”
The Lu nation bordered the northern territories of the Great Song nation, and the two countries maintained remarkably close diplomatic ties. Furthermore, the reigning Empress of the Great Song nation was none other than the Eldest Princess of the Lu nation the aunt of this very Crown Prince…
“Bro. Jin is about to marry this Crown Prince; why would he come to save a mere fool? I came here specifically to kill her myself.”
If not for this woman, how could Bro. Jin have…
Feng Qi withdrew his sword, his expression dark and gloomy.
This person could not be killed; executing him would inevitably trigger severe diplomatic turmoil and unrest.
Working together, Mu Chengyan and Jun Xun hauled the innocent decoy back up. The woman remained unconscious, her face deathly pale, clearly shaken to her core by the ordeal.
“Who gave the two of you permission to rescue her?” Lu Yunting demanded, his face twisted in a ferocious snarl.
“Presumptuous! How dare you speak to our Crown Prince in such a manner!”
Yueying stepped forward, shielding Mu Chengyan as he raised his chin defensively.
“Prince? Which country’s Crown Prince?”
Across the entire Jiuzhou Continent, there was no Crown Prince she hadn’t heard of.
“The Crown Prince of the Yuanqi nation.”
Lu Yunting let out a disdainful, mocking sneer. “So it’s the pathetic Yuanqi nation. I had almost forgotten about you lot. I hear your Crown Prince is nothing more than a sickly invalid what’s this? He isn’t dead yet?”
Across the entire continent, everyone knew that the Yuanqi nation was the weakest of all realms, a place where anyone could step on them at will.
Jun Xun’s expression darkened, a chilling, murderous glimmer flashing deep within his eyes.
Before Lu Yunting’s voice had even faded, a sharp, agonizing pain erupted across his lips. When he opened his mouth once more, not a single sound emerged from his throat.
Mu Chengyan remained entirely unperturbed by Lu Yunting’s insults, offering only a light cough. “Indeed, I still have a few years left in me. I am sorry to disappoint the Crown Prince.”
He had heard such taunts countless times; if he allowed himself to be angered by every single one of them, he would have died of sheer exasperation long ago.
“Mmph—mmph—!”
Lu Yunting clutched his mouth, wondering why he had suddenly lost his voice while his throat burned as if pierced by needles.
Jun Xun looked up with an innocent, naive expression. “Gege, it seems he’s received his retribution.”
Feng Qi chuckled softly. Aside from that man, no one else possessed the audacity to treat a foreign Crown Prince in such a manner.
“Mmph—mmph!”
Lu Yunting glared furiously, pointing an accusing finger at the group. He would never forget the Crown Prince of the Yuanqi nation—not a single one of them would escape! He would make every single person who had humiliated him pay a agonizing price.
Watching Lu Yunting storm off in a fury, Feng Qi shrugged helplessly. Not only had they failed to catch their target, but they had also gone and offended the Crown Prince of the Lu nation.
Wonderful. My Sunset City is completely doomed this time!
Sunset City shared its closest borders with the Lu nation. If that Crown Prince returned with reinforcements, he might as well abandon the city and flee to save his own skin.
He cast a resentful glance at the person beside him. It’s all his fault! If not for him, I wouldn’t be in such a miserable state!
Jun Xun remained entirely innocent, staring up at Mu Chengyan with wide, uncomprehending eyes.
“Gege, we should leave quickly. That Crown Prince looks rather terrifying.”
Feng Qi: “…!”
This boy is deliberately trying to sabotage me!
If the Crown Prince returned, he would simply pack up and hide out in that Prince Regent’s manor.
Mu Chengyan said, “City Lord, should that Crown Prince return once more, I am willing to lend all the soldiers under my command to assist you.”
Feng Qi’s face softened with genuine gratitude. As expected of the kindest Crown Prince in the entire world. Unlike that cold-hearted monster of a sworn brother, who remained aloof and merciless despite sharing so many years of brotherhood.
Yueying reached up to rub the bridge of his nose, feeling rather awkward.
“Your Highness, if you count Guchen and me, we brought a total of 38 soldiers on this journey. But 36 of them fled along the way… leaving only the two of us…”
“Ah…” Mu Chengyan’s smile froze entirely on his face.
Was he truly that impoverished?
The poorest Crown Prince in all the realms, whose entire retinue consisted of merely two guards.
A wave of doting fondness washed over Jun Xun’s eyes. Gege… is so adorable.
“Um… my apologies, City Lord Feng, I…”
“No worries at all. Having Your Highness’s good intentions is more than enough for this City Lord. I already understand Your Highness’s purpose here. His Majesty is still awaiting your arrival in the imperial capital, so you should resume your journey without delay. Leave matters here to me; I will ensure all these people are properly settled.”
Mu Chengyan nodded. It seemed he had only managed to make things worse. He had originally intended to capture the Man of a Thousand Faces to rid the people of a scourge, only to end up provoking the Crown Prince of another nation instead.
He truly was a star of misfortune; anyone who crossed his path seemed destined for bad luck.
Even so, what was the exact relationship between that Crown Prince and Shen Jin? Why would they speak of a wedding between two men?
Mu Chengyan cast a thoughtful glance toward the youth beside him.