Chapter 51: Blood Splatter

At this moment, inside the imperial hall, most people had gradually left their seats. Palace maids moved back and forth, clearing the messy tables.

The high-rising sun shone into the hall, as if laying a pristine white carpet across the floor. At the end of that bright carpet, Zhao Xiang'er stood before the shattered throne, her presence distant. Her next task was to personally pass judgment on those truly guilty of grave crimes against the Zhao kingdom.

Ning Changjiu sat before a table, his eyes closed, his sleeves draped at his sides. Although he had accepted the marriage contract, he had never taken it out to read.

Ning Xiaoling sat beside him, feeling a bit awkward. Her senior brother had actually become Zhao Xiang'er's fiancé?

Before stepping into the hall today, she couldn't have imagined such a situation, nor that three-year pact. She knew her senior brother was definitely powerful, but if his opponent was this little princess, she still felt a shiver of anxiety for him.

After all, this little princess had even killed that old fox who had once reached beyond the Fifth Path. No matter how strong her senior brother was, he couldn't possibly be stronger than that fox, could he?

Thinking of this, Ning Xiaoling suddenly felt a surge of joy, realizing she was also a little fox. As long as nothing went wrong, her cultivation would surely reach a very high level in the future.

Lu Jiajia held an empty cup, her sword laid across her knees. If not for the white curtain obscuring the view, one could have seen the faint smile on her face. Although she wasn't particularly optimistic about Ning Changjiu's chances, their tense conversation was indeed very interesting.

Amidst these varying thoughts, Qiu Li slowly walked into the hall. Two men in black robes and iron armor kicked the back of his knees, and Qiu Li immediately knelt to the ground.

“Qiu Li, do you admit your guilt?” Zhao Xiang'er's voice rang out, authoritative yet calm.

Qiu Li said with a bitter smile, “Things have come to this; naturally, my crimes are unforgivable.”

Zhao Xiang'er, disinclined to waste words, waved her hand. “Good that you know. In that case, take him away.”

He had stood for over an hour outside the imperial hall, only to hear such an extremely brief sentence.

Qiu Li frowned and immediately said, “Wait, I have something to say!”

Zhao Xiang'er took a sip of wine, her slightly tipsy smile still cold. “I'm not interested, take him away.”

The two black-robed men stepped forward and gripped his shoulders. Just as they were about to escort him out, Qiu Li yelled hoarsely, “Your Highness! I have an urgent matter to report!”

Zhao Xiang'er still ignored him.

The armored guards in black robes tightened their grip. With a 'snap,' it sounded as if the bones in both his shoulders had shattered.

Yet Qiu Li still struggled relentlessly, gritting his teeth and enduring the pain of his shattering bones. Given his cultivation level, he could have easily killed them normally, but with Zhao Xiang'er in front of the hall and the Sword Immortal woman also present, he knew he had no chance to act presumptuously.

Qiu Li immediately cried out hoarsely, “Your Highness! The Blood Feather Monarch has not left the Imperial City yet! Your Highness must be extremely careful!”

“The Blood Feather Monarch?” Lu Jiajia frowned slightly. Even though her cultivation had fallen, she was confident she could still easily defeat it.

Qiu Li struggled and continued to yell hoarsely, “Not only is the Blood Feather Monarch still here, but it also declared it would breach and slaughter the city today! Your Highness must be on guard…”

“Oh?” Zhao Xiang'er showed a flicker of interest. “How do you know this?”

Qiu Li was startled, but with time urgent, he couldn't afford to think too much. He said, “The Blood Feather Monarch once sought me out, wanting to conspire with me to harm Your Highness. That's how I know it still harbors ill intentions towards the Imperial City. The great disaster has just passed, and people's vigilance is low. If the Blood Feather Monarch truly comes here to kill as it threatened, the consequences would be unimaginable.”

The ancient scroll, containing a small world, was still slowly recovering. The Imperial Seal had not yet re-recognized a master after its connection was severed. Though the Fire Extinguishing Pestle was present, the killing array had been mostly destroyed. And Zhao Xiang'er, after all, only possessed Immortal Passage Realm cultivation. Even if she held the red umbrella, if the Blood Feather Monarch returned, she would face considerable trouble relying solely on herself.

Lu Jiajia calmly said, “If it comes again, I will personally kill it.”

Zhao Xiang'er nodded slightly, looking at Qiu Li, and asked, “What did it tell you? How did it plan to kill me? And… did you agree?”

Those chilling words cut into his heart like a knife. Qiu Li's body couldn't help but tremble. He hurriedly said, “Naturally, I wouldn't dare agree. I came here today precisely to inform Your Highness about this matter.”

Zhao Xiang'er asked, “You wish to atone for your crimes with this?”

Qiu Li pleaded mournfully, “I know my crimes are unforgivable, but I only wish to avoid death by this… I beg Your Highness for leniency.”

Zhao Xiang'er said, “Then I'll give you a chance. Tell me its plan. If the information is useful, I might consider sparing you.”

“Thank you, Your Highness!” Qiu Li quickly said, “Last night, the Blood Feather Monarch transformed into a small red-feathered falcon and appeared in the Undying Forest. It found me and asked if I wanted to avenge the Witch Lord. I thought to myself that the Witch Lord was clearly killed by that old fox, so how could Your Highness be blamed? I kept a calm demeanor and asked it, 'What do you plan to do?'”

“Then the Blood Feather Monarch asked me if there was a way to obtain the Imperial Seal and the ancient scroll.”

“The Imperial Seal and the ancient scroll?” Zhao Xiang'er asked, “What does it want those two items for?”

Qiu Li shook his head and said, “I don't know either, so at the time, I feigned compliance, pretending to cooperate with it, and then asked it what it truly intended to do.”

Zhao Xiang'er grew impatient. “Get to the point.”

Qiu Li took a deep breath, lifted his gaze slightly, and, mustering his courage, said, “The Blood Feather Monarch told me, its…”

Boom!

His words were only half-spoken when an astonishing sound suddenly echoed from outside the imperial palace.

“An earthquake?”

“Outside… outside, a building collapsed!”

Exclamations of alarm filtered in.

“It's here!”

Among those present, Lu Jiajia had the highest cultivation and reacted the quickest. Her expression shifted slightly, and with a *swish*, the long sword on her knees was already unsheathed. The sword light, like a spring of emerald water, cut a wondrous trajectory through the air, soaring over everyone's heads, and instantly struck the place where the chaotic sounds outside the hall had originated.

Lu Jiajia's white-clad figure, like a snowy phantom, flashed suddenly. A gust of sword wind swept through the hall, and in the blink of an eye, her figure vanished, having already soared through the air with her shining longsword.

And in the sky outside, a blood-red giant bird flapped its wings, circling low like an eagle. Its demonic aura rippled across the ground, and the already shattered city once again echoed with the colossal crashes of collapsing towers, while the great bird shrieked and cawed ceaselessly in the air.

“You, Qiu Li! Only a few hours have passed, and you dare betray me! Just wait until I skin you alive and pull out your tendons!”

It surveyed its surroundings, looking around with arrogant confidence, and continued, “Today, this Monarch has returned to the Imperial City, and no one can stop me! You little wench from the Sword Decree Celestial Sect, come out and face your death quickly! And Zhao Xiang'er, that hussy, come see me at once! Now that your mother is gone, if you don't come out, this Monarch will also tear down your home for good measure!”

The Blood Feather Monarch cackled incessantly. Outside the imperial palace, screams and cries of agony rose and fell in succession.

It couldn't help but recall its first arrival at the Imperial City, when it had felt like a king surveying its domain, full of vigor and pride…

Its thoughts couldn't extend much further as its vision was completely illuminated by a white light.

Lu Jiajia's White Rainbow sword had already struck before it. The Blood Feather Monarch let out a pained grunt and immediately gathered its demonic energy to block. Demonic winds, like arrows, rushed from between its crimson wings, assailing the snow-white sword light from both sides.

“I told you to come out, and you actually did?! You girl are truly a shameless hussy! Once this Immortal Monarch captures you today and cripples your cultivation, I'll see if your body is as cold as your face.” The Blood Feather Monarch leaped constantly in the air, emitting bursts of strange laughter.

Lu Jiajia's icy gaze sharpened, and she said coldly, “You seek death.”

Lu Jiajia gripped her longsword, spirit energy surging into her right arm. Grazing its iron-like claw feathers, she fiercely slashed across its body.

The Blood Feather Monarch was forced back repeatedly by the sword's sharp edge.

“Is that all the strength you have? Trying to cut tofu?” The Blood Feather Monarch continued to mock incessantly.

Lu Jiajia stepped on empty air, standing tall and graceful. Her Immortal Sword Minglan swept past her body, slicing out two elegant yet fierce sword lights.

The rainbow light slashed horizontally and vertically, forming a cross in the air. At the intersection of the cross, Lu Jiajia's snow-like figure burst forth. Her beautiful long hair, her snow-white sword attire, and her flowing sleeves with faint gold trim—at the moment the sword struck, all were imbued with an intensely cold sword energy.

The surrounding temperature plummeted, as if entering an ice cellar.

The demonic shield before the Blood Feather Monarch was instantly pierced. It folded its wings and plummeted in the air, attempting to dodge the incomparably powerful sword strike. However, it was ultimately a fraction too slow, and the sword still precisely pierced its body. With a single thrust and twist, its steel-like flame feathers shattered and fell, and after stripping away its iron feathers, the sword forcibly tore open a bloody hole.

The Blood Feather Monarch shrieked endlessly, yet its mouth continued to babble incessantly, “Where is that bitch Zhao Xiang'er? What, without your mother's entire fortune, you dare not come face this Immortal Monarch with just your Immortal Passage Realm cultivation? I always heard you were exceptionally talented, ha ha ha, since when is a mere sixteen-year-old Immortal Passage Realm cultivator considered exceptionally talented? Tsk tsk, your mother probably left you because she saw how useless you were. Later, I'll take you and this sword-wielding little wench back to my lair. Let's see how long you can remain arrogant then!”

Inside the hall, Zhao Xiang'er drew her umbrella sword from behind the ruins of the throne, her eyes icy cold.

“Wait!” Ning Changjiu suddenly said.

Zhao Xiang'er glanced at him and said coldly, “What? Trying to control me? Do you really think you're my fiancé?”

Ning Changjiu said seriously, “That's not right! The Blood Feather Monarch's cultivation is definitely not superior to Lu Jiajia's. If it were smart, it should be fleeing as far away as possible right now. Why does it dare to show itself so brazenly?”

Zhao Xiang'er's delicate brows furrowed. The hall was in chaos at this moment, her sword-holding hand suddenly tightened, and her gaze shot like lightning towards Qiu Li's direction.

In the chaos, Qiu Li had risen at some unknown point. He no longer showed the initial fear and anxiety; his expression was now fervent, as if mad.

Anyway, it's just death...

Before Zhao Xiang'er's gaze fell upon him, he had already crushed a blood pouch tied under his arm, and a streak of crimson blood shot out.

The blood's target was not Zhao Xiang'er, but the little girl beside Ning Changjiu.

Ning Changjiu's expression also changed. He wasn't sure what the blood was, but he vaguely had a guess. However, he was currently severely injured and his cultivation depleted, and simply couldn't stop this blood arrow.

Qiu Li laughed wildly as he ran towards the outside.

Zhao Xiang'er's sword light was like lightning, reaching its target instantly. The sword light cut open the blood arrow and continued its trajectory without stopping, directly striking Qiu Li's back. With a ripping sound, Qiu Li's clothes on his back shredded, and the longsword directly pierced his body. He fell heavily to the ground. In a pool of blood, Qiu Li, though unable to utter another word, his body trembled with excitement. His lips were curled into a grin, and on his painfully contorted face, his smile was utterly bizarre.

Meanwhile, Ning Changjiu raised his sleeve to block, his movements equally swift. The blood arrow had already been severed in half by Zhao Xiang'er mid-air, and now, with a wave of Ning Changjiu's sleeve, it was almost completely dispersed.

But a few drops of the blood, which had burst like a spray of rain, still broke through the numerous barriers and landed on Ning Xiaoling.

A few drops stained her Taoist robe, a few fell into her hair, and a few landed on her slender, fair neck. That touch of color, like blood beads oozing from pierced skin, was intensely jarring.