The Empress's No.1 Lackey-Chapter 471 - 381, Zhao Douan: Princess Lu, we meet again (2 in 1) _2

And to expose a flaw first, among high-level experts with seemingly similar strengths, could very well determine the outcome of a deadly fight.

Suddenly, several distinct auras rose up from Yansuo Lake in the distance, breaking the tense atmosphere of the standoff.

The Little Heavenly Master frowned, turned his head boldly towards the distance, and said,

"One, two, three, four, five... five from the Worldly Realm, quite the grand gesture. Among them, two are familiar, could that be Duan Shuiliu from Martial Emperor City? And the commotion from the Martial God lineage of the Imperial Family, could it be Hai Chunlin? Who else is there?"

The tall and physically imposing Long Shu Bodhisattva, with a pale, beardless face, wasn't distracted by the deliberately exposed flaw, and spoke calmly,

"On my way here, I encountered Qi Yuchun."

"That spear-wielder from the Qi family?" The Little Heavenly Master recalled for a moment, then realized,

"The Kuangfu Society has also arrived, tsk tsk, as if Divine Dragon Temple and Martial Emperor City weren't enough, even the remnants of that failed coup have come to add to the commotion. Didn't check the almanac before leaving the house today.

So many people, and still not enough? They insist you come too? Could this be what they call 'even when hunting a rabbit, a lion will use its full strength'?"

Long Shu Bodhisattva smiled and said,

"This old monk is only here to let my disciple let off some steam, but I do not know what's happening ahead."

"Hypocrite." A disdainful sneer surfaced unmistakably on the fierce face of the Little Heavenly Master, freewebnøvel.com

"We, cultivators, transcend the mundane world. Ever since Xuan Yin took control of the Divine Dragon Temple, you bald monks have become increasingly worldly and utterly foul. It was bad enough when you were greedy for the gold and silver offerings from the faithful, but now you're stirring up strife in the halls of power. Is this the enlightenment your World Honored One teaches?"

Long Shu Bodhisattva wasn't angered, speaking calmly,

"Heavenly Master Mansion seeks purity and minimal desires, sweeping the snow from your own doorstep, trying to escape the Three Realms. In my view, that is a great mistake. Our lives exist within heaven and earth, destined to struggle with others. To retreat into the mountains is to hide from the world? The moment one harbors the thought of 'escape,' one can never truly break free for the rest of one's life."

The Little Heavenly Master cursed,

"Spare me your clever arguments, all this beating around the bush. Isn't it all about your alliance with Western Regions Buddhism to contend over who truly inherits the teachings? How is that different from the struggle for imperial power? I'll say this much, whatever happens on that side, I cannot control, but today, you will not get past me."

Long Shu Bodhisattva heard this and simply sat down cross-legged on the leaf-covered forest floor, smilingly said,

"If that is so, then you and I might as well wait here for the result."

The Little Heavenly Master was taken aback, suddenly his expression changed,

"Has Prince Jing arranged another assassin?"

While speaking, the divine white horse that had been restless suddenly began stamping its hooves agitatedly, sending out uneasy noises in a particular direction.

The Little Heavenly Master's face darkened, but he heard the calmly seated Long Shu Bodhisattva slowly say,

"If you want to leave, you'll have to see if this old monk agrees."

...

...

"How about that knife?"

Above Yansuo Lake, a blood-stained Flying Knife skimmed across the lake's surface, tearing a fine line in the water.

Zhao Douan snatched the Flying Knife back into his hand, his tense muscles finally relaxed beneath his calm exterior.

Of course, he would not drag Xu Junling into this unless it were absolutely necessary.

If the Commandery Princess were to meet any misfortune, it would become even more difficult to gain Prince Huaian's support.

Hence, he was certain earlier that the hidden assassin wouldn't dare to make a rash move, so he cooperated with the Middle Grade Divine Chapter's sensing ability to lock onto their position in reverse.

He lured the enemy into attacking and identified their exact location to strike a fatal blow.

And this harrowing moment on the boat also caught the attention of two other battlefields.

Qi Yuchun, dressed like someone from Jianghu, felt a surge of astonishment, unable to believe that the abrupt assassination attempt had been perfectly evaded by the Zhao thief.

He had no time to contemplate how it was done, only aware that Prince Jing's backup plan had failed, drastically reducing the chances of a successful assassination.

Considering the possibility of returning empty-handed, Qi Yuchun silently made a decision, his Qi Sea suddenly reversed, pressing out the energy in a surge, stepping up another level with forceful exertion.

His "Fracture" spear waved with mighty power, slamming Lang Shiba into the lake and splashing up a great burst of water.

The splashing water coalesced into a high wall, and Ji Yue surfaced on the lake again, hands forming a seal, quietly uttering the word "Prison."

The rolling waters lifted, instantly forming a Prison Cage, sealing Qi Yuchun firmly within.

Qi Yuchun snorted coldly, using the family's Overlord Spear Skill to break through the Prison Cage, but strands of water quickly reformed.

Elsewhere, Eunuch Hai, sensing an arrow assassination attempt, had divided part of his attention that way, but Duan Shuiliu seized the opportunity to deliver a solid punch, landing it on the horizontally placed Cold Frost Sword.

That sword, which could rank among the top hundred in Jianghu, suddenly curved like a bow, and Eunuch Hai was sent flying backward. Seeing Zhao Douan deliver a counter-strike, his eyes shone with approval.

Yet, when he saw Qi Yuchun raging like a lion, ready to exchange injuries for a kill, his heart skipped a beat. Turning to Duan Shuiliu, his eyes filled with urgency.

His sword swept across, stirring up a thousand piles of lake snow.

Eunuch Hai stepped out steadily, his graying hair turning black atop his head, his demeanor showing signs of a rising momentum.

He seemed prepared to emulate Qi Yuchun, reversing his energy flow to gain a sudden increase in power.

Duan Shuiliu's eyelids twitched wildly, immediately switching from attack to defense.

He had agreed to Prince Jing's request for personal reasons, but had no intention of risking his life in the process.

If he pushed the old eunuch into a corner, Duan Shuiliu reckoned that even if he didn't die, he would be gravely injured—what would be the point?

Eunuch Hai, however, laughed it off and, recognizing Duan Shuiliu's reluctance to risk injury, pressed forward, ready to swiftly put an end to the chaos and push him back to aid the boat.