The mountains and forests were not peaceful, with birdsong and insect chirps.

A dark glint flashed in Shang Changze's eyes, which were three parts similar to Shang Changge's, as he switched the crossbow he held in his right hand to his left.

Several assassins, hidden throughout the mountains and forests, took note of their master's coded message and, under the cover of the rustling autumn wind,

Holding his breath and concentrating, he moved silently in the direction Shang Changge had left.

Xiao Ji noticed it.

Pretend you didn't see it, pretend you didn't hear it.

The hunting grounds were vast, and measures were taken to ensure the safety of the emperor and his family, as well as the families of officials.

No one other than the emperor was allowed to bring their own guards into the venue. This included, of course, the crown prince.

Shang Changze brought it.

Xiao Ji, the prospective brother-in-law, selectively turns a blind eye and a deaf ear to two factors: Shang Changge as the primary interest and other interests as secondary.

On the other side,

Shang Changge rode his reddish-brown steed, pausing and resting throughout the mountains and forests, specifically targeting large and valuable prey.

Wherever they went, there were all sorts of prey that were killed with a single arrow, their actions were comparable to a sweep.

Xiao Ji had arranged in advance for elite assassins to follow Shang Changge from the shadows as soon as he entered the hunting grounds:

...

The princess really does... leave no way out for others.

More than half an hour later, Shang Changge ran out of arrows in the quiver he carried on his back and hung on his horse's belly.

Having not found an arrow, Shang Changge clicked his tongue and said, "This is boring."

He put away his crossbow, took the reins, and began leisurely exploring the dense mountain forest.

"Coo-coo—coo-coo—"

"Chirp chirp chirp—" "Chirp chirp chirp—" "Chirp chirp—"

As I strolled along, all I could hear were the cacophony of birdsong and insect chirping.

Occasionally, you can also hear the sounds of other people hunting, and the mournful cries of animals falling to their deaths.

However,

These sounds did not last indefinitely; they gradually weakened and diminished until they finally disappeared.

All around had fallen silent, except for the sound of the autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves.

Did Shang Changge discover it? Of course he did.

The unusual atmosphere was practically as if the word "Danger" had been written in large red letters in the air. She wasn't oblivious.

On the contrary, she was extremely perceptive. She loosened the reins and twirled the intricately patterned, dazzling gold bracelet on her left wrist.

Her upturned phoenix eyes narrowed, and her crimson lips parted to greet him:

"You've been following me all this way, so come out now. If you don't come out soon, this hunting game will be over."

"bass!"

Almost the instant Shang Changge finished speaking, the shadows of the trees swayed, and the sound of a long sword being drawn and the sound of air being cut rang out simultaneously from above, heading straight for Shang Changge.

Shang Changge neither dodged nor avoided the gaze, but looked up and met the eyes of the black-clad man who had suddenly appeared like a ghost.

Before the man in black could bring his sword down, he preemptively activated the golden bracelet mechanism, and under the blinding sunlight...

Several streaks of cold light refracted, and five exquisitely crafted, small blades, poisoned within the gold bracelet, flew upwards at incredible speed toward the black-clad man's vital points.

The newcomer had clearly undergone extremely rigorous and professional training; his eyes, exposed to the air, remained sharp, ruthless, and utterly unwavering, like those of a hawk.

He dodged five sharp blades by sidestepping, and his long sword once again pressed towards Shang Changge.

Shang Changge: "6!"

As Shang Changge nimbly dismounted, he even had a moment to call out "6" to the other person, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

His actions were lightning fast, without uttering a single wasted word, which shows that he was a master among masters, a master with brains.

Having dodged the man in black's fatal blow, she swiftly drew her equally dazzling golden belt, transforming it into a soft sword.

The challenging enemy, Shang Changge, chooses to wield her sword with her left hand; yes, she is actually left-handed.

No more dodging

They began to confront the men in black head-on.

"Ping ping ping ping—! Bang ping ping—! Ping ping ping ping—!"

The dense thicket was no longer silent; it was filled with the sounds of two swords clashing from various angles.

Shang Changge grew increasingly excited as the fight progressed, revealing his suspicions while engaging in direct combat:

"You wouldn't happen to be the legendary Emperor Shadow, would you?"

The other person remained silent, but Shang Changge gleaned the answer from the slight pause that occurred when the other person heard her words.

Her noble and aloof face gradually twisted into a sinister smile as she wielded the soft sword in her left hand with increasing speed, precision, and ruthlessness.

For a time,

The two fought more and more fiercely, and the wind generated by their swords became increasingly uncontrollable, sweeping away fallen leaves with a rustling sound.

"Princess!" That voice belonged to the assassin.

However, these weren't Xiao Ji's assassins, but rather assassins sent by Shang Changze. Several assassins who arrived joined the battle.

But Emperor Shadow lived up to its name, its ruthless and decisive moves were completely unaffected.

It was Shang Changge who was affected; several bodyguards protecting her hindered her performance, causing her to furrow her brow.

He swiftly shifted positions and chased people away, his voice as calm and nonchalant as ever:

"Go find somewhere cool and stay there. If you're really worried, just follow along and keep an eye on things. If I can't beat them, then I'll come over."

She's finally managed to catch a glimpse of an imperial figure, so she's determined to see and learn more about him.

I heard that the ten Imperial Shadows are ranked, according to their combat strength.

I have no idea where this one ranks; it's probably either last, second to last, third to last, or fourth to last.

Didn't you see that only one of them came? It's obvious that the old emperor thinks killing one of his daughters is the maximum he can do.

Leader of the assassins: "But the princess..."

Shang Changge interrupted, "No buts." Then, as if remembering something, he raised his voice and gave orders to all the assassins hidden in various locations:

"Everyone, listen to my command! Form a circle and surround him for me!"

"Don't let him escape! Today, I will kill the legendary Emperor Shadow with my own hands!"

Shang Changge's assassin leader and Xiao Ji's elite assassins appeared simultaneously, coming face to face with Shang Changze's assassins.

Recalling what their respective masters had said before the trip, the three groups tacitly kept silent about their identities.

The three leaders of the assassins stayed behind to closely follow Shang Changge and Di Ying, while the rest of the men moved to form an encirclement.

However,

Emperor Ying was not just a figurehead; he broke through the encirclement after only the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

Before disappearing like a ghost, the figure glanced at Shang Changge, a glance filled with provocation.

"hiss."

Shang Changge hissed and chased after him with her sword. She knew that the Emperor Shadow Envoy was using a provocation tactic, but she was actually falling for it now.

Why now?

Since she was already certain that she could take Di Ying's life without losing her own, what harm was there in accepting his provocation?

Two figures vanished one after the other in a blur, leaving only afterimages, leaving the three assassin leaders terrified:

"Princess!"

and,

Summoned by the three assassin leaders, Shang Changge followed Di Ying to a bamboo forest. The bamboo forest was quiet.

Aside from the sounds of the two fighting, there was nothing else, but soon the sound of a sword slicing through flesh could be heard.

"Sizzle—!"

Shang Changge took a sword strike to the shoulder and neck, even though it was part of her plan.

But the searing, agonizing pain still displeased Shang Changge, and instead of retreating, she advanced.

As expected, the soft sword in his hand slashed fiercely at Di Ying's carotid artery, and blood gushed out.

"Well-!"

Emperor Ying, who had remained silent since his appearance, finally let out a sound, his body responding to Shang Changge's merciless kick.

It fell helplessly to the ground from the bamboo forest, making a heavy thud as it hit the ground.

Shang Changge followed closely behind, using sound to pinpoint the approximate locations of the three assassin leaders.

His footsteps touched the ground as he approached the dying Emperor Shadow, his twisted smile unchanged, his red lips parting to state the truth:

"I have won."

As Emperor Ying's hawk-like eyes dimmed with the passing of his life, in his final moments...

Besides the dazzling sun, what one could see was Shang Changge's shoulder and neck, which had stopped bleeding and were gradually healing completely under the backlight.

Perhaps he was too horrified, for Emperor Ying died with his eyes wide open in disbelief.