Chapter 203
"Let's see who dares to act recklessly at Tianshan Gate!"
Just as tensions were about to escalate, a powerful voice, originating from the mountainside, swept across the trees and reached the foot of the mountain.
Upon hearing this sound, Fan Xiaoxiao felt as if her head had been shaken by something, causing her face to contort in pain.
Behind her, Madam Fan was in no better shape. She seemed to have been affected by the sound as well, and she half-knelt on the ground, clutching her head and letting out a low wail.
Seeing this, he quickly patted the two of them on the head. With just that one pat, Fan Xiaoxiao felt her soul return to its place, and the buzzing sound in her head disappeared.
She glanced at Madam Fan; although Madam Fan's face was still somewhat pale, she seemed to be alright.
"What...what just happened to us?"
Fan Xiaoxiao still feels lingering fear when she thinks about the feeling that her head was about to explode. It felt like a million bees were crawling around inside her brain.
"It's the Celestial Venerable's Lion's Roar Technique. This technique mixes internal energy into the sound, and then releases the internal energy out of the body by speaking loudly. You two don't have internal energy to begin with, and you're affected by the Celestial Venerable, which is why you feel so uncomfortable."
Fan Xiaoxiao nodded, her gaze falling on the Imperial Guards kneeling haphazardly in front of Tianshan Gate and on Ren Le, whose body was already faltering.
At this time, there were no ordinary people left in front of Tianshan Gate; most of the remaining people were skilled in martial arts.
"Your Majesty! You are defying the imperial decree!"
The guard who supported the princess didn't seem to be greatly affected, although he looked a little pale.
A cold snort came from the distant mountains, the sound so loud that the entire forest trembled and groaned.
"Your court wants to kill someone right in front of my door. Isn't that also a violation of the imperial decree?"
This sound was far more intimidating than the previous one. Xiao Hei's own power was insufficient, so he could only take Fan Xiaoxiao and the others a little further away.
However, the princess and the imperial guards in the very center of the commotion were not so lucky. Many of them were so shaken by the residual force that they coughed up blood, and even Ren Le's lips were tinged with crimson.
She braced herself, pushed away the guards who were supporting her, and took two steps forward toward the Tianshan Gate: "I am a descendant of the Zhou Dynasty! I am here representing my father's face! My words are law! You dare to say that I am disobeying the imperial decree? I am rather curious, whose imperial decree am I disobeying!"
"The late emperor decreed that anyone who kills or fights in the Tianshan Mountains without cause shall be executed."
The Celestial Venerable's voice was leisurely and resonant, this time without any oppressive inner force. However, the words he spoke were cold and icy.
"The late emperor? Ha, you think the late emperor would issue an imperial edict to you?! Hahahaha, what a joke! Old man! Do you know that the late emperor never left the capital in his entire life?! How could he possibly issue an edict to you!"
Renle didn't believe the Heavenly Venerable's words at all. In her opinion, the late emperor's decree was just nonsense. He was just trying to confuse the public and delay them from going up the mountain.
However, Fan Xiaoxiao instantly understood that the imperial edict was probably delivered to the Heavenly Venerable by someone else.
For example, there was that Prince Ning, who supposedly died young.
Ren Le seemed to have thought of this as well, and his expression froze for a moment.
The Celestial Venerable did not speak further, and for a moment, the two sides were simultaneously caught in a strange tacit understanding.
But a moment later, Fan Xiaoxiao saw Ren Le move again.
She sneered twice: "I didn't expect that little Tianshan would beg the Emperor to protect you! But who said I came here without a reason! Your Tianshan Sect is harboring Bai Chaoyan, the daughter of a disgraced official of the court! I have come here to arrest you personally! You have obstructed me time and time again. It seems you want to oppose the court to the end?"
The Celestial Venerable sneered, as if he had heard something ridiculous: "Where would a fugitive come from from Tianshan? There are only disciples of Tianshan here, and no daughters of disgraced officials!"
"Nonsense! Bai Chaoyan is your granddaughter! Someone saw her being taken back to Tianshan by Xiahou! Heavenly Venerable, I advise you to think twice before you act! Deceiving the emperor is a capital offense!"
The guard who had just been supporting Renle was about to rush to the gate of Fantian Mountain, which frightened Fang Weng so much that he quickly led his disciples to block the entrance.
To everyone's surprise, the Celestial Venerable merely sneered upon hearing his words: "Which eye of yours saw Bai Chaoyan enter the Heavenly Mountain? I can also spout empty words without any proof."
The guard choked, not expecting the Celestial Venerable's favoritism to be so obvious.
Renle glared at him and impatiently gestured with his chin toward the disciple in front of the door.
The guard nodded in understanding, then continued to shout towards the Tianshan Mountain: "Whether it's empty talk or not, let us go up and search! The Heavenly Venerable is obstructing us in every way, but I think he's just hiding something!"
"Kid, if you dare to come up here, I'll let you search me."
The Heavenly Venerable's words revealed neither joy nor sorrow, yet he skillfully deflected the threat with minimal effort.
The Tianshan Mountains are located in a special position, with three sides connected to the lands of barbarians. Although it seems that the Tianshan Mountains are under their own jurisdiction, this place was originally a no-man's-land for the imperial court.
Renle knew very well that the Celestial Venerable's words were a warning to her. After all, the Tianshan Mountains were located in a special place, and if something were to happen to her, it would be difficult to say what would happen.
However, the Celestial Venerable did not expect that Renle, this madman, would not back down at all after hearing his words, but instead took a few more steps forward.
Fang Weng and his men dared not touch her and could only retreat again and again.
"Since the Celestial Venerable has said so, what is there for me not to dare? Step aside, I want to go to Mount Tian!"
"Alright! Mr. Fang, move aside."
"Heavenly Venerable!?"
Fang Weng hadn't expected that the Celestial Venerable would release him so easily. He gritted his teeth and took a step back.
"Ha, it would have been better if you had known this sooner!"
Renle sneered and lifted his leg to climb the mountain.
But the moment she moved, she felt an intense killing intent rushing towards her, instantly sending a chill down her spine. Her expression changed drastically, and she hesitated to step onto the stone steps of Tianshan Mountain.
"Huh? What's wrong? Move."
The Celestial Venerable's icy voice rang out once more, this time seemingly much closer.
Ren Le's face turned pale and then green. After hesitating for a moment, she withdrew her foot and said with a gloomy face, "I have changed my mind again. It's snowing now, and I don't want to go up the mountain."
"That's excellent. Princess, you should return to Youzhou as soon as possible, lest you freeze here!"
With a cold expression, Fang Weng stepped forward to see them off from Tianshan Town.
But who is Ren Le?! With another cold snort, her fiery red sleeve lashed out at Fang Weng's face: "Insolence! When did I say I was leaving?"
Fan Xiaoxiao frowned, a bad feeling creeping into her heart. Sure enough, the next moment Ren Le turned around and coldly ordered the Imperial Guards behind him, "Set up camp!"
"Princess!?"
Looking at the soldiers bustling about before him, Fang Weng felt a sense of unease.
Renle glanced at him: "Didn't you say you weren't harboring criminals? This princess won't go up the mountain, I'll just stay here and guard! Let's see if Bai Chaoyan will come down the mountain!"
"All generals, heed my command: seal off the Tianshan Mountains!"
(End of this chapter)
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