The next morning, Zhou Zhizhi pushed open the gate of the Imperial Preceptor's Mansion and walked towards the Second Prince's residence.
As Zhou Zhizhi approached the Second Prince's residence, she saw Xiao Xiyou leaving the residence alone.
"Hey—, um..." Zhou Zhizhi opened her mouth to call out to Xiao Xiyou, but after uttering a few meaningless syllables, she stopped.
Zhou Zhizhi thought helplessly, "Forget it, if Xiao Xiyou has something urgent, we can't get him to come now."
She was now only one percent away from successfully mastering the Northern Darkness Divine Art, but despite repeatedly practicing the moves from the book and reciting the incantations over and over again, it had no effect whatsoever.
Zhou Zhizhi wanted to ask Xiao Xiyou again to help her guide her Qi and blood, to see if she could complete the final progress bar of the Beiming Divine Art and save her life.
[Warning! Five days until annihilation.]
[Warning! Five days until annihilation.]
The system's cold and ruthless voice rang in Zhou Zhizhi's mind, causing her to stop in her tracks as she was about to return to the Imperial Preceptor's residence.
"Mom *****", Zhou Zhizhi said in a series of greetings, then turned and followed Xiao Xiyou.
After leaving the crowded main urban area, Xiao Xiyou lightly touched the ground with his feet and used his lightness skill to leap over walls and rooftops to a desolate mountain on the outskirts of the city.
Xu Cang was waiting for him there. In front of him was a small bamboo table with a bottle of sake on it. Xu Cang was drinking alone. Beside the table were an ancient zither and a long sword.
This used to be their favorite way to relax. After having a few drinks, the two would practice their martial arts together and improve together. Occasionally, when the mood struck, they would even play a few tunes.
Xiao Xiyou was somewhat moved by the scene, but he had a vague feeling that things were not so simple.
Xu Cang tried to meet him repeatedly, there must be something fishy about it. Xiao Xiyou looked around but found no signs of an ambush.
"You've come." Xu Cang looked up and smiled at Xiao Xiyou, a smile tinged with sadness. He slowly picked up the sword from the table.
Xu Cang drew his sword from its scabbard. "Do you remember this sword?"
The cold blade gleamed with a chilling light, making it clear at a glance that this sword was no ordinary weapon.
"This was a gift from you." Xu Cang looked at the sword in his hand, lost in memories.
"Back then, we practiced martial arts together." He chuckled lightly, his words revealing nothing but helplessness.
"I taught you your first set of sword techniques."
"But later, I discovered that you were a martial arts prodigy, and I gradually couldn't keep up with your pace of progress."
“Some sword techniques you can master in a day or two, but I…” Xu Cang paused, then continued, “Your martial arts are far superior to mine. Even if I try my best, I can only barely hold out for about ten rounds.”
"Later, when you grew up, you were finally able to speak a few words in front of the emperor. I still remember how you desperately copied Buddhist scriptures and presented the emperor with a hundred-meter-long handwritten Buddhist scripture as a birthday gift. In this hundred-meter-long Buddhist scripture, every character was the same size and there was not a single mistake."
Xu Cang picked up his wine glass, took a sip, and poured a glass of wine for the empty glass opposite him, gesturing for Xiao Xiyou to sit down.
Seeing that Xiao Xiyou had drunk the wine in his glass, he felt relieved and continued speaking.
"Only you know how careful you have to be with every stroke to ensure that you make a perfect one."
"You took advantage of the Emperor's good mood and asked him to make me your personal bodyguard."
Xu Cang handed the sword in his hand to Xiao Xiyou, "Now it's time to return it to you."
"I was really happy when I was your bodyguard; it was the happiest time of my life."
“You don’t act like royalty, and you’re even willing to be brothers with a lowly guard like me.”
"Then why did you betray me?" Xiao Xiyou came here today to resolve this question.
Xu Cang was an orphan, all alone. He wouldn't have any relatives who were controlled by the Third Prince and forced to work for him. Besides, if Xu Cang hadn't approached him himself, how would the Third Prince have noticed him?
Before Xiao Xiyou could even explain, the cup in his hand slipped quietly from his grasp and shattered into several pieces on the ground.
His whole body went limp, and he slammed heavily onto the table in front of him.
Xu Cang looked at Xiao Xiyou lying in front of him, a bitter smile appearing on his face.
"I'm sorry, brother, I had no choice."
“I have already reached a dead end, while you are at least a prince and will not lose your life for this.”
Zhou Zhizhi, who had been following Xiao Xiyou to this point, could no longer contain herself and suddenly appeared in front of him.
"I advise you to leave quickly," Xu Cang said loudly to Zhou Zhizhi.
“Leaving is fine, but I have to take Xiao Xiyou with me.” Zhou Zhizhi was not to be outdone. Seeing Xu Cang charging towards her with his sword, she dodged his attack with a quick movement.
The two passed each other, their sword energy crisscrossing. Zhou Zhizhi focused her mind and energy to meet Xu Cang's attack again.
Xu Cang's swordsmanship was fierce and swift, every move a potential killer.
However, none of this mattered to Zhou Zhizhi; she only wanted to finish the job quickly and bring Xiao Xiyou back.
Zhou Zhizhi skillfully avoided Xu Cang's attacks, cleverly seized upon his weaknesses, and launched a counterattack.
Xu Cang gradually found himself at a disadvantage.
Zhou Zhizhi seized the sword from his hand, dodged, and with a skillful sword move, successfully stabbed Xu Cang in the shoulder.
Xu Cang cried out in pain and was forced back several steps.
Zhou Zhizhi unleashed a series of sword strikes, forcing Xu Cang to the edge of a cliff.
Just when Zhou Zhizhi thought that Xu Cang was doomed to defeat, a black figure rushed towards her from behind.
"Hahahaha!" Xu Cang suddenly burst into laughter, attracting Zhou Zhizhi's attention.
"I never imagined that I, who prided myself on being a martial arts prodigy who had practiced martial arts since childhood, would have such a large number of powerful masters and talented individuals in the world. There are always mountains beyond mountains and people beyond people."
Zhou Zhizhi frowned upon hearing Xu Cang's words, "Stop standing there..."
Before she could finish speaking, she felt a cold wind coming from behind her; someone must have been attacking her.
Zhou Zhizhi quickly turned around, but Lu Shanfeng was already very close to her, and Zhou Zhizhi had no time to react.
In that critical moment, a silver sword suddenly interrupted Lu Shanfeng's attack, and Xiao Xiyou used his sword to block the blow for Zhou Zhizhi.
"What's going on? You haven't been drinking?" Xu Cang was the most shocked.
"Of course I won't drink it. I just want to see what you'll say after I pretend to be poisoned." Xiao Xiyou looked at Xu Cang coldly.
"Why talk so much nonsense!"
After speaking, Lu Shanfeng, having had his attack blocked by Xiao Xiyou, rose again to attack.
Xiao Xiyou turned to face Lu Shanfeng, his sword dancing up and down, transforming into a silver light, clashing with Lu Shanfeng's attacks, and for a time it was difficult to determine the winner.
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