Chapter 585 The God of Slaughter Returns! (Second Update)
Gu Jiao and Long Yi returned to the forest, where Princess Xinyang's carriage and her men were still there.
Princess Xinyang had already noticed that Long Yi and the others were missing, so it was not surprising that she saw Long Yi and his group return with Gu Jiao.
"Why did it take you so long?" Princess Xinyang asked.
Long Yi put Gu Jiao into the car.
Gu Jiao's cheeks, which had been squeezed by the cold wind the whole way, went numb again, and it took her a while to regain feeling.
Gu Jiao didn't answer Princess Xinyang's question, but instead said sullenly, "Could you please ask Long Yi not to pinch me?"
Long Yi was moving so fast that being sandwiched between them felt like having a giant blower blowing in front of you.
Princess Xinyang pouted: "He only listens to half of what I say. I told him not to pinch you anymore, and all he ever heard was 'pinch you.'"
Gu Jiao: "..."
One day she'll drag Long Yi around everywhere!
Gu Jiao continued the question from before, saying, "Something went wrong, and we alerted the enemy."
"Are you alright?" Princess Xinyang asked.
Gu Jiao said, "Long Yi and I are fine, but the others were bitten by poisonous insects. These aren't ordinary poisonous insects; they're specifically designed to target the Dragon Shadow Guards. Qin Fengyan probably used the same kind of poisonous insect in the Imperial Study that day."
Princess Xinyang lifted the curtain and looked at the four Dragon Shadow Guards on horseback.
They wore masks, so it was impossible to tell whether their faces were pale or not.
"Is it serious?" she asked.
Gu Jiao said, "The poisonous insects were removed in time, but some poison still remains in the body."
Princess Xinyang frowned slightly: "They are not even afraid of poisonous snakes, yet they are afraid of poisonous insects."
Gu Jiao thought about it and said, "Everything has its counter. Sometimes, the more powerful an existence is, the less noticeable its natural enemy is."
"That's true." Princess Xinyang lowered the curtain. "You and Long Yi weren't bitten?"
Gu Jiao shook her head: "Those bugs don't bite us."
Princess Xinyang could understand not biting Gu Jiao, but if it was specifically to deal with the Dragon Shadow Guards, then Gu Jiao wouldn't be within the range of poisonous insects' preferences. But Long Yi—
Princess Xinyang glanced at Long Yi, who was sitting properly in the outer carriage seat, and muttered, "So he really did just wander in..."
She pressed her temples and asked, "Have you gotten the antidote?"
Gu Jiao took the bundle off her body: "All the medicines I could find are here, but I don't know which bottle contains the antidote. I need to take it back to Master Nan's wife to take a look."
Princess Xinyang had heard of Nan Shi Niang, the wife of a carpenter whom Xiao Heng had found for Gu Xiaoshun and Gu Yan through Feng Lao's connections.
She just had never met him.
Princess Xinyang pondered for a moment and asked, "What if Qin Fengyan is lying to you, and the antidote isn't actually in the hands of those Yan people?"
Gu Jiao confessed: "After she said that, I interrogated her again with hallucinogens, and her answers were the same. She didn't lie."
Princess Xinyang asked in confusion, "What are hallucinogens?"
Gu Jiao explained, "It's a kind of interrogation drug."
Princess Xinyang glanced at her: "Is it very effective?"
Gu Jiao continued, "It works for some people, but for others, they become so immersed in hallucinations that they can't communicate with the outside world, and then it won't work."
Princess Xinyang said calmly, "Give me some later."
Gu Jiao: "Okay."
Thinking of something, Gu Jiao quickly added, "Time is of the essence, so I'll keep it brief. There are two more things."
Princess Xinyang looked at her and said, "You speak."
Gu Jiao said, "Among those Yan people, there is a general surnamed Nangong. Also, today a Zhao person had dealings with that General Nangong. Before leaving, he said to General Nangong, 'General Nangong, thank you.'"
Princess Xinyang frowned suspiciously: "General Nangong? General Nangong, thank you?"
Gu Jiao wanted to deliver the antidote back to the palace as quickly as possible, and Princess Xinyang asked Long Yi to accompany her.
The two men chose the two strongest horses.
Gu Jiao, riding on horseback, instructed Princess Xinyang, "The four of them have been poisoned. It's best if they don't ride horses, in case something happens on the way. I will give them an antidote after we return to the capital."
Princess Xinyang said solemnly, "I understand. Go quickly and be sure to save Xiao Qi!"
Gu Jiao tightened the reins, turned the horse around, and looked back at the carriage road: "Also, those Yan people might chase after us, be careful."
Princess Xinyang said, "Don't worry about that! Let's go!"
Gu Jiao and Long Yi quickly rode their horses into the night.
It was just past midnight, so there should have been plenty of time. Unfortunately, the Yan Kingdom's Dragon Shadow Guards caught up with them.
There was only one official road, and no matter how much Gu Jiao and Long Yi tried to shake them off, they continued to get closer and closer.
Long Yi reined in his horse.
Gu Jiao turned around and exchanged a knowing glance with him.
Gu Jiao continued riding forward.
Long Yi turned around and blocked the group's path with his own strength.
Gu Jiao pushed the horse to its maximum speed.
This is the official road that Qin Fengyan once used to escape; ten miles ahead lies Phoenix Pavilion.
It'll be quick once you pass Phoenix Pavilion.
Cangbei Mountain is less than 20 li away from the west gate of the capital.
Just as they approached Phoenix Pavilion, an arrow suddenly shot from the side of the hillside and struck Gu Jiao's horse. The horse cried out in pain and fell forward.
Gu Jiao also rushed out.
It was too late to draw her gun. She clutched the bundle in her arms, rolled several times on the ground, and finally managed to steady herself.
However, before she could stand up, another arrow shot out.
If she hadn't reacted quickly and moved half an inch to the side, the arrow would have pinned her entire arm to the ground!
Gu Jiao stared intently toward the hillside.
There, a master dressed in black stood with his bow drawn. His wide sleeves fluttered in the cold wind, and even across what seemed like a thousand mountains and rivers, Gu Jiao could still feel the killing intent in his eyes.
His aura is no weaker than Sirius's!
He came from a side road, so he didn't run into Long Yi on the main road.
It seems we can't leave without killing him today.
Given her current state of recovery, she shouldn't be too badly off against Tianlang. If she performs well, she might be able to fight to a draw, but killing him is almost impossible.
Gu Jiao coldly raised her hand and gripped the red-tasseled spear behind her back.
...
Kunning Palace was brightly lit.
Qin Chuyu remained unconscious, and the palace servants dared not even breathe.
Empress Xiao and Nan Xiang have been waiting in the room until now. Eunuch Su saw that Empress Xiao was so haggard that even the blood vessels in her eyes were red, but he did not dare to comfort her at all.
Empress Xiao's eyes were swollen from crying, and her voice was hoarse.
She held Qin Chuyu's hand, stroking his pale face, her throat choked with emotion: "Little Seven, you must hold on... You must not be hurt... As long as you wake up... I will agree to anything you want... I won't force you to memorize your lessons anymore... I won't force you to practice calligraphy anymore... If you don't want to go to the Imperial Academy... I won't send you there... You can have as many snacks as you want... I will grant your wish... Please don't be hurt..."
Qin Chuyu's small body began to spasm and convulse.
Nan Xiang quickly stood up and pulled up Qin Chuyu's sleeve. She saw that the white mark on Qin Chuyu's wrist had spread to his palm. When it reached his fingertips, he would be too late to save him.
"Doctor Nan! How is Xiao Qi?" Empress Xiao asked, weeping.
Nan Xiang said, "His condition is worse than I expected! My poison can't hold! He won't make it to dawn!"
She glanced at the hourglass on the wall, her expression complicated, and said, "At most... at most one hour. If Jiaojiao can't bring the antidote back by 1:45 AM..."
Then I'm afraid... even a celestial being descending to earth couldn't save them.
Empress Xiao threw herself onto Qin Chuyu, wailing, "Seventh Prince! Seventh Prince—"
Outside Phoenix Pavilion, the moon was dark and the wind was high.
Gu Jiao and the man in black robes had exchanged a hundred blows. Time passed slowly, and Gu Jiao's strength was gradually waning.
She underestimated Tianlang's strength. Last time on the snow mountain, she used a trick to prevent Tianlang from displaying his true power.
Now that she has encountered a second Sirius, she realizes just how terrifying a master of this level truly is.
Gu Jiao suffered minor injuries to her arms and waist, thanks to the red-tasseled spear. Otherwise, with an ordinary weapon, she would have been sliced into pieces by the opponent's longsword.
Moreover, Gu Jiao discovered something else: this guy was after her weapon.
Why does every master of the Heavenly Wolf Sect want to get her red-tasseled spear?
The black-robed expert unleashed another longsword strike.
Gu Jiao's spear moved like a dragon, ensnaring his longsword!
Weapons clashed, sparks flying in the darkness!
Neither of them would give way, their eyes locked in a fierce battle, even the murderous intent in their gazes clashing intensely.
Gu Jiao kicked him, and he parried with his shoe. Both of them stumbled backward, with Gu Jiao stumbling even further.
It's past 1:00 AM.
If they keep fighting like this, they won't be able to kill him even by dawn.
Gu Jiao knelt on one knee, using her spear to support her nearly exhausted body, and glanced at him breathlessly with bloodshot eyes.
Suddenly, Gu Jiao stood up, revealing eyes like those of a ferocious young beast.
She raised her left hand, hooked her fingertips, and grabbed the amulet around her neck.
She tore off the amulet that Princess Xinyang had given her, placed it in her fist with her palm facing down, and released her fist, letting the amulet slowly fall to the ground.
The man in black robes looked at the boy opposite him strangely, not understanding what he was doing.
The boy stuck out his tongue and licked the blood from the corner of his lips.
The next second, the boy's aura suddenly surged!
The God of Slaughter has returned!
(End of this chapter)
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