Chapter 83

A tall, dark figure flashed into the Orchid Garden in a hurry. On closer inspection, it was a masked man, and the person he was protecting beside him was none other than Chu Ying Ruo.

"Mother!"

"Xiao Er!"

Mother and son saw each other again and nearly shed tears.

Zong Zi Heng glared at the masked man. The image of Hua Yu Xin before she died came to his mind and he was filled with hatred.

A large group of guards poured into the Orchid Garden. The torches in their hands illuminated the almost forgotten hall as bright as day, making its lying waste unable to vanish.

Escorted by the brothers Huang Hong and Huang Wu, Zong Ming He arrived. His luxurious white gold royal robes appeared even more distinguished in the darkness of the night, seemingly a world apart from the sneaky man in black, but the most beautiful woman in Jiuzhou, the woman who had belonged to him originally, was standing on the other side.

Zong Ming He's eyes were vicious and spiteful, as if jealousy was about to take shape and burst out of his pupils.

Zong Zi Xiao looked at the masked man with a complicated expression, and then looked at the man he had called his father for 14 years. His lips moved, not knowing what to say.

Chu Ying Ruo stared hatefully at Zong Zi Heng: "This is really a trap you set up."

To sneak into the most heavily guarded Wuji Palace in Jiuzhou to rescue someone was a desperate move, how could it be foolproof? Zong Zi Heng's face was ghastly pale, but he did not dare to explain in front of Zong Ming He.

Zong Ming He narrowed his eyes, "It seems that son knew that this vermin was still alive."

Zong Zi Heng pursed his lips and did not say a word.

Zong Zi Xiao stiffly turned his face, gazing at Zong Zi Heng with silent and deep eyes, as if the light of his pupils had disappeared in this moment of his life, never to be lit up again for the rest of his life thereafter.

Zong Ming He looked viciously at the masked man: “Manwhore*, you have no face to show to others?"

Upon hearing his words, the masked man pulled off his mask. Shadowy and handsome, it was none other than Lu Zhao Feng. He stared at Zong Ming He and his eyes were furious: "Ying Ruo and I are in love with each other. The one who has no face to show to others, should be you. A dog thief who hit upon the idea when smitten with love."

"I am the Human Emperor, a mere woman is nothing. Even if I want you to die, you will have to kneel down and offer me your life!"

Lu Zhao Feng shouted, "Human Emperor! Does everyone in the world know that the Human Emperor had my entire family killed in order to forcibly marry a woman?"

The people in the audience looked at each other in disbelief.

"Small vermin, how dare you make slanderous accusations and offend the emperor!" Huang Hong drew his sword and attacked Lu Zhao Feng. Huang Wu also immediately lashed out, and a crowd of guards all came back from their senses to attack the three.

Zong Zi Xiao snatched the sword from one of the guards. He protected Chu Ying Ruo behind him and joined the fight.

Zong Zi Heng stood aside with his sword, sweat dripping into his eyes from his forehead, and his vision blurred for a while.

Zong Ming He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, looking coldly at Zong Zi Heng: "Zi Heng, why don't you take down this manwhore and their son of a b*tch?"

"... Yes." Zong Zi Heng raised his sword to meet them, wondering in his mind when Lu Zhao Feng intended to use the Chasing Mountain Whip, which was the only possibility for them to escape.

A murderous sword aura came from his side, Zong Zi Heng instinctively exerts a move to attack as a defense, but when he saw who was coming in the next instant, he had to dissolve the move, but the after-effects were still strong, and the harsh sword aura cut Zong Zi Xiao's left arm, splattering blood. But Zong Zi Xiao was oblivious to his wound, and with a stern roar, he struck Zong Zi Heng with an even more frenzied stance. Before the lingering sound of the sword's clanging had dissipated, he ran into a pair of bloody red, desperate eyes.

Zong Zi Heng's heart ached.

Zong Zi Xiao's voice seemed to be sobbing blood, "Why ... I trusted you so much and listened to you in everything. Why did you do this to me!?"

The fierce sword aura pressed down from above his head. Zong Zi Heng raised his hand to block it. Two silver blades met in a cross with a "bam" sound, not knowing whose heart was shattered by the sound.

Zong Zi Xiao pressed his sword hard in his hand with frightening force, as if he had staked everything on this moment of wrestling.

The two looked at each other across the sharp, murderous weapons, each seeing overwhelming, extreme pain in the other's eyes.

Zong Zi Heng said stoically, "Xiao Jiu, big brother is sorry to you."

It was big brother who was incompetent and unable to protect you. Big brother was ashamed to be the eldest brother.

Zong Zi Xiao bared his silver teeth, like the fangs of a fierce beast: "I, hate, you!"

"This is the, the Chasing, Chasing Mountain Whip!" One of the guards shouted in horror.

A golden light flashed and an ancient legendary flying snake whip emerged from the sky.

This turn of events took the crowd by surprise, and Zong Ming He's expression suddenly changed.

Zong Zi Xiao also froze, staring in confusion at the man who was a stranger to him, yet who was his biological father.

Zong Ming He's hand was shaking as he pointed at Lu Zhao Feng: "You, why do you have the Chasing Mountain Whip?"

Lu Zhao Feng let out a hideous laugh: "Zong Ming He, if I say Yan Shu is dead, will you finally be able to breathe a sigh of relief?"

"What are you trying to say?!"

"Not only do I have the Chasing Mountain Whip, but also the Wusheng Brush." Lu Zhao Feng suddenly changed to an odd accent, "If you dare to stop me today, I will make the sins you have committed public, so that the people of Jiuzhou will know the true face of Emperor Ning Hua!"

The tone of that speech, only those who had conversed with Yan Shu before could recognize it. Both Zong Ming He and Zong Zi Xiao's faces turned pale and incomparably white in an instant.

With a wave of Lu Zhao Feng's Chasing Mountain Whip, sand and stones were sent flying and the land cracked in the orchid garden. The surrounding walls were dismantled like tofu blocks, and all turned into Lu Zhao Feng's spears and shields under the command of that magical weapon.

A large number of guards were either plunged into the ground or dodged the flying stones in disarray, and the scene was in chaos.

Chu Ying Ruo shouted, "Xiao Er, come here quickly. Don't be over-zealous in fighting!"

Zong Zi Xiao gritted his teeth, withdrew his sword and ran towards Chu Ying Ruo, escorting her to follow Lu Zhao Feng's retreat.

Lu Zhao Feng manipulated the soil and rocks and tried to take Chu Ying Ruo and Zong Zi Xiao to escape into the ground.

Zong Ming He only thought of silencing them, and no longer cared about majestic appearance. He unsheathed his sword and personally took part in the battle. Exerting a move in a killer move. After reaching the eighth Chongtian of the Zongxuan Sword, his sword energy was as fierce and domineering as a flood, which cannot be stopped, breaking Lu Zhao Feng's stone wall with a single move.

"Zi Xiao, take care of your mother!" Lu Zhao Feng was unable to fight back and was defending and retreating.

Zong Ming He's body suddenly swayed and pounced on Zong Zi Xiao and Chu Ying Ruo with a disconcerting speed.

Although the body of a patriarchal level cultivator was already extraordinary, this speed was still unexpectedly fast for those who were familiar with the Zong clan's technique, and they all thought it had something to do with Zong Ming He breaking the boundary. Only Zong Zi Heng knew where this body technique came from - Cheng Yan Zhi's golden core.

The sword aura went straight for Zong Zi Xiao's lifeline and he had no choice but to evade it, but Zong Ming He's target was not him to begin with, but Chu Ying Ruo.

Zong Ming He grabbed Chu Ying Ruo by the hair, forcing her to expose her snow-white jade neck like a sacrifice. The cold blade hovering above the flesh, like a poisonous snake circling around.

"Mother!"

"Ying Ruo!"

Zong Ming He's eyes were full of ominous glint: "Lu Zhao Feng, if you want her to live, you should stop resisting."

"If you dare to kill her, I will make everything known to the world!"

"Then I will bury this bitch and your bastard with you!"

"Lu Lang, go now!" Chu Ying Ruo shouted, "Take Zi Xiao away."

Lu Zhao Feng's eyes were red, "Let's go together."

"What are you still standing there for? Kill him." Zong Ming He roared.

The guards swarmed over them, and Zong Zi Heng's eyes were red with anxiety. Under heavy siege, Lu Zhao Feng could not manipulate the Chasing Mountain Whip for long, and once they missed this moment to escape, none of them would be able to leave.

"You guys go now ah----" Chu Ying Ruo cried heartrendingly.

Zong Zi Xiao's wound was still bleeding uncontrollably. He tried to break through the heavy siege several times, but the ordinary sword in his hand was cut off by Huang Wu.

Lu Zhao Feng had also received two sword blows and was struggling more and more. The light of the Chasing Mountain Whip was flickering, apparently becoming more faint, while a large number of the Zong clan's cultivators were still pouring into the Orchid Garden.

With tears streaming down her face, Chu Ying Ruo said resolutely, "Lu Lang, Xiao Er, we as a family, have no fate in this lifetime. Let's meet again in the next life."

"No------"

A snowy neck gushes out a bewitching red.

Zong Zi Heng's vision also turned scarlet.

"Mother------" A mournful cry of sorrow resounded through the clouds. The life as Zong Zi Xiao ended here, and the one who survived was no longer the teenager who was once favored by fate.

Lu Zhao Feng howled miserably, tears of blood dripping from his eyes, "Zong Ming He, I want your Zong clan to be the last of your line!"

Zong Ming He looked at himself in bewilderment, sword in one hand, blood in the other, and a jade ornament buried in fragrance.

Lu Zhao Feng grabbed Zong Zi Xiao and swung the Chasing Mountain Whip with a loud bang. The ground sank and the earth crumbled. The two of them quickly hid into the ground, only to see the bricks on the surface crumbling, leaving a trail of earthbags in their escape path.

Zong Ming He came back to his senses and his hatred was overwhelming, "Chase them, chase after them! I want to see them, dead or alive!"

Huang Hong and Huang Wu accepted the order and pursued, and Zong Zi Heng followed suit.

Underground was the only possible way out to escape the boundaries of the Wuji Palace. Lu Zhao Feng, with Zong Zi Xiao in tow, had indeed escaped from the Wuji Palace, but they could not stay underground for long. It would be too draining on their spiritual energy.

The three were the fastest and took the lead in the chase out of the palace, leaving only an earthen pit on the ground. The men had disappeared, but there were clearly bloodstains on the ground.

"In this direction." Huang Hong followed the blood trail and gave chase.

Zong Zi Heng followed closely behind. He was counting on Lu Zhao Feng to escape as soon as possible with Zong Zi Xiao, but seeing that more and more blood was flowing along the way, it was impossible to tell whose it was. The situation must have been bad.

After chasing for a while, the blood on the ground actually split in two, going in two directions.

Huang Hong took out his whistling arrow, intending to inform the Zong cultivators, "One must have gone into the mountain. Both should not be far away. Just order someone to search ..."

Zong Zi Heng broke off his whistling arrow with a sword. His sword moved as fast as a snake sticking out its tongue. Before the two brothers could come back from their senses, Jun Lan's sword blade was already against Huang Hong's Adam's apple.

"... What is the meaning of this, Your Highness?"

"What do you think?" Zong Zi Heng said coldly, "No one is allowed to chase after them."

"Is Your Highness going to disobey the Emperor's orders and let the thieves go?"

"He is my brother, not a thief." Zong Zi Heng said with red eyes, "I will bear the consequences. Whoever dares to move, I will kill you."

"Why is Your Highness so muddle-headed?" Huang Wu frowned, "It was so hard to break clear of all the troubles and hardships, do you want to destroy your own future?"

"Break clear of all the troubles and hardships?" Zong Zi Heng looked back and glanced at the majestic Wuji Palace. He gave a bleak, miserable smile. He was buried in this dark, living grave, and would never be able to free himself from this misery.

But at least his Xiao Jiu had escaped.

Xiao Jiu, you must live well.

 

 ----

Manwhore* [女干夫Y妇]---I don’t know how to properly translate this crude Chinese word. So Emzie gave me a few suggestions and I decided to go with this xD Thanks Emz!

 

Edited on 4 Apr. 21 (Emzie)

 

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