After finding the Princess and hearing her description, they chose not to rescue her. Instead, they found this perfect spot for an ambush, using the Princess as bait. They just had to wait for Ning Xuan to get close before they would strike.
But the bastard didn’t play by the rules at all! He showed no tenderness toward a fair maiden, not hesitating for a second to strike a princess of the realm!
Fuck! We’re screwed! If the King finds out, he’ll definitely exterminate our Ten Clans! Unless... we capture Ning Xuan alive! No, that won’t work. His sword is too fast. In that case... we’ll bring back his corpse!
The Shadow Guards rose, their gazes locked firmly on Ning Xuan. In their eyes, he was already a dead man.
WHOOSH!
A peerless beam of sword light suddenly tore through the void. Ning Xuan had taken the initiative!
Unable to evade in time, three Shadow Guards were instantly slain! It was horrifying. To be selected as a Shadow Guard, one’s cultivation had to be at least the seventh layer of the Heavenly Realm! Ning Xuan was merely at the Earth Realm, yet he had instantly killed three Heavenly Realm experts. If word of this got out, it would undoubtedly shake the world.
However, Ning Xuan remained unruffled. I’m just using my strengths against their weaknesses. Their greatest skill is concealment; I couldn’t even sense their presence earlier. If it weren’t for that princess’s terrible acting, I definitely would have fallen for it. So, instantly killing three of them is nothing special.
Fortunately, the remaining Shadow Guards had no idea what Ning Xuan was thinking, or they would have died of shame. You bastard! You instantly kill three experts two entire Realms above you, and you think it’s nothing special? Shit! Don’t we have any dignity?!
The three remaining guards, their eyes glued to Ning Xuan, retreated in unison. This kid is too terrifying! We can’t beat him!
"You’re Shadow Guards. Your greatest strength should be stealth," Ning Xuan suddenly said to them. "Why don’t you leave first, find a good hiding spot, and then try to ambush me later?"
The three of them were stunned. Are you fucking kidding us?! Who’s the Heavenly Realm expert here, you or us?! You tell us to leave, and we’re just supposed to leave? Don’t we have any pride?
Ning Xuan frowned. "What, you’re not willing? Fine, in that case, I’ll—"
Just as he was about to raise his sword, all three vanished without a trace.
Pride be damned! Survival comes first.
Ning Xuan happily collected another four Storage Rings. They all contained a generous amount of Element Crystals. Princess Mingzhu’s Storage Ring was especially full of good things. It alone contained a whopping two billion Element Crystals! She had been saving them for Ning Yang for several years. Now, Ning Xuan reaped all the benefits.
"Thanks," Ning Xuan said, kicking the beautiful severed head high into the air.
The head: ...
A hidden Shadow Guard who had just escaped watched from nearby. Fuck, so heartless!
This clever guard had hidden himself close by, but Ning Xuan’s kick caused his aura to fluctuate, revealing his position. Just as he was about to move...
PFFT!
A brilliant sword light flashed. His head went flying.
His headless body: Damn you, you have no martial virtue! Didn’t you tell us to hide properly? I wasn’t finished hiding!
With another Storage Ring in hand, Ning Xuan’s mood was exceptionally bright.
「Somewhere in the Pride Hunting Ground」
A group of cultivators were resting around a large pot after having worked together to hunt an Element Beast. A nourishing soup made from the beast’s meat simmered within.
"I heard some explosive news!"
"What is it?"
"Princess Mingzhu is also in the Pride Hunting Ground! She’s always admired the Human Emperor and has openly declared her love for him multiple times. Since Ning Xuan wiped out the Ning Family, she’s here to vent the Human Emperor’s anger!"
"The King’s most beloved princess is here? Ning Xuan is definitely doomed now! The two guards who follow her everywhere are both at the Heavenly Realm!"
"Exactly. And there must be other experts secretly protecting her. It’s a shame we don’t know where she is. Otherwise, I’d definitely go watch the show."
"Me too."
A young man suddenly looked up at the sky. "Hey, what’s that?"
"Holy shit, it looks like a human head!"
"Quick, grab it before it falls in the pot!"
Someone with quick reflexes managed to snatch the head just an instant before it plunged into the soup. He lifted it for a look.
SPLASH!
Startled, he dropped the head into the pot.
"Prin... Princess..."
Terrified, they all collapsed to the ground, staring blankly at the steaming cauldron. After a long moment, someone spoke.
"Princess Mingzhu... was beheaded?"
"Who would have such audacity..."
The man trailed off as everyone fell silent. In this Pride Hunting Ground, who else could it be but Ning Xuan! He’s really torn a hole in the sky this time!
「Meanwhile, at the Dong Cang Royal Palace」
The Chief Eunuch practically crawled to the doors of the King’s chambers. He was as pale as a ghost, his body shaking like a leaf in the wind.
The King’s voice drifted from within. "What is it?"
"Prin... Princess... she... she..."
SWOOSH!
A tall figure appeared in a blur, grabbing the Chief Eunuch by the neck and hoisting him into the air with one hand. "What happened to Mingzhu?!"
The Chief Eunuch closed his eyes, abandoning all struggle, not daring to speak.
CRACK!
His throat was crushed. A terrifying, boundless killing intent erupted from the King.
"NING XUAN, I WILL EXTERMINATE YOUR TEN CLANS!!!"
The roar thundered throughout The Capital, shaking the very heavens. Countless gazes turned toward the Royal Palace. Soon after, the entire palace entered a state of war. The Imperial Guard amassed at the exit of the Pride Hunting Ground, and troops stationed around the Royal Capital received urgent orders to return at once.
Ning Xuan, however, was oblivious to the inescapable net being cast outside. He was thriving in the Pride Hunting Ground like a fish in water. Continuing deeper, it wasn’t long before he ’harvested’ several more Storage Rings. Two of them belonged to the two remaining Shadow Guards. Their concealment techniques were indeed remarkable, but they had been far too impatient.
Ning Xuan estimated he now had enough Element Crystals in his collection of rings to advance his cultivation by another one or two levels. He immediately set off to find a safe place to absorb their energy.
Not long after, a secluded valley appeared before him. As soon as he entered, he saw a standoff between humans and a beast. A group of five people were facing an Element Beast whose power was comparable to the Peak of the Heavenly Realm. To Ning Xuan’s surprise, two of the five were from the group that had been with Tuoba Ye—two of the so-called eight great elites.
"Carry on," Ning Xuan said after a quick glance, turning to leave.
"Wait!"
"Ning... Ning Xuan!" one of the elites called out. "This beast is on its last legs! Give us a hand, and we’ll split its treasures with you evenly!"
Ning Xuan glanced at the Element Beast, then shook his head. "Not interested."
The Element Beast, which had been startled by Ning Xuan’s arrival, took the opportunity to let out a furious roar at the five cultivators.
PFFT!
The other three, who weren’t the elites, spat out blood.
"You can have it all! Everything!" the other elite blurted out. "Plus, there might be other treasures in this valley. They’ll be yours too!"
"That’s right! Brother Ning Xuan, just help us out! Together, we can sweep this entire Pride Hunting Ground!"
The two elites immediately increased their offer. Ning Xuan’s eyes lit up. Just as the two elites were feeling overjoyed, they were left completely stunned by Ning Xuan’s next move.