Chapter 290: Chapter 290: Why Not Just Surrender, I Said I’m Just Passing By

When Martial Arts Cultivators deployed their Martial Seals, it was almost always in a fight to the death. The seal granted a massive boost to Combat Power, making their strength difficult to rein in.

Princess Lan Yue and Nalan Hongbo were in just such a state. Their powerful auras clashed, followed by the meeting of saber and sword. With a crisp ring, flashes of their weapons filled the air. A violent boom echoed, and in an instant, the ground within a ten-meter radius of them was rendered completely barren.

The Combat Power of an External Refining Iron Bone Expert was already formidable, and the shockwaves of their battles spread far. Wulan Haochuan, for example, had long since retreated to a safe distance to avoid getting caught in the crossfire. However, he kept a Hidden Weapon at the ready, prepared to strike the moment he sensed an opening.

Princess Lan Yue’s acute sense of danger picked up on the threat. As she fought Nalan Hongbo, she constantly shifted her position, moving to evade Wulan Haochuan’s potential sneak attack.

"Princess, I told you you’re no match for me. Why not surrender?"

After they had fought for the time it takes half an incense stick to burn, Nalan Hongbo, Curved Saber in hand, spoke with utter confidence.

Princess Lan Yue had sustained another injury. At the same time, the poison from his Bone-Piercing Nail was penetrating deeper into her organs, making her condition progressively worse.

He, on the other hand, remained full of vigor. The scales of victory had tipped completely in his favor.

"Is that so?"

"Without these two Jin Meng Horses, I’d like to see how you’ll escape the pursuit of the Six Gates."

Princess Lan Yue couldn’t stop herself from spitting out a mouthful of dark blood. The initial wound from the Bone-Piercing Nail had only worsened as she fought Nalan Hongbo, and her condition was growing more dire.

Furthermore, the poison from the nail was spreading. Even though she had taken an Antitoxic Pill, it hadn’t been enough to completely neutralize the toxin, and its effects were beginning to flare up.

Desperation washed over Princess Lan Yue. She was outmatched. Even the Jin Meng Empire’s Prince was hiding far away, and she couldn’t manage to take one of her enemies down with her. However, their horses were not far away.

’If that’s the case, then I’ll get my revenge by killing their horses.’

Her Night-Shining Jade Lion was gone; she would make sure Nalan Hongbo and his companion had no horses to ride either. Without superior steeds like the Jin Meng Horses, their escape would be slowed significantly. Then, she could rely on the Six Gates to deliver her vengeance.

As Princess Lan Yue’s words faded, the two horses that had been grazing moments before suddenly collapsed, cleanly sliced in two. They hit the ground, lifeless.

The sword strike had been so fast that the horses hadn’t even felt it. They were dead before their bodies hit the ground.

"You...!"

Nalan Hongbo’s expression turned grim. ’So that’s why she took my last strike head-on,’ he thought. That blow had wounded her arm and halved her Combat Power, making him confident he could capture her.

But now, a knot of unease formed in his stomach. He was well aware of how important those horses were. It was for this very reason that he had avoided harming her Night-Shining Jade Lion earlier when he was still trying to capture her alive.

Horses were essential for long journeys due to their stamina.

The more superior the horse, the better. A Night-Shining Jade Lion was a peerless steed. He had only attacked it out of desperation, and it had pained him to do so. Otherwise, it would have been his prize, greatly increasing his chances of escaping the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty.

Now, the situation was even worse, and his heart sank.

Killing intent surged within him. He desperately wanted to use his Thunder Prison Saber to hack this detestable woman from Great Zhou to pieces.

"I’m doing just fine. You, on the other hand, are in a terrible position."

"You will not escape the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty. You will die at the hands of the Six Gates. You will pay for what you did to..."

A look of grim resolve flashed in Princess Lan Yue’s eyes. She had prepared for the worst. But as she was speaking, her brow furrowed slightly, and then her eyes lit up.

To her surprise, someone else was nearby. She sensed a chance for survival.

The reason was a horse, startled, had just reared up with a loud cry.

"NEIGH! NEIGH! NEIGH!"

The Qing State Horse had seen its two brethren instantly sliced in half and fall to the ground. Terrified, it reared up on its hind legs, its whinnying growing louder and louder. The huge commotion naturally drew the attention of everyone present.

Yang Chan’s expression turned foul. ’I was hidden so well,’ he thought. ’Given the level of Cultivation they’ve displayed, there’s no way they should have been able to detect my presence. Once the fight was over, they would have left, and I could have just pretended I never saw a thing.’

’Princess Lan Yue, the officials from the Jin Meng Empire... none of them had anything to do with me. I wanted no part of this. I just wanted to stay away.’

’After all, it wasn’t just them—it was the Jin Meng Empire and the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty they represented. I don’t want to get mixed up with any of them. On top of that, people from the Six Gates are probably on their way. It would have been so much better to just stay clear, let them leave, and pretend I saw nothing.’

Yang Chan was capable of such patience, but the Qing State Horse he’d brought with him was not. Its terrified, loud cries made it impossible not to draw attention.

"Sir, I am Princess Lan Yue, Yang Xianglan, of the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty! If you can save my life, the Imperial Court will reward you generously."

"I also have a Superior Secret Manual I can give you. Please, I beg you to save me!"

Seeing a chance to live, Princess Lan Yue naturally wasn’t going to let it slip by.

She had fought Nalan Hongbo so desperately precisely because she couldn’t defeat him and couldn’t escape. She had been on the verge of despair.

"Who’s skulking in the shadows? How dare you interfere in my affairs! Show yourself!"

Nalan Hongbo yelled toward the location of the Qing State Horse while gesturing to Wulan Haochuan, signaling him to retarget his Hidden Weapon, ready to kill the hidden person at a moment’s notice.

At the same time, he noticed the horse was a superior Qing State Horse, and a flicker of delight appeared in his eyes.

His own Jin Meng Horses had just been killed, and now a replacement had appeared. This was excellent news for him.

A Qing State Horse was also a superior steed, more than capable of carrying them to the next location where they could acquire new mounts. And so, the thought of stealing it took root in his mind.

"If I were to say I’m just an innocent passerby and that I’ll be leaving right now... would that be alright?"

Yang Chan sighed in resignation and stepped out from behind a large tree, addressing the three of them.

The sight of his youthful face brought different expressions to the three onlookers.

Princess Lan Yue’s face was a mask of despair. He was so young, and his Cultivation wasn’t even as strong as hers; he couldn’t possibly be of much help. Worse, he had brought a Qing State Horse with him—it was like he was delivering a fresh mount directly to Nalan Hongbo.

She pushed herself to stand, wanting to kill the Qing State Horse, but she could feel her strength draining away. The poison was taking its toll, and her situation was becoming more and more hopeless.

Nalan Hongbo and Wulan Haochuan, however, were delighted. This newcomer posed no threat. They could simply kill him, take the Qing State Horse, and buy themselves a significant amount of time.