novelraw Chapter 1941
Chapter 1941
Chapter 1941
Cui Hai opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, Huo Chun'er said urgently, "Cui Hai, you know where Senior Brother is? Then why haven't you told me yet..."
"Senior Brother..." Cui Hai lowered his eyes, remained silent for a moment, and said softly, "...is dead."
It was like a thunderbolt exploding, leaving everyone stunned. If the eldest disciple of the Huo family of the Sword Sect was dead, how could the other martial artists who had acted with him be alive?
Before the other martial artists could ask any questions, Geng Nan swung his sword at Cui Hai, only to be blocked by Fang Zilan. "What, is Hero Geng going to kill someone to silence them?"
Geng Nan's expression froze, and the martial arts figures around him quickly understood. Fang Zilan then said, "When you tricked them into going to their deaths, did you ever think about this day?"
"What...what are you going to do?" Geng Nan looked flustered. "You're here to seek justice for them..."
He fell silent halfway through his sentence, but this was tantamount to a confession, which immediately caused more and more martial artists to draw their swords, ready to attack.
"Seek justice for them?" Fang Zilan sneered, saying coldly, "They're not related, so why should we?"
"Then what are you doing here?" Geng Nan's voice trembled violently. Fang Zilan said loudly, "I'm here to offer incense. I made that very clear back at the foot of the mountain."
"Offer incense?" Geng Nan looked at Fang Zilan suspiciously, clearly not believing her.
"Amitabha." The old monk who led the way put his hands together and said to Fang Zilan, "If you wish to offer incense, please follow me."
"Thank you for your trouble." Fang Zilan sheathed her sword in front of everyone, but she didn't forget to stir up the water even more. "Speaking of which, did you all come to Zhongling Temple at the invitation of Abbot Randeng, or were you deceived by Geng Nan?"
"Shut up!" Geng Nan roared, but Fang Zilan remained unmoved. "Buddhism emphasizes cause and effect, and retribution is inevitable. How fitting!"
After she finished speaking, she followed the old monk to the gate of Zhongling Temple. Before she could even step across the threshold, a sword was placed in front of her. "Zixiu, you owe the martial world a life. What do you have to say for yourself?"
"You can represent the martial world?" Fang Zilan casually flicked the sword in front of her, and the sword broke in two. The sword's owner took a step back and dared not step forward again.
"Since Zixiu is here today, we must settle this matter once and for all," Fang Zilan declared. "I will wait until I have finished burning this incense stick before we begin our fight."
The group of martial arts practitioners behind her exchanged glances, and as if in tacit agreement, slowly stepped forward, approaching her.
Hong Tai turned around, his back to Fang Zilan, and said in a deep voice, "I'll guard it for you. You just go."
"How long can you hold out?" Fang Zilan asked calmly, while Hong Tai replied resolutely, "At least the time it takes for an incense stick to burn."
"And then what?" Fang Zilan turned around and stood side by side with Hong Tai. "If I don't make it out, what will you do?"
Hong Tai remained silent, while Fang Zilan drew her sword. "I'd rather see you alive than avenge you."
"You don't trust me that much?" Hong Tai raised his eyebrows and curled his lips, still maintaining his usual carefree and unrestrained demeanor.
“I trust her, but I can’t bear to part with her.” Fang Zilan said, pulling Awan into her arms and pushing her towards Hong Tai. Then she stood in front of them, scrutinizing the group of martial artists who were only a few steps away from her with an almost arrogant look, and said in a cold voice, “It seems you all want to come at me together?”
Before she could finish speaking, the sound of swords clashing suddenly arose, surging towards her from all directions like a tidal wave, engulfing her and refusing to stop until she was shattered to pieces.
"You're courting death." Fang Zilan's voice was very soft, but the old monk behind her heard it clearly. "Amitabha, forgive me, forgive me." "Master, stop chanting." Hong Tai spread his hands helplessly and said, "At this point, chanting anything is useless."
Awan felt a chill run down her spine and couldn't help but look at Hongtai, "Aren't you going to help her?"
“She has murderous intent. Even if I act now, I will not escape death.” Hong Tai sighed softly and said quietly, “Today, Zhongling Mountain is destined to be a river of blood.”
Awan clenched her fists and said angrily, "But if she kills everyone here today, countless people will come to claim her life tomorrow. She can't kill everyone in the world."
"You are the most willing person I have ever met to go all out." Li Shengxuan changed his self-reference and said sincerely, "If you lend a hand, this game will surely succeed."
“Your Majesty has made a mistake.” Fang Zilan abruptly shook off Li Shengxuan’s hand and said coldly, “The person who is most willing to go all out is not me, but Your Majesty.”
She paused, her grip on the plum-sword tightening slightly. "Your Majesty may offer yourself as bait, but I cannot. I trouble Your Majesty to seek another capable advisor."
Upon hearing this, Xiahou Zhang, who was standing to the side, seemed to finally lose his temper and roared, "Fang Zilan, if you hadn't killed Lord Xu Youtong and wiped out the entire Xu family, would His Majesty have come to this?"
“If Mo Han were safe and sound, why would I have killed everyone in the Xu family?” Fang Zilan’s eyes were like knives, piercing Xiahou Zhang. “If Lord Xiahou is still resentful, he might as well take me back to the capital and hand me over to Lord Xie Yanping for disposal.”
"You..." Xiahou Zhang was speechless for a moment. Li Shengxuan composed himself. "Fang Zilan, you once said that you would replace Xu Youtong."
“Yes,” Fang Zilan readily admitted. “But His Majesty said I can’t do it. Since that’s the case, there’s no need for me to force myself.”
"You're quite vengeful." Li Shengxuan chuckled. Fang Zilan lowered her eyes and remained silent, so he continued, "It was just some angry talk. You don't need to take it to heart."
"I can tell whether it was said in anger or not." Fang Zilan raised her plum blossom sword and pointed it at Li Shengxuan, saying, "Whether His Majesty admits it or not, at that moment, you wished I had never existed, didn't you?"
Li Shengxuan remained calm, but Xiahou Zhang's expression changed. Even though the sword was still in its sheath, pointing it at the emperor was a grave disrespect...
"Yes, and no, that's not quite right either." Li Shengxuan reached out and grasped the sword in front of him. "If I had the time, I would like to explain this to you in detail, but right now..."
He didn't finish his sentence, but instead, with lightning speed, pulled Fang Zilan, sword and all, into his arms. "Someone's coming."
Fang Zilan glared fiercely at Li Shengxuan, but he remained unmoved, pulling her away and hiding. Xiahou Zhang also quickly concealed his whereabouts.
Fang Zilan listened quietly for a while, then said softly, "They are from the Jiangnan Camp."
"Shh." Li Shengxuan pressed his finger to Fang Zilan's lips, signaling her to be quiet, but the warm breath lingering on his fingertips made him somewhat unsettled.
"Report! We've searched everywhere, but we can't find His Majesty or Lord Xiahou." After a soldier finished reporting, the deputy-general asked the leading general, "General Yao, His Majesty is blessed by Heaven; it seems he has already left on his own..."
"Leave on your own?" General Yao shouted sternly, "If anything happens to His Majesty, we'll be in deep trouble! Why aren't you going to go find him? Even if we have to dig three feet into the ground, we must find His Majesty!"