The last two ninth-grade warriors of the Blood Moon Tower were paralyzed with fear. After witnessing Liu Yuan—a half-step grandmaster—slain in the blink of an eye by the Northern King using a strange and unknown weapon, even the thought of resisting was thoroughly crushed in their minds.
A half-step grandmaster—an existence only a single step away from reaching the realm of grandmasters—was slaughtered as easily as a chicken. If such a person could be cut down so effortlessly, what chance did they, mere ninth-grade warriors, stand?
That was a half-step grandmaster!
A powerhouse who stood just beneath the heavens, someone whose existence would usually invoke awe and dread in the martial world. Yet he had been annihilated without a shred of resistance.
In normal circumstances, even a grandmaster would have struggled to eliminate a half-step grandmaster so quickly, and a great grandmaster would at least need some effort. But here, this 'waste' of a Northern Prince had done it in a single instant.
"Your Highness, please… please spare me! I was coerced by Liu Yuan. I had no intention of going against you!"
"Your Majesty, mercy! I know the hidden location of the Blood Moon Tower. If you wish to destroy it, I can lead the way!"
The two assassins dropped to their knees, voices trembling as they begged for their lives. Their heads struck the ground again and again until the blood matted their hair to their foreheads, dripping down their faces and pooling beneath them.
Wang Qingci silently observed from the side, her emotions tangled in a storm of shock, awe, and subtle fear.
Once upon a time, she believed ninth-rank warriors to be peerless. When she herself attained the ninth rank, she had even dared to dream of defying Misty Rain Pavilion and breaking free from the Wang family's shackles with her own strength.
But now, in the presence of this man, even the ninth rank seemed… insignificant.
Even a half-step grandmaster felt laughably powerless before the strange weapon wielded by the Northern King.
Her gaze shifted to the sleek, black weapon in Lu Chen's hand once again. It didn't exude a threatening aura. There was no energy fluctuation, no murderous intent—yet it brought instant death. What kind of terrifying object was this?
If the Northern Palace could truly mass-produce such a weapon…
Then perhaps the entire martial world as they knew it would collapse.
In that moment, Wang Qingci seemed to glimpse the future—a future where martial sects crumbled into dust, ancient clans fell to their knees, and empires toppled one after another as the Northern King stood above them all, unifying the continent under one banner. The age of martial might would be replaced by an age ruled by these terrifying weapons.
As Wang Qingci's thoughts spiraled, Li Feng stepped forward and asked, "Your Highness, do we… keep these two alive? Perhaps they truly can lead us to the Blood Moon Tower's base."
Lu Chen pondered for a moment before replying calmly, "General Li, can you guarantee they won't escape?"
Li Feng hesitated. "We… can lock their scapulae with iron hooks to seal their power. They won't be able to use any internal force."
Lu Chen looked at him, expression unchanging. "General Li, I asked—can you guarantee they won't escape?"
Li Feng fell silent.
No, he could not guarantee it.
Even with scapulae pierced and internal force sealed, these were still ninth-rank assassins. Methods of escape, of deceit, of manipulation—those were second nature to them. If even the slightest thing went wrong and they managed to break free, the consequences would be devastating.
And Lu Chen couldn't afford to gamble. Not now.
He had Wang Qingci and Chu Yuqin by his side—a ninth-rank warrior and a half-step grandmaster—but he couldn't assign them to guard the assassins indefinitely. As for Li Feng and the other soldiers, Li Feng himself was only seventh rank, and the rest of the troops hovered around third or fourth rank at best.
If these assassins were allowed to live, they were a ticking time bomb.
Without another word, Lu Chen reached into his sleeve. In a fluid motion, almost like performing a magic trick, he pulled out the Desert Eagle and, without hesitation, fired twice.
Two crisp gunshots echoed through the palace grounds.
The kneeling ninth-grade assassins didn't even have time to scream. Their bodies crumpled where they knelt, lifeless eyes still wide in disbelief.
Silence reigned in the aftermath.
The soldiers present swallowed hard. Their throats were dry.
Once upon a time, ninth-rank warriors could decimate entire squads—fifty men would be torn apart like paper. Two ninth-rank assassins? Under ordinary circumstances, they could have easily slaughtered everyone present.
But now, those same warriors were effortlessly executed in front of them.
By their prince.
That weapon—whatever it was—was more terrifying than anything they'd ever seen or imagined. Just picturing it aimed at them sent cold sweat down their backs.
A surge of gratitude rose in Li Feng's heart, and in those of every soldier. Fortunately, they had chosen to remain loyal to the Northern Prince and stay in Beijun. If they had fled to the capital instead…
Not only would they likely have perished in Yancheng, but when the Northern King inevitably rose, they might have faced these weapons as enemies. And after witnessing the power of those grenades—how they tore through enemies in the blink of an eye—they knew they would stand no chance.
Meanwhile, Wang Qingci's eyes were glued to the weapon in Lu Chen's hand.
She had assumed the black rod-like weapon from earlier was the true source of his power. But now, he revealed another—smaller, sleeker, and just as deadly.
Another mysterious weapon capable of killing ninth-rank warriors with a single shot.
Her mind raced.
Where in the world had the Northern King acquired such terrifying weapons?
She was certain—absolutely certain—that no such weapons existed in the current martial world. If they did, the world would have descended into chaos long ago.
Just then, Lu Chen turned and met her gaze.
Wang Qingci's entire body trembled. Her heart skipped a beat.
That one glance sent shivers down her spine. In her eyes now, Lu Chen wasn't just a prince. He was a god of death—calm, mysterious, and utterly unfathomable.
Lu Chen gave a faint smile. "Qingci, how are you planning to deal with the others from Misty Rain Pavilion?"
His tone was light, but the implication was sharp.
He had only chosen to spare Wang Qingci. He had no intention of tolerating other remnants of Misty Rain Pavilion. Every uncontrolled factor was a potential threat—and Lu Chen had no interest in taking unnecessary risks when he hasn't completely ascertain his future.
He had not yet reached the height where he could challenge the world head-on, so caution was still necessary.
Wang Qingci immediately bowed slightly. "Please rest assured, Your Highness. Madam Chu and I have already dealt with them."
"Huh?"
Lu Chen raised his brows slightly, surprised by her decisiveness.
He hadn't expected the Saintess of Misty Rain Pavilion—raised and nurtured by them—to eliminate her own people without hesitation.
At that moment, Chu Yuqin stepped forward and asked gently, "Chen'er, what's your next step?"
Though the assassination had failed, Chu Yuqin had no illusions. The Blood Moon Tower would not back down. They had lost a deputy tower lord tonight. Their vengeance was inevitable. More shadows would come.
The palace was far from safe.
Lu Chen was silent for a few seconds before speaking. "Let's spread word that the mysterious master who aided us last time never left. Say that it was this hidden expert who once again helped repel the Blood Moon Tower's assassins."
He didn't want too many people to know about the Desert Eagle or the grenades. For now, the illusion of a hidden master would be his deterrent.
Chu Yuqin nodded slowly. "That's… wise."
She agreed with his approach. Let the myth live on a little longer.
"Chen'er," she said softly, "go check on Zixuan and the others. Leave the rest to us."
Mu Zixuan and the Zhou sisters were still hiding in the underground tunnel. After hearing the explosions and chaos above, they were undoubtedly worried. And more importantly—they were all pregnant. Emotional distress could be dangerous for them.
Lu Chen nodded. "Understood."
He turned and left with quick strides.
---
Meanwhile, in the underground tunnel beneath the palace…
Mu Zixuan and the Zhou sisters sat quietly, staring anxiously at the ceiling as faint echoes of battle reached them.
Zhou Xiaoxiao clenched her fists, voice trembling slightly. "Sister Mu… do you think the prince is alright?"
The Zhou sisters had already lost their family and home. The King of the North wasn't just their protector and husband—he was their entire world. If something happened to him, it would be as if the heavens themselves had collapsed.
Mu Zixuan gently patted her hand. "Don't worry. The prince is fine."
Though she hadn't seen it herself, Mu Zixuan had heard from her personal guards how Lu Chen had used a mysterious weapon to kill a ninth-rank expert with ease during the last assassination attempt. She had full confidence in the man she married.
Just as her words brought some comfort, a tall figure stepped into the tunnel.
It was Lu Chen.
Without a moment of hesitation, Zhou Xiaoxiao and Zhou Youyou rushed into his arms and hugged him tightly.
"Your Majesty… thank heavens you're safe!"
"Wuwuwu… I was so scared…"
Lu Chen smiled, his arms wrapping gently around them as he patted their backs with reassurance.
"It's alright. Everything's fine now. All good...dear don't cry."
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