Chapter 4, The Super Assassin
The Dragon Eagle could not help but say: "Someone executed on your behalf, and I am still alive, so you should be able to report to the Holy One. The princess should be pleased."
The main door shattered into countless fragments, and a shadow slipped through the thin, paper-like broken door. The lights suddenly went out, and Lai Junchen shouted fiercely, his sword transforming into dozens of cold glimmers, directed towards this extremely terrifying assassin, showcasing his formidable power, indicating that he had undoubtedly put in as much effort into martial arts as he had into criminal techniques.
The dragon eagle was left speechless
Boom
Long Ying had not yet had the opportunity to respond to him when a sense of danger surged in his heart, and soon three cries of despair echoed from a distance outside the house. Lai Junchen was taken aback and sprang up.
Lai Junchen said: "This minor official proposed a little trick of 'water calamity' to the princess, but it was not accepted"
Princess Taiping surprisingly did not fly into a rage; instead, she let out a sigh and said with a bitter smile: "You may think as you please. To defy authority is a capital offense that cannot be forgiven, let alone such words. I have already dealt with you leniently. I warn you! When you enter the palace to see the Holy One, if you bring up those words again, I will do everything in my power to have you executed in the most brutal manner, you foul boy who knows nothing of propriety, righteousness, integrity, and shame"
Princess Taiping, feeling somewhat disinterested, replied nonchalantly, "Take a look!"
Long Ying did not hesitate to consider whether or not to save Jun Chen, a cruel official stained with blood and burdened by sins. The demonic seed activated, darting towards the assassin like an arrow, with fists striking out. Unfortunately, while the speed was at the level of a demonic seed, the strength was that of an ordinary person, making escape more than sufficient, but attacking the enemy would be tantamount to seeking death, resulting in a complete lack of coordination.
Lai Junchen nodded and said: "Not only was I born into a humble family, but I am also from the most humble of families. Fortunately, my late father sent me to the renowned Zhongli Academy without having to pay any fees." He then became excited and continued: "The current situation is different; in the past, opportunities were solely reserved for the noble families. However, since the Holy One has implemented virtuous governance and is determined to promote us, the children of humble origins, almost everyone recommended by Zhongli Academy is employed by the Holy One based on merit, and some are even personally reviewed. Today, one may still be a commoner from a humble background, but tomorrow, one could be a high-ranking official with great titles, how glorious that would be. Alas! It is a pity that I am not recommended. This is too far off; I still need to impose a small punishment on Eagle Brother. I truly apologize; the minor official is merely carrying out orders.
Upon seeing Long Ying's face showing color, Princess Taiping said irritably: "This palace simply does not wish to argue with someone who has little time left to live. You, this dead brat, had better not appear so clever and capable before the Holy One, as it will bring you no benefit. Those who are muddled and confused tend to live longer"
This time it was Lai Junchen who lost his voice and said: "Sleep?"
Long Ying said with delight: "This is the first time I feel the princess's concern for me."
Princess Taiping's noble body trembled slightly, revealing a look of astonishment
Princess Taiping feigned indifference and said: "You really have a great fate, young man!"
The Dragon Eagle shivered slightly, sat up, and said in alarm: "I definitely cannot withstand this." He then continued, "What exactly brings you to seek me, my younger brother?"
Princess Taiping furrowed her brows lightly, her gaze vigilant and stern, for she understood his temperament and knew there would be no kind words.
Lying on the bed with his hands behind his head, the dragon eagle said nonchalantly: "It's nothing serious, she intended to seduce me, but when I thought..."
Lai Junchen, with great patience, explained in detail: "It involves stripping a person of their clothes, throwing them into a nearly sealed small stone cell, and filling it with sewage up to their knees. Do not underestimate this seemingly non-lethal form of punishment; it is particularly effective against those aristocratic youths who consider themselves superior and indulge in refined tastes. In my memory, the longest anyone endured this was merely about five days.
The dense sound of wind breaking drew closer from afar, indicating that a large number of skilled individuals from the princess's side were arriving
Princess Taiping bitterly said: "It has been a full forty-nine days by today. You have no idea how terrifying you looked that night, with blood all over your eyes, ears, mouth, and nose, and your chest was bruised and swollen. We stayed there for more than ten days for you, and only when you started to feel better did we head north to Yangzhou."
Seeing that she did not outright refuse, Long Ying felt a surge of warmth in his heart and said, "Are you worried about me, Princess? Why do you look so gloomy?"
Princess Taiping, for the first time, blushed in front of Long Yingyan and playfully said, "Don't think too much, who cares about you." Then her expression dimmed, and in a gentle voice, she asked, "Did you not have something to say to me privately? Is it just a bunch of meaningless chatter?"
It is unexpected that the beautiful princess harbors such resentment, as speaking incorrectly can lead to serious consequences
Lai Junchen said with a bitter smile: "I rarely admire others, but I truly admire you, Eagle. If I were in your situation, how could I still joke around and treat life as a game like you do? For me, the most difficult type of person to deal with is someone like you, because I cannot grasp your weaknesses"
Long Ying certainly understood that the fat eunuch was afraid others would notice something unusual about him He casually asked Did you catch that female assassin
Long Ying lost his voice and said: "What?"
What comes into view is a face filled with concern, with beautiful eyes containing sorrow, and the stunning countenance of Princess Taiping.
Unable to contain myself, I exclaimed: "One day, I will teach the princess to shed tears of affection for my little brother"
Princess Taiping laughed without turning her head and said: "Alright! Let's wait and see!"
Before losing life and consciousness, I vaguely saw the plump old man burst through the door, launching a frenzied attack on the female assassin, followed closely by Princess Taiping and General Qiu
The expression of the fat old man was even more peculiar, with his eyes rolled up, looking as if he was about to be infuriated. It was evident that he had long known that the assassin was a woman, but he simply did not say it.
Long Ying felt greatly disheartened upon hearing this. Seeing her expression, which seemed as if she wanted to grind her silver teeth in anger while cursing the little brat and the dead little brat, he immediately lost all hope. He closed his eyes and said: "I am very tired, Princess, there is no need for you to waste your precious time on this little brat and dead little brat."
Princess Taiping exclaimed in astonishment: "It is actually a woman."
The lustrous black hair is elegantly twisted atop the head, adorned with a phoenix hairpin, revealing a long and graceful jade neck, further enchanting the heart and mind of the dragon and eagle.
The female assassin turned swiftly, her fingers forming a blade, and approached Liu Junchen like a whirlwind. She struck swiftly at Liu Junchen's neck; if she were to hit, this cruel official would undoubtedly be sent straight to the underworld.
The plump elder frequently cast glances, and Long Ying effortlessly understood his intentions, realizing that he wanted to dismiss the princess in order to speak with him. Is time really that pressing? He sighed, "Where is this place?"
The eyes of the two individuals met
The sound of footsteps approached from afar, and Long Ying clearly discerned the footsteps of the Fat Eunuch and Princess Taiping. The guard at the door pushed open the door, and inside the room was a young woman, presumably a maid, who knelt down to pay her respects
Long Ying lost his voice again: "What?"
While gasping softly, she stared at the bewildered Long Ying and said: "I will say it so that you, you little brat, can rid yourself of your delusions. This princess indeed has her own concerns, which are somewhat related to you, but it is entirely not what you are foolishly imagining."
He continued after a slight pause: "You should be grateful to the Duke, as it is entirely due to his meticulous governance, and he has taken full responsibility, even prohibiting the physicians accompanying the army from coming near you"
Wake up! Wake up!
The assassin's gaze swept over the bewildered expression of Lai Junchen, who was no longer capable of counterattack. Firstly, she had set her sights on Long Ying, and secondly, she should have realized that if Long Ying could evade at such speed, it would not be easy for her to kill him in a short time. Seeing him foolishly present himself, how could she let this opportunity slip by
Lai Junchen's expression changed as he interrupted, "I beg you! Please do not continue speaking. If anyone finds out that I have heard this, the minor official will surely meet a fate of being torn apart by a cart or be executed by slicing in half, or even face torture by being subjected to the cauldron, boiling, or having his nose cut off or tongue severed. The punishment of castration is even worse; how would I ever go to a brothel afterward?"
Long Yingdao: "I would like to speak with the princess privately." This is a tactic of feigned retreat to lure her in; it would not be difficult to drive her away. Recalling the night of the assassination attempt, this proud daughter of heaven even sought out Junchen to deal with herself, making it clear that any treatment towards her is entirely justified.
Princess Taiping paused for a moment, then carefully observed the expression filled with desire and anticipation on his face. Realizing this, a hint of cunning smile escaped from the corner of her lips, and then she laughed so heartily that her delicate figure trembled, completely regaining her charming and carefree demeanor that she had in the small cabin in the desolate valley.
Bang
Lai Junchen awkwardly said: "It was proposed by the fat official, to carry out the punishment of 'crushing' on the two toes. The princess initially disagreed, but the fat official pointed out that the execution could be done gently, removing the nails but not breaking the bones. Afterwards, he would treat it with top-grade medicine, ensuring that by the time we reach Luoyang, she would be able to walk on both legs."
***
Went out
Princess Taiping exclaimed in great anger: "Shut up!"
Suddenly, all his resentment vanished
Without seeing her movements, in the next moment, she embraced him through the narrow gap between Long Ying's hands, and Long Ying immediately sensed a fragrant aroma filling his nose. He realized that even if he became a ghost, he could never forget her intoxicating body scent. At that moment, the female assassin struck him hard in the chest with her elbow, and the sound of bones breaking echoed. Long Ying's heart meridian was severed, suffering a blow so severe that even a Great Luo Golden Immortal would find it difficult to recover. He was thrown back like a kite with a broken string, crashing against the wall before rebounding forward.
Long Ying said with irritation: "It's you asking again." Seeing his still lingering fear and the way he was gasping for breath as if he might choke, he smiled and said: "You are indeed very skilled in torture, able to casually mention a whole bunch of methods."
The dragon eagle clicked its tongue in wonder; these two teasing remarks were no different from the words that caused trouble that night. This time, however, she only pouted without anger. A woman's heart is truly difficult to fathom
Lai Junchen said with a bitter smile: "Just now, the princess and the fat eunuch summoned this humble official. The princess inquired what kind of punishment could make you suffer greatly without causing too much harm to your body."
The assassin turned out to be a captivating young woman, defeating her enemies solely with her bare hands. Dressed in a sleek night outfit, her figure was graceful and enchanting, her attacks swift and her movements always flawless. Instead of covering her beautiful face with a cloth, she had painted over it with more than ten strokes of deep black indigo, which seemed casual but not only concealed her features, it also had an indescribable beautifying effect, accentuating the stunning lines of her heart-shaped face. At this moment, her pair of delicate eyes brimmed with murderous intent, sparkling and turning, more radiant than the brightest stars in the deep black night sky. Instead of covering her beautiful face with a cloth, she had painted over it with more than ten strokes of deep black indigo, which seemed casual but not only concealed her features, it also had an indescribable beautifying effect, accentuating the stunning lines of her heart-shaped face. At this moment, her pair of delicate eyes brimmed with murderous intent, sparkling and turning, more radiant than the brightest stars in the deep black night sky
Long Ying had a strong intuition that she was suppressing a certain emotion deep within her heart that was entirely different from the one she was currently displaying
The plump elder replied, "You are currently on the princess's boat, heading north along the Grand Canal. You will reach the capital city within two hours."
The two individuals approached the bedside, and Long Ying could almost discern their emotions and states from the sound of their heartbeats. The maid retreated to the doorway
What is a water disaster
The plump elder looked at Princess Taiping and, seeing that she did not express any opposition, exited the room and gently closed the door
Lai Junchen drew his sword and lunged towards the door, while Long Ying leaped off the bed and landed on the ground. The strange energy of the demon seed surged through his body, and his senses reached a peak state, only to lament the lack of a channel for his strength, rendering him unable to exert his power. After all, the demon seed was still in the initial stage of demon formation.
Another young woman's voice exclaimed excitedly: "I will immediately report to His Highness"
He finally opened his eyes
Long Ying nodded and said, "It should be so."
The dragon eagle, filled with curiosity, said: "You are a master of torture techniques, tell me! Which type of torture is the most difficult to endure?"
Princess Taiping chuckled and said: "How bold! You dare to provoke my temper. Very well! I might just meet you once when I am feeling bored."
The plump old man standing beside her winked at him, displaying an expression of relief, indicating that he had been worried for quite some time. At that moment, he realized that he had established a relationship of mutual trust and love with the plump old man, a bond that others could never achieve in their lifetime, as if the plump old man were his only close relative in the world, a relationship both delicate and peculiar
The dragon eagle fell to the ground, with no awareness of any living person remaining
The dragon eagle sat up and leaned towards the head of the bed. In fact, he had already recovered, but he had to pretend to be in great pain and difficulty, making it so that the esteemed princess was at a loss whether to assist him or not, ultimately refusing to touch him.
The Dragon Eagle noticed a change in his own expression and secretly rejoiced that the other party was not Wu Zetian, otherwise it would have been disastrous. He hurriedly tried to confuse her mind and shook his head, saying: "The princess underestimates me, the Dragon Eagle. Such despicable and shameless acts are beneath me. When it comes to love between men and women, it must be mutual consent, with both parties willing..."
The sound of muffled groans and painful cries erupted like firecrackers, with the last sound having moved close to the door outside. One could still hear the shouts of the subordinates of Lai Junchen outside the door, drawing their swords. This indicates the terrifying speed of the attackers and their astonishing skills that no one could match.
The dragon eagle looked at her and smiled, saying: "If the Holy Spirit does not command someone to behead me immediately, would the princess be so gracious as to grant a humble person the opportunity to meet?"
At this moment, the sound of the clock chimed thunderously, but it was already a few steps too late
Long Ying was tormented to the point of being utterly devastated by her erratic behavior. As she opened her eyes, the sight of her departing figure came into view, and she was suddenly struck by the realization that she was dressed as a noblewoman, in a wide skirt and large sleeves, with a leather belt cinching her slender waist. Compared to the fitted attire Long Ying was accustomed to seeing her in, this appearance exuded a captivating charm.
The one who came to find him was Lai Junchen, with a strange expression. He instructed his subordinate to wait outside the door. A person entered and sat by the bed, asking: "Why did Eagle offend the princess? She is known to have a good temper in the palace and is reasonable."
The dragon eagle can imagine the unbearable nature of it; fortunately, the princess did not adopt it, which shows a bit of conscience. With a thought, I asked: "Is the gentleman from a humble background?"
Lai Junchen replied without a moment's thought: "The most inhumane form of punishment is Lingchi, and the key lies in the word 'chi' (slow). It involves slicing off the flesh piece by piece, and even the strongest and most unyielding person would cry out in despair, begging for death"
Princess Taiping said: "This time, we have taken great care to maintain secrecy in our military march, with fewer than one hundred skilled individuals accompanying us. We will only meet with General Qiu's three thousand elite cavalry upon reaching Yangzhou, avoiding any county or district along the way, resting by day and traveling by night. There are not many in Luoyang who are aware of this matter, yet news has somehow leaked out, which will undoubtedly stir up a storm. Given the consistent style of the Holy Deity, many will suffer or be implicated this time. My heart is indeed heavy as lead, but it is not because of you, you little brat."
Princess Taiping slowly said: "The female assassin arrived suddenly, with precise timing and location; there must be an insider providing information. Only someone deeply familiar with the situation would know that you are the key figure"
Long Ying felt a chill run down his spine upon hearing this. With a shift in his thoughts, he realized that the fat eunuch must know that he could quickly recover due to the magic seed. The request to torture him must be related to some escape plan. With a sigh, he decisively said: "Be quick about it, I still want to sleep."
It can be seen that, apart from Fat Uncle, no one else could discern whether the assassin was male or female, which naturally allowed her to escape unscathed. Such astonishing martial skills could easily allow one to seize the enemy general's head amidst a thousand troops as if plucking it from a bag.
The dragon eagle's consciousness responded, the first thought was "I am not dead yet," the second thought was "I have finally encountered another beauty who can be compared to Princess Taiping." Then he felt the large ship gently rising and falling on the water with the barely perceptible waves, and in the next moment, the entire environment became extraordinarily clear in his mind, even the heat of the bright sun outside the ship; this was a sensation he had never experienced before, and at this moment, he still lacked the strength to open his eyes.
Long Ying exclaimed, "How long have I been unconscious?"
When a skilled assassin changes, what one sees is only the fleeting shadow like a ghost, falling into the magical gaze of the dragon eagle, clearly grasping the form and posture of the assassin, the darkness does not affect him in the slightest
Lai Junchen thrusts more than ten swords at her in quick succession, but all miss due to her strange movements. She seems to transform into a phantom, and in the next moment, she glides to Lai Junchen's side before he can retract his sword. Her fragrant shoulder lightly brushes against his, seemingly without effect, yet Lai Junchen is unexpectedly knocked off balance, crashing against the right wall with a loud "bang," spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood, utterly defeated. With his martial skills, he can only slightly delay her advance. Lai Junchen is unexpectedly knocked off balance, crashing against the right wall with a loud "bang," spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood, utterly defeated. With his martial skills, he can only slightly delay her advance.