At this corner position, the purple-robed swordsman on the surface could not see Little King Ning.
But a cultivator in the Hundred Refinements Realm had five senses that had long surpassed those of ordinary people several times over.
Normally, this purple-robed fellow should have discovered Little King Ning’s presence long ago.
However, judging by his behavior, either his attention was too focused on Bai Yao, he simply did not know that this youth was their true employer on this trip, or he did not care at all.
As for whether this Young Prince was colluding with him to scheme against Bai Yao, she did not care at all.
At this moment, she had already placed her right hand on the hilt of the Refined Iron Sword, tilted her head, and sneered:
“Zhao, I find you disgusting. If you come within one zhang of me, I will cut you down.”
Bai Yao said this very loudly, both so the purple-robed swordsman could hear and so she could make it clear to Young Prince Ning.
“Hahaha! It seems Miss Bai understands very well.”
Seeing Bai Yao assume a sword-drawing stance, the purple-robed swordsman was not intimidated at all.
Instead, he looked excited, as if he were about to toy with his prey.
“A thousand zhang above the ground, this is a lawless cage.”
“Hehehe, even if I, this young master, toy with an inexperienced little girl like you until you no longer know heaven from earth, no one will come to save you.”
Aside from licking his lips, the fellow slowly approaching Bai Yao now perfectly matched the standard image of a lecher.
But would no one really come to save her?
Bai Yao calmly glanced from the corner of her eye at the youth standing nearby.
At this moment, his hands were clenched tightly, his knuckles already white, and his face was filled with barely contained anxiety.
“According to the script, Little King Ning should have jumped out to play the hero and save the beauty by now. Why hasn’t he stepped forward yet…”
“Is he truly able to endure it, or did he just happen to run into this?”
From beginning to end, Bai Yao did not believe she would encounter such a brainless lecher who only thought with his lower half for no reason.
It was almost 100 percent certain that either someone was using this matter to test her, or they wanted to help the Young Prince improve her favorability toward him.
But Bai Yao did not care.
She had already said that if he came within one zhang of her, she would cut him down.
As for killing him, she had never considered it.
After all, killing recklessly did not fit her principle of Unity of Knowledge and Action.
It was just that if this sword strike went down and he truly died, Bai Yao could not be bothered.
The two had already come within two zhang of each other.
The purple-robed swordsman’s hand was already on his sword hilt, and that Sword, which looked like a low-grade spiritual weapon, seemed ready to leave its sheath at any moment.
Meanwhile, at the corner, Little King Ning’s eyes were wide with fury, his silver teeth clenched tightly, as if he had already bitten his gums until they bled.
Clearly, matters had reached this point.
Whether it was a play or a scheme no longer mattered.
The instant the purple-robed swordsman stepped half a foot within one zhang, Bai Yao’s Refined Iron Short Sword left its sheath.
It carried a one-zhang sword aura released from true energy, slashing straight toward the purple-robed swordsman’s throat.
“Little bitch! You really dare draw your sword!”
The savage smile on the purple-robed swordsman’s face was no longer concealed at all.
He likewise drew the spiritual weapon Sword at his waist with incredible speed.
There was a minor realm gap between their cultivations.
In a head-on contest of Sword Force, even an outsider could clearly see that Bai Yao would undoubtedly lose.
“Stop! I, the Young King, order you to stop!”
At this critical moment, Little King Ning finally could not endure the miserable sight of the girl he admired being ravaged and humiliated.
He stepped forward.
Being unable to defeat a mid-stage Hundred Refinements Realm cultivator head-on was only the result under ordinary circumstances.
This sudden confrontation of drawn swords was never ordinary to begin with.
The purple-robed swordsman had never regarded Bai Yao or the short sword at her waist, which was no different from ordinary iron, as worthy of his attention.
The instant the low-grade spiritual weapon Sword left its sheath, it headed straight toward Bai Yao’s weapon.
The result was exactly as he wished.
Bai Yao’s Refined Iron Short Sword broke with a sharp sound.
Yet on Bai Yao’s exquisite, flawless face, there was not the slightest trace of terror at defeat.
Instead, she no longer concealed the smile she could not suppress.
Sword Light flashed.
Though the sword was broken, what she held in her hand was not only one sword.
Shua!
The Invisible Sword carried a streak of bright red blood.
Along with the evening wind, it splashed through the air like spilled ink across the airship’s deck.
The purple-robed swordsman collapsed to the ground, disbelief filling his eyes.
He twitched and struggled to cover his throat with his hand, unable to utter a single word, only producing faint whimpering sounds.
“If you had aimed that sword strike at my neck, you would not have ended up like this.”
“A sword is a murderous weapon, not a toy for your flirtation.”
Bai Yao’s words were cold and merciless.
She casually tossed away the Refined Iron Sword, already broken into two pieces.
She did not spare another glance at the beaten dog on the ground and instead turned to slowly walk toward Little King Ning.
One moment ago, Ji Xian had still been glaring with fury.
The next moment, he stood blankly in place, completely at a loss.
He looked at the purple-robed swordsman howling and rolling on the ground, then at Bai Yao slowly walking toward him.
“Miss Bai Ling… I…”
Young Prince Ning had never seen such a scene before.
He was so frightened that he could not even speak properly.
Bai Yao stopped in front of Young Prince Ning.
Her expression was half-smiling and half-indifferent, while her exquisite features and seductive aura made her seem especially mysterious and unfathomable beneath the moonlight.
“Young Prince…”
She turned sideways and leaned close to Little King Ning’s ear, speaking in a highly charming and provocative tone.
“Do you see? Even if I lack strength, I can still break the game without following the rules others set.”
“Being manipulated by others feels awful, doesn’t it?”
Young Prince Ning’s mind had originally been a tangled mess, his thoughts hazy.
Yet Bai Yao’s whispered words made him awaken as if from a dream, and his entire body shook.
The youth turned back in astonishment, but the girl had already drifted away.
Only a faint Magnolia Scent entered his nostrils with the evening wind, bringing him a sudden and enlightening realization.
At this moment, Ji Xian unexpectedly thought of his mother, the consort, who had long since died of illness.
Throughout his childhood, only his mother had taught him the Dao of conducting himself in the world.
Only his mother had helped him without selfishly seeking to use him.
On the airship deck beneath the moonlight, the youth’s figure was still lost in thought.
But a flame had already been lit in his eyes.
Behind him, a figure in plain clothes wearing a bamboo hat appeared, a sword hanging at his waist.
He coldly watched the purple-robed swordsman, who was still clutching his throat and struggling on the ground.
“Useless trash. To think you would actually lose to a wet-behind-the-ears little girl because you underestimated her.”
Lü Tianzhi casually took a pill from his Storage Pouch and tossed it beside the purple-robed swordsman as if feeding a wild dog.
Blood continued to flow from the purple-robed swordsman’s throat.
Upon seeing the bright red pill, he swiftly grabbed it like a drowning man clutching at a lifeline and swallowed it in large gulps.
Lü Tianzhi no longer paid attention to the purple-robed swordsman.
Instead, he turned with a gloomy expression and walked to Little King Ning’s side.
He raised his right hand, covered in calluses from practicing swordsmanship, and patted the youth’s shoulder.
“Your Highness, I originally wished to win you a night of spring bliss, but it is a pity that the little girl named Bai Yao cannot enjoy such fortune.”
“Starting tomorrow, do not leave the third floor of the pavilion.”
“After all, the winds outside are fierce and the waves are high. It is easy to lose things…”
Lose things?
The thing a person could most easily lose was none other than their life.
Ever since Young Prince Ning decided to join the struggle for the throne among the Eight Kings, he had already possessed this level of awareness.
“Yes, I, the Young King, am willing to heed Junior Tutor Lü’s instruction.”
The youth lowered his head and performed a disciple’s salute.
Lü Tianzhi was very satisfied with the Young Prince’s obedient attitude.
He gave a slight nod and slowly left.
The youth bowed slightly, his head remaining lowered for a long time.
But in those eyes that no one could see, the flame lit by Bai Yao was already spreading.
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