Chapter Sixty-Four: Terror Stricken

As Yan Ziyu stepped out of her room and saw more than thirty men in black holding bows and arrows filling the small courtyard, a flash of shock crossed her usually calm and unflappable eyes!

Judging by the positions of those archers, they had formed a formation known as the Five Elements Blood-Thirst Array. This formation was extremely sinister and vicious, using living humans as its base. The array would shift and change dynamically with the movement of the living sacrifices. The only way to break this formation was to obtain the heart blood of the person acting as the array's core to pour over it, and then execute all the array casters simultaneously, or else all the casters would swell and burst open. The ground drenched in their blood would become intensely poisonous, sealing the throat at the mere touch!

Although the small courtyard appeared simple at the moment, it actually harbored murderous intent on all sides. She had once studied the Eight Trigrams of the Five Elements and various array layouts, knowing that this Five Elements Blood-Thirst Array was extraordinarily difficult to master. Because of this, she had spent a considerable amount of special effort researching it for a period of time.

It seemed that Consort Rou had indeed spared no expense to eliminate her!

"I had originally thought I wouldn't need to dirty my own hands, but Younger Sister Ziyu, after a few years apart, you've really grown more capable." Accompanied by a smiling voice, the men in black slowly parted to both sides, and a man dressed in crimson-gold brocade slowly stepped forward.

His face was like a crown of jade, and his eyes were like cold stars. His sword-like brows slanted up into his temples, and his thin lips curled into a perfect arc. That handsome face actually bore a five-part resemblance to Mo Yunhao, whom Yan Ziyu loathed to the extreme!

"Mo Yunqing, it turns out to be you." Yan Ziyu gazed at the man appearing before her. The anger in her chest, combined with the injuries on her body, caused a sudden surge of Qi and blood. A fishy, sweet taste rose in her throat, making her want to retch, while the depths of her eyes remained icy cold.

Mo Yunqing, the eldest young master of the Prime Minister's estate, Mo Yunhao's elder brother, and the only older brother in Yan Ziyu's memories who had treated her well—the very source of warmth deep within her heart. Who could have known that the owner of that face would today attempt to murder her with such lethal intent!

"Of course it's me. Is Younger Sister Ziyu feeling extremely surprised? In this world, no one understands you better than I do, my good sister." Mo Yunqing raised an eyebrow and smiled, answering as a matter of course. Then, his gaze shifted to the cyan-robed man stepping out from behind Yan Ziyu, and the arc at the corners of his lips widened once more: "Originally, after accepting this commission, this brother expected to handle the funeral arrangements for Younger Sister Ziyu. Who would have thought that Younger Sister Ziyu would be so considerate of this brother as to have everything already arranged, which actually makes this brother somewhat ecstatic."

"The Princess of Xiao's Manor has committed adultery and treason. You are all ordered to pursue and capture her. Anyone who resists—kill!" With a sharp shout, Mo Yunqing's chilling voice pinned a grave charge onto Yan Ziyu's head.

As soon as these words were spoken, the murderous intent in the cyan-robed man's eyes intensified. With cold eyes staring at Mo Yunqing, his hands hidden within his sleeves twitched with restless urges.

"Daydreaming," Yan Ziyu let out a light snort, her eyes filled with utter disdain. Yet, as she spoke, she feigned taking a few steps forward while her right hand moved imperceptibly, grasping several dark green fine needles.

The cyan-robed man frowned, stepped forward to her side, and gently pulled her behind him for protection. "Such rough work should be done by a man. You just stay obediently to the side."

The instant she met those gentle eyes of his, Yan Ziyu's heart skipped a beat, and a warm current flowed through her chest...

How long had it been since anyone stood in front of her to protect her? She had almost forgotten what it felt like to be protected. Actually... this feeling was quite wonderful!

"Then be careful, watch out for his underhanded tricks," she couldn't help but remind him.

Yet, Yan Ziyu's subtle facial changes ultimately could not escape Mo Yunqing's eyes. Narrowing his sharp eyes, Mo Yunqing looked with rapt interest at the masked cyan-robed man opposite him, clicked his tongue a few times, and raised his voice: "They all say that Younger Sister Ziyu is incomparably clever, stealing the spotlight at the palace banquet with extraordinary methods. Only upon seeing this today do I realize that Younger Sister Ziyu has such unique tastes, showing a partiality for someone physically flawed. You truly... deserve to die." The final words were directed at the cyan-robed man, spoken through clenched teeth of extreme hatred.

"Are you even capable?" As the words fell, the cyan-robed man immediately let out a cold snort, fury surging in his eyes as even his usual flippant smile vanished.

"Mo Yunqing, don't push your luck!" Yan Ziyu gritted her teeth and glared at him with a sharp cry.

"Reluctant to part with him?" Mo Yunqing shifted his gaze unconcernedly, his dark pupils becoming unfathomably deep. "If I demand that you trade your life for his, would you be willing or not?"

"Is it Consort Rou?" Yan Ziyu, who had been silently watching him with indifference, suddenly spoke up. Seeing that Mo Yunqing showed no reaction, she continued, "Or is it Yan Ruoqiu?" This sentence caused the smile at the corner of Mo Yunqing's lips to freeze slightly.

Her jet-black eyes did not miss the flash of surprise that flitted across the man's eyes. As her cherry-pink lips slowly curved upward, Yan Ziyu repeated the question: "The person making the deal with you—is it Yan Ruoqiu?"

She no longer needed Mo Yunqing's answer; she already knew who was plotting so meticulously to have her killed!

Yan Ziyu felt a surge of secret vexation and anger. In the end, she had been too careless.

She had thought that the guards of the Imperial Clan Court were strict, and even if someone wanted her life, they wouldn't dare make too much of a commotion and would still harbor some reservations. Who could have imagined that they would collude with outsiders, having internal accomplices even within the Imperial Clan Court? One wave of attacks had barely settled before another arose; when sleeping powders failed, they hired assassins, and now they had openly brought archers here in such a grand manner. It was altogether too arrogant.

She also blamed herself for not seeing through Mo Yunqing's true face sooner, mistaking a ferocious wolf for a gentle sheep, which brought her to such a state.

Aunt Qian being treated as a discarded pawn and destroyed at Consort Rou's hands was sufficient proof that Yan Ruoqiu and Consort Rou had joined forces. With a token from a reigning imperial consort serving as a pass, the strict defenses of the Imperial Clan Court were rendered completely useless.

It was even possible that a portion of the people currently surrounding her came directly from the Imperial Clan Court!

The transaction Mo Yunqing spoke of should be her life, while his underlying scheme was to win Yan Ruoqiu's favor through this deed, ideally marrying the beauty. The current emperor favored martial arts over literature, and General Yan enjoyed profound imperial favor. If Mo Yunqing became the Yan family's son-in-law, and with Prince Xiao dead, military power would naturally fall entirely into General Yan's hands. By then, plotting to take the general's life would ensure that military power would eventually fall into his own hands.

The emperor's throne rotated among families; he too wished to taste the supreme authority of ruling the world!

"Such a charming creature, it really makes me somewhat reluctant to part with her." Mo Yunqing reined in the surprise in his eyes, his burning gaze fixed on the calm-faced Yan Ziyu as he let out a light laugh. Then, murderous intent suddenly erupted in his eyes: "Too bad, you must die."

Lifting his high right hand, the archers behind him prepared for action. Mo Yunqing looked at Yan Ziyu once again and asked: "If you cripple one of your own arms, you can trade it for this fellow's life. How about that?"

He loved watching people struggle in their final moments; he loved that sense of controlling everything!

With a gloomy haze filling her eyes and her gaze sweeping over the chilling bows and arrows one by one, she felt the cyan-robed man's gaze upon her without even turning her head. Murderous intent leaked from her eyes as she sneered coldly, "In your dreams!"

As the words fell, Mo Yunqing's cold laugh rang out: "Utterly foolish. As long as you die, I will still get everything I want."

With that, his raised right hand dropped swiftly, and a torrential downpour of arrows surged toward them like a swarm of bees!

Arrows poured down like rain!

The cyan-robed man stretched his long arm backward to clasp Luoyou's slender waist, darting and dodging through the air to evade the arrows piercing the void one after another!

Yan Ziyu tightly gripped the silver needles in her hand, occasionally stabbing at the black-clad archers. Yet, though her aim was true, lacking internal energy, her attacks were easily evaded. In the end, she had no choice but to abandon the needles and resort to poison.

The evening breeze arrived slowly, carrying a bewitching and oppressive heavy fragrance. Wherever it passed, white mist billowed; however, all the mist instantly turned transparent the moment it brushed past the sides of the men in black.

Yan Ziyu was already injured, and after dodging through the air all the way while also having to look out for arrows flying from all directions, a few rounds had exhausted all her strength. Her originally pale face had turned nearly transparent. Meanwhile, the cyan-robed man was entangled by those flying arrows and unable to break free, forced to dodge stray projectiles with a look of anxiety on his face. Unable to concentrate due to his worry for Yan Ziyu, he too gradually sustained injuries!

Mo Yunqing seemed to notice this. A trace of mockery flashed across his eyes, and a bloodthirsty, sinister smile bloomed at the corners of his lips. He raised his hand backward, and someone immediately handed a bow and arrow to him with quick understanding.

Notching a feathered arrow and slowly drawing the bow, Mo Yunqing narrowed his eyes, locking onto the figure of the cyan-robed man dodging continuously while carrying Yan Ziyu!

"Whoosh—"

The fierce arrow left the string, its imposing, air-piercing sound shooting straight toward the cyan-robed man.

"Watch out!" A beam of cold light shot from Yan Ziyu's eyes, and she hurriedly reminded the cyan-robed man, her small hand involuntarily pressing against her shoulder, where her palm met a sticky wetness.

Sensing the fierce, bone-chilling wind approaching and knowing there was no way to dodge it, the cyan-robed man executed a mid-air somersault, pushing Yan Ziyu aside to a spot he had scouted while evading—a safe angle where no feathered arrow could possibly reach!

However, Mo Yunqing had been waiting precisely for such an opportunity. The moment the cyan-robed man anxiously tossed Yan Ziyu into the air, another arrow, nocked long beforehand, was already aimed straight at Yan Ziyu's direction.