Chapter 120: Crushing Victory

Under the moonlight, Lu Jue and Xiao Han stood side by side, their dark, ink-like eyes filled with disdain.

The soldiers detaining the other seven assassins looked toward Wei Nanqi. Upon his subtle nod, they withdrew their blades and untied the prisoners' hands. The eight assassins exchanged glances, then spread out, drawing short blades to encircle Lu Jue and Xiao Han.

"Hah!"

With a flick of his silver spear, Xiao Han’s presence surged. He lunged first at the group nearest to him. His move, "Azure Dragon Emerges from the Sea," was fierce and powerful, the faint sound of a dragon’s roar cutting through the cold wind.

Seeing Xiao Han strike, Lu Jue clashed with the lead assassin. With his sword in hand, he lunged forward, his sword intent cold as ice. After a swift, sweeping arc, he thrust toward his opponent.

Clang!

As the moonlight reflected off the blades, the other assassins cast several hidden weapons toward Lu Jue while he was mid-air.

"Master Lu, look out!"

Wei Nanqi watched in anxiety as the two were surrounded. He struggled to gauge their odds, knowing both were already injured. He wouldn't have been this tense if he had sent others, but Lu Jue and Xiao Han were elite generals; their loss would be a heavy blow to the Ye Dynasty. Knowing that a warrior in mid-air has no leverage to dodge, he cried out instinctively. In his heart, he had already decided that even if they won, none of the assassins would be left alive.

With a few swift sounds, Lu Jue twisted in the air, the flying darts grazing his clothes. Wei Nanqi’s heart pounded in his chest.

On the other side, Xiao Han, knowing his shoulder injury made a prolonged fight unwise, abandoned complex forms. Relying on his master-level prowess, he swung his spear with one arm, sweeping across the remaining assassins.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The force of his spear was brutal. Like a god of war, he incapacitated three assassins instantly. They had tried to block with their daggers, but the sheer momentum sent them flying like ragdolls, crashing to the ground and vomiting blood.

"What a magnificent sweep!" Zheng Tianlan praised, watching Xiao Han’s effortless one-armed display. He realized that even he would not dare to face that strike head-on.

After clearing the three, Xiao Han gripped the end of his spear, took two running steps, and let the tip scrape the ground, creating a trail of sparks. With a powerful flick of his wrist, he launched a "Dragon Rising from the Spear" strike, surging upward toward the final leader.

Facing such absolute power, the assassin found no place to hide. Locked by Xiao Han’s aura, he was caught off guard and hoisted into the air.

"Die!"

Xiao Han thrust his palm upward, the spear launching like a deadly arrow and piercing the assassin's body.

Thud!

The spear and the assassin landed together. The man fell, but the spear remained upright.

Seeing Xiao Han finish his fight, Lu Jue did not delay. He moved with fluid grace, his sword dancing in unconventional patterns. The assassins saw only flashes of lightning before they clutched their throats and collapsed, lifeless.

The two had concluded the battle. Their contrasting styles—Xiao Han’s fierce, battlefield-honed power and Lu Jue’s ethereal, effortless precision—left the onlookers in awe. Cheers erupted from the crowd.

Yet, just as the tension eased, a shadow flickered past the door of Wang Changgeng’s former study in the side courtyard of the Prince of Pingyi’s mansion.

"Very well, take the others to the back courtyard for processing," Wei Nanqi commanded, ordering the soldiers to remove the remnants of the Penglai Pavilion.

Lu Jue and Xiao Han returned to Feng Yewu’s side.

"Your Majesty, I remain concerned. That woman escaped, and she remains a hidden threat," Wei Nanqi said, bowing to advise the Emperor. "Perhaps it would be best for Your Majesty and Master Lu to return to the capital with the Divine Strategy Battalion."

Before Feng Yewu could respond, Lu Jue asked, "Lord Wei, are these truly all of them?" He gazed at the prisoners being led away, a sense of doubt rising in his mind.

Wei Nanqi was confused. "Indeed, these are all. Does Master Lu suspect something?"

Lu Jue nodded slightly and addressed Feng Yewu. "While these men are trained assassins, their strength is lacking. I observed them during the fight—none of them reached the level of a master. If the Prince of Pingyi truly intended to fight to the death, these men are mere cannon fodder."

His words struck a chord. Feng Yewu nodded in agreement; he knew that even without his own intervention, Lu Jue alone could have handled them. The formidable Penglai Pavilion would not send such small fry.

"I fear they were merely pawns, discarded by the Pavilion to distract our reinforcements," Feng Yewu said, his eyes narrowing.

Wei Nanqi immediately summoned his officers, ordering a thorough re-search of the area.

"It is likely in vain," Feng Yewu said with a shake of his head. "The Penglai Pavilion has always been elusive. They did not intervene even when Wang Changgeng signaled for them; they will not be found nearby now."

"Regardless, have your men search every corner of the Prince’s mansion for any secret documents. The woman from the Pavilion was in such a rush to escape that she surely left things behind."

Wei Nanqi obeyed and hurried off. Once the soldiers had dispersed, Feng Yewu approached Wang Jia, who was still kneeling and weeping. His expression complex, he spoke softly, "The dead cannot return. Please, Miss Wang, restrain your grief. You are injured; this level of sorrow will only harm you. It was never my intention to execute your father."

Wiping her tears, Wang Jia rose with Chen Pingwu’s assistance. "I understand, Your Majesty, but Father..." She broke down again. Wang Changgeng had been her only kin; now, she was truly alone.

Watching her pain, Chen Pingwu felt a pang of sympathy. Ever since Wang Jia had taken a blade for him, he had looked upon her as his own younger sister.