Son, Put Your Father To The Test (FF)

The crowd was in an uproar, and many people turned around, even those on the steps of the staircase glanced back.

"Who dares to kidnap a member of the royal family? Such audacity!"

Yang Hong, the heir to the Eastern King's Manor, who had already stepped onto the eighth tier of the staircase, jumped down, his expression dark as he scanned the surroundings.

The Eastern King's Manor and the Southern King's Manor were both branches of the Yang family, which ruled the empire. They were closely tied, sharing the same bloodline.

Whether or not he was genuinely furious, Yang Hong had to show a strong stance at this moment. Pursuing the inheritance was no longer his priority.

If the Southern King's Manor's princess was kidnapped and he, the heir of the Eastern King's Manor, continued to vie for the treasure, the royal ancestors would undoubtedly be enraged.

At this moment, the surrounding crowd began to discuss.

"Who would have the nerve to commit such a brazen act in broad daylight?"

"Such cunning! While everyone was focused on the inheritance and the scene was chaotic, the Chu Yun Princess was distracted by the situation on the staircase and wasn't on guard. That's how they managed to pull it off so smoothly!"

"This was definitely premeditated!"

"Who is this person? I didn't even notice him earlier, and he doesn't seem to be well-known at all."

The problem was that most people were focused on the inheritance earlier, and only a few had witnessed the scene.

And those few had no idea who Qin Zi was! There was nothing they could do about it.

"His name is Qin Zi, a disciple of Seven Martial Sect!"

Suddenly, in the chaotic crowd, someone shouted.

The crowd fell silent instantly.

Qin Zi? Seven Martial Sect?

On the staircase, Zhao Yunsheng's pupils contracted.

He turned to look at the crowd and realized that Qin Zi was indeed missing, causing his heart to skip a beat.

"It seems it really was that kid. Based on his previous behavior, he definitely had the motive!"

"But… if this accusation sticks, it would be disastrous for both Qin Zi and the entire Seven Martial Sect."

So, he decided to take a gamble! He jumped down from the staircase, his gaze icy as he scanned the surroundings and coldly said, "I am Zhao Yunsheng, the young sect master of Seven Martial Sect. Who dares to spread such slander? Show yourself and confront me!"

The crowd gasped in shock and then exchanged nervous glances.

Of course, the person who shouted earlier wouldn't step forward. After all, they were just a hired pawn, paid to stir the pot.

They were only responsible for shouting that line, and had no obligation—or courage—to get involved in the aftermath.

After all, both the royal family and the Seven Martial Sect were mighty forces, and they couldn't afford to offend either.

"Are you trying to intimidate witnesses?"

Yang Hong glared coldly at Zhao Yunsheng and said, "I recall there were three of you earlier, but now there are only two. The one missing must be Qin Zi, right?"

"Utter nonsense!"

Zhao Yunsheng snorted, "Only Wu Cen and I came to Tianmu Mountain for this training. There was no third person!"

He would never admit it!

Within the empire, information didn't flow as freely as one might think. People might have heard of him, but few had actually seen him in person.

He hadn't revealed his identity earlier, so no one recognized him or paid attention to their group of three.

So, whether there were two or three of them, no one could confirm it, and no one would risk offending the Seven Martial Sect by testifying against him.

Yang Hong might have noticed their trio earlier, but… he had no proof!

"Hmph, whether you admit it or not, your Seven Martial Sect's Qin Zi is highly suspect!"

Yang Hong sneered.

"Oh? Trying to smear our sect's name? Do you think you can turn the truth upside down? You're not qualified!"

Zhao Yunsheng's aura flared up violently.

"Whether it's true or not, we'll see!"

Yang Hong's eyes flashed with cold light, and he stomped the ground, launching himself at Zhao Yunsheng like a dragon emerging from the sea.

"I'm not afraid of you!"

Zhao Yunsheng roared and charged forward as well.

"Boom!!"

The two clashed, unleashing a blinding light and a shockwave so intense it shattered the scene, plunging everything into darkness.

…

In the forest.

Qin Zi sped through the woods, holding Chu Yun Princess close, like a red streak darting between the trees!

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh! He moved incredibly fast, nearly matching the speed of a Nirvana Realm expert, with the wind roaring past Chu Yun Princess's ears.

"Who are you, and why are you doing this?" Chu Yun Princess asked through gritted teeth.

"Someone's trying to kill you; I'm saving you!"

Qin Zi replied as he flew.

"Ha! Ridiculous! Who in the entire Nine Suns Empire would dare to kill me?" Chu Yun Princess scoffed.

"Boom, boom, boom!"

Just as she finished speaking, beams of golden light shot towards them, blasting several towering trees into splinters.

Whoosh! The fiery explosions blocked Qin Zi's path, and the shockwave sent him flying several meters back.

Hovering just above the ground, he turned to see five nondescript "young men" floating in the air, standing in a line.

These men radiated the unique golden glow of Nirvana Realm experts and stared coldly at Qin Zi and Chu Yun Princess.

"I told you, someone's trying to kill you," Qin Zi muttered.

"This…"

Chu Yun Princess bit her lip, falling silent. She could feel the assassins' eyes on her, all filled with lethal intent.

"This has nothing to do with you. Hand over the woman, and we'll let you live. Otherwise… you die!"

One of the assassins spoke.

Chu Yun Princess's body trembled slightly. She felt a wave of tension, but she remained silent.

Logically, she should tell this mysterious young man to let her go and leave her to her fate.

After all, she shouldn't drag him down with her.

But… a part of her hoped that this mysterious young man was strong enough to save her.

Conflicted, she said nothing.

She left the decision to him.

If he chose to save her, she would be deeply grateful. If he abandoned her to save himself, she would understand.

Of course, in her mind, it was unlikely that this young man would risk his life for her, given that they were strangers.

Even if he was attracted to her, even if it was love at first sight, he wouldn't risk his life for her.

At that moment, Qin Zi set her down and stepped in front of her, saying, "If you want to kill her… that's not happening!"

Whoosh! The assassins were taken aback, and Chu Yun Princess froze, staring blankly at the young man who stood before her.

This stranger was willing to risk his life for her—why? Could it be that he really…

Her heart, which had always been calm, began to race, and a blush spread across her face.

"Hmph, you're just a Pure Yang Realm cultivator trying to play the hero. Since you're so eager to die, we'll kill you along the way!"

The lead assassin sneered, and the other four assassins charged at Qin Zi simultaneously.

"Burning Heaven Palm!"

"Ninth Wave Impact!"

"Unity of Heaven and Earth!"

"Dragon Claw Strike!"

The assassins, all Nirvana Realm experts, unleashed their most powerful techniques, their overwhelming energy making Qin Zi's hair stand on end.

"Sky-Piercing Fist—"

Qin Zi roared, his fist crackling with golden lightning as he struck out, unstoppable.

"Boom!!"

A deafening explosion erupted, sending shockwaves that expanded like a violent detonation, shaking the ground.

The five assassins were knocked back, their protective golden auras flaring up. Qin Zi's protective energy shattered, and he spat blood as he was thrown backward!

"Run!"

But in the moment he was sent flying, as if he had planned it all along, Qin Zi grabbed Chu Yun Princess and used the shockwave to propel them further away.

The shockwave temporarily separated Qin Zi and Chu Yun Princess from the assassins, sending them flying in opposite directions, making it impossible for the assassins to pursue.

Whoosh! Qin Zi activated a secret technique, his speed suddenly soaring as he vanished into the distance.

When the shockwave dissipated, the assassins steadied themselves and tried to give chase, but it was too late.

"Damn it!!"

One of the assassins cursed in frustration.

"Don't worry. That kid was injured and left a trail of blood. We can track him by following his scent," the lead assassin said.

He walked over to the bloodstain on the ground, crouching down as he pulled out a small bamboo tube sealed with a wooden plug.

He removed the plug, and a pitch-black beetle with three golden spots on its back crawled out.

"A tracking demon beetle?!"

"I've heard that this beetle can follow someone's scent by touching their blood."

"That thing is incredibly expensive! Renting one costs a million spirit stones. Why would you use that?"

The others were puzzled.

The lead assassin smiled confidently. "I didn't buy it. The employer did. He said the target might have some means of escape, so he wanted to add an extra layer of security."

The other assassins were stunned.

This employer was really going all out.