Seeing this, Yang Cheng suddenly understood why the system hadn't issued a mission when he faced Zuo Qiuyu and the others.
It was because Lin Shu was there.
The system had defaulted Lin Shu as a Yang God powerhouse.
Compared to her, Zuo Qiuyu and the others weren't even as strong as she would be five hundred years later. Naturally, the system didn't consider their siege a real threat to him, so no mission was triggered.
In the void, the system subtitles continued to appear.
[Chu Xuzhi demands the host hand over the Shura Dao Sword. This cannot be tolerated.]
[Host is ordered to defeat Chu Xuzhi and seize the Chu family's phoenix as retribution against him and the Chu clan.]
[The Chu family's phoenix is an even more terrifying Shattering God powerhouse than Chu Xuzhi. Host must exercise caution.]
[Mission Reward: One drop of Ancestral Phoenix Dao Blood.]
Ancestral Phoenix Dao Blood!
Yang Cheng's heart burned with heat.
"How dare you be rude to His Highness—presumptuous!"
Lin Shu charged at Chu Xuzhi.
Others feared Chu Xuzhi, but she did not.
To insult His Highness—no matter if it was a god—she would still strike.
At worst, she would give her life.
Her speed was pushed to the limit, her figure like a streak of shadow rushing toward Chu Xuzhi.
Chu Xuzhi's face was calm. His strike was like lightning as he clashed with Lin Shu in the blink of an eye.
Bang!
Lin Shu was blasted away on the spot.
"At your age, having such strength is decent. Why not become my maid? Then I'll spare your life," Chu Xuzhi said.
But Lin Shu's eyes only grew colder as she charged at him again.
"The ignorant are fearless. Having never fought a peak Martial Saint, you cannot imagine my power."
Chu Xuzhi moved faster still.
To others, he looked as if he hadn't even left his spot.
Yet in the same instant, his afterimage had already collided with Lin Shu at close range.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The two clashed several times before people finally realized the Chu Xuzhi standing in place had dissolved like a bubble.
His speed was simply too fast for the human eye to track.
"Phantom Shadow Step!"
"Chu Xuzhi has truly taken the Chu clan's Phantom Shadow Step to a miraculous level."
Many people were shaken.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
From then on, Lin Shu was utterly suppressed.
It was clear Chu Xuzhi hadn't even used killing intent against her.
"Too strong."
At this moment, countless people's hearts pounded, shocked by Chu Xuzhi's might.
"Enough. I've played with you long enough."
Chu Xuzhi seemed slightly bored.
Before his words had even finished, he appeared behind Lin Shu.
She dodged in time, but was still struck flying by his palm.
Bang!
Lin Shu hit the ground, pinned down by a qi handprint from Chu Xuzhi. She couldn't even stand.
"Truly loyal. Even to this point, you refuse to betray your master," Chu Xuzhi said with growing admiration. "But I wonder—whether your master is worth such loyalty."
He then looked at Yang Cheng. "Between your maid and the divine sword, choose. If you choose the sword, you can take it and get lost. If you choose her, I'll kill you and take the sword anyway."
"Hiss…"
"Chu Xuzhi values this maid so highly?"
"If it were me, there'd be no hesitation. I'd take the sword and leave."
All eyes gathered on Yang Cheng.
Everyone seemed certain he would abandon his maid.
"Chu Xuzhi's tactics are indeed clever," Zuo Qiuyu said. "If that boy gives up his maid for the sword and his life, she will lose all faith in him. At that point, Chu Xuzhi could easily win her over."
"But what worth does that maid have, to be valued so much by Chu Xuzhi that he'd risk giving up a divine weapon?"
If not for her noble identity, she would never lower herself to be someone's maid—Zuo Qiuyu even felt a faint dread of her.
"Hmph, you're lucky. My brother is truly merciful."
Chu Xianzhi stared coldly at Yang Cheng.
Everyone around was convinced Yang Cheng would slink away in disgrace.
But Yang Cheng calmly said, "I have a third choice. That's to kill you, so you won't keep yapping in front of me."
The crowd first fell silent, then erupted into noise.
"This guy's lost his mind."
"He clearly could've lived, yet insists on seeking death."
No one could understand Yang Cheng.
Facing someone like Chu Xuzhi, refusing to bow and leave was already madness. But to openly provoke him further—he was practically begging to die.
"This boy actually treasures a maid so deeply, willing to risk his life for her. For that, I'll give him some respect," Zuo Qiuyu said.
Many women present had similar thoughts, their eyes soft with pity toward Yang Cheng.
A man both handsome and devoted always touched a woman's heart easily.
Many thought that maid must be moved to tears.
Yet her expression remained calm.
In fact, deep in her eyes was a trace of mockery.
She naturally wasn't moved.
Not because she thought herself unworthy of His Highness, but because if danger truly came for him, she would take her own life at once. She would never allow herself to become a weakness others could use against him.
But this Chu Xuzhi fell far short.
Though Lin Shu didn't know the exact depth of His Highness's power, she was certain—a peak Martial Saint could not threaten him.
Chu Xuzhi's gaze darkened. "Looks like you still don't understand the fear of death."
Boom!
In an instant, terrifying qi burst from his body, forming a nearly solid black tiger around him.
The oppressive force of that tiger was like a mountain crushing down on everyone present.
"Chu Xuzhi is truly enraged," Zuo Qiuyu said.
"This time, no one can save that boy."
Chu Xianzhi sneered. "Even if he handed over the maid and the divine sword together now, it would already be too late."
Chu Daoxing remained indifferent.
In his eyes, Yang Cheng was long since a dead man. He hadn't bothered to care from the start.
Roar!
The next moment, the tiger of qi lunged at Yang Cheng.
Yang Cheng, calm as ever, threw a light punch.
Crimson Flood Dragon Divine Fist.
A scarlet flood dragon roared out.
Boom!
The scarlet dragon collided with the qi tiger.
In the blink of an eye, the qi tiger exploded, scattering into countless fragments.
The square went dead silent.
"This… impossible," Chu Xianzhi gasped.
Even Chu Xuzhi's expression changed. He could no longer look down on Yang Cheng as before.
But he didn't panic. Without hesitation, he went all out.
The instant he realized Yang Cheng's strength wasn't normal, he resolved to strike with thunderous force and kill him.
Qi surged wildly around him, condensing nine tiger phantoms in the void.
Roar!
Nine tigers roared in unison, their overlapping voices shaking the air.
Each one radiated terrifying might, charging at Yang Cheng from every direction.
"It's the Chu clan's secret Nine Tigers Divine Art!" someone cried.
But Yang Cheng only shook his head slightly, raising a finger like a sword to slash through the air.
"Destroy."
A sword mark tore out, ripples spreading across the void.
What seemed a casual strike carried horrifying power.
The nine tiger shadows were decapitated the moment they touched the finger-sword, their bodies exploding one after another.