Seeing that his strike had missed, the assassin behind Xu Tianran raised his right hand high, pulling out the short dagger in his hand. Instantly, a streak of blood mixed with a few traces of purplish-black sprayed into the air.
Before he could land another blow, a layer of golden light flickered around Xu Tianran, repelling the assassin away from him. Meanwhile, the others who had hurriedly arrived unleashed their techniques to apprehend the attacker.
Only then did the others clearly see that the assassin who had just struck wasn't particularly powerful, merely at the eight-ringed Soul Douluo level. However, his bizarre abilities caught even Titled Douluo off guard for a moment.
Realizing he had missed his best opportunity, the assassin felt a pang of regret. According to the original plan, he wasn't supposed to act so soon. He should have waited until the prearranged ambush drew the attention of the other enshrined protectors around Xu Tianran before launching his sneak attack.
However, he hadn't expected Xu Tianran to distance himself from the others because of Juzi, presenting an opportunity he couldn't bear to miss.
Unfortunately, under Zhongli Wu's influence, his attack was a beat too slow. Moreover, Juzi had risked her life to block the strike, causing his carefully prepared ambush to fall short in the end.
"Boom—"
"Ambush!"
A loud explosion rang out, and the enshrined protectors around Xu Tianran, all soul engineers themselves, immediately recognized the sound of a ninth-level soul tool. Two figures quickly moved to shield Xu Tianran, while the others charged toward the direction of the incoming attack.
"Your Highness, this place is not safe. We should leave immediately," one of them urged.
Xu Tianran, gradually coming to his senses, had eyes filled with bloodshot rage. "All of you enshrined protectors are less loyal to me than a mere child I picked up from the roadside!"
His words caused the faces of the two enshrined protectors to darken, but they had no grounds to argue. After all, Xu Tianran was right—if Juzi hadn't stepped in, he would already be gravely injured.
"Your Highness, what now?"
"Return to Mingdu!" Xu Tianran growled. "Juzi risked her life to save me. I will ensure she is saved."
The others glanced at Juzi, whose face was already showing signs of blackening poison. They doubted she could be saved. The assassin's weapon was clearly coated with a deadly toxin, and even if Xu Tianran protected her heart meridian, she likely wouldn't last long.
But seeing Xu Tianran's expression, no one dared to provoke him further. They could only agree, ignoring the others who had gone to pursue the assassin, and escorted Xu Tianran toward Mingdu.
Lin Xiao, watching the entire scene unfold, had the lowest cultivation among them. No one expected him to contribute in such a situation. Yet, just before Juzi blocked the assassin's attack for Xu Tianran, he seemed to catch a glimmer of relief in her eyes.
It wasn't fear, hesitation, or conflict. In the moment she threw herself forward, her eyes held only tranquility.
Perhaps in that instant, she wasn't certain whether she would survive. But whether she died, ending her life of wandering and scheming, or gained Xu Tianran's trust afterward, both outcomes seemed acceptable to her.
As the group changed course and headed toward Mingdu, Lin Xiao glanced back deeply at the assassin. A flash of blood-red light passed through his eyes before he followed the others.
Their flight was swift, and the sounds of battle behind them gradually faded. It seemed Xu Tianran had escaped the assassins' ambush.
Lin Xiao's cultivation was somewhat lacking, but thankfully, Zhongli Wu helped him keep up with the group.
Yet, as the wind whistled past his ears, Lin Xiao's unease grew stronger.
He had some recollection of Xu Tianran's assassination. In his memory, after the attempt, Xu Tianran's legs—his entire lower body, in fact—were severely affected, forcing him to rely on soul tools for mobility. It wasn't like the current situation.
Unless the injury to his legs happened at a different time, or…
The moment this thought surfaced, Lin Xiao's body stiffened. Every hair on his body stood on end, and he even sensed a fleeting change in Zhongli Wu's aura as he carried him.
"Your Highness, be careful—"
Lin Xiao wasn't the only one to notice something amiss. One of the enshrined protectors beside Xu Tianran activated his martial soul, and a golden shield surged up, completely enveloping both him and Xu Tianran.
Yet, something seemed to slice through the air silently. The shield held for only a few breaths before a noticeable crack appeared.
Almost simultaneously, the body of the enshrined protector who had raised the shield was cleaved in two. His upper half remained as it was, while his lower half plummeted toward the ground.
This brief moment of resistance gave Xu Tianran time to react. The soul tool on his back roared to life, spewing dazzling light as his figure shot upward.
"Ah—"
Yet, the next moment, a scream tore from Xu Tianran's throat.
Two indistinct black shadows fell toward the ground, vanishing into mere specks in the blink of an eye.
Looking at Xu Tianran, his lower body was now a mangled mess of flesh and blood, his organs nearly spilling from the wound. Blood poured out, falling like a rain of gore.
"Your Highness!"
Those around him had no time to think. They hurriedly caught Xu Tianran, channeling soul power into his wounds to stem the bleeding.
Everything happened in a flash. Zhongli Wu finally reacted, his soul power surging as a figure slowly materialized.
It was another Titled Douluo, but the nine soul rings around him glowed with blinding light, as if they were burning.
Zhongli Wu's expression shifted. He could tell this man was burning his life, soul power, and soul rings together to unleash that earlier strike. He had come prepared to die; even if Zhongli Wu hadn't seen through his concealment, he wouldn't have lasted long.
"Take care of yourself," Zhongli Wu said, glancing around before pursuing the assassin.
Lin Xiao scanned his surroundings and decided to turn and leave. The target of these attackers was the prince of the Sun Moon Empire, and those who came were no weaklings. Staying here, he might not even withstand the shockwaves of their battle.
He now understood that neither the earlier ambush nor the assassin who struck from behind Xu Tianran was the true killing move.
Perhaps it was to draw away the experts around Xu Tianran, or to make him lower his guard. The real trump card was this Titled Douluo, who had staked his life on this strike.
As he pondered this, a black shadow suddenly fell before him. Looking down, Lin Xiao saw it was Juzi, who had been carried by Xu Tianran all this time. Xu Tianran's voice had fallen silent, as if he had passed out.