Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 397 - 396. Intercept and Kill on the Way Back

396. Assault on Return

"Princess Consort?" Everyone stared at Ye Li in bewilderment, at a loss for what had just occurred. Princess Consort Ding may not be much older than anyone present, but her calm and collected demeanor was something that even the battle-hardened General Lv Jinxian admired. What could possibly unsettle the Princess Consort to this extent...?

Unthinkingly, Yun Ting stepped forward and picked up the letter, dropping it almost instantly in shock. "The Prince..."

"Quiet!" Ye Li quickly snapped out of her initial shock, interrupting Yun Ting’s words. Shutting her eyes and taking a moment to regain her composure, when she opened them again, they were filled with calm and indifference. Ye Li stretched out her hand, and despite the shock in his heart, Yun Ting handed her the letter carefully with both hands.

Having taken a second look at the letter, Ye Li said, "Where is the messenger? Bring him in." Not long afterward, a young man, dusty and worn, his eyes tinted red, walked in. "Princess Consort."

"Ah-Jin," Ye Li said in a grave tone. Ah-Jin was a person Mo Xiuyao trusted implicitly, and someone who rarely appeared in public, hence less likely to attract attention. The fact that Feng Zhiyao entrusted Ah-Jin with the delivery of the letter made Ye Li rather uneasy. After steadying herself, Ye Li softly asked, "Ah-Jin, what happened to the Prince?"

Ah-Jin bit his lip, his gaze imploring as he told Ye Li, "The Prince... the Prince is unconscious, and Third Young Master Feng asked me to call for you to return quickly." Ah-Jin knew he was not very smart, so he was more loyal than others. The Prince and Princess Consort had always trusted him, never disdaining him because he was not very bright. The fact that Third Young Master Feng had ordered him personally to deliver the message was because of this very reason. Otherwise, even if it was an order from Third Young Master Feng, he would not leave the Prince’s side in such a critical condition.

Ye Li’s heart trembled slightly, and she nodded. "I see. You can go rest. We will start our journey back tonight."

Ah-Jin nodded gratefully. Although Third Young Master Feng had managed to keep the news about the Prince’s unconscious state somewhat under wraps for now, if the Prince was missing from public view for too long, he wouldn’t be able to keep it a secret. If the Princess Consort returned sooner, things would be a lot easier to handle.

After sending Ah-Jin off, Zhuo Jing and the others gathered around her, ready to discuss their next steps, but Ye Li held up her hand to stop them. Taking a deep breath, she said, "Qin Feng, I will write a letter which you will personally deliver to General Lv. Zhuo Jing, Lin Han, pack your things. We leave immediately."

"Yes, Princess Consort," Zhuo Jing and the others responded in unison, before swiftly leaving the tent to prepare.

Alone now with He Su and Yun Ting, Ye Li continued, "Once I leave, all actions the Mo Family Army takes against the Army of Great Chu will be commanded by General Lv. You two... must follow General Lv’s orders. Understand?"

Yun Ting and He Su nodded, responding respectfully, "Understood." Noticing how lost and dazed Ye Li seemed, Yun Ting couldn’t help saying, "Princess Consort, the Prince is blessed with good fortune; he will surely turn calamity into blessing. Please, take heart."

Ye Li smiled faintly and nodded. "I understand." Mo Xiuyao was indispensable. How could he die now? Ye Li smiled faintly, but this only seemed to worry Yun Ting and He Su more. The two exchanged a helpless glance and stepped outside the tent.

「Inside a lavish tent amidst the Army of Great Chu’s camp」

Mo Jingli was relishing the graceful song and dance of a female performer. A sultry woman was nestled in his arms, the usual sternness on his face replaced with a look of great satisfaction and triumph.

A general walked in, unable to hide his disapproval at the scene in front of him; he knitted his brows together almost imperceptibly.

"Your Majesty."

Mo Jingli raised an eyebrow in inquiry. "Yes?" The general bowed his head respectfully, handing over a confidential letter. Having read the contents, Mo Jingli laughed heartily. Sitting up straight with the woman in his arms, he read the letter again, in good spirits. "Fantastic, just fantastic! It was indeed worth it... General Li, send word to set up checkpoints on all roads leading to Feihong Pass and arrest Ye Li! Yes, do not harm her... bring her to me. I’m curious to see who will have the last laugh!"

General Li hesitated before saying, "Please reconsider, Your Majesty. If Princess Consort Ding is planning to return to Feihong Pass, she will certainly be protected by Qilin. It is already difficult enough to harm her, but to capture her unharmed would be...." Not that he was underestimating himself, but facing Qilin, who struck fear in the hearts of various countries’ dignitaries, would be a gargantuan task regardless of how many men he could spare. Moreover, His Majesty was increasing the odds by requiring that Princess Consort Ding not be harmed.

Mo Jingli’s face darkened. He questioned coldly, "You can’t do it?"

General Li hesitated for a moment, then eventually let out a soft sigh. Fine, the likelihood of being able to kill Princess Consort Ding was so low, it was almost negligible. If she managed to escape due to their leniency, and if Your Majesty were to blame, he could argue. "Your humble servant will follow the order."

Only then did Mo Jingli nod satisfactorily. He noticed the puzzled look on General Li’s face and raised an eyebrow with a smirk. "Do you want to know why Ye Li is suddenly in a rush to return?"

"Please enlighten me, Your Majesty," General Li respectfully said. It was a boon for them if Princess Consort Ding were to vacate the premises, but the abrupt exit combined with His Majesty’s outward joy led General Li to infer that something might have happened at Feihong Pass.

Mo Jingli burst out laughing. "Indeed, it is a blessing for us. Mo Xiuyao is about to die... Can that be considered good news?"

Upon hearing this, General Li was shocked. It seemed impossible to associate the words ’about to die’ with Prince Ding. Many had cursed the day of his death, but after so many years, despite the ups and downs of Prince Ding’s Mansion, Prince Ding could still laugh in the face of adversity. To General Li, the phrase ’Prince Ding is about to die’ sounded more like a daydream His Majesty was having.

Despite his audacious thoughts, his face remained utterly respectful. His impeccable look of shock made Mo Jingli even more jovial. He was now eagerly anticipating Ye Li’s reaction. Even Lei Zhenting and Lei Tengfeng weren’t going to save Mo Xiuyao from meeting his end at his hands, despite their treacherous ways.

"Ahem, Your Majesty... This matter should be verified first. After all, Prince Ding is...." General Li coughed and subtly reminded Mo Jingli. Back then, everyone thought Prince Ding would be crippled due to his severe injuries. Yet, in less than ten years, Prince Ding has led the Mo Family Army once again to spread fear across the nation. Seeing Mo Jingli’s triumphant demeanor, General Li reminded him to be cautious. There were some people in this world one is better off not offending. And if they have already been offended, one should be on high alert. One cannot let their guard down unless they see the corpse. Otherwise, the one to suffer in the end would probably be oneself.

Mo Jingli slightly squinted his eyes and pondered for a moment, and surprisingly took his subordinate’s advice. "You are right. It is indeed appropriate to verify. Let’s ensure there are no leaks," he said. Mo Xiuyao, I don’t believe you are that lucky! You didn’t die the first time; will you survive this time as well?

「The pitch darkness of the night」

Several urgent horses galloped swiftly on the official road, stirring up dust along the way.

Ye Li, mounted on a horse, continued to whip her horse into a mad dash. With memories from two lifetimes, and being level-headed by nature, Ye Li was always unflappable. However, this time, she couldn’t help but lose control. Allowing the harsh cold wind to scrape against her face, it tousled her hair. Zhuo Jing and others followed Ye Li, journeying forward without rest. The sudden unexpected event in the successful war had caught everyone off guard.

Suddenly, the steed beneath Ye Li neighed, rearing up.

"Be careful, Princess Consort!"

On horseback, Ye Li leaped and landed smoothly on the ground, her steed collapsing on the road just as she did.

"WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH—" A rain of arrows came from both sides of the road.

A glint of murderous intent flashed across Ye Li’s clear pupils. She said in a low voice, "Eliminate them all!" From the darkness, countless figures in black emerged, killing the archers on both sides. Meanwhile, Ye Li remounted another steed, galloping forward. Lin Han, Zhuo Jing, and Ah-Jin did not pay attention to the battle; they followed Ye Li’s silhouette.

On the ancient road lit by the lonely moon, a tall man silently stood by the side of the road, looking at the crescent moon. His sapphire clothes appeared even more somber in the darkness, lending him an air of coldness and gravity he usually lacked. The man held a heavy sword, as if he had just stood there, or as if he had always been standing there since ancient times.

From the distance on the road, hoof sounds approached swiftly. A woman dressed in black and a young man in teal appeared beside him. The woman frowned and said, "Eldest Brother, shall we really proceed with this?" The young man also seemed to disagree. "Eldest Brother, messing with Prince Ding’s Mansion... isn’t a wise decision."

The middle-aged man glanced at his siblings and replied indifferently, "This is my affair. You both should leave immediately."

The young man’s gloomy face flickered with impatience and he retorted annoyedly, "Eldest Brother, if anything really happens to Ye Li while she is with you, do you think Prince Ding’s Mansion would let us off the hook? With that in mind, what’s the difference between you being alone and the three of us?"

The middle-aged man responded, "This is my affair alone. You both go back now. It’s...an order!"

"But..." The woman in black frowned.

"Unless you no longer recognize me as your eldest brother, leave at once!" the middle-aged man ordered. Unable to argue, the woman in black stomped her foot and pulled the man in green away, disappearing into the night. No sooner had they left than the sound of galloping horses, previously in the distance, arrived close at hand. Leading the group was a woman in white, wrapped in a cloak. Catching sight of the middle-aged man waiting by the roadside, a hint of surprise flashed across her face as she pulled on the reins.

Those under the night sky fell silent for a moment before Ye Li finally spoke, "I never expected that the King of Hell Pavilion Master would be among those causing me trouble." The middle-aged man was Ling Tiehan, one of the Four Great Experts in the world. With Mu Qingcang missing for a long time and Lei Zhenting aging day by day, Ling Tiehan and Mo Xiuyao were currently the two people known to have the highest martial arts skills. Moreover, Lei Zhenting, who dedicated his entire life to martial arts, was definitely not any easier to deal with than Mu Qingcang. Spotting him, Zhuo Jing, Lin Han, and Ah-Jin immediately moved forward, protecting Ye Li behind them. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Ling Tiehan didn’t pay attention to their movements, only looking mildly at Ye Li with a touch of regret flashing across his resolute and steady face. "I also never thought this day would come." Whether it was his mutual admiration with Mo Xiuyao, his relationship with Xu Qingchen, or his simple admiration for this woman, Ling Tiehan had never thought he would end up fighting her. What a pity...

Zhuo Jing, standing protectively in front of Ye Li, declared in a grave voice, "Pavilion Master Ling, as a renowned master, aren’t you afraid of becoming a laughing stock by troubling our Princess Consort, a mere woman?"

Ling Tiehan looked at Zhuo Jing with a smile that was not a smile, replying indifferently, "The subordinates of Prince Ding’s Mansion are indeed all loyal and righteous. Surely you all must know what I do for a living?" The King of Hell Pavilion was an assassin organization in itself. Who would demand fairness and righteousness from an assassin? Ling Tiehan, in his youth, before his martial arts skills were fully developed, was a bottom-rung assassin. He had used many underhanded tactics to eliminate his enemies. Even as the Master of the King of Hell Pavilion, Ling Tiehan never placed much value on his reputation.

Zhuo Jing was left speechless. Debating morality and reputation with someone of an assassin’s background was indeed absurd.

"I recall Pavilion Master Ling has a grudge against the Southern Garrison Prince of Xiling," Ye Li said lightly. The only one who could’ve persuaded Ling Tiehan to come must be Lei Zhenting, since Mo Jingli alone wouldn’t have been able to.

Ling Tiehan did not deny it, nodding slightly. "True. But even so... I still am a native of Xiling."

Ye Li lowered her eyes and pondered. "Given that... not many people know about Pavilion Master Ling’s background. You... are a member of the Xiling imperial family, aren’t you?"

Ling Tiehan looked at Ye Li in surprise, but after a moment he chuckled lightly. "The Princess Consort is indeed extraordinary."

Ye Li helplessly shook her head. "If Pavilion Master Ling hadn’t shown up here, I would never have made such an assumption." Even though many guessed at Ling Tiehan’s origin, he did not reveal any lapses or weaknesses, and was never seen interacting with the Xiling imperial family. This made it hard to ascertain his background. But once Ye Li ruled out all other reasons that Ling Tiehan might assist Lei Zhenting, only one possibility remained.

The fact that Ling Tiehan did not get along with Lei Zhenting was not an act. The only reason that could provoke Ling Tiehan to help Lei Zhenting, setting aside his biases of many years, was that Ling Tiehan could only be a member of the Xiling imperial family.

The expansive ancient road seemed gloomy and lonely under the dim moonlight. After what seemed like an eternity, Ling Tiehan finally said, "My mother... was once the Noble Consort of the previous emperor."

Ye Li raised her eyebrows slightly. Comprehending the inevitable power struggle within the imperial court. Ling Tiehan was indeed the son of the previous emperor of Xiling, but he only mentioned having a problem with Lei Zhenting, not the Xiling imperial family. This probably indicated that Ling Tiehan’s mother died early and his ending up adrift in the worldly society had something to do with Lei Zhenting’s mother consort’s family. Ye Li vaguely recalled that the previous dynasty of Xiling did have a highly favored Noble Consort who was later executed by the emperor. Since the incident was too distant in the past, nobody paid much attention to it. Even Ye Li herself only briefly noticed when reviewing Lei Zhenting’s files, and she could not remember the Noble Consort’s name.

Feeling a sigh welling up in her throat, Ye Li could see the situation was inevitable. "Pavilion Master Ling, please commence," she said with a nod.

Ling Tiehan raised an eyebrow. "Aren’t you afraid?" If she was confident she could defeat him, it would be a joke. If Ling Tiehan were to use his full strength to kill, it wouldn’t only be Ye Li; even if all her current companions were to fight together, they wouldn’t be enough for Ling Tiehan to kill.

With a helpless laugh, Ye Li said, "And what if I am?" If expressing fear would make Ling Tiehan spare her, she wouldn’t mind showing just how frightened she was.

Ling Tiehan lowered his gaze to the sword in his hand. "If the Princess Consort is willing, you could be a guest at the King of Hell Pavilion. In half a month, I will personally send you back."

It was obvious that Ling Tiehan did not want to make things difficult for Ye Li. He just wanted to delay her return. Whether Ye Li was alive or dead didn’t seem to matter to him. His friendship with Xu Qingchen and his admiration for Ye Li made Ling Tiehan disinclined to fight her.

Unfortunately, while Ling Tiehan may have had these intentions, Ye Li couldn’t accept them. With a faint smile, she replied, "Pavilion Master Ling, please proceed."

As Ye Li was speaking, Zhuo Jing, Lin Han, and Ah-Jin subtly shifted their positions, surrounding Ling Tiehan. But they moved in sync, ensuring they shielded Ye Li on the outside. Observing their movements, a hint of admiration flashed through Ling Tiehan’s eyes. Nodding, he said, "In that case, I’m sorry for the offense."

Ling Tiehan slowly drew his sword, his movement so deliberate it was as if he was hesitating to take out the weapon at all. The moment he drew his sword, Zhuo Jing, Lin Han, and Ah-Jin pounced toward him from three directions. This happened in an instant. However, as all three of them began to move, a cold light flashed across the night sky. Ling Tiehan’s long sword, accompanied by an intimidating aura, swept toward Zhuo Jing and the others.

Given Ling Tiehan’s skills, if Zhuo Jing and the others attempted to confront him directly, upon clashing, they might die or sustain severe injuries. Hence, when they saw the icy light, all three changed direction simultaneously, narrowly avoiding the incoming sword aura. Lin Han’s robe was sliced off quite a bit.

Zhuo Jing and the others looked at the man in front of them with a serious expression. Only now did they truly realize the gap between themselves and a truly top-tier expert. Faced with Ling Tiehan’s overwhelming pressure, they each felt a burning pain in their hearts. If they weren’t all people with resolute willpower, they might have already fallen to the ground by now.

Zhuo Jing took a deep breath, suddenly thrusting the long sword in his hand, launching several quick strikes towards Ling Tiehan. A whirl of flying figures and surges of sword aura filled the air. However, Zhuo Jing’s full-out attack did not disrupt Ling Tiehan’s composure. While they crossed swords, Ling Tiehan even managed to speak, "Not bad. Speed is the essence of martial arts. But... you’re not fast enough!"

Ling Tiehan’s speed wasn’t fast, but no matter how quick Zhuo Jing was, Ling Tiehan’s sword would always effortlessly block at the right place. This manner of fighting exhausted not only their physical strength and energy, but also wore down their willpower.

Lin Han and Ah-Jin exchanged a glance. Lin Han also rushed up with his sword in hand. Ah-Jin’s long whip lashed out like a poisonous snake, striking quickly towards Ling Tiehan.

Standing aside, Ye Li let out a soft sigh, and drew a short blade from her sleeve as she also rushed forward. When it came to close combat, not many people in the world could match Ye Li. However, Ling Tiehan was clearly one of them. "Princess Consort’s skills... it’s just a pity that your internal strength is too weak," Ling Tiehan genuinely remarked. Given her gender, Ye Li’s skill wasn’t poor. Having only cultivated her internal strength for ten years, to be able to compare to Leng Liyue, it showed that Ye Li had exceptional aptitude. It’s just a pity she missed the best age for cultivating internal strength, and compared to a peerless master like Ling Tiehan, she was really nothing.

Ye Li’s moves were even faster than Zhuo Jing and Lin Han’s, and every attack aimed for vitals. But even her deadly moves seemed inadequate in Ling Tiehan’s eyes. He truly deserved to be the only expert in the world who could contend with Prince Ding.

Although it was four against one, Zhuo Jing and the others only felt more and more despondent. Just like they could never win against Prince Ding, they had no way to win against Ling Tiehan, who was equal to Prince Ding in strength.

"Princess Consort, run!" Zhuo Jing ordered in a deep voice.

Ye Li lightly chuckled, yet her hand movements did not slow. Where could she run to now? Ling Tiehan was not yet going all out. If she chose to run, Zhuo Jing and the others would likely drop dead in a matter of moments at Ling Tiehan’s hand. More importantly... she did not have the confidence to escape Ling Tiehan’s pursuit by herself.

"Princess Consort Ding, I’m sorry for the offense," Ling Tiehan’s voice echoed coldly, hinting at a bit of regret.

His sword whirled through the air, easily batting away Zhuo Jing and Lin Han, heading directly for Ye Li.

"Princess Consort!"

Zhuo Jing and the others cried out in unison. Simultaneously, Zhuo Jing unleashed a light whistle, and he and Lin Han jumped in from the left and the right. Their swords slashed down with all their strength, surprisingly managing to block Ling Tiehan’s strike. Meanwhile, Ah-Jin took the opportunity to pull Ye Li behind him with his long whip. "Princess Consort, you should retreat!" Ah-Jin said, his expression stern as he stared at Ling Tiehan.

"Interesting." Ling Tiehan raised an eyebrow, looking at Zhuo Jing and Lin Han as they collapsed to the ground. They were not injured, only completely exhausted from blocking his last strike. But if they could survive this time, they’d definitely make a great leap forward in both their mental state and martial arts. "People from Prince Ding’s Mansion really are extraordinary. But... can anyone block my next sword?"

Ye Li looked grim. Over the years, she had never felt as powerless as she did now. Qilin still hadn’t arrived yet, probably being held up by the people from the King of Hell Pavilion and Lei Zhenting. Furthermore, in the face of absolute power, all clever tactics were useless; as the saying goes, pure strength can overcome ten techniques.

Observing the calm, white-robed woman, Ling Tiehan gave a light sigh, his long sword cutting through the air. Ah-Jin’s whip—which was specially made by a skillful craftsman—lashed out but was easily cut by the sword aura. The sword’s momentum didn’t falter as it swept towards Ye Li. Zhuo Jing and the others widened their eyes in despair.

"WHOOSH!"

From the dark forest, a strong aura shot out and hit Ling Tiehan’s sword head-on. The sword heading for Ye Li stalled. Ling Tiehan’s expression shifted, and his sharp gaze shot towards a path in the forest. "Who’s there?!"