Chapter 226: A Brutal Battle
Cloud Butterfly Fragrance, a premium incense, is extracted from the Cloud Butterfly Flower.
Even a single tael costs as much as one hundred thousand silver coins.
Many women in the martial arts world love Cloud Butterfly Fragrance, not only for its subtle and long-lasting scent, but also for its ability to calm the mind and soothe the spirit.
Using Cloud Butterfly Fragrance once, the scent can linger on the body for a full month, and even bathing cannot wash it away.
At the same time, after using Cloud Butterfly Fragrance, it can completely mask any other aura of a martial artist. Just like Zhang Ruochen at this moment, he could only smell the Cloud Butterfly Fragrance on that silk scarf, but could not detect any other aura from that demonic cult enchantress.
In the martial arts world, Duanmu Xingling was not the only woman who liked Cloud Butterfly Fragrance. Therefore, even if Zhang Ruochen obtained that silk scarf, he could not connect the demonic cult enchantress to Duanmu Xingling.
"Boom, rumble!"
The ground shook, and bell horses neighed.
Led by a burly deputy commander of the Imperial Guard, a dense mass of armored soldiers rushed in from both ends of the street, forming an encirclement and stopping in front of Zhang Ruochen.
That deputy commander of the Imperial Guard jumped down from the back of a barbarian beast, knelt on one knee, and said, "Your subordinate arrived late to rescue you, please punish me, Ninth Prince."
With Zhang Ruochen's current martial arts cultivation, which Imperial Guard would dare to disrespect him? Even a deputy commander-level figure had to kneel and pay respects cautiously when seeing him.
A genius prince and a waste prince—in a world that revered martial arts, the treatment they received was naturally different.
Zhang Ruochen put away a piece of cloth, looked at that deputy commander, and said, "What is the situation in the palace?"
That deputy commander of the Imperial Guard said, "The evil martial artists of the Moon Worship Demon Cult have already retreated. The King has regained control of the overall situation. All the Imperial Guards in the royal city have been deployed and are currently making every effort to capture those evil martial artists."
Zhang Ruochen nodded and said, "Has the Ninth Princess returned to the palace?"
"Your subordinate does not know."
That deputy commander of the Imperial Guard was afraid of angering Zhang Ruochen, so he added, "Commander Wan has personally rushed to the Martial Market Arena. The Princess will definitely be safe."
"In that case, escort me back to the palace first." Although Zhang Ruochen wanted to rush to the Martial Market Arena immediately, given his current state, even if he went, he would not be able to help.
Moreover, Chang Qiqi was severely injured and unconscious and needed immediate medical treatment.
Two Imperial Guard martial artists lifted Chang Qiqi and followed the Imperial Guard team back to the palace.
After returning to the palace, Zhang Ruochen immediately sent someone to summon the best alchemist in the palace to personally treat Chang Qiqi's injuries.
Only after that alchemist confirmed that Chang Qiqi's life was no longer in danger did Zhang Ruochen drag his exhausted body to Yushu Palace.
When Consort Lin saw the wounds on Zhang Ruochen's face and left shoulder, she naturally could not help but feel a shock of terror. Her heart ached, and tears fell.
Zhang Ruochen could only keep comforting her. As a martial artist, once one embarked on the path of martial arts, how could one avoid getting injured?
Not long after, under the escort of the Imperial Guard, the Ninth Princess also returned to the palace.
The main targets of the Black Market and the Moon Worship Demon Cult's attack were originally the disciples of the Yuntai Manor and the students of the Martial Market Academy. The Ninth Princess was merely a fish caught in the net and did not suffer the most violent attacks.
With both the Battle Diagram and the Wind Wings, it was not difficult for the Ninth Princess to save her life.
Hearing that Zhang Ruochen had already returned to the palace first, the Ninth Princess rushed to Yushu Palace. Upon seeing Zhang Ruochen, she immediately hugged him and burst into tears, burying her head in his arms.
After all, she was only a princess in her teens who had never seen such a brutal scene. If she were not a Mysterious Extreme Realm martial artist, she would probably have collapsed long ago.
Zhang Ruochen gently patted the Ninth Princess's head, as if he were the older brother, comforting her, "The path of martial arts is this dangerous. The dangers you will encounter in the future will only increase. It is impossible to always be as comfortable as staying in the palace."
The Ninth Princess nodded while sobbing, "I know, but this is the first time I have seen so many people killed. Hundreds of corpses piled up together, blood pooling into a blood pond. Just thinking about it makes me shudder. If it weren't for the Battle Diagram you gave me, I would never have been able to crawl out of that pile of corpses. I would probably... be like Sixth Brother and Third Brother now, chopped to pieces by those evil martial artists."
Zhang Ruochen was shocked, "The Sixth Prince and the Third Prince are dead?"
The Ninth Princess said, "I saw with my own eyes Sixth Brother being split in half by an evil martial artist with a single saber slash. The blood almost splattered on me. Third Brother was hacked to death by three evil martial artists, his body already a bloody mess."
The Third Prince and the Sixth Prince had gone to the Martial Market Arena to see Zhang Ruochen make a fool of himself, but they never expected that Zhang Ruochen would escape while they died in the Martial Market Arena.
Zhang Ruochen sighed softly, comforted the Ninth Princess a few more times, and after sending the still-shaken Ninth Princess away, he entered the inner space of the Time-Space Crystal to begin healing.
As for how brutal this battle truly was, Zhang Ruochen did not want to ask for now.
The martial arts world was this cruel—the strong survive, the weak die.
Even if the royal clan of the Yunwu Commandery were wiped out, Zhang Ruochen would not find it strange at all. Just like the once-prosperous Holy Bright Central Empire, it was now gone without a trace.
Therefore, only by becoming stronger oneself could one have a greater chance of survival.
In the inner space of the Time-Space Crystal, after recuperating for nine consecutive days, Zhang Ruochen's injuries finally healed. Even the scar on his face completely disappeared under the repair of true qi and medicinal power.
After experiencing this life-and-death battle, Zhang Ruochen's cultivation seemed to have improved again, getting one step closer to the late stage of the Earth Extreme Realm.
Indeed, when pushed to a desperate situation, one could stimulate the body's potential and break through realms faster.
Stepping out of the inner space of the Time-Space Crystal, Zhang Ruochen immediately went to visit Chang Qiqi.
Chang Qiqi had a strong physique. Although he was severely injured, after these days of recuperation, he had recovered two or three-tenths of his strength and could walk on the ground.
"Thank you, Junior Brother Zhang, for saving my life. I, Chang, will never forget this kindness." Seeing Zhang Ruochen, Chang Qiqi immediately knelt to pay respects.
Zhang Ruochen supported Chang Qiqi and said, "We are fellow disciples of the same sect. Why be so polite?"
Chang Qiqi was extremely grateful to Zhang Ruochen. If Zhang Ruochen had not insisted on taking him away despite the danger to himself, he would surely have died.
Chang Qiqi sighed, "I have inquired about it. This time, our Martial Market Academy suffered heavy losses. Just among the inner palace students, thirteen died, and among the outer palace students, twenty-seven died. These are only the students whose bodies were found. There are still twenty-four students missing, presumably either dead or captured."
Zhang Ruochen said, "The Black Market and the Moon Worship Demon Cult are inherently very powerful. I suspect they have transferred evil masters from the surrounding commanderies to the royal city. The Martial Market Academy only sent young disciples to deal with them—how could they not lose?"
Chang Qiqi nodded, "I suspect the academy did not expect the Black Market and the Moon Worship Demon Cult to be so ferocious, even dispatching five old-generation Heavenly Extreme Realm martial arts myths. After this defeat, the academy will probably have to reorganize its strategy, at least sending a few Silver Robe Elders to garrison the Yunwu Commandery."
Zhang Ruochen said, "The Black Market and the Moon Worship Demon Cult are also not having an easy time. They must have suffered heavy losses this time as well."
"That's right. It is said that nearly a thousand evil martial artists died, and over a thousand were imprisoned in the dungeon."
Chang Qiqi clenched his fists, "But how can the lives of those evil martial artists compare to the students of the Martial Market Academy?"
"Any outer palace student has the talent to break through to the Earth Extreme Realm. An inner palace student has at least a thirty percent chance of breaking through to the Heavenly Extreme Realm."
"It can be said that a hundred evil martial artists combined are not worth the life of a single outer palace student."
Zhang Ruochen patted Chang Qiqi on the shoulder, "Don't worry. After suffering such a great loss, the old-generation experts of the academy will definitely retaliate."
Chang Qiqi nodded, then suddenly seemed to remember something, "Junior Brother Zhang, I heard you have a good relationship with Zi Qian?"
Zhang Ruochen's heart sank, but he did not show it on his face, asking nonchalantly, "What happened?"
Chang Qiqi said, "When you were fighting on the battle platform with Zi Yin Yang, at the very beginning, Junior Sister Zi discovered Zi Yin Yang's identity and told Senior Brother and Junior Sister Chen Xi'er. Junior Sister Chen Xi'er suspected she was a spy from the Underworld Gate and detained her. She might even be executed."
The Martial Market Academy's principle for dealing with spies had always been, "Better to kill than to let go."
To save Zhang Ruochen, Zi Qian must have said some things she should not have, arousing Chen Xi'er's suspicion.
This was a big problem!
No matter what, Zi Qian was suspected because of him. Zhang Ruochen had to go and rescue Zi Qian; he could not just watch her be executed.
Zhang Ruochen said, "I see. It is probably a misunderstanding. Senior Brother Chang, do you know where Junior Sister Zi is being held?"
Chang Qiqi shook his head, "I am not entirely sure, but the Martial Market Academy only has three secret strongholds in the royal city. It is said that you have a good relationship with Junior Sister Chen Xi'er. You can go find her. As long as you explain the situation clearly, Junior Sister Chen Xi'er should release her."
Subsequently, Chang Qiqi told Zhang Ruochen the locations of those three secret strongholds and the secret way to contact the Martial Market Academy students.
Because Chang Qiqi's injuries were too severe and he needed to continue recuperating, Zhang Ruochen left the palace alone.
The situation in the royal city was still chaotic. Zhang Ruochen did not leave the palace openly as the Ninth Prince. Instead, taking advantage of the night, he wore a metal mask and slipped out unnoticed.
Zhang Ruochen knew Zi Qian's true identity—she was indeed an assassin from the Underworld Gate. Therefore, he did not dare to rashly go find Chen Xi'er.
If Chen Xi'er discovered that Zhang Ruochen wanted to save an assassin from the Underworld Gate, what would she think?
If Chen Xi'er suspected Zhang Ruochen was also a spy from the Black Market, it would be extremely detrimental to him.
Although Zhang Ruochen's relationship with Chen Xi'er was not bad, it had not yet reached the level of complete trust.
Zhang Ruochen decided to first find Duanmu Xingling to learn about the Martial Market Academy's situation in the royal city. Then, he would make a plan.
Rescuing a Black Market spy from fellow disciples was no small matter; it was a very dangerous endeavor.
If he was not careful, it could bring Zhang Ruochen a death sentence and even implicate the royal clan of the Yunwu Commandery.
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