Chapter 20: Retreat

Within the Sima residence, numerous warriors had fallen to the ground, many wounded by their own weapons, blood flowing freely. The civil and military officials fared even worse, sprawling across the floor.

Had the eldest princess Chu Yue not steadied him in time, the Chu emperor would have fallen flat on his back. The little princess, trying to support the empress, stumbled and fell instead. She cursed angrily, “Damn scoundrel! Ouch…”

The talents of the Qishi Mansion, having temporarily lost their powers, also tumbled to the ground.

Only a handful of experts remained unaffected, standing firm in the arena, glaring furiously at Chen Nan.

The Sima residence had invited the cream of the capital’s society today. The might of the golden arrow had left these distinguished guests in utter disarray, their dignity thoroughly trampled. Cries of alarm from noble ladies and highborn women rose one after another, plunging the scene into chaos.

Should news of this spread to other kingdoms, Chu would suffer a tremendous loss of face and surely become a laughingstock.

When the crowd finally picked themselves up and calmed down, they all turned to glare at Chen Nan with fury.

Dead silence fell over the arena. Everyone held their breath. The shocking scene moments ago had made the imperial martial artists halt in their tracks, afraid to advance.

Chen Nan had already nocked a second arrow to the bowstring. Wherever the divine bow pointed, faces changed color. Finally, he shifted the aim of the Houyi Bow from Sima Lingkong toward the emperor.

Behind him, Nalan Ruoshui cried out anxiously, “Chen Nan, what are you doing?”

Without answering, Chen Nan said to Chu Han, “Let Ruoshui and me leave together.”

Chu Han nodded. “I never expected things to come to this. Very well, you may go. Everyone, stand aside and let them pass.”

Burning with rage, Sima Lingkong’s eyes were bloodshot. Already severely injured internally, the shock and fury overwhelmed him. With a loud retch, he spat out three mouthfuls of blood before being supported off the field.

Keeping the Houyi Bow trained on the crowd, Chen Nan signaled Nalan Ruoshui to retreat with him.

When they reached the main gate of the Sima residence, Nalan Ruoshui said, “Chen Nan, I truly cannot go with you.”

“Why not?”

“I can’t just walk away. If I leave, what will happen to my father? What will happen to my family? They will lose all face.”

“They will only lose some face. Are you willing to sacrifice your lifelong happiness for that?”

Nalan Ruoshui shook her head. “This wedding cannot continue. You don’t need to worry about me.”

Chen Nan pressed, “Then why won’t you come with me?”

Nalan Ruoshui sighed softly. “Between us… there hasn’t been…”

Chen Nan was stunned. “But… I overheard your conversation with the eldest princess in the imperial garden.”

“You heard that? At that time, I did feel… but now… you have changed. You feel increasingly unfamiliar to me, so different from the Chen Nan I once knew… I’m afraid. I can’t see the future. I… cannot go with you…” Her voice grew softer, and finally she murmured, “Perhaps I am too traditional, too conservative in my thinking. I truly cannot leave with you like this. Have you seriously thought about it? Did you rebel against Great Chu today to vent your anger, or was it for… I think the former is the main reason.”

Chen Nan froze. The feathered arrow on his bowstring fell to the ground. Indeed, the main reason he had rebelled against Chu today was to vent the fury he could not swallow, to release it in a cathartic outburst.

“Chen Nan, look out!” Nalan Ruoshui screamed.

A dazzling sword beam, like a bolt of silk, slashed toward Chen Nan. His pupils contracted. He recognized it as a flying sword wielded by a Daoist cultivator—and its owner was none other than the eldest princess, Chu Yue. He quickly drew his long blade and struck at the flying sword.

Gasps rose from the onlookers:

“A flying sword!”

“The most mysterious of cultivators—the Daoists!”

“It’s Her Highness the eldest princess!”

The flying sword gleamed coldly, exuding a chilling pressure.

Chen Nan swung his blade directly at it, but the golden edge could not stop the flying sword’s momentum. Finally, he met the flying sword head-on with his blade.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

After a series of metallic clashes, the long blade was chopped into several pieces, leaving only a bare hilt in Chen Nan’s hand. Startled, he marveled inwardly at the extraordinary power of Daoist cultivators. Discarding the hilt, he met the flying sword with his bare hands. A layer of golden light coated his palms. Dodging the blade’s edge, he struck the flat of the sword repeatedly. His flesh-and-blood palms clashed against the flying sword with a resonant clang.

The exchange was lightning-fast. Onlookers could only see a blur of sword-light interweaving with a flurry of palm shadows, brilliant radiance accompanying the metallic ring, as immense energy waves surged wildly.

By the time the high-ranking martial artists reacted and prepared to charge, the eldest princess was already struggling. Her face pale, she reluctantly recalled her flying sword.

Just as Chen Nan moved to pursue, a group of high-ranking martial artists blocked his path. He halted immediately and unslung the Houyi Bow once more, aiming a feathered arrow directly at the Chu emperor. The crowd recoiled in terror, forced to stop.

“Ruoshui, come with me.”

“No, I…” Nalan Ruoshui shook her head. “Perhaps there was a moment of connection between us, but that is not love. If, half a year from now, you still feel the same…” She did not finish. Turning, she dashed into the crowd and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Chen Nan stood dumbfounded. Then, enraged, he drew the Houyi Bow and aimed it at the eldest princess Chu Yue. “You dared to ambush me! Today, I will—”

Suddenly, an aged sigh echoed in his ear: “Alas, young man, do not be too agitated. She is my great-great-granddaughter.”

Chen Nan was startled and instantly sobered. That voice was all too familiar—it belonged to the emperor’s great-grandfather, that 170-year-old monster of a man. He knew the old fiend was using his profound martial arts to transmit his voice to him alone.

The old monster sighed, “What is eternity? There is no eternity. Eternity is but an instant. When the splendor fades and beauty withers, only then will you realize that what life truly needs is peace and a joyful heart.”

The voice faded away. Chen Nan looked around but could not spot the old monster anywhere. Though he held the Houyi Bow, he was deeply wary of this unfathomably powerful old man. If the old fiend attacked him from the shadows, he would have no way to defend himself.

By now, Chen Nan had already drawn the Houyi Bow fully. But out of caution toward the old monster, he aimed it at the ground. A golden arrow, accompanied by the sound of wind and thunder, plunged into the earth. The ground shook violently. Amidst a thunderous roar, more than half of the Sima residence collapsed, dust and sand filling the air.

No one knew that this golden arrow, shot into the ground, had subtly changed its course underground. It streaked toward the imperial palace not far away, then plunged into the ancient tomb beneath the royal library. The golden arrow, infused with the primordial energy of heaven and earth, seemed to be guided. It flew straight toward the deceased peerless expert within the tomb, stopping three feet before the indestructible corpse. There, it exploded, scattering into specks of golden light that surged into the corpse. The ancient tomb fell silent once more, as if nothing had happened.

Amidst the chaos, Chen Nan used the Dragon Capturing Hand once more. A golden palm swept up a fierce gale, sweeping the little princess Chu Yu away from the empress’s side. He swiftly sealed her acupoints and pulled her into his embrace. In his right hand, he held the Houyi Bow; his left hand rested on the little princess’s throat.

By now, Sima’s father and son were nearly driven mad. Not only had Chen Nan ruined the wedding, but he had also destroyed the entire Sima residence.

“Scoundrel! Thief! Let me go!”

The emperor and empress’s expressions changed drastically. The eldest princess said, “Chen Nan, release my sister. I guarantee your safe departure.”

Chen Nan remained motionless, giving no response. In truth, he was testing the limits of the old monster lurking in the shadows to see if he would intervene. After a long wait, the old monster made no move. A fraction of the weight lifted from Chen Nan’s heart.

The little princess shouted, “Filthy thief, take your hand away! It stinks to high heaven!”

The eldest princess Chu Yue said, “Chen Nan, did you hear me? Release my sister, and I will let you go.”

Chen Nan sneered. “Hmph. I won’t waste words. Tell everyone to stand aside and not send a single person after me.”

Chu Yue’s face shifted through several shades of anger before she finally said, “Fine. I agree to your terms.”

The empress, frantic with worry, was about to speak when Chu Han stopped her. “Trust Yue’er. Let her handle it.”

The civil and military officials stood dumbfounded. Today’s events had exceeded their wildest imagination.

Though Chen Nan was not very familiar with the capital, he had already scouted the route out of the city. Holding the little princess hostage, he left the capital.

Once outside, the little princess fumed, “Scoundrel, you’ve escaped already! Why don’t you let me go?”

“Life is truly strange. Back then, you captured me and brought me to the capital. Now, you are escorting me out. I don’t suppose you’ve forgotten everything that happened in between? Stay by my side and serve me obediently as my maid!”

“What?! You want me, a princess, to be your maid? Dream on!”

Chen Nan did something he had long wanted to do but never had the chance. He pinched the little princess’s smooth cheek firmly, squeezing it hard.

“Ouch! Bastard, let go! How dare you treat me like this?”

“You little devil, I know you’re cunning. Don’t try any tricks with me. Behave and move along.”

“Where are you taking me, you bastard?”

“The City of Sin.”

“Ah…”

“I never thought the little devil would fall into my hands again…”

Though his emotions were complicated, Chen Nan did not feel sorrow. He felt that what Nalan Ruoshui had said was correct. Holding the little princess Chu Yu hostage, he left the capital of Chu.