Chapter 21: Pursuers

Though Chen Nan had committed a monstrous offense in the capital, he felt no fear. With the proud princess—the favored daughter of heaven—in his hands, he knew those trailing behind would not dare to act rashly.

The only person he was wary of was the emperor’s great-grandfather, that 170-year-old fiend. The old monster’s terrifying cultivation was unfathomable, and Chen Nan regarded him with deep apprehension.

The little princess, clamped under Chen Nan’s arm, was furious. But with her acupoints sealed, all she could do was curse nonstop.

“Damned scoundrel! If you don’t put me down right now, I’ll bite my tongue and kill myself!”

“Go ahead. The world will be a cleaner place.”

“Stinking bastard! Vile wretch! If I really do bite my tongue and die, you’ll have nowhere to hide. You’ll be hunted down every moment of every day.”

“Good men die young, but villains live for a thousand years. If a little devil like you went to hell right now to join your demon sisters, it would be a miracle.”

“You—!”

“What about me? Hurry up and kill yourself. I’m begging you.”

The little princess ground her teeth in rage. “Vile thief! You’re actually encouraging me to commit suicide! I hate you! One day, I’ll kill you—and I’ll use the cruelest tortures: a thousand cuts, ripping out your tendons, peeling off your skin, severing your fingers and feet…”

Chen Nan squeezed her slender waist tighter. “You little devil, you’re too vicious. How can you be my maid like this? I’ll have to discipline you properly on the road.”

The little princess cried out in pain. “Bastard! Damn you, loosen your grip! It hurts!”

The weather was scorching hot. The blazing sun baked the earth. The leaves on the trees drooped listlessly, while only the cicadas chirped away tirelessly.

With her considerable cultivation sealed by Chen Nan, the little princess could no longer withstand the summer heat. Sweat dripped down her cheeks.

“Damned scoundrel, I’m dying of heat! Get into the shade!”

By now, they were fifty li from the capital. Entering a grove of trees, Chen Nan set her down. “Little devil, you need to understand: I am the knife, and you are the fish. From now on, you are no longer Her Highness the Princess, but my personal maidservant. Understand? Learn to behave.”

Hearing this, the little princess was livid. She lunged at his shoulder, intending to bite him.

Chen Nan quickly grabbed her chin. “So fierce! That won’t do. If you don’t behave, I won’t be so gentle anymore.”

The little princess was both furious and frightened. She had never imagined she would fall into Chen Nan’s hands again. Being captured by him last time had been the greatest humiliation of her life. Now it had happened again—it drove her to the brink of madness.

She turned her face away sullenly, refusing to look at that loathsome visage, cursing him silently all the while.

The lush branches and leaves blocked the blazing sunlight. A gentle breeze wafted through the woods, carrying the fragrance of flowers and grass, bringing a refreshing coolness.

Chen Nan lay down on the soft grass, contentedly closing his eyes. The battle earlier had drained a significant amount of his power; he needed to rest and regulate his breathing.

Though the little princess could move freely now, her powers were sealed, so escape was impossible. She sat with her back to Chen Nan, plucking an unknown wildflower and tearing it apart viciously, venting all her hatred for Chen Nan upon it.

About half an hour passed. Chen Nan lay motionless, as if asleep.

The little princess studied the detestable figure on the ground. After another quarter-hour without movement, she cautiously stood up and stealthily crept toward the edge of the woods.

Just then, that hateful voice sounded again. “Ah, so comfortable. If anyone doesn’t want to stay in the woods, I’ll gladly grant their wish—let them sunbathe.”

The little princess shook her fist at Chen Nan in frustration, then very reluctantly sat back down.

Suddenly, Chen Nan sat up. In one swift motion, he pulled the little princess into his arms, one hand on her throat. He shouted toward the edge of the woods, “Those outside the woods, show yourselves immediately! If you continue skulking in hiding, don’t blame me for being rough with your princess.”

The little princess cursed Chen Nan under her breath while muttering, “So clumsy! They let him discover them. Why didn’t they send some real experts to rescue me?”

Seven martial artists emerged from behind the trees. It wasn’t that their cultivation was lacking—it was that Chen Nan was no longer what he used to be. He could sense their presence the moment they drew near.

“There are more. If you still don’t come out, I really will be rude.” As he spoke, he pinched the little princess’s smooth cheek hard, drawing a shriek from her: “Vile thief! Scoundrel! You—!”

A fluctuation of magical energy came from the air. A mage, using a levitation spell, floated down from a tree.

Chen Nan frowned. He had thought that after neutralizing the talents of the Qishi Mansion, there would be no more experts in the capital. But it seemed he was mistaken. These people were all ranked experts, and one old man’s cultivation was not inferior to his own.

“Do you still want this little devil’s life? If you continue skulking behind me, don’t blame me for being merciless.”

Among them, the mage spoke, “His Majesty has honored you with the title Guardian of the Nation, yet you commit such treason…”

Chen Nan cut him off. “Spare me the nonsense. Are you leaving or not?”

The oldest martial artist among them, the one with the deepest cultivation, said, “Chen Nan, don’t be agitated. We will leave immediately.”

Just then, the ground began to tremble. Dust and smoke billowed on the road outside the woods as countless cavalry approached.

Men shouted, and horses neighed. Thousands of cavalry surrounded the entire forest.

On the main road, seated atop a white dragon horse, was a stunning woman in her twenties. Even the dust could not conceal her peerless beauty. It was the eldest princess, Chu Yue. She dismounted and walked straight into the woods, a trace of anger on her face.

“Chen Nan, you have already escaped the capital. Why haven’t you released my sister yet?” Her gaze toward the little princess was full of pity.

Joy lit up the little princess’s face. “Sister—!”

Chen Nan sealed her mute acupoint and said to Chu Yue, “If I had let her go by now, I would likely be lying dead on the ground.”

Chu Yue said, “You have the Houyi Bow in hand. Who would dare stop you? You could have left unimpeded.”

Chen Nan sneered. “How can a single Houyi Bow face thousands of troops? If I use it to kill a member of the royal family or a high-ranking official, it might shake the foundations of Chu’s government. But what use is killing ordinary soldiers? In the capital, I could use the divine bow to intimidate the emperor and his ministers. Once outside the capital, I lose that advantage. If I don’t hold an important hostage, won’t I be trampled into meat paste by the pursuing army in the blink of an eye? I absolutely cannot release your sister now.”