Chapter 47: The Celestial Harmony Blade

The cold moon hung like a crescent, and the small street along the riverbank was shrouded in darkness, devoid of any light or fire.

Ye Jingtang furrowed his brows tightly, gazing into the pitch-black alleyway. He felt as if something was lurking in the shadows, watching him, yet he could not pinpoint the source of this eerie sensation.

Birdiao, perched on the shoulder of Dongfang Liren, took flight without any command, soaring high above to scout the riverbank.

Dongfang Liren, dressed in a silver python robe, walked forward with hands behind his back, still waiting for Ye Jingtang to speak. Noticing a disturbance, he looked up toward the bird disappearing into the night sky.

“What’s wrong with it?” he asked.

Ye Jingtang slightly raised his hand, positioning it in front of Dongfang Liren, his left hand resting on the hilt of his blade as he carefully sensed every rustle and breeze in the night.

Having suffered multiple ambushes before, Dongfang Liren saw this scene and felt a deep unease. He and Ye Jingtang had just been competing in lightness skills and suddenly fled without informing the manor. If a traitor were secretly watching her movements, this brief gap was an unprecedented opportunity.

Dongfang Liren did not believe Ye Jingtang’s mediocre skills could protect her. Yet, having never faced real combat, she knew that against an assassin daring enough to target a prince, she would be no match. Her heart sank to the depths.

Immediately, Dongfang Liren gripped the hilt, intending to back-to-back with Ye Jingtang, holding out until reinforcements arrived.

But—

Ding!

Beneath the silver moonlight, without warning, a streak of blade light and sparks exploded!

Dongfang Liren barely sensed the danger before seeing Ye Jingtang’s blade flash out like thunder, blocking the space before her brow.

Sparks erupted from the blade, trembling continuously, clearly struck by an unknown hidden weapon.

The projectile aimed straight for her forehead but was deflected by the blade, flying toward the stone post where horses were tethered. The remaining force dented the white stone, the impact terrifying.

Even stranger, throughout the encounter, Dongfang Liren did not hear the sound of the weapon cutting through the air.

Her eyes wide with shock, she could not fathom what kind of hidden weapon was so fierce, nor how Ye Jingtang, with average martial skill, blocked the attack without hearing it.

Though full of suspicion, Dongfang Liren’s years of being protected taught her to understand the current situation. She abandoned any thought of fighting alone and stepped forward, hiding behind Ye Jingtang.

Ye Jingtang’s physique was balanced, not appearing robust but actually tall and solid, providing a strong shield for the Prince.

After that strike, the street fell into a deathly silence, as if the previous attack had been a hallucination.

Birdiao circled overhead, its sharp night vision unable to find any trace of the enemy.

“Retreat,” Ye Jingtang ordered.

Holding his blade in his right hand, his eyes not fixed anywhere, he sensed the slightest change in the environment, detecting possible ambushes as he retreated.

Dongfang Liren’s steps matched his pace. Her ample chest pressed against Ye Jingtang’s back, slightly disturbing his focus, yet she spoke in disbelief:

“Is that the Tianhe Blade?”

Ding—

No sooner had she spoken than sparks burst again from Ye Jingtang’s blade.

Before Dongfang Liren could even see the movement clearly, Ye Jingtang’s Chi Dragon Ring Sword blocked the side of her face.

Buzzing—

The blade trembled, emitting a low hum.

Cold sweat broke out on Dongfang Liren’s forehead. Quickly hiding, she realized her speech had caused a distraction, giving the opponent a chance to strike. She held her breath, saying nothing.

Ye Jingtang, judging by the force of the hidden weapon, turned to face an alley about ten yards away, moving sideways toward the street edge.

But the enemy was nowhere to be seen. Neither dared to run recklessly, at most retreating to the street edge to block the attacker’s angles.

Under Ye Jingtang’s cover, Dongfang Liren reached the street corner outside a bookstore, using a dagger to pry open the copper lock and slipped inside.

“Come in quickly,” she urged.

But just as Ye Jingtang was about to enter, he sensed danger again. His long blade struck out once more.

Whoosh—

This time the hidden weapon cut through the air audibly, with much greater force.

Ding!

A flash of blade light met the projectile, deflecting it upward. It still pierced through the wooden wall, grazing Dongfang Liren’s hairpin and shattering it.

Snap—

Fragments of jade scattered.

Her long hair instantly fell loose. Eyes wide with terror, she somersaulted forward, rolling behind the bookstore counter.

Clatter…

The sound of beads rolling on the floor caught her eye.

On the bookstore’s tiled floor, a red bead shaped like a teardrop rolled—an unknown material, obviously the hidden weapon that had just flown inside.

Her heart sank as she quickly warned:

“It’s Blood Bodhi, an assassin who roamed the southern lands over ten years ago, known for assassinating masters of the Seven Profound Sects…”

“Shh!”

Ye Jingtang held his blade in one hand and raised his left in warning, signaling Dongfang Liren to keep silent.

Silence fell again over the street; the enemy’s location remained a mystery.

If they entered the store, movement would be restricted. Given the enemy could penetrate walls, reinforcements might not arrive in time.

Behind the bookstore was a stone embankment, impossible to breach. Houses flanked both sides. The only possible attack points were the front and above.

Ye Jingtang did not suspect an aerial sniper. As long as he guarded the front, the Prince would be safe. He stood at the door, blade ready.

Ding, ding—

Moments later, two sparks flew across the street again.

Ye Jingtang struck twice, precisely blocking the incoming hidden weapons, then stood with both hands on his blade, mocking into the night:

“Is that all you’ve got? The Six Fiends will be here soon. If you insist on wasting effort, I’ll fight you all day.”

His words aimed to force the assassin to retreat.

An assassination attempt should vanish after a missed strike.

Yet Dongfang Liren’s constant protection left no chance for frontal attacks. Tonight’s opportunity was once in a lifetime.

No sooner had Ye Jingtang finished speaking than a chirping sound came from the sky.

Figures gradually appeared in an alley to the front-left.

A figure wore a gray robe, stooped, face hidden beneath a lowered bamboo hat, holding a black iron cane, hands behind his back, walking unhurriedly.

Thump, thump…

The iron cane struck the ground lightly but with a dull, heart-thudding sound.

A hoarse voice spoke from ahead:

“A fine Tianhe Blade technique. Qiu Tianhe was a chivalrous hero of the martial world. Why does his heir serve as a lackey of the court?”

Dongfang Liren confirmed Ye Jingtang used the Tianhe Blade, her suspicion growing. But there was no time to question. Fearing Ye Jingtang might struggle, she quickly relayed gathered intelligence:

“Blood Bodhi excels at long-range hidden weapons, wields the Fulong Staff in close combat, targets the upper body while guarding the midline to strike at the lower…”

Bang—

Before she finished, a loud explosion echoed on the street.

The elder was no fool; he wouldn’t let her explain the deadly details before attacking.

At a distance of five or six yards, he suddenly quickened his pace, striking the stone ground with his iron cane, shattering the blue bricks beneath.

Ye Jingtang felt the trembling underfoot, as if a colossal three-legged beast charged forward, bearing the oppressive weight of Mount Tai.

He held his blade vertically before him, locking the elder’s form, trying to read his moves and counter with the Tianhe Blade.

But as the elder advanced, his feet, shoulders, and iron cane all moved fluidly, as if his entire being was a weapon ready to explode. With Ye Jingtang’s mastery of the blade, he could not discern the true intent.

Thump, thump, thump…

In the blink of an eye, the elder crossed the seven-step boundary, lunging forward with the iron cane striking like a venomous snake’s tongue.

The elder had recognized Ye Jingtang’s proficiency with the Tianhe Blade, choosing close combat.

At seven steps, Ye Jingtang could not dismantle the move or counter. The elder was confident of a lethal strike.

Seeing Ye Jingtang’s face pale in shock, still struggling to judge the attack’s truth, the elder’s eyes flashed a cold smile. He prepared for the moment he would pierce Ye Jingtang’s chest, expecting the Prince to escape by breaking a window.

That fleeting moment of distraction—

Swish—

Beneath the silver moon, a sudden gust of blade wind rose like a celestial dragon entering the mortal world, a fierce dragon lifting its head!