The Supporting Female Character Enters the Game, the Crazy Crown Prince Slowly Falls Deeply in Love - Chapter 56

“Lord Xie…” Zhao Quan’s voice was tinged with a sob. “This slave… this slave…”

Xie Yunian crouched down, leaning close to Zhao Quan’s face, his voice chillingly cold: “Zhao Quan, I will give you one chance. Just tell me who instructed you to come here, and I can spare your life. Otherwise…”

His gaze swept toward the corpse on the ground, the meaning unmistakable.

“It’s the Prince of Jin!” Zhao Quan gritted his teeth, his voice still choked with tears. “It’s the Prince of Jin! He ordered this slave to come here every month to fetch the medicine, but this slave really wasn’t the one who administered the poison…”

Xie Yunian crouched in front of Zhao Quan, the smile at the corner of his mouth gentle, as if he were seriously considering his words. However, his eyes were as cold as ice, radiating a bone-chilling coldness.

“Xiao Wuheng?” Xie Yunian repeated softly, his tone carrying a hint of amusement. “So, it was him.”

Zhao Quan, seeing that Xie Yunian seemed to be in a good mood, slightly relaxed and quickly continued, “Yes, it’s His Highness the Prince of Jin. This slave was merely acting under orders. I was forced to!”

Xie Yunian nodded, slowly stood up, the long sword in his hand reflecting the cold light of the rain. He looked down at Zhao Quan, his eyes holding a hint of pity.

“Zhao Quan,” Xie Yunian’s voice was calm, as if speaking of the most mundane thing, “I am not satisfied with that answer.”

Zhao Quan froze, and before he could react, the long sword in Xie Yunian’s hand slashed down.

“Pfft—”

The blade cut across Zhao Quan’s neck. Blood instantly gushed out, splashing onto the hem of Xie Yunian’s clothes. Zhao Quan’s eyes were wide with shock, seemingly unable to believe Xie Yunian would suddenly attack. His lips trembled slightly, as if he still wanted to say something, but in the end, he weakly collapsed onto the ground, his eyes wide open, dying with a grievance.

Xie Yunian stood in the rain, looking down at Zhao Quan’s corpse. The smile on his face gradually disappeared. He disgustedly shook the blood from his sword, his voice indifferent, “Clean this up.”

Qiyin  respectfully nodded, “Yes, Master.”

With that, he turned and lit the dry grass nearby. The flame struggled for a moment in the rain, then quickly spread along the wooden structure of the broken temple. Thick smoke billowed up, intertwining with the rain, a strange and spectacular sight.

Xie Yunian rode on his horse, looking back at the blazing broken temple, his eyes showing no ripple of emotion. He covered his face with a black cloth, gently tapped the horse’s flank, and the horse immediately started moving, galloping towards the bottom of the mountain.

Having just rained, the mountain road was slick. The sound of the horse’s hooves was exceptionally clear in the silent night. The mountain road was deserted, and the sound of the hooves covered all other noises.

Nearing the foot of the mountain, Xie Yunian suddenly reined in the horse. The horse’s front hooves reared up high, letting out a whinny. He stared intently at the dark forest ahead, the reins in his hand slightly tightened, and his body instinctively tensed. A murderous air permeated the surroundings, as if invisible blades were lurking in the darkness.

Xie Yunian narrowed his eyes, his ears twitching slightly, catching the subtle movements around him.

Moments later, several black figures suddenly flashed out of the forest ahead, rapidly approaching him. The men in black were armed with swords, their eyes cold. They had clearly been waiting in ambush for his arrival.

Xie Yunian sat high on his horse, his gaze falling on the leader of the men in black. His hand rested on the scabbard at his waist.

“Attack, all of you! Don’t let him escape!” the man in black roared.

Xie Yunian’s eyes turned cold. The long sword instantly left its sheath. The sword light flashed like lightning, cutting through the curtain of rain. The blood-stained blade was washed by the rain, only to be instantly soaked in blood again.

After an unknown duration, Xie Yunian stood in the middle of the mountain road. Corpses of men in black lay scattered around him. Rainwater mixed with blood flowed on the ground, and the air was thick with the pungent smell of blood. His black clothes were soaked with blood. Rainwater dripped from his hair, and the bloodstains on his face blurred his features, yet they could not conceal the ruthlessness in his eyes.

The long sword in his hand remained firmly gripped, the blood dripping from the tip of the blade mixing with the rainwater, as if it had never stopped. The remaining men in black surrounded him but dared not advance easily. They looked at Xie Yunian with fear and resentment. Xie Yunian’s martial arts far exceeded their expectations. In just a short time, several of their comrades had fallen under his sword.

The wind whistled past his ears, and the rain struck his face, chilling him to the bone.

“Swoosh—Swoosh—Swoosh—”

Several sounds of objects slicing through the air suddenly rang out. Sharp arrows shot out from the dark, aiming straight for Xie Yunian’s vital points. Xie Yunian’s eyes grew cold. He swung his long sword, deflecting several arrows to the ground. But the rain of arrows was dense. One arrow pierced the air, grazing his shoulder and leaving a bloody mark.

A whistle sounded in the distance. Hurried footsteps approached from afar. It was Qiyin and his men rushing over. Seeing Xie Yunian injured, Qiyin’s expression instantly changed. “Master!”

“No need to keep any of them alive,” Xie Yunian raised his hand, signaling him not to speak further. These people were death-sworn soldiers (dead men); even severe torture wouldn’t yield any useful information.

Hearing this, Qiyin did not hesitate. He immediately waved his hand, signaling the men behind him to act. The leader of the men in black saw the situation was dire. A look of determination flashed in his eyes, and he immediately bit down on the poison hidden under his tongue. His body violently convulsed, a streak of black blood oozed from the corner of his mouth, and all signs of life vanished.

The remaining men in black followed suit, biting down on their poison. In an instant, they too became silent.

Xie Yunian watched all this with cold eyes, his face completely expressionless. He tossed the long sword to Qiyin. “Clean this up, and then come find me at the Pavilion of Immortal Gathering.”

Qiyin caught the long sword and looked at the wound on Xie Yunian’s shoulder, his brow slightly furrowed. “Master, your injury…”

Xie Yunian waved his hand, cutting him off. “It’s nothing, just a superficial wound.”

He had to hurry back, otherwise people would become suspicious.

After entering the city, Xie Yunian moved swiftly, traversing several rooftops, and quickly reached the eaves near the Pavilion of Immortal Gathering. The building was brightly lit, and people were buzzing. The riddle contest on the stage was at its most exciting point. The crowd below was packed tightly, with cheers and applause rising and falling.

Xie Yunian’s gaze was not on the stage. His vision pierced through the crowd, falling on a figure not far away—Jiang Yao. She seemed equally engrossed in the riddles on the stage, the corners of her lips slightly lifted, her face showing undisguised joy. She was strikingly conspicuous.

Just then, the crowd suddenly became chaotic. Not far away, several palace guards, shouting that they were acting under imperial decree to capture a fugitive, were heading in this direction. Xie Yunian’s brow furrowed slightly. He unconsciously looked towards Jiang Yao’s direction.

She was being jostled around by the crowd, a hint of panic flashing across her face, clearly feeling helpless.

What does that have to do with him?

Xie Yunian’s brow furrowed slightly, a hidden annoyance rising in his heart. He should enter the Pavilion of Immortal Gathering immediately, change into clean clothes, and assume the appearance of someone drinking in bitter sorrow due to amnesia.

But…

His footsteps seemed to be held back by some unseen force, unable to take the next step.