"Axiu..."
Seeing the woman who had followed him for decades injured, Yang Ce's face changed dramatically, and he shouted out to Axiu.
If not for his injured legs, Yang Ce would have fought Rong Haodong to the death without hesitation.
"Your Highness, I'm fine. I've only sustained minor injuries, nothing serious."
Seeing Yang Ce's anxious expression, Axiu quickly said.
"Nothing serious?"
Hearing Axiu's words, Rong Haodong sneered. Then, with a slight downward press of his right wrist, a crossbow bolt shot out again, piercing Axiu's calf.
"Ah—"
This blow caused Axiu to cry out in agony.
"Hahaha—"
Axiu's scream brought Yang Ce pain, but it also elicited bursts of laughter from a dozen young men and women.
"Well done, Young Master Rong, truly magnificent."
The dozen youths fawned over Rong Haodong. "What kind of so-called King of Nanling is he? In front of you, he's just like a dog. His son is on the brink of death and he can't avenge him. Now, you've gravely injured his mistress right in front of him, leaving him as helpless and pathetic as a stray dog."
"Hahaha, Young Master Rong, you're amazing, truly our boss."
Faced with their flattery, Rong Haodong laughed heartily. "These are mere trifles, not worth mentioning. It all depends on the support of all my brothers and sisters."
After speaking, Rong Haodong looked at the enraged Yang Ce and said, "Yang Ce, I told you, kowtow to my brothers and sisters a few times to make them happy. When they are happy, I will be happy, and then I will let you go."
"You little beast, none of you will leave here alive today."
His son, Yang Junlin, was severely injured and on the verge of death. This had already enraged Yang Ce. Now, seeing Axiu also gravely injured, Yang Ce's rationality had been completely consumed by his fury. He declared to Rong Haodong and the others.
"Oh... ..."
Upon hearing Yang Ce's words, Rong Haodong feigned shock and said, "You want to kill us?"
"Elder Tang, please make your move."
As soon as Rong Haodong finished speaking, Yang Ce commanded.
The next second, an old man in black appeared beside Yang Ce like a phantom. It was none other than the Bloodhand Asura, Tang Hao.
Back in the Lin family, Tang Hao had intended to kill Shen Lang to avenge his disciple, Tang Liuzhi. However, after witnessing Shen Lang's terrifying strength, he immediately abandoned the idea of revenge.
Afterward, Tang Hao was away for some time and only returned to Nanling last night.
While fear of Shen Lang prevented Tang Hao from making a move, he was not afraid of anyone else.
He could see that Rong Haodong and the other fops were merely agile external martial artists, not true cultivators, and thus he didn't take them seriously at all.
"Your Highness, how should we proceed?"
Looking at Rong Haodong and his group of dandies, Tang Hao asked, his expressionless face filled with murderous intent.
"Kill them all, leave none alive."
Yang Ce, his reason completely lost to rage, roared.
"Good—"
Hearing Yang Ce's words, Tang Hao uttered a cold single word. Then, with a swift step, he lunged at Rong Haodong and brought his palm down towards the crown of Rong Haodong's head.
Tang Hao's palm strike was not only fast but also astonishingly powerful, causing Rong Haodong's eyes to widen instantly.
Rong Haodong felt Tang Hao's killing intent, his expression slightly changing. Then, he raised his right wrist, and another crossbow bolt shot out, aimed at Tang Hao's heart.
"Presumptuous little beast, trying to ambush an old man like me?"
Facing the crossbow bolt, Tang Hao didn't even look. The moment the bolt was fired, he caught it with his other hand and, with a forceful shake, snapped it into two pieces.
However, this brief moment did not affect the powerful downward strike of Tang Hao's right palm.
Rong Haodong was surprised that Tang Hao could so easily neutralize such a forceful crossbow bolt, and he was somewhat astonished by the old man.
Yang Ce's position as the King of Nanling, it seemed, was not entirely due to a lack of heroes leading to the elevation of commoners; Yang Ce did possess some capabilities to recruit such a subordinate.
However, Rong Haodong did not believe that Tang Hao could kill him.
Because, Rong Haodong knew, someone was protecting him.
"Ah—"
Just as Tang Hao's heavy palm was about to strike the crown of Rong Haodong's head, suddenly, a hideous old woman appeared before Rong Haodong like a ghost.
The old woman appeared to be at least seventy years old. Her face and hands were wrinkled like old tree bark, and she coughed repeatedly.
Looking at such an old woman, anyone would first think she was on her last legs.
But when they saw the sword clutched in her left hand, their thoughts would change.
The old woman held a sword in her left hand. The hilt was shaped like a cobra's head, and the scabbard was its body, giving off a chilling and terrifying aura.
"Swish—"
The old woman gripped the hilt with her right hand and swiftly drew the sword. For a moment, the temperature around seemed to drop by twenty degrees, becoming bone-chillingly cold.
And with this strike, Tang Hao's right arm was severed and sent flying.
"Ah—"
Having lost an arm, Tang Hao lost his balance and fell to the ground, writhing in pain.
He couldn't understand how the old woman, whom he hadn't sensed at all moments before, had appeared so instantaneously.
Tang Hao stared intently at the old woman, trying to gauge her strength. However, he found that the old woman was like an abyss. As you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes back at you.
But sometimes, the abyss can peer into every corner of your heart, while you remain completely ignorant of everything about the abyss.
This was the most terrifying and dreadful thing, and Tang Hao was experiencing it now.
He realized he couldn't see through the old woman's power at all, yet she seemed to see through all his secrets, sending shivers down his spine.
And upon seeing the cobra-shaped sword in the old woman's hand, Tang Hao seemed to recall a terrifying figure and guessed, "Snake Sword, are you the Snake Granny of the Myriad Snake Grotto?"
Tang Hao had once heard of a place called the Myriad Snake Grotto, where tens of thousands of venomous snakes lived, and the person who raised them was called the Snake Granny, a fearsome individual.
The Snake Granny not only knew how to communicate with venomous snakes but even her weapons were in the shape of venomous snakes. Tang Hao had only heard of her reputation but never expected to actually meet her one day.
"You are the Bloodhand Asura, Tang Hao, aren't you?"
Hearing Tang Hao's words, the old woman's hoarse and eerie voice slowly sounded. "I know you. You are the younger cousin of Tang Jiutian, the sect leader of the Tang sect. Unfortunately, you should not have attacked our Young Master Rong."
"Young Master Rong?"
Hearing the old woman's address to Rong Haodong, Tang Hao was shocked. "Is he from the Rong family?"
"You guessed correctly."
The old woman replied coldly, "Young Master Rong is the only grandson of Elder Rong. By attacking Young Master Rong, you have attacked the Rong family and Elder Rong. Tang Hao, you've gotten yourself into big trouble."