"What if he's a prince? He's just a dog! Do you think I'll be afraid?"
Zhou Yan said, "Arrest him!"
Several guards immediately rushed forward but were easily dodged by Qin Yang.
Zhou Yan kicked a stool next to him. The kettle on the table fell to the ground with a clatter, shattering into several pieces.
By then, Qin Yang had already closed in. He grabbed Zhou Yan by the collar, pushed him against the wall, and looked down at the man before him, "Let me tell you, even with a hundred lives, you can't save him."
Zhou Yan sneered, "He is my brother."
Qin Yang scoffed, "So what? As long as I'm alive, I can guarantee he will live."
Zhou Yan said, "Since that's the case, then you die now."
With that, Zhou Yan struck Qin Yang's chest with a palm.
"Pfft..." A mouthful of blood spurted from Qin Yang's mouth.
"You, you dare to kill me!" Qin Yang glared at Zhou Yan, "Do you know who I am?"
Zhou Yan said disdainfully, "Who are you? Even the emperor doesn't dare to kill me. What can you do to me?"
Qin Yang laughed in anger, "Good, good, good. I, Qin Yang, remember today's grudge. You wait, one day, I will make you kneel at my feet and beg for mercy!"
Qin Yang turned to leave, but after only two steps, he stopped and looked back at Zhou Yan, his voice sinister, "I have something more to tell you!"
Zhou Yan said impatiently, "What else do you want to say?"
Qin Yang said, "I told you, one day, one day you will regret it!"
"I'd like to see what I've done wrong."
"You..." Qin Yang's face turned ashen. He took a deep breath, suppressed his anger, turned, and ran away quickly.
Zhou Yan stood in place, watching his departing back, his eyes flashing with a cold yet resolute light.
Soon, Zhou Yan's expression returned to calm. He walked up to a maid and asked, "Are there any other secret passages to the dungeon in the palace?"
The maid shook her head, "The palace is heavily guarded. There are no mechanisms for infiltration."
Zhou Yan nodded, "Very well."
With that, Zhou Yan strode out.
He would not let anyone else harm his brother! He had to rescue him from this dark and desolate place.
It was already midnight. The entire palace was shrouded in darkness, with only a few scattered lights illuminating the imperial grounds.
Zhou Yan walked cautiously along the way, and unknowingly found himself standing before a palace gate.
A thick layer of snow covered the ground outside the palace. Beneath the snow lay a tightly shut door. Hanging on the door was something wrapped in red lacquered oil paper, resembling a head. However, this head was not white but a strange dark green.
Zhou Yan reached out and pushed the door.
Creak.
The door opened.
Zhou Yan stepped inside, feeling a chill wind.
"Zhou Yan, you've finally come."
A sinister voice echoed from behind him.
Zhou Yan spun around abruptly. He saw a middle-aged woman in a white dress walking slowly towards him.
"Who are you?"
"Zhou Yan, you're truly forgetful. Don't you remember who I am?"
Zhou Yan stared at her for a moment, then a look of shock appeared on his face as if he had recalled something, "It's you?"
This woman in white was none other than the madwoman he had encountered at Nanshan Temple!
At that time, Zhou Yan had fought with the madwoman. Although her martial arts were superb, her madness caused her to attack uncontrollably. In the end, she was no match for Zhou Yan and fled. He had never expected this woman to reappear!
"I say, I'm not alone this time." The madwoman said.
Zhou Yan said in a deep voice, "I know."
Zhou Yan couldn't help but recall what had happened at Nanshan Temple. At that time, the madwoman had been nearby but had not helped him. Moreover, Zhou Yan felt that the madwoman's target was not him, but someone else.
"Miss, what guidance do you have?"
"You are indeed a smart person. I like dealing with smart people." The madwoman suddenly struck out with her palm.
The palm strike was powerful. Zhou Yan had no way to evade it. After taking the blow head-on, he was forced back several steps, his chest aching faintly.
"My name is Ye Qingcheng, do you remember?"
"I don't remember who you are."
"Whether you recognize me or not, tonight I will make you know who I am." Ye Qingcheng said and pounced again.
Zhou Yan spun to evade, saying coldly, "I have already warned you. Why do you continue to pester me!"
"I pester you? Haha, that's hilarious." Ye Qingcheng sneered, "If I were pestering you, what would you do? Would you turn against me for a stranger?"
"What exactly do you want?"
"I don't want anything. You just need to know that tonight, you must die."
Zhou Yan frowned, "Don't tell me you intend to fight me?"
"No, I won't fight you. It's just that you must die tonight."
"What makes you think I will surely die!"
"Why?" Ye Qingcheng sneered, "Because you will die today! Who do you think you are? Trying to contend with me!"
Zhou Yan fell silent for a moment, then said coldly, "Then let me see what abilities you truly possess!"
Before he finished speaking, Ye Qingcheng suddenly vanished from her spot.
Zhou Yan was stunned, then his expression changed slightly, "Is this an illusion?!"
"That's right, it's my illusion! Do you think that with your mere martial artist skills, you can escape my pursuit?"
As she spoke, a figure appeared before Zhou Yan, a dagger in hand, thrusting towards his neck.
This person was Ye Qingcheng. After deceiving Zhou Yan with her illusion, she had immediately come to exact revenge.
Zhou Yan let out a cold snort and punched Ye Qingcheng's chest, but the punch missed.
At this moment, Ye Qingcheng's other hand had already stabbed towards Zhou Yan's left shoulder.
The speed of Ye Qingcheng's strike was astonishing. Zhou Yan barely managed to dodge, and his shoulder sustained a deep gash.
"I don't believe it, I don't believe you can block two of my moves!" Ye Qingcheng roared. She twisted her wrist, and the dagger in her hand drew an arc through the air, lunging towards Zhou Yan's chest!
Zhou Yan quickly reached out and grabbed the sharp dagger, then flung it with force, sending Ye Qingcheng flying.
Zhou Yan seized the opportunity to pursue, thrusting his sword through Ye Qingcheng's abdomen, then piercing through her body. Blood splattered everywhere!
"You... you actually... killed me..." Ye Qingcheng's face showed astonishment. She clutched her wound, blood trickling through her fingers.
Zhou Yan said coldly, "I killed you because I knew your death was only a matter of time."
Saying this, Zhou Yan drew his long sword, then pulled out the dagger and threw it on the ground.
Ye Qingcheng looked at the dagger on the ground, a bitter smile touching her lips, "So, you had already suspected me..."
Zhou Yan said, "All of you so-called geniuses and saints are actually selfish and only care about your own interests. For your own goals, you don't hesitate to sacrifice innocent others. I have long been disgusted by such despicable and vulgar methods. People like you living only pollute the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and insult precious medicines!"