Chapter 582: Arrows Blotting Out the Sky
"What nonsense are you spouting?" Zhan Chi fumed.
"The Xiang family’s young lady secretly spirited the Eighth Prince out of the city. The Emperor has decreed that, with the exception of the Eighth Prince, all others are to be killed on sight." Yuan Yintang waved a hand, and behind him, two to three hundred archers stood poised to strike.
"You... How dare you twist the truth." Zhan Chi ground his teeth in fury and roughly set the Eighth Prince on the ground.
Gu Shuo’s face turned ashen. ’Kill on sight?’
Qian Fanji’s hand, hidden in his sleeve, clenched into a fist. He didn’t understand why the Emperor had suddenly begun to value the Eighth Prince so highly. A decree to kill on sight seemed far too severe.
’Was this truly the Emperor’s decree?’
"I’d like to see which of you dares to loose an arrow," Sang Zhi challenged, stepping in front of everyone.
"Eighth Prince, hurry and come over here. Once the arrows fly, they have no eyes. It wouldn’t do for a Prince to be injured," Yuan Yintang said, extending a hand with a cunning smile.
"It’s Consort Yuan! She’s the one who wants to harm me! You should be arresting Consort Yuan!" Sang Zhi had never felt that the world, and the hearts of men, could be so twisted.
"Consort Yuan gave specific instructions that the Prince must be brought back to the palace safely. How could it be her? Eighth Prince, you mustn’t listen to such slander. Come, come over to me," Yuan Yintang said, taking a few steps forward.
"I don’t believe a word you say."
Yuan Yintang stopped walking. The smile vanished from his eyes, replaced by a vicious glint. "Not only have you kidnapped the Eighth Prince, but you now slander Consort Yuan. Your crimes are heinous."
"Even if we are guilty, it’s not for someone from a martial arts sect to judge us," Qian Fanji said, his tone turning cold.
"Judgment? The Emperor gave no such instructions. He only ordered that, with the exception of the Eighth Prince, everyone is to be killed on sight. Men, attack!" Yuan Yintang dared not delay.
’People from the Qian and Zhan families are in the area. If I don’t deal with this quickly, I won’t be able to kill them once their reinforcements arrive.’
The archers drew their longbows, and in an instant, a volley of arrows blotted out the sky, giving their targets no time to react.
Gu Shuo swiftly drew his sword to block, falling back steadily as he held Ye Qianning.
Ying Ge supported Ying Yuan as they too fell back. The great fire had burned the surrounding trees to ash, leaving them with nowhere to hide. The ground, muddy after a heavy rain, restricted their movements.
Qian Fanji tossed Luo Wen toward Sang Zhi, a silver glint flashing from the longsword in his hand.
SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!
TING! TING! TING!
The arrows flew without end.
No one dared to let their guard down for a second. They twirled their longswords in intricate patterns, deflecting the deadly projectiles.
"Aim carefully! Don’t hit the Eighth Prince!" Yuan Yintang commanded.
Sang Zhi grew anxious and started to rush to their side, but Ye Qianning sharply rebuked him, stopping him in his tracks.
Ye Qianning and her companions were surrounded by a storm of arrows. Already wounded and with their energy far from recovered, they were beginning to struggle against the overwhelming onslaught.
Ying Ge and Ying Yuan moved toward Gu Shuo, shielding the two of them.
This finally gave Gu Shuo a moment’s respite.
"Put me down," Ye Qianning said.
"Don’t be ridiculous," Gu Shuo retorted coldly, without even looking at her.
SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!
THUNK! THUNK!
"Ying Yuan!"
Ye Qianning cried out.
Her stamina exhausted, Ying Yuan was instantly run through by the sharp arrows. Seven or eight shafts pierced her body. Hearing the cry, she turned to look at Ye Qianning. "Quick... go..."
THUNK! THUNK! THUNK!
More arrows pierced her body until she resembled a porcupine, and then she collapsed to the ground.
The look in her eyes stabbed deep into Ye Qianning’s heart.
"Hahaha! Let’s see how long you can last," Yuan Yintang laughed, as if he were watching a thrilling performance.
"Damn it all," Zhan Chi cursed.
Ye Qianning looked back and saw that an arrow had pierced Zhan Chi’s shoulder, and Qian Fanji’s stamina was also starting to fail. ’What are we going to do?’