The jolting beneath his feet made Qi Yanzhou struggle to keep his balance.
As his inner energy waned, the effectiveness of his five-clawed hook diminished as well.
Eyeing the equally murderous shadow guards, he asked Ye Chutang, "How would Miss Ye like me to assist?"
Ye Chutang retrieved several vials from her spatial storage and whispered, "Simple. Use your inner energy to propel the poison and kill them."
Qi Yanzhou found the task difficult—after all, the three men were alive, skilled in evasion, and highly trained in martial arts.
But he trusted Ye Chutang wouldn’t act without reason and agreed without hesitation. "Understood."
These three were too formidable a threat; eliminating them was the only way to survive.
Otherwise, once Prince An’s men arrived, they’d be caught between two fronts!
Ye Chutang handed Qi Yanzhou a small brown vial. "First target, the one on the far left. Crush the bottle and wait for my signal. Then hurl it along with the poison powder."
Qi Yanzhou nodded and crushed the vial with a sharp crack.
Channeling his inner energy, he enveloped the poison powder and glass shards, merging them to amplify their lethality.
Seizing the moment, Ye Chutang abruptly withdrew her earth-based ability.
The turbulent ground suddenly stilled.
"Now!"
At her command, Qi Yanzhou flung the poison powder with seventy percent of his inner energy toward the leftmost shadow guard.
He held back his full strength—too much force would cause the powder to detonate midair.
The sudden calm disoriented the guard, who had adjusted to the shaking. Before he could steady himself, the poison was already at his face.
With no time to deflect it with his sword, he swung his energy-infused arm instead.
The clash of energies erupted.
The guard’s power was no match for Qi Yanzhou’s. The poison exploded against his arm with amplified force, embedding glass shards laced with toxin into his flesh. The venom spread rapidly, and within moments, he collapsed dead.
The ambush had succeeded as expected.
But Ye Chutang knew the remaining two would be on high alert—poisoning them wouldn’t be as easy.
No matter. She still had her earth-based ability.
Sensing Prince An’s forces nearing the outer courtyard, Ye Chutang expanded the quaking ground’s range, intensifying the tremors.
Qi Yanzhou barely kept his footing, while the two shadow guards staggered wildly.
Realizing this "earthquake" was unnatural, they tried to flee.
Yet every time they found footing to leap away, the ground beneath them vanished, leaving them no leverage.
What sorcery is this?!
Desperate, they turned on each other—both intending to use the other as a stepping stone.
Qi Yanzhou noticed their escape attempts and said, "Miss Ye, if they flee, I may not be able to stop them."
Ye Chutang replied with certainty, "Relax. Their mutual distrust will trap them."
No sooner had she spoken than the two guards attacked each other simultaneously.
In their struggle, neither escaped.
Qi Yanzhou seized the chance and eliminated both with another vial of poison.
But his triumph was short-lived—a greater danger loomed.
"Miss Ye—"
Before he could finish, a scorching heat erupted in his chest, as if flames were devouring him. His blood boiled.
His expression darkened. The fire poison is flaring up.
Prince An had gotten to him—despite avoiding all food and drink.
"Miss Ye, I fear today I—"
Ye Chutang pressed a finger to his burning lips. "With me here, you won’t die."
Noting his hair reddening from the poison’s surge, she struck the back of his neck with a swift chop, knocking him unconscious.
Dispelling her ability, she hauled Qi Yanzhou with one hand and gripped Qin Muyun with the other.
Before leaving, she detonated the guest courtyard and tunneled straight to Prince Chen’s Mansion.
Emerging in the study’s courtyard, she immediately sealed Qi Yanzhou’s heart meridian with silver needles and checked his pulse.
The fire poison raged, but not as fiercely as last time.
Locating the ice cellar, she placed him near the entrance—close enough for the chill to suppress the poison without freezing his skin.
Before leaving, she pricked his pressure point to ensure he stayed unconscious until the poison subsided.
Returning to the study, she treated Qin Muyun’s wounds and escorted him back to the Grand Tutor’s Mansion.
Her work unfinished, she headed to the rear gate of the Second Prince’s villa instead of returning to Prince Chen’s Mansion.
The lavish spread she’d ordered from various restaurants had arrived, stacked so high it nearly blocked the gate.
After confirming no one was around, she stored the dishes in her spatial storage, arranging them on custom shelves.
"A bit late. The food’s cooled—ruins the flavor," she muttered.
Disguised as a man, she infiltrated Prince An’s Mansion—the source of tonight’s chaos.
The estate buzzed with activity.
The guest courtyard lay in ruins, drawing a crowd of murmuring onlookers.
Blending into the throng, Ye Chutang went unnoticed.
"What happened? The courtyard just exploded into rubble!"
"Rumors say it was an earthquake, but look—the apricot trees are shredded, and there’s bloodied limbs everywhere."
"Prince An’s in deep trouble. Miss Ye, Young Master Qin, and Prince Chen were all here."
"Are they even alive? Let’s hope they’re safe."
Prince An, drenched in sweat, ignored the chatter, barking orders at guards and servants scouring the wreckage.
"Dig three feet deep if you must—I want them found, dead or alive!"
Though the Emperor wanted Prince Chen disgraced and his household eradicated, his death here would turn both the court and the people against Prince An.
Watching Chancellor Qin claw through debris with bloodied, broken nails, Prince An signaled guards to restrain him.
"Chancellor Qin, I swear we’ll find your son."
Qin Zheng roared, "Alive! If he’s dead, the Grand Tutor’s Mansion and yours are mortal enemies!"
His fury contrasted sharply with Ye Jingchuan’s eerie calm—proof of who truly cared.
Rubbing his temples, Prince An snapped, "Work faster! I need survivors."
He had to know what had happened in that courtyard.
