Li Hongzhao sheathed her sword and stood tall.
She stared blankly at Xu Guijian, who stood upright with bloodied holes in his eyes and heart, blood still spurting out. Chu Zhiyuan took a few steps back.
This Xu Guijian was extremely powerful, but his intuition was not sharp enough to defend against her Heart-Questioning Blade Art and Sword-Controlling Art. As expected of a unique skill that involved the power of the soul, possessing a hint of a Grandmaster's aura.
Its power was extremely formidable.
Xu Guijian didn't last long enough to unleash his 'Jade and Stone in Conflagration' technique and finally perished. The flying knife's astral energy, entering through his eye sockets, had shattered his brain. He could defend against the armor-piercing divine weapon because his astral energy was peculiar.
But this astral energy couldn't protect his head, and the inside of his head couldn't withstand the astral energy.
"Cough cough." Chu Zhiyuan stepped forward and came to Li Hongzhao's side, saying, "Is he dead?"
"Yes." Li Hongzhao stared at Xu Guijian's corpse, her expression complex.
The guy she had been trying so hard to defeat had been killed so easily. His death was not heroic at all, even a bit too casual.
There was even a hint of frustration. She even felt frustrated for him.
He was killed before he had a chance to fight Chu Zhiyuan, a one-hit kill.
As a true disciple, Xu Guijian possessed many of the Dauntless Sect's unique skills but had no chance to use them. He died no differently from any other ordinary Shadow Sect disciple.
Perhaps in front of Chu Zhiyuan's flying knives, anyone whose cultivation was inferior to his was the same, just a single move....
"Cough cough," Chu Zhiyuan broke the silence, smiling, "This one can't be counted in the overall tally, right?"
Li Hongzhao turned her head and glared at him, giving him a fierce, unfriendly look.
The tall image that had just emerged in her heart instantly shattered into pieces.
Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "If this one is still counted, then it would be too unreasonable."
Li Hongzhao said resentfully, "Why shouldn't it be counted? Isn't he an evil sect demon who broke into Taizhou? ... Do you still want to go back on your word?!"
Chu Zhiyuan said, "You're not showing any human compassion."
Li Hongzhao snorted, "Why should I show any human compassion to a stinky man like you!"
"I shouldn't have been so eager to attack just now," Chu Zhiyuan said with a smile, "I should have seen what other tricks he could pull."
"Besides the Dauntless True Body, there's also the Dauntless Fist, which is also extremely powerful."
"Anything else?"
"The Heart-Severing Finger is also very strong."
"Is there anything valuable?" Chu Zhiyuan pursed his lips. Zou Fang stepped forward.
With two "shua shua" sounds, his clothes were opened.
Scattered brocade pouches and books fell out, but with a flick of his sleeve, he directly swept them into his sleeve. Then, he retreated behind Chu Zhiyuan.
Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "I'll gladly accept these."
Li Hongzhao curled her lips, disdainfully saying, "Chu Zhiyuan, you... you're really a stingy man!"
Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "What Your Highness says is true, I am timid as a mouse, I am stingy and miserly,... but I am a Seventh Heaven."
"...I'll keep the corpse to offer as a sacrifice before my junior sister's grave."
"Take it then." Chu Zhiyuan waved his hand readily.
A Town Guard Division expert threw two corpses on the ground and stepped forward to cup his fist to thank Chu Zhiyuan. Chu Zhiyuan smiled, "Mr. Zheng, you're welcome."
He could remember the name of every one of these hundred-plus Town Guard Division experts.
"If I hadn't remembered that expression, my little life would have been lost today." Zheng Feng of White Cloud Sword Palace said solemnly, "Young Master, a great kindness is beyond words."
Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "You flatter me, Mr. Zheng. Your harvest this time is not small."
"Hehe, I killed four demons, but one self-destructed, so I couldn't retrieve the corpse, what a pity."
"Being able to save your own life is good luck," Chu Zhiyuan said with a smile.
"That's right, that's right." Zheng Feng nodded repeatedly. He was still feeling lingering fear.
With a "boom", a blood mist exploded, instantly covering a ten-meter radius.
If he hadn't noticed something was wrong in advance and retreated one step ahead, he would have never escaped the red mist and would have lost his life directly. In the end, it was all thanks to Chu Zhiyuan's reminder and assistance.
From then on, they would no longer fear encountering evil sect experts and could fight with peace of mind. This would completely change the fate of these hundred people.
As the Town Guard Division experts returned one after another, each with their own gains, many stepped forward to thank Chu Zhiyuan.
Facts proved that Chu Zhiyuan's imitation of the expression was accurate, allowing them to imprint it in their minds and retreat immediately upon seeing it, avoiding the self-destruction. In the end, when they all returned, the hundred-plus Town Guard Division experts had not suffered a single loss and had all returned intact.
Moreover, they all had gains, and the whole atmosphere was relaxed and enthusiastic, fantasizing about how much merit they could exchange for.
Li Hongzhao stepped forward to personally count the number of Grandmasters, Xiantian, and more than a dozen Houtian realm experts.
After the counting was completed, the officials of the Audit Department also counted it again, and checked it against the petty officials who had entered the city with the Town Guard Division, and there were no problems. Then, these corpses were buried, and they returned to the city.
The two rode side by side on the horses returning to the city, and Li Hongzhao's mood was obviously excellent.
Both because a great revenge had been avenged, Xu Guijian had been killed, and she was also calculating how many prisoners could be exchanged. "Chu Zhiyuan, don't go back on your word, don't use some old and crippled ones to deal with me!"
"Your Highness, aren't the old and crippled ones also Great Meng people?"
"You..." Li Hongzhao knew that he would do this, glaring at him, "What did you say in the beginning?"
"It's impossible for all of them to be young and strong, and of course it's impossible for all of them to be old and crippled, half and half."
"Ten for one."
"Ten old and crippled ones?"
"Chu Zhiyuan!" Li Hongzhao snorted, "Don't forget that the Phoenix Undying Pill is still in my hands!"
"Your Highness, if you do this, then there will be no way to cooperate in the future!"
"Hmph, what other cooperation can there be?"
"It seems you don't want to exchange prisoners anymore, then forget it."
"...Alright, then half and half."
Chu Zhiyuan smiled.
"By the way, Your Highness, have you ever thought about our Great Jing and Great Meng making peace?"
"Heh, what do you think?"
"If we don't talk now, it won't be so easy to talk in the future."
"Hehe!" Li Hongzhao sneered, her mouth curled up high, with a disdainful look. Chu Zhiyuan smiled, turning his head to look north.
At this time, in the Northern Territory, Tenth Uncle should be making military achievements again, right? If the power of the Thunder Spear Formation is used well, it will definitely have a miraculous effect. It's not difficult to kill one or two more battalion commanders.
After returning to Yujing, Chu Zhiyuan did not personally manage the remaining exchange of prisoners, but transferred it to the Ministry of War. The Ministry of War would screen out the Great Meng prisoners and send them to the Northern Territory, returning them to the Great Meng army.
After returning to the capital, Cheng Tianfeng and his group had already quietly left.
With the departure of the Great Zhen delegation, the martial arts experts in Yujing City were rapidly decreasing. The martial arts experts were all somewhat disheartened.
In the end, Great Jing had reached an agreement with Great Zhen, and the two sides had completely reconciled, and even wanted to form a marriage alliance.
The only consolation was that they were not marrying a princess over, but marrying a princess from Great Zhen, which was considered to be an advantage.
Even so, they were still not satisfied, feeling that Great Jing was too weak and should not have made peace with Great Zhen, but should have completely defeated Great Zhen. Chu Zhiyuan felt very helpless when he heard these discussions while eating in a restaurant.
The people always imagined Great Jing to be too strong. It was no wonder.
The imperial court always covered up some unfavorable news, only saying good news, reporting good news but not bad news. Regarding this phenomenon, Chu Zhiyuan didn't say much, not being in that position, he didn't plan that policy. It was a habit formed over many years, with too many interests involved.
Listening Wave Pavilion
He sat cross-legged on the bed, looking at a jade pendant in front of him.
The jade pendant obtained from Xu Guijian.
He didn't really value the other items on Xu Guijian's body. The elixirs and medicines were not of high grade. A boxing manual, in his opinion, was also ordinary, far inferior to the Great Heaven Dragon Fist, and there was no need to cultivate it.
Only this old jade pendant, which seemed to have been dug out of an ancient tomb, was stained with blood. But it contained spiritual light, not allowing him to see through it.
He had been looking at it for quite a while.
