“We’ll carve a bloody path for Your Highness,” the Second Prince’s guards shouted.
If they couldn’t avoid it, they could only rely on a ninth-level warrior exhausting his cultivation to protect him once more.
An Jiu saw the Second Prince’s predicament, but she knew Elder Zhi’s internal energy couldn’t have fully recovered in such a short time. The arrow’s power likely wouldn’t surpass the previous one. With so many experts willing to die protecting Second Prince, and room to move, he probably wouldn’t be in danger. Chu Dijiang’s situation was far more worrying.
An Jiu hesitated, then drew the Fúlóng bow again.
This time, she wasn’t aiming to counter Elder Zhi, but directly at the Crown Prince.
Feng Shi stayed close to the Crown Prince, clearly to protect him. If she wanted to distract him, the simplest, most direct method was to target the Crown Prince.
The Fúlóng bow held a specially crafted arrow. When shot, its hexagonal arrowhead would spin at high speed, capable of piercing through a human body and leaving a bloody hole. This was inspired by the Liao Kingdom’s Blue Light Crossbow, created by Lou Xiaowu. Though not as powerful as the Blue Light Crossbow, it was more practical.
An Jiu focused all her mental energy on the arrow. This way, as long as the arrow came within ten zhang of the target, her mental power could immobilize them, turning the target into a stationary mark and preventing others from rushing to their aid, thus increasing the hit rate.
An Jiu believed that aside from the three Huajing experts completely focused elsewhere, no one here could resist her mental power.
“Archers! Protect His Highness!” a guard shouted.
Numerous archers crouched on rooftops and walls, all targeting one person – the young woman with the bow across the battlefield.
Chu Dijiang had successfully diverted Feng Shi’s attention. The assassins hidden among the Crown Prince’s forces tensed, preparing to strike.
They were Longwu Guards, while those closest to the Crown Prince now were Eastern Palace secret guards. They had to find a way to strike decisively! They knew the earlier Jingxian shot had drained much of Chu Dijiang’s internal energy; he couldn’t hold out for long. They exchanged glances, confirming their strategy.
In the chaos, no one noticed these subtle movements.
Locked on by hundreds of bows and crossbows, An Jiu faced a situation reminiscent of her final mission in her previous life. Should she continue to shoot at the target, or temporarily avoid the attack?
In that split second between life and death, she hesitated – something she never needed to do in her past life.
Once a person has hope for life, they become reluctant to die. An Jiu had just found meaning in her life and was unwilling to die so soon.
After a brief internal struggle, An Jiu decided to avoid the attack for now.
As she lowered her bow, she glimpsed Chu Dijiang and Feng Shi’s fight reaching a critical point.
The two were battling so fiercely that their forms were barely visible. Shooting Feng Shi wouldn’t be simple.
She had to target the Crown Prince again.
An Jiu frowned, scanning the area. With so many archers ready to fire, she couldn’t possibly dodge the incoming arrow rain unless she had a protective energy barrier.
Many thoughts flashed through her mind, but her body moved before her consciousness could fully process them.
Drawing the Fúlóng bow again, An Jiu’s mind became utterly clear. Her senses were more acute than ever before. She could feel every threatening presence aimed at her as if she could hear the taut bowstrings. Her target’s figure stood out vividly, as if right before her eyes.
Feng Shi had maintained the upper hand since beginning his duel with Chu Dijiang. However, having spent most of his time in the palace, with other secret guards handling most assassins, it had been a long time since he’d personally fought. His killing intent was far weaker than Chu Dijiang’s. Although he firmly controlled the battle, he couldn’t immediately overcome Chu Dijiang.
Now, noticing An Jiu aiming at the Crown Prince, he became even more distracted, his attacks growing more vicious.
An Jiu knew that if she continued to hesitate, it would be even more disadvantageous for Chu Dijiang. Her goal was to divert Feng Shi’s attention, not necessarily to ensure the Crown Prince’s death. So after briefly aiming, she immediately released the arrow.
However, before she could let go, hundreds of archers had already begun firing.
The arrow rain surged towards her like a swarm of yellow hornets.