The Long Night

"Chen gege, are you asleep yet?"

Xiao Chen was sitting cross-legged and absorbing the efficacy of Water Ginseng when he heard a knock on the door followed by Yin Xuehua's soft voice. Xiao Chen caught his breath before getting up to open the door for the Princess.

"Princess, what are you looking for me at this late hour?"

It was almost midnight, most of the people were asleep by now. Xuehua was wearing her evening dress without the usual maids accompanying her.

"I can't sleep, I feel uncomfortable. Can you accompany me tonight Chen gege?"

Xiao Chen scratched his head, he tried to find reasons to refuse the request but Xuehua's pitiful gaze made him sigh before complying with the little girl's wishes.

"Wait a minute, I'll change my clothes." Xiao Chen closed his bedroom door, a moment later he had changed his clothes. Xuehua raised her eyebrows when she realized that Xiao Chen had a sword at his waist.

"Chen gege, we are just walking in this residence, no need to carry weapons right?"

"Just in case." Xiao Chen replied with a smile.

The Yin Song residence was already quiet at this time of day, apart from a few ladies in waiting and eunuchs, there were only a few guards on patrol while most of the people were in deep sleep.

Most of the warriors who resided in this place had entered their rooms to rest.

"If anything happens, I can protect myself and Chen gege." Xuehua raised a fist, causing Xiao Chen to smile awkwardly.

Indeed, according to Xiao Chen's estimation, Xuehua's full force punch could kill a first-class warrior in one hit. Even skilled warrior would be seriously injured if Xuehua's punches landed on them.

"I have to train day and night using one of the Peerless Scriptures to reach my strength now but compared to the Princess, I'm still a loser." Xiao Chen thought as he shook his head.

Xuehua became even quieter after seeing Xiao Chen's reaction, the two walked through the garden looking at the sky full of stars and the full moon shining brightly.

"Tonight the sky is so beautiful huh?" Xuehua chuckled with a sweet smile.

Xiao Chen nodded slowly, he agreed because it was not easy to find a view of the night sky as beautiful as today.

"Chen gege, I heard that you won't be able to stay here forever." There was a hint of loneliness in Xuehua's words.

"That's right Princess, when our task is finished I should return to the Valley of the Hundred Swords."

"Chen gege, is it possible for you to take me with you back to the Valley of the Hundred Swords?"

Xiao Chen coughed lightly as he choked on his own spit, he didn't expect Xuehua to ask that.

"Why Princess? Isn't it nice to live in the Palace?"

Xuehua shook her head, "Chen gege, I'm interested in learning martial arts but my father won't allow me to practice as I wish. It's just that recently with Grandpa Jiang's help, I've been allowed to learn a bit of martial arts."

The reason Xuehua wasn't allowed to learn martial arts was of course because of her body's condition. After obtaining the Water Ginseng that strengthened her organs, Xuehua could now better control her extraordinary strength, thus allowing her to learn martial arts.

"This life of mine is no different from a bird in a cage, I can't leave the palace…" Xuehua sounded sad.

Xiao Chen coughed again, as he remembered Xuehua was only 7 years old so naturally he wouldn't leave the palace without a good reason especially when the situation was not safe. To say he was like a bird in a cage was too much but Xiao Chen did not refute it.

Xuehua kept talking while coaxing Xiao Chen to take her to the Valley of the Hundred Swords while Xiao Chen listened with a smile. The two of them continued walking in the garden, the cold of the night as if it didn't bother them.

A while later while Xuehua was still engrossed in talking, Xiao Chen's expression changed and he immediately placed his hand on the sword at his waist.

"Chen gege, what's wrong…" Xuehua was startled by this action but before she could finish asking, Xiao Chen placed his finger on Xuehua's lips, telling her not to make a sound.

"Why is there a sudden smell of blood? I'm feeling bad." Xiao Chen's senses were several times more sensitive than the average human's, so he could smell a fishy smell even though he was quite far away.

Xiao Chen's heart was beating fast, he pulled Xuehua's hand to bring her to a safer place. Xiao Chen was quite confident of being able to protect himself but he didn't know the number and strength of the enemy, fighting while trying to protect Xuehua wouldn't be easy.

"I found two small children…"

Xiao Chen frowned as he looked towards the source of the sound not far from him and Xuehua, he saw a person wearing a golden mask standing on a tree.

"Flower of Sin?! They managed to infiltrate here?" Xiao Chen drew his sword then raised his guard.

As a result of the words of the killer in the golden mask, it was seen that several other assassins were arriving. Apart from the one assassin who was in a purple mask, the others were in golden masks.

"That girl should be the daughter of the Crown Prince, don't let it slip away." Said the cold purple masked assassin.

The two assassins in golden masks moved swiftly while intending to catch Xuehua. Xiao Chen's gaze turned cold, he swung his sword at the two assassins as the two approached.

"Don't think you can touch the Princess under my tutelage…" Xiao Chen released a strong killing intent, making the Flower of Sin Assassins shocked. Apart from the purple mask assassin, no one could see through Xiao Chen's sword speed.

Yin Xuehua looked frightened when she saw two bodies covered in blood lying not far from her, her body started shaking violently.

"Princess, I will restrain them, go find my Master and Sect Master Jiang." Xiao Chen felt that it was Xuehua's first time seeing a dead body so reacted this way but he didn't have the chance to comfort the little girl.

"Chen gege, I…" Xuehua's legs felt weak.

The Flower of Sin assassins naturally weren't willing to wait, the remaining golden mask assassins moved together to surround Xiao Chen and Xuehua.

"Don't underestimate this brat, his martial ability is much higher than you guys." The purple masked assassin could sense that Xiao Chen was very dangerous and much stronger than a first grade warrior.

Xiao Chen looked around and felt that he was in danger, he took a deep breath before shouting at the top of his lungs, "There's an intruder!!!"

Xiao Chen's voice was so loud that it reverberated throughout the Crown Prince's residence, the surrounding assassins were also shocked by the extremely loud sound.

Xiao Chen gritted his teeth and drew his sword at the Flower of Sin assassins, intending to finish off anyone who got close.

***

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