Knidnapping the Princess!

"Let go of the princess!" Wu Jian barked, stepping forward, his sword raised in a defensive stance.

Every instinct told him he should've never come here, but the person they were supposed to meet didn't tolerate 'strong' company.

And here he was, dragged into a mess far worse than he had imagined.

Wu Jian was no novice.

He stood at the Peak of Spiritual Awakening Realm, with over five hundred years of combat experience under his belt.

But there were far more skilled guards back in the palace.

The reason they hadn't been brought along was simple—if anyone too powerful showed up, that person they were meeting would have slaughtered them on sight.

The rest of the cavalry?

They were no more than a mix of Core Formation and Nascent Soul experts, each barely over a century of battle experience.

The moment the princess was taken right under their noses, their fear grew like a wildfire.

No one wanted to step out of line.

Wu Jian, however, was faring better than most.

With a determined grunt, he launched a Soul Attack aimed directly at Su Xiaobai, hoping to immobilize him in one swift strike.

But Su Xiaobai only chuckled.

Fwoosh!

Suddenly, Infernal Flames erupted behind Su Xiaobai, burning the incoming soul attack to cinders.

The flames crackled ominously, burning the soul attack.

"What—? Earth-Grade Flames? Are you an alchemist?" Wu Jian's eyes narrowed in confusion.

He could sense the power emanating from those flames, but he didn't realize these weren't just any ordinary Earth-Grade flames—they were Pseudo-Sky Grade Flames.

To someone like Wu Jian, who had never laid eyes on a Sky Grade Flame, even Earth-Grade Flames were something only elites possessed.

But the sheer force of Su Xiaobai's flames was enough to make his heart race.

Flames of that level were enough to make even the sects in the Immortal Rain Valley drool with greed.

More importantly, such powerful flames were typically possessed by high-ranking Alchemists. A

nd everyone—whether righteous or demonic—respected alchemists.

Pills, elixirs, and medicinal treasures were things no one could afford to ignore.

Wu Jian's teeth clenched. He now realized that if he accidentally injured Su Xiaobai, the consequences could be catastrophic.

This wasn't just about the princess anymore.

There were many princesses and princes in the palace—too many for the king to care about each one.

But a renowned alchemist?

That could shake the entirety of Yue Country.

A small country in Tianlong Dynasty, even the dynasty won't send help.

The king himself would throw aside a few princesses just to curry favor with someone of that caliber.

Su Xiaobai tightened his grip on Ling Er, pulling her closer against his body.

He didn't bother to correct them at all.

The gleaming blade pressed harder against her neck, drawing a thin line of blood that dripped down her delicate skin.

"Step back, or I'll show you just how impatient I can get," Su Xiaobai hissed, his tone calm but filled with lethal intent.

Wu Jian's brow furrowed, weighing his options carefully.

"Do you have any idea who you're threatening?" one of the guards barked, his voice shaking with barely controlled rage.

Su Xiaobai's sneer deepened. "Do you think I give a damn?" His voice was low, filled with contempt. "You so much as twitch, and I'll carve this little princess up before you can blink."

Ling Er whimpered pathetically, her body trembling violently.

Her pale face was streaked with tears as the blade dug into her skin. "Uncle Wu... please... save me... it hurts..." Her voice was barely audible, more of a pitiful whimper than an order.

Wu Jian's hands trembled as he watched the blood trickle from Princess Ling Er's neck, her terrified eyes pleading for help.

The sight twisted something deep inside him, pushing him to the edge.

"If you harm her, I swear I'll have your entire family executed!" he growled, struggling to maintain control.

His voice wavered, a mix of fury and desperation.

Su Xiaobai's lips curled into a mocking smile. "Oh, really? And how do you plan on doing that when you can't even save this little girl?" His tone was calm and measured, but each word oozed arrogance.

He had to keep this game going, make them think the crown meant nothing to him.

"Here's the deal," Su Xiaobai continued, his voice suddenly playful, "Kneel down, right here, in front of me, and slap yourself. Three times. And make sure it's loud enough for everyone to hear."

The guards froze. Wu Jian's face turned ghostly pale, his jaw clenched in barely controlled rage. "You—"

"Or," Su Xiaobai interrupted, his smirk widening, "I'll slit her pretty little throat right now. You've got three seconds. One..."

Wu Jian's knuckles turned white as he gripped his sword, unsure if he could make a move without endangering the princess.

He knew Su Xiaobai wasn't bluffing.

"Two..."

Ling Er let out a choked sob, the blade biting further into her skin as the pressure increased.

Her breaths came in shallow, panicked gasps, tears streaming down her pale cheeks.

"Uncle Wu... please... help me," she whimpered between sobs, her voice small and broken.

"Three."

Schhhk.

A thin line of blood opened across her neck, and her scream tore through the forest. "Waaah! Stop! It hurts! Uncle Wu, help me!"

Wu Jian's body shook with barely contained rage.

His mind raced. He had no choice—there was no way to strike without putting the princess at risk, and the consequences of harming Su Xiaobai were too dire.

He had to comply.

With a thud, Wu Jian dropped to his knees, his fists clenched so tightly they trembled.

His face twisted in humiliation as he raised his hand and slapped himself.

Slap!

The sharp sound echoed through the forest.

Slap!

Again, the sound reverberated, the weight of the humiliation bearing down on him.

Slap!

The final slap left his cheek red, but the shame burned deeper.

His chest heaved, fury threatening to boil over.

Su Xiaobai's grin widened, cruel amusement flickering in his eyes. "Good boy. See? That wasn't so hard, was it?"

Wu Jian's face burned, both from the physical slaps and the utter disgrace of it all.

His hands trembled at his sides as he glared at Su Xiaobai, hatred and fury swirling in his gut.

"Haha..." Su Xiaobai let out a light laugh, a sadistic thrill running through him.

With a flick of his wrist, he released a thin trail of red smoke into the air.

It rose lazily, spreading through the clearing.

"What are you doing—!?" Wu Jian instinctively reached for his sword.

Su Xiaobai's blade pressed against Ling Er's throat again, causing her to flinch in terror. "The smoke isn't harmful, but if you move, it could become a problem..." His grin grew more sinister, eyes gleaming with enjoyment.

"Uncle Wu... please... save me..." Ling Er sobbed again, her voice trembling.

"Shut up," Su Xiaobai laughed, his voice light with amusement.