Flying Through the Sky

Kneeling on the ground, Minister Chen's body stiffened, his face full of despair. After a while, he seemed like a walking corpse, bowing to Emperor Qianlong and saying, "I take my leave, Your Majesty."

Qianlong, with a stern expression, waved his hand and said, "May you have a safe journey, Minister."

That night, back at his residence, Minister Chen drank poisoned wine and passed away.

At the Yu Lai Inn, shadows began to appear around the Red Flower Hall. Anyone with discerning eyes could see that these people were skilled, not ordinary.

In the courtyard, a pot of fine wine exuded a fragrant aroma on the table in front of Fang Xiaoyu. Hearing footsteps, Fang Xiaoyu looked up at the arriving person.

A guard, with one hand on the hilt of his sword, followed the visitor closely, with a fierce expression.

Fang Xiaoyu seemed to ignore the guard and focused on the visitor. Indeed, as expected, the Emperor Qianlong looked very similar to Chen Jialuo, with about fifty to sixty percent resemblance. If the two stood together, they would certainly be seen as biological brothers.

As Fang Xiaoyu assessed Qianlong, Qianlong was also evaluating Fang Xiaoyu. After all, Qianlong was curious about why someone would dare to present a letter and invite him over, something that had never happened before and probably would not happen again.

Qianlong's identity made it unthinkable for anyone to risk such a daring move. Fang Xiaoyu skillfully used Qianlong's curiosity and had leverage with evidence regarding Qianlong's background.

Even so, Fang Xiaoyu wasn't entirely confident he could lure Qianlong in; the chances of success were slim, and the most likely outcome was attracting a group of imperial guards.

Indeed, the imperial guards were present, but so was Qianlong. At least Fang Xiaoyu achieved his goal.

Unlike ordinary people who would be anxious in the presence of the Emperor, Fang Xiaoyu showed no signs of nervousness. Instead, he was keenly interested in studying the Emperor.

The highly praised Emperor Qianlong was right before him. It would be a disservice to not scrutinize him thoroughly.

Qianlong, angered by Fang Xiaoyu's impudence, said coldly, "How dare you, kneel before me!"

Fang Xiaoyu clicked his tongue and said, "Your Majesty has such a great presence. However, I kneel to Heaven, Earth, ancestors, and parents. I doubt anyone else deserves such respect from me."

As he spoke, Fang Xiaoyu pushed the brocade box forward, saying, "The item is here. May I have a look at the Nine Dragons Seal?"

Qianlong's eyes scanned the brocade box, and when he took out the jade box, the Nine Dragons Seal appeared before Fang Xiaoyu's eyes.

Seeing the Nine Dragons Seal so close, even Fang Xiaoyu's years of composure couldn't prevent his excitement. His fists clenched tightly, and his heartbeat accelerated.

He pushed the brocade box and reached for the Nine Dragons Seal, but at the same moment, Qianlong recoiled sharply. The guard accompanying him immediately drew his sword and struck at Fang Xiaoyu's hand reaching for the seal.

The fierce sword strike meant that if Fang Xiaoyu didn't withdraw, not only would he fail to seize the seal, but he might also lose an arm.

However, Fang Xiaoyu seemed entranced by the Nine Dragons Seal and didn't notice the oncoming sword light.

An arrow whizzed through the air towards the retreating Qianlong. The angle of the arrow was so tricky that Qianlong was alarmed. It seemed almost certain that the arrow would hit him.

At that moment, the sword light aimed at Fang Xiaoyu vanished. The guard decisively abandoned his attack on Fang Xiaoyu to intercept the arrow.

In an instant, the Nine Dragons Seal fell into Fang Xiaoyu's hands, and a familiar voice echoed in his mind.

"Ding, congratulations to the host for completing the second mission. The three-day countdown to return begins!"

At this point, Fang Xiaoyu had no time to consider these matters as several guards charged at him.

He smashed a stone table towards the oncoming guards and fled towards the room.

Qianlong, who had been shocked to see Fang Xiaoyu escape, quickly ordered that Fang Xiaoyu be captured alive or dead.

Inside the room, Fang Xiaoyu assembled a rudimentary glider and had several black-clad guards toss jars filled with black powder into the courtyard.

The explosions were loud, though the black powder was not very powerful due to Fang Xiaoyu's limited knowledge of its formula. Nonetheless, the noise was quite startling.

The several dozen imperial guards who rushed into the courtyard were momentarily stunned. More guards hurriedly protected Qianlong, leaving only a few dozen to storm the room.

Fang Xiaoyu's long-trained guards held their own against the imperial guards, blocking them effectively.

Finally, Fang Xiaoyu completed the glider, glanced at the defenses which might be breached at any moment, and headed upstairs.

The building, a prominent five-story structure, stood out even among the many buildings in the capital.

In no time, Fang Xiaoyu reached the rooftop, prepared the glider, and leaped into the wind. The glider swayed but, after numerous trials, Fang Xiaoyu quickly stabilized it and soared upward.

High in the sky, Fang Xiaoyu ascended like a large bird. The imperial guards, initially thinking Fang Xiaoyu intended to commit suicide, were stunned as he soared several dozen feet into the air.

Realizing their mistake, the guards' leader shouted, launching arrows, but at this height, the arrows had lost their force before reaching Fang Xiaoyu.

The black-clad guards who had been blocking the imperial guards rushed to fight despite their injuries, but they were ultimately killed.

None of the imperial guards showed joy because Fang Xiaoyu had already vanished.

Qianlong watched as Fang Xiaoyu circled in the air and eventually flew out of the city. Despite his shock at Fang Xiaoyu's flying ability, he was more furious.

Embarrassed, Qianlong smashed several tea cups and berated the imperial guard commanders.

While Qianlong furiously ordered a nationwide manhunt for Fang Xiaoyu, Fang Xiaoyu successfully escaped with the help of his glider, landing safely dozens of miles outside the city.

Though he wanted to fly further, the glider malfunctioned during landing, almost causing his death.

Leaving the glider behind, Fang Xiaoyu identified his direction and, after a brief run, arrived at a hidden location where two swift horses were ready.

Using the horses, Fang Xiaoyu escaped nearly a thousand miles, switching horses throughout the day and night. Eventually, the horses were exhausted, but Fang Xiaoyu was safe from pursuit.

Entering a town, he chose a guesthouse to rest temporarily. In his room, Fang Xiaoyu, weary but alert, called softly to the Great Thief System.