This street corner has clearly turned into Asura Hell, yet not a single person has come. Does this mean that there are still people controlling things from the periphery? Even if Antong Three Ghosts are killed, are there more assassins?

Will he inevitably die here today?

He’s not afraid to die, but he’ll never see his parents and siblings, or Wenjin ever again!

Another sharp weapon made a cut on his shoulder.

Are those people toying with him, intending to let him bleed to death?

Huangfu Jingchen thought mechanically, vaguely.

At this moment, Antong Three Ghosts looked as if they’d seen a ghost.

They were not playing around now; they had already used all their skills. After all, if they couldn’t capture a person within ten moves, wouldn’t they lose face?

Especially since their opponent was a mere remnant of a defeated army, barely holding on.

Yet, the boy covered in blood wielded a soft sword, swinging it mechanically, but there was something almost magical about it.

Not only did it deflect their attacks, but it also posed a deadly threat to them.

It’s as if they’ve seen a ghost; does the boy have an immortal aiding him?

Antong Three Ghosts could see that the boy was exhausted, his moves lacking any sophistication—just ordinary swings, chops, stabs, slashes, and sweeps, even hacks.

Moreover, it was a mechanical, instinctual hand attack and defense.

Yet these ordinary moves, coupled with the soft sword, somehow carried sinister follow-ups with unexpected results. When the stabs and slashes were blocked, the sword would bend and almost cut a piece of flesh off them.

There were two times when they almost fell for it.

This is truly uncanny!

They recalled the super first-class expert before, who seemed assured of victory yet was abruptly cut in half.

Could it be that someone is really protecting this boy? They instinctively looked around, but no, there was no one.

It was the boy’s own skills.

Clearly not skilled moves, just mechanical attacks, yet it achieved such an effect; this boy is hard to kill, no wonder the master sent so many people.

Will there be more after them?

No, they won’t let anyone else take this credit. Otherwise, their days of feasting and revelry would be gone forever!

The three exchanged a glance; they couldn’t keep going like this. They needed to be influential in front of their master!

A flash of murderous intent crossed their eyes; they had to eliminate this boy quickly.

They understood each other instantly and took action. Their moves came at Huangfu Jingchen like snowflakes, carrying strong inner strength.

They didn’t believe it, not for a second, that someone with depleted inner strength and exhausted could withstand their three-prong attack.

As expected, Huangfu Jingchen deflected the first attack, but he was losing strength and teetering; the second attack he barely managed, and under the force, he couldn’t hold his soft sword. With a clang, it fell to the ground.

Without the soft sword, Huangfu Jingchen was like a toothless tiger.

The third attack arrived, with a pointed spike that cast a light, the attacker merged with the weapon, resembling a javelin charging towards Huangfu Jingchen.

A sure-kill strike!

Without his sword, Huangfu Jingchen couldn’t dodge any longer; even his gaze was scattering. At this point, even an iron body couldn’t hold on any longer, let alone a flesh and blood one?

He watched that sharp point slowly solidify in his eyes and become a dot of light closing in; his mind went blank.

It wasn’t that there was no sadness, no unwillingness, no despair, but in extreme exhaustion, when there was no strength left, and the body was severely overstressed, even emotions didn’t exist because there was no strength.

In truth, that ghost’s merger of spike and body was quick, but in Huangfu Jingchen’s numbed eyes, it seemed in slow motion.

Murderous intent filled the air, as if sensing the brutality in front of them, even the sky seemed to darken.

It was almost dinnertime. It was the moment residents nearby could relax the most, smelling the aroma from their kitchens, waiting for their wives to serve the meal. A small glass of wine, a few small dishes, savoring them, marked the end of a busy day.

The vendors were also getting ready to go home.

Amidst the aroma of food, a pungent scent blended in, then thick smoke rose from the direction of the street corner, smoke that was clearly unusual.

People drawn by the smell saw the smoke and naturally went to check it out.

Whose house is on fire?

The houses here are connected. They better go see so it doesn’t spread to their homes and lend a hand if needed.

In groups of three or five, people ran to the street corner. At this moment, the smoke had just started, and they were running quickly.

However, those who were in front emitted a scream and then ran back in panic, falling to the ground, crawling in sheer terror as if they’d seen a ghost.

Once they crawled to the side, they started to vomit uncontrollably.

Those behind involuntarily looked over, but they fared no better than those in front. Suddenly, screams filled the air, everyone was terrified.

What did they see?

Bodies littered the ground in blood, and fire burned the corpses.

The thick smoke came from those burning corpses, no wonder the smell was so strange.

After a bout of vomiting, the more daring and clear-headed among them shouted urgently, "Report to the authorities!"

That corner of the street sees few passersby; vendors don’t go there. Who would have thought so many people would die here, with fresh blood not yet congealed, the stench permeating the air, clearly a recent event.

Under the Emperor’s nose, in the Imperial City, could such a horrifying thing happen?

The citizens, trembling with fear, mostly crawled back.

For a while, panic spread. After all, such a bloody sight of death presented to them—thick layers of blood on the ground, every corpse riddled with wounds so gruesome—how could ordinary people have witnessed such a thing? They were likely to suffer nightmares for some time.

After the initial panic, they began to speculate on the identity of the people, some recalling a carriage passing by earlier, a particularly luxurious one.

The carriage’s owner must be of remarkable status.

Remembering this, the bolder among them, suppressing their fear, went for another look, spotting the carriage against the wall at the corner of the street.

And those with keen eyes recognized the mark and shouted, "That’s Cheng Prince Mansion’s carriage."

Another chimed in, "The Princely Heir of Cheng Prince Mansion was on the carriage!"

"Could the Princely Heir still be on the carriage?"

"Needless to say, surely on it! Maybe he is already..."