Chapter 225: Chapter 225: Second Young Master Xie says, kill!

As Shadowgale and the rest revealed their weapons, Xie Anji realized that he’d become a human hostage against his father if Ning Yu got ahold of him. When he recalled how Grand Preceptor Xie had said that Ning Yu wanted to decimate the Xie Clan, then the fate of his eldest brother and his half-dead third brother, white hot rage burned through his heart and incinerated the remnants of his reason. Even if he died, he didn’t want to fall into Ning Yu’s hands!

The Poison Sect Head finally had enough of Ning Xiaoyao and Yan Hong’s conversation. He turned to Ning Xiaoyao and said, “Your Majesty, what would you like to do next?”

Ning Xiaoyao cleared her throat and pulled her eyes from Yan Hong’s chest in order to focus on Xie Anji. “Second uncle, where are you going?”

Xie Anji didn’t reply.

“Hm?” Ning Xiaoyao asked, “Did you suddenly forget how to speak?”

“Kill,” Xie Anji spat out.

“What did you say?” Ning Xiaoyao was sure that she’d misheard. She hadn’t even started fighting yet, yet Xie Anji was already ordering his men for a slaughter?

Xie Anji faced the stunned cohorts of the Grand Preceptor’s estate and exclaimed, “If we don’t kill them, all of us will die instead!”

“That’s not true!” Ning Xiaoyao tried to reason with him. She wasn’t planning on killing any of them.

“We were secretly leaving the capital. Do you know the implications of such an act?” Xie Anji ignored Ning Xiaoyao to address his men.

Ning Xiaoyao deferred to the Poison Sect Head and Yan Hong instead. “They’re simply seeking death, aren’t they?”

The Sect Head replied, “The second young master has already admitted to his crimes, so he really is seeking death.” He had never seen someone so skilled at screwing themselves over. His Majesty hasn’t even said anything yet, but he’s already accepted his guilt.

“Why aren’t you attacking yet?” Xie Anji demanded his men.

All of the Grand Preceptor’s men were in a state of alarm and hesitation. They were supposed to be servants in charge of escorting Second Young Master Xie to the Wu regions, but why were they suddenly rebels after the emperor’s life as soon as they stepped out of the city gates? Xie Anji saw that they wouldn’t budge, so he grit his teeth to grab a bow and arrow off the nearest man before shooting it at Ning Xiaoyao.

Now Yan Hong too, felt that she’d never seen someone so capable of ruining themselves. At least make sure your rebellion takes off before you start shooting at folks, ah.

“Capture these traitors!” Shadowgale ordered the Dragon Guards. Since you want to die, Xie Anji, then why shouldn’t I help you out as the Head Commander?

Meanwhile, the Sect Head reached out a hand and knocked Xie Anji’s incoming arrow down to the ground.

“Ah geez,” Ning Xiaoyao said, startled. “Xie Anji’s gone crazy!”

The Sect Head still didn’t understand. Why couldn’t Grand Preceptor Xie beat His Majesty? He seems like nothing more than a fool.

Shadowgale led the Dragon Guards to start fighting with the Grand Preceptor’s men. Ning Xiaoyao pushed the Sect Head and said, “Sect Head, it’s time for you to show your skills. Go poison Xie Anji and take him into custody.

“.....” said the Poison Sect Head. I take back my words. This wretch isn’t a fool at all. Once I hurt Xie Anji, I’ll make myself a mortal enemy out of Grand Preceptor Xie.

“Do your best,” Ning Xiaoyao ‘encouraged’ him. “Although I’ve only seen you beaten and fleeing for your life, I still believe in you.”

The Sect Head rushed forward, unable to keep listening. Yan Hong was still standing behind Ning Xiaoyao and spoke up, “Your Majesty, this young woman will protect you.”

“No need,” Ning Xiaoyao replied. “Hear my Little White Fatty’s calls?”

Yan Hong cocked her ears and seemed to hear a faint howling in the distance.

“My Little White Fatty’s discovered someone trying to send a message back to Grand Preceptor Xie’s estate,” Ning Xiaoyao explained. “Miss, why don’t you go poison them?”

Yan Hong’s eye twitched. “That dog, I mean, wolf---he’s sending a message?”

“Yep,” Ning Xiaoyao nodded before patting Big Boss Black on his shoulders. “Don’t just sit there, go capture them with Yan Hong.”

Big Boss Black leapt to the ground and turned to meow at Yan Hong before running off.

“He’s telling you to hurry up,” Ning Xiaoyao translated for her.

Have they all grown shrewd? Yan Hong had figurative black lines down the side of her face as she followed after Big Boss Black.

Ning Xiaoyao dug out an apple from her pocket and prepared to eat it before changing her mind halfway. Little White Fatty did well this time, so I’ll keep it for him instead.

“You petty traitor!” Xie Anji cursed at the Poison Sect Head, who only smiled coldly as he replied.

“If the Grand Preceptor hadn’t tried to take my life, why would I betray my master in the first place?”

“Hey, hey!” Ning Xiaoyao shouted from behind them, “Sect Head, don’t pretend that I don’t exist, ah! Don’t make yourself out to be so pitiful and helpless that you were forced to join my side!”

“.....” said the Sect Head.

Xie Anji’s face twitched before he hacked at the Sect Head with a sword. The Sect Head silently sighed as he sidestepped the paltry attack before raising his right hand to release a cloud of white powder at the man’s face. Xie Anji only felt his breathing grow labored before his body swayed and lost all strength. As the Sect Head gently pushed him with a hand, Second Young Master Xie tumbled to the ground. When the Grand Preceptor’s men saw this, half of them had the mind to run away.

“All of you, withdraw,” the Sect Head told the Dragon Guards, and Shadowgale quickly led them away. The Sect Head swept his right hand in an arc again, releasing more white powder into the air.

The Grand Preceptor’s men hastened to cover their mouths and noses. Shadowgale looked at the nearby poison powder cloud and didn’t even think of backing away. Even if this wasn’t the Sect Head but an enemy’s powder instead, he still had no fear. Not with His Majesty here.

The poison powder settled down towards the ground. The few guards who had already started running towards the city gates felt their exposed hands and fingers grow numb. When they raised their arms to look, they saw that the skin had turned a purplish-black. As they tried to run away, it felt like something was pinching them in the chests, making it impossible to breathe. Meanwhile, there was a killer headache in their heads.

The Sect Head exhaled once he saw all the men collapse, unmoving. His lost confidence from Ning Xiaoyao’s offhand remarks had finally restored itself.

“Hey, Sect Head,” someone called out from behind.

The Sect Head turned to see Ning Xiaoyao’s broad grin.

“You get a ‘Like!’” Ning Xiaoyao stuck her thumbs’ up at him. “Sect Head, all you had to do was wave a hand and everyone was poisoned. Strong!”

The Sect Head only stared at Ning Xiaoyao. If that’s the case, why are you standing in the middle of my poison while still being completely unaffected?

“Are you interested in joining the army?” Ning Xiaoyao grinned cheerfully. “If you do that during a battle---” she paused to imitate him spreading his power, “Then won’t we win? Sect Head, I think the military really needs talents like yours!”

The Sect Head’s expression was wooden. “Your Majesty, the army has to face off against thousands of men and horses. How much poison would this commoner need to bring in order to poison them all?”

Ning Xiaoyao stopped smiling. “So basically, you’re saying ‘this concubine cannot do it.”

(#‵′)凸, went the Sect Head. I still want to murder the sovereign, what do I do?

Shadowgale and the rest simply pretended that they hadn’t heard a thing. What the hell is ‘this concubine cannot do it?!’

“Then forget it,” Ning Xiaoyao thought that the Sect Head’s explanation was very scientific. Humans hadn’t figured out how to create chemical weapons yet, so how could she use them in battle? “Sect Head, it’s better if you follow me. Be a bodyguard or an assassin, aye.” She sighed at him. “Looks like your heights are comparable to mine.”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Sect Head wanted to murder Ning Xiaoyao again. What do heights have to do with anything?

By now, all of the poison powder had landed on the ground, so Ning Xiaoyao asked the Sect Head, “Can Windy and the rest come over now?”

Right now, the Sect Head didn’t even want to talk to Ning Xiaoyao. He dug out a bottle from his sleeve and sprinkled it over the poisoned ground before telling Shadowgale, “It’s safe now.”

Shadowgale quickly ran over to Ning Xiaoyao’s side and asked, “Your Majesty, where should we imprison Xie Anji?”

Ning Xiaoyao folded her hands behind her back as she looked at Xie Anji sprawled unconscious on the ground. His exposed skin had been afflicted with the second poison powder as well, turning it a terrifying shade of purplish-black.

Shadowgale said, “Your Majesty, if we’re not in a hurry to kill him, perhaps we should treat his poison first?”

Ning Xiaoyao looked towards the Sect Head, who had no choice but to step up and cure the poison.

“Deliver Xie Anji to Prince Fu,” Ning Xiaoyao told Shadowgale quietly. “Don’t let General Tao get involved in more things that offend the Grand Preceptor. Have the prince be locked in a life-and-death struggle with the Grand Preceptor instead.”

Shadowgale felt a flash of sympathy for Prince Fu before he said, “This servant accepts the decree.”

“Beat it!” Xie Anji rushed at the Sect Head as soon as he regained his strength. Ning Xiaoyao stepped forward and simply kicked him unconscious again.

“Are there any poisons that can leave someone bedridden?” she asked the Sect Head. “Give him some of that so he’ll quiet down. Oh, right, and something to turn him mute too. Let’s see how he’ll curse people then!”

The Sect Head silently did as he was told. This wretch looks harmless, but he’s actually so cruel and ruthless. It’s no wonder since he was raised by the Grand Preceptor himself. Strange how Grand Preceptor Xie never managed to make anything of his own sons.

“Then what about the rest of Xie Anji’s people?” Shadowgale pointed at the sprawling forms of the Grand Preceptor’s men.

“Take them to the Hall of Punishment,” Ning Xiaoyao said. Shadowgale waved a hand for the rest of the Dragon Guards to take their prisoners into custody.

“But then I’d have to raise them,” Ning Xiaoyao rubbed her chin as she muttered. “Why should I?”

“Then, kill them?” Shadowgale asked.

“Send them to Regional Commander Qin Xuan so they can work in his mines,” Ning Xiaoyao replied. “This place hasn’t been industrialized, so he’ll definitely need lots of manual labor for the digging.”

Shadowgale scratched his head. It’s fine to send the prisoners off as laborers, but what’s ‘industrialized?’

“Miaow!” Big Boss Black meowed from the distance. “Ninny, come quick!”

Ning Xiaoyao hastened to Big Boss Black’s side. Shadowgale followed after her, but still couldn’t keep up even when using all his strength. Once again, his ego suffered a great blow.

Ning Xiaoyao arrived by Big Boss Black’s side and saw him perched on a man’s head, biting and scratching at his victim. The man couldn’t shake him off, so he grabbed Big Boss Black’s body and prepared to fling him aside.

“Just try and throw him!” Ning Xiaoyao abruptly lost her temper. You have the gall to toss my family’s Black Tubby?

The man didn’t realize Ning Xiaoyao had arrived until her sudden shout scared him out of his wits. He quickly looked up to face her. Ning Xiaoyao saw that he still had a death grip on Big Boss Black, so she went in with a flurry of punches. It was obvious that the man had recognized Ning Xiaoyao, because he didn’t dare fight back or defend himself. He only released Big Boss Black to kneel on the ground.

Big Boss Black gave him another vicious scratch on his head.

Ning Xiaoyao plucked up the cat and settled him around her shoulders. “That’s enough out of you already. How can you scratch someone like that without even knowing who they are? You can’t act like this next time.”

“There’s the scent of blood over there,” Big Boss Black raised a claw to point at a wooden box on the ground. “Hurry and open it, see what’s inside.”