Chapter 44

"Yours... " Zhou Linglu looked in shock at the guards who had turned to ashes, a chill running through her heart. She finally felt threatened; Alinda and Tang Yan were not here to play tricks but had the confidence of certain victory.

"Princess, if you want to run, I advise you to give up that thought!" Alinda clung tightly to Zhou Linglu, her attacks becoming more ruthless, each move filled with the intent to kill. A large number of blue ice butterflies swirled around her, as if they were part of her body. Each powerful attack was accompanied by their dense explosions, increasing the power of the assault and disrupting Zhou Linglu's counterattacks.

"Do you want to kill me? Have you forgotten my identity? I am the princess of the royal family! I am the sister of the imperial crown prince!"

"So what? The beast that kills you is not us!" Alinda gave her no chance to escape, doing everything in her power to entangle her, preventing Zhou Linglu from using her formidable martial skills.

"Others may not know, but Father will surely guess! When the time comes... Alinda, Tang Yan, you will all become wanted criminals by the empire! Along with your families and friends, you will be nailed to a thousand-year ice, dying in agony!" Zhou Linglu screamed hysterically.

Wanted criminals? Thousand-year ice? Alinda's attack clearly paused, these words bringing a strong shock.

Zhou Linglu's spirit was slightly shaken, and she forcefully broke free from the entanglement. Her eyes flashed with a fierce light, and her sword turned, quickly cutting over a dozen fine wounds on her arms, blood dripping down.

"Ice Attachment Spell!!" Spiritual energy surged, transforming into bone-chilling cold air. The blood drops infused into it, as if giving them life, turning into misty claws that fiercely clawed at Alinda.

"Get out of the way!!" Tang Yan shot forward, forcefully pushing away the dazed Alinda. Accompanied by a sharp scream, the light of annihilation burst forth, and at the same time, intense ghostly green flames covered his entire body.

Pfft! The light of annihilation pierced through the ice claws and the Zhou Linglu behind them, but the power of the ice claws did not dissipate, colliding head-on with Tang Yan. The ghostly green flames did not last long before completely extinguishing, and layers of ice tightly bound Tang Yan, even his fierce expression freezing in place.

"Tang Yan?!" Alinda fell not far away, her eyes dazed as she looked at the frozen ice sculpture, a slight pain flashing in her heart. She never expected that at such a critical moment, he would risk his life to save her.

Zhou Linglu clutched her pierced shoulder, took two steps back, and turned to flee into the dense forest: "One dead, you won't escape either, wait and see, Alinda!!"

"You won't go anywhere today, stay here!" Alinda's face was cold, a sense of indescribable anger burning within her. She leaped up to attack Zhou Linglu, no longer caring about being wanted or the thousand-year ice, her attacks gradually becoming more frenzied.

Both were Second Rank Martial Ancestors, but Zhou Linglu's martial skills were more refined. However, she lacked practical combat experience, especially in such a life-or-death attack. Additionally, the intense pain in her right shoulder made her entire right arm useless, and she could not even circulate her spiritual energy.

"If you want to play, I'll play with you to the end, let's see who will laugh last tonight." Zhou Linglu stopped running and used her martial skills to counter Alinda. She took the opportunity to throw her last explosive talisman into the air. Alinda's expression changed slightly, just as she was about to intercept...

Boom!!

A deafening explosion echoed in the sky, accompanied by the ground shaking. Looking into the distance, sparks and ice crystals rained down, the entire sky suddenly brightening.

"What's happening?" Zhou Linglu was slightly dazed. The explosive talisman had successfully detonated, but its light was completely overshadowed by the sudden explosion. Even from a distance, she could still feel the terrifying power.

"Eagle Wing Spread!!" A piercing eagle cry echoed through the mountains and forests, a magnificent and huge fire shadow tearing through the sky.

"Heavenly Spear!! Break it!!" Accompanied by a hoarse roar, five ice spears shot up to meet the fire shadow. Boom, another intense explosion, scattering flames and ice crystals across the sky.

But... the ground shook, and streams of lava burst forth, the intense heat almost burning the entire forest.

"Tang Ba! Tang Hao! You are bringing disaster to the Tang family!" An old voice echoed in the night, filled with intense anger and fear.

"Die!!" The deafening roar shook the mountains and fields. A fire shadow and a huge, dazzling blade shadow collided with astonishing force. In the middle, a huge ice cocoon instantly shattered, and a piercing scream abruptly cut off!

"Senior Hua!!" Roars echoed from the surrounding forest.

"None shall be left alive!! Kill!!" From the distant sky, two more fiery figures descended, their wild momentum and fierce flames resembling two demons emerging from the underworld, their terrifying power shaking the wilderness.

The once silent forest fell into chaotic turmoil. Roars of beast echoed in all directions, awakening the fifth-level beasts who roared to the sky, venting their dissatisfaction and power. However, upon seeing the four fiery figures and sensing their terrifying killing intent, these usually dominant fifth-level beasts quickly disappeared.

Boom!!

The forest shook violently, cracks spreading everywhere, lava and fire shadows raging, and massive, ten-meter-long fiery blades continuously struck the area for several miles with a destructive force.

The beasts panicked and fled in all directions, but the lava and fire shadows indiscriminately attacked, not sparing the beasts or the dozen or so white-robed figures.

Facing the fury of the four Martial Kings, they... were no match...

Panting heavily echoed through the forest, fiery shadows darting everywhere. These were three to four-meter-long fiery lions, each with flames burning on their paws and tails, looking majestic and wild.

One of the lions tightly held a delicate girl, none other than the Tang family's Miss... Tang Ying!

"The Flame Lions have reacted, Tang Yan is nearby! Gather! Gather!!!" Tang Ying called out excitedly. After searching aimlessly for two months, the Flame Lion finally showed an urgent response, indicating it had caught a familiar scent, that of... Tang Yan!!

"That's... the four butchers of the Tang family..." Zhou Linglu stared blankly at the distant sky, a sense of despair spreading in her heart. The aura of four Martial Kings, the intense killing intent, and the familiar martial skills—no one else but the four butchers of the Tang family in the Northern Wilderness Region!

As for the fiery shadows darting through the forest, they must be the Flame Lions raised by the Tang family—peak third-level beasts!

Was Tang Yanshan mad?! First, he sent Martial King Tang Qiong to search for Tang Yan, then Tang Ba and others, all five of the butchers who had made the Tang family famous in the Northern Wilderness Region were now gathered! Even the Flame Lions, considered treasures by the Tang family, were released.

How could a spoiled young master bear such a frantic search by Tang Yanshan?!

Alinda was also dazed for a long time. Living in Giant Elephant City for years, she naturally knew the reputation of the Tang family's five butchers. They were Tang Yanshan's personal guards, absolutely loyal and absolutely crazy. The Tang family's vast empire, ranking among the top three of the six major families in the Northern Wilderness Region, was largely due to their efforts.

What were they doing? Just to search for Tang Yan?

In the heart of the Tang family's patriarch, Tang Yanshan, how important was Tang Yan? If this news reached Giant Elephant City, it would surely cause a huge stir.

"Hey? Isn't that the princess?" A Flame Lion ran over, its massive body and blazing flames looking majestic. On its back stood a carefree young man, none other than Du Yang from Giant Elephant Academy!

"What are you...?" Alinda was still stunned.

Du Yang shrugged: "Don't ask me, I don't know either. The Tang family seems to have gone mad searching for Tang Yan. At first, it was Martial Kings like Tang Hao acting separately, then a month ago, thirty Flame Lions and a large number of Tang family guards were added. Tang Ying and I were lucky; we hid in a cave for a month and were fortunate to be found by them."

"Tang Yan is ahead, it might not be good."

"Tang Ying has already led a group forward, one more or less doesn't matter. I'm more interested in this princess." Du Yang dismounted from the Flame Lion, looking at Zhou Linglu with interest, a lazy smile on his face: "Was all this your plan? I don't care about your motives, but I know my best friend died because of you. Remember, one day, I will get my revenge, with interest!"

Alinda said, "For your safety, I advise you to surrender."

Zhou Linglu's eyes were dark, still thinking about how to escape. But seeing the Flame Lions darting around and the four figures racing from the distance, and with Du Yang staring at her, she knew today would be hard to escape. "You will pay for what you did today, I... swear!"

"Let's see if you can leave Giant Elephant City alive." Du Yang pulled out a rope and walked towards Zhou Linglu, suddenly slapping her.

"You!!"

Du Yang grabbed Zhou Linglu's long hair, pulling her face close, and said fiercely, "Don't play the princess act with me, I don't buy it!! And the petrification martial skill in your father's hands will be mine, sooner or later!"