C68 I Have Ruined the Plan to Assassinate Him!

The room's dim yellow light flickered briefly as a shadowy figure slipped in.

Unfazed, the stand-in remained composed, continuing to sit at the desk, engrossed in his book without missing a beat in turning the pages.

From an optimal vantage point, Jiang Su observed the stand-in with keen interest.

Rong Yu could tell that the "Jiang Su" before him lacked any trace of spiritual force; he was merely a mortal. Jiang Su offered a respectful bow to the stand-in and spoke softly, "Your Highness, by the command of the Royal Family of Tianqi and the First Immortal Sect, I am here to pay homage to you."

"Jiang Su" remained silent and still, offering no response.

Rong Yu's brow furrowed in concern, yet he knew he must press on with his mission. Time was of the essence, for complications would arise should Elder Chiu Yue and the Female Ruler return to the sect.

"Your Highness, you are betrothed to the Female Ruler, yet you hail from the Immortal Domain. The Immortal and Devil Domains have always stood in opposition. To preserve the current peace, both the Royal Family of Tianqi and the First Immortal Sect wish for your aid. Should you detect any unrest within the Devil Domain, please alert the Immortal Domain without delay."

Setting his book aside, "Jiang Su" met Rong Yu's gaze with piercing black eyes.

"You still have time to leave," came an aged male voice, clearly not one that would belong to the youthful Prince of Tianqi.

Rong Yu's hand instinctively went to the hilt of his sword as he retorted icily, "So you are the decoy. I was misled by the spiritual force within those before you and dropped my guard."

Where could the true Prince of Tianqi be? Rong Yu had turned the First Devil Sect upside down in his search, to no avail.

Now that he was compromised, the stand-in would surely inform the Empress of Devil Sect.

Abruptly, a glint of cold light from a sword shadow flashed across Rong Yu's face.

With swift reflexes, Rong Yu leapt out the left window, landing precisely in Jiang Su's hidden refuge.

"Jiang?"

Jiang Su stepped back silently, making room for Rong Yu.

Rong Yu was baffled. What was Jiang Su doing here?

Even if Jiang Su had realized he wasn't in the right room, there was no way he could pinpoint his location so precisely.

"Where do you think you're going, you little Immortal Sect brat?"

It was Su Wuyou's voice. This was a stark contrast to her usual playful tone when speaking or flirting with male cultivators. Her voice was stern, with an undercurrent of iciness.

How did Su Wuyou catch wind of Rong Yu's plan?

A sword thrust towards the spot where Jiang Su and Rong Yu stood. The sword energy was frighteningly sharp, shattering the surrounding spiritual energy. Even without a physical form, the sword energy was intimidating.

This was the sword energy of a Nascent Infant Stage Expert, no doubt!

She was intent on killing Rong Yu!

Rong Yu was alarmed. What was Su Wuyou, one of the First Devil Sect's Four Great Elders, doing here?

His mind raced with surprise, but his hands kept moving. He immediately launched into the Upright Sword Technique.

His sword blazed with brilliant white light. In that instant, he and Su Wuyou exchanged a flurry of strikes.

Jiang Su saw Su Wuyou's solemn demeanor for the first time. He settled himself on the ground, engrossed in the spectacle of their swordplay.

Su Wuyou's swordplay was so fierce that it sliced through the nearby vegetation, and Jiang Su was even caught in the crossfire. Unfazed, Jiang Su chuckled and conjured a spiritual energy barrier to shield himself from the slicing winds and sword energy.

The battle between Su Wuyou and Rong Yu escalated, her moves growing increasingly ruthless. Could it be that a mere novice at the Early Golden Core Stage could withstand her onslaught for so long?

With a flick of her sleeve, a beam of white light struck Rong Yu's wrist. Overpowered, Rong Yu's grip failed him, and his sword was flung from his hand, clattering to the ground and quivering twice with a resonant ring.

Su Wuyou sneered, her sword tip aimed directly at Rong Yu's throat, showing no sign of mercy.

Rong Yu, as the Head Disciple of the First Immortal Sect, was not someone to be trifled with. To kill him would be tantamount to declaring war on the Immortal Domain.

Despite the initial fault lying with the First Immortal Sect, Jiang Su felt compelled to intervene until he could ascertain his wife's intentions.

With lightning-fast reflexes, Jiang Su executed the Shadowless Step. In a flash, his Life Sword parried Su Wuyou's blade, the clash of their swords sparking in the air.

"You're siding with him?"

Su Wuyou's gaze was icy as she regarded Jiang Su, her eyes betraying a hint of shock, yet she halted, standing firm before both Jiang Su and Rong Yu.

She couldn't bring herself to strike at Jiang Su.

Still, her anger simmered. She had feared that Rong Yu might report today's events at the Compendium Pavilion back to the First Immortal Sect, which is why she had stealthily placed a monitoring ritual instrument on him. And now, as she had suspected, Rong Yu was plotting with the Prince of Tianqi—and Jiang Su was obstructing her!

The residual sword energy from the Carefree Sword lingered in the air, ready to be unleashed should Su Wuyou decide to strike once more.

Rong Yu clutched his chest where the sword energy had harmed his spirit vein. Standing behind Jiang Su, he gazed at his back, filled with confusion.

"I'm not helping him. It's just that killing him would bring a host of problems."

Su Wuyou's expression softened, understanding that Jiang Su, as the Eldest Senior Brother, must be considering the welfare of the First Devil Sect. She inquired, "So, what do you propose?"

As she spoke, she slid her Carefree Sword back into its sheath, signaling her reluctance to resume the fight.

"Given that the First Immortal Sect is so keen on keeping tabs on the Devil Domain, let's give their Head Disciple a taste of what it's like to be a covert operative."

Su Wuyou gave Jiang Su a knowing wink, her face breaking into a mischievous grin. "Next time, clue me in sooner."

Behind Jiang Su, Rong Yu grasped the gravity of their scheme. Desperate to flee, he attempted to take to his sword, but the overwhelming aura of a Mid Period Nascent Infant Stage expert pinned him down, thwarting his escape.

Rong Yu's pupils shrank as an intense pressure bore down on him. Had they been toying with him earlier?

"Trying to escape, are we?"

Jiang Su sensed a surge of power that was leagues beyond anything he had felt before.

They had all been concealing their true strength. A martial artist in the Late Golden Core Stage had been masquerading as one in the Early Stage.

He realized that the Compendium Pavilion wasn't teeming with Nascent Infant Stage Experts. After all, as an ordinary cultivator at the Golden Core Stage, he stood no chance against ten opponents at the Nascent Infant Stage.

Even with the boost from his Original Sword Body, he wouldn't last long.

Su Wuyou, on the other hand, was a genuine Mid Nascent Infant Stage warrior. She could take Rong Yu's life with ease.

Jiang Su hadn't intervened immediately because he saw that Su Wuyou wasn't truly intent on harming him.

Turning, Jiang Su firmly seized Rong Yu's hand, who was completely immobilized by the overwhelming force.

Through clenched teeth, Rong Yu challenged, "I get your point. But aren't you worried I might just kill myself?"

Jiang Su produced the Magic Brush from his storage space, feigning to inscribe something on Rong Yu's hand.

Yet, he didn't actually write. Instead, he leaned in close to Rong Yu's left shoulder and spoke coolly, "I highly doubt a disciple from the Immortal Sect, especially one who's concealed his power, would actually die for the sect."