C22 He Had Survived a Calamity

As the lead assassin finished speaking, the two beside him swiftly raised their swords, cutting off Chen Dutian's escape. These warriors, each at the Ninth Heaven of Spirit Convergence, were not to be underestimated. Over a dozen sword flashes flew toward him, trapping Chen Dutian in their midst.

"Swish!"

Facing three warriors of such caliber, Chen Dutian knew he couldn't afford any mistakes. He launched a powerful punch forward, and as his fist clashed with the incoming sword lights, a deafening roar echoed through the air.

Simultaneously, Chen Dutian surged forward, snatching a longsword from one of his attackers. With a light tap of his toes on the ground, he leaped high into the air. The energy within him coursed rapidly through his veins, channeling into the longsword.

"Sword Dance of the Storm!"

With a commanding shout, Chen Dutian gave a slight flick of his wrist. The sword gleamed with a cold light, and the majestic energy transformed into dozens of swirling sword shadows.

The assassins' skills were no match for the Starfall Sword technique. As the sword shadows clashed fiercely, the sound of metal striking metal rang out continuously.

The assassin who had lost his longsword watched in panic as several sword shadows lunged toward him. He tried to retreat hastily, but Chen Dutian smirked coldly. With a slight raise of his wrist, he blocked the assassin's escape with more sword shadows. In a blur, Chen Dutian was upon him, sword in hand.

"Even the Ninth Heaven of Spirit Convergence isn't all that impressive!"

The assassin was caught off guard by Chen Dutian's speed, his heart skipping a beat as he unleashed a burst of energy, hoping to force Chen Dutian to retreat. Meanwhile, the other two assassins charged at Chen with their swords drawn. If his companions could strike in time, he was confident he could escape unscathed.

But just as this thought crossed his mind, Chen Dutian's lips curled into a slight smile. His longsword angled forward, and in a flash of brilliant light, it pierced through the assassin's chest. The energy he had released didn't even graze Chen's clothes. Under the moonlight, Chen's ghostly figure vanished as quickly as it had appeared after delivering the fatal blow.

Watching their companion fall to Chen Dutian's sword, the remaining two assassins, both at the Ninth Heaven of Spirit Convergence, couldn't help but gasp in shock, their eyes flaring with anger. The three of them, all powerful warriors, had joined forces, yet they were no match for Chen Dutian. The death of their comrade right in front of them left them utterly stunned. Still, driven by the desire for revenge, they charged at Chen without hesitation, swords raised.

"Clang!"

The sword lights, formed from their energy, clashed repeatedly in the night sky. Chen Dutian fought while retreating. Although his Starfall Sword skill was formidable, facing three warriors at the Ninth Heaven of Spirit Convergence was proving to be quite a challenge.

The energy required to wield the Starfall Sword was incredibly taxing. Managing to defeat a warrior at the Ninth Heaven of Spirit Convergence was already a significant feat. If this continued, Chen Dutian feared he might exhaust his energy and fall to the assassins' blades.

Fortunately, the House of Protector wasn't too far away. Chen Dutian retreated swiftly, his longsword slicing through the air, creating arcs of light. The two Ninth Heaven assassins, along with their remaining comrades, pursued him relentlessly. As they closed in on the House of Protector, the assassins' eyes gleamed with malice. The two Ninth Heaven warriors leaped forward, breaking through the sword shadows and blocking Chen Dutian's escape.

"Chen Dutian, today you won't make it back alive!"

"Hmph, you think you can stop me?" Chen Dutian steadied himself, channeling the last of his energy into his longsword.

With a swift motion, he slashed at the two Ninth Heaven warriors, sending dozens of sword lights soaring through the air. The dazzling beams converged into a massive sword shadow, stretching over a hundred feet long.

"What kind of skill is this? How can Chen Dutian, merely at the Sixth Heaven, wield such a powerful technique?"

Two assassins in black stood in front of Chen Dutian, their brows furrowed. After exchanging a glance, they gritted their teeth and summoned their inner energy, unleashing a flurry of sword beams.

"Don't harm our lord!"

From above, a sword shadow descended rapidly, shattering the sword beams below as if slicing through vegetables. At the same time, several figures swiftly emerged from the House of Protector...

Clad in blood-red robes and black armor, wielding silver spears with the courage of tigers, the Red Banner Army charged forth, striking fear into the hearts of all in the capital. Following them were over a dozen figures, moving like phantoms, swift and silent, brandishing crescent blades and wearing blood-red sashes. These were the Bloodshadow Guard, left in the capital by Lord Protector Chen Dou.

Even the weakest among them was at the Astral Wandering level. The sight of the Red Banner Army and Bloodshadow Guard made the assassins in black gasp, their reputation preceding them. The Red Banner Army alone was enough to instill terror, but the Bloodshadow Guard, known as the gods of death, were even more fearsome.

Chen Dutian let out a long sigh of relief, gently wiping the sweat from his forehead, feeling as if he had narrowly escaped death. Having used the second form of the Starfall Sword, his inner energy was nearly depleted. It was impressive that he remained standing.

The black-clad assassins, witnessing the emergence of the Red Banner Army and Bloodshadow Guard from the House of Protector, trembled involuntarily. Their anger subsided significantly, and they turned to flee into the distance.

"Your Grace, are you alright?" A few Bloodshadow Guards hurried to Chen Dutian's side, anxiously looking him over and whispering their concern.

"The Red Banner Army salutes Your Grace!" Two commanders of the Red Banner Army knelt on one knee. Throughout the House of Protector, soldiers in red cloaks and silver spears dashed about, their presence fierce and intimidating.

"Capture those assassins who got away!" Chen Dutian, sounding a bit weak, ordered as he discarded his longsword and slowly made his way toward the House of Protector.

The two commanders bowed and led three hundred Red Banner soldiers in pursuit of the fleeing assassins. Under the protection of the Bloodshadow Guards, Chen Dutian safely returned to the House of Protector.

Instead of visiting his mother, Chen Dutian instructed the servants to bring him ten Spiritmend pills, then secluded himself in his courtyard.

After about an hour and a half, with the help of the Spiritmend pills, Chen Dutian's energy had significantly recovered. He finally emerged from his courtyard and headed to the main hall of the House of Protector.

"Are you hurt? What on earth happened? Weren't you supposed to be staying at the Imperial Capital as the prince's reading partner?" Zhao Danna, seeing Chen Dutian in a fresh set of clothes, hurriedly stood up and approached him with a few maidservants in tow.

"Mom, don't worry, I'm doing great! Today, at the Golden Autumn Banquet martial competition, I took first place. The Emperor has granted me permission to return to the House of Protector anytime!" Chen Dutian helped Zhao Danna sit down in a chair and recounted everything that had happened in the capital over the past few days.