Taking advantage of the last rays of sunlight before dusk, Jun Beiyue surveyed the whole landscape from above, and everything became clear to him at once.
Judging by the terrain, the area ahead was indeed an excellent place to take refuge — but while hiding might be easy, escaping certainly wouldn’t be.
If his instincts were right, the people they sought were at the end of this very path, in that low, sunken hollow.
From there, only two routes of escape existed: back the way they’d come, or forward into the small forest nestled among the mountains ahead.
“Yingzi. Split the forces into two. Send the right flank to guard the forest up ahead. The rest block off the path behind. Remember — let no one through, no matter who.”
“Yes!” Yingzi said, and turned at once to carry out the order.
Jun Beiyue’s gaze settled on the two figures ahead, now reduced to mere black dots in the distance. He had once imagined a day when he might become Situ City’s enemy — but never had he imagined a day when he’d stand against Nangong City as well.
Though he’d never anticipated it, that didn’t stop him for a moment from confronting the head of Nangong City head-on.
He held Ziqing close, pressing a gentle kiss to her quiet cheek, then leapt down from the tree and shot forward through the air.
This time, Jun Beiyue made no effort to move silently — instead, he came on boldly, sweeping past like the roaring north wind, a sharp “whoosh” carrying him right past the head of Nangong City. He shot the man a deeply meaningful glance, then surged onward without pause.
In that instant, both the head of Nangong City and Madam Situ froze in shock.
What was happening?
This man — what was he doing?
Hadn’t they made sure no one was behind them? They’d been so careful this whole journey!
How could—
The head of Nangong City took a long moment to recover. In his entire life, he’d never encountered a situation like this — someone catching up to him from behind, and overtaking him in an instant.
“Ah…”
Madam Situ suddenly cried out, recognizing that blindingly fast figure.
After all, across the entire continent of Longyuan, there were only a handful of people whose speed even she couldn’t match — and Jun Beiyue was one of them.
“Father, that’s Jun Beiyue! He actually came — he’s been—”
Before Madam Situ could recover from her shock, the head of Nangong City had already pushed off with a light tap of his toes, leaping into the air in pursuit.
Seeing this, Madam Situ stamped her foot in frustration, only now realizing that they hadn’t been followed by that group of Xiongnu at all — they’d been trailed by Jun Beiyue the entire time!
Having come this far, it was clear Jun Beiyue had already guessed where Yelu Qianqian was being held. His deliberate pass right by them just now had been nothing but a provocation, plain and simple.
That insufferable boy — had he forgotten this was the northern steppe? He actually dared to openly provoke Nangong City?
Madam Situ refused to fall behind and gave chase with everything she had. But her lightness skill had its limits, and by the time she caught up, Jun Beiyue was already standing at the end of the path, Han Ziqing in his arms, coldly regarding the head of Nangong City, who stood less than ten paces away.
“Yelu Qianqian is down there?” Jun Beiyue said with a cold snort, ignoring Madam Situ’s arrival entirely.
Madam Situ, unable to hold back, burst out sharply, “Jun Beiyue, after everything my husband and I have done for you, is this how you repay us — scheming against my son, tricking him into going to war!”
Jun Beiyue didn’t bother responding to Madam Situ’s twisted logic. He kept his cold gaze fixed on the head of Nangong City, watching his every move, while sweeping one hand through the air — dozens of shadow guards materialized out of nowhere, dropping into position behind him.
Only then did the head of Nangong City speak, and unlike Madam Situ’s fury, his tone remained light and unbothered as he smiled. “It seems Prince Yao came well prepared.”
“To escort Princess Qianqian back to Xijing, this small a force hardly counts as preparation,” Jun Beiyue said flatly, matching the head of Nangong City’s composure and then some.
As he spoke, he even turned his head to glance at the sleeping Ziqing in his arms, gently brushing a finger against the tip of her nose, as if trying to wake her.
But Ziqing was simply too exhausted — already worn out, and made even more so by this man’s mischief. She’d caught fragments of their conversation through her haze and understood well enough what was happening, but she still clung to Jun Beiyue’s embrace, in no hurry to rouse herself.
Sure enough, once a person found a shoulder to lean on, even the strongest among them could turn soft and vulnerable.
Either way, with Jun Beiyue here, she could set her mind completely at ease.
Seeing how, despite his youth, Jun Beiyue carried himself with such composure and presence, the head of Nangong City found himself somewhat impressed. He smiled. “My apologies. This old man heard Princess Qianqian had come to the northern steppe and wished to invite her to the city for a visit. Prince Yao, if you’re here to collect her, perhaps another day would be better.”
His words were courteous, polished with proper manners.
But Jun Beiyue showed not the slightest courtesy in return, sneering coldly. “Is that so? A pity — this prince doesn’t care for ‘another day.'”
With that, ignoring the head of Nangong City’s face darkening instantly, he gave a cold command. “Yingzi. Go down and find her.”
The cliff below wasn’t especially deep — only about the height of two men. The cave beneath had indeed once been where Nanny Qin and her group had been hiding, though neither the head of Nangong City nor Jun Beiyue yet knew that it was already empty.
At Jun Beiyue’s order, Yingzi moved to lead the way down at once. But just then, the head of Nangong City suddenly kicked up a spray of snow from the ground.
Heaven only knew how much force lay hidden in that single kick — the snow erupted and transformed instantly into a volley of sharp arrows, streaking toward the shadow guards behind Jun Beiyue!
But Jun Beiyue had been watching the head of Nangong City’s every move all along, and had anticipated exactly this. He kicked up his own spray of snow, which likewise transformed into streaking arrows of ice, striking each of the head of Nangong City’s snow-arrows out of the air with unerring precision!
The head of Nangong City was slightly startled. In the martial world, the only person he knew who could withstand seventy percent of his full strength was his own son-in-law, Lord Situ.
He never expected this young man, so youthful, could match him just as well.
A faint, contemptuous smile curled at Jun Beiyue’s lips. He snorted coldly. “Head of Nangong City, hidden leader of the martial world — is this really all you amount to? Yingzi, what are you waiting for? Go down and find her!”
“Yes!”
Yingzi didn’t dare delay any further, moving at once with several shadow guards. But at that moment, Madam Situ suddenly flipped forward to intervene. “Jun Beiyue, don’t get too pleased with yourself! My father’s only holding back because he sees you as a junior!”
As Madam Situ flipped in to block Yingzi’s path, the head of Nangong City closed the distance to Jun Beiyue in an instant — his speed genuinely caught Jun Beiyue off guard.
Still, Jun Beiyue’s reflexes were no match for what an old man could keep up with. He immediately drew back, drawing his sword to block the head of Nangong City’s palm strike aimed straight at Ziqing.
“An elder like you, striking at an unconscious woman — you don’t even deserve to be called an elder. You don’t even deserve to be called a man!” Jun Beiyue said coldly, channeling his inner energy directly into the blade, unleashing a wind-edge that forced the head of Nangong City to retreat, and retreat far.
The head of Nangong City had indeed meant to use the threat to Ziqing as leverage against Jun Beiyue, but having his plan seen through and forced to retreat left him humiliated and furious.
Just as he was about to strike again, Jun Beiyue’s raised sword, instead of returning to guard, suddenly swept backward — his tall frame leaning back as the blade shot straight toward Madam Situ!
“Jun Beiyue, you despicable man! You’re the one who doesn’t deserve to be called a man!”
The head of Nangong City realized, belatedly, that Jun Beiyue’s true target all along had been Madam Situ.
Madam Situ, who had been about to leap down the cliff, sensed the hidden blade striking from behind and found herself caught between advancing and retreating, the sword already nearly upon her back.