The words spoken could only be heard by the two of them.
Upon hearing Fan Tian Tian's words, Shangguan Sang Xi was shocked, and a greedy glint appeared in her eyes.
Fan Tian Tian had always followed her, fawned over her, and they had been good friends for many years.
Shangguan Sang Xi had never doubted her words.
"Such a good opportunity. After this princess returns, I will report to Father Emperor, have him capture this demon empress, and disembowel her to retrieve the blood and bones of the child within her abdomen."
"Third Princess! This is a good thing, and Tian Tian is only telling you alone. Don't you understand Tian Tian's intentions? You are not the only one who wishes to increase their spiritual power."
"The princes and the First Prince are also Xuan Ling Masters. The more people who know about this, the more people will want to snatch this opportunity from you. Would you bear to give it up?"
"You mean, you want this princess to act now? But how can I be her opponent?"
Shangguan Sang Xi looked at Fan Tian Tian, not quite understanding the meaning of her words.
The two were very close, almost touching.
Fan Tian Tian secretly handed Shangguan Sang Xi a Blood Ghost Pearl, which she usually kept for emergencies.
"Princess, this item can blind the demon, making her a sightless fool! We can take this opportunity to kill this woman and extract the blood and bones of her child. Firstly, it will remove a threat to our empire. Secondly, the Third Prince and the First Prince are downstairs. They will surely not allow Third Princess to suffer any harm."
Hiding the Blood Ghost Pearl that Fan Tian Tian handed over beneath her wide sleeves.
Shangguan Sang Xi felt that what she said made sense and made her decision.
Just as Gu Qian Ying was about to step out, she clutched her chest and fell to the ground, crying out, "It hurts so much!"
Fan Tian Tian glanced at Gu Qian Ying's retreating back, then immediately supported Shangguan Sang Xi, feigning concern, "Third Princess, what's wrong?"
"It hurts so much, it hurts so much here."
Shangguan Sang Xi cried out in pain, leaning into Fan Tian Tian's embrace.
"Third Princess, has your old ailment flared up again? Princess... what should we do?"
Gu Qian Ying's steps suddenly halted.
Wu Zi and Shangguan Yu Wei, who were following her, also stopped.
The three turned their heads to look towards Shangguan Sang Xi.
Shangguan Yu Wei wanted to walk over, but remembering how Shangguan Sang Xi had always bullied her, she remained rooted to the spot, unmoved.
"What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
Gu Qian Ying, accompanied by her maid Wu Zi, walked back.
The imperial family members were waiting on the first floor to escort Shangguan Sang Xi back to the palace.
The White Zephyr divine beast was about to appear, and the Demon Clan's Evil Pearl had yet to be found.
At this critical juncture, she did not wish to antagonize the imperial family.
It wasn't that she couldn't handle it, but she found it troublesome.
"It hurts so much here, I can't catch my breath."
Shangguan Sang Xi clutched Fan Tian Tian's sleeve, appearing to be in great distress.
"Sect Leader Gu, please save our Third Princess. Third Princess has suffered from asthma since childhood, and it has suddenly flared up today. If she is not treated promptly, she will die."
From the way she had seen Sect Leader Gu bandaging Fourth Princess Shangguan Yu Wei's wound earlier, she was certain Sect Leader Gu possessed medical skills.
Ordinary healers would not refuse to save a patient.
"Third Sister, she... since childhood..."
Seeing Shangguan Sang Xi like this, Shangguan Yu Wei was quite puzzled.
The person who often bullied her had always been healthy since childhood. When did she develop asthma?
Shangguan Yu Wei looked at Gu Qian Ying, wanting to remind her of something.
But when she looked up, Gu Qian Ying had already knelt before Shangguan Sang Xi, feeling her pulse and preparing to treat her.
"Since when did you have asthma..."
Gu Qian Ying asked about her condition, but before she could finish speaking.
She saw the malicious smile that spread across Shangguan Sang Xi's lips.
Not good! She had been tricked!
Gu Qian Ying tried to retract her hand, but Shangguan Sang Xi suddenly grabbed her wrist.
"Bitch, die!"
A red bloody light flashed before Gu Qian Ying's eyes. She felt a sharp pain in her eyes and instinctively closed them, angrily shaking off Shangguan Sang Xi's hand and stepping back.
Her eyes were bleeding, the stinging sensation intense, and her body swayed precariously. She could no longer open her eyes.
"Sect Leader!"
Wu Zi cried out in alarm and stepped forward to support Gu Qian Ying.
Upon clearly seeing Gu Qian Ying's bleeding eyes, Wu Zi turned and roared in fury, "You people actually ambushed our Sect Leader! I'll kill you all!"
Wu Zi drew her sword and lunged at Shangguan Sang Xi. Shangguan Sang Xi was already prepared. She unleashed her spiritual power and engaged Wu Zi in combat.
The two fought within the room.
At this moment, Gu Qian Ying's eyes hurt so much that she lost her sense of direction, with two streaks of blood flowing from the corners of her eyes.
Beside her, Fan Tian Tian saw that Gu Qian Ying's eyes were blinded, and Shangguan Sang Xi had managed to distract Gu Qian Ying's maid.
A triumphant smile appeared on her lips.
Her chance had come!
She quickly pulled out the short sword hidden on her person and thrust it fiercely towards Gu Qian Ying's chest.
"The blood and bones of this child are mine!"
"No!"
At the critical moment, someone rushed towards Gu Qian Ying, embraced her, and took the blow from Fan Tian Tian's short sword for her.
The sword tip pierced the person's back, and bright red blood spread like a vibrant flower behind them.
Fan Tian Tian's eyes widened slightly, and she looked at the person before her.
Her malicious eyes were filled with disgust.
"Shangguan Yu Wei, you wretched woman, how dare you ruin this young lady's plans! Get lost!"
She stepped forward, grabbed Shangguan Yu Wei by the shoulders, and shoved her away.
Shangguan Yu Wei collapsed on the ground, weakly crawling towards Fan Tian Tian and clinging to her leg, pleading, "Don't hurt her, please."
To Shangguan Yu Wei, Gu Qian Ying was the first person since childhood who had treated her as a friend.
Today, no matter what, she could not let Fan Tian Tian harm Sect Leader Gu's life.
At this moment, Gu Qian Ying's eyes still hurt, but she could clearly feel that someone had protected her just now.
That voice was clearly... Shangguan Yu Wei!
Someone else wanted to harm her unborn child!
Fan Tian Tian!
"Damn it!"
A bloodthirsty killing aura emanated from Gu Qian Ying.
Her jade hand beneath her red sleeve slowly unfurled, and demonic power instantly gathered.
She endured the stinging pain in her eyes and used her ears to locate Fan Tian Tian's position.
The sharp short sword attacked her again.
Several black silk threads wrapped around the attacker. When the sword tip was still a fist's distance from her chest, she firmly gripped the blood-stained sword tip with two fingers and instantly snapped it.
With a flick of her wrist, she used the broken end of the short sword to slash across the neck of the person she could not see before her.
Fan Tian Tian's pupils dilated. She covered her bleeding neck, looked at Gu Qian Ying in disbelief, and leaned back, falling heavily to the ground.
Beside her, Shangguan Yu Wei stared blankly at the fallen Fan Tian Tian.
Turning to see Gu Qian Ying unharmed, she finally felt the pain from her back.
"Pfft!"
She spat out a mouthful of blood.
Unconscious, she collapsed onto the ground and fainted.
Meanwhile, Shangguan Sang Xi, who was fighting with Wu Zi, saw that Fan Tian Tian was dead and immediately panicked. After dodging the sword in Wu Zi's hand, she turned and leaped out the window.
"Third Brother, Eldest Brother! Sect Leader Gu wants to kill Sang Xi."
Shangguan Sang Xi flew to the first floor and encountered Shangguan Rong Jing and Shangguan Bei Chen.
She immediately hid behind the First Prince, Shangguan Bei Chen.
Shangguan Rong Jing and Shangguan Bei Chen had not even had time to ask what had happened when they suddenly heard a startled cry from the private room on the second floor: "Sect Leader! What's wrong with you? Sect Leader!"
Wu Zi, in a state of panic, supported Gu Qian Ying, who had fallen onto her shoulder.
She did not know what to do.
At this moment, Qiu Ling Er, still confined in the iron cage, watched the scene with a look of shock.
Things had happened too suddenly.
She had never expected such a thing to occur.
Seeing the panicked Wu Zi and the unconscious Gu Qian Ying on Wu Zi's shoulder.
She reprimanded, "What are you standing there for? Hurry and find a doctor!"
Reminded by Qiu Ling Er, the maid Wu Zi quickly helped Gu Qian Ying out, shouting for help.
"It's the Demon Empress who is in trouble!"
Sensing that something was wrong.
Shangguan Rong Jing immediately used his lightness skill and flew to the second floor.
At the same time, the Flood Dragon A Mu, several dark guards, Du Chun, and the two old men also heard the commotion and hurried towards the private room where Gu Qian Ying was.
When they saw Gu Qian Ying, who was bleeding tears and lying in Wu Zi's arms, they were all shocked.
"Sect Leader!"
"Qian Ying!"
Within half an incense stick's time, the bustling inn was completely under lockdown.
The imperial family members who entered the inn and those they brought with them were all surrounded by members of the Jue Sha Sect.
Shangguan Sang Xi hid behind Shangguan Bei Chen, trembling.
"Eldest Brother, Sang Xi is scared."
Shangguan Bei Chen, holding his sword, glanced at the surrounding Jue Sha Sect members and then glared at Shangguan Sang Xi, "What exactly did you do to Sect Leader Gu?"
In the current situation.
Shangguan Sang Xi dared not conceal the truth. "Eldest Brother... I... I blinded Sect Leader Gu's eyes."
Shangguan Bei Chen was stunned, then cursed, "You idiot! You've brought immense trouble upon me!"
Blinding Sect Leader Gu's eyes was clearly a declaration of war against the newly risen Jue Sha Sect.
And doing so on the territory of the Jue Sha Sect.
Was this not seeking death?
Today, he was responsible for escorting people here, and he had not brought many subordinates.
Now, how could he and his third brother deal with so many elite dark guards and the evil spirits hidden in the darkness?
Amidst the growing panic, Qiu Ling Er escaped from the inn.
At the same time.
In the private room on the second floor.
Gu Qian Ying lay on the bed with her eyes closed, motionless, appearing to be unconscious.
Du Chun was feeling her pulse.
Beside her, Nangong Mo, with his hair disheveled and wearing only a thin moon-white robe, stood guard.
Upon hearing that his wife was in trouble, he had rushed here without even bothering to groom himself.
Behind him stood the Flood Dragon A Mu, the old martial artist Wu, and the old man Guo, the two elders. The maid Wu Zi stood on the other side, everyone with a worried expression.
Not far away, Shangguan Rong Jing stood watching.
Meng Yi still pointed his long sword at him, but he did not resist, his entire focus on the person lying on the bed.
Du Chun let go of Gu Qian Ying's hand, sighed with a heavy expression, and shook his head...