This house is full of dead people!
The prince's residence was very large, with several courtyards and rooms, covering an area of at least several hundred square meters. In the outermost hall, more than a dozen corpses lay scattered on the floor. Judging from their attire, they were all dressed as samurai, presumably guards responsible for protecting the Akiochi Palace. These people had all died tragically, as if they had gone through a fierce battle. Not a single corpse on the floor was intact! Severed arms and broken branches were scattered all over the ground!
Some even had their heads cut off!
Chen Xiao rushed through the pool of blood and entered the courtyard. There, in a separate central courtyard, two corpses hung on the steps. Judging from the direction they fell, their heads were facing outwards, suggesting they were servants of Akiyoshi Palace who had fought and retreated before being killed on the steps. There were also two samurai swords on the ground, one of which was twisted into a pretzel shape.
Chen Xiao dropped the fire stick in his hand and picked up another samurai sword that was still in relatively good condition, holding it in his hand.
Just then, a slight noise came from a corner of the courtyard. Chen Xiao turned his head abruptly and saw a familiar figure lying in the corner, leaning against the wall. The wall behind her was full of cracks, and the figure was almost half-buried in it. Her hair was disheveled, obscuring her face. She was kneeling on the ground, with a small katana stuck in the ground beside her. Judging from her posture, it seemed she was trying to use the sword to support herself and force herself to stand up, but she had failed.
This person was none other than Takeuchi Yako!
Although Chen Xiao didn't get along with this woman, he couldn't care less at the moment. He quickly ran over and lifted her up.
Takeuchi Yako's face was covered in blood. Chen Xiao lifted her up, blood still flowing from her mouth. Her breathing was disordered and weak, and her eyes were unfocused.
"What happened! Takeuchi Yako! Hey! Widow face!" Chen Xiao shook her twice and realized that Takeuchi Yako's injuries were extremely severe. It was likely that many of her bones were broken.
Finally, Takeuchi Yako opened her eyes, barely managing to focus her mind. Seeing that the person in front of her was Chen Xiao, a flicker of light seemed to appear on her face. Her arm was broken, but she managed to lift it with difficulty, pointing behind her…
“The mountain…they…they kidnapped…and took you up the mountain…”
She had only uttered a few words when she suddenly coughed violently, coughing up a mouthful of blood. Chen Xiao quickly put her down: "Where's Tang Ying? Where is Tang Ying?!"
"Miki...chased...up the mountain..."
Upon hearing the news about Tang Ying, Chen Xiao felt a slight sense of relief, at least confirming that Tang Ying was not dead. He then glanced at Takeuchi Yako in front of him.
From the location of Takeuchi Yako's injuries, Chen Xiao could roughly deduce that she had been forcibly thrown into the air, her body slamming into a wall! He wondered who possessed such strength to send Takeuchi Yako flying, even nearly shattering the solid stone wall! It was unimaginable that Takeuchi Yako, with her flesh and blood, had managed to break the wall. Her body had endured immense force; judging from her appearance, besides several broken bones, her internal organs were likely also injured.
"Go! Chase after him! Save His Highness! Go..." Takeuchi Yako suddenly coughed up blood and screamed. Looking at this woman, Chen Xiao sighed inwardly—although this woman was despicable, she was truly loyal to Sato. Even though he was on the verge of death, she was still thinking of saving her master.
Chen Xiao immediately stood up, kicked the wall next to Takeuchi Yako so hard it collapsed. He shouted at Takeuchi Yako, "You won't die for now. Someone will be here soon. Hang in there, I'll go up the mountain to chase after them!"
After saying that, Chen Xiao grabbed his knife and leaped over the wall, running wildly up the hillside.
The hillside didn't look very high, but it was actually about a hundred meters above sea level, and climbing it wouldn't be easy. It was covered in dense vegetation and trees. Chen Xiao rushed up the hillside, darting through the trees at lightning speed. He was already using all his strength, running at breakneck speed, each step propelling him several meters forward. However, running through this dense forest, he also had to worry about tree branches blocking his way, which slowed him down considerably.
After running for two minutes, Chen Xiao suddenly heard a sharp shout coming from the distant hillside. The shout was powerful and vigorous, and it seemed to be the voice of that old guy Takeuchi Fumiyama.
Hearing Takeuchi Bunzan's voice, Chen Xiao felt more at ease. This grandmaster of Japanese Kendo was quite powerful. Since he had also caught up with him and was even ahead of him, he must have already held his opponent back.
Thinking of this, Chen Xiao quickened his pace, but after running only a few steps, he suddenly heard a loud bang, and a fireball suddenly shot out from the forest and towards him!
Chen Xiao was in mid-air and unable to twist his waist to dodge, so he could only teleport in time, moving his body horizontally several meters away. He then saw a fireball smash into a large tree behind him, instantly splitting the tree in two!
Such excellent fire control!
Chen Xiao was shocked!
No wonder the fire at Akiyoshi Palace spread so fiercely! It turns out there was a master with fire control abilities! Such a master of fire control is practically a born arsonist.
Chen Xiao was ambushed and immediately looked in the direction from which the fireball came. Upon closer inspection, he saw a figure flash by in the woods and quickly disappear into the dense forest.
Chen Xiao hesitated for a moment and did not chase after him. Then he heard Takeuchi Fumiyama's sharp shout from the top of the mountain. After weighing his options, he finally gave up chasing the guy who had ambushed him and decided to go up the mountain first to meet up with Takeuchi Fumiyama.
After running up the mountain for a while, the view suddenly opened up before him. It was a natural platform halfway up the mountain. There used to be a pavilion on this platform, but when Chen Xiao ran up, the pavilion had collapsed. It was as if it had been swept by a hurricane. Several pillars were broken or collapsed, and it had become a ruin!
On the open ground next to the pavilion, Takeuchi Bunzan was seen holding a samurai sword and fighting fiercely with his opponent!
Takeuchi Bunzan, dressed in a plain white robe, was now covered in ash and fire damage. His beard and hair were also charred, clearly indicating he had fought his way through a raging inferno. Takeuchi Bunzan exuded a powerful aura, the blade in his hand seemingly imbued with a tangible sharpness! In the night, it appeared as if he were holding a torch rather than a sword! He had clearly mastered the art of swordsmanship to its fullest extent!
Chen Xiao was even more surprised by Takeuchi Bunzan's opponent!
Because Takeuchi Bunzan's opponent was not a "person"!
In front of Takeuchi Bunzan stood a two-meter-tall metal doll!
The puppet was made of some unknown metal, its golden body adorned with intricate armor patterns. Its arm joints clicked and creaked, yet it moved with remarkable agility, almost like a human! This metal puppet was modeled after an ancient Japanese samurai, wielding a massive broadsword, much like the horse-slaying sword used by ancient Chinese warriors—broad and heavy. Yet, in the hands of this over two-meter-tall puppet, it swung it up and down, creating gusts of wind!
The metal doll was enveloped in a strange light, as if it were a lamp that emitted light naturally when lit.
Old Takeuchi's katana had already clashed several times with the giant sword in the metal puppet's hand. Each time they clashed, Old Takeuchi let out a sharp cry, but was forced to retreat. His movements were far more agile than the puppet's. His feet moved nimbly, circling the puppet and attacking relentlessly, his katana flashing across its body repeatedly.
But all that could be heard was clanging and a series of sparks flying. The doll was not only not injured, but Old Takeuchi couldn't even scrape off a single metal shaving from it!
Chen Xiao had just leaped onto the platform when he saw Old Takeuchi retreat a few steps. The old man suddenly gripped his sword with both hands, then roared at the metal dummy wielding the giant sword in front of him. He brought his katana down fiercely! A dazzling light instantly erupted from the blade. Immediately, dozens of sword energies burst forth, sweeping away like a storm!
Chen Xiao immediately recognized it as the Shangchen family's killing move: True Nine Dragons Flash!
When Takeuchi unleashed this move, its power was indeed terrifying!
Dozens of sword energies rushed forward like a group of dragons, violently crashing into the puppet. Immediately, countless sharp sounds were heard, like metal colliding and scraping against each other. The puppet was hit head-on by so many sword energies and finally staggered back a few steps before flying away.
Then the sword energy spread in all directions, instantly tearing the trees within a short distance into pieces! Those thick, large trees were easily snapped into several pieces under the sweep of the sword energy!
After unleashing his ultimate move, Takeuchi's momentum weakened considerably, and he took a half-step back to recover his energy.
But immediately a cracking sound was heard, and the puppet that had been blasted away by the sword energy quickly stood up again. Dozens of shallow scratches appeared on its metal body, but it seemed that there was no real damage.
The puppet twisted its joints, then, still gripping the giant sword, strode towards old Takeuchi!
Old Takeuchi's face was somewhat grim. He took a deep breath, drew his sword, and was about to charge when he heard a voice beside him shout, "Get out of the way! I'll handle this!"
Upon hearing this sound, Old Takeuchi was immediately delighted. Then he saw Chen Xiao rushing over from behind, holding a section of tree trunk in his arms. The trunk was about the thickness of a person's waist and several meters long. Chen Xiao grabbed it, straightened his head, and slammed it hard into the puppet!
boom!!