The guard whose arm had been severed instantly turned pale. He no longer dared attack Jade, but spun around and ran back into the mansion.
Seeing this result, Evan Chu and Jade both smiled faintly. They knew that important figures from the City Lord's Mansion would soon appear—then it would truly be time to draw all eyes in Serene Nether City.
The other guards seemed stunned, none daring to attack the two. They’d never imagined anyone in Serene Nether City would be so bold—this was a true eye-opener.
Quite a few people worried for Evan Chu and Jade. To injure someone from the City Lord’s Mansion was to show utter disregard for King Victor Zhao; in a moment, blood might very well be spilled right here.
Evan Chu and Jade didn’t enter the mansion, instead retreating to the broad plaza outside the gate. The terrain here was much wider—if a fight broke out, it’d be a lot more convenient.
Soon, more than ten people emerged from the City Lord’s Mansion. Among them was a veiled young woman; when she reached the gate, the guards respectfully called out, “Princess!”
“Princess, those two reckless fools insisted on barging inside. We asked them for a token, but they refused and ended up seriously injuring us!” one guard pointed at Evan Chu and Jade, complaining.
Evan Chu scrutinized the young woman, knowing she was Princess Serene. Even through her veil, her beauty rivaled Lynn and Yvonne; dressed in a pale red gown, she looked even more stunning.
But he no longer cared about women like this. The trouble his many lovers brought was more than enough; honestly, if he wanted to win her over, it’d be easy. He just wasn’t interested anymore—maybe he was simply tired of it all.
As they sized each other up, the other side was also sizing them up. Evan Chu and Jade didn’t radiate dense Nether qi, but their cultivation realms were impossible to discern, making them seem extremely mysterious. And since Jade could sever a guard’s arm with a single sword, she clearly possessed Nether Emperor-level strength.
To reach the Nether Emperor realm at such a young age was incredibly rare in the Netherworld. Yet the two of them were total strangers here—none of the local powers had any information about them.
“Why did you injure my guards? If my City Lord’s Mansion was at fault, I’ll apologize. But if you were in the wrong, I expect an explanation. Otherwise, you’ll regret the consequences—the City Lord’s Mansion isn’t a place where just anyone can cause trouble.” Princess Serene spoke slowly.
Her voice was as melodious as an oriole’s song, gentle and sweet. Some of the young men in the crowd, besotted with her, grew even more excited, glaring at Evan Chu and Jade as if they were mortal enemies. A few even fantasized about killing them right in front of Princess Serene to win her favor.
But Evan Chu and Jade were far too powerful—no matter what those youths wanted, none had the guts to act. Even though Evan hadn’t made a move himself, there was no way he was any weaker than Jade.
Still, there are always a few brainless fools who love showing off. Out of the crowd popped a passably good-looking youth, also one of the tournament hopefuls—he figured this was the perfect chance to make a splash.
If he could win Princess Serene’s favor, maybe he’d have a shot at becoming her Royal Consort. Egged on by that thought, he stepped forward.
“You two really have guts, causing trouble at the City Lord’s Mansion! You must think nothing of our beautiful Princess Serene—she’s our goddess, and disrespecting her is provoking all of us. Today, I’ll rid the city of your menace!” the youth shouted.
He seemed to think his words would earn wild applause, or maybe even win Princess Serene’s heart. Fat chance!
Evan Chu glanced at the youth and said, “If you don’t want to die, get lost. I’ll give you three breaths—after that, you’re a dead man.”
His voice was ice-cold, like something crawling out of hell, sending chills through the crowd. But the youth thought Evan was joking. “Three breaths? Who do you think you are? In Serene Nether City, you’re not the one who gets to act tough!”
“Jade, kill that annoying fool. Just looking at him pisses me off,” Evan Chu said quietly.
Jade moved slightly; a flash of white light, and the youth collapsed to the ground, his body split cleanly in two. His eyes were wide with disbelief—he’d been slain in a single strike, his Nether infant destroyed.
To kill someone right in front of Princess Serene—in Serene Nether City, no one had ever dared be so arrogant. But today, two complete outsiders had done it.
“Outrageous! Killing someone in Serene Nether City, and right at the City Lord’s Mansion gate—neither of you will leave alive today!” the elder beside Princess Serene immediately shouted.
He lunged, slashing a thunderous palm at Jade. The attack was wreathed in wind and lightning—its power was obvious.
Evan Chu glanced at the elder’s cultivation—late-stage Immortal Emperor. In the City Lord’s Mansion, that meant he was a big deal, probably an elder or Protector.
But even with late-stage Immortal Emperor strength, Jade could handle him easily—maybe even kill him without much effort. When experts at that level fought, the destruction could flatten the whole mansion.
Of course, Jade had no intention of doing that. She dodged the elder’s attack with a flicker, then shot into the sky. “Old man, if you want to fight, do it up here. If the City Lord’s Mansion gets wrecked, don’t blame me for not warning you!”
Evan Chu followed her into the air, and Princess Serene’s group also rose skyward. The spectators on the ground didn’t dare follow; just as Evan Chu had said, Serene Nether City forbade flying at will.
The elder realized he’d been reckless, only thinking of killing them and forgetting the consequences. “Little girl, I didn’t expect you to care about our mansion’s buildings. For that, I’ll make sure you die with your body intact,” he said.
Evan Chu glanced at Princess Serene and said, “Princess Serene, we don’t want to make trouble for your mansion. I hope you won’t escalate things. It’s not that we’re afraid of you, but real casualties could do serious harm to your interests.”
Princess Serene looked at Evan Chu and replied, “The two of you are very mysterious. I’m genuinely curious—why don’t you tell me who you are and why you’re causing trouble at my City Lord’s Mansion?”
If you tell the truth, I might reconsider how to deal with you. Otherwise, you’ll have to leave your lives here. The rules of Serene Nether City cannot be broken, and the dignity of the City Lord’s Mansion must not be trampled…