Princess Hua Shao remained silent.

Admitting that acting alone here was too arrogant; in this perilous Ghost Territory, she could lose her life at any moment. She was still young and didn't want to die so soon.

She was waiting for Wang Xiaoqiang to nod first, so she could follow his lead and maintain her dignity.

However, Wang Xiaoqiang didn't agree, saying, "Senior Brother Fang, you overestimate me. To be honest, I'm not confident in this Ghost Territory either, let alone taking care of the princess."

Fang Qiu understood Wang Xiaoqiang's thoughts and said meaningfully, "Little Qiang, one must prioritize the bigger picture and have a sense of solidarity, avoiding individual heroism."

Seeing this, and noticing everyone watching him, Wang Xiaoqiang found it hard to refuse again, so he said, "Alright, I'll take care of the princess."

"I don't need your care. Do you think you're so great?!" Princess Hua Shao rebuked angrily.

"Senior Brother Fang, you heard it. The princess doesn't need my care." Wang Xiaoqiang spread his hands, showing a helpless expression.

"Hua Shao, stop being so headstrong. Now is not the time to be willful. You must team up with Wang Xiaoqiang, that's an order!" Fang Qiu commanded sternly.

Princess Hua Shao said nothing, neither agreeing nor refusing again.

Fang Qiu stopped the Golden Leaf Flying Boat and said to everyone, "Alright, we have penetrated deep into the Ghost Territory. Act separately to hunt down Ghost Cultivators… Safety first, remember!"

Everyone leapt off the flying boat, pairing up and setting out in different directions. Eventually, after the four teams had left, only Wang Xiaoqiang and Princess Hua Shao remained.

"Princess, let's go. For your safety, we must travel together." Wang Xiaoqiang nodded and led the way forward.

Princess Hua Shao followed reluctantly, trailing behind Wang Xiaoqiang.

The two maintained a distance of about thirty meters, creating an awkward atmosphere.

There wasn't much enmity between the two initially; in fact, Princess Hua Shao felt a slight affection for Wang Xiaoqiang. But when she saw his cocky demeanor, she couldn't help but feel annoyed, and Wang Xiaoqiang couldn't stand Princess Hua Shao's aloofness. Thus, tension persisted between them.

After walking approximately a hundred meters, suddenly...

Wang Xiaoqiang noticed a noise ahead, abruptly stopping, and Princess Hua Shao noticed a noise behind, stopping as well.

Thinking it was the Ghost Cultivators, they both vigilantly scanned their surroundings, releasing their Divine Senses for careful probing.

What they didn't expect was the discovery of a powerful Spiritual Energy Wave around them, with more than twenty sources. Judging by the wave's strength, these were over twenty Immortal Sage Level cultivators, not Ghost Cultivators.

As they observed, those cultivators revealed themselves—it was a group of assassins who had followed them from Lianyun. Seeing the ten students disembark and scatter, knowing the time was ripe, they emerged.

Twenty-eight figures converged from all directions, encircling the two of them.

Leading them was the head of the assassin group.

The head, with a sinister, pleased smile, said, "Wang Xiaoqiang, you escaped before, but not today. We followed you all the way here, didn't expect that, did you…"

Wang Xiaoqiang's expression changed upon realizing the situation, saying, "Are you people sent by Prince Ann?"

The head, confident that Wang Xiaoqiang's death was certain, didn't bother concealing, and directly said, "Correct. As long as you're alive, Prince Ann can't sleep peacefully!"

"You're truly bold, daring to harm even officials of the Imperial Court!" Princess Hua Shao stepped closer to Wang Xiaoqiang, glaring furiously at the head.

"No, Princess Hua Shao, you underestimate us. We dare not only harm Imperial officials but also kill the Empire's princess! Haha…" The head stared at Princess Hua Shao, his laugh particularly insidious, his eyes radiating brutal glitter.

"You... you dare!!?" Princess Hua Shao's heart skipped a beat, her expression changed dramatically.

"Dare we? Haha, she thinks we don't dare," The head laughed contently, glancing playfully at his underlings.

"Boss, the princess is of national beauty and heavenly fragrance, of extraordinary disposition, it'd be a pity if she dies without ever experiencing the love between man and woman. Perhaps we brothers could assist and spare her from dying before tasting such joys, hehe…"

The suggestive assassin ogled Princess Hua Shao's graceful figure with lustful eyes, swallowing secretly, rubbing his hands together.

Princess Hua Shao's heart tightened.

Instinctively, she moved closer to Wang Xiaoqiang, her body nearly touching his.

"Don't be afraid, I'm here!" Wang Xiaoqiang whispered in reassurance.

Princess Hua Shao was somewhat comforted by these words, but remembering that the over twenty people were of Immortal Sage Level, with the head at the Ninth Soldier Realm, the disparity in power left her with little hope or sense of security, sinking her back into despair and fear.

Even the head's gaze on Princess Hua Shao turned lecherous, "Hmm, you're right, Princess Hua Shao is unparalleled in beauty. Her noble status... If shared among brothers, what immense fortune and achievement would it be? Wherever we mention it, our brothers would surely be praised…"

"Haha, the boss is wise!"

"The boss is so talented. Haha..."

"The boss goes first, brothers queue behind."

The group of assassins laughed wickedly, eyes scanning Princess Hua Shao's alluring figure, their gazes blatantly lascivious.

Some were impatiently swallowing, rubbing their hands eagerly, reminiscent of an anxious monkey.

It's as if Wang Xiaoqiang were just air, as if the two of them were prey already within their grasp, free for them to toy with or kill as they pleased.

"If we cannot escape this fate, promise you'll kill me, preferably crush my body with a single blow. I can die, but I will not allow myself to be defiled by these madmen!" Princess Hua Shao declared resolutely, pale-faced, gritting her red lips as she spoke to Wang Xiaoqiang.

"Alright, I promise you, but we're not there yet. For your safety, I'll first put you into my Sumeru Ring. I hope you're not opposed to this idea," said Wang Xiaoqiang.

"Little Qiang, you… What about you? You can't handle them alone," Princess Hua Shao looked intensely at Wang Xiaoqiang, her eyes shimmering.

"Trust me, as long as you follow my lead, we can escape alive," Wang Xiaoqiang assured:

"But if you do as I say, there's a risk both of us might not survive. If I die first, you might face a miserable end, violated then killed,"

Princess Hua Shao was taken aback by his words. Her life was important but nowhere near as vital as her chastity. If her virtue was tarnished, these madmen would spread it worldwide.

A princess of the Empire defiled, equivalent to tarnishing the Imperial Household's honor, leaving the entire Imperial Clan unable to hold their heads high.

"Alright, I agree with you. If you cannot make it out safely, please destroy the ring and kill me," Princess Hua Shao said.

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