The Ming Dynasty: The most ruthless imperial grandson, Old Zhu begged me not to kill him.

What exactly is Chapter 776 plotting?
The golden palm print roared out again, colliding with the black palm print!
"boom!"

A deafening roar shook the entire imperial study!

A powerful shockwave swept out, destroying everything around it!

Zhu Xiong Ying and the old man were both sent flying backwards, crashing heavily to the ground!

"Pfft..." Zhu Xiong Ying spat out a mouthful of blood, his face as pale as paper!
He felt as if his internal organs had shifted, and he was in excruciating pain all over his body!
"Your Majesty!" the guards exclaimed, rushing forward to help Zhu Xiong Ying up!
"Cough cough..." Zhu Xiong Ying struggled to stand up, looking at the old man not far away, her eyes filled with resentment!
He never expected that he would be defeated by a charlatan!
The old man struggled to his feet, his body bearing several wounds, and his breathing becoming erratic.

It seems he was seriously injured by that attack just now!

"Young man, you are very strong!" The old man looked at Zhu Xiong Ying with admiration in his eyes. "However, you have ultimately lost!"

Zhu Xiong Ying snorted coldly, "Victory and defeat are common occurrences in war, why would I be afraid of you?"

"Hahaha..." the old man laughed wildly, "Boy, you're arrogant! But I like it!"

After saying that, the old man suddenly took out a black pill from his pocket and handed it to Zhu Xiong Ying, "Boy, this pill can help you recover from your injuries, would you like to try it?"

Zhu Xiong Ying looked at the pills in the old man's hand, her eyes filled with wariness. "What do you mean by this?"

The old man chuckled, "It's nothing, I just wanted you to recover from your injuries so we could have another fight!"

Zhu Xiong Ying looked at the old man, her heart filled with doubt.

Who is this old man?

Why did he do that?
Could it be that he really just wanted to have a good fight with himself?
Zhu Xiong Ying couldn't understand it, but he knew he couldn't easily trust this old man!
"I don't need your elixirs!" Zhu Xiong Ying said coldly. "I will take care of my injuries myself!"

The old man, upon hearing this, wasn't angry. He simply put the pill away, then looked at Zhu Xiong Ying with a half-smile and said, "Boy, you're very cautious, but you missed your chance."
An opportunity to become stronger!

The old man's eerie smile set off alarm bells in Zhu Xiong Ying's mind. He sneered, "I am the Son of Heaven, how could mere elixirs possibly catch my eye? I appreciate your kindness!"

The old man wasn't annoyed. He put away the pill and clicked his tongue in amazement: "Your Majesty is indeed Your Majesty. I admire your magnanimity! It's just a pity about this 'Black Jade Broken Heart Ointment.' Once it's gone, it will be hard to find again."

"Black Jade Healing Ointment?" Zhu Xiong Ying's heart skipped a beat. He had heard of this name before; it was a legendary healing medicine in the martial arts world, said to have the power to revive the dead and heal bones. Could it be that this old man wasn't a charlatan, but truly possessed extraordinary skills?

He squinted, scrutinizing the old man, his mind racing. Seeing his expression soften, the old man smiled and said, "If Your Majesty doesn't believe me, I can demonstrate right here." With that, he drew his dagger and slashed a deep wound on his arm, from which blood immediately gushed out.

Zhu Xiong Ying and the guards were all taken aback. Had this old man gone mad?

The old man calmly took out the black pill from his pocket, crushed it, and applied it to the wound. In just a moment, the wound healed at a speed visible to the naked eye, leaving only a shallow scar.

Zhu Xiong Ying was shocked. The Black Jade Rejuvenating Ointment was indeed as good as its reputation! He was even more suspicious of the old man's identity. How could a charlatan have such a precious pill?

"Well? Does Your Majesty trust me now?" The old man looked at Zhu Xiong Ying with a half-smile.

Zhu Xiong Ying pondered for a moment and said, "I will trust you this once. Tell me, who exactly are you? What is your purpose in approaching me?"

The old man laughed heartily, cupped his hands, and said, "My name is Zhang Sanfeng, also known as Zhang Zhenren in the martial arts world. I have long admired Your Majesty's reputation and have come today to exchange skills." "Zhang Sanfeng?" Zhu Xiong Ying was shocked. This name was familiar to him. He was the legendary founder of the Wudang School.
"So it's Master Zhang, my apologies for not recognizing you sooner." Zhu Xiong Ying quickly returned the greeting, but inwardly he became even more wary. What was Zhang Sanfeng's purpose in suddenly appearing in the palace?
Zhang Sanfeng seemed to see through Zhu Xiong Ying's doubts and said with a smile, "Your Majesty need not worry. I have no ill intentions. I have just admired Your Majesty for a long time and have come to learn a few moves from you."

"Want to learn a few moves?" Zhu Xiong Ying sneered. "I suspect you have ulterior motives."

Zhang Sanfeng did not deny it, and said frankly, "I do have a request to make."

"Oh? Tell me."

"I would like to request Your Majesty to grant me this marriage."

"An imperial marriage?" Zhu Xiong Ying was taken aback. "To whom will the marriage be bestowed?"

“My grand-disciple, Song Qingshu.”

“Song Qingshu?” Zhu Xiong Ying frowned; he seemed to have heard the name somewhere before.

“Indeed.” Zhang Sanfeng stroked his beard and said with a smile, “My grand-disciple is handsome and skilled in martial arts. He and His Majesty’s granddaughter, Princess Anqing, are a match made in heaven.”

Zhu Xiong Ying then remembered that Song Qing Shu was the son of Song Yuan Qiao, one of the Seven Heroes of Wudang, and a well-known young talent in the martial arts world.

He sneered inwardly. Zhang Sanfeng had a good plan; he wanted to win over the royal family through a marriage alliance.

“Master Zhang, how can you bestow a marriage upon my granddaughter as you please?” Zhu Xiong’s tone was icy. “If you have come here only for this matter, then I am afraid I cannot agree.”

Zhang Sanfeng was not annoyed and said with a smile, "Why is Your Majesty in such a hurry to refuse? My grand-disciple is no ordinary person. He is not only highly skilled in martial arts, but also proficient in medicine, and even knows some esoteric arts. If Your Majesty can betroth Princess Anqing to him, he will surely make a contribution to the Ming Dynasty."

Zhu Xiong Ying's heart stirred; what Zhang Sanfeng said wasn't untrue. If Song Qing Shu truly possessed such talent, then it would indeed be a good marriage.

However, he felt something was amiss. Zhang Sanfeng's sudden appearance and his demand were simply too strange.

"Master Zhang, this matter is of great importance, and I need to consider it carefully," Zhu Xiong Ying said in a deep voice. "You should go back first, and I will give you an answer after I have thought it through."

Zhang Sanfeng didn't insist, and cupped his hands, saying, "Then I will await good news." With that, he turned and left, his figure quickly disappearing into the night.

Zhu Xiong Ying stared in the direction Zhang Sanfeng had left, his eyes filled with doubt. He had a feeling that this matter was not so simple.

At this moment, a bodyguard stepped forward and whispered, "Your Majesty, should we send someone to follow him?"

Zhu Xiong Ying shook his head and said, "No need. I want to see what tricks he's up to."

Inside the imperial study, Zhu Xiong Ying sat alone on the dragon throne, lost in thought.

Zhang Sanfeng's appearance made him feel uneasy.

He had a feeling that something was about to happen...

(End of this chapter)