The whole family was brutally murdered? The ruthless heiress's eldest daughter went berserk aft

"A-Ce's martial arts are not bad." The Crown Prince raised his cup, a slight sneer on his lips. "However, I'm more curious about the Holy Maiden's skills. After all, we are quite curious about her absence from Nanzhao for so many years."

He deliberately dragged out his words, his tone clearly provocative.

Ning Feng remained seated, a faint smile still on her face. Just then, Xiao Cui suddenly stepped forward, her clear voice echoing in the hall:

"Want to witness the Holy Maiden's martial arts? You'll have to get past me first." Her gaze swept across the entire audience like lightning. "Anyone here dares to step forward?"

"How dare you!" roared a guard beside the crown prince. "How dare a mere maidservant be so arrogant!"

Zhao Wuji, however, looked at Xiao Cui with great interest, then suddenly burst into laughter: "Interesting, truly interesting. A little girl like you, yet you have quite the nerve!"

"General," Yu Zhan whispered, "should we have this humble general...?"

“No need.” Zhao Wuji raised his hand to stop him, then turned and instructed, “Li Zhen, go and meet this young lady. It seems the Holy Maiden is indeed surrounded by capable people.”

The last sentence was clearly pointed. Ning Feng narrowed her eyes slightly; it seemed that this General Zhennan had long suspected her background.

When Li Zhen stood up, he created a gust of wind. He was burly and imposing, and the iron rod in his hand remained perfectly still, clearly demonstrating his profound internal strength.

“Girl,” Li Zhen said coldly, “since you’ve chosen to die, don’t blame me for not showing any mercy.”

Xiao Cui laughed: "Tenderly pity a beautiful woman? You're not worthy."

"Arrogant!" Li Zhen roared, sweeping his iron rod across the ground.

Before the stick even touched the ground, the sound of the wind was already there. Just as the iron rod was about to strike Xiao Cui, she nimbly turned and dodged it like a willow catkin.

"This..." A glint flashed in Zhao Wuji's eyes, "Such a bizarre movement technique."

"General, you have a good eye." Ning Feng took a sip of tea, her tone calm.

The battle intensified. Li Zhen launched a series of attacks, his staff flashing in a blur, yet he always missed Xiao Cui by a hair's breadth. Xiao Cui, on the other hand, moved with elegance in every gesture, as if she were gracefully dancing.

"This girl," the Crown Prince gritted his teeth, "is clearly toying with Li Zhen!"

"Why is Your Highness angry?" Ning Feng smiled calmly. "It's just a competition to add to the fun."

Li Zhen realized he had been tricked, roared, and brought the iron rod down on his head with the force of splitting a mountain. He used all his strength in this blow, and even the ground trembled slightly.

However, Xiao Cui remained calm and composed. With a light wave of her right hand, a white shadow flashed past. Li Zhen felt a numbness in his wrist, and the iron rod flew out of his hand.

Immediately afterward, Xiao Cui flashed forward, closing in on him. Her moves were unpredictable and ever-changing, sometimes as gentle as flowing water, sometimes as swift as lightning. Li Zhen reacted hastily, feeling that his opponent was everywhere, yet also seemingly nowhere at all.

"boom!"

Li Zhen crashed heavily to the ground, a sharp pain shooting through his chest. He stared wide-eyed at Xiao Cui, his face filled with disbelief: "You...who exactly are you?"

The banquet was completely silent. Even the Crown Prince was stunned, his face turning ashen. He had originally intended to humiliate Ning Feng, but unexpectedly, he had given her the opportunity to show off her power.

"Excellent!" Zhao Wuji suddenly burst into laughter, "The Primordial Beginning's 'Phantom Hand'! It truly broadens my horizons!"

"General, you flatter me." Ning Feng rose and raised her cup. "My girl has only been learning her skills at Taichu for a short time, and has only scratched the surface. Please forgive my blunder today."

Zhao Wuji and Ning Feng locked eyes, both seeing a deeper meaning in each other's gazes. This contest had long since transcended a simple competition of martial arts skills.

"Holy Maiden, you jest," Zhao Wuji said meaningfully. "Your movement technique alone is already top-notch. No wonder you've been able to maintain your position in the Primordial Beginning for so many years without being exposed."

The prince gripped his wine cup tightly, his knuckles turning white. In this round, he had lost completely.

"Gentlemen," Ning Feng raised her cup, glancing around at the surroundings, her gaze lightly sweeping across the Crown Prince's face, "today is the General's birthday; our main focus should be on drinking."

Amidst the clinking of glasses, the guests' gazes towards Ning Feng had changed. This mysterious saintess was far more unfathomable than they had imagined.

"Having met you today, the Holy Maiden is indeed extraordinary." As he saw the guests off, Zhao Wuji deliberately lagged behind and whispered, "Would the Holy Maiden wish to speak with me alone?"

Ning Feng smiled slightly: "General, please."

The two arrived at the pavilion in the backyard. Night had fallen, and the faint croaking of frogs could be heard in the distance.

"The Holy Maiden has spent many years in the Primordial Era; she must be well-versed in political maneuvering," Zhao Wuji said, cutting to the chase. "What are your plans upon returning to court today?"

"Is the general testing this holy maiden?" Ning Feng chuckled.

Zhao Wuji pondered for a moment: "I won't beat around the bush. The Crown Prince has already sent someone to see me, hoping I can..."

"Stand on his side?" Ning Feng continued, "So, the general set up this competition today to see if this Holy Maiden is heavy enough?"

"The Holy Maiden is indeed wise," Zhao Wuji said solemnly. "However, there is one point I must make clear. The Holy Maiden should not even think about the throne."

"General, you are overthinking it." Ning Feng waved her hand. "This Holy Maiden's return to the court is merely to fulfill her duty as a Holy Maiden."

As she spoke, she took out a brocade box from her sleeve: "I've heard that the General loves swords; please accept this 'Frost' sword."

Zhao Wuji opened the brocade box and saw a long sword lying quietly inside, its blade gleaming with a faint, cold light. He gently drew a section out; the blade was sharp and exuded a chilling aura.

"This sword..."

"This sword is one of the three great divine weapons of the Primordial Era," Ning Feng said meaningfully. "However, compared to this sword, this holy maiden has something even more important to share with the general."

"Oh?" Zhao Wuji raised an eyebrow.

"The current emperor of Nanzhao..." Ning Feng lowered her voice, "Don't you think he's been a bit... muddled lately, General?"

Zhao Wuji's expression hardened. These words carried immense weight.

"What the saint means is..."

“This holy maiden has her own plans.” Ning Feng rose. “General, just remember: those who obey me prosper, those who defy me perish.”

"What a magnificent spirit, Holy Maiden!" Zhao Wuji laughed. "I'll take note."

Under the moonlight, Ning Feng's carriage slowly drove out of the General's Mansion. Zhao Wuji stood in front of the gate, watching her depart.

"General," Yu Zhan asked in a low voice, "this person, the Holy Maiden..."

"It's unfathomable," Zhao Wuji said, stroking the brocade box. "I'm afraid the Nanzhao Kingdom is about to undergo a major upheaval."

Inside the carriage, Xiao Cui couldn't help but ask, "Holy Maiden, will Zhao Wuji truly trust us?"

"Whether he believes me or not is irrelevant," Ning Feng said, gazing at the moonlight outside the window. "The important thing is to make him wary. Today's battle should have made him realize that I, the Holy Maiden, am not someone he can easily defeat."

"What about the Crown Prince..."

"He's nothing but a clown," Ning Feng sneered. "The real opponent is still lurking in the shadows."

The carriage disappeared into the night, and the lights in the general's mansion gradually went out.