Did the Seventh Prince attend court today?

Not only the eldest prince, but even the struggling and crying Meng Shi was stunned.

Before they could react, Youlu snatched a lantern from a guard and ran toward the courtyard where Meng lived.

The eldest prince snapped out of his daze, his face pale, and shouted, "Stop him!"

The guards immediately gave chase.

Hurried footsteps sounded behind him. Knowing he couldn't outrun the well-trained guards, Youlu turned around and said in a deep voice, "You are the guards of the Duke of Zhenguo. You should know who you are supposed to protect. The mountain is about to collapse, and the village entrance is not safe either. What you should do now is take the eldest prince to a safe zone immediately!"

The guards exchanged glances, and one of them said, "But the Duke of Zhenguo instructed us to put the Seventh Prince first."

"Since you prioritize me, then you should obey my orders!" Youlu shouted sternly. "Right now, immediately, take the eldest prince across the river!"

"But……"

The guards tried to argue, but Lu coldly surveyed them, turned and ran, leaving behind the words, "You, and those hiding in the shadows, all of you, get to the other side of the river! Anyone who dares to follow and cause trouble will be in big trouble!"

The hidden guards were taken aback. When had the Seventh Prince discovered them? After hesitating for a moment, the guards obediently retreated to the other side of the river.

The guards dared not follow any further; they exchanged a glance, then turned and quickly returned.

The rain obscured his vision, and the eldest prince couldn't see what was happening ahead, but when he saw a lamp pause for a moment before continuing to run into the village, he knew that the guards hadn't stopped him.

His heart tightened, and he instinctively wanted to chase after him.

Xu Ruohuai and Gu Cheng stopped them, advising, "Your Highness, you mustn't! Danger could strike at any moment in the village; you can't go any further!"

"But Seventh Brother is still inside!" The eldest prince struggled desperately.

He looked gentle and refined, but he was surprisingly strong. Xu Ruohuai and Gu Cheng almost couldn't hold him back.

Xu Ruohuai used every ounce of strength he had, dragging his leg and shouting, "No! Xiaolu said you can't go in!"

Gu Cheng's face flushed red. Seeing the guards return, he immediately said, "Quickly stop the First Prince!"

As the three struggled, several more bolts of lightning flashed, one of which struck the mountainside with a loud bang.

Everyone was shocked, and their legs trembled uncontrollably.

This is humanity's innate fear of the forces of nature.

The guards who returned were alarmed and dared not delay any longer. They clasped their hands and said, "Your Highness, we apologize. The Seventh Prince has instructed us to escort Your Highness across the river."

After saying that, the four of them lifted the eldest prince and walked towards the bridgehead.

The eldest prince, his eyes bloodshot, struggled and twisted violently, shouting, "Let me go! My seventh brother is still inside! My brother is still inside! I won't leave!"

Unfortunately, the guards simply wouldn't obey his orders.

He looked to Xu Ruohuai pleadingly, "Lord Xu, please stop Seventh Brother! Hurry!"

Xu Ruohuai did not move.

He was on Youlu's side from the start, so naturally he wouldn't go against Youlu's wishes. Although he felt a little uneasy, he still chose to believe in Youlu.

Gu Cheng didn't move either, because this was exactly what he wanted to see happen.

Seeing that they remained unmoved, the eldest prince cried out in desperation, "I'm not going to retrieve the memorial tablet! Seventh brother, come back! Come back!"

However, he could only watch the light in the rain recede into the distance, and his shouts were quickly drowned out by the sound of the rain.

Meng stopped making a scene. She lowered her head slightly and followed the group closely, her eyes gleaming with triumph and anticipation for a wealthy future.

Amidst the prince's desperate cries, the group quickly reached the other side of the river.

Almost as soon as they stepped off the bridge, a deafening clap of thunder exploded overhead, and streaks of lightning snaked across the night sky, illuminating their terrified faces.

"Crack!"

Another loud bang, lightning struck the mountainside, sending sparks flying. As the lightning faded, a muffled thud echoed from afar, followed by a rustling sound, then a booming roar, mixed with crackling explosions, as it approached.

The sound was louder than thunder, making people's eardrums hurt.

When the lightning illuminated the night sky again, everyone could clearly see countless dark figures tumbling down the mountainside, plummeting rapidly, leaving trails of dust in their wake.

Someone exclaimed, "The mountain was struck by lightning and collapsed!"

The eldest prince felt as if he had been hit over the head with a club, and was dizzy and disoriented.

The color drained from his face instantly. He staggered forward a couple of steps, muttering in disbelief, "No, Seventh Brother won't be in trouble, he won't..."

The next second, he suddenly sprang up, broke free from the guards' restraints, and rushed onto the bridge.

The guards reacted swiftly, restraining him again and sternly admonishing him, "Your Highness, do not act impulsively. It's too late for you to go now!"

"No! Let me go! I need to save my seventh brother! Let me go! I need to save my brother!"

The eldest prince struggled and roared, tears streaming down his face. His clothes were torn in the struggle, and his crown fell to the ground and broke in two. His disheveled appearance made him look like a madman, and his heart-wrenching screams brought tears to the eyes of a group of tough guards.

Gu Cheng saw this and felt a pang of envy.

Once upon a time, he and Gu Zheng were brothers, inseparable and loving. Unfortunately, because of a woman, they were estranged. Now, let alone thinking of each other, it would be considered merciful if they didn't stab each other in the back.

Xu Ruohuai stared intently at the village across the way, silently praying, "Little Deer, you must be safe and sound! Otherwise, I'll have no choice but to atone with my death!"

The roads were slippery from the rain, and the village was full of puddles. A deer trudged through the water with difficulty, finally reaching the Meng family's small courtyard. Just as he found the ancestral tablet inside the house, a continuous rumbling sound erupted overhead. His face changed, and he shouted, "Pixiu!"

【It's here!】

The Pixiu following closely behind him roared loudly, and its round body instantly swelled up, transforming from an adorable little beast into a powerful and robust giant.

It had a broad forehead, piercing eyes, and a mane that rustled like flames. Its body was covered with fine, bluish-gold scales, and its long, bushy tail curled into a powerful arc, with a few wisps of hair at the tip moving swiftly even without wind.

The Pixiu, now in its original form, roared to the sky, its entire body gleaming with a golden luster, exuding an awe-inspiring majesty.

The roar grew closer and closer. At the critical moment, it snatched a deer in its mouth, spread its wings and broke through the roof. Stepping on the rolling pebbles, it soared into the air and leaped to the top of the mountain in a few bounds.

With a deafening roar, the tumbling boulder smashed the house to pieces, and the impact shook the surrounding area.

The surging boulders, like a torrent, did not stop after destroying the houses, but continued forward until they rolled into the river, splashing water several meters high.

In the blink of an eye, Xikou Village was razed to the ground.

The villagers on the other side of the river witnessed this catastrophic scene. No one was saddened by the destruction of their houses; all they felt was the joy of escaping death.

Fifteen minutes later, the world returned to calm.

The eldest prince's face turned ashen, and he collapsed, his strength gone. Seeing that he had stopped struggling, the guards released him.

Losing his support, the eldest prince knelt on the ground, clutching his hair and sobbing.

The rain had subsided sometime earlier, falling softly and pattering, creating a mournful melody in the night.

"Whoa—"

A horse's neigh rang out, and a deep, cold voice pierced through the rain.

Where is he?