Volume One, Chapter 22: Sudden Turmoil at the Enclosure

The Mulan Hunting Grounds were vast and lush, stretching out in an endless expanse of greenery.

The autumn sky was as clear as washed sapphire. The blare of horns echoed through the mountains and forests, signaling the official start of the annual imperial autumn hunt. After Emperor Li Chengye delivered a passionate speech from the viewing platform, the princes and nobles surged forth like tigers released from their cages, galloping their horses into the expansive hunting grounds.

"Sixth Brother, having received the Emperor's gift of a prized steed and a divine bow today, you must show us something to marvel at!" The Second Prince, Li Zhan, spurred his horse to catch up. He rode alongside Li Xuan, his face wreathed in smiles, as if they were the closest of brothers.

"Second Brother, you jest. These are merely trivial skills to please His Majesty," Li Xuan laughed, appearing somewhat complacent and satisfied with himself.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, there is no need for such false modesty!" The First Prince, Li Yuan, also drew near. His tone was rough, yet carried an unmistakable edge of provocation. "A mule or a horse—it must be led out to be tested! Let us have a wager: whoever brings back the most game today wins, how about that?"

"Very well!" Li Xuan agreed instantly, a glimmer of youthful arrogance flashing in his eyes. "I just hope that when you and Second Brother lose, you won't refuse to honor the wager!"

With that, he dug his spurs into his horse’s flanks. His mount, the "Night-Shining Lion," was truly a magnificent beast; it transformed into a streak of white light, instantly charging deep into the dense forest and leaving the others far behind.

Watching his retreating back, Li Yuan spat in disdain: "An arrogant fool who knows not the height of the sky!"

Li Zhan, however, gazed into the depths of the forest, the smile at the corners of his mouth turning inscrutable. The fish had already swum impatiently into the net prepared for it.

On the viewing platform, the imperial consorts and noble ladies were chatting and laughing. Xiao Ning-shuang sat among them, her demeanor cold and aloof, standing in stark contrast to the surrounding clamor. As she watched the direction in which Li Xuan had vanished, her knuckles turned slightly white as she gripped her teacup.

Beside her, Consort De—the birth mother of the Second Prince—smiled with feigned concern: "Crown Princess, do not worry. His Highness the Crown Prince is blessed by heaven and will surely return with a full harvest."

Xiao Ning-shuang merely nodded faintly, saying nothing. Yet, this display of "anxiety" only served to solidify the impression of the Crown Prince’s recklessness and impulsiveness in the eyes of those who were watching.

Deep in the forest, Li Xuan galloped at high speed. While his movements appeared chaotic, every step he took was precisely aligned with the route Xiao Ning-shuang had planned for him the previous night. At times, he would draw his bow to shoot a running hare; at others, he would chase after a herd of startled elk, perfectly portraying the image of a "reckless crown prince" eager to show off.

Gradually, he penetrated deep into the heart of the forest. The guards around him had long since been left far behind, with only Jing Yun trailing close by like a phantom.

The timing was right.

Li Xuan reined in his horse, stopping before a mountain col under the guise of scouting the terrain. At that exact moment, a slight tremor rippled through the earth.

A deafening roar erupted from behind the nearby cliff, filled with violent, bloodthirsty intent.

It was here!

Li Xuan’s eyes sharpened. A black giant bear, far larger than any ordinary beast, charged out from behind the hill, its eyes blood-red and saliva dripping from its jaws. It gave off a pungent scent of herbs and blood—clearly the beast from Liu’er’s intelligence, its ferocity catalyzed by drugs.

Even worse, the moment the bear appeared, there was a thunderous crash. The path Li Xuan had taken was completely blocked by several massive boulders that had been pre-arranged to roll down.

A mad bear in front, no way back behind. A dead end!

The scouts belonging to the Second Prince, watching from the shadows, revealed cruel smiles. They could already envision the bloody scene of the Crown Prince being torn to shreds by the giant bear.

However, there was not a trace of panic on Li Xuan's face. He did not even reach for the Dragon-Tongue Bow bestowed by the Emperor. He dismounted, and instead of retreating, he took a step toward the charging beast.

"ROAR!"

The black bear, thoroughly enraged by this provocative action, rose onto its hind legs and let out a heaven-shaking roar. Its massive paw swung down toward Li Xuan's head, accompanied by a gust of foul wind.

At this critical moment, Li Xuan’s body sank suddenly, gathering his energy into his dantian. From his chest and abdomen came a strange, muffled sound, like the friction of sinew and bone, or the simultaneous roar of tigers and leopards!

"HAH!"

He opened his mouth, but instead of a sound, he expelled a visible wave of white air!

The Tiger-Leopard Thunder Sound!

This eerie sonic wave did not act upon the ears, but directly shook the soul!

The massive body of the charging black bear stiffened in mid-air. A flicker of confusion and pain crossed its red eyes, as if it had been struck in the head by an invisible heavy hammer. Its descending paw paused in mid-air.

Now!

Li Xuan moved. His figure was swift as lightning. Instead of meeting the giant bear head-on, he moved at an impossible angle, brushing past the edge of the bear’s paw to reach its flank.

He used neither fist nor palm, but fingers held like a sword. A wisp of nascent yet incredibly condensed internal energy swirled at his fingertips as he struck with pinpoint precision, piercing three inches under the bear’s armpit—the soft, virtually defenseless vital point!

One strike, then retreat! The entire process was fluid and fast beyond measure!

"THUD!"

The giant bear's massive body crashed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust. It didn't even have time to let out a wail before its life force rapidly ebbed away. In its red eyes, a glimmer of deep confusion remained. It could not understand how this small human before it could produce such a terrifying sound, or how a single strike could claim its life.

Li Xuan stood beside the fallen beast and brushed the nonexistent dust from his sleeves. His breathing was steady, as if he had performed nothing more than a trivial task.

Just then, the sound of rapid hoofbeats approached from a distance.

"Xuan’er!"

"Your Highness the Crown Prince!"

Emperor Li Chengye, surrounded by dukes, ministers, and the Imperial Guard, came riding into view. The Second Prince, Li Zhan, was among them. The "panic" and "worry" on his face had not yet faded, but the moment he saw the scene before him, his expression froze.

What was this?

There was no scene of the Crown Prince desperately calling for help, no gruesome sight of mangled flesh. There was only his "good" Sixth Brother, standing calmly beside the carcass of a giant beast, poised and imposing like a god.

How is this possible?!

A tempest raged within Li Zhan’s heart! He knew the ferocity of that black bear better than anyone! Let alone Li Xuan, even the top-tier generals in the army, unarmed, would have no chance of survival!

"Father!" Seeing the Emperor, Li Xuan immediately stepped forward to salute, his face wearing just the right amount of lingering fear and relief. "Your son saw signs that this fierce beast might harm people, and fearing it would disturb your imperial carriage, I dared to lure it here. The beast was too savage, and ordinary arrows would likely only have enraged it, leading to harm. In my urgency, I recalled a technique from an ancient text described as 'using sound to shatter resolve, and striking at the void.' I was fortunate to succeed, and it is a great relief that the beast did not disturb you, Father!"