Chapter 366: Chapter 366

The Four Exceptional Individuals of Wine, Sex, Wealth, and Power?

Fan Li was baffled, but he suspected nothing good could come of it. Shangguan Wan’er had just complimented his handsome features. Could he be the “Sex” she sought?

“Your Majesty, allow me to handle this,” Wang Ban said gravely.

“Be careful, Chancellor,” Fan Li replied, lowering his voice. “If you are no match for her, prioritize your own safety. If necessary… I will go with her.”

Wang Ban was taken aback. He had suspected he might not be Shangguan Wan’er’s equal and had even prepared himself for a suicidal last stand. He hadn't expected Fan Li to discern his lack of confidence from a single sentence.

The Emperor was willing to be taken captive to protect his minister?

“Remember my words, Chancellor. This is an imperial decree.” Unable to reveal the secret of his clones, Fan Li could only issue the command forcefully.

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Wang Ban reluctantly accepted the decree, his heart strangely calmed. In battle, a wavering mind was a fatal flaw.

Wang Ban strode from the Golden Luan Palace and addressed Shangguan Wan’er with a bow. “I am Wang Ban, Chancellor of Great Jin.”

“Oh?” Shangguan Wan’er smiled seductively. “If I defeat you, can I take your Emperor with me?”

Wang Ban remained silent, producing several small objects from his sleeve. A wooden dragon, a wooden tiger, and a wooden dog. Each was no larger than his palm, yet they seemed to possess immense weight.

“Mechanical arts?” Shangguan Wan’er’s knowledge was surprisingly extensive. A single glance was enough for her to recognize Wang Ban’s tools.

Three explosions rocked the palace. In the square outside, three colossal wooden figures now stood – a dragon, a tiger, and a dog. Each mechanical beast was the size of the palace itself!

“The Twelve Zodiacs Mechanical Formation. Dragon, Tiger, Dog, attack!”

At Wang Ban’s command, the three colossal figures sprang to life. The dragon soared through the clouds, the tiger chased the wind, and the dog burrowed into the earth, attacking Shangguan Wan’er from above, the front, and below.

“Impressive!” Shangguan Wan’er cried.

As her voice faded, the dragon, tiger, and dog struck simultaneously, targeting her head, torso, and legs. In an instant, her body was torn into three pieces! But in the next moment, the dismembered parts transformed into a shower of vibrant, shimmering peony petals.

A fragrant breeze swept through the square, carrying the peony petals aloft. They coalesced in midair, reforming into Shangguan Wan’er, unharmed.

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“Truly impressive. Your dragon, tiger, and dog correspond to the twelve Earthly Branches, imbued with the power of destiny and fortune?”

Wang Ban’s face darkened. He found little joy in being praised by his enemy. This woman’s strength and knowledge were astonishing. She had seen through his techniques with a single glance.

“Such a pity,” Shangguan Wan’er sighed, shaking her head. “Fortunately, you haven't assembled the complete set of twelve – Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. Otherwise, facing the full power of the twelve Earthly Branches, I would have no choice but to flee.”

Within the Golden Luan Palace, Fan Li sighed. It seemed a miracle was not to be. The complete Twelve Zodiacs Mechanical Formation might be enough to defeat Shangguan Wan’er. But with only three of the twelve figures present, the difference in power was too great.

The battle was short-lived. Within the time it took to brew a cup of tea, Wang Ban’s three mechanical beasts were destroyed and scattered across the palace square, each piece adorned with a few peony petals.

“You have lost.” Shangguan Wan’er stood with her arms crossed, while Wang Ban leaked from his nose and mouth and was gravely injured. He had followed Fan Li’s instructions and avoided a suicidal last stand.

“I will spare his life, but you must come with me.” Shangguan Wan’er addressed Fan Li directly.

Fan Li grimaced. Sacrificing a clone to save Wang Ban's life was a worthwhile trade. But he couldn't shake the feeling that being taken by Shangguan Wan’er would lead to something far worse than death.

His knowledge of history wasn't lacking. Several names immediately sprang to mind:

Zhang Changzong, Zhang Yizhi, Xue Huaiyi, Shen Nanqiu.

These men were the infamous consorts of Empress Wu Zetian. If he was to be Shangguan Wan’er’s “Sex,” he would rather die.

“Death is preferable.” He steeled himself for the worst, rising from the Dragon Throne and descending the steps.

“Your Majesty!” Hu Zongxian fell to his knees with bloodshot eyes.

His cultivation was even lower than Wang Ban’s. He was no match for Shangguan Wan’er. But to witness his Emperor being taken captive… it was a disgrace!

He wanted to fight, to sacrifice himself to buy time. If Wang Ban could recall his five thousand mechanical maidservants, surely they could overwhelm Shangguan Wan’er with sheer numbers?

“Do not be rash, my loyal subject.” Fan Li paused beside Hu Zongxian, leaning down to whisper something in his ear. The general looked at him in disbelief.

“I must go. Do not act rashly, any of you.” Fan Li’s voice was loud enough for Shangguan Wan’er to hear. Her smile was as radiant as a blooming peony.

Step by step, Fan Li approached Shangguan Wan’er.

Suddenly, a figure in green descended from the sky, blocking their path.

Shangguan Wan’er, recognizing the newcomer, gasped in delight. “Fortune smiles upon me today! To encounter both ‘Power’ and ‘Sex’ in a single day!”

The newcomer was none other than Qing Qiu.

Her expression was impassive, but her tail stood erect, its fur bristling.

“Come with me,” Shangguan Wan’er said with a smile. “The Great Zhou Celestial Empire will not treat you poorly.”

“Fight me first,” Qing Qiu replied simply. “If I win, Fan Li goes nowhere. If I lose, I will accompany him.”

With those words, they both ascended into the sky.

The palace square, though vast, was too small for their battle. Fan Li looked up, barely able to follow their movements as they clashed repeatedly in the air, each impact sending shockwaves that reverberated through his body. The thick cloud cover above was dispersed by their battle, revealing a vast expanse of clear blue sky.

The battle lasted for half an hour before one of them fell.

She crashed into the palace square, creating a deep crater.

“Qing Qiu! Are you alright?!” Fan Li cried.

A figure, covered in dust and dirt, crawled from the crater. It was Qing Qiu. She had never appeared so disheveled, so vulnerable. She stumbled towards Fan Li, her tail weakly wagging.

“I… I lost… But at least… I can accompany you…”

Before she could finish, she collapsed into Fan Li’s arms. He caught her, holding her close.

Shangguan Wan’er descended from the sky. Fan Li glared at her. She had dared to injure Qing Qiu!

Suddenly, Shangguan Wan’er coughed, spitting out a mouthful of blood. Her smile and elegant demeanor changed and her eyes were as venomous as a snake or scorpion.

“Come with me now. Or I will kill you all.”