When Lu Zhenghai arrived at Puyun Temple, he saw Princess Mingzhu's carriage and the guards surrounding the temple from afar.
However, Puyun Temple had not been cleared.
Lu Zhenghai let out a sigh of relief.
If Puyun Temple had been cleared due to Princess Mingzhu's arrival, preventing other worshippers from entering the temple.
Then it would be very difficult for him to become Princess Mingzhu's savior today.
Fortunately, Princess Mingzhu was, in a sense, relatively approachable.
Lu Zhenghai walked into Puyun Temple.
The first thing that came into view was a square, where a few worshippers were scattered about.
There were also two lotus ponds in the square.
Looking closely, copper coins and silver ingots were piled up inside the lotus ponds.
It seemed that the common people of the Great Yu Dynasty were no different from Earthlings; they also liked to find places to throw money whenever they visited a temple.
Past the square was the Great Hall of the Buddha.
Since Princess Mingzhu was praying for the Empress's blessing, she naturally had to go to the Great Hall of the Buddha to offer incense.
Just as Lu Zhenghai arrived in front of the Great Hall of the Buddha, he saw several guards and eunuchs standing watch at the entrance.
Princess Mingzhu only brought her personal Maidservants into the Great Hall of the Buddha.
The guards and eunuchs all stared warily at Lu Zhenghai.
A guard captain even said sternly, "Young Master, if you wish to offer incense to the Buddha, please wait a moment!"
Earlier, some other worshippers had wanted to enter the Great Hall of the Buddha, but they had all been stopped.
Although Princess Mingzhu had not cleared Puyun Temple due to her arrival.
She definitely would not allow others to enter and disturb her while she was offering incense.
After all, she would only be offering incense for a few minutes.
Lu Zhenghai remained silent.
He stood three or four meters in front of the Great Hall of the Buddha and looked inside.
First, he could see a huge gilded seated Buddha statue.
A woman dressed in a long red dress, whose graceful and noble aura could be felt even from her back, was praying with her hands clasped together.
Behind her were two pretty Maidservants.
To the side of the seated Buddha, there was also an old monk and several Little Novice Monks waiting respectfully.
The old monk should be Master Huiming, the abbot of Puyun Temple.
No matter how impressive a Buddhist temple was, it could not transcend worldly affairs in the face of imperial power.
With Princess Mingzhu arriving, Master Huiming, as the abbot, certainly had to come and pay his respects personally.
Lu Zhenghai immediately looked at the four Little Novice Monks behind Master Huiming.
Obviously, the Little Novice Monk who was going to assassinate Princess Mingzhu was one of these four.
What a pity.
Within the Great Yu Dynasty, unless a Martial Artist actively released their Qi.
Otherwise, it was difficult for others to determine the Martial Dao Realm of this Martial Artist.
It was even difficult to determine whether this Martial Artist truly cultivated martial arts.
Therefore, Lu Zhenghai glanced at the four Little Novice Monks but had no idea who the assassin was.
"What are you staring at?"
At this moment, a eunuch guarding the entrance questioned him, feeling that Lu Zhenghai was acting suspiciously.
"Don't be nervous, I am merely an admirer. I have long heard that Princess Mingzhu possesses stunning, peerless beauty, so..."
Lu Zhenghai had no choice but to make up an excuse.
Otherwise, the guards and eunuchs might treat him as someone with malicious intent or even an assassin.
The reason Lu Zhenghai chose this excuse of being an admirer was because it was the most suitable.
After all, rumors claimed that the talented young men who admired Princess Mingzhu throughout the imperial city could line up from the South Gate to the North Gate.
Being one of the twin beauties of the imperial city meant her prestige was no joke.
"Hurry up and scram!" the eunuch snorted.
Lu Zhenghai ignored the man. He thought that if he wanted to save someone, the precondition was that he had to get close to Princess Mingzhu.
He certainly couldn't enter the Great Hall of the Buddha now, but he could cause a commotion and lure Princess Mingzhu out.
Lu Zhenghai was going all out and immediately shouted loudly, "Besides being an admirer of Princess Mingzhu, I am also a fortune teller! I can tell Princess Mingzhu's fortune for free, and I guarantee it..."
"Captain Yang, drive this man out of the temple!" The eunuch glared fiercely at Lu Zhenghai, then turned to look at the guard captain, Yang Xingguang.
Yang Xingguang was a young man in his thirties or forties, only at the Innate Realm Ninth Layer.
Why could someone of this Realm protect the Princess?
Because the guards' main role was more about driving away those who got too close or running errands... As for the person truly protecting Princess Mingzhu's personal safety, it was the Guardian Wet Nurse hidden by her side, just like Aunt Yan was to Pei Muwan.
Yang Xingguang and about ten other guards immediately formed a line, raising their long spears and closing in on Lu Zhenghai: "Hurry up and scram!"
The long spears were sharp and pointed, looking somewhat frightening.
But in reality, it was just deterrence; the spears would never actually stab Lu Zhenghai.
The Princess was here today to pray for blessings, so blood should not be spilled lightly.
Seeing this scene, Lu Zhenghai knew his chance had come and shouted even louder: "Princess Mingzhu, your guards are going to kill someone! Everyone come and see! I am just a fortune teller who knows divination, why resort to this?!"
Lu Zhenghai, this trouble maker, roared so loudly it sounded like a shout.
Yang Xingguang's face turned black.
The eunuchs were even more furious: "Captain Yang, why aren't you arresting this man immediately? Can you or I bear the consequences of disturbing the Princess's prayer and incense offering?"
Yang Xingguang hesitated. Just then, "What is happening?" Princess Mingzhu had already been disturbed.
She walked out of the Great Hall of the Buddha, a hint of anger appearing on her exquisite face.
Lu Zhenghai admitted he was stunned.
What an incredible face, an absolute visual assault!
Princess Mingzhu's appearance felt like an enhanced version of the Queen of Women's Kingdom.
But she was more refined and noble than the Queen of Women's Kingdom, possessing a naturally stunning elegance in every movement.
Four words popped into Lu Zhenghai's mind: Lofty Mountain Flower!
"I always wondered how someone could be equally famous as Mu Wan when she is already so beautiful?"
Indeed, fame rarely comes without merit.
If Pei Muwan possessed the beauty of a sickly Xizi, overflowing with scholarly refinement, cold and distant like the Fairy of the Moon Palace.
Then Princess Mingzhu possessed the beauty of an Empress reincarnated, like Wu Zhao ruling the world—incredibly noble, full of impact, and a human peony.
One strong, one soft; neither was superior, both were top-tier.
While Lu Zhenghai was staring at Princess Mingzhu, the eunuch had already reported Lu Zhenghai's suspicious behavior and loud shouting to her.
At the same time, Master Huiming also led the four Little Novice Monks out of the Great Hall of the Buddha.
"You can tell fortunes?" Princess Mingzhu looked at Lu Zhenghai and spoke lightly.
Lu Zhenghai: "Princess Mingzhu, you will suffer a bloody calamity today."
It was a very old cliché, but this line always worked well.
Instantly, the eunuchs, guards, and even the Maidservants glared angrily, loudly reprimanding Lu Zhenghai for his insolence.
However, one of the four Little Novice Monks following Master Huiming finally showed a slight flicker of expression.
Lu Zhenghai smiled, finally knowing who the assassin was.
"Spouting nonsense in front of this Princess could get someone killed. I presume you know that this Princess does not have a good temper." Princess Mingzhu was slightly impatient, having been disturbed during her prayer and incense offering.
At this moment.
The assassin disguised as a Little Novice Monk silently took steps, approaching Princess Mingzhu.
He felt Lu Zhenghai knew something, and he thought if he didn't act now, it would be too late.
Because he was a Little Novice Monk following Master Huiming, everyone was relaxed around him.
Even when he inexplicably started walking towards Princess Mingzhu, no one stopped him.
Everyone assumed the Little Novice Monk was acting under Master Huiming's instruction to approach Your Highness and convey some message or information.
"Muxin, what are you doing?" It was Master Huiming who felt something was amiss.
However, the moment Master Huiming spoke, Muxin, the Little Novice Monk who was only three or four meters away from Princess Mingzhu, had already made his move.
It was a small, delicate crossbow, only the size of a palm, hidden beneath the Little Novice Monk Muxin's sleeve. He suddenly pulled the firing mechanism of the crossbow.
"Whoosh!"
A poisonous arrow, like a black dot, shot out without warning or sign.
None of the guards like Yang Xingguang, nor Princess Mingzhu, who was a Grandmaster Realm expert, nor the Guardian Wet Nurse hidden in the shadows, whose strength reached the Grandmaster Realm Ninth Layer, managed to react.
After all, the Little Novice Monk Muxin was very close to Princess Mingzhu, and when he acted, the crossbow was hidden in his sleeve.
What was even more crucial was that he himself emitted no Martial Dao Qi fluctuations; he was truly just an ordinary person, and his identity as a Little Novice Monk maximized his cover.
Only Lu Zhenghai!
He had been prepared long ago, his eyes fixed intently on the Little Novice Monk Muxin.
The moment the other party pulled the crossbow mechanism, a slight tremor in his sleeve was captured by Lu Zhenghai.
Thus, Lu Zhenghai immediately released the One Sword Flying Immortal he had prepared, locking onto the arrow.
"Clang!"
Just as the arrow reached Princess Mingzhu's eyes, only about a foot away from hitting her, the arrow was severed by the blade light of One Sword Flying Immortal.
Princess Mingzhu was narrowly saved!
Only at this moment did the Guardian Wet Nurse hidden in the shadows react, immediately using her Great Grandmaster Realm Qi to suppress the Little Novice Monk Muxin.
The Little Novice Monk Muxin's face turned pale, and he collapsed to the ground, nearly fainting.
Subsequently, Yang Xingguang and the others rushed forward like madmen, pinning him firmly to the ground.
The Little Novice Monk Muxin had already bitten down on the poison hidden in his mouth, and he died amidst convulsions.
Qiu Hen and Summer Lotus, the two Maidservants, only now began trembling and shielded Princess Mingzhu behind them.
Princess Mingzhu herself, however, merely had a slightly pale, exquisite face.
She gave a deep look at the deceased Little Novice Monk Muxin, and ignored Master Huiming, who was kneeling and kowtowing in terror.
Instead, she looked at Lu Zhenghai: "How did you know there was an assassin?"