At this moment, the two of them suddenly realized that their speed had noticeably decreased!
Only then did they become aware that during their escape, they had consumed far too much chakra. Now, their reserves were severely depleted, and they couldn't perform at full strength. This situation was obviously extremely dangerous—after all, the terrifying swarm of locust-like monsters was still relentlessly pursuing them.
In such a critical moment, their speed had dropped—how could this possibly end well?
A fierce gleam flashed in the Third Prince's eyes. He gritted his teeth and barked, "Kill those wretched beasts immediately and let me escape!"
Hearing this, the guard stared at him in disbelief. Tears began to well in his eyes.
He never expected that after devoting his entire life to protecting the royal family, he would be so cruelly and heartlessly discarded by the prince.
The guard thought back to the other soldier who had perished just moments ago. He, too, had been cast aside without the slightest hint of respect or sympathy from the Third Prince. In the prince's eyes, they were no different from disposable dogs—kicked aside without a second thought.
Though it was their sworn duty to protect the royal heirs, the truth was they had always been the ones bearing the heaviest burdens. Yet in the prince's unforgiving gaze, they were expendable.
The guard turned around and fully released his chakra, erecting a wall of energy in midair.
The chakra wall effectively blocked the oncoming wave of insect monsters, giving the Third Prince just enough time to escape from the terrifying swarm.
The guard glanced back. A single tear slid down his cheek.
"Your Highness... please return safely to the palace. Your Majesty, this old servant has done his duty."
Then he roared in fury, "You creatures who seek my life will pay the price—come at me!"
He unleashed his full power, and his overwhelming chakra formed blade-like constructs in the air. These were even stronger than the techniques used by the previous guard.
He didn't know how many locust beasts he had slaughtered. He only knew that the more he killed, the weaker his chakra became. He was at his limit.
Sensing this, the swarm became even more frenzied. The air was thick with their feral rage as they surged toward him, burying the guard under a tidal wave of bodies.
Though he had been a powerful high-tier warrior in life, in this final moment, he was reduced to nothing more than brittle bones.
The Third Prince used this precious window to flee as far as he could. At last, he breathed a sigh of relief. He had escaped the nightmarish swarm.
But now he faced an even greater problem—he had left the shelter of the stone outcropping and needed to find another hiding spot. Where could he go next?
The prince looked up. The sky above was pitch black—no light, no hope.
The entire mountain range was now under the control of the locust swarm. Escape was impossible.
Realizing this filled him with despair.
The three royal heirs carefully made their way through the Giant Peak Mountain Range, slipping through dense forests with minimal movement.
Meanwhile, the prince kept all his chakra reined in, and even his breathing was hushed to near silence.
As time passed, they climbed over two mountain peaks and finally reached a narrow canyon.
There, they discovered a mysterious cave, hidden beneath a thick patch of wild grass!
The Third Prince's pupils constricted. The moment he saw the cave, his heart leapt with joy!
To him, this cave was a natural shelter. If he sealed it up properly, the accursed locust beasts would never get in.
"Hahaha, I won't die after all!"
Laughing madly, the prince quickly silenced himself, worried that the noise would draw the monsters.
He crept cautiously toward the cave, examining it carefully. It was pitch black inside—he couldn't see a thing.
He let chakra flow from his body, forming a protective barrier as he carefully entered.
Unbeknownst to him, deep within the cave, Senju Yukika sensed the unfamiliar presence right away.
Yukika had already explored much of the cave, but his spiritual pressure was still active, radiating outward from the entrance.
Now, the Third Prince was directly exposed to it.
The robed youth who had appeared earlier on the flying vessel had already identified himself to Yukika.
Yukika ignored the Third Prince and continued studying the stone walls.
He could tell that the prince was a high-level martial artist. Yet Takano Kumao had already reached this level half an hour ago.
In Yukika's eyes, Takano's understanding of Buddhist principles and martial skill made him even stronger than the prince.
So, Yukika saw no reason to be concerned.
Just as the prince entered the cave, his chakra scan revealed Takano Kumao sitting cross-legged within.
Startled by the sudden intrusion, Takano opened his eyes and looked at the prince curiously.
"Who are you?"
They both asked questions at the same time.
Takano then furrowed his brow and said coldly, "I found this place first. You barged in. Did you even ask for my permission?"
His tone was sharp and emotionless—it sounded all too familiar to the Third Prince.
The moment he heard it, he was stunned. That tone—wasn't that exactly how he usually spoke to his own subordinates?
Never had he imagined that someone in the Rakshasa Kingdom would dare speak to a royal like this!
His face went pale with rage. "Insolent! You're just some ordinary cultivator—do you even know who I am?!"
To him, Takano Kumao didn't appear to belong to any major sect. He looked young—probably just a rogue martial artist.
And so, disdain took root in the prince's heart.
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