The moment Ning Chen gave the order, the man with the face thick with meat said in a deep voice, "Loose!"

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!!!

The assassins on the second floor loosed at Ning Chen and the others, and the shriek of arrows echoed through the restaurant.

"Everyone, careful!"

Even as he called the warning, Ning Chen leaped straight down from the stairs.

By the time he landed, his sword had already gone through an assassin's neck.

Two long blades came slashing at him, wrapped in cold light.

Ning Chen slipped straight between the two men.

The two stumbled forward a few steps and pitched headfirst to the floor, each finished with a single thrust to the throat.

These men were no weaklings.

But Ning Chen was not what he had been... Even against Tantai Qingyue, the first in the martial arts, he could guarantee he wouldn't lose within fifty moves.

Clang, clang, clang!!!

Pan Yucheng drew his blade, cut down the arrows flying at him and charged straight up to the second floor.

Yuan Long and Lei An were right behind him.

Feng Qizheng blocked the arrows coming at him and leaped down from the stairs.

As he landed, he brought the rebar down with his full weight and smashed an assassin's head to pulp.

"Who are you people? How dare you try to assassinate the Prince Who Holds the Realm?"

Hua Linglong had drunk a little too much and was woozy. Xie Siyu had blocked the arrows shot at her.

Xiao Yanxi's face had gone cold as frost, and she gripped a soft sword in her hand.

The sword was specially made, and she usually kept it hidden at her waist.

She thought for a moment, then jumped down after them. The soft sword in her hand coiled like a snake around an assassin's blade and slid into his throat.

"Kill them..."

Hua Linglong charged up toward the second floor, howling.

Xie Siyu hesitated a moment, then hurried after her.

Two assassins on the second floor saw Hua Linglong charging up and aimed their crossbows at her.

Two bolts…