An Jiu's hiding spot was halfway up the mountain. Though it appeared close to Misty Villa, the saying "the mountain seems near, but the journey kills the horse" held true—conservatively estimating, it was at least six or seven li away.
For now, there was no sign of Lou Mingyue, so she rested briefly on the mountainside, waiting to see how things unfolded.
In the valley below stood a modest courtyard with dark-tiled roofs and gray walls, half-hidden among the trees. The compound wasn’t particularly large—a main hall with three spacious rooms, flanked by side chambers on either side, and a stable on the right. From her vantage point, An Jiu could see two people moving about inside.
She guessed the shadow unit’s numbers weren’t high—likely only a dozen or so.
With thirteen participants in the trial, the sides were roughly evenly matched. There shouldn’t be any major issues… though she had zero confidence in the Crane Control Army.
Truth be told, this shadow force had indeed declined.
When the Crane Control Army was first established, its shadow operatives weren’t exceptionally skilled, but their battle intent and killing aura were unmatched, making them terrifyingly formidable. They could silently topple nations or covertly support princes in usurping thrones. But as successive rulers grew weaker, they increasingly feared their own hidden blade being wielded by schemers. Thus, they went to great lengths to purge and replace its members, ensuring absolute control—resulting in the Crane Control Army’s steady deterioration.
If you blunt a sharp sword to avoid cutting yourself, it may no longer cut your enemies either.
By the previous emperor’s reign, the Crane Control Army’s strength was barely passable. By this generation, it had become outright farcical.
Back then, the Dragon Martial Guard was the most fearsome unit within the Crane Control Army. A single Dragon Martial Guard could charge alone into enemy lines to behead a general. When the emperor personally led a campaign and the Song forces were ambushed and routed, nine Dragon Martial Guards ensured His Majesty’s safe retreat. Now? The Dragon Martial Guard served merely as the Emperor’s cauldrons for his immortality pursuits.
And how many Dragon Martial Guards were there? Only twenty! Most were men, and the handful of women were all over twenty-five, their bodies toughened by martial training. What emperor would want to tumble with such women? With insufficient cauldrons, they had to supplement with the Crane Control Imperial Guard.
These secrets were unknown to outsiders, and An Jiu was no exception. She’d simply witnessed recent events and concluded the Crane Control Army wasn’t much to speak of.
Had she thought otherwise, she wouldn’t have rashly entered the Crane Control Institute.
After eating some dried rations, An Jiu began weaving grass into camouflage. Her survival and concealment skills in the wild far surpassed those of ordinary shadow operatives. Once prepared, she relocated to an even more hidden spot.
After waiting two hours, she extended her mental strength again to probe.
This time, she finally detected six auras less than five li away, easing her tension slightly.
The six slowly ascended the mountain.
An Jiu had no intention of meeting them head-on. She’d contribute by assisting when they launched their ambush.
Yet instead of finding an observation post, the six wandered aimlessly around the mountainside—immediately putting An Jiu on high alert!
She withdrew her probe instantly and focused entirely on concealment.
As night fell, faint voices carried through the air. An Jiu listened intently.
"Senior Brother, we’ve practically turned this mountain upside down and haven’t found a single soul!" said a youthful voice.
Another replied, "The Master’s word can’t be wrong."The young man said indignantly, "Mei Shi is from the Crane Control Army after all! Who knows what the master is thinking—isn’t this just inviting a wolf into the house?!"
"The master set this trap, and if he says we can catch her, then we can! Stop wasting time and keep searching!"
Cold sweat suddenly broke out in An Jiu’s palms—these people were trying to capture her! The world believed that mental strength could perceive things thousands of miles away, but An Jiu knew it could only discern numbers and internal energy. Wei Yuzhi also knew this and had deliberately sent six people to deceive her...
But what about those dozen or so from the Crane Control Army? Could they have been wiped out silently in such a short time?
Chaotic questions flashed through her mind as An Jiu tightened her grip on the dagger’s hilt. The cool touch of the jade gradually soothed the turmoil in her heart.
The voices grew closer. (To be continued…)
PS: I suddenly came down with a fever tonight, so I’ll only update this much for now. If I feel better tomorrow, I’ll write more. Apologies.
Sick Leave Note:
I’ve had a terrible headache today. After battling a cold for so long, it finally flared up. My head is spinning from blowing my nose all day, so I’m taking another sick day… (To be continued…)
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