"I believe you! I believe you the most," the Madman hastily replied.
Seeing Yelü Huangwu remain silent, the Madman cautiously tugged at her sleeve. "I'll be obedient, don't be angry."
"He lied to me," Yelü Huangwu said.
The Madman quickly responded, "I'll kill him!"
"Good." Yelü Huangwu suddenly smiled, like clouds parting to reveal the moon. "Kill him, and I won't be angry anymore."
"Mm!" The Madman nodded emphatically, scrambled to his feet, and dashed toward the ship's cabins.
In the pitch-black guest cabin, An Jiu abruptly opened her eyes and whispered, "The Madman is heading to the lower deck. The target is still on the main deck."
Chu Dingjiang said nothing but wrapped an arm around An Jiu and flew toward the main deck.
They landed silently on the mast, their figures blending seamlessly with the dark brown wood. Unless one looked closely, their presence would go unnoticed.
Yelü Huangwu ordered the water to be poured out and stood up as if preparing to return to her cabin.
Chu Dingjiang exchanged a glance with An Jiu. Seeing her nod, he placed his hand on her back and channeled his True Energy into her.
The last time the Madman's True Energy had surged into her, An Jiu felt as though her body were being flayed by thousands of blades—an agony comparable to the pain of Reforging her body. But receiving Chu Dingjiang's True Energy was a pleasure. The warm currents filled her, and her Meridians revived like withered wood greeting spring.
An Jiu fixed her gaze on Yelü Huangwu, rapidly calculating the environmental factors affecting her shot. Once the True Energy had circulated through her body once, she raised her hand and drew the Dragon Subduing Bow, condensing energy at her fingertips.
The arrow seemed to blaze with fire, and An Jiu suddenly sensed the Dragon Subduing Bow humming with delight. Whether it was the reflection of the flames or something else, the bow's dull surface brightened slightly.
Chu Dingjiang, however, was in agony. His True Energy was rapidly drained, his Qi Sea unable to replenish it in time. His limbs turned icy in an instant.
The ship had multiple light sources, so the glow from the Startling String wasn't overly conspicuous. But if anyone looked up now, they would surely see it.
The helmsman checked the sails every half-hour. Chu Dingjiang mentally noted that the time was about now, but he didn't rush her.
A sure-kill shot wasn't as simple as loosing an arrow at random.
Yelü Huangwu seemed to sense the subtle fluctuations of Inner Force around her and turned to scan her surroundings.
Just then, a figure staggered onto the deck, rushing toward the railing as if to jump overboard. But as he climbed halfway, a shadow flashed behind him, yanking him back and raising a hand to strike his skull.
"Xiao Chenzi!" the man cried out in desperation.
The hand froze mid-air. The Madman stared at him, confusion in his eyes.
"Xiao Chen, it was that woman who ruined you, who destroyed the Cui family!" Lu Danzhi scrambled up, gripping him in agitation. "How can you serve the enemy?"
"No..." The Madman's eyes reflected Lu Danzhi's anguish, his mind buzzing.
Yelü Huangwu watched this unfold and took a few steps forward, saying slowly, "Madman, kill him. He's a liar."
The commotion of Lu Danzhi's shouts drew the attention of others on the ship, who peeked out cautiously. But in such a situation, no one dared to get too close.
As the Madman stood frozen in indecision, Yelü Huangwu's voice reached his ears, influencing him like a bewitching spell.Cui Yichen was young, yet for some reason, his temples were streaked with gray, and wrinkles had formed at the corners of his eyes, making him appear middle-aged. His expression was dazed and childlike, a sight that twisted Lu Danzhi’s heart with anguish, emotions churning painfully within.
On the mast, An Jiu adjusted her aim, tracking Yelü Huangwu’s movements. Seeing her pause, An Jiu drew the bowstring back a fraction further.
She sensed the approach of a master.
Seizing the moment before reinforcements arrived, in that frozen instant, she released her fingers.
The long-absent sound of Crane Cry echoed across the river.
The Madman’s eyes suddenly cleared. He saw the Startling String arrow hurtling toward Yelü Huangwu’s chest, and his vision nearly split with fury. True Energy erupted from his body as he flashed forward in a blink, sweeping her aside with one hand.
The arrow sank silently into the Madman’s shoulder. His True Energy, expended to slow the arrow’s speed, left him defenseless. The energy exploded within his flesh, blood gushing from his seven orifices.
Yelü Huangwu’s guards arrived.
An Jiu froze for a moment before feeling a tight grip around her waist. Chu Dingjiang pulled her close and leaped into the river below.
For a heartbeat, silence reigned—until a scream shattered it, plunging the deck into chaos.
As An Jiu fell through the air, she saw the Madman’s blood spraying like rain. Amidst the crimson downpour, Yelü Huangwu stood motionless, her ivory robes blooming with scarlet like winter plums. Her icy gaze, sharp as a blade, pierced through the storm of blood to lock onto An Jiu.
Even in the face of death, she had not faltered—so composed, so indifferent.
Lu Danzhi snapped out of his shock, tears spilling over. Gritting his teeth, he flipped over the railing and plunged into the river.
Yelü Huangwu crouched, lifting the Madman’s body. Her pale hand gently wiped the blood from his face. “Kill them all. Leave none alive.”
“Yes!” The black-clad figures dispersed like Shadow Wraiths.
A night of slaughter ensued.
At dawn’s first light, a black-clad figure reported at the bow, “Master, aside from our own, the ship held one hundred and nine. Two assassins and Lu Danzhi escaped. The rest lie dead.”
Yelü Huangwu gazed down at the Madman’s handsome, pallid face, her crimson lips pressed tight.
She had prepared for this when entering Song territory, but his death had come too suddenly. She had thought a master like him—his life wouldn’t be so fragile…
After a pause, a subordinate whispered, “Master, we’re too close to Bianjing. We shouldn’t linger.”
Yelü Huangwu rose. “Take him. Burn the ship.”
“Yes!” A burly man hoisted the Madman’s corpse, and they swiftly disembarked.
Moments later, flames engulfed the vessel. As it drifted, the river behind it trailed a long crimson tail, reeking of blood.
No small boats dotted the broad river. Nearby ships that witnessed the scene dared not approach, instead hastening ashore to report to the authorities.
…
After reaching land, An Jiu and Chu Dingjiang traveled over a dozen miles by qinggong before purchasing two sturdy horses and riding toward Yingtian Prefecture.
The ambush had failed, but killing a Transformation Realm Master was akin to severing one of Yelü Huangwu’s arms. Under heaven, she would never find another like it.
“Chu Dingjiang,” An Jiu said, “given Yelü Huangwu’s methods, she’d slaughter everyone on that ship, wouldn’t she?”
Chu Dingjiang was silent for a long time before replying, “You’ve grown soft-hearted.”An Jiu's once rock-solid heart had already developed cracks. For a cold-blooded killer, such a condition meant death was near. A moment's hesitation with your blade would give the opponent an opening to counterattack—life and death were decided in an instant.
"Where there is plunder, there is resistance. If you choose to resist, do not hesitate. Otherwise, in the end, you will sacrifice much and still face defeat," Chu Dingjiang said. (To be continued...)
PS: In the previous chapter, there was a mix-up—Lu Danzhi (Cui Huyai) is actually Cui Yichen's granduncle (should be addressed as "Great Uncle"). This has been corrected.
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