"As long as it's within my power," Hua Rongjian replied.
Over the years, he had interacted with many people, but only a handful could truly be called friends. Lu Danzhi was one of them. Though he often acted recklessly, he never neglected a friend's request.
"First, that woman is Yelü Huangwu. I assume you've already guessed that," Lu Danzhi said, having calmed down from his grief. "The second matter concerns you."
Hua Rongjian looked at him questioningly.
"Though my medical skills are mediocre, I excel at crafting human skin masks. The reason I can make seamless masks is because I understand human bones and flesh better than most," Lu Danzhi paused before continuing, "Rongjian, you're actually just over twenty years old. Did you know that?"
Hua Rongjian froze for a moment before murmuring, "Impossible..."
His denial was already tinged with doubt. He couldn't remember his childhood, and he had always been smaller than his peers. His father had explained that he had fallen seriously ill, which caused him to forget some things and left his health weakened. He clearly recalled a period of extreme frailty before gradually recovering.
Yet, no one knew his body's growth better than himself. Hua Rongjian had harbored suspicions before. But at home, he was doted on by his mother, while his elder brother balanced strictness with care. His father often scolded him for his mischief, but everything seemed normal. What reason could there be to deliberately conceal his age?
Hua Rongjian had never doubted his lineage as a member of the Hua Clan—he bore a strong resemblance to his father and was nearly identical to his younger brother, Hua Rongjun. Dressed alike, they could easily pass as twins.
"Perhaps I was mistaken," Lu Danzhi said. Matters that were so heavily concealed were likely unpleasant, and if this hadn't been their final meeting, he would never have brought it up. "The third matter... I buried a box in our usual spot on the back mountain. It contains everything I've learned in my lifetime. I entrust it to you—it may be of some help."
Before Hua Rongjian could process the shock of the previous revelation, Lu Danzhi's words, sounding like a last testament, left him even more bewildered.
"Rongjian, my time is running out," Lu Danzhi said.
"How? Cui Yichen's death has nothing to do with you. Don't dwell on it," Hua Rongjian assumed he was consumed by guilt and had lost the will to live.
Lu Danzhi shook his head. "I was injured by Xiao Chen's Transformation Realm skill and the reverberating power of the bowstring. After fleeing for over a month, my energy is spent. At least... you finally arrived."
Back then, Cui Yichen had been ordered to kill Lu Danzhi in the ship's cabin. Despite Lu Danzhi's attempts to coax and deceive him, Cui Yichen had only hesitated briefly.
Though Lu Danzhi managed to escape to the deck, he had already sustained severe internal injuries—otherwise, the reverberating power of the bowstring wouldn't have harmed him so easily.
"After I die, please cremate me and scatter my ashes in a quiet place," Lu Danzhi said with a smile. "I've always loved freedom."
"Alright, I promise," Hua Rongjian replied numbly. Having never experienced the loss of a close friend or relative before, he felt no tangible sorrow despite Lu Danzhi's farewell. The sheer volume of revelations simply left him struggling to process it all.
An Jiu quietly slipped away and returned to her room.
The next day.
At the break of dawn, knocking echoed through the inn.
An Jiu's door was also rapped upon.
"What is it?" she responded.The waiter spoke cautiously. "Last night, a guest passed away, and their relatives are holding the funeral from the inn. If you're uncomfortable with this, we kindly ask you to leave by dawn, and the inn won’t charge you a single coin. If you wish to stay, the deceased’s family has offered to cover all lodging expenses."
Bullying others with power was indeed Hua Rongjian’s usual style.
An Jiu was on a covert mission and didn’t want to be recognized by Hua Rongjian. "I’ll leave shortly."
"Yes, thank you for your understanding." The waiter visibly relaxed.
An Jiu left promptly, but among the guests at Yunlai Inn, many were influential figures who wouldn’t tolerate such coercion. Soon, commotion erupted outside.
...
Though there was resistance, it didn’t escalate openly. The innkeeper’s agreement to this arrangement suggested the deceased was either a fallen official or someone with deep connections. Everyone tacitly chose to negotiate behind the scenes.
Amid the murmurs of the crowd, the inn staff began hanging white silk. As An Jiu stepped out of her room, she spotted Hua Rongjian standing dazedly by the railing. She lowered her hat, suppressed her aura, and calmly crossed the lobby.
Once outside, she wandered the vicinity before settling into an inconspicuous private inn to wait.
Five days passed.
An Jiu hid on the rafters of Qingfeng Tavern, waiting from sunrise to sunset, but Chu Dingjiang never arrived as promised.
Chu Dingjiang had broken his promise... An Jiu analyzed two possibilities: either Misty Villa’s message delivery had deliberately taken a detour, or Chu Dingjiang was in trouble. She didn’t know where he might be trapped, but only one place came to mind—Cuilinglong.
After nightfall, An Jiu carved the characters "Linglong" into the rafters before slipping out and rushing toward the small town near the docks.
The night was thick with mist.
From a distance, the entire town lay in darkness, and an eerie aura could be sensed even before approaching. Only a few lanterns flickered faintly at the distant docks.
An Jiu stopped in a small grove not far from the town.
Cuilinglong wasn’t visible from here, but she dared not approach recklessly. Even if Chu Dingjiang’s Inner Force was sealed, he still possessed ninth-tier strength, not to mention his Mental strength at the Transformation Realm. If even he was trapped, what chance did she have?
An Jiu kept watch silently through the night until dawn, but there was no movement.
As sunlight peeked over the horizon, the town came to life. By noon, it bustled with activity, showing no trace of the previous night’s deathly stillness.
How bizarre!
Recalling the unsettling feeling she’d had passing the docks, An Jiu suspected a connection to Misty Villa.
Out of caution, she refrained from entering the town to investigate, deciding to observe for another day or two.
Throughout the day, carriages and horses streamed in and out of the town.
She moved closer to the road, using her Mental strength to scan the passersby. To her surprise, she detected many skilled Martial Arts practitioners, some exuding an unmistakable bloodlust.
This kind of aura was all too familiar to An Jiu—only those who had taken lives carried it.
As more such individuals appeared on the road, her suspicions deepened.
The next evening.
A familiar presence brushed against her Mental strength. Her gaze locked onto a gray-canopied carriage on the road, and for the first time, a ripple of emotion stirred within her calm demeanor—joy flickered across her brow.
She tracked the carriage, moving parallel to it through the woods until they reached a crossroads. There, she let out a sharp whistle.The carriage came to a brief halt, and An Jiu quickly approached, nimbly climbing aboard.
Inside the carriage sat two people: Chu Dingjiang and Zhu Pianxian.
When Zhu Pianxian saw An Jiu board, she shivered slightly, shrinking further into the corner to make space, casting a pitiful glance at the two of them.
An Jiu shot Chu Dingjiang a questioning look.
"We'll talk once we're in the city," Chu said.
The carriage resumed its journey, and only after safely entering the city did Zhu Pianxian finally let out a sigh of relief.
"You kept watch outside for two days?" Chu Dingjiang spoke up.
An Jiu nodded.
She hadn’t done anything wrong, but while Chu admired her composure, he couldn’t help feeling slightly displeased by her calmness. "If I had died because you delayed the rescue, what then?"
An Jiu considered the question seriously. "I would have avenged you."
"..."
The atmosphere grew heavy. Zhu Pianxian, observing the odd pair, cleared her throat awkwardly. "Esteemed warriors, we’ve entered the city now. Might this humble one take her leave?"
Chu Dingjiang shot her a dark look.
A chill ran down Zhu Pianxian’s spine, and she hastily put on a brave face. "This humble one shall stand with you in life and death, united against a common foe!"
"Once Misty Villa begins a hunt, they never stop until their goal is achieved." Chu Dingjiang curled his lips into a faint, mocking smile as he regarded Zhu Pianxian. "Will Lady Zhu cooperate with us, or will you seek only to save yourself?"
Fury surged in Zhu Pianxian’s heart. She was far too shrewd not to realize that this mess had been caused by the two before her. Yet, she forced a radiant smile. "How could this humble one possibly stand against Misty Villa alone? If you esteemed warriors do not find me a burden, I would be endlessly grateful."
"I’ve long heard of Lady Zhu’s reputation. Under heaven, there are few missions Misty Villa cannot accomplish. You need not hide your abilities." Chu Dingjiang cut straight to the point.
Zhu Pianxian did indeed have some renown, but most rumors about her revolved around her greed for wealth, with few knowing her true capabilities. Naturally, Chu Dingjiang didn’t know either. But since Misty Villa had priced her head at six thousand taels, it meant killing her wouldn’t be easy. (To be continued…)
PS: Sleeves is sick again. After finishing this chapter, off to the IV drip…
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