As the formation dissipated, everyone realized they were in a narrow dead-end alley. The only thing around was a corpse, with snow creeping in through the cracks in the walls.
Chu Dingjiang's mental strength was no longer restrained.
They had been fighting continuously for three hours, and the remaining members were all in a wretched state. Among the seven, only Chu Dingjiang was slightly better off, while An Jiu and Sun Dixian had suffered the most severe injuries.
An Jiu had lost too much blood, while Sun Dixian showed signs of her inner force being nearly depleted.
"My lord," Sun Dixian said tearfully, looking at Chu Dingjiang, "I can't go on. Please, everyone, don't worry about me anymore."
She was gambling—gambling that Chu Dingjiang wouldn't abandon her! After all, An Jiu also seemed on the verge of collapse, and Chu Dingjiang clearly wouldn't leave her behind. If he abandoned Sun Dixian alone, the others would lose trust in him as well.
Before Chu Dingjiang could respond, An Jiu opened her eyes and glanced at him. "I also think she's about done for. Someone who's lost their willpower will only drag us down. Just toss her away!"
Her tone made it sound like she was talking about throwing out trash.
Sun Dixian gritted her teeth secretly, but her voice remained soft and fragile as she looked at An Jiu pitifully. "Sister, you also seem at your limit. Why don't we keep each other company?"
"Who the hell are you?" An Jiu didn’t even look at her, her voice icy. "I still have all my limbs intact. Whether I stay or go isn’t up to some useless waste to decide."
Hearing such sharp words, Chu Dingjiang suddenly felt inexplicably happy. He reached out and lightly patted the back of her head. "Watch your tone. We’ve fought side by side to reach this point—we’ve lived and died together. At this stage, we should advance and retreat as one!"
Though his words were reprimanding, no one could miss the gentleness in his tone.
An Jiu shot him a sidelong glance and turned her face away.
After resting for the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Chu Dingjiang checked the sky outside. "It's getting late. We must leave this place before dawn. Let’s move."
This was a residential area, with a private dock nearby. To outsiders, everything here was legitimate business. But if they were discovered at daybreak amidst a bloodbath, they would immediately become wanted criminals.
Being detained by local authorities during a mission was a sign of incompetence—something the Crane Control Army wouldn’t intervene in.
The group got up, checked their equipment, and followed Chu Dingjiang out.
Lou Mingyue handed the explosive crossbow to An Jiu. "You should keep this for now."
An Jiu’s arm had been damaged by the Gu poison. Though the pain meant little to her, it still wasn’t as good as an uninjured limb. Carrying the explosive crossbow would make movement much easier.
Sun Dixian remained silent, quietly moving closer to Qiu Yunxiao during their advance. Qiu Yunxiao wasn’t highly skilled in martial arts, but his body was laden with poisons—even against eighth or ninth-stage experts, he wouldn’t be at a disadvantage. Earlier, in the mist formation, Sun Dixian had survived precisely because she had stuck close to him.
On the eve of dawn, the world was plunged into darkness, with heavy snowflakes drifting down like a dense curtain.
The group followed Chu Dingjiang out of the narrow alley.
The moment they stepped out of the alley, a rain of arrows suddenly descended upon them like a storm.
The densely packed arrowheads gleamed coldly in the frigid night. Everyone’s pupils dilated slightly as they watched the snowy curtain of arrows rush toward them!
Chu Dingjiang’s protective energy erupted abruptly. The rain of arrows was shattered by the shockwave, broken shafts clattering down from the sky.
Following behind Chu Dingjiang, the group pressed forward—even such a fierce volley couldn’t halt their steps.
The attackers on the other side seemed to realize this as well, and the arrows ceased.Dozens of black-clad figures blocked the ten-foot-wide street.
Perhaps due to alterations or damage to the formation here, An Jiu's mental strength could now perceive her surroundings within a radius of sixty to seventy feet. What shocked her was that the lowest cultivation among these dozens of people was actually at the seventh rank! They were likely similar to the assassins who had exterminated Mei Shi—their inner force forcibly enhanced through medicine. But unlike those "half-finished products," these men had sharp, focused gazes, and their inner force appeared remarkably stable, making them far more formidable.
The two sides faced off for two breaths before Chu Dingjiang gave the order. In an instant, dazzling blue light erupted from the explosive crossbows in Sui Yunzhu and An Jiu's hands.
Three figures from Misty Villa dodged the bolts in a blur, closing the distance in the blink of an eye as they lunged to seize the weapons.
Chu Dingjiang struck out with a palm, forcing the two back several steps.
Seizing the opportunity, the assassins swarmed forward. Five or six surrounded Chu Dingjiang, cutting him off from the other six.
Li Qingzhi's eyes were bloodshot, his muscles bulging as if about to burst. "Damn it, when did so many eighth and ninth ranks appear?!" he roared.
Lou Mingyue pressed her lips tightly together, her entire body radiating murderous intent. Each sword strike was fiercer than the last—this was a blood feud, an irreconcilable enmity!
Sun Dixian, after just two exchanges with an opponent, was already overwhelmed, forced into retreat. Fortunately, she and Qiu Yunxiao stood back-to-back, allowing him to cover her, so she hadn't fallen yet.
But the most hard-pressed were An Jiu and Sui Yunzhu. Wielding the explosive crossbows, they became the primary targets of the assassins. Sui Yunzhu's own strength was lacking, and An Jiu had suffered severe injuries earlier—within moments, they were driven into a corner.
An Jiu's face was pale, her brow furrowed. Each crossbow held only ten bolts. Lou Mingyue had already used one, leaving nine. Trapped in a desperate situation, if not now, when?
The thought flashed through her mind, and without hesitation, An Jiu raised the crossbow, firing at anyone in sight. In an instant, blinding light shot into the sky, so intense it seemed to bleach the heavens white.
Blood and filth exploded into the air, propelled by the force. The crimson mist dyed the drifting snowflakes red, turning the world into a swirling curtain of bloody snow.
The sheer power of the bolts sent even Qiu Yunxiao and the others flying dozens of feet away, coughing up blood.
The sight of blood stained An Jiu's vision, and suddenly, her emotions spiraled out of control.
With the bolts exhausted and enemies still surging forward, An Jiu discarded the crossbow and drew twin swords from her back, engaging in close combat.
Her killing intent was palpable, the oppressive aura making the hairs on everyone around her stand on end.
These Misty Villa assassins, though their enhanced strength was several times more stable than before, had paid the price of losing their free will. Their sole purpose was to eliminate intruders. Yet even they couldn't help but tense at the sight of this woman, who seemed to have crawled out of a sea of blood.
Her mental breakdown pushed An Jiu's physical potential to its limits, her mental strength reaching unprecedented heights.
In her eyes, in her mind, there was only one word— kill .
Only killing could bring release. Only killing could bring satisfaction.
Realizing the crossbows were spent, six or seven Misty Villa assassins closed in on her.
Over a dozen swords slashed toward her simultaneously.
An Jiu crouched slightly, then kicked off the ground, her body shooting upward like a hawk soaring into the clouds. Her twin swords swept out with razor-sharp killing intent.
One man's blade thrust toward her chest. An Jiu twisted aside, evading the strike, then lunged straight at him. A smirk curled her lips as she slashed her sword across his throat.Before the man could react, his sword continued its intended thrust according to his initial command.
An Jiu spun around, her twin blades cleanly severing the weapon.
She grinned at the black-clad figure across from her, her pearly white teeth instantly stained crimson by the mist of blood spraying through the air.
"Ah—" Sui Yunzhu witnessed An Jiu's combat prowess. Seeing enemies closing in from all sides, he frantically fired his Explosive Crossbow like a madman. (To be continued...)
PS: The second update might be delayed. We have guests at home, so I'll have to wait until they leave before continuing to type. No need to wait up—check back tomorrow morning.
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