The blue light once again illuminated the darkness before dawn, the scent of blood enveloping the small town.
In the alley, Misty Villa's assassins had been decimated by two rounds of explosive crossbow fire, leaving only ten ninth-rank experts. Among these ten, two were on the verge of breaking through, their strength comparable to the early stages of the Transformation Realm.
The situation quickly reached a stalemate.
Red snow swirled and fell, soon piling into a crimson sea on the ground, its biting cold laced with the stench of blood, making teeth chatter.
Sun Dixian glanced at An Jiu, her heart surging with shock. This person, who had seemed half-dead just moments ago, was now so ferocious, slaughtering eighth and ninth-rank experts without faltering! No wonder... no wonder this woman had called her useless earlier. In comparison, she truly was nothing but trash!
One of An Jiu's swords had already snapped. She discarded it without hesitation and drew a fresh blade from her thigh. Without waiting for Chu Dingjiang's order, she charged forward.
Her chilling killing intent seemed to condense into a gale, stirring up thick snow wherever it passed. The blizzard swirled densely, obscuring all sight, and by the time the ten assassins reacted to the overwhelming aura, her twin blades were already at their throats!
The assassin at the forefront was firmly locked by An Jiu's mental strength, watching helplessly as the twin swords, brimming with malice, flashed before his eyes—his feet utterly unable to move.
An Jiu still had explosive crossbow bolts embedded in her body. Given the earlier standoff, the optimal strategy would have been to use her bow from a distance. But the bloodshed had driven her into a frenzy, and long-range combat could no longer satisfy her thirst for slaughter.
Yet, though her actions were reckless, they ignited the fighting spirit of the others.
Chu Dingjiang, worried, followed closely behind.
Li Qingzhi watched the scene, spat out a mouthful of blood, and roared, "I'll fight you to the death!" Like a whirlwind, he swung his blade and charged, his bulging muscles as hard as iron. His entire body seemed taller and broader than usual, thundering forward like an iron tower, locked in fierce combat with Misty Villa's assassins.
Lou Mingyue, already exhausted, now tapped into her latent potential. Fueled by her deep hatred for these people, she joined the fray without hesitation.
"We can make it out—we must!" Sui Yunzhu's eyes brimmed with tears as he pushed aside his fear, gritting his teeth and charging forward with the resolve to succeed or die trying.
Seven people! Though their strength was not supreme, they were like spears and halberds—unstoppable!
"Kill! Even if I die, I'll drag a few down with me!" Li Qingzhi's wounds split open as his roar shook the heavens, like an enraged tiger breaking free from its cage.
Chu Dingjiang held nothing back either, revealing his full power. Wherever he passed at the peak of the third-rank Transformation Realm, nothing was left standing.
The eastern sky lightened faintly.
Chu Dingjiang glanced at the horizon, his strikes growing even more ruthless.
Suddenly, the sound of a zither rose, drawing nearer. The movements of Misty Villa's assassins slowed.
Seizing this opening, Chu Dingjiang's sword claimed four lives in an instant.
By the time the last assassin fell, a figure in red descended from the rooftops, reaching out to An Jiu. "Sister!"
Still lost in her bloodlust, An Jiu slashed wildly with her twin blades.
Mei Ru Yan could have blocked with her zither, but instead, she clutched it protectively to her chest and hastily retreated.
Chu Dingjiang flashed forward, pulling An Jiu into his arms and channeling his inner force to heal her. "A Jiu! Wake up!"
Warmth spread through her body, and a sliver of clarity gradually returned to An Jiu's mind.Chu Dingjiang let out a sigh of relief.
"Sister!" Mei Ru Yan's pretty face was pale. Still reeling from the recent brush with death, she was utterly shocked—was this truly the meek and fragile Mei Jiu from her memories? Back then, Mei Jiu had been such a delicate girl that she would faint at the slightest provocation during their escape!
An Jiu's face was half-covered with a scarf, but Mei Ru Yan was certain she was Mei Shisi, as those strikingly beautiful eyes were rare indeed.
"Mei Ru Yan," An Jiu's voice was hoarse.
"Come with me. This place is a maze—without a guide, you won't find your way out for ten days or even half a month," Mei Ru Yan urged anxiously. "Sir... Wei Yuzhi has already secretly sent someone to report to the authorities. The officials are probably already on their way."
Mei Ru Yan didn't move. "I'm Mei Fifteen!"
Chu Dingjiang studied her briefly before making the decision. "Please lead the way, miss."
He had rescued An Jiu when the Mei Shi was annihilated and had met Mei Ru Yan then, so he recognized her.
Mei Ru Yan nodded.
The group followed her through the alleys and soon reached the docks. As they walked, she explained, "There's a stable at the docks. Not many horses, but enough for us to leave."
Chu Dingjiang remained silent until they had led the horses out and galloped a distance along a small path before speaking. "Miss, your courage and righteousness in saving us from peril are deeply appreciated. However, you are uninvolved in this matter, and I do not wish to implicate you. Let us part ways here. In the future, I will surely seek you out with your sister to repay this kindness."
Hearing Chu Dingjiang's intention to leave her behind, Mei Ru Yan's face paled. "I sneaked out behind Wei Yuzhi's back to warn you. If he catches me, I won't survive..."
Chu Dingjiang took out a token and tossed it to her. "Take this to the Yangzhou Prefecture. The magistrate will ensure your safety. With such a major case unfolding in Yangzhou, Misty Villa won't dare act recklessly under scrutiny. Rest assured."
Mei Ru Yan bit her lip and glanced at the half-conscious An Jiu. "Sister said yesterday that Misty Villa was responsible for destroying Mei Shi. Is that true?"
"I can answer that," Chu Dingjiang replied on An Jiu's behalf. "Misty Villa is indeed the culprit behind the annihilation of Mei Shi. The Crane Control Army is investigating, so there's no mistake."
"I understand." Mei Ru Yan gripped the reins tightly. "I'll wait for my sister at the authorities."
With that, she decisively whipped her horse and rode away.
Chu Dingjiang watched her depart before ordering the group to gallop to the official post station.
The heavy snowfall soon obscured their tracks.
At the station, they were met by allies. After hastily changing into clean clothes, they boarded a carriage and entered the city at dawn when the gates opened.
At the small town's docks, blood and corpses were quietly buried under the snow.
The town lay in eerie silence. Those unaffiliated with Misty Villa slept deeply, not waking even as daylight broke.
Blanketed in white, the town appeared unchanged.
A figure darted through the streets, their feet barely leaving traces in the snow. Clad in thick cotton robes, they carried an eagle on their shoulder. The bird's eyes gleamed an eerie green, scanning its surroundings with unnatural alertness.
After inspecting the area, the figure tossed an object near a corpse and tied a red silk ribbon to the eagle's leg before releasing it.
The eagle soared into the snowy sky, circled once, and flew away.
Despite the raging storm, the eagle's speed remained unaffected as the snow-covered landscape rapidly receded beneath it.
Following the river, the eagle reached a dense cluster of buildings and began circling overhead. Seeming to recognize its destination, it descended toward a particular house.In the courtyard, a perch was set up on the corridor, and the eagle landed on it with practiced ease.
Hearing the commotion, the person inside pushed open the window and, upon seeing the eagle, reached out a hand toward it. "Swiftwind."
The eagle flapped its wings a couple of times, as if understanding, and indeed flew over, landing gently on his arm. (To be continued...)
P.S.: Five minutes~~ Wuwuwu, I'm five minutes late.
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