Not far away, Zhu Pianxian had cornered Sheng Changying on the road.
"That... just now... I..." Her mind was a mess, unsure what she was even thinking, and the words slipped out without thought, "Did it hurt?"
Sheng Changying took half a step back. In all his years, he had never been this close to a woman before.
"It's fine," he replied, covering his face as he sidestepped her and hurried away.
Zhu Pianxian had spent the day with the convoy, mostly staying inside the carriage and seeing few people. But she knew these were likely genuine members of the Crane Control Institute—ruthless individuals—so she had been cautious the entire journey. Having spent years navigating the underworld, she had plenty of experience and a sharp eye for people. The moment she locked eyes with that fox-eyed man earlier, she sensed he was different from the others here. There was no bloodlust about him.
As she pondered this, she spotted Sheng Changying in the distance encountering a black-robed man wearing a Ghost Mask. The two exchanged brief greetings before parting ways.
Soon after, the black-robed man approached. Zhu Pianxian stepped aside, stealing a glance as he passed.
That single look made her freeze. The Ghost Mask concealed his face completely, but his eyes were like deep autumn waters, framed by long, thick lashes that cast shifting shadows over them—like distant skies above cold, clear waters.
Only when the man disappeared from sight did she snap out of her daze. Her first thought was that the men of the Crane Control Institute were of remarkable quality. Her second was that Chu Dingjiang seemed to hold a high status here, and this black-robed man’s attire was similar to his, clearly indicating significant standing. And yet, he had greeted that fox-eyed man politely!
What did that imply?!
With a yelp, Zhu Pianxian sprinted after Sheng Changying. "My lord, please listen to me!"
Meanwhile, Chu Dingjiang was still on the rooftop, wrestling with whether or not to look, when he sensed Gu Jinghong’s presence nearby. Since the post station wasn’t large, he hadn’t paid it much mind—until Gu Jinghong also appeared on the roof.
Chu Dingjiang pressed a hand lightly against the tiles and stood. "What is it?"
"Let’s talk elsewhere," Gu Jinghong said.
Chu Dingjiang nodded and followed him, leaping to the withered tree outside the courtyard.
"Lord Chu, I have a request," Gu Jinghong said bluntly.
"Go ahead," Chu Dingjiang replied.
"I’ve rebuilt the Dragon Martial Guard within the Crane Control Army," Gu Jinghong said, watching Chu Dingjiang but unable to discern his reaction, so he continued, "Not the Dragon Martial Guard meant for the Emperor’s alchemy, nor the one His Majesty permitted to be rebuilt. This Shadow Guard was established in secret. Right now, there are only twenty members, but each is worth a hundred. I wish to entrust it to you."
Chu Dingjiang crossed his arms, regarding him calmly. "Why?"
"I’ve observed you for some time now. I believe you are the one who can forge this Dragon Martial Guard into an unstoppable force."
A gust of wind rose, swirling dust into the air and scattering his words.
At this moment, Chu Dingjiang realized why An Jiu disliked Gu Jinghong. Though young, Gu Jinghong exuded an air of desolation, as if already halfway to the grave. Chu Dingjiang thought to himself—he must make sure to project a more positive demeanor in front of her!
The moment this thought crossed his mind, he startled himself.
Clearing his throat, he returned to the matter at hand. "You want me to lead this Shadow Guard to help a prince rebel?""No." Gu Jinghong's eyes held a faint smile. He had seen what Chu Dingjiang was distracted by earlier but chose not to expose it. He merely said calmly, "I don't know what to do either. It's just that my remaining time is limited. I don't want my efforts to go to waste."
Gu Jinghong took out a small booklet from his sleeve and handed it to Chu Dingjiang. "This is the roster."
Seeing Chu Dingjiang hesitate to take it, he maintained his gesture and continued, "Lord Chu has achieved a great victory in this battle, even The Emperor was deeply impressed. Upon your return, you'll surely be rewarded with high rank and generous emoluments. I entrust the Dragon Martial Guard to you, to help you realize your ambitions."
"Where are you going?" Chu Dingjiang took the booklet, glanced through it, and when he looked up again, Gu Jinghong was already gone.
With a sudden burst of force from his palm, Chu Dingjiang reduced the booklet to dust, scattering it into the dirt.
He wasn't a particularly suspicious person, but Gu Jinghong's sudden actions left him somewhat wary. Gu Jinghong had said his "time was limited"—could he have been poisoned or fallen ill?
Chu Dingjiang found this unlikely. There was a ready-made Miracle Doctor right here, yet he had never seen Gu Jinghong seek treatment.
Not knowing Gu Jinghong well enough, Chu Dingjiang's baseless speculations led nowhere. He decided to set the matter aside for now—after all, there were more pressing issues at hand!
In a flash, his tall figure reappeared outside Mo Sigui's door.
Hesitating briefly in the vast darkness of night, Chu Dingjiang poked a small hole in the window paper, allowing a faint yellow beam of light to escape.
This wasn't his first time covertly observing a target, but for some reason, he couldn't shake the feeling that this time, his actions seemed rather... unsavory.
Through the hole, Chu Dingjiang saw An Jiu rise from the bed, her robes disheveled, revealing a glimpse of pale skin at her chest and the faint outline of curves beneath. Her hair was slightly loose, a few strands cascading down, accentuating her delicate, palm-sized face—a sight that evoked pity in anyone who saw it.
The sight sent flames licking up Chu Dingjiang's heart.
Mo Sigui, washing his hands in a basin, said, "After you return, you must undergo Reforging as soon as possible. Be honest with me—what exactly happened to you? Could your body have been overwhelmed?"
From outside, Chu Dingjiang could only see An Jiu's profile, but his intuition told him she had already returned to her usual self.
Sure enough, An Jiu's icy voice came from within, "Was it damaged by Mental strength?"
"Well..." Mo Sigui paused in drying his hands. "Logically speaking, that shouldn't be possible, but..."
"Nothing is impossible," An Jiu interrupted. "Wei Yuzhi's Mental strength can kill. He can manipulate objects with it."
"What?!" Mo Sigui was startled but quickly regained his composure—the only thing that truly concerned him in this world was medical conditions. "Your injuries weren't caused by external force. If what you say is true, I suspect your wounds were inflicted by your own Mental strength."
Initially, the damage to her body had been minor, but as she continued to wield her Mental strength, the internal injuries had worsened.
After a pause, Mo Sigui slammed the table in irritation. "Your Meridians are already a mess—stop courting death! From now on, you're forbidden from using Mental strength with Startling String without my permission! No using Mental strength at all!"
Chu Dingjiang instantly flared with anger. What kind of attitude was that? That brat deserved a beating!
"Understood." An Jiu adjusted her robes, glanced at the sweet potatoes roasting on his stove, and walked out the door.Chu Dingjiang immediately leaped into the courtyard, clasping his hands behind his back as he gazed at the sky.
The door creaked open, and he slowly turned around, his voice deep as he asked, "Done?"
"Mm." An Jiu responded indifferently. She still remembered how foolish she had acted a few days ago, and now, facing Chu Dingjiang, she felt somewhat awkward. The only way to hide it was with cold detachment.
Chu Dingjiang nodded. "If there's nothing else, go rest. I have some matters to discuss with the Miracle Doctor."
Hearing this, Mo Sigui flicked his sleeve, using his Inner Force to slam the door shut, roaring from inside, "I’ve got nothing to say to you!"
An Jiu took a few steps away before turning back. "Don’t hit him again."
"Don’t worry, I’m not an unreasonable man." Chu Dingjiang strode toward Mo Sigui’s room, never clarifying whether he would or wouldn’t strike him.
An Jiu thought for a moment, then strode back into her room and sat in the darkness, her bright eyes fixed on the doorway.
After a while, Chu Dingjiang silently appeared in her chamber.
An Jiu glanced around, sniffing the air. "You didn’t bring sweet potatoes?"
"Disappointed?" Chu Dingjiang chuckled, stepping forward to take her hand.
An Jiu tried to pull away, but then he said, "During the day, I bought a fresh lamb leg and some sweet potatoes from a village along the way. Do you like lamb?"
He noticed she instantly stilled, and his smile deepened. "Let’s go."
The two slipped out of the post station and stopped by a nearby stream. The area was deserted, with a fire already prepared and a large bamboo basket placed beside it.
An Jiu craned her neck to peek inside and made a small sound of surprise. "What’s this?"
"Chestnuts." Chu Dingjiang removed his Mantle and tossed it near the fire, then stoked the flames before crouching down to prepare the lamb leg.
An Jiu had seen chestnuts before, but these spiky things didn’t quite match her memory. She picked one up and curiously poked at it.
From time to time, Chu Dingjiang glanced up to see how she was amusing herself, his eyes filled with warmth. (To be continued...)
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