Hidden Shadow

At noon the next day, Da Jiu returned with a letter from Mo Sigui.

The letter contained only a few words—a request for Chu Dingjiang to repay a favor—along with an address.

When he had saved An Jiu, Chu Dingjiang had also promised to enter Liao territory to rescue Lou Mingyue once.

The address in the letter was still within Song territory, but Chu Dingjiang found himself in a dilemma. With someone eyeing An Jiu like a tiger watching its prey, he absolutely couldn’t bear to leave her alone to fulfill his promise. Besides, he was no gentleman to begin with.

An Jiu knew what worried him and said, “I’ll go with you. Even if we stay in Hexi County, we won’t be able to avoid Xiao Che’s attack when the time comes.”

Chu Dingjiang was well aware of this, but staying here at least allowed him to make some preparations. He disliked acting without certainty.

“This place isn’t far from Hexi County, is it?” An Jiu murmured, holding the note.

“Give me half an hour to make arrangements.” Seeing her still frowning, Chu Dingjiang reassured her, “Yelü Quancang has a request for Mo Sigui after all. He won’t do anything drastic—at most, he’ll capture Lou Mingyue first to threaten Mo Sigui into compliance. Don’t worry.”

The situation was exactly as Chu Dingjiang had guessed, but no one expected that upon hearing she was to be captured as leverage against Mo Sigui, Lou Mingyue, fearing she would burden him, immediately used Spring Breeze Cannot Understand Words, leaving not even a trace of her remains behind.

Having teetered between life and death so many times, she had long forgotten to leave herself a way out. With Yelü Huangwu’s death, her spirit had relaxed entirely, her thoughts consumed by Mo Sigui. She couldn’t bear the thought of him suffering even the slightest harm.

She never imagined that her resolute departure would become Mo Sigui’s deepest agony.

An Jiu always felt she understood Lou Mingyue better than most. With her fiercely unyielding nature, if she were cornered before reuniting with Mo Sigui, things might take a dire turn. An Jiu didn’t want to waste a single moment.

Mo Sigui was An Jiu’s first friend and, aside from Chu Dingjiang, the only person she trusted completely. She couldn’t bear to see him sink deeper into the haze of Medicated Smoke, wasting away day by day.

Chu Dingjiang fell into thought. He was a cautious man—if there were a spy within the self-defense forces sending out messages, it wouldn’t escape his notice. The most plausible explanation now was that a spy might have infiltrated but hadn’t yet acted.

For the time being, he had no opportunity to root out the spy. Instead, he gathered a few trusted former subordinates to secure the entire camp and initiated a round of brutal, closed-door training. No one was permitted to leave.

After completing these arrangements, he hurried back to the city to brief Wu Lingyuan on certain matters before quietly setting off with An Jiu.

Da Jiu was left behind to guard the door.

The two rode swiftly to the location mentioned in Mo Sigui’s letter, only to find they were too late.

The inn was eerily silent, devoid of any human presence.

After searching inside and out, Chu Dingjiang finally found a coachman on the brink of death, his body covered in festering wounds. Upon questioning, they learned what had happened that night.

The inn itself was small—a single dose of Spring Breeze Cannot Understand Words was enough to kill twenty or thirty people. It had been nighttime, and everyone was asleep in their rooms. Those who didn’t foolishly venture out wouldn’t have been exposed to the poison."The scholar-like man had a pair of exceptionally beautiful peach blossom eyes. After asking the innkeeper a few questions, he took him away. The rest were all killed by him." The coachman, still shaken with fear and suffering from excruciating pain due to his festering body, lamented his actions. "Seeing the inn empty, I gave in to greed and stole valuables from the guest rooms. Little did I expect to contract a severe illness—it must be heaven’s punishment for my sins."

He knelt on the ground in a neurotic frenzy, enduring the pain as he kowtowed repeatedly.

An Jiu knew this wasn’t divine retribution. He had merely accidentally come into contact with the remnants of Spring Breeze Cannot Understand Words while stealing from the rooms.

Chu Dingjiang inspected all the rooms and found one filled with piles of black ash. The pile near the window appeared to have been meticulously cleared.

"Lou Mingyue is likely gone," he said, staring at the traces on the floor. "Based on the coachman’s account, things were probably irreversible by the time Mo Sigui wrote to me. Let’s just hope Mo Sigui didn’t witness her die from Spring Breeze Cannot Understand Words . If we’re being optimistic, perhaps Mo Sigui used this poison to kill the pursuers and took Lou Mingyue away."

Mo Sigui taking the innkeeper suggested the man knew something. Given Mo Sigui’s nature—avoiding trouble whenever possible—if Lou Mingyue were alive, he would have simply fled back to Hexi County with her. Why bother kidnapping the innkeeper?

An Jiu studied the cleared traces near the window and the bloodstains in front of the chair. Deep down, she knew the optimistic scenario was impossible.

"He must have already guessed the truth," An Jiu muttered, rubbing her temples as she looked at Chu Dingjiang in distress. "What do we do?"

"Mo Sigui witnessed Lou Mingyue die from Spring Breeze Cannot Understand Words but couldn’t save her in time. What do you think he’ll do now?"

"I don’t know." An Jiu couldn’t fathom Mo Sigui’s mind. He seemed both deeply affectionate and utterly indifferent. How he would react to such a situation was beyond her guess.

Just like back then, when he had been so close to Elder Qi. An Jiu had expected him to seek revenge, yet he acted as if nothing had happened, immersing himself in The Way of Medicine as if he had long forgotten Elder Qi’s brutal death.

Lou Mingyue had been consumed by vengeance, her fate uncertain, yet he pretended not to notice—at most, rushing to save her in dire moments. What was the difference between his feelings for Lou Mingyue and those for Elder Qi?

But if he were truly indifferent, how could the pool of blood before them be explained?

"What do we do?" An Jiu wished she could drag Mo Sigui over and beat some sense into him. He acted so unpredictably, never consulting anyone.

"Everyone has their own fate…"

An Jiu suddenly widened her eyes. When she looked up at Chu Dingjiang, she found him frowning as well.

She raised four fingers and mouthed silently, "Forty. Eighth—Ninth Order."

Forty Eighth- to Ninth-Order Martial Masters!

Chu Dingjiang glanced at the sky outside, then walked to the desk and wrote with a brush: You can’t fight right now. Go southeast alone, return to Hexi and find Ling Ziyue.

An Jiu could fight, but her body hadn’t fully recovered. Using her Mental Strength now would damage her organs, rendering the Reforging pointless. However, her exceptionally high Mental Strength allowed her to conceal herself naturally, undetectable by these Eighth- and Ninth-Order Martial Masters. Escaping alone wouldn’t be a problem. But Chu Dingjiang’s Mental Strength was unstable—he might be discovered. Staying together would only hold her back.

An Jiu took the brush and wrote beneath his words: And you? He wrote: Cannot fight head-on. Can retreat unscathed.

Being together would only drag each other down. An Jiu's current advantage was stealth, but Chu Dingjiang lacked this against ninth-rank enemies. Once their whereabouts were exposed, she would become his burden.

An Jiu believed that with Chu Dingjiang's strength and intelligence, retreating unscathed shouldn't be a problem without any encumbrances. So she decided to follow his suggestion and split up.

Chu Dingjiang wrote: No matter what happens. Do not turn back. I promise I will return.

Chu Dingjiang took out a brocade pouch from his robe and pressed it into her hand, then wrote: Every five li, drop one item from this pouch.

Without further questions, An Jiu nodded in agreement.

With everything settled, they both leaped out the window simultaneously—one heading east, the other west.

After running several li, An Jiu noticed the pursuers behind her were falling farther away, all of them chasing Chu Dingjiang instead!

Her heart clenched. When they had jumped from the building earlier, even if those people couldn't sense her, they should have at least seen her. Why wasn't anyone coming after her?

As she pondered, An Jiu kept running. She decided to trust Chu Dingjiang's judgment. After covering roughly five li, she opened the pouch and tossed a medicinal pill into a corner.

She continued southeast without stopping.

From noon until nightfall, An Jiu didn't encounter a single pursuer.

Spotting the city walls of Hejian Prefecture in the distance, she felt slightly relieved. They were almost at the Hexi garrison...

"Mei Shisi?"

Someone called softly behind her.

An Jiu felt a chill crawl up her spine instantly.

"An Jiu," the voice spoke again.

Her body stiffened as she slowly turned around.

Under an ancient, gnarled pine tree sat a figure clad entirely in black robes, wearing a half-mask of silver. He seemed like part of the darkness itself, save for his white-gloved hands, which stood out like a pair of butterfly wings—jarring and eerie.

"Come here," he beckoned gently.

Tears welled in An Jiu's eyes—from fear and from hatred for those hands that destroyed all beauty before her. She didn't flee. The icy dread clung to her like a parasite, making it clear escape was impossible.

An Jiu drew her Dragon Subduing Bow.

Xiao Che smiled. "You've become disobedient."

Then he chuckled to himself. "But you were never obedient to begin with."

At this moment, Xiao Che was puzzled by his own words, as if his original impression of An Jiu was that she was both compliant and rebellious. Though his memories hadn't fully returned, he was certain this girl was the one he sought.

Under the moonlight filtering through pine branches, casting dappled light on him, An Jiu saw Xiao Che clearly. The unmasked portion of his face was exquisitely handsome, as if every feature had been meticulously measured by the Creator—flawless in every way. His slender, powerful neck was wrapped in pristine white inner robes, the collar so crisp it seemed freshly tailored. Every strand of hair was immaculate.

Though his face and clothes were different, An Jiu instantly saw the shadow of that man. He had once been a soldier, always impeccably precise to the point of severity.

The tension was palpable, yet Xiao Che remained oblivious, speaking softly, "Two hundred eighth and ninth-rank experts—though drug-induced—are enough to delay that Mr. Chu for two or three hours. Do you think he can escape? Look, dozens of experts are heading this way. He's deployed all his subordinates to protect you."

An Jiu's mind exploded with realization.In that brief moment of distraction, a whip from Xiao Che's hand lashed out like lightning, coiling around her wrist.

An Jiu's delicate skin was immediately marked with bloody welts, and she also felt an overwhelming surge of Mental Strength bearing down on her.

Mental Strength was a subtle thing. The gap between An Jiu and Xiao Che wasn't insurmountable, but her fear of him had suppressed her from the very start.

An Jiu quickly realized this issue. Thinking of Chu Dingjiang's predicament, a sudden surge of malice rose within her, wishing she could tear this man before her to pieces immediately!

"You shouldn't have appeared!" An Jiu's Mental Strength erupted like a flood breaking through a dam, crashing violently toward Xiao Che.

"Hmm?" His mind jolted from the impact, and his whip loosened slightly, allowing An Jiu to break free.

"Why must you haunt me like this? I owe you nothing, neither in this life nor the last!" An Jiu spat out a mouthful of blood and drew the Dragon Subduing Bow. An arrow infused with immense Mental Strength shot forth with a whoosh.

So precise—better than any of the hunters under his command.

Xiao Che narrowed his eyes slightly, his interest growing. With a flick of his left hand, he revealed an Explosive Crossbow strapped to his arm. In an instant, he pulled the trigger, and an arrow similarly wrapped in vast Mental Strength collided midair with the incoming one.

A deafening explosion followed as both arrows shattered into dust, scattering in all directions.

Through the faint haze of smoke, Xiao Che seemed to glimpse the woman's beautiful face transforming into another visage—one even more exquisite, with skin as white as snow, a high nose bridge, slightly deep-set eyes, and light brown hair, carrying a faint exotic allure.

An Jiu sensed nearly a hundred Martial Arts Masters rapidly approaching—some heading toward Xiao Che, others toward her.

Before either could launch a second attack, reinforcements from both sides had already arrived.

Chu Dingjiang had indeed deployed all his forces to protect her... An Jiu closed her eyes briefly.

When she opened them again, her gaze was as sharp as ever.

"Truth be told, I hadn't planned to act now. But upon hearing of your connection to Mo Sigui, I wondered if you might come, so I decided to come myself," Xiao Che said with a soft chuckle. "They say Chu Dingjiang is deep and patient. If not for your pleas, he surely wouldn't have come here to die, would he?"

An Jiu's mind wavered briefly but quickly steadied.

Regardless of the past, survival was the priority now. Chu Dingjiang had never broken a promise! He must have a way.

Pressing her lips tightly together, An Jiu drew the Dragon Subduing Bow once more.

Xiao Che sat in a wheelchair, his legs useless. He shouldn't be that formidable physically—his greatest strengths were the Explosive Crossbow and his Mental Strength.

Noticing her hesitation as she drew the bow, Xiao Che "helpfully" explained, "Looking for the Explosive Crossbow? I had some left over from before, all in the hands of the hunters I trained. They're currently surrounding Chu Dingjiang."

Every word he spoke was meant to unsettle her—and it worked.

Explosive Crossbows, hunters, and those whose Internal Energy had been forcibly enhanced by Yelü Huangwu—all sent to encircle and kill one man. Could there be any hope for him? Now, An Jiu could only repeat to herself that Chu Dingjiang was invincible.

One advantage of strong Mental Strength was the ease of self-hypnosis. After a few repetitions, she firmly believed Chu Dingjiang truly was omnipotent.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

A single arrow, accompanied by two invisible Mental Strength arrows, shot toward Xiao Che.Chu Dingjiang's former subordinates were all seasoned fighters with rich combat experience. They had long realized that the battle between An Jiu and Xiao Che was one of Mental Strength, something they couldn't assist with. Now that escape was no longer an option, their only chance was to seize the opportunity to assassinate Xiao Che while he was fully focused on confronting An Jiu.

Thus, the moment An Jiu loosed her arrow, they also drew their swords and charged forward.

Those behind Xiao Che instantly formed a protective circle around him.

The two sides, each numbering a hundred, clashed in an instant.

As An Jiu's arrow approached, two men immediately stepped forward from behind Xiao Che to block it.

Xiao Che knew these two were overestimating their abilities but said nothing. The Startling String pierced through them, its force significantly weakened, and with a flick of his sleeve, Xiao Che effortlessly dispersed it.

"An Jiu, I have no intention of making things difficult for you. I just want to talk," Xiao Che said with a frown.

An Jiu sneered, "Too late!"

The moment he had ordered so many to surround and attack Chu Dingjiang, she had already despised Xiao Che to the core. What was there to talk about? Moreover, Xiao Che's initial actions had been aimed at controlling her, not simply having a conversation.

"I'm no longer that homeless child, nor will I tremble in fear and believe your nonsense!" An Jiu hissed, drawing her bow again, her killing intent almost palpable.

Three arrows, laden with overwhelming hatred and resentment, shot forth.

Xiao Che grabbed the bow beside him and, in an instant, released three arrows in response, his tone excited, "So you do know who I am!"

Hearing this, An Jiu understood—Xiao Che truly harbored no intent to kill her. He had forgotten who he was.

"If you want to know, come here yourself," An Jiu suddenly lowered her Dragon Subduing Bow.

Xiao Che watched her through the chaos of battle but didn't move.

An Jiu raised an eyebrow. "Afraid?"

A faint smile appeared on Xiao Che's face as he discarded his bow and, leaning on the carriage wheel, slowly made his way toward her.

His subordinates gasped in alarm. "Grand Sorcerer! No!"

An Jiu was also surprised. She hadn't expected him to abandon his bow and approach so easily. Having spent so much time with Chu Dingjiang, she couldn't help but view things through the lens of conspiracy. She took a cautious step back.

Yet Xiao Che seemed utterly unguarded as he drew nearer. His subordinates were mostly occupied, leaving him outside the protective circle.

The distance between them was less than ten feet, and the faint scent of pine wafted toward her on the breeze.

His strikingly handsome face was pale, the veins and blue blood vessels visible beneath his skin. A faint smile lingered on his lips.

The moment he saw An Jiu, the emptiness in Xiao Che's heart filled, and vague images flickered in his mind—a nimble, agile figure carrying weapons, running toward him.

In that instant, his heart settled.

An Jiu slowly closed the distance between them. Her fingers, resting at her side, brushed against the dagger hidden at her thigh almost imperceptibly.

She rarely engaged in close combat, not because she was unskilled, but because the thrill of it made her lose control. But she knew that ever since his leg injury, he had forbidden anyone from getting too close. With his physical limitations, his strength was likely inferior to hers.

"In the past, you were a devil," An Jiu stopped half a zhang away from him. "You killed whomever you pleased, took whatever money you wanted, moved freely in and out of the Military Intelligence Bureau, and even took on two assassination missions against leaders of two nations out of sheer boredom."

Xiao Che clasped his hands together, staring at her intently, listening carefully. "Who are you?""I'm just a weapon in your hands. You enjoy watching me narrowly escape death time and again," An Jiu said coldly.

Behind her, the sounds of battle raged, yet Xiao Che remained eerily calm.

It was as if his memories had been waiting for this woman to unlock them. Fragments of long-lost recollections surfaced faintly, hinting that more might gradually return.

An Jiu's eyes flashed as she suddenly drew her dagger and lunged at him.

The blade plunged into Xiao Che's chest, yet to her astonishment, she heard him laugh.

A night breeze rose, rustling their robes as he unexpectedly opened his arms and embraced her.

Thinking it a trap, An Jiu hardened her heart and viciously twisted the dagger in his chest, churning it through his heart before struggling free. The violent motion sent her staggering back several steps before she fell to the ground.

One of Xiao Che's white gloves had fallen off, revealing a hand covered in burn scars.

"My dear An Jiu. Did you know, I only dared embrace you when you were unconscious before," he said. The moment the blade entered his body, memories had burst forth like beasts freed from their cage—wild and ferocious. His smile shone brilliantly, as if he weren't the one grievously wounded. "But I knew I was raising a viper. If this snake were awake, it might bite me. I've waited so long for this day, and you truly haven't disappointed me."

Their first conscious embrace, and she had stabbed him.

An Jiu stared at him in shock, as though seeing him for the first time. She'd never known this man would embrace her while she lay injured and unconscious.

"State Preceptor!" Two assassins finally broke through the fray, rushing toward them.

Yelü Quancang had issued strict orders—the State Preceptor's safety was paramount. If Xiao Che died, none of them would live. Seeing him stabbed through the heart, all Liao assassins erupted with desperate, frenzied determination.

An Jiu reacted swiftly, drawing her twin swords to meet the attackers. She hadn't fled yet because she needed confirmation of Xiao Che's death. This man had to die—their coexistence in this world was impossible.

Had he not interfered, her life would never have veered so terribly off course.

Xiao Che watched An Jiu's boiling murderous intent with a slight frown.

My girl, I gave you everything. Why do you hate me so... And what has that Chu Dingjiang given you, that you protect him so fiercely?

"Miss, you must go now!" Chu Dingjiang's former subordinates fought their way to her side. "Our lord's orders—survival comes first!"

An Jiu's heart skipped—she'd nearly become trapped here!

Unless Xiao Che was a demon or had a Miracle Doctor like Mo Sigui to aid him, that stab should have been fatal.

Under covering fire from the others, An Jiu made her swift retreat.

After running several dozen yards, she couldn't resist glancing back.

Amid the chaos, Xiao Che was still watching her, the corners of his lips lifted in that familiar way—just as he'd done countless times while waiting for her to complete missions. An Jiu's steps faltered; she nearly turned and ran back to him.

"Miss, hurry!" Someone tugged at her sleeve.

An Jiu quickly followed.

They ran all the way to the Hexi military camp—a distance that felt like a lifetime.

As sentries went to announce their arrival, An Jiu stood dazedly before the camp gates.

"Ah Jiu!" Lou Xiaowu came bouncing over, showing her pass to the guards before pulling An Jiu inside. "I heard you were ambushed?"

The Hexi military camp was indeed a safe haven. No matter how formidable one's Martial Arts, they were still just one person against tens of thousands of soldiers."He's gathering the generals to discuss military matters. Why don't you come freshen up with me?" Lou Xiaowu said.

"Military matters?" An Jiu asked in confusion.

Lou Xiaowu pulled her into a tent and whispered closely, "I'm just guessing, but I saw that scruffy-bearded uncle looking at a map of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun, marking it up. Maybe he's planning to take advantage of the Liao Dynasty's internal strife to reclaim lost territory."

The scruffy-bearded uncle was undoubtedly Ling Ziyue.

As she began to relax, An Jiu felt a surge of blood and tearing pain in her chest. She must have injured her internal organs again. After the reforging, her body was temporarily much more fragile, but her mental strength had advanced further. If not for that, she wouldn’t have been able to withstand Xiao Che today.

Forcing herself up, An Jiu cleaned her body, applied medicine, changed into fresh clothes, and lay down on the soft couch to rest for a while.

Lou Xiaowu, seeing her pale complexion, wisely refrained from disturbing her.

An Jiu didn’t know how long she had slept when she suddenly dreamed of Chu Dingjiang and jolted awake.

“You’re awake! I’ll go tell that old man,” Lou Xiaowu said, darting out like a rabbit.

An Jiu woke up to find Ling Ziyue now referred to as “that old man” by Lou Xiaowu. If she didn’t know Lou Xiaowu well, she might have thought she’d slept for over a decade.

Moments later, Ling Ziyue entered in full military attire. “Lady Shi Si.”

“General Ling.”

An Jiu tried to rise, but Ling Ziyue stopped her. “You’re injured, Lady. No need for formalities. Master Chu sent a message through Magistrate Wu, saying the Liao Kingdom’s State Preceptor has left Shangjing. The Northern Court King was arrested for rebellion, and all Shadow Wraiths have been dispatched on missions. Is this true?”

So he had anticipated everything. An Jiu felt reassured. “It’s all true. My injuries came from encountering Xiao Che. I stabbed him—don’t know if he survived.”

“Good!” Ling Ziyue clapped his hands. “Rest well in camp, Lady. I will reclaim the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun!”

An Jiu wasn’t particularly interested in that. “If there’s any news of Chu Dingjiang, please inform me first, General.”

“Of course!” Ling Ziyue stood. “I’ll have food prepared for you. Eat and rest afterward.”

Ling Ziyue was tall and imposing, his demeanor carrying a steadiness reminiscent of Chu Dingjiang, which comforted An Jiu. “Alright.”

Once Ling Ziyue left, Lou Xiaowu wrinkled her nose. “What’s this? He didn’t even glance at me! I’m hungry too!”

An Jiu smirked. “You haven’t won him over yet.”

Lou Xiaowu crossed her arms, huffing. “All he cares about is those Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun! He won’t even look at me properly!”

Only after a long pause did she realize what she’d just admitted, her face flushing red. “Y-you… how did you know…?”

When the food arrived, An Jiu sat at the table and began eating.

“Tell me!” Lou Xiaowu had thought she’d hidden it well.

An Jiu replied, “Even a fool could tell.”

“No way!” Lou Xiaowu’s jaw dropped. After a moment, she asked, “Does everyone know?”

An Jiu took a bite of steamed bread. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of. General Ling is a good man.”

She paused. Lou Xiaowu probably didn’t know her second sister was dead yet.

Thinking of everything that had happened these past few days—and still no word from Chu Dingjiang—An Jiu suddenly lost her appetite. But she forced herself to eat a lot. Only by recovering her strength could she be of help.

Lou Xiaowu, noticing her sudden gloom, assumed she was just worried about Chu Dingjiang. “I’ve heard Master Chu is very capable. He’ll be fine.”

“Mm.” An Jiu responded quietly.

After three days in the military camp, the army hadn’t yet moved, but supplies had already been dispatched. The atmosphere was tense with preparations, and Lou Xiaowu became busy too. She led a team to set up a weapon forge in the nearby mountains, providing arms for the army—backed by Zhu Pianxian’s support.

Zhu Pianxian was acting on Chu Dingjiang’s behalf. Her intentions were his intentions.Chu Dingjiang had been at home all this time, seemingly occupied with admiring flowers, watching birds, taming eagles, and walking his tiger—yet behind the scenes, he had actually been involved in so many things.

An Jiu watched the soldiers rushing back and forth, her anxiety growing with each passing moment.

The moon was bright, the stars sparse.

An Jiu lay wide awake, unable to sleep. Only as dawn approached did drowsiness finally begin to creep in.

She drifted into a hazy slumber, only to plunge into a world of flashing blades and raining arrows. Hundreds of black-clad assassins surrounded a single figure—a man clad in black, standing like an unshakable monument. His sword strokes carried the force to sweep away armies, yet the hundreds of assassins were all skilled fighters. Though they couldn’t kill him immediately, they prevented him from breaking free.

Just as the battle reached its most intense moment, An Jiu noticed several archers hidden silently in the surrounding trees. Their gazes were as focused as a leopard’s, poised to strike their target dead in an instant.

She didn’t see why so many of the assassins suddenly retreated, leaving a perfect opening for the ambushers.

A blinding blue light flashed.

An Jiu jolted awake in a cold sweat.

"Chu Dingjiang…" she murmured, clutching the blanket. "Don’t you dare lie to me."

……

An Jiu endured ten days in the Hebei camp before she could stand it no longer.

She was accustomed to following orders—especially Chu Dingjiang’s. Had it not been for that unsettling dream, she might have waited patiently, even if it took a lifetime.

But not now.

Her wounds had long since healed, and her Reforged body had grown sturdy. She could clearly feel her agility had increased several times over—her movements were now even faster than those of Inner Cultivators.

On the eve of the great battle, Ling Ziyue was swamped with work. Leaving behind a letter, An Jiu quietly slipped out of the Hebei camp and returned to Hexi.

The trials for the Self-Defense Army had concluded. The original force of over five hundred had been drastically reduced to just over three hundred. Yet, the remaining soldiers carried a completely different aura from before.

Blood Fiend noticed An Jiu’s return and immediately came to report. "Master, we’ve discovered two suspected spies during the trials."

An Jiu pushed away Da Jiu, who was nuzzling against her affectionately, and asked, "What makes you say that?"

"Most of the recruits you brought in know some Martial Arts, but these two performed exceptionally well in the trials. They don’t seem like wandering warriors—more like assassins from the Crane Control Army. But we’ve already recorded everyone from the Crane Control Army and the Bounty Board."

Assassins and ordinary people behaved very differently, especially the first time they killed.

"What ranks are they?"

"Both are fourth rank."

"Keep them under observation for now. If they try to send any messages, intercept them discreetly."

"Yes!"

Da Jiu’s massive tiger head nearly shoved An Jiu off the stool. She finally found it strange—he had never been this clingy before!

Thinking it over, she reached out and patted his belly. Sure enough, it was sunken—he hadn’t eaten in days.

Da Jiu had always had a taste for poisonous creatures, especially the Poison Pills Mo Sigui concocted. Normally, if he didn’t have any, he would go hunting in the mountains himself. But this time, Chu Dingjiang had ordered him to guard the place—had he really just lain here obediently without eating or drinking?

Impossible!

An Jiu noticed him rubbing the bamboo tube around his neck against her and realized it must contain Mo Sigui’s Poison Pills. Whenever he had them, he’d rather eat just one than go hunting.

The tube was tiny, nearly buried in the folds of the chubby tiger’s neck—no wonder he couldn’t reach it.

An Jiu untied the tube and struggled to unscrew it. Inside, along with a medicinal pill, a small rolled-up piece of paper fell out.Da Jiu trembled with excitement as it buried its head to pick up the medicinal pills scattered on the ground.

An Jiu unfolded the note, only to find Chu Dingjiang’s handwriting inside!

It turned out that Da Jiu needed to feed every fifteen days and absolutely refused to let unfamiliar people near. He had deliberately placed the Medicine where Da Jiu could smell it but not reach it, forcing it to seek out someone familiar if it wanted to eat. As a Tracking Tiger specifically trained to track An Jiu, it would naturally go to her first.

Moreover, he never believed she would obediently stay at the Hebei camp as told.

In the letter, Chu Dingjiang wrote that this time he was assisting Ling Ziyue in attacking the Liao Kingdom. However, Yelü Quancang was not one to act recklessly without considering the consequences. While this seemed like a good opportunity, there were likely many unforeseen dangers. He instructed her to lead two hundred trusted self-defense troops to guard the rear camp of the main army.

Additionally, the traitor among the guards might be from Misty Villa.

"Can’t even protect yourself, yet still scheming like this!" An Jiu seethed, her insides aching with anger.

Glancing over, she saw Da Jiu squeezing its tiger face between the bed leg and a chest, straining to reach a pill that had fallen inside.

"Idiot! Can’t you just use your claws?" An Jiu didn’t bother to help, letting it struggle on its own. (To be continued...)