(Bug Fixes)
Mei Tingchun suddenly snatched the dagger from Mei Jiu’s hand and began stabbing the corpse violently, as if this could instantly enhance his strength. Blood sprayed everywhere, filling the room with the stench of gore in an instant. The entire stone platform was stained crimson, its original color no longer discernible. No one flinched; they all allowed the blood to splatter onto them.
Mei Jiu stared in shock at this brutal and bloody scene, unable to endure it any longer before fainting.
An Jiu didn’t want to lie in a pool of blood, so she took control of the body and stood up.
She sensed Gu Jinghong’s gaze and lowered her head, leaning against the wall as she silently suppressed the boiling in her blood from the violent spectacle moments ago.
Gu Jinghong withdrew his gaze and turned to Mei Tingchun, now drenched in blood.
Someone as composed and self-controlled as Mei Tingzhu was well-suited for missions. Mei Tingchun’s cowardice stemmed from his fear of death, but his emotional outbursts were intense. When faced with life-or-death situations, he would inevitably act beyond his usual capabilities, as he had just done. If he survived the trial period without breaking down, he should be assigned to Wei Yue.
Among Mei Tingjun, Mei Tingyuan, and Mei Rujian, Gu Jinghong actually favored Mei Tingyuan and Mei Rujian. He remembered how Mei Tingyuan had been so terrified the first time she saw a corpse that she scrambled out in panic, while Mei Rujian had nearly been scared out of his wits. Yet now, on their second encounter, they had managed to endure this far—truly unexpected. On the other hand, Mei Tingjun had decent martial skills and was relatively calm, but unfortunately, he had already developed a strong sense of right and wrong. The Crane Control Army couldn’t exactly be called deranged, but most of the tasks they undertook couldn’t be judged in terms of morality. As he was now, Mei Tingjun wasn’t fit to join the Crane Control Army.
As for Mei Ru Xue…
Gu Jinghong shifted his gaze. Under the flickering lamplight, half of her snow-white face was smeared with dark red blood, like crimson plum blossoms on snow. She leaned slightly against the wall, her shadow falling over her eyes, obscuring her expression. Her emotions were unreadable, but she appeared calm. Clearly, there was no trace of fear left.
Gu Jinghong felt he still hadn’t fully understood her.
Outside, the bitter wind howled, and snow began to fall silently in the night, growing denser and denser. The dark, undulating forest was soon draped in a layer of white.
Two hours later, when the group emerged, the roof tiles were already blanketed in thick snow.
A gust of icy wind carrying snowflakes lashed against their cheeks, stinging faintly. They stood dazed for a while before finally snapping out of the horror of what they had just witnessed.
Mei Tingchun shivered violently as he plunged his hands into the snow, scrubbing them furiously before burying his entire body in it.
The others likewise used the snow to clean the blood from their skin.
Mei Tingjun was the cleanest among them. He stared blankly at his hands, unable to believe he had committed such cruelty in the mortuary!
The Mei Shi Shadow Guards waiting nearby didn’t rush them. Only after they had vented their emotions did someone speak up, “Young masters and ladies, it’s getting late. Please return.”
The group boarded the carriage in silence.
Crammed into the tight space, the stench of blood grew overwhelming again. Mei Tingyuan suddenly flung open the window and vomited violently.
When they had first been selected for the Shadow Academy, they had been excited and proud. Now, they couldn’t even muster the energy to cry. Today had brought them nothing but cruelty and despair—there was no escape for any of them.
Delayed by the heavy snow, they didn’t return to the estate until nearly dawn.
Each of them rushed back to their quarters, scrubbing away the blood before collapsing into bed.
Deep in sleep, nightmares plagued them.
By evening, the family head sent someone to summon them to the council hall, where they were given various medicines obtained from Elder Qi.This trial required each family to send five participants. Mei Rujian escaped this ordeal because his leg injury had just healed and wasn't suitable for intense activity. Upon hearing this decision, Mei Tingchun almost wished it had been him whose leg bones were broken by An Jiu!
"You must all return alive," the family head's gaze swept around before finally settling on Mei Tingjun.
Though uncertain in his heart, Mei Tingjun steeled himself and said, "Father, don't worry."
The family head looked at his two daughters, sighed heavily, and turned his back.
Mei Tingyuan choked back tears, "Father, we will definitely come out alive."
Elder Qi took out two small bottles from his pocket and handed them to Mei Tingchun, "These are antitoxin pills that can neutralize seventy percent of known poisons. Some families specialize in poison, so keep these as a precaution."
As he was registered under Elder Qi's name, the elder naturally gave him extra care, and no one dared to criticize. Besides, others had also received various medicines, though none as valuable as these antitoxin pills.
Elder Zhi frowned as he handed Mei Jiu a three-foot-long bow and a quiver of arrows, "This is my proudest creation. With your ability, you should be able to draw this bow."
"Thank you, Elder," Mei Jiu accepted the bow and arrows, though his mouth tasted bitter—Elder Zhi's words were clearly meant for An Jiu.
Seeing Mei Jiu's gentle demeanor, Elder Zhi hesitated but still warned, "Life is only given once, so use it carefully. Retreating isn't necessarily losing, and fighting momentarily doesn't guarantee victory."
Mei Jiu suddenly understood, "Thank you for your guidance, Elder."
"That old bastard!" An Jiu was thoroughly displeased.
This was clearly a life-or-death situation, and Mei Jiu was full of determination. Had Elder Zhi not given this warning, Mei Jiu might have disappeared from this body forever!
Elder Zhi certainly hadn't overlooked this possibility, but he wasn't willing to take unfounded risks. If something went wrong, where would he find another ready-made successor in archery? For him, it would be best if the weak consciousness in this body could be eliminated. If not, he didn't care whether there were two souls or two mental strengths—as long as the powerful one remained.
After preparations were complete, they had dinner together.
The unusually lavish spread on the table made it feel like a condemned prisoner's last meal, but to have strength for the coming struggle, they forced themselves to eat their fill even though the food might as well have been sawdust.
As soon as Mei Jiu sat down at the table, An Jiu took over the body and began eating heartily.
Seeing her enjoy the food, the others found their appetites improving too. Mei Tingchun ended up having two extra bowls of rice.
Before dusk had fully fallen, they boarded the carriage.
"The four major families will certainly be there—the Lis excel with swords, the Lous are known for their internal energy, the Cuis have unparalleled palm techniques, and our Mei family specializes in fist techniques. Who knows how many other families will participate or where the trial will be held," Mei Tingchun muttered nervously, unable to stop talking in his anxiety.
Mei Tingjun turned to An Jiu and said, "Stay with us."
This time, even Mei Tingyuan, who disliked Mei Jiu the most, didn't object. She might be domineering within the family, but when facing external threats, they needed to present a united front—especially when their very survival was at stake.
An Jiu nodded.
The four of them secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
An Jiu's true capabilities were a mystery, and Mei Tingzhu saw this as an opportunity to find out, "Fourteen Lady, what level have you reached?"
An Jiu sensed the bean-sized light in her dantian. With such faint flickering light, she probably wasn't even ranked.Mei Tingjun noticed her silence and said, "Tingzhu and I are just a step away from the sixth rank. Tingyuan has just broken through to the fourth rank, and Tingchun is also at the fourth rank."
"I have almost no Inner Force," An Jiu replied.
The group was taken aback. Mei Tingyuan sneered, "If you don’t want to say it, then don’t. No one’s holding a knife to your throat! Always putting on airs is so annoying!"
"Tingyuan!" Mei Tingjun scolded in a low voice.
Mei Tingyuan pursed her lips and turned away, refusing to engage further.
"Truly no Inner Force? Then how did you subdue Rujian?" Mei Tingjun was skeptical.
Mei Rujian was at least at the fourth rank. How could someone without Inner Force drag him out the window in the blink of an eye?
"None," An Jiu answered succinctly and unequivocally.
After a moment of silence, Mei Tingzhu spoke up, "So, you rely solely on physical combat?"
An Jiu closed her eyes and leaned against the carriage wall, giving a faint hum in response. If she hadn’t found herself in a place where even children in their teens possessed Inner Force—forcing her to be cautious—she wouldn’t have bothered humoring them at all.
"Hit a snag, didn’t you?" Mei Tingyuan mocked Mei Tingzhu before turning to Mei Tingjun with concern. "Elder Brother, how’s your injury?"
Last time, Mei Tingyuan hadn’t run far after rushing out of the mortuary. Instead, she crouched under the eaves, vomiting, and thus overheard every word spoken inside. When Mei Tingjun spoke up for her and was stabbed by the deputy envoy, she immediately forgave him for abandoning her in the mass graves. But her resentment toward Mei Tingzhu’s indifference only grew.
Mei Tingjun sighed. "It’s nothing serious."
Mei Tingyuan fumed, "It’s so unfair! Why can Mei Rujian sit out because of his leg injury, while you have to fight wounded?"
Gu Jinghong’s swordsmanship was peerless. The stab wound wasn’t deep—the cut was small and avoided vital areas. The bleeding had been stopped immediately at the mortuary, and after returning to the estate, Elder Qi personally treated it. Aside from excruciating pain when moving his arm, it posed no threat to his life.
Mei Tingchun grew increasingly worried: one with no Inner Force, two at the fourth rank, one injured—only Mei Tingzhu was unscathed! Just as the deputy envoy of the Divine Strategy had said, their situation was far from optimistic!
The carriage fell silent. All five leaned against the walls, eyes closed, but An Jiu was likely the only one truly at peace.
Two and a half hours later, the carriage gradually came to a halt.
Mei Tingjun and the others immediately opened their eyes.
"Stay inside for now. You’ll disembark when the time comes," a Shadow Guard reminded them.
Mei Tingyuan couldn’t resist nudging the window open slightly. Through the narrow gap, she glimpsed a dark mass outside—what seemed like an endless line of carriages!
"So many!" Mei Tingyuan whispered.
Mei Tingchun leaned over as well and gasped after looking. "There must be at least thirty or forty, right?"
Mei Tingjun also glanced outside. Seeing no one disembarking yet, he said, "We might as well rest while we can. Once the trial begins, there’ll be no time for sleep."
Mei Tingzhu opened her eyes and looked at An Jiu. The other three followed her gaze and realized—this woman was actually breathing evenly and deeply, fast asleep!
"Let’s sleep," Mei Tingjun said.
The others leaned back and closed their eyes.
About half an hour later, the sharp cry of an eagle suddenly pierced the air.
An Jiu’s ears twitched as she detected rustling sounds outside.
People were gradually stepping out of their carriages. The Mei family’s Shadow Guard announced, "Cover your faces and disembark now."
The five reached into their robes, pulling out black masks to conceal their entire heads, then tugged up the large hoods of their black mantles for an extra layer of cover.An Jiu sat by the carriage door and was the first to step out.
A biting cold wind swept snowflakes into her face. She tightened her mantle around herself and began surveying her surroundings.
It was a clearing in the dense forest, where only bare tree trunks remained, allowing decent visibility. The snowy ground reflected a dim bluish-white glow in the dark night. Everyone was dressed uniformly in black robes, standing out starkly against the snow. An Jiu estimated there were about eighty people present.
Each family had sent five participants, meaning over a hundred and sixty families were participating in today's trial.
An Jiu had only heard Mei Yanran mention the four most powerful families within the Crane Control Army—she hadn't expected there to be so many.
The crowd formed a circle around the clearing as a dark figure descended like an eagle in the center.
"Listen well," the man said coolly, his composure unshaken as if even the collapse of heaven and earth couldn't move him. "Today’s trial will take place in an abandoned temple within this forest. The Crane Control Army guards the perimeter—anyone who steps beyond it will be executed without mercy. Hidden among the temple’s pagodas are twelve cases containing Heavenly Book Fragments. These are your targets. The trial will last two days and four nights. Inside the temple, there is a limited supply of food—take it if you have the skill."
Before his words even faded, murmurs rippled through the crowd.
The man continued coldly, "The rules are simple. You may act alone or form teams to seize the fragments. However, only those who obtain a Heavenly Book Fragment individually will be counted as successful. During the trial, all means are permitted—life and death are irrelevant."
Mei Tingchun nearly collapsed on the spot. Among these eighty-odd participants, every single one was an elite from their family. With only twelve Heavenly Book Fragments available, the chances of their five-member team securing even one were slim—let alone five!
"Lone participants who fail to obtain a fragment but survive will face no punishment," the man added. "However, teams that fail to secure one will be given the 'Broken Bowel Powder.' To ensure none of you slack off, I’ve cut thirty-six copies of the map into fragments—each of you will hold a piece."
Twelve maps replicated three times made thirty-six copies, each torn into two or three pieces—enough to distribute among all present. This meant that to assemble a complete map, one would have to seize another’s fragment!
Someone nearby muttered under their breath, "How ruthless! Going solo means fighting alone, but forming a team increases the odds of piecing together a complete map—or even two. Yet the rule states only individuals who secure a fragment count. So even if a team gets two maps, they’ll either turn on each other or have to steal from others..."
Not only that, but those who obtained a Heavenly Book Fragment would also have to guard it against theft!
"Isn’t this just forcing us to slaughter each other?" Mei Tingyuan was at a loss.
Initially, all families had planned to form teams, but with these rules, hesitation spread through the crowd.
Killing strangers was still better than killing one’s own kin!
"What’s the benefit of obtaining a Heavenly Book Fragment?" someone called out.
Exactly—if there was no reward for risking their lives, why not all go solo and simply wait out the trial in the ruined temple? Then everyone could survive!The man explained, "The Heavenly Book Fragment is a martial arts manual! It can be practiced by those at the fourth rank and above, helping you break through bottlenecks with ease during advancement. The box containing the Heavenly Book Fragment is made of thousand-year ice crystal, which can calm the mind and refine both Mental Strength and Inner Force. Moreover, it grants direct entry into the Crane Control Army, sparing you the hardships of the Crane Control Institute."
The crowd fell silent. The temptation was indeed immense!
"Those who have made up their minds can now come forward to register whether they'll form a team or go solo!" The black-clad man at the center spoke sternly, yet his provocative words made people itch to punch him. "Hurry up! The first to obtain the map enters first. Who knows—you might even find the Heavenly Book Fragment without a map."
Though aware it was bait, some couldn't resist the lure. In twos and threes, they stepped forward to sign documents declaring whether they'd act alone or in a group.
As more and more people left, Mei Tingchun grew anxious. "What should we do?" (To be continued...)
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