After running for a long time, An Jiu finally slowed her pace once her mental strength confirmed no one was pursuing her.
The surrounding trees had disappeared, replaced by endless stretches of withered yellow grass. As she steadied her breathing and waited for her heartbeat to calm, she faintly heard the sound of flowing water.
She followed the sound deeper into the grass. The dry blades crunched beneath her feet, and the howling northern wind carried icy pellets that stung her face.
Before she had fainted, the sky had been bright and sunny, but now dark clouds loomed overhead, casting a gloomy haze over the world. She couldn’t discern the time, but based on her own estimation, she believed she hadn’t been unconscious for more than two hours.
Two hours—if they had traveled nonstop, they should be quite a distance from Bianjing by now.
The withered grass rustled loudly in the wind, but amidst the noise, she suddenly caught a faint, different sound.
An Jiu gripped the dagger in her sleeve, carefully pinpointing the direction of that subtle disturbance.
"Don’t be alarmed. It’s me." A deep, familiar voice abruptly spoke up. "You remember me, don’t you?"
An Jiu recognized him. "Divine Martial Commander Chu Dingjiang."
"You actually know my name?" A figure clad in black silently appeared not far in front of her. The fierce wind seemed to vanish the moment it reached him, not even lifting a corner of his robe.
He was like the eye of a storm—no matter how violently the tempest raged around him, his dark-clad figure remained utterly still, undisturbed by even the slightest ripple.
An Jiu knew that if Chu Dingjiang was allied with those people, she stood almost no chance of resisting. Yet despite this, she didn’t lower her guard. "The people who captured me mentioned it."
Chu Dingjiang fell silent, as though steadying his emotions. After a long pause, he finally said, "Their influence has already infiltrated to such an extent..."
Among the four branches of the Crane Control Army, it was usually the deputy commanders who made public appearances. The names and temperaments of the commanders themselves were never casually revealed. Even some lower-ranking members of the shadow unit were unaware of them, let alone outsiders.
"There’s no telling how much longer they can hold out over there. Come with me first!" Chu Dingjiang urged.
An Jiu hesitated briefly, but considering she had no better options, she followed.
"There’s no need to be tense. I’ve been lying in wait in Bianjing for days, just to draw them out." His tone was casual, but it carried a hint of exhaustion. The cost of this operation would be steep once again, and if he failed to obtain crucial intelligence, the weight on his shoulders would grow even heavier.
They walked in silence for a while.
Chu Dingjiang suddenly stopped. "Let me carry you. At this pace, we’ll be caught in no time."
"Alright." Having already decided to trust him, An Jiu didn’t bother with false modesty.
Chu Dingjiang wrapped an arm around her slender waist and leaped lightly, covering nearly eighty feet in an instant.
His inner force was fire-aligned, and his scorching body heat seeped through his thick robes, warming An Jiu as though she had suddenly been pulled from an icy wasteland into a blazing furnace—almost uncomfortably hot.
Though her entire body felt uneasy, she remained still while they were in motion.
Half an hour later, Chu Dingjiang brought her to a secluded estate nestled in a valley.
The twilight was deep, and warm orange light spilled from the courtyard.
The two landed lightly in the front yard. Before anyone could approach to question them, Chu Dingjiang produced his token, his tall frame shielding An Jiu completely and preventing anyone from catching a glimpse of her face.
No one stopped them.
Chu Dingjiang led her into a room.The interior was fully furnished, resembling the home of a wealthy family rather than a cold, ruthless assassin's den.
The fire in the hearth burned brightly, filling the room with spring-like warmth. The ice particles clinging to their clothes instantly melted into droplets, seeping into the fabric and leaving their garments damp and clinging uncomfortably.
Chu Dingjiang removed his mantle, revealing his agile and well-built figure.
He flipped over an overturned cup on the table and poured water while speaking, "Perhaps you are unaware, but Elder Zhi of the Mei family has been imprisoned."
That madman shared the same Inner Force attribute as Elder Zhi—both were water-aligned—and both were obsessed with archery. Such coincidences were rare in the world.
An Jiu had long anticipated this outcome, so she replied calmly, "That water-aligned archery master isn't him."
"I know," Chu Dingjiang pushed a cup of water toward her, his tone indifferent. "But no third person would believe it."
The atmosphere was oddly familiar. Though they were hardly acquainted, their conversation felt as if they had known each other for a long time. "What happened?" she asked.
Chu Dingjiang paused, then let out a self-deprecating laugh. "To think I’ve fallen so low as to complain to a young girl!"
An Jiu took offense at his dismissive tone, but considering he had saved her, she decided to hold back any sharp retorts. "Enough self-pity. I’m barely tolerating this as it is. If you don’t want to talk, then don’t!"
Chu Dingjiang didn’t respond. This wasn’t the first time he had witnessed An Jiu’s sharp tongue. The last time, when he had forcibly taken her to deal with an archery master in the Transformation Realm, she had even wounded him.
"Earlier, when you encountered the people who kidnapped you, did you learn their identities?" he asked. "Or any distinguishing features?"
"One was a madman, the other was called Cui Yichen," An Jiu relayed the information she had simply. After all, it seemed this man might share the same stance as her now.
"Cui Yichen!" Even with his unshakable composure, Chu Dingjiang was deeply shocked.
The Cui family’s influence in the Crane Control Army might not rival the four great clans, but they were still a force to be reckoned with. If the entire family had defected to the enemy, it could shake the very foundation of the Crane Control Army.
"I’ve heard there are barely over a hundred Ninth-Order Martial Masters in the world. Yet last time at the ancient temple, the enemy had no fewer than twenty, didn’t they?" The undercurrents behind this matter were impossible to ignore. Now that she had inadvertently learned Cui Yichen’s name, she would likely be hunted down. To survive, she needed to find a powerful ally.
The Mei family was now embroiled in turmoil, and whether they could be relied upon was uncertain. This man before her, however, might be worth considering.
"There are even more," Chu Dingjiang said. "Ninth-Order mastery doesn’t demand high Mental Strength. Anyone with martial talent and enough dedication can reach it—it’s just a matter of time. So there are bound to be many unknown Ninth-Order Martial Masters."
He volunteered some intelligence. "The Crane Control Army suffered heavy losses, the worst in a decade. If not for the fact that no one dared to take charge of the Divine Martial Army’s mess, I wouldn’t be standing here alive today."
The Crane Control Army had always been invincible, executing the imperial will without fail. This devastating blow was like a resounding slap to their pride and arrogance.
Amidst the turbulent storm, this thorny matter had been thrust into Chu Dingjiang’s hands—leaving him no room for refusal.In the Divine Martial Army, few truly submitted to him, yet he feared nothing. Just like this time—he had long anticipated the arrival of a Transformation Realm Master. Knowing resistance was futile, he deliberately deployed those who opposed him to their deaths.
The Crane Control Army had one rule—unconditional obedience. Without retreat orders, they could only advance, never retreat!
His methods were extreme, yielding quick results but also drawbacks. Those with wavering loyalties, seeing Chu Dingjiang’s blatant favoritism, quickly pledged allegiance to him, while the more steadfast ones only grew to despise him further.
Chu Dingjiang didn’t fear hatred. He had the resolve to burn his bridges, but his lack of trusted allies left him utterly vulnerable—hence his desire to recruit An Jiu.
Though An Jiu lacked Inner Force, she could convert others’ Inner Force to unleash the Startling String. In time, she would become an exceptional assassin.
One sought to recruit, the other to join—a perfect match. Chu Dingjiang laid his cards on the table: "The mastermind’s identity is unclear, but their goal to eradicate the Crane Control Army is obvious."
And to eliminate the Crane Control Army, the first targets would be the four great families.
"Could it be the Emperor?" An Jiu asked.
"At first, I thought so too," Chu Dingjiang replied. "But upon reflection, it seems unlikely for many reasons. Most importantly, I know The Emperor is not as... idle as the world believes. I also considered whether someone wanted to overthrow me, but to speak treasonously—if they truly had the power to rally so many masters, using it against me would be excessive flattery. They might as well seize the throne."
Thus, this was either an attempted coup or the machinations of an enemy state coveting the Song Dynasty.
The Song boasted an army of 1.4 million—a number impressive on paper. But after generations of prioritizing civil over military affairs, its forces were disorganized, poorly equipped, and lacked fighting spirit. In reality, they’d be lucky to field 400,000 effective troops.
For enemy nations, the true threat was the Crane Control Army! This elusive force—how many were they? How had they helped Zhao Kuangyin seize the throne? Why were they pivotal in every political upheaval?
Chu Dingjiang set aside these thoughts. Watching the girl silently sip tea under the flickering lamplight, he felt something peculiar. Beyond marveling at her composure, he was surprised he’d seriously discussed strategy with this young girl. (To be continued…)
PS: Though updates are scarce, I’m doing my utmost. Hopefully, this won’t last forever.
OpenNovel