Chapter Ninety-Four
"Take him away!" Mei Zhengyan said gravely. "This is an order."
The Mei Clan was in dire straits and needed someone with foresight and wisdom to guide them. Mei Zhengyan knew his own approach was too conservative—if things continued this way, the Mei Clan would eventually be destroyed.
Mei Zhengjing was merely stuck in a moment of stubbornness, unable to accept the incompetence of their leader. Once he came to his senses, he would be far more suited to lead the Mei Clan. At this moment, Mei Zhengyan decided to trust Elder Zhi’s judgment.
"Understood!" The elder accepted the order and turned toward the women’s quarters.
Elder Zhao helped Mei Zhengjing expel the effects of the medicine. Unable to move freely, by the time his Inner Force recovered, Ling Xi had already seized the opportunity to help Old Madam escape the banquet hall.
Mei Zhengjing grabbed his Weapon and was about to give chase when Elder Zhao seized his arm. "Don’t pursue them! We must leave now!"
Another elder arrived, and the two ninth-level experts firmly restrained Mei Zhengjing, dragging him toward the secret passage.
"You should be protecting the clan head! Why are you dragging me?" Mei Zhengjing roared.
"The clan head chose to save you," the elder said solemnly.
Mei Zhengjing froze for a moment before being pulled to the entrance of the secret passage. He turned back. "Third Brother, let me stay!"
Mei Zhengyan smiled. "If anything happens to me, you must uphold the Mei Clan’s legacy. No more recklessness."
"Third Brother!" For the first time, panic surged in Mei Zhengjing’s heart.
His elder brother was willingly marching to his death, yet he could not face it with the same composure!
In the past, he had been free to act as he pleased because someone else had shouldered the burden for him. Now, a crushing responsibility had been thrust upon him without warning—the weight of it was something only he could truly understand.
An Jiu emerged from the side hall and followed the others into the secret passage.
"An Jiu, will my sister be in danger there?" Mei Jiu asked.
Behind them, arrows rained down like locusts, thudding densely against the doors, windows, and ground with a sound like heavy rain pounding on an oilcloth umbrella. In such a situation, An Jiu couldn’t possibly carry another person. Even if Mei Ru Yan was in danger where she was hidden, there was nothing she could do.
An Jiu believed hiding Mei Ru Yan was already going above and beyond.
The entrance to the secret passage closed, plunging them into darkness. All Mental strength was focused on hearing. After walking a short distance, An Jiu detected the clashing of Weapons outside.
No one spoke as they hurried forward.
After roughly the time it took to drink a cup of tea, when the air grew thin, a sliver of light appeared in the distance.
Warm orange light seeped through the cracks of the passage door ahead. The people in front quickened their pace.
The moment the elder at the front opened the door, an arrow wreathed in blue light shot toward them.
The passage was too narrow to dodge, so the elder had no choice but to block it with his sword. The arrowhead struck the blade, sending sparks flying, yet its trajectory didn’t waver—it pierced straight through his heart and embedded itself in the person behind him.
The one standing behind the elder was Mei Tingchun. His eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the arrow protruding from his chest. Only when blood gushed forth did he let out a horrified scream.
Death had come so suddenly.
The sound cut off abruptly as he collapsed. Mei Rujian, who had been right behind him, turned deathly pale, his lips trembling uncontrollably. His legs seemed to move on their own as he slowly backed away.
After only two steps, a warm hand pressed against his back. "There’s no turning back now," Mei Zhengjing said firmly. "The only way is to fight our way out."Our whereabouts have been exposed. Retreating would only lead us into the Net of Heaven and Earth set up in the banquet hall. We’d be buried alive in this secret passage instead.
Mei Zhengjing had steadied himself. Drawing his sword, he stepped in front of Mei Rujian, only to be pulled back by an elder. “You mustn’t take risks—let me handle this!”
Mei Zhengjing shut the hidden door firmly. “Wait a moment.”
Everyone understood his meaning. Mei Zhengyan would surely do everything in his power to notify the Old Madam. To the Mei Clan now, the Old Madam was their only hope—her life itself was a miracle, and everyone longed for her to bring another miracle to the Mei Clan.
“It’s them!” Mei Tingzhu whispered. “These are the same people who ambushed us at the ancient temple!”
After a pause, a deep voice echoed from outside. “Where is Mei Shisi?”
The people in the passage exchanged glances before realizing An Jiu was standing at the very back.
The voice continued, “Come out, and I’ll spare your life!”
An Jiu recognized it as the voice of the “Madman” who had captured her that day. Naturally, she wouldn’t trust the promise of a madman.
Receiving no response, the Madman’s temper flared abruptly. He roared, “Come out! Come out and compete with me in archery!”
“Who is it?” Mei Zhengjing asked quietly.
An Jiu knew the question was directed at her. “A martial fanatic—a Transformation Realm Master. They call him the Madman.”
“Come out, Mei Shisi! I heard you speak! Hurry and face me in an archery duel—I can shoot the Startling String now, hahaha!” By the end, his tone had turned almost childishly boastful.
As the standoff continued, the assailants piled damp firewood against the door and set it ablaze. Thick smoke billowed through the cracks, swiftly obscuring all light.
The narrow passage quickly filled with smoke. After holding their breath for a while, some began coughing uncontrollably.
Mei Zhengjing’s expression darkened. If this continued, they’d suffocate.
Meanwhile, in the banquet hall, twelve black-clad figures encircled Mei Zhengyan and another elder. Both men were battered and panting heavily.
Facing these twelve masters, their hearts sank—every single one was a ninth-rank expert! With such a disparity in strength, resistance seemed futile. Despair filled Mei Zhengyan’s heart.
But then he remembered—inside the secret passage was the entire Mei Clan he had sworn to protect, including his two daughters. The despair dissipated instantly. He would buy them as much time as he could!
No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than the twelve black-clad figures attacked.
Mei Zhengyan was a ninth-rank master himself, but besieged by six opponents of equal strength, he was quickly overwhelmed. A grievous wound split his chest and abdomen, blood gushing forth.
Within half the time it took to drink a cup of tea, his strength faltered. His movements slowed, and two black-clad men seized the moment—their blades pierced his ribs simultaneously.
“Zhengyan!” The elder, momentarily distracted, left himself open. Five or six swords plunged into his body.
With a furious roar, Mei Zhengyan channeled all his Inner Force into a frenzied counterattack. Abandoning technique, he slashed wildly, his sword like a storm, forcing the six attackers back.
Alone and bleeding, his spurting blood mingled with the blizzard of his swordplay, painting a scene of tragic defiance.
Back in the secret passage, someone was already at their limit.
“Sixth Uncle, Grandmother can’t hold on,” Mei Tingyuan said.
Mei Zhengjing supported the Second Madam, infusing a surge of Inner Force to protect her heart meridian."My child, your mother is fading. Don't waste your strength," Second Madam said weakly. She wasn't a clever woman and had never been of much help to Mei Shi, but she genuinely loved her descendants. (To be continued...)
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