Protecting the country and safeguarding the people – for peace in one region, some must sacrifice.
However, everyone has self-interest and a desire to survive. After the passionate era of establishing the dynasty passed, they gradually developed thoughts of retreat. Among the four great families, the Lou family was the most loyal and selfless, which is why they declined the fastest.
“To end up like this,” Lou Mingyue sighed, looking up. “Heaven is truly unfair!”
“If it was voluntary, don’t blame heaven,” An Jiu, who had been listening quietly, spoke words that stung. However, she still considered Lou Mingyue’s feelings and continued, “I… know someone who could have chosen a peaceful life, but for certain reasons became a villain and died young. We choose our paths. The world won’t end without the Lou or Mei families.”
If one chooses to be ready to sacrifice their life at any time, one shouldn’t blame the Emperor or heaven when facing death.
Lou Mingyue was silent for a while, then suddenly smiled. “Is this how you comfort people?”
Isn’t it? Apart from Mo Sigui and Mei Jiu, this was the first time An Jiu had actively communicated with someone like this. At least she intended to comfort.
“I’m surprised you can say such things,” Lou Mingyue had only interacted with An Jiu once, but she could judge that An Jiu’s actions lacked direction, seeming to act entirely on momentary emotions.
An Jiu stared at Lou Mingyue’s face, pale as if it might shatter at a touch, yet the lingering smile at the corners of her lips made her seem indestructible.
“What are your plans for the future?” Lou Mingyue walked to the railing, brushed off the accumulated snow, and sat down. “Elder Zhi probably won’t be able to come out for a while.”
An Jiu had always been accustomed to following orders. Now, in an unfamiliar place with no one giving commands, she had extremely strong survival skills and could survive in the harshest environments. But she didn’t know how to live, nor did she have the motivation to stay alive.
This was why she had given up.
When Lou Mingyue didn’t get a response from An Jiu, she gripped the railing tightly. “I swear I won’t take off these mourning clothes until this grudge is avenged!”
“Mm,” An Jiu responded, seemingly agreeing with her approach.
The mountain wind carried snow, and the two didn’t speak again. One sitting, one standing, they remained like monuments until a sliver of dawn appeared on the horizon. Thick frost had formed on their hair as if they had aged overnight.
In the dim morning light, Lou Xiaowu ran out from the estate. “Second Sister, Little Brother is awake.”
Lou Mingyue stood up abruptly and rushed down the mountain without even saying goodbye, leaving only a fleeting afterimage.
Lou Xiaowu called to An Jiu, “Fourteen, come with me to buy firewood and cook. We haven’t eaten for a day and a night.”
The Lou family had stored two rooms full of dry wood, all of which had been used to burn the bodies.
An Jiu, currently staying at the Lou estate, felt she should contribute something. Moreover, she had a good impression of the Lou family, so she simply followed Lou Xiaowu down the mountain.
On the mountain, they had only felt the oppressive atmosphere within the Lou estate. At least Mo Sigui had taken the lead in handling things. But once they reached the foot of the mountain, they truly saw what could be called hell on earth. Corpses were visible everywhere along the road. After circling the village, they hadn’t encountered a single living person!
If these bodies weren’t dealt with promptly, they could trigger an even more terrifying disaster. Lou Xiaowu gathered firewood from an empty farmhouse, and they immediately returned to the estate to inform everyone of the situation.
“What should we do?” Lou Xiaowu asked.
“If this matter isn’t handled properly, it could cause riots. The court will send people to deal with it. We can only do what’s within our capabilities,” Lou Mingyue said calmly.
The dead deserve respect. If news of burning bodies spread and there weren’t enough troops to suppress villagers’ resistance, Lou Mingyue’s words could very likely become reality. This wasn’t alarmist talk or standing idly by.
“Just thinking about the aftermath isn’t a solution,” An Jiu finally expressed an opinion. “Mo Sigui, you only know how to prevent, not how to cure? Some divine doctor you are!”
The room fell silent. Lou Xin suddenly felt much better, her gloomy expression showing a hint of relief.
Mo Sigui had been eager to try internally, but outwardly he said, “Others prepared for years, even decades. You expect me to make an antidote in just a few days?”
“Excuses,” An Jiu said coldly.
How do you know you’ll die if you don’t use all your strength in a desperate situation?
Geniuses often have pride. Mo Sigui slapped his fan on the table. “I bet this fan that I’ll make an antidote within three days!”
Lou Xin’s eye twitched. She said sarcastically, “Such spirit!”
Things had happened too suddenly and too fiercely. Mo Sigui had only managed to react passively and hadn’t had time to consider the antidote issue. Hearing An Jiu speak like this, anger suddenly welled up in him. Not because An Jiu spoke without regard for face, but because someone had pushed him to this point in the medical field!
Mo Sigui thought bitterly: I’ll make the antidote first! When I catch this person, I’ll force-feed them half a jin of poison I’ve concocted!
An Jiu grabbed the fan and put it in her sleeve.
Everyone hadn’t eaten for a day and was already starving. After a simple breakfast in the meeting hall, they each went to rest.
Afterward, Mo Sigui indeed shut himself in his room, not stepping out at all. Even the meals sent in were returned untouched.
At first, Ling Gu thought he was just being stubborn, but by the second day, she began to worry. When delivering food, she peeked through the door crack and saw Mo Sigui sitting on the floor, lost in thought.
The next day, he was still in the same spot.
Ling Gu hurriedly went to the study to report this to Lou Mingyue.
Lou Mingyue was searching for information about Yelü Huangwu and completely ignored her. Lou Xin had gone to practice martial arts with Lou Xiaowu after breakfast and wouldn’t emerge for ten days to half a month.
Ling Gu found An Jiu, who was sitting on the corridor railing reading a book. She wore a black tight-fitting outfit that wrapped her slender figure, with a raccoon fur coat over it. Her black hair was simply tied back with a headband, her features as if carved from ice and snow.
Ling Gu was stunned for a moment before approaching and bowing slightly. “This servant Hong Ling greets Miss Fourteen.”
An Jiu looked up.
Her pitch-black eyes reflected the snow’s light, extremely cold.
When she looked at people, she was too focused, inevitably giving the impression of being targeted by a hunter. Ling Gu felt a chill down her spine. She shrank her neck slightly and explained her purpose, “Divine Doctor Mo has locked himself in his room without eating or drinking. If this continues, his health will collapse. If Miss has time, please go check on him?”
An Jiu frowned. Her father used to do the same thing. He would shut himself in the laboratory for one or two days, sometimes even ten days to half a month. Whenever he was disturbed during these times, he would be especially irritable.
“If he wants to die, no one can stop him. Why bother?” An Jiu said coldly.
Seeing her lower her head to continue reading, showing no intention of further interaction, Ling Gu stood awkwardly for a while before leaving.
An Jiu concentrated on studying the book Elder Zhi had left behind.
This book taught them how to fight using mental power, which was very useful for her current situation. Anyway, she had nothing else to do, and having something to focus on was better than idling.
Following her habit, An Jiu first skimmed through the entire book to get a general idea of its content, then began to read carefully.
Whether practicing internal or external skills, one must be thorough and avoid rushing. If an ordinary person reads like this, it would be very dangerous. But An Jiu’s control over her body and mental power was at a level comparable to a machine. This approach made it easier for her to grasp methods of controlling mental power.
According to Elder Zhi, pure mental power could also shoot out Jingxian, but unlike physical arrows, these mental arrows had almost no killing power against martial artists above the sixth level of mental power. Even if the shooter’s mental power had reached the pinnacle, it couldn’t be fatal. However, it was quite effective on people with weak mental power and left no wounds on corpses.
This was a skill Elder Zhi had pondered for many years. With nothing else to do, An Jiu found a bow to practice.
Now An Jiu understood why every time she went to find Elder Zhi, he would draw his bow for a long time without shooting.
After practicing for most of the day, Mei Jiu said worriedly, “It doesn’t seem to be working.”
An Jiu had been practicing non-stop, seeming tireless, but Mei Jiu felt like her body was about to fall apart.
“We need to try it on someone to know,” An Jiu said.
Unlike internal energy, mental power does not affect inanimate objects.
Mei Jiu hurriedly said, “No, don’t kill anyone else.”
She thought of the events of the past few days and felt like the sky was falling. In the dozen years she had traveled with her mother, every place had left her with an impression of peace and tranquility. She had never imagined the world could be so dark and cruel.
“Even though you still say such things, you’ve changed,” An Jiu could sense it.
The current Mei Jiu no longer startled at the sight of dead bodies, nor did she cower in fear as much. Although in An Jiu’s view, this change was minimal, she was indeed different from before.
Mei Jiu’s feelings were complex. She hesitated, “I should be able to join the Crane Control Army, right?”
She was still afraid of living such a dangerous life.
An Jiu had set self-destruction as her goal. She was still confused about other aspects of life, so how could she advise others?
The three-day agreement with Mo Sigui passed.
An Jiu took the fan and waited outside his door.
She didn’t understand Mo Sigui but felt he wasn’t someone who would carelessly make empty threats. Although the bet only involved a “philandering” fan, what he had staked was his pride and dignity.
After lunch, An Jiu practiced shooting Jingxian under the corridor.
Mental power was truly mysterious, invisible, and intangible. After practicing for so long, without finding an opportunity to test it, there was no way to verify the results.
In the evening, Mo Sigui kicked open his door with a bang and stepped out looking refreshed.
An Jiu caught sight of him from the corner of her eye, turned and aimed the bow at him, then released her finger, letting out the gathered mental power.
The bowstring hummed softly.
“Ha—” Mo Sigui’s laugh cut off abruptly, his entire body freezing. Even his complexion paled for a moment.
An Jiu didn’t know what level of martial artist Mo Sigui was, but he was definitely above the sixth level. Even if she had truly formed a mental power Jingxian, it couldn’t kill him.
“How does it feel?” An Jiu approached to interview the victim.
After a while, Mo Sigui could move his body again. He rubbed his temples and glared at An Jiu. “Mei Fourteen! What did you do?”
Ling Gu had seen clearly that Miss Mei was far away, and the bowstring was empty. “You must be too exhausted, having only eaten two bowls of porridge in three days.”
“Is that so?” Mo Sigui said suspiciously.