An Jiu’s mental energy, seemingly long accumulated, exploded. The three closest to her instantly froze.
Her dual swords swept through like wind, splattering blood onto her head and face mask, warm and sticky. The thick, sweet metallic scent and the sight of red everywhere stimulated a primal fury deep in An Jiu’s soul. Her already powerful mental energy erupted like an avalanche, channeling intense killing intent into her sword edge. In a flash of white light, like a great wave rolling up a thousand piles of snow, the air filled with the sound of blades tearing through clothes and flesh.
Under the crushing pressure of An Jiu’s berserk mental energy, even ninth-tier experts struggled. Some fourth-tier martial artists turned deathly pale, watching helplessly as the blade approached, unable to move an inch.
An Jiu’s vision was blurred by blood, tinting her entire world red. In close-range kills, she could see within this crimson haze the eyes of her opponents, filled with either terror or viciousness, reminiscent of her father’s dying gaze.
Normally, with her remaining humanity, her sword might have hesitated. But now, immersed in blood and dismembered limbs, her mind held only one thought: Kill!
Destroying those gazes made her blood boil, filling her with extreme satisfaction.
At this moment, she felt as if she had returned to her days and nights in the training facility, endlessly slashing and killing, using this method to vent the pent-up frustration and strange excitement in her heart.
All the Crane Control Army assassins had experienced life-or-death battles, but watching this red-eyed woman before them, overflowing with killing intent, they felt for the first time that they were in such proximity to Death itself.
The Crane Control Army hadn’t anticipated such a formidable enemy. They rarely fought in groups like this, and their initial coordination was clumsy. After several exchanges and at great cost, they finally found their rhythm.
“Don’t panic! Focus your mental energy!” the team leader called out.
Mental energy wasn’t invincible. Like physical combat, if one person couldn’t overcome it, they could use strength in numbers. The team leader refused to believe that the killing intent of dozens or hundreds of assassins would be lost to a single woman, even if she was in the Transcendent State.
Certain that the heart blood was with this woman, the team leader immediately released a yellow signal.
Soon, the forest filled with the rustling of countless footsteps, like a swarm of insects.
Crane Control Army members from all directions converged on the location.
The Dark Governor arrived first. Observing the battle, his gaze showed surprise. “Transcendent State!”
The team leader approached him. “Sir, the medicine we seek is with this woman. However, she’s a Transcendent State external cultivator.”
The Dark Governor stared intently for a while, feeling slightly relieved. “She’s injured. Order everyone to attack with mental energy together!”
When An Jiu attempted her second sniper kill, she accidentally discovered she could weave a net with her mental energy. While experimenting, a large group of assassins invaded her territory, destroying the mental energy net and causing a backlash. Normally, in such a situation, mental energy would quickly deplete.
Following orders, the assassins didn’t rush in immediately. Instead, they surrounded the area, using their mental energy to pressure An Jiu.
By now, An Jiu no longer felt fatigued. However, as numerous powerful mental energies pressed down on her, she gradually felt like a trapped beast in a net. If she couldn’t find a way to tear through this layer, she was destined to die here.
Simultaneously, over a dozen archers and crossbowmen aimed at An Jiu.
External cultivators differ from internal cultivators. Those with deep internal energy can form a protective barrier around their bodies, shielding their relatively fragile physique. External cultivators, through repeated brutal tempering, can resist invasions with their bodies alone. An Jiu hadn’t reached this level yet, otherwise, her meridians wouldn’t struggle to withstand the impact of her mental energy.
Fortunately, the Crane Control Army members surrounding her didn’t dare divert even the slightest attention, unaware of the archers ready to shoot at any moment. Their encirclement inadvertently protected her.
As the Crane Control Army employed delaying tactics, An Jiu’s mental energy visibly weakened. The assassins attacking with mental energy gradually found it less challenging than before.
An Jiu swung her Tang sword mechanically, without any superfluous movements. Each strike wounded someone, but the wounds on her own body also multiplied. Blood seeped from her injuries, soaking her black combat outfit, making it impossible to tell how much she had bled.
By now, An Jiu had long forgotten why she was fighting. In her memory, surrender always meant death or lifelong imprisonment, so she never had the habit of giving up.
Seeing the tide of battle turn, the Dark Governor’s furrowed brow slightly relaxed.
Everyone thought that surrounding and killing An Jiu was just a matter of time. However, at that moment, another powerful mental energy suddenly pierced through the battle circle.
An Jiu seemed encouraged, her waning killing intent suddenly surging again, her sword strikes becoming more fierce.
The night wind in the forest suddenly picked up, and a black-robed figure arrived on the breeze, instantly appearing beside An Jiu.
An Jiu’s consciousness had long been replaced by excited killing intent, but the moment Chu Dijiang arrived, she regained some clarity.
“Chu Dijiang!” While others might not recognize this figure, the Dark Governor identified him immediately.
“It is I,” Chu Dijiang’s deep voice came from under his hood.
Seeing his actions, the Dark Governor’s expression changed drastically. “You’re protecting this woman?”
Apart from the Dark Commander, no one in the entire Crane Control Army surpassed Chu Dijiang in skill, not even himself. Chu Dijiang had been in the Transcendent State for several years. Before that, he had kept a low profile, and even after being exceptionally promoted to Divine Martial Commander, he hadn’t achieved much, instead being pressured step by step. The only time he had demonstrated the terrifying power of a Transcendent State expert was when he, with just a handful of men, had taken down the entire Piaomiao Mountain Villa.
After that incident, the Emperor gradually came to rely on him.
How effective could those newcomers from the Crane Control Academy be? No one doubted that even without these people, Chu Dijiang could still complete the mission.
The presence of two Transcendent State experts caused everyone present to back off, creating a standoff.
“As you can see,” Chu Dijiang calmly unsheathed the ancient sword at his waist.
The Dark Governor was extremely wary of him, unsure whether he was there to protect the woman or to seize the rare medicine. He could only probe, “If you’re here for her, as long as you hand over the medicine person’s blood, we’ll immediately withdraw from the island. If you’re here for the extraordinary medicine…”
“What then?” Chu Dijiang’s tone lifted slightly, his overwhelming killing intent serving as the most direct threat.
The Dark Governor was a high-level expert with one foot in the Transcendent State. If they truly fought, their strength would be evenly matched. However, he didn’t know that Chu Dijiang’s power had already declined significantly, otherwise, he wouldn’t have tolerated being threatened by his subordinate!
“Then you would be committing treason, and everyone would have the right to execute you!” The Dark Governor’s leg and waist muscles tensed, ready to engage at any moment.
“You’ll get neither the woman nor the medicine because His Majesty passed away half an hour ago,” Chu Dijiang calmly dropped this bombshell, continuing unhurriedly, “Indeed, all martial artists crave extraordinary medicine, but I hope sir will weigh the pros and cons carefully.”
“Is this true?!” The Dark Governor sensed trouble.
Chu Dijiang chuckled lightly, “Otherwise, does sir think this official would have eaten the heart of a leopard to dare oppose a superior?”