“It’s not safe for cousin to go out alone,” Mo Sigui said.
Elder Zhi seemed not to understand his meaning. “I’ll assign her guards. Qianshan…”
He paused, glaring at Mo Sigui. “Where’s Qianshan?”
Qianshan, a seventh-rank martial artist skilled in hidden weapons, couldn’t be easily subdued without a trace—unless drugged. In Meihua Village, only Elder Qi and Mo Sigui had such capability, and Elder Qi certainly wouldn’t bother a shadow guard for no reason.
Mo Sigui shrank back, mumbling, “I saw him looking tired perched on the rafters…”
Though not particularly hot-tempered, Elder Zhi was the one Mo Sigui feared most in Meihua Village. With his keen intellect and seemingly all-seeing gaze, coupled with his dispassionate approach, this wise man truly inspired dread.
Elder Zhi didn’t pursue the matter further, instead turning to An Jiu. “Come to me for your entry and exit token after Tingjun’s burial.”
“Alright,” An Jiu replied.
After a moment of silence, An Jiu said, “Elder, please let Mo Sigui accompany me.”
“Didn’t you two have issues?” Elder Zhi asked calmly, his expression unreadable.
Mo Sigui chuckled, “We’re family. Grudges don’t last overnight. Our little misunderstanding has long been cleared up.”
“That’s good,” Elder Zhi said, rising to leave.
Mo Sigui began, “Elder…”
“Oh, right,” Elder Zhi interrupted, instructing An Jiu, “Starting tomorrow, come here to train. You needn’t attend the clan school anymore.”
With that, he turned to leave.
Mo Sigui desperately signaled to An Jiu with his eyes, nearly straining them.
An Jiu calmly said, “I can shoot the Jingxian.”
Elder Zhi halted abruptly, turning to look at An Jiu. Suddenly, he grinned. “You may not understand, but I despise blatant lies.”
“How else could I have overpowered a Transformation State expert?” An Jiu stood up. “I have no inner energy, but others do.”
Elder Zhi’s eyes widened slightly. “Really?”
“I wouldn’t dare say it if it weren’t true,” An Jiu replied.
Elder Zhi appeared composed, but his voice trembled slightly. “Come here.”
“If you agree to let Mo Sigui and me leave together, I’ll explain the technique to you,” An Jiu remained standing.
Elder Zhi’s expression darkened. “You’re blackmailing me.”
“It’s a trade,” An Jiu corrected him.
Revealing the Jingxian secret for such a small request—Elder Zhi disapproved of An Jiu’s ‘ends justify the means’ approach. Of course, he wouldn’t pass up an opportunity. “If you can successfully shoot the Jingxian, I’ll agree.”
“Agreed,” An Jiu said.
“Let’s go then,” Elder Zhi turned and left.
Mo Sigui, stunned for a moment, finally registered what An Jiu had said and hurried after them. Elder Zhi and An Jiu were heading to the main archery range. As his inner energy slowly gathered, he used it to leap and catch up.
Today’s visibility was excellent, with little wind.
Elder Zhi ordered someone to bring a bow and arrows. An Jiu casually shot a few arrows at the target to familiarize herself with the weapon.
“Shoot a few more,” Elder Zhi said, eyes fixed on the distant bullseye.
An Jiu complied, drawing the bow.
As she prepared to shoot, she was quiet and focused, every muscle in her body taut. Yet when she released, she seemed utterly relaxed.
Elder Zhi pondered silently, then placed his hand on An Jiu’s back.
An Jiu felt a cool stream of inner energy enters her body. Her meridians suddenly felt as if pierced by ice picks, but the pain quickly turned numb.
Elder Zhi’s inner energy clashed violently with that of the Divine Martial Commander. An Jiu’s meridians, already damaged from being forcibly widened before, now suffered even more.
Seeing her face turn pale, Mo Sigui grabbed her wrist to check her pulse.
“Elder, stop!” Mo Sigui cried out. “If this continues, her meridians will be ruined!”
Elder Zhi’s eyes dimmed, hesitating for a moment, but he didn’t stop.
Elder Zhi was a cold-hearted man at his core. His special interest in An Jiu stemmed solely from his obsession with archery. Having pursued the pinnacle of archery for decades, how could he pass up the chance to witness the Jingxian in his lifetime? His disregard for An Jiu’s life also stemmed from this obsession.
An Jiu had already abandoned her will to live. What did it matter if a meridian was ruined?
“Hey!” Mo Sigui released her hand, trying to persuade her. “If your meridians are ruined, what about Fourteen?”
“It’s too late,” An Jiu said, her meridians already filled with inner energy.
She raised the bow, her fingers opening on the empty string.
Mo Sigui’s shoulders slumped as he gazed at An Jiu’s delicate profile. Her skin was translucent white, even more so in the snow’s reflection. Her eyes, reflecting the snow’s light, resembled black crystals. Her entire being exuded calm and coldness.
A blue light slowly formed between her slender white fingers, just like the Transformation State expert on the cliff.
A crane’s cry echoed.
The blue arrow vanished after flying three zhang, causing the target twenty zhang away to quiver slightly.
The world fell silent.
Elder Zhi released his hand and flashed to the target. He raised a trembling hand to touch the arrow hole, but as his fingertip made contact, the entire target disintegrated into dust. He immediately went to examine the large tree behind the target.
“Ha!” Elder Zhi suddenly laughed. “Hahaha!”
The target had been too small to contain the powerful inner energy, which had pierced through to the tree behind. The entire trunk’s interior had been pulverized. Elder Zhi slapped the tree, sending wood dust flying everywhere.
Blood slowly seeped from An Jiu’s nose and mouth.
Mo Sigui once again grabbed her wrist.
An Jiu pulled away, using the bow as a cane to support herself. She raised her hand to wipe away the blood haphazardly.
“You don’t care about this body because it’s not yours, do you?” Mo Sigui grabbed her pulse again.
This time, An Jiu didn’t resist, allowing him to check.
“Stand still and don’t move. I’m going back to get my needles. I’ll be right back!” Mo Sigui lifted his robe and ran off hurriedly.
An Jiu felt as if her entire body was being slowly torn apart and stitched back together. Every part of her was in excruciating pain.
“How did you do it?” Elder Zhi had returned without her noticing.
This was the true Jingxian—not earth-shattering in appearance, but terrifyingly destructive. The pure inner energy arrow, upon hitting its target, would explode with devastating force inside. What had happened to the tree would be unimaginably worse if it were a person’s internal organs.
“Mental energy,” An Jiu spoke, blood continuously pouring out. She wiped it away with her sleeve. “Use mental energy to divert or concentrate inner energy.”
Elder Zhi seemed disappointed. He had understood this principle over a decade ago but had never been able to achieve it.
He was about to examine An Jiu’s injuries when a thought struck him. “Perhaps it’s similar to Elder Qi’s true qi pulse-reading technique?”