The Second Elderly Madam, already suffering from heart problems, felt on the brink of death in this harrowing environment.
Mei Zhengjing’s heart clenched tightly. During his period of uncertainty about the future, it was the Second Elderly Madam’s affection that had given him some lingering attachment to this family. Now, he had to watch helplessly as she died before his eyes…
Suddenly, regret welled up in his heart. If he had put all his effort into protecting the Mei estate instead of idling away his days, could this situation have been avoided? Even if his efforts couldn’t change much, at least he wouldn’t feel such bitter remorse now.
“Mei Fourteen, if you come out, I’ll spare the others!” the madman shouted from outside.
Mei Zhengjing shook his head at An Jiu, signaling her not to go out. If these people truly wanted to kill them, it would be easy – they could simply use poison smoke. The madman’s singular focus on challenging An Jiu to an archery contest was the only reason they were still alive.
“Release it. Drop a large package down there,” the madman’s voice came from outside again, seemingly responding to someone’s suggestion to use drugs.
Not poison smoke, but sleeping gas!
“Hold your breath,” Mei Zhengjing said softly.
Everyone took a deep breath and held it, except for An Jiu. She could resist a certain amount of sedatives, so she waited until the smoke had been released for a while before holding her breath.
Soon, the rolling dense smoke carried a faint scent of sweet apricot, inducing a sense of mental relaxation and joy. An Jiu’s heart jolted, and she immediately stopped breathing.
Though unfamiliar with medicines, especially Chinese herbs, she realized this sweet apricot-scented sedative seemed gentle. However, its ability to affect her emotions in an instant was not to be underestimated.
The smoke didn’t linger long. Soon, the sound of clashing weapons erupted outside, accompanied by an urgent whistle – one An Jiu remembered hearing in the graveyard.
“The Old Madam has arrived! Follow me and fight our way out!” A hint of joy tinged Mei Zhengjing’s voice.
This joy transformed into hope, infecting everyone present.
“A Yuan, A Zhu, stay behind me with your grandmother,” Mei Zhengjing instructed before leading the charge, sword in hand.
The others followed suit, rushing out one by one. An Jiu tore off her cumbersome skirt, gripped her dagger tightly, and exited the secret passage last.
They emerged onto an open-air martial arts practice platform. Stone walls rose half a zhang high, with the secret passage door hidden in an inconspicuous corner of the stone platform’s side.
The battle was already raging. Burning bonfires had spread to nearby pavilions, and the north wind fanned the flames. Within moments, the surroundings became an ocean of fire.
As the last to emerge, An Jiu initially went unnoticed. “Are we leaving?” she asked Mei Jiu.
“Everyone is fighting desperately,” Mei Jiu’s voice trembled, but she gritted her teeth and said, “We shouldn’t leave, An Jiu. I trust you.”
“Damn it!” An Jiu cursed under her breath. They were surrounded by experts skilled in both internal and external martial arts. How could she, with her damaged meridians, be confident?
In the chaos of battle, there was no time for hesitation. After a moment’s indecision, a black-clad assailant swung his sword at them.
The attack came so swiftly that An Jiu had no time to dodge. She could only parry with her dagger. As the blades met, there was neither the expected force nor sound. Surprisingly, An Jiu’s small dagger cleanly sliced through the attacker’s sword!
The black-clad man was stunned by this unexpected outcome. An Jiu seized the opportunity and lunged forward.
“Foolish!” The man sneered, not bothering to dodge. He summoned his internal energy to form an invisible protective barrier similar to the one Chu Dingjiang possessed.
An Jiu channeled all her strength into a strike aimed at the man’s throat. Despite his energy barrier, he instinctively flinched. An Jiu grabbed his collar, transferring all her momentum onto him as she pounced.
In the blink of an eye, her dagger pierced through the energy barrier and into his throat!
The man’s eyes widened in disbelief, unable to comprehend how the dagger had torn through his energy barrier.
An Jiu quickly rolled away as he fell.
Feeling the stiffness in her limbs, An Jiu knew it was Mei Jiu’s doing. “Relax, don’t try to control the body,” she said.
Mei Jiu was anxious. She didn’t want to hinder An Jiu in combat, but seeing the sword coming at them, her instincts overpowered her consciousness and reflexively tried to dodge.
An Jiu said no more. Looking around, she saw that every black-clad attacker seemed capable of using an energy barrier – an ability not typically possessed by low-level martial artists.
Nearby, a group of black-clad men surrounded Mei Zhengjing and the others. Mei Tingzhu and Mei Tingyuan were carrying the Second Elderly Madam behind them, unable to fight at full capacity. Mei Zhengjing alone struggled to fend off so many 8th and 9th-rank experts, retreating step by step after just a few exchanges.
Fortunately, the transcendent expert known as the “madman” wasn’t participating in the killing. Instead, he caught hold of Mei Rujian, asking frantically, “Are you Mei Fourteen? Are you?”
“Don’t tell him!” Mei Tingzhu shouted.
If Mei Rujian said no, the madman would surely kill him. Overwhelmed by fear, Mei Rujian’s remaining consciousness told him to heed Mei Tingzhu’s advice.
Unable to get an answer, the madman began torturing Mei Rujian, ignoring everyone else.
“Use your fists!” The Old Madam’s voice, imbued with inner power, suddenly reached everyone’s ears.
The Mei family excelled in fist techniques, but rarely used them as bare hands were at a disadvantage against blades. However, they never abandoned the practice of Mei Boxing because of its little-known strength – the ability to strike from a distance.
Mei Zhengjing didn’t discard his sword. Instead, he used one hand to wield the long sword defensively while gathering inner power in the other.
In contrast, the Old Madam left a trail of blood wherever she went, showing no hesitation. The front of her walking stick now sported a curved blade, giving it the appearance of a large scythe. Coupled with her black cloak, she resembled the Grim Reaper incarnate.
An Jiu, struck by an idea, used all her strength to move towards the Old Madam.
Most of the black-clad men were focused on attacking Elder Zhao, Mei Zhengjing, and the Mei family’s secret guards. Only two attempted to block An Jiu’s path.
The Old Madam caught sight of her from the corner of her eye, surprised that the girl had managed to fight her way through without relying on any internal energy.
“External cultivation?” the Old Madam mused, swinging her blade to dispatch An Jiu’s opponents. “Come with me.”
An Jiu had planned to force her way into the Old Madam’s protective circle, hoping that as a member of the Mei family, she wouldn’t stand idly by. The Old Madam’s active assistance was an unexpected boon.
An Jiu followed the Old Madam as they cut a path to Mei Zhengjing. Glancing at the unconscious Second Elderly Madam, An Jiu snorted coldly, “A burden!”
Despite her words, she still helped.
“Their strength is not genuine!” Mei Zhengjing exclaimed. The fact that he could handle so many 8th and 9th-rank experts was extraordinary – normally impossible for someone of his skill level.
With the Old Madam’s assistance, he found some respite and had time to think. “Old Madam, it’s strange that all our opponents are young 8th and 9th-rank experts!”
Initially, Mei Zhengjing hadn’t been suspicious. But as they fought, he noticed the hands and features of their opponents – all seemed to be men in their prime! While 8th and 9th-rank experts weren’t rare, reaching such levels typically required years of training unless one was a prodigy. One or two young experts wouldn’t be odd, but so many were highly suspicious!
Moreover, martial artists pursuing transcendence must cultivate both body and spirit. Real combat was the most effective way to train one’s spirit, so most sought out opponents. Many died in battle before reaching the 8th or 9th rank, which was why there were only about a hundred 9th-rank experts in the world, with the Crane-Controlling Army claiming a significant portion.
The Old Madam had long noticed the anomaly. “Don’t worry about them now. We need to leave!” she commanded.
“Understood!” Under the Old Madam’s cover, Mei Zhengjing hoisted the Second Elderly Madam onto his back.
The Old Madam single-handedly carved a bloody path through the 9th-rank experts, protecting the group as they escaped.
They all possessed lightness skills, but An Jiu struggled to keep up. Understanding that she couldn’t afford to be left behind, she gritted her teeth and persevered.
Breaking free from the encirclement, they fled with pursuers hot on their heels. No one dared to slow down.
The Old Madam glanced back at An Jiu several times, noting her dark, determined eyes. Moved, she was reminded of her youth, realizing this child’s temperament somewhat resembled her younger self.
Time passed, and An Jiu’s legs grew numb and senseless, driven only by sheer willpower to keep running.
The Old Madam led the group to a hidden dock behind a forest on the estate grounds. She pulled out a couple of small boats from the reeds. “Get in,” she ordered.
As soon as An Jiu stopped, she felt her whole body ache, her legs trembling and weak. The Old Madam’s combat prowess was phenomenal, capable of fighting a hundred foes single-handedly. Following her offered the best chance of keeping Mei Jiu alive. An Jiu’s minimum goal now was to keep pace with the others, determined not to be left behind.
She forced her legs to move, climbing onto the boat and leaning against its side, gasping for air.
Suddenly, there was movement in the forest. The Old Madam raised her hand, severing the mooring rope. The boat swayed as it drifted out onto the lake, its occupants on high alert.
A figure burst out of the forest, running alongside the boat. “Mei Fourteen! Mei Fourteen!” he called out.
It was New Year’s Eve, and the women were dressed in festive attire rather than their usual practical garments, making them easily identifiable.
Hearing the voice, An Jiu looked to the Old Madam and said, “It’s Mo Sigui.”
The tension eased as the group recognized him.
Mo Sigui leaped onto the boat, still catching his breath. “Hurry, Elder Qi sent me to wait for you here. He said it’s no longer safe over there. I don’t know where ‘there’ is, but Elder Qi said someone would understand.”
“They’ve infiltrated the secret grounds!” the Old Madam exclaimed in shock and anger. This meant there was a traitor within the family, someone who had been with the Mei clan for many years and held a position of importance.
The Old Madam scrutinized Mo Sigui before decisively ordering, “Abandon the boat!”
An Jiu’s temples throbbed, but she pushed herself to her feet and jumped ashore.
The Old Madam surveyed the area and chose a small path.
Mo Sigui, unaware of the Old Madam’s identity but seeing everyone defer to her, followed behind. “I’ve discovered that these people have taken drugs to artificially boost their internal energy,” he reported.
The Old Madam, knowing Mo Sigui’s background, didn’t question how he obtained this information. She asked directly, “What are their weaknesses?”
Even naturally cultivated internal energy had weaknesses; drug-enhanced power should have even more vulnerabilities.