“Miss Feng, release him first — whatever the matter, we can discuss it calmly.” The Fort Master, standing to the side, spoke up again.
“Speak!” Feng Jiu’er gritted her teeth, and the five fingers gripping the Grand Elder’s throat moved slightly.
“Did you plant Gu Poison on them? If you do not speak, do not blame me for showing no mercy!”
The brothers, seeing this, were each so anxious their faces had gone pale — yet still they dared not draw near.
Had they not seen it with their own eyes, no one would have believed that such a slight young woman could move with such breathtaking swiftness.
What was more, without the Fort Master’s order, they did not dare to act recklessly.
“Miss Feng…”
The Fort Master had barely taken one step forward when a sharp ring sounded right beside his ear.
No one could see how Jian Yi had made his move — by the time the sound registered, his sword was already leveled at the Fort Master.
What Jian Yi was swiftest at was his swordsmanship, and this single move left the Southern Barbarian Fort’s people utterly dumbfounded.
But everyone came to their senses quickly, raising their weapons and surrounding them in a solid ring.
“Release our Fort Master and Grand Elder — release them now!” a man shouted loudly.
“Release them! Release them!” The others also began to cry out.
Yet Feng Jiu’er appeared neither to hear nor to see any of it, her gaze fixed on the Grand Elder, the sharpness of her eyes growing even more severe.
“I will give you one more chance — are you going to speak, or are you not?”
After Feng Jiu’er’s ice-cold voice fell, everyone’s eyes went to her five fingers, and the shouting stopped.
Everyone knew that if, at this moment, those five fingers tightened even slightly, the Grand Elder’s life would end right here.
“I… will speak.” The Grand Elder had the Fort Master’s hand at his throat, barely able to breathe, let alone speak.
Having practiced martial arts for several decades, how could he have ever imagined that one day he would fall into the hands of a fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl?
Feng Jiu’er fixed her gaze on him, furrowed her brow slightly, and eased the force in her hand.
“I… will speak, I will say everything…” The Grand Elder drew a fierce breath and waved his hand.
“Everyone stand back — this matter, I will give Miss Feng an accounting.”
The surrounding brothers dared not move and looked one by one toward the Fort Master.
The Fort Master glanced at Jian Yi’s blade, extended a long finger, and attempted to push it aside — yet found he could not have his wish.
“Stand down. I never intended to have this battle start.” He spoke in an even tone.
Hearing the Fort Master’s words, the brothers retreated together, ultimately clearing the space.
Only then did Jian Yi sheathe his sword.
Feng Jiu’er, whose gaze had never left the Grand Elder for a moment, furrowed her brow once more.
The Grand Elder let out a shallow sigh and said plainly: “I wished to use Gu Poison insects to make them talk, but there was not enough time.”
“I assure you — aside from having been given some sedating incense, they are otherwise unharmed.”
The Grand Elder met Feng Jiu’er’s gaze and gave a slight nod. “I assure you, they are truly unharmed.”
Feng Jiu’er stared at the Elder, narrowed her eyes for a moment, then released him.
The moment she withdrew her hand, two brothers immediately went to support the Grand Elder.
“Grand Elder, are you all right?” one brother asked.
“I am fine.” The Grand Elder shook his head.
Jian Yi stepped forward with one stride and positioned himself behind Feng Jiu’er, shielding her.
“Miss Feng, regarding this matter…”
“Fort Master.” The Grand Elder’s hoarse voice cut the Fort Master off. “One answers for one’s own actions. This has nothing to do with you — you need bear no consequences.”
“That will not do.” The Fort Master glanced at the Grand Elder, then turned his gaze back to Feng Jiu’er. “No matter what, the Grand Elder is one of my people.”
“Fortunately, Miss Feng’s people are unharmed. Miss Feng — you say how you wish to handle this matter.”
Feng Jiu’er stepped forward and gave a gentle pat to the hand Jian Yi had around his sword hilt.
“As long as my people are unharmed, I have no intention of pursuing this matter further. But this kind of thing must never happen again.”
Feng Jiu’er had no wish to make things worse than they already were. If peace was possible, who would want bloodshed?
“Miss Feng, I can give you my assurance — this will never happen again.” The Fort Master’s voice rang out.
“But I wonder if you might be willing to explain — what is it that you have come to the Southern Barbarian Fort seeking?”
“If I knew, I could take you there directly. That would save trouble for me and spare you the effort.”
Feng Jiu’er and Jian Yi stood facing over a thousand armed men, yet their expressions did not change in the slightest.
The reason Feng Jiu’er was confident was that she knew the Southern Barbarian Fort, beyond its considerable forces, also held within it the families of those very men.
They were, without question, even less willing than she was for this battle to begin.
The Grand Elder’s feelings she could understand — yet since he had quietly hidden the women and children away, he was surely a person who valued deep bonds. Just now, she had been gambling on that, and fortunately, she had gambled correctly.
“The only thing I can say is that we have come on this trip to find a certain place — a place of great importance to me.”
“For now, I only know it is somewhere within Black Gorge, though I cannot say exactly where in the gorge. If it is not in the Southern Barbarian Fort’s territory, I still have other places to search.”
“Fort Master, I wonder if what I have said is clear enough?”
“Looking for a certain place?” The Fort Master furrowed his brow slightly.
“Yes.” Feng Jiu’er inclined her head. “As a show of my sincerity, beginning tomorrow, we will enter with only three or four people.”
“As for your stone forest arrays, we will not enter freely — unless they block our path forward.”
“I have said all that I can say. Fort Master, what is your view?”
The Fort Master let out a shallow sigh and waved his hand. “Miss Feng, why not leave this matter to be discussed tomorrow? We have our own concerns…”
“But I will never give up!” Feng Jiu’er cut the Fort Master off.
The Fort Master closed his eyes and nodded.
“I can see that. So even if it comes to breaking in by force, you must search every corner of my Southern Barbarian Fort before you will rest — is that right?”
“Correct.” Feng Jiu’er inclined her head, and with an entirely serious expression, gave the Fort Master an unambiguous confirmation.
The Fort Master looked at Feng Jiu’er, his expression difficult.
After a moment, he said plainly: “Then I wonder if Miss Feng might find it convenient to say — what, exactly, is the place you seek?”
“If I know it, I can take you there directly. There would be no need for me to make things difficult, and no need for you to exhaust yourself.”
“I am sorry.” Feng Jiu’er quietly cut the Fort Master off. “This matter is of the utmost importance to me — I must personally locate the site.”
The Fort Master, left with no recourse, let out a shallow sigh. “Very well then, allow us one night to deliberate. Whatever there is to discuss, we take it up tomorrow.”
Feng Jiu’er composed herself, glanced back at the now-cleared encampment, and when she turned back, clasped her hands in a bow.
“Very well. I hope to receive good news from the Fort Master tomorrow. Farewell!”
“Safe travels, Miss Feng.” The Fort Master shook his head and turned to go.
Feng Jiu’er did not linger either — turning together with Jian Yi, they vanished from everyone’s sight in a matter of moments.
Without the Fort Master’s order, no one moved to give chase.
Only when the Fort Master had walked away did the Grand Elder wave a hand, and the brothers began to withdraw in an orderly fashion.
Feng Jiu’er and Jian Yi quickly caught up with the brothers’ pace and joined up with Zhao Yusheng, who was walking at the rear.
The great company that had swept in with such momentum swept back out again just as swiftly.
Not a single one was missing!