Hidden Shadow – CH 081

Chapter Eighty-One: Chu Dingjiang

After running for a long time, An Jiu slowed her pace only after sensing with her spiritual power that no one was chasing her.

There were no trees around, only seemingly endless expanses of withered yellow grass. An Jiu regulated her breathing, and after her heartbeat calmed, she vaguely heard the sound of flowing water.

She followed the sound deeper into the grass. Walking among it, the dry grass blades rustled and cracked, and the howling north wind carried icy particles that stung her face.

Before she fainted, the sun was shining brightly, but now dark clouds covered the sky, making it gloomy and impossible to tell the time. However, based on her senses, she believed she had been unconscious for less than two hours.

Two hours—if she had not stopped walking, she should have been quite a distance from Bianjing.

The withered grass rustled in the wind, and amidst this sound, a subtle difference suddenly emerged.

An Jiu reached for the dagger in her sleeve, carefully discerning the direction of the faint voice.

“Do not be nervous; it’s me,” a deep, familiar voice suddenly rang out. “You remember me, do you not?”

An Jiu recognized him. “Commander Chu Dingjiang of the Divine Martial Army.”

“You actually know my name?” A figure in black robes appeared silently a short distance in front of her. The wind seemed to vanish as it reached him, not even a wisp of his garment fluttering.

He was like the eye of a typhoon, remaining perfectly still despite the raging storm around him.

An Jiu knew that if Chu Dingjiang was in league with those people, she would have virtually no chance of resistance, yet she remained vigilant. “It was the group that kidnapped me who told me.”

Chu Dingjiang remained silent, as if calming his emotions, before finally saying, “Those people’s influence has penetrated to this extent.”

In the four branches of the Konghe Army, the deputy commander usually came forward, and the commander’s name and character were never easily revealed. Even some low-level shadows were unaware of his identity, let alone outsiders. “We do not know how long they can hold out over there. Come with me first!” Chu Dingjiang said.

An Jiu hesitated slightly, but considering she had no better option, she followed.

“Do not be nervous. I’ve been lying in ambush in Bianjing for days, just to lure them out,” Chu Dingjiang said casually, a hint of weariness in his voice. The price to pay this time was still high, and if they did not get crucial intelligence, the pressure on his shoulders would only increase.

They walked in silence for a while.

Chu Dingjiang stopped. “I will take you. At this speed, we will be caught in no time.”

“Alright.” Having decided to trust him wholeheartedly, An Jiu did not hesitate.

Chu Dingjiang put his arm around her slender waist and leaped lightly, instantly covering seven or eight zhang.

His internal energy was fire-based, and his intense body heat penetrated her thick clothing, making An Jiu feel as if she had suddenly fallen from a frozen wasteland into a furnace, burning her.

An Jiu felt uncomfortable all over, but they were on their way. She did not move.

Half an hour later, Chu Dingjiang led her to a mansion in a valley.

Twilight was heavy, and the courtyard glowed with an orange light.

The two landed lightly in the front courtyard, waiting for someone to question them. Chu Dingjiang showed his token, his tall figure completely shielding An Jiu, preventing anyone from seeing her face.

No one stopped them.

Chu Dingjiang led her into a house.

The interior was fully furnished, like the dwelling of a wealthy family, not a cold and ruthless assassin’s lair.

The fire in the fireplace burned brightly, warm as spring, and the ice particles clinging to their skin instantly turned into water droplets that seeped into their clothes. Their dresses clung damply to their bodies.

Chu Dingjiang removed his cloak, revealing his agile figure.

He flipped the overturned cup on the table, pouring water as he spoke, “Perhaps you do not know that Elder Zhi of the Mei Clan has been imprisoned.”

The madman’s internal energy attribute was the same as Elder Zhi’s, both belonging to the water element, and both were obsessed with archery; such a coincidence was hard to come by.

An Jiu had anticipated this outcome, so she calmly stated, “That archery master whose internal energy is water-based is not him.”

“I know,” Chu Dingjiang pushed a glass of water towards her, saying indifferently, “but no one else will believe me.” The atmosphere was somewhat strange. He and An Jiu were clearly not familiar with each other, yet their conversation felt like they had known each other for a long time. “What happened?”

Chu Dingjiang paused, then chuckled self-deprecatingly, “I’ve actually stooped to complaining to a young lady!”

An Jiu resented Chu Dingjiang’s disdain, but considering he had saved her, she decided to hold back her harsh words. “Do not wallow in self-pity. I am also finding it hard to listen. If you do not want to say it, then do not!”

Chu Dingjiang did not reply. This was not the first time he had witnessed An Jiu’s sharp temper; last time, when he forcibly took her to deal with a master archer at the Transcendent Realm, he had been stabbed by her.

“Did you know the identities of the two men who kidnapped you just now?” he added. “Or did they have any distinguishing features?”

“One is a madman, and the other is named Cui Yichen,” An Jiu briefly told him what she knew. After all, it seemed that this person might be on her side.

“Cui Yichen!” Even with Chu Dingjiang’s strong will, he was still greatly shocked.

The Cui family’s power in the Konghe Army was not as great as the four major families, but it was not to be underestimated. If the entire family sided with the enemy, it could very well shake the very foundation of the Konghe Army.

“I’ve heard that there are only about a hundred ninth-level experts in the world. Last time at the ancient temple, there were no fewer than twenty ninth-level experts on the enemy’s side, right?” An Jiu could hardly ignore the turbulent undercurrents behind this incident. Now that she had unintentionally learned Cui Yichen’s name, she would probably be hunted down. To save her life, she needed to find a backer.

The Mei family had also suffered misfortune, and it was uncertain whether they could be relied upon. But this person in front of her was worth considering.

“That’s not all,” Chu Dingjiang said. “The ninth rank does not require high mental strength. Anyone with some martial arts talent who’s willing to work hard can probably reach it; it is just a matter of time. Therefore, there are inevitably many unknown ninth-rank martial artists.”

He proactively shared some intelligence: “The Konghe Army suffered heavy losses, the worst in ten years. If no one had dared to take on the hot potato that is the Divine Martial Army, I would not be standing here alive today.”

The Konghe Army was once invincible; wherever the Holy Will reached, there was never a mistake. This severe blow was like a resounding slap in the face, a heavy blow to their arrogance and pride.

The situation was unpredictable, and this thorny matter was forcibly placed in Chu Dingjiang’s hands, leaving him no room for refusal.

There were not many in the Divine Martial Army who truly respected him, but he was not afraid at all. Just like this time, he had already guessed that a Transcendent Realm expert was coming in person and that even if he tried to stop them, it was destined to fail. So he mobilized those who did not submit to him to their deaths.

The Konghe Army had a rule—unconditional obedience. Without a retreat order, they were only allowed to advance, never retreat!

His methods were extreme and effective, but also had drawbacks. Those with wavering stances, seeing Chu Dingjiang’s fierce protection of his own, readily surrendered to him, while those with firm stances hated him even more.

Chu Dingjiang was not afraid of incurring hatred; he had the determination to burn his bridges. However, he lacked trusted confidants, leaving him in a completely passive position, hence his desire to recruit An Jiu.

An Jiu lacked internal energy, but she could convert others’ internal energy to unleash a powerful attack, making her a formidable hunter in the future.

One wanted to recruit her, the other wanted to join him; it was a perfect match. Chu Dingjiang’s words were clear: “The mastermind behind this is unknown, but their goal of eliminating the Konghe Army is very clear.”

And the first to be targeted in eliminating the Konghe Army were the four great families.

“Could it be the Emperor?” An Jiu asked.

Chu Dingjiang said, “At first, I thought so too, but after careful consideration, I realized it was not so. There are many reasons, but most importantly, I know His Majesty is not as idle as the world thinks. I’ve also considered that someone might want to overthrow me, but to speak frankly, if that person truly had the ability to recruit so many skilled warriors, using that to overthrow me would be giving me far too much credit. He could even usurp the throne of the Mu Dynasty.”

Therefore, either someone wanted to usurp the throne of the Mu Dynasty, or an enemy state coveted the Song Dynasty.

The Song Dynasty had an army of 1.4 million. That number was certainly impressive, but after several dynasties that emphasized civil administration over military affairs, the Song army’s system was loose, its weapons were outdated, and its soldiers were afraid of death, craved comfort, and lacked fighting spirit. It was already quite good if so many soldiers could be used as effectively as 400,000.

For the enemy state, the real threat was the Konghe Army! How many people were in this elusive army? Why were they able to help Zhao Kuangyin seize the throne? Why did they play such a crucial role in so many coups?

Chu Dingjiang suppressed his thoughts and looked at the girl quietly sipping her tea under the shadows of the lamplight. He felt a strange sensation in his heart. Besides being surprised by her composure and aloofness, he was even more surprised that he had actually seriously discussed the situation with this young girl.