Mei Tingchun suddenly snatched the dagger from Mei Jiu’s hand and began stabbing the corpse furiously, as if this could instantly increase his strength. Blood sprayed everywhere, filling the room with a metallic stench. The entire stone platform was stained beyond recognition. No one dodged; all allowed the blood to splatter on them.
Mei Jiu stared at this gruesome scene in shock before finally fainting.
An Jiu, not wanting to lie in the pool of blood, took control of the body and stood up.
Sensing Gu Jingfeng’s gaze, she lowered her head and leaned against the wall, silently suppressing the blood that was boiling from the violent scene.
Gu Jingfeng shifted his gaze to the blood-covered Mei Tingchun.
People like Mei Tingzhu, calm and self-controlled, were suitable for carrying out missions. Mei Tingchun’s cowardice stemmed from his desire to survive. His emotional outbursts were strong, and when faced with life-or-death situations, he would likely act beyond his abilities, as he did now. If he could survive the trial period without breaking down, he should be assigned to Dangerous Moon.
Among Mei Tingjun, Mei Tingxu, and Mei Rujian, Gu Jingfeng favored Mei Tingxu and Mei Rujian. He remembered how Mei Tingxu had fled in terror upon first seeing a corpse, and Mei Rujian had nearly lost his nerve. Yet they had managed to do this much the second time, which was unexpected. Mei Tingjun, on the other hand, had good martial arts skills and was relatively calm, but unfortunately, he had already formed a sense of right and wrong. The Crane Control Army, while not entirely ruthless, often received tasks that couldn’t be judged by morality. In his current state, he wasn’t suitable for the Crane Control Army.
As for Mei Ruxue…
Gu Jingfeng turned to look. In the flickering lamplight, half of her snow-white face was stained with dark red blood, like plum blossoms on snow. She leaned against the wall with her body slightly bent, her expression hidden by the shadow cast on her eyes, making it difficult to discern her emotions. But she appeared calm, clearly no longer afraid.
Gu Jingfeng felt he hadn’t fully understood her yet.
Outside, the north wind howled, and snow began to fall silently in the night, growing heavier. The dark, mountain-like forests were quickly covered in a layer of white.
Two hours passed. When everyone came out, the roof tiles were already thickly covered in snow.
A gust of cold wind carrying snow particles struck their faces, stinging slightly. They stood dazed for a while before snapping out of the brutal scene they had just witnessed.
Mei Tingchun, shivering, plunged his hands into the snow and rubbed vigorously, eventually burying his entire body in it.
The others also cleaned the blood from their skin in this manner.
Mei Tingjun was the cleanest. He stared at his hands in disbelief, unable to comprehend how he had committed such cruel acts in the mortuary!
The Mei family’s dark guards waiting nearby didn’t rush them. Only after they had each vented their emotions did someone say, “Young masters and ladies, it’s getting late. Please return.”
They silently boarded the carriage.
Cramped in the small space, the smell of blood intensified. Mei Tingxu suddenly threw open the window and vomited violently.
When they were first selected for the Dark Academy, they had been excited and proud. Now, they couldn’t even cry. Today’s events brought only cruelty and despair, from which no one could escape.
Hindered by the heavy snow, they didn’t return to the manor until near dawn.
Everyone rushed back to their quarters, washed off the blood, and fell into bed.
Deep sleep was plagued by nightmares.
By evening, the family head sent someone to summon them to the council hall to distribute various medicines obtained from Elder Qi.
For this trial, each family would send five people. Mei Rujian was spared due to his recently healed leg injury, which made him unsuitable for intense physical activity. Upon hearing this decision, Mei Tingchun wished he had been the one whose leg An Jiu had broken!
“You must come back alive,” the family head’s gaze swept over them, finally resting on Mei Tingjun.
Although Mei Tingjun lacked confidence, he still forced himself to say, “Father, don’t worry.”
The family head looked at his two daughters, sighed heavily, and turned his back.
Mei Tingxu choked out, “Father, we will come back alive.”
Elder Qi pulled two small vials from his pocket and handed them to Mei Tingchun. “These two vials contain an antidote that can counter seventy percent of all poisons. Some families excel in using poison. Take these, just in case.”
As Mei Tingchun was registered under Elder Qi’s name, the elder naturally wanted to provide extra care. Others didn’t dare object, especially since they had also received many medicines, just not this universal antidote.
Elder Zhi frowned as he handed Mei Jiu a three-foot-long bow and a quiver of arrows. “This is my proudest creation. With your abilities, you should be able to draw this bow.”
“Thank you, Elder,” Mei Jiu accepted the bow and arrows, but her mouth turned bitter. Elder Zhi’s words were meant for An Jiu to hear.
Seeing Mei Jiu’s gentle and quiet demeanor, Elder Zhi hesitated for a moment before advising, “You only have one life. Use it wisely. Taking a step back doesn’t necessarily mean losing, and fighting for a moment doesn’t always lead to victory.”
Mei Jiu suddenly understood. “Thank you for your guidance, Elder.”
“Old bastard!” An Jiu was deeply displeased.
This trial was a matter of life and death, and Mei Jiu was full of enthusiasm. If Elder Zhi hadn’t given this reminder, Mei Jiu might have disappeared from this body forever!
Elder Zhi certainly hadn’t overlooked this point, but he was unwilling to take unnecessary risks. If something went wrong, where would he find another ready-made archery successor? For him, it was best to eliminate the weaker soul in this body. If that wasn’t possible, it didn’t matter whether there were two souls or two mental forces, as long as the stronger mental force remained.
After preparations were complete, they all had dinner together.
The overly abundant dishes on the table made them feel as if it were their last meal, but to have strength for the life-and-death struggle ahead, they had to eat their fill even if the food tasted like sawdust.
As soon as Mei Jiu sat down at the table, An Jiu took control of the body and began to eat heartily.
Seeing her enjoy the food, the others unconsciously developed more appetite. Mei Tingchun even added two more large bowls of rice at the end.
Before darkness fell, they boarded the carriage.
“The four major families will be there. The Li family excels in swordsmanship, the Lou family is known for their internal energy, the Cui family’s palm techniques are unparalleled, and our Mei family specializes in fist techniques. I wonder how many more families there are and where the trial will take place,” Mei Tingchun muttered nervously, unable to stop talking.
Mei Tingjun turned to An Jiu and said, “Stay with us.”
This time, even Mei Tingxu, who disliked Mei Jiu the most, didn’t object. They might quarrel among themselves, but facing enemies required unity, especially when everyone’s survival was at stake.
An Jiu nodded.
The four of them silently sighed in relief.
An Jiu’s abilities were a mystery. Mei Tingzhu wanted to use this opportunity to find out more. “Fourteenth Sister, what level are you?”
An Jiu sensed the bean-sized light in her dantian and thought to herself that such a tiny spark probably didn’t even qualify for a level.