Radiant Blade of the Wilderness

Chapter 103: The Chase

He Luo’s soul looked up with a bewildered expression and said, "There’s no water clock or night watchman. I couldn’t tell the hour.

"I left the city in the morning and have only just returned. It took roughly six hours, with a rest stop to feed the horses."

A water clock—also called a clepsydra—was an instrument that marked time by the flow of water. The tallest watchtower held a large one, supplemented by a gnomon and an incense clock for calibration, with dedicated attendants using drums, horns, or signal flags to announce the hours. At night the timekeeping was passed on to the night watchmen, who beat their drums and called out the watches.

When He Luo had ridden to Sunset Ridge on Lion-Felling Mountain, he would certainly have pushed his horse hard, fearing something might go wrong. After delivering the ten-thousand-year luan tree flower to the Three Fiends of Xiao City, he would naturally have slowed on the return to rest the horse... In other words, the Three Fiends have held the item for more than three hours already, with at least another half-hour on top of that. Ding Songyan was about to ask another question when He Luo’s soul let out a cry of anguish and gradually faded into nothing.

"What happened?" Xie Fengchao asked, puzzled.

He had no yin eyes and could only listen, not see.

Ding Songyan’s expression turned puzzled as he said, "Perhaps due to the influence of the Demon Seed, He Luo’s soul could no longer hold on. It has dissipated completely."

"I see." Xie Fengchao nodded.

He and Xing Chang, Caretaker Zhu, and the others had no deep understanding of spirit channeling, and once they heard the reason, they accepted the explanation.

Only Zheng Zhuxi was briefly puzzled, her eyes quickly turning bright and perceptive.

That’s not right. Junior Brother is lying. Xie Zi’an’s soul had no Demon Seed, and it still dissipated after he questioned it. That Accumulated Evil Way heretic from before was the same—no second face, no Demon Seed!

I assumed before that this was just a natural consequence of spirit channeling, but that’s not how Junior Brother is explaining it now... His spirit channeling isn’t normal? Or is it something from his unique trait? Right—he said he has a trait that suppresses demons and evil. It probably does more than just suppress...

Just as she thought this, she saw her junior brother looking over at her with a flattering smile.

The young woman gave a slight nod, indicating she would keep quiet about it.

She glanced warily at Liang Qian, and only relaxed once she confirmed the fence chief was more than eight meters away.

Good thing he didn’t hear my thoughts!

Ding Songyan pondered and asked, "How long would the fastest way from Sunset Ridge to the riverbank take?"

Xing Chang, wearing an open blue-black jacket, opened and closed his enormous split navel.

"I’ve drilled troops in that area before. If the Three Fiends don’t spare their horses, or if Cao Yue travels alone and pushes his movement technique to the limit, they could reach the nearest ford in roughly two hours. If he has to accommodate Lu Guangqing and Shen Wanli, add another incense stick of time.

"They also wouldn’t have set off the moment they received the ten-thousand-year luan tree flower. This was He Luo acting on his own impulse; they wouldn’t have prepared in advance. Setting out for the distant Xinfu City, they’d need to settle their affairs and gather the necessary supplies."

Lu Guangqing and Shen Wanli were the other two of the Three Fiends of Xiao City. The former was also ranked fourth-rank Mortal Surpassed, while the latter was only fifth-rank Profound Discerned, but was reportedly not much inferior to the other two in mountainous and forested terrain. The bounty on the former was 5,000 taels; on the latter, 2,000.

Xie Fengchao spoke before Ding Songyan could, pressing further.

"How long from the prefecture city to that ford?"

"About two hours if you don’t spare the horses," Xing Chang answered without hesitation.

In the half year since he had been posted to Dingjiang Prefecture’s barracks, he had drilled troops every day and knew the terrain around the prefecture city like the back of his hand.

Even riding at full urgency, even if the Three Fiends of Xiao City had been delayed before setting out, they should have already crossed the great river by now... Ding Songyan did a rough calculation.

At this point, Xie Fengchao glanced at the ashen-faced Caretaker Zhu and announced loudly, "I’m going after them. Who’ll come with me?

"I excel at movement techniques and hidden weapons. Even if things go wrong, I can strike and retreat in an instant. Anyone who wants to join the chase should think it over carefully. This is dangerous!"

Right, your martial style is perfectly suited for this sort of thing. Conceal yourself in the mountain forests, harass them with hidden weapons when they’re exhausted, keep up the pressure when they halt, flee when they press you, follow when they retreat... Slip in one of those five signature weapons when the moment’s right, and you might actually take out one or two of them... The only question is whether you can achieve the goal before you run out of ammunition. Ding Songyan imagined Xie Fengchao’s pursuit and combat style.

After hearing Xie Fengchao out, Xing Chang spoke in a muffled, resonant voice. "The Headless keep their word. I made a promise to Caretaker Zhu, and I will not abandon it lightly!"

Zheng Zhuxi’s eyes lit up as she listened, and she turned her head toward Ding Songyan.

"Senior Sister, you want to give chase too?" Ding Songyan could see the youthful spirit and chivalric fervor in Zheng Zhuxi.

Zheng Zhuxi gave a terse sound of assent and nodded openly.

Had she not already forged nine alien apertures or made great strides in her swordsmanship recently that made her feel comparable to a fifth-rank Profound Discerned, she might have returned to the yamen and called on senior sect brothers and sisters of higher cultivation.

Of course, her greatest source of confidence was Junior Brother Ding.

Junior Brother Ding had already wanted to wander the area and "challenge" a few of the names on the arrest warrants.

"All right," Ding Songyan agreed with a smile.

Demon Sovereign Tan Guanchan was one of the chief culprits behind the near-destruction of the Brightnight Sect. How could they let the ten-thousand-year luan tree flower be delivered to him and help him restore his youth?

According to Caretaker Zhu, the Youth Restoration Pill would only reset one’s lifespan, not one’s cultivation realm or strength!

While the Demon Sovereign still knew nothing of this, they should do everything possible to get it back!

Zheng Zhuxi turned, smiling brightly, and said to Xie Fengchao and Xing Chang, "Count us in as well."

With Zheng Zhuxi’s help, Xie Fengchao felt greatly reassured, but he couldn’t understand why she was bringing Ding Songyan.

"Young Hero Ding is coming too?" he asked, puzzled.

Young Hero Ding only had aperture refinement at greater mastery—at most seventh-rank strength. Going after near-third-rank Cao Yue, fourth-rank Lu Guangqing, and fifth-rank Shen Wanli, wasn’t that far too dangerous?

"Junior Brother Ding has a unique trait that can be useful in certain situations," Zheng Zhuxi said matter-of-factly.

Everything she said was true, but how anyone chose to interpret it was their own affair.

Xie Fengchao and Xing Chang glanced at He Luo’s body and both gave a nod.

It was true that spirit channeling could also be used for tracking. Sometimes, asking a wandering ghost by the roadside might yield an unexpected windfall.

"Then Young Hero Ding, please take care of yourself and stay away from the fighting." Xie Fengchao looked toward Ding Songyan and offered a word of caution.

"I’ll keep it in mind," Ding Songyan replied with a smile.

Zheng Zhuxi looked around, saw the hopeful and expectant expression on Caretaker Zhu’s face, and felt a fresh surge of spirit and determination.

She took charge without hesitation and said to Xie Fengchao and Xing Chang,

"We head to the yamen at once to get horses and official passes. With passes, we can swap horses along the way and needn’t spare them."

Xing Chang, recalling that the barracks were in the northwest of the city and farther away, accepted Zheng Zhuxi’s arrangement at the same moment as Xie Fengchao.

They employed their movement techniques to weave swiftly through the busy streets, appearing to passersby as little more than a flash, leaving in their wake a gust of wind or a ripple through the surroundings.

Before long, they reached the yamen—and that was while accounting for Ding Songyan’s pace.

Zheng Zhuxi was about to look for Marshal Yi to collect the passes when a well-rested Pan Yunzhou came to meet them, asking in puzzlement, "What are you all up to?"

"Junior Brother, brief Senior Brother Pan." Without pausing, Zheng Zhuxi went around Pan Yunzhou and headed toward the inner section of the yamen.

Ding Songyan gave a brief, concise account of the matter with Caretaker Zhu, omitting any mention of the ten-thousand-year luan tree flower or the Youth Restoration Pill.

Pan Yunzhou sized up Ding Songyan, then glanced at Xie Fengchao and Xing Chang, clapped his hand on the saber at his hip, and said with a smile, "Can I come along?

"I’m only fifth-rank Profound Discerned, but I have a fair amount of experience in the jianghu."

Over this past month and more, he had been feeling that his saber work, inspired by the Brightnight Sect’s sword techniques, had been improving. Even if he couldn’t beat fourth-rank Mortal Surpassed Lu Guangqing, he could at least survive an encounter with him.

"One more person means one more share of strength. Brother Pan, if you don’t fear the danger, I have no objection." Xie Fengchao saw that the Brightnight Sect’s disciples and guest adviser all had the hearts of gallant heroes, and his own blood ran hotter.

Meanwhile, inside the yamen, Yi Qincang listened to everything Zheng Zhuxi told him, then asked with a touch of worry and feeling, "You’re certain you want to go?"

"If I’m afraid of this and afraid of that, how am I ever going to travel the jianghu?" Zheng Zhuxi’s mouth curved upward, a hint of dimples showing, her smile bright and clear.

Yi Qincang let out a sigh, then laughed.

"All right. Youth should be daring. But if things can’t be done, don’t force it."

He had reasonable confidence in Zheng Zhuxi’s current abilities.

After asking Marshal Yi to arrange the yamen’s duty rotations, Zheng Zhuxi came out with the passes and the corresponding wanted notice. She did not object to Pan Yunzhou joining them.

The group each selected a thoroughbred from the stables, left Linjiang County through the north gate, galloped east along the riverside road, skirted around the docks, and pressed on ahead.

To the thundering of hooves, they swapped horses at intervals and reached the ford Xing Chang had mentioned in under two hours.

The ford had high walls and arrow towers, still fortified for self-protection in the old manner. The fishing boats and passenger vessels on the river had all been brought into port and were nowhere to be seen outside.

"What’s happened here?" Xing Chang rode forward and called up to the soldiers in the arrow tower.

His unusual appearance made him instantly recognizable to the soldiers.

"Commander Xing, less than half an hour ago, three brigands attacked us. We drove them back, but they seized a boat and crossed the river."

Xing Chang’s two chest-eyes lit up. He quickly asked after the brigands’ appearance, confirmed they were indeed Cao Yue, Lu Guangqing, and Shen Wanli, and found that the Three Fiends had arrived at the ford without horses.

Xing Chang turned back to Zheng Zhuxi and the others, his navel opening and closing as he said in a heavy voice,

"The Three Fiends of Xiao City have already crossed the river, but it wasn’t long ago.

"They traveled to the ford using their movement techniques. Once on the northern bank, they’ll likely rest a while to avoid being too exhausted to deal with bandits on the road to Xinfu City."

North of the great river was no longer Zhao kingdom territory, and far less familiar to any of them. Pursuing them there would be incomparably more dangerous than catching the Three Fiends within Dingjiang Prefecture.

Most simply put, Zheng Zhuxi and the other Brightnight Sect disciples had a general grasp of which powerhouses were active in which parts of Dingjiang Prefecture—they knew when to go around and when to avoid. But they were completely blind when matters involved north of the great river.

Xie Fengchao looked out over the broad, almost boundless river and laughed.

"Since it’s been less than half an hour, I’m crossing and continuing the pursuit. The rest of you do as you like."

This fellow is one of those wandering gallants—the kind who loves stirring up trouble... Ding Songyan muttered to himself inwardly.

Xing Chang gave Xie Fengchao an approving look and added, "We Headless know only defeat, never retreat!"

For some reason, those words made both Ding Songyan and Zheng Zhuxi feel a surge of excitement in their blood.

Zheng Zhuxi turned her head toward her junior brother. Seeing him give a slight nod, she immediately said to Xie Fengchao and Xing Chang with a faint smile, "The Brightnight Sect always keeps its word, and when we act, we see it through!"