81.4

.....

Aji followed the stream for two days. It twisted and turned westward, taking her deep into the mountains. She settled down for the night, and planned to keep searching for the water source in the morning. But shortly after she fell asleep on a tree, shouts came from behind the mountain. She sat up and saw many people holding torches in the distance, searching through the forest.

Aji rolled over and jumped down from the tree. As soon as she landed, a cry of alarm came from the ground next to her. It was a young man dressed in white who had fallen to the ground. She blinked and looked at him. Before she could say anything, the man suddenly jumped up and covered her mouth.

"Shhh!" he whispered in panic.

"Don't talk!"

Aji was not frightened and kept looking at him. From the hand holding her mouth, she could detect that he had a double pulse. A demon master dressed in white… and the material of his white clothing was so high quality...

Aji thought back to the books she had read from Lin Haoqing.

The young man saw Aji had no intention of yelling, so he released his hand and said, "Do not be afraid, I will not hurt you."

"Are you a disciple of the Grand Master's house?" Aji asked and he immediately grew cautious. He backed into a tree and stared at her nervously.

"Who are you...? Are you here to get me?"

Aji did not answer him. She smelled a hint of blood and turned her gaze. The man's sleeve was torn and a long gash was bleeding on his arm.

"I'm not here to get you. But why do those men want you? Did you put the poison at the source of this stream?"

The young man shook his head repeatedly. "Not me! I... well... maybe kind of…" He sat down against the tree as if he could no longer support his weight. "Me and my brother, we were ordered to come. We were on our way here and I saw a child poisoned... He was covered in black and blue... I... I did not want to carry out the order, but my brother... my senior brother still put the frost into the stream. And then the people from the north came... The Senior brother was killed by them and I escaped..."

He spoke somewhat incoherently, still frightened from his experience. He scratched his head and continued, "I don't know what to do... Why did this have to happen..." He broke down emotionally. "I don't want to harm anyone, and I don't want to die either..."

This young man was only sixteen or seventeen years old. Aji looked at him, examined him, and then believed him. She made up her mind and said, "Go. I will help muddle those people from the north for you." He looked up at her, his tired eyes full of disbelief.

"I... I am a disciple of the Grand Master's house... everyone wants us dead... You, you want to help me?"

"Just stop talking and go. They're coming soon." The young man struggled to his feet.

"I... my name is Ji Ning, my master is Ji Chengyu of the Grand Master's house..." Ji Chengyu...

That name felt inexplicably familiar. The young man did not notice the change in her expression.

"What is your name? Next time..."

"Still want to have it next time?"

A cold laugh came from behind her, and Ji Ning's face immediately grew pale. Aji turned around and saw a strong, burly man with a giant axe. He stared at them and scoffed, "Dog of the Grand Master, don't even think about getting away!"

Ji Ning's feet went weak and he fell to the ground again. But Aji walked over and stood in front of him, shielding him from the big man.

"He was forced to do this, how can you kill him for it?"

"Humph, where did this brat come from? Do not interfere!" He stomped his feet and charged right at her with his giant axe. Every step he took trembled the earth beneath them, and his axe chopped down ruthlessly.

Aji raised a hand and her palm met with the man's wrist. A burst of energy radiated out from the contact and shook the trees nearby. Aji grabbed his wrist and exerted some force, the man's expression went from surprise to pain.

She gave a gentle push and he backed up a few steps with his arm drooping down, his axe falling to the ground. He looked at her in disbelief. Ji Ning was also shocked. Aji was the only one who still had a calm face.

"I told you he was forced. Before killing someone, can you be reasonable?"