Chapter 6: A Dark and Windy Night

Deep within the dense forest, three figures moved swiftly, the leader a man in his forties with dark skin and a weathered face, only his eyes sharp and piercing like a hawk’s. He was known as the Old Hound, one of the six chief lieutenants of the River Marauders.

Trailing behind him were two men in their thirties, tall and powerfully built, nimble as leopards—Wind One and Wind Two, subordinates under the Old Hound, their positions akin to the Thin Monkey beneath Jiang Chen: expert hunters and killers.

Though he believed himself stronger than Jiang Wang and confident he could hunt him down in these mountains, the Old Hound nevertheless brought his two trusted men. Both practiced martial arts, possessed notable strength, and, being brothers, shared seamless coordination. With their help, killing Jiang Wang would be all the easier.

Were it not for the taboo nature of this affair, which could not be made public, the Old Hound would have brought his entire retinue to surround Jiang Wang, leaving him no chance to escape.

The wind howled, echoing like the cries of ghosts, while the three advanced in silence, a chilling aura of murder spreading quietly.

Just then, a sharp cry from an eagle rang out, halting their steps.

In the next moment, a gray-feathered eagle descended from the sky, landing on the Old Hound’s outstretched arm.

Looking at the eagle, a gentle affection softened the Old Hound’s weary face as he fed it strips of meat he had prepared.

“Old friend, you’ve worked hard this time.”

He stroked the eagle as it swallowed the meat, his gaze growing increasingly fierce. When he turned, his face was already filled with murderous intent.

“The Gray Feathered Eagle has found Jiang Wang. Now, join me. We must ensure he never leaves Cockcrow Mountain.”

His eyes fell on the Wind brothers as he issued the command.

They exchanged a glance, nodded, and began to clean their weapons, applying poison, making their final preparations.

A moment later, the eagle, having eaten its fill, soared skyward again.

Seeing this, the Old Hound and his men swiftly followed.

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“This position as Fourth Chief is mine. Only by becoming Fourth Chief can I receive advanced martial arts from the Grand Chief, gain precious secret medicines, and ascend to the rank of a first-class warrior. Perhaps then I might even learn the secret arts of the immortals and glimpse the mysteries of the immortal path.”

“Jiang Wang, don’t blame me. Blame yourself for standing in my way.”

The sight of the river valley ahead made the Old Hound’s murderous intent burn ever hotter.

Not long ago, the River Marauders discovered gold sand in a valley along the White River, a branch of the Qingyuan River, and planned to build a mining camp there to sift the gold. But the valley lay on the edge of Qinghe County, bordering Qingshan County. Large-scale gold mining could spark unforeseen trouble.

For that reason, the mining camp needed a strong guardian. The three chiefs of the River Marauders were each occupied and unable to spare their attention, so the Grand Chief, Iron Butcher, considered grooming a Fourth Chief.

The six chief lieutenants were stirred by this prospect, for the Second and Third Chiefs had been promoted by the Grand Chief himself. The strongest candidates were the Old Hound and Jiang Wang, both top-tier among second-rate warriors.

In reputation and management, the Old Hound far surpassed Jiang Wang, but the latter’s youth was an advantage he could never match. This made Jiang Wang a thorn in his side, one he longed to remove.

Meanwhile, within the river valley, sensing something, Jiang Chen glanced at the shadowy forest. The sun had fully set, leaving only a lingering glow at the horizon. As darkness crept in, every predator grew restless.

“Night falls. This place is open—a perfect spot.”

He whispered, then slipped into the shadows.

Soon after, the eagle soared above, and the Old Hound and his men entered the valley.

With keen eyes, the Old Hound immediately spotted traces left by Jiang Chen, missing not a single detail. Images unfolded in his mind, as if he were witnessing Jiang Chen hunt the white deer and drag its corpse away.

“Such sharp archery. I must have underestimated him before.”

His eyes narrowed, a glint of danger flickering within.

He had gone to great lengths to find a white deer and drive it toward the Thin Monkey for discovery, but he never believed Jiang Wang actually had the skill to kill it—certainly not so easily.

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“Dragging the white deer, with night falling… he can’t have gone far…”

A realization dawned, and the Old Hound led the Wind brothers along the trail Jiang Chen had left.

But after some distance, the Old Hound sensed something was amiss.

“No, he didn’t leave. He’s still here. These tracks are a deception…”

Understanding broke over him like a chill, but before he could warn the others, three arrows shot from the darkness, each brimming with murderous intent.

Instinctively, the Old Hound rolled aside, dodging the arrows, then drew his bow and fired toward their origin. In the same instant Jiang Chen acted, the Old Hound caught his position.

Yet his hurried shot achieved nothing—Jiang Chen easily deflected it.

Meanwhile, heavy thuds sounded behind him; the Wind brothers had fallen. Lacking the Old Hound’s skill and failing to sense the danger, one was shot through the throat, the other through the heart, dying instantly.

Though the Old Hound’s heart clenched at this turn, his movements never faltered. He discarded his bow, drew his hunting knife, and, activating his body technique, charged toward Jiang Chen’s hiding place like a leopard.

In a single clash, he realized that Jiang Chen’s archery surpassed his own. If this continued, he would soon share the brothers’ fate.

In the darkness, watching the Old Hound charge like a mad dog, Jiang Chen set aside his bow. The opponent’s agility and preparation made archery alone insufficient.

“Dark night, high winds—a perfect time for killing.”

Expression cold, Jiang Chen stood in the shadows, silently awaiting the Old Hound’s attack.

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