Chapter Forty-One: The Dragon Soul, Ding Li

“Bang! Bang!”

Almost simultaneously, both Ding Li and the man in black across from him pulled their triggers. Not only that, but with identical looks of surprise, they each darted to evade—moving in the exact same direction, both flashing to the right. Though equally quick in their reactions, neither could fully dodge the crossbow bolts at such close range.

“Thud! Clang!”

Just as the man in black’s left shoulder was about to be shielded from view by a tree, he heard a sharp crack at his ear. A flicker of astonishment flashed deep within his eyes as, in that split second, he saw Ding Li raise his Tang sword and angle it across his chest, blocking the bolt that should have struck him.

“Hmph!” Once behind the tree, the man in black grunted, wasting no time. He grabbed the tail end of the bolt embedded in his left shoulder, clenched his teeth, and yanked it out, a faint crack of bone echoing in the air.

“Hmm?!” A wave of searing pain shot through him, but footsteps pounding in his ears snapped him back to alertness. Ignoring the sweat pouring down his face and the wound in his shoulder, he seized his battle blade, rounded the tree, and broke from its cover.

“Whoosh!”

To his astonishment, Ding Li’s speed was far beyond expectation. From the sound earlier, he’d estimated Ding Li was still at least ten meters away—yet in the blink of an eye, that Tang sword was right before him, its cold edge radiating a chill that cut to the bone. The man in black had no confidence he could withstand such a heavy strike.

In desperation, he bent at the waist and twisted aside. Ding Li’s sword cleaved down, its entire blade embedding itself in the nearby tree, even slicing off a lock of the man in black’s hair, which drifted down on the wind of the blade.

Not daring to be careless, the man in black saw his chance for a counterattack but, lacking certainty, gave up the move and instead rolled aside, taking advantage of the moment as Ding Li yanked his sword free. With a flick of the wrist, he slashed at Ding Li’s side.

But Ding Li, ever watchful of his opponent’s movements, did something entirely unexpected—he abandoned his Tang sword outright, pushed off with his left leg, planted his foot, and then lashed out with a fierce side kick from his right. As the man in black raised his blade, Ding Li’s foot slammed hard into his chest.

Without pause, before the stumbling man in black could regain his footing, Ding Li struck with his blade again. This time, the lesson had been learned: the man in black immediately retreated, intent on giving Ding Li no chance to close in for close combat.

Ding Li, relentless, would not let him escape so easily. The earlier ambush had enraged Ding Li—especially as it had nearly cost Zhang Wu his life. A flurry of strikes followed, and when escape seemed impossible, the man in black suddenly spun on his heel and bolted for the edge of the woods.

“Hmm?” Ding Li was caught off guard, surprised at his opponent’s sudden flight. He quickly recovered, giving chase. From the start, he had never intended to let this man leave alive. Yet, to Ding Li’s surprise, as the man in black neared the forest’s edge, he veered sharply toward Cao You, who was locked in a standoff with Zhang Wu.

“Brother Wu! Watch out!” Now Ding Li understood the true intent of the man in black. But before his warning had barely left his lips, the man’s actions disproved Ding Li’s judgment. After only a few steps, the man in black abruptly reached back and tossed something behind him—a burst of white smoke filled the air.

Ding Li, quick-eyed and quick-witted, stopped short and shielded his eyes with one arm, wary of a possible ambush. He dove to the side, swinging his Tang sword in a flurry of defensive arcs. But then he heard the man in black call out, easing his tension.

“Cao You! Go!”

With Ding Li left behind, the man in black felt the pressure ease. He called out to Cao You and shot a venomous glare at Zhang Wu. Zhang Wu, already on guard thanks to Ding Li’s warning, dared not engage alone. He hobbled backward on his injured leg, gripping his Tang sword, wary of being caught between the two foes.

Perhaps his caution was unnecessary. Though the man in black had shaken Ding Li, he knew it was only temporary; Ding Li would soon be on his heels again. He had no intention of tangling with Zhang Wu, and only wished to buy time for their escape.

“You’re wounded too?” Now that Zhang Wu no longer posed an immediate threat, Cao You relaxed. But seeing the wound on the man in black’s left shoulder, he frowned in disbelief.

“Let’s go!” the man in black replied curtly. Only he knew how grave the threat from behind truly was. He wanted no discussion about his injuries, just grabbed Cao You and made for the woods’ edge.

“Cao Hai!” Seeing the man in black’s face, Zhang Wu cried out in shock, his eyes blazing as if he could incinerate them by sheer will.

“Zhang Wu, count yourself lucky today! Your life is mine another day!” Cao Hai, now recognized, shot Zhang Wu a cold look before dashing out of the woods, Cao You limping beside him, his wounds clearly causing him pain.

“Damn it! Out of arrows!” Zhang Wu rummaged through the corpses nearby, but not a single bolt could be found. Furious, he hurled his crossbow at a tree and shouted curses after the retreating figures. “Count yourselves lucky, you bastards! I’ll pay you back double for today’s ambush!”

“Brother Wu, how are you?” Ding Li returned swiftly, disappointment clear as he watched the two men disappear from the forest. He turned to Zhang Wu with concern.

“It’s nothing, just a scratch!” Zhang Wu waved dismissively and plopped down on the ground, wincing as pain shot through his wound. He swept a bitter gaze over the corpses, wanting to speak but unable to find the words.

“Brother Wu, that black-clad attacker—was that Cao Hai you mentioned last night?” Ding Li, unharmed from the battle, moved among the fallen men, finishing off any who still clung to life with his cold dagger.

“That’s right. Of all the bodyguards kept by the Cao Mercantile Guild, Cao Hai is the most adept at lurking in the shadows for a sneak attack!” Zhang Wu’s face twisted in contempt, clearly scornful of such methods. But when he looked at Ding Li, his expression shifted to one of surprise and admiration. After a moment’s hesitation, he gave voice to his question: “Brother Li, Cao Hai was clearly injured. I’ve been wanting to ask—who taught you your skills? To come through Cao Hai’s ambush unscathed and even wound him in return—there can’t be many in all of Guangzhou who could do such a thing!”

“Guangzhou? How large could it be? Even if you count the whole Lingnan region, it’s not so grand.” Ding Li smiled faintly, pride shining on his face. His thoughts drifted to the elite organization he once served, a gathering of the nation’s finest. Pride welled up within him as he looked at Zhang Wu, then he asked in turn, “Brother Wu, have you ever heard of an organization called Dragon Soul?”

“Dragon Soul? No, I don’t think so…” Zhang Wu was momentarily stunned, searching his memory but coming up empty. He shook his head, thought a moment longer, then looked at Ding Li with curiosity. “Brother Li, I haven’t heard the name, but it sounds formidable. Is it a guild? Are you part of Dragon Soul? Are there many with your skills among them?”

“A guild? Heh, you could say that.” Ding Li frowned at the comparison, but considering his current status, he let it pass and nodded. Then, with a lift of his brow and a proud smile, he added, “How many? I never counted, but people like me—just the lowest rank—there are dozens, maybe a hundred or more!”

“What? Dozens or even hundreds like you, and you’re the lowest rank in Dragon Soul?” Zhang Wu was dumbstruck, inhaling sharply. He looked at Ding Li with a complex expression. Though he suspected Ding Li might be exaggerating Dragon Soul’s power, he could now understand Ding Li’s earlier pride. If even a fraction of it were true, it was no wonder Zhang Mingzhi had found such a capable ally.

“So, Brother Wu, do you want to rest for a bit, or keep moving?” Ding Li watched Zhang Wu, who hung his head and clicked his tongue in amazement. Ding Li understood his feelings and was not the least surprised by his expression. But his gaze kept flicking to the trees beyond, ears tuned for any sign of movement. With only the two of them left, he dared not relax—another ambush could spell their doom.

“Let’s keep going. This little wound is nothing a bit of bandaging won’t fix.” Zhang Wu noted Ding Li’s vigilance. Though he longed for a rest, he wasn’t about to risk his life. After a brief pause, he braced himself on his sword and pushed to his feet, forcing a wry smile as he muttered, “Let’s go! Who’d have thought I’d be wounded even before reaching Fuxu Town. The old master will give me an earful for sure.”

“Haha! Bear with it! That’s what you get for being careless!” Ding Li laughed, moving to Zhang Wu’s side and, without asking, slung Zhang Wu’s arm over his shoulder.

“Ow, Brother Li, easy!” Zhang Wu howled as the movement tugged at his wound. Ding Li snorted in annoyance, shot him a sidelong glance, and though he eased his grip a touch, it felt no different to the injured man.

Yet even so, Zhang Wu felt a rare warmth blossom within his heart.