Nightwatcher

# 369. Empathy

A fourth rank Martial Artist in close combat could effortlessly annihilate practitioners of the same rank from other systems. A single decisive manoeuvre was often sufficient to finish the opponent.

The strength of a fourth rank Martial Artist relied on two key factors: Transforming Force and “Intent”.

A martial artist in the Transforming Force stage had achieved the pinnacle of body techniques. Even Li Miaozhen, and possibly even Xu Qi’an—both of whom were formidable in their own rights—would find themselves at a disadvantage when facing such a practitioner.

This is to say nothing of a fourth rank martial artist who has cultivated “Intent”.

Of course, Li Miaozhen, as the Holy Maiden of the Heaven Sect, and Xu Qi’an, as a Silver Gong of the Great Feng, both had hidden aces and trump cards. However, this was not a fight to the death.

Fourth rank martial artists were nearly impossible to kill in a short time. Once entangled by such a fighter, none of the trio would be able to escape. If other agents or soldiers arrive en-masse, their situation would become untenable.

Xu Qi’an could not reveal his identity. He could not use the Confucian scroll or his Vajra Divine Art, as both would expose him. Therefore, he must avoid being pinned down by a fourth rank at all costs.

“Whoosh!”

Li Miaozhen pulled her flying sword up sharply, darting skyward to evade the homing arrow.

Below, a figure leapt onto the rooftops, sprinting and vaulting across the buildings in pursuit of the sword. The black-robed figure relentlessly drew his bow, firing arrows imbued with the intent of a fourth rank martial artist.

Two arrows forced Li Miaozhen to descend. As she evaded the ones above, a volley of arrows whistled up from below.

The black-robed pursuer, moving like a shadow, had already loosed thirteen arrows. These projectiles, akin to flying swords, attacked Xu Qi’an's group from every angle, carrying an unyielding resolve to hit their targets.

Li Miaozhen was like an experienced racer, drifting, swerving, and looping to dodge the arrows. However, as more arrows filled the air, the trio found themselves trapped in an intricate formation created by the projectiles.

*Bravo! Bravo!* Xu Qi’an silently cheered for Li Miaozhen’s driving ability while racking his brain for a way to shake off the pursuit.

He couldn’t use the Confucian magic scroll or summon Monk Shenshu. Numerous eyes below scrutinised their every move. The Vajra Divine Art was off-limits as well, lest it expose his identity. Similarly, his One Blade from Heaven and Earth could not be employed.

Only now did Xu Qi’an realise his variety was really lacking, he didn’t have any big collection of flamboyant techniques

*Wait... I can't use Confucian magic, but that doesn't mean I can't use the scroll at all...* A spark of inspiration lit his mind.

His thoughts raced as he watched the black-robed man below destroy a building with a single step, launching himself higher into the air. As soon as it seemed that gravity would take his hold, an arrow flew under his foot. Using this, he continued his ascent, still firing arrows to keep Li Miaozhen under pressure.

*This must be a peak fourth rank martial artist…* Xu Qi’an frowned.

Li Miaozhen drew a talisman from her sleeve, pressing it to her lips and murmuring a chant before hurling it skyward. The talisman ignited mid-air, expanding into a massive fireball over ten meters in diameter, like a miniature sun.

The intense blaze lit up the city below, momentarily creating an illusion of dawn.

Xu Qi’an smelled burning hair and turned to see Zhao Jin’s eyelashes scorched away, his hair singed and curling.

*My eyelashes are probably gone too… What did my poor hair ever do wrong? Why is the universe so cruel to it?* He felt a pang of sadness as he thought of his already-shaved head and now his lost eyelashes.

Li Miaozhen, her hair billowing wildly, extended a hand and thrust it forward. The fireball descended like a meteor toward the black-robed man.

The man sidestepped in mid-air, using another arrow as a foothold to evade the fireball, allowing it to wreak havoc on the city below without a care for the lives of its inhabitants.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Li Miaozhen frowned and clenched her outstretched hand into a fist.

Boom!

The fireball exploded mid-air, scattering fiery embers in all directions. Before they could reach the ground, they extinguished.

Seizing the opportunity, the black-robed man stepped on an arrow and soared forward, quickly closing the distance between himself and his prey. Once close enough, he was confident he could heavily injure Li Miaozhen or at least knock her out of the sky. This would force her to choose: flee alone or stay and be cornered with her companions.

Despite the dire situation, Li Miaozhen’s expression remained calm, her face a mask of steely resolve. Pointing her sword-finger skyward, she uttered a single word:

“Smite!”

Boom!

Thunder roared as black clouds churned in the heavens. A brilliant lightning bolt descended, too swift to dodge. The black-robed man, caught mid-air, took the strike head-on.

The lightning was deflected by an invisible barrier of qi, arcs of electricity crackling along its surface.

He had forcefully resisted the lightning with his qi.

Zhao Jin’s face turned pale. Such a ferocious lightning strike hadn’t deterred the black-robed man, and now, at their proximity, nothing could stop him from reaching them.

Li Miaozhen frowned. With no other options, they would have to land and fight to the death. Perhaps, with her and Xu Qi’an’s combined strength, they could kill this peak fourth rank opponent.

But just then, Xu Qi’an’s voice rang out. “Keep flying!”

Without hesitation, she abandoned the idea of landing and drove her sword upward once more.

At this point, the black-robed man was mere yards away, poised to strike.

“Whoosh!”

Xu Qi’an burned a page from the Confucian scroll, shielding the flames with his body, and declared in a resonant voice:

“Heaven cherishes all life. Thou shalt not kill!”

The black-robed man froze mid-action, his sharp eyes softening, his killing intent evaporating. An overwhelming sense of remorse surged within him—regret for pursuing the trio and remorse for past sins.

The effect lasted but half a second. The man’s indomitable will dispelled the influence, but it was already too late. The uncontrolled arrows plummeted to the ground, and he could only watch as the trio disappeared into the clouds.

“A Buddhist?”

The black-robed man muttered, his tone a mix of anger and resignation.

…

Li Miaozhen flew above the sea of clouds for a quarter of an hour before changing direction and flying for another quarter. Finally, she descended, breaking through the clouds and returning to the mortal realm with the two companions in tow.

"Was that one of Zhenbei King’s spies earlier?" she asked telepathically.

"A ‘Heaven’-rank spy," Zhao Jin responded in kind. "With such skill, it must undoubtedly be a Heaven-rank spy. Silver Gong Xu was right—we were indeed being tailed."

His expression turned both pensive and admiring. "Thankfully, I had you two. Otherwise, I’d have died for sure just now."

Witnessing the prowess of Lady Flying Swallow and Silver Gong Xu only bolstered his confidence in the mission ahead. With their help, the chances of relaying this matter to the capital and having the court punish Zhenbei King seemed far more promising.

Half an hour later, following Zhao Jin's directions, Li Miaozhen landed outside a secluded valley. As soon as they touched the ground, Xu Qi’an immediately sensed hostile intent locked onto him.

This was the intuition of a Refining Spirit martial artist—capable of detecting malicious gazes and thoughts within the surroundings.

There were no signs of an imminent attack, suggesting the opponent wasn’t ready to strike yet. Xu Qi’an turned slightly and glanced at Zhao Jin, who gave a subtle nod before stepping forward and imitating the cry of a night owl.

A few seconds later, the same call echoed from within the valley, perfectly matching the original’s pitch and rhythm.

Moments later, a tall, burly figure emerged from the dense forest in the valley. He carried a long blade at his waist and a horned bow on his back—the standard equipment of a northern frontier warrior.

"Brother Zhao, you’ve finally returned," the man greeted.

He was a bearded, rugged man, standing seven feet tall with taut muscles that stretched his clothes. His coarse features bore the unmistakable characteristics of someone from the Northern Frontier.

The man stopped at a distance, scrutinizing Li Miaozhen and Xu Qi’an. "Who are they?"

Zhao Jin explained, "This is Lady Flying Swallow, Li Miaozhen, who is also the Holy Maiden of the Heaven Sect. As for him—he’s none other than the renowned Silver Gong, Xu Qi’an."

He then gestured toward the man and said, "This is my sworn brother, Li Han, a sixth rank martial artist."

Still cautious, the man carrying the horned bow scrutinized them further. "How do you prove your identities?"

Li Miaozhen untied her sachet, releasing strands of azure smoke. The smoke floated into the air, weaving ghostly wails that echoed around them.

"Only the Church of the Warlock God or the Daoist sects have such ghost-commanding techniques," the rugged man conceded. He then turned to Xu Qi’an, clasping his hands in greeting. "We are fugitives evading capture and must remain vigilant. I hope you understand. How will you prove you are Silver Gong Xu?"

Xu Qi’an remained silent, pulling out the identity token from his belt and tossing it over. "Hand this to Zheng Xinghuai, and he’ll know who I am."

While ordinary people in the jianghu might not recognise the Nightwatchers’ token, Zheng Xinghuai, a Provincial Administrator, would undoubtedly be familiar with it.

The burly man hesitated before retreating into the valley. About a quarter-hour later, Xu Qi’an noticed the glow of torches moving in his direction.

A group emerged to meet them, led by a wiry, elderly man in his fifties. Sporting a goatee, he exuded an air of authority and a reserved, unsmiling demeanour that marked him as a man used to wielding power.

Behind him followed six martial artists. Among them, one figure gave Xu Qi’an an intense sense of threat: a tall, gaunt man with heavy under-eye bags, as if drained by overindulgence.

The other five included Zhao Jin’s sworn brother, Li Han, along with three men and one woman.

As Xu Qi’an appraised the group, they also observed him and Li Miaozhen. To them, the young man with a tilted head and a sidelong gaze seemed both unruly and audacious.

The wiry elder fixed his gaze on Xu Qi’an and bowed slightly. "Are you Silver Gong Xu?"

"Indeed," Xu Qi’an replied, rubbing his face with both hands to reveal his true appearance.

"It truly is Silver Gong Xu," Li Han exclaimed with delight.

The others, apparently familiar with Xu Qi’an’s portrait, visibly relaxed. They thought to themselves, _No wonder he carries himself with such an air of defiance and arrogance—it must be the legendary Silver Gong Xu._

"This official is Zheng Xinghuai, Provincial Administrator of Chuzhou," the elderly man introduced himself with a bow. "This is not the place to talk. Please, come inside."

Following Zheng Xinghuai, Xu Qi’an and Li Miaozhen entered the valley. At its center lay a natural cavern, spacious and deep, extending into the mountain’s core.

Zhao Jin moved branches to obscure the entrance as a simple camouflage.

Inside, a fire burned in a corner, illuminating the cavern. Beds of dried grass lined the floor, and scattered bones and supplies hinted at their desperate survival.

_They’ve fled into the deep mountains after escaping the city…_ Xu Qi’an noted, surveying the cavern before sitting by the fire at Zheng Xinghuai’s invitation.

"These are all retainers of my estate," Zheng Xinghuai explained. "When we fled, we were over twenty strong, but now only six remain."

He gestured toward the tall, gaunt man. "This is Shentu Baili, a fifth rank Transforming Force expert. After the deaths of our two Rank Fours, he became our strongest fighter."

The remaining group included a burly man named Wei Youlong, a sixth rank martial artist clad in a grimy purple robe, wielding a massive sabre; a scarred man named Tang Youshen, who bore a spear and an intense, eagle-eyed gaze; and a swordsman named Chen Xian, who carried a longsword on his back. His wife, a striking woman, also wielded a sword.

With Zhao Jin’s sworn brother Li Han, the group was complete.

Xu Qi’an’s gaze swept over them before meeting Li Miaozhen’s. She understood his intent, opened her sachet, and untied the red cord to release a strand of azure smoke.

The smoke coalesced into the vague silhouette of a man, murmuring, "Blood runs three thousand miles… we plead the court… send troops… to suppress…"

The phrase repeated endlessly, like a haunting refrain.

Wei Youlong leaned on his large sabre, his eyes fixed on the lingering soul, a sorrowful expression crossing his face:

"His name was Qian Youyi. He was a brother I traveled the jianghu with back in the day. We once worked as bodyguards and even took down a corrupt landlord. Later, I served under Sir Zheng, while he continued roaming the jianghu in his own way.

"After the massacre of Chuzhou, the six of us, including Sir Zheng, were all placed on the Zhenbei King's wanted list, making long journeys impossible. The first person I thought of was him.

"He was still the same brother who would give his life for a friend..."

At this point, his eyes reddened, and he rubbed his chubby face vigorously.

The atmosphere grew heavy as the others slightly lowered their heads.

Zheng Xinghuai sighed. "We sought out several heroes of the jianghu to help deliver messages to my old friends in the capital, exposing the Zhenbei King's atrocities. But who could have imagined..."

"Why didn’t you reveal the Zhenbei King's crimes within the Chuzhou bureaucracy?" Xu Qi’an asked.

"It would’ve been useless—just endangering others. Once the news spread, it would only invite the Zhenbei King's spies to assassinate them. Besides, people say that Chuzhou City is still standing, completely unharmed... Who would believe us? It would only bring the Zhenbei King's men after us."

Zheng Xinghuai shook his head, his gaze filled with confusion and fear—not the fear of assassination, but the terror of Chuzhou City’s current state.

The truth was that both the barbarians and the Yao were also seeking the massacre site of the Zhenbei King’s atrocities. If only Zheng Xinghuai knew about this layer of conflict, spreading the message would have eliminated the need for the court to send a delegation to investigate.

Xu Qi’an nodded, accepting Zheng Xinghuai's explanation.

"You should know that the court has sent a delegation to investigate this matter," Xu Qi’an probed.

"We heard about it from Zhao Jin. He sends updates regularly. But we didn’t dare approach the delegation, fearing they’d silence us. The Zhenbei King wouldn’t hesitate to eliminate the delegation if he could massacre a city." Li Han, the burly man with the oxhorn bow, said indignantly.

"I am the delegation's lead investigator," Xu Qi’an emphasized his position.

The group lit up with hope. Although the capital was a thousand miles from Chuzhou, the reputation of Silver Gong Xu was known even here, as resounding as thunder.

Silver Gong Xu had solved one shocking case after another. After the Buddhist Sect's struggle, his fame skyrocketed. Even in Chuzhou, far from the capital, his exploits had become the stuff of legend.

Zheng Xinghuai rose, straightened his attire, and made a formal bow. "Please, Silver Gong Xu, seek justice for the people of Chuzhou."

Xu Qi’an didn’t respond immediately but asked, "Sir Zheng, what do you make of Chuzhou's current situation? According to you, the city was massacred—how then is it now filled with revelry and music?"

Zheng Xinghuai’s face froze, his expression desolate. "I am equally horrified and bewildered."

Shentu Baili and the others looked similarly perplexed.

Xu Qi’an turned to Li Miaozhen and transmitted his thoughts: "I used the Qi-watching technique; he’s not lying. But this contradicts reality. Do you have a method besides Qi-watching to discern lies?"

Unable to rely on his martial instincts, he sought the "fancy" solutions of the Daoist maiden.

Li Miaozhen pondered for a moment and responded telepathically: "There’s a technique called ‘empathy.’ It allows two souls to briefly merge, sharing memories. Are you familiar with it?"

*Empathy? Channelling?*

Xu Qi’an froze, recalling the time he bought a house and, with Caiwei's help, chanelled the female ghost in the well, witnessing the Qi Clique’s Minister of War’s collusion with the Church of the Warlock God.

At that time, he experienced everything through a first-person perspective—trapped, powerless—while a man named Tamraha tormented her repeatedly.

At that time, with a first person perspective he experienced that warlock Tamraha going in and out, in and out…

Even though he didn’t feel anything — it was more like watching a first-person movie, it still left a shadow in his heart.

*No, this won’t do, I’m full of secrets. If we empathise, then even without the Zhenbei King’s spies I’ll still have to silence them first.*

He telepathically asked, "Is there a way to empathise one-sidedly? I don’t want my memories exposed."

Li Miaozhen smirked, her confidence evident: "Of course."

Xu Qi’an took a deep breath. "Let’s see the truth of that night then."

"Sir Zheng, we need to witness the events of the Chuzhou massacre. Please cooperate," Xu Qi’an said, glancing at Lady Flying Swallow.

The Heavenly Sect Holy Maiden added, "Close your eyes and recall the details of that night."

Zheng Xinghuai nodded, sitting cross-legged as he closed his eyes, reliving the blood-soaked nightmare that often woke him in a cold sweat.

Li Miaozhen pulled three talismans from her sleeve, pressing one to her forehead, one to Xu Qi’an’s, and the last to Zheng Xinghuai’s. Then, placing a hand on Xu Qi’an’s shoulder, she leapt lightly into the air.

Xu Qi’an felt as if his body had lifted off the ground. Looking down, he was startled to find both he and lmz still seated where they were.

*Is this Soul projection?*

Before he could inquire further, he felt a massive suction force from the talisman on Zheng Xinghuai’s forehead. The talisman transformed into a vortex, pulling him and Li Miaozhen into its depths.