Daboynes shut the hidden door and turned to Xiao Zhenggong. "Gang Leader, the folks from the Inner States asked me to pass along a message."
"What message?"
"Once this matter is accomplished, if you're willing to go cultivate in the Inner States for a while, the offer can be raised a bit higher."
Xiao Zhenggong smiled. "How high?"
"Within a year, they will raise your cultivation by an entire layer," Daboynes said.
"A year?" Xiao Zhenggong shook his head. "Not fast enough."
Daboynes reminded him, "This is cultivation above the clouds, mind you."
Xiao Zhenggong pondered for a moment, then said, "The price can always be negotiated later. Let's see it done first. Get some proper rest for now. Think through every step of what needs to happen the day after tomorrow, and make sure not a single thing goes wrong."
Without another word, Daboynes offered a deep bow and returned to the secret chamber.
Leaving the basement, Xiao Zhenggong summoned Yao Zhiyi, who was standing guard outside the door, and asked, "Is that corpse ready?"
Yao Zhiyi nodded. "It's ready. I've inspected it thoroughly from top to bottom. No matter who they bring in to examine it, they won't find a single flaw. Even the blood is an exact match for yours. Any way you look at it, this corpse is yours!"
"Ptui!" Xiao Zhenggong spat at Yao Zhiyi.
Yao Zhiyi scrambled for words. "This corpse... it looks just like you. It's, well, exceedingly alike..."
Returning to the main building, they found a quiet room. Yao Zhiyi brewed fresh tea, and Xiao Zhenggong took a sip before asking, "Have the invitations been sent out?"
Yao Zhiyi nodded. "They've all been delivered. None of the major families gave us any face at all; they sent the invitations straight back on the spot. Shen Jinzhong, the Grand Gold Seal of the Sanying Gate, was the foulest of the bunch—he tore the invitation to shreds right in front of our man. And that He Yuxiu threw ours into a spittoon."
Xiao Zhenggong chuckled. "Just as expected. It's best that not a single one turns up. That way, the Jiangxiang Gang's demise will look entirely reasonable. In a moment, have someone tell Xie Mengjiao to get in touch with Shan Zhumei and run an article. Say the Jiangxiang Gang is left isolated without aid, and ask why the various sects and factions stand by with cold detachment."
Yao Zhiyi turned the headline over in his mind and felt it lacked symmetry.
"Why don't we tweak the first line and make it: 'Jiangxiang Gang's Sins Reach the Heavens, Left Isolated and Unhelped'? How does that sound?"
"'Sins Reach the Heavens'—look at you using fancy idioms." Xiao Zhenggong nodded, then promptly kicked Yao Zhiyi. "Do you even know what the hell that means? Have you ever cracked open a book in your life? You don't need to bother your head with that. Focus on tomorrow night instead. Keep what needs to be kept, and sweep away everything that shouldn't be left behind. Don't let anyone go blabbering outside. And tell the brothers who are staying that after tonight, they're to address me as Marshal. Drop all those gang titles."
While they were speaking, a disciple came seeking an audience and whispered into Yao Zhiyi's ear. Yao Zhiyi stepped forward and reported, "The foreigner Critick says he's coming to the banquet tomorrow evening."
Xiao Zhenggong frowned. "You sent him an invitation?"
Yao Zhiyi scratched his scalp. "He runs a hospital and has treated several of our brothers. I'd also heard you two were on fairly good terms, so I..."
"What did you invite him for?" Xiao Zhenggong massaged his temples. "Set out a table of food and wine tomorrow night, and I'll share a simple bite with him. The main issue is that having a meal with the man is downright unnerving."
A while later, another disciple came with a report.
This time, Yao Zhiyi looked utterly astonished. "Gang Leader, there's been an unexpected turn with Li the Seventh."
Xiao Zhenggong's brow furrowed. "What about him?"
"He sent word back. He's coming to the banquet tomorrow night too."
Xiao Zhenggong froze. "What is he coming for?"
Yao Zhiyi shook his head. "I've no idea what he intends. The man's mind is impossible to read."
"If you couldn't read him, why the hell did you send him an invitation?"
"Gang Leader, Li the Seventh is a massive figure in Puluo Province right now. The He family, the Lu family, and the Chu family all listen to him. It wouldn't have been right if we hadn't sent him one."
Xiao Zhenggong went silent for a good while, then asked, "Just what kind of man is this Li the Seventh?"
"A ruthless one. Fierce, vicious, and overbearing in everything he does. He made his start in Lanyang Village, scraping together some capital with Ma the Fifth in the newland trade. People thought a fellow like him would spend a lifetime just barely scraping by in Lanyang Village. Who could've guessed that within a short time there, he wiped out the local headman? Once he took over Lanyang Village, there was no stopping him. First he pushed his business into Lüshui City, then stretched his reach into Black Rock Slope. He cleared an entire stretch of newland and forced it to become proper land—what's now Qiqiu City. Neither the Inner nor Outer States can hold him down. Among the warlords and powers of Puluo Province, he ranks right at the top."
Xiao Zhenggong had heard of Li the Seventh's reputation. Strung together like this, the man was indeed out of the ordinary. "What's his cultivation?"
"Not particularly high. Word is he's a fifth-tier journey cultivator. In his earlier years, he ventured through Santoucha, and he studied in the Outer States for a time."
"Has he ever worked in our line of business?"
"Never heard of it."
Xiao Zhenggong pondered for a long time, only to find it made less sense the more he thought. "Then why is he so determined to come eat here? Nobody else dared to show up. Does he share some friendship with us?"
Yao Zhiyi shook his head. "None that I'm aware of."
Xiao Zhenggong added, "Could he have a grudge against us and want to see us make fools of ourselves at this critical moment?"
"I haven't heard of any grudge, but the man is intensely ambitious. The Grand Gold Seal of the Sanying Gate died by his hand, and word has it that the second seal's rise to the top had plenty to do with him as well."
Xiao Zhenggong started. "Taking advantage of a man in trouble, is he? Seeing my precarious state, he wants to swallow up the Jiangxiang Gang?"
Yao Zhiyi nodded. "It's a possibility."
Xiao Zhenggong laughed. "Fine by me. Let him have it. Tomorrow night, I'll swear a pact with him, pledging the Jiangxiang Gang to his command. If he isn't afraid of muddying his own name, the Jiangxiang Gang is his from then on. Once the day after tomorrow passes, there won't be a Jiangxiang Gang left anyway."
***
The next day, Li Banfeng had Little Chuanzi prepare a gift. Little Chuanzi wore a reluctant scowl. "Seventh Master, going to a banquet hosted by the Jiangxiang Gang—isn't that like wearing fine leather boots just to stomp in dog shit? What kind of status do you hold? What kind of trash are they? What happens if word gets out?"
Li Banfeng chuckled. "Didn't I tell you? Gang Leader Xiao and I are old acquaintances. We've been through life-and-death together."
By midday, He Yuxiu, Lu Chunying, and Chu Huaiyuan had all arrived.
The moment she saw Li the Seventh, He Yuxiu asked bluntly, "What's the meaning of this, Old Seven? You're actually bothering with that Jiangxiang Gang rabble? Doesn't it turn your stomach?"
Li the Seventh smiled. "True feelings show in times of trouble. In the Jiangxiang Gang's current straits, someone ought to lend a hand."
He Yuxiu flared up. "Why the hell are you lending them a hand? Did you forget I nearly died at their hands?"
"How could I forget? I remember every bit of it."
"If you remember, why put on a circus like this? You're deliberately trying to disgust me!" The more He Yuxiu spoke, the angrier she grew.
Lu Chunying stood quietly beside them.
Chu the Second was silent for a moment before speaking up. "Seventh Brother, are you truly going tonight?"
Li Banfeng nodded. "Truly going."
Chu the Second said, "All right. I'll go with you."
"What are you going for?"
"To talk over our 'friendship' with the Jiangxiang Gang."
Li the Seventh shook his head. "What friendship do you have with them?"
"None, so I'll drum some up. Seventh Brother, whatever you do, I'll follow along. I trust you, and the Chu family trusts you."
Hearing this, Lu Chunying chimed in, "Then I'm going with Seventh Brother too."
"I haven't the faintest idea what goes on in your heads!" He Yuxiu grabbed a liquor bottle and took a deep swig. "Fine, go then! I'm coming along as well. But I tossed their invitation right into the spittoon in front of that bastard's face. What do we say about that?"
Li Banfeng said, "Just say you're coming for my sake. It'll give me a favor to sell to the Jiangxiang Gang."
He Yuxiu frowned. "Old Seven, is something going on here?"
Li Banfeng nodded. "Something big. Faking death and rising anew big."
***
As dusk settled, the Jiangxiang Gang was bustling.
They had originally planned for a simple dinner with Critick, but upon hearing Li the Seventh was coming, the feast could hardly remain modest. Now that the He, Lu, and Chu families were all showing up, a single table would no longer do.
Xiao Zhenggong asked Yao Zhiyi, "Just how much clout does this Li the Seventh have to bring so many people along?"
"Gang Leader, back when he forced Chief Commissioner Liao to slash his transport fees by half, you should've known what this man is capable of. Since he's willing to give us face, if you ask me, why don't we keep the gang running for a couple more days? Maybe the Outer States will..."
"Keep what running?" Xiao Zhenggong's expression darkened. "I'll yield the gang leader's seat to him tonight, and you can go follow him from now on!"
Yao Zhiyi hurriedly stammered, "Gang Leader, I never had such a thought..."
Xiao Zhenggong demanded, "What did I pour so much blood and sweat into this for?"
"To find a way out for our brothers," Yao Zhiyi answered in a whisper.
"Is there any way out left for the Jiangxiang Gang?"
Yao Zhiyi hung his head, silent.
Xiao Zhenggong calmed himself before continuing, "Tonight, no matter what terms they put forward, we agree to them all. We just need to muddle through tonight, and tomorrow proceeds as planned. Furthermore, tell the brothers to stay vigilant, especially around He Yuxiu. When that woman truly goes mad, ordinary folks can't hold her down."
Yao Zhiyi said, "Surely it won't come to that? The He family already received word that the Flying General Battalion is moving against us. If she wanted to cause trouble, she'd be better off joining them tomorrow."
Xiao Zhenggong frowned. "I told you to tighten security, so why all the chatter!"
Yao Zhiyi hurried off to gather the men. Xiao Zhenggong's expression was grim; he found himself increasingly unable to guess Li the Seventh's true intentions.
Come nightfall, the first guest to arrive was Critick.
Carrying an iron canister on his back, dressed in a white lab coat and wearing a gauze mask, Critick entered the hall, clasped his fists, and greeted Xiao Zhenggong. "Gang Leader Xiao, it has been too long!"
Xiao Zhenggong stared at Critick, looking him up and down. "What is the meaning of this getup?"
Critick blinked. "We haven't met in a long time. I believe I used the phrase 'too long' correctly."
Xiao Zhenggong replied, "I'm not talking about your phrasing. What's with what you're wearing?"
Critick said, "I've just returned from a house call. A patient on Qing'an Road contracted an infectious disease."
At the mention of an infectious disease, Xiao Zhenggong took several hasty steps backward. "And what's that canister on your back for?"
"Disinfectant. To prevent the contagion from spreading, I disinfected his residence."
Xiao Zhenggong blinked. "If you're so busy, you shouldn't have come tonight."
"Gang Leader Xiao's face must be honored!" As he spoke, Critick started to unfasten his coat.
Xiao Zhenggong waved his hands frantically. "Don't do that! Just sit down for a moment, and put that iron canister down first."
"It really is just disinfectant!" Critick shook it lightly in his hand.
"Are you afraid of losing it? My men will look after it for you, won't they?"
Critick offered the disinfectant forward, but none of the subordinates dared touch it.
Xiao Zhenggong pointed outside the main hall. "Put it out there for now. Someone will watch over it."
Critick shrugged and set the canister outside the doors.
Near dinner time, Li Banfeng arrived, flanked by He Yuxiu, Lu Chunying, and Chu Huaiyuan.
Xiao Zhenggong stepped out of the hall to greet them, cupping his fists toward Li the Seventh. "Brother Li, your great name has long preceded you!"
Li Banfeng returned the gesture. "Captain Xiao, a pleasure."
*Captain?*
Xiao Zhenggong's brow twitched faintly. In Puluo Province, aside from people from the Garrison Office, almost no one addressed him by that title.
*Did he come to see me about Outer States business?*
Once host and guests were seated, Xiao Zhenggong toasted Li the Seventh, then turned to toast He Yuxiu. "Sister Xiu, thank you for gracing us with your presence."
He Yuxiu smiled. "Back then, you introduced Doctor Critick to treat Haiqin. I still remember that kindness."
Hearing this, Xiao Zhenggong felt his tension ease slightly.
For many years, he had maneuvered among the major families. While he wasn't particularly welcomed anywhere, he always felt there was some lingering sentiment between himself and the He family.
Of course, that did not account for He Haiqin's private view of him, nor did it include the feud between himself and He Jiaqing.
Furthermore, he had no idea what He Yuxiu had gone through at Qishuiyao. The hall master there had captured He Yuxiu and intended to hand her straight over to the Garrison Commissioner to claim credit, without reporting it to Xiao Zhenggong first.
By the time that hall master might have reported it, the opportunity was gone—Li Banfeng and He Yuxiu had wiped out the entire branch.
Li Banfeng glanced at Critick. "Doctor Critick, what's with the outfit? Just got back from seeing a patient?"
Critick nodded. "Saw a patient with an infectious disease."
Everyone's faces changed instantly, and they pulled away from him in unison.
"I disinfected myself!" Critick stood up. "My disinfectant is right outside. I'll bring it in and show you."
Xiao Zhenggong pressed a hand down. "Doctor Critick, sit and eat. Stop fretting over that disinfectant of yours."
With the canister sitting outside the doorway, Xiao Zhenggong couldn't shake the suspicion that some pathogen might be brewing inside it. Having collaborated with Critick many times, he was well aware of the doctor's methods and remained perpetually on guard against him.
As it turned out, his wariness was entirely justified.
There was indeed something inside the canister, but it wasn't a disease.
The drain valve at the bottom of the canister slipped open. The liquid inside quietly trickled out, running along the lawn and seeping into the woods by the lake.
Deep within the grove, the liquid gathered together, gradually forming a human shape until it took the form of He Jiaqing.
Dressed as a Jiangxiang Gang disciple, He Jiaqing made his way toward the artificial rockery beside the lake.
Two disciples stood guard by the rockery, barring anyone from approaching.
As He Jiaqing walked past them, his fingers flicked slightly, driving two silver needles into their foreheads.
The two remained standing where they were, expressions blank, giving away no sign of abnormality.
Seeing no one else around, He Jiaqing slipped directly into the rockery. The two guards made no move to stop him.
At the far end of the cave passage, He Jiaqing spotted stone cones embedded in the wall. Relying on his innate talent, he recognized at a single glance that this was the opening mechanism.
It was no simple device to operate. The two stone cones had to be turned to precise angles to open the hidden door.
He Jiaqing gripped the first stone cone, turning it slowly while sensing the mechanical and spiritual shifts behind it.
In less than five minutes, the first cone clicked into position.
The second cone had an even stronger mechanical feel; it took him less than three minutes to guide it into place. The secret door swung open.
He Jiaqing looked back at the two stone cones, sensing they were treasures of rare quality.
Take them with him?
If he took them, this hidden chamber would seal shut, never to be opened again.
He knew very well why he had come: his target was the Flying General, Zhao Xiaowan, who had transformed into a long spear. He had come to reclaim what he had lost.
He stepped quietly down the stairs into the basement. Even through the wall, he could feel an overwhelming, oppressive presence.
The door to the inner room swung open slowly, and a woman carrying a spear stepped out.
"You?" Gritting her teeth, the woman glared at He Jiaqing.
The corner of He Jiaqing's mouth curled into a smile. "Xiaolan, we finally meet."
Lu Xiaolan gave a cold laugh. "Quite a surprise, isn't it? Did you figure I was dead in your ancestral manor, thinking you'd never have to lay eyes on me again?"
He Jiaqing shook his head. "If I hadn't written to Lu Chunying, you would never have had the chance to leave that manor. You truly would have died trapped inside."
Lu Xiaolan countered, "What kind of talk is that? Am I supposed to thank you?"
He Jiaqing nodded. "Xiaolan, you harmed me first, yet I spared your life. You really ought to thank me!"
Lu Xiaolan said, "And isn't my living like this today thanks to you as well?"
"Xiaolan, you're lucky to be alive at all. If I hadn't had Ling Miaowen introduce you, do you really think you could have climbed Iron Sheep Mountain? You've done nothing but harm me, while I've done nothing but help you. Anyone in this world has the right to hate me, but not you!"
Lu Xiaolan lowered her head and fell silent for a long time.
Fool Cultivator technique: Grasping Others' Strengths and Weaknesses.
Deep in her heart, she felt guilty toward He Jiaqing. That was her weakness, and He Jiaqing had seized hold of it.
***
Back at the banquet, the mood was growing livelier, and Xiao Zhenggong found himself relaxing.
His earlier deduction had been correct. Li Banfeng had asked a great deal about the Dark Star Bureau; his visit truly did concern the Outer States.
"Brother Li, do you have some business in the Outer States you'd like to discuss with me?" Xiao Zhenggong laid the matter bare.
The slope had been built; it was time to step down it.
Li Banfeng raised his cup to Xiao Zhenggong, following the lead smoothly. "Captain Xiao is truly prescient. My visit this time really is regarding matters in the Outer States."
Xiao Zhenggong downed his drink and asked, "Whatever I can help with, just speak the word."
Li Banfeng continued to pave the way. "I have a friend who's been targeted by the Dark Star Bureau."
Xiao Zhenggong looked suitably surprised. "Over what?"
"He couldn't say for sure himself," Li Banfeng replied. "First he was questioned by Dark Star Bureau agents, and then he was tailed. I suspect there might be a misunderstanding."
Xiao Zhenggong chuckled and shook his head faintly. "Things are done by the rules in the Outer States. If the Dark Star Bureau has its eye on him, it's rarely a misunderstanding. That friend of yours is likely a dark-energy user—what we in Puluo Province typically call a cultivator."
The slope was smooth now. Li Banfeng asked, "Is being a cultivator against the law in the Outer States?"
Xiao Zhenggong smiled. "Brother Li, I heard you studied in the Outer States. Surely you aren't ignorant of the rules there?"
Li the Seventh shook his head. "Back when I was studying, I truly had no idea there were any rules."
Xiao Zhenggong laughed. "That's because you were fortunate. There are indeed many cultivators in the Outer States, but such individuals must register with their local Dark Star Bureau branch. Anyone who hasn't registered is an illegal cultivator. They are classified as potential threats. Once uncovered, questioning and tailing are considered courteous. Had they run into me, they might have been eliminated on the spot."
Li Banfeng blinked. "Eliminated on the spot... just for being a potential threat?"
Xiao Zhenggong said, "Brother, that's where you fail to understand. When dealing with threats like that, it's better to kill a thousand by mistake than let a single one slip through. Otherwise, if something happens, the fallout is unimaginable."
From the side, He Yuxiu remarked, "I don't quite understand your fancy words. What does 'eliminated' mean?"
Xiao Zhenggong explained, "It means pressing a gun against the forehead and taking their life with a single shot."
Chu the Second chuckled. "Are guns in the Outer States really that reliable?"
Xiao Zhenggong said, "The Outer States aren't like our parts. Gunpowder rarely misfires there."
Lu Chunying asked, "And what if one shot doesn't kill them?"
Xiao Zhenggong laughed. "The barrel is pressed right against the forehead. If one shot doesn't kill him, just fire two more."
"Makes sense," Li Banfeng agreed with a nod. Drawing a revolver, he pressed it against Xiao Zhenggong's forehead and fired six shots in rapid succession.
*Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!*
His luck wasn't bad—five out of the six rounds went off.
Li Banfeng moved too fast, his strike far too abrupt. Xiao Zhenggong didn't even have time to react.
Five bullets tore straight through his head.
Chapter 470