Shen Rongqing walked into the office and said to He Jiaqing, "Jiaqing, Li Banling's background has been uncovered."
He Jiaqing praised her, "So fast? Tell me about him."
"He's an orphan who grew up together with Li the Seventh. Right now, he's in the Outer States, working as an ordinary factory laborer."
"An ordinary factory laborer?" He Jiaqing stared intently at Shen Rongqing for a long moment, but she remained completely composed.
"Aside from this, is there any other news?"
Shen Rongqing said, "I also caught wind that Li the Seventh is brokering a deal. He has a batch of covenant deeds he wants to sell."
"A deal? He calls this a deal?" A chilly gleam flickered in He Jiaqing's eyes, but he quickly smiled. "Where did you hear this?"
"I asked Zhang Xiuling."
"Are Zhang Xiuling and Li the Seventh really that close?"
Shen Rongqing said, "I can't speak for other things, but I heard Zhang Xiuling say with his own mouth that Li the Seventh often guides his writing on *Yuxiangji*."
"Li the Seventh coaching Zhang Xiuling on writing a book?" He Jiaqing chuckled. "Do you believe that yourself?"
Shen Rongqing replied, "At first, I didn't believe it either. But Xiuling has mentioned more than once that *Yuxiangji* is very unusual, and certain aspects can only be understood by Li the Seventh."
He Jiaqing nodded. "I'm also quite fond of *Yuxiangji*. It is indeed an extraordinary book. But since Zhang Xiuling and Li the Seventh are on such intimate terms, wasn't it far too reckless of you to go straight to Zhang Xiuling to investigate?"
Shen Rongqing went quiet for a moment before saying, "Jiaqing, I feel like you're making things difficult for me. In a matter of such importance, if I didn't start with the person closest to him, how could I have possibly uncovered any information?"
He Jiaqing nodded. "That makes sense. I trust the findings of your investigation."
Shen Rongqing turned to leave, but He Jiaqing suddenly called after her, "Rongqing! Do you know the origins of the covenant deeds Li the Seventh is trying to sell?"
Shen Rongqing shook her head.
"Let me show you something." He Jiaqing unfurled a map. He had applied bright, striking colors over twenty-nine territories.
Seeing that immense expanse of territory, Shen Rongqing was thoroughly astonished.
"From the very inception of the Brotherhood Alliance, I have been planning this domain. Twenty-nine territories, every single one meticulously selected. These areas all possess abundant resources—ample coal, rich mineral deposits, and fertile soil. Some border regular territories, but all of them connect to peripheral lands like Huaxian Manor. This ensures we won't be cut off from the outside world, yet at the same time shields us from external infiltration and aggression."
Shen Rongqing stared at the domain He Jiaqing had laid out, nodding repeatedly.
He Jiaqing continued, "These lands represent the future of the Brotherhood Alliance. Right now, they are merely newlands. Once the day comes when they become regular territory, I will find a way to erase the boundaries between them. When that time arrives, the Brotherhood Alliance will become the mightiest force in Puluo Province—a power capable of truly changing Puluo Province."
Shen Rongqing was deeply shocked. "You never mentioned this before."
He Jiaqing said, "I had no way to bring it up. If I did, no one would have believed me, and it would only have earned me mockery and ridicule. Before I left for the Outer States to study, I didn't even have the standing to speak with earth gods. Once I gained the standing to talk to them, a pack of people set their eyes on the Xuansheng Red Lotus, leaving me unable to return to Puluo Province. Now, I am back. The very first thing upon my return was to resume laying out our grand design, and for that, I did not hesitate to put my life on the line in the Inner States. These sixteen covenant deeds are my blood, my conviction, and the future I fought with my very life to secure for the Brotherhood Alliance. Rongqing, in this matter, you must never deceive me. Never!"
Shen Rongqing answered firmly, "Jiaqing, I haven't deceived you."
"I believe you." He Jiaqing nodded and permitted Shen Rongqing to leave the office.
He fingered the button on his chest and established contact with He Haisheng. "Third Uncle, is there any result regarding Li Banling?"
"The investigation is just about done. He grew up in the same orphanage as Li Banfeng, and he's currently working at an electronics factory in Chancheng City."
He Haisheng's findings matched Shen Rongqing's report completely, proving that Shen Rongqing had indeed told the truth.
He Jiaqing said, "Third Uncle, bring Li Banling to Puluo Province. Make your move tonight. Remember, you must take him alive."
Not long after, Bai Wuchuan knocked and entered the office. "Young Master He, Shen Jinzhong agreed, on the condition that whatever you ask him to do is within his ability."
"It's well within his ability, very simple," He Jiaqing said, lowering his voice. "Just one thing. Tomorrow night, have him host a dinner for Ma the Fifth. I will choose the location."
***
At ten o'clock that night, Li Banling dragged his exhausted body out of the workshop and returned to the dorms with his fellow workers.
This was the peak season. With four hours of overtime each day and thirty working days a month, one could earn over eight thousand yuan.
There were thirty-two people sharing the dormitory. Everyone was already asleep, but Li Banling remained awake.
He didn't want to fall asleep so quickly; he was thinking about his tomorrow.
He envisioned himself placing goods onto shelves—all sorts of affordable, quality merchandise. Then he would sit behind the cash register, open up the front door, and begin the day's business.
This was his dream. Every night, he had to set aside a little time for it. That brief stretch of time was the sweetest part of his day.
A heavy wave of fatigue washed over him, and just as Li Banling was about to drift off, the scent of tobacco drifted into the room, snapping him back toward wakefulness.
*Who's smoking in the hallway at this hour? Aren't they afraid of getting caught during room inspection?*
The tobacco smelled strong and punchy, and Li Banling suddenly craved a smoke himself.
He fished a cigarette pack from his trouser pocket, opened it, and found it empty.
*Should I go ask that guy for one?*
Li Banling climbed out of bed and pushed the door open into the hallway.
No one was in sight, but clouds of smoke drifted out from around the corner of the stairwell.
Li Banling walked toward the stairs. Suddenly, a man in a sharp suit appeared before his eyes.
Li Banling was startled. Looking closely, the man seemed rather familiar.
Under the dim light of the hallway, Li Banling stared for a long while before crying out in delight, "Banfeng?"
Li Banfeng nodded. He had deactivated his Dwelling Cultivator talent, intentionally letting Li Banling recognize him.
"Banfeng, why did you come all the way here?"
Li Banfeng smiled. "I came around here on business and heard there was someone named Li Banling working nearby. Not knowing if it was you, I dropped by to take a look."
"What business are you running that brings you here in the middle of the night?" Li Banling looked at Li Banfeng's tailored suit, envy showing in his eyes. "Look at you, dressed so decently. You must be in sales, right?"
"Something like that. It's so late, why aren't you asleep?"
"Couldn't sleep. Came out for a smoke, but didn't have any on me, so I thought—"
Li Banfeng handed Li Banling a cigarette. Li Banling inspected the label. "Never seen this brand before."
Once he lit it and took a drag, Li Banling fell into a coughing fit. "This smoke packs a punch! Tastes a bit like dry-pipe tobacco."
As he spoke, Li Banling kept glancing to both sides. "Let's keep our voices down, or the dormitory monitor will hear us. That guy's a real bastard. Catch you once and it's a fifty-yuan fine—more than two hours of hard work down the drain!"
Li Banfeng asked, "Is working here especially exhausting?"
"It's alright. A few thousand a month is decent pay. I'm thinking of saving up some money over these years and opening a small supermarket. I'll run the shop, read some books, broaden my horizons, and learn a few things. That'll be enough for a lifetime."
"How much does it cost to open a supermarket?"
"Our team leader left to open one last year. It only cost him around three hundred thousand in total."
"How much are you short?"
Li Banling's expression turned conflicted, as if this question shouldn't have been asked.
"Banfeng, are you trying to borrow money from me?"
Li Banfeng shook his head. "Definitely not."
Li Banling took a deep breath, holding back the ache in his heart. "If you need to borrow, just speak up. I've saved a hundred and eighty thousand over the years. Back then, I didn't know any better and spent whatever I earned. If I push harder this year and pinch pennies, I should be able to save up to two hundred and fifty thousand."
Li Banfeng nodded. "You'll definitely save enough!"
After finishing the first cigarette, Li Banfeng lit another for Li Banling. "Have you visited Old Lady Wu?"
Li Banling said, "Visited once. She's old, her head isn't clear anymore. As soon as she saw me, she called me Li Chunmei."
"Smoking Chunmei cigarettes again?" Li Banfeng sighed. "The old lady's days aren't easy."
"It's not just about the cigarettes. I bought her a pack of Soft Yun, and she still called me Li Chunmei. To think all our names were given by her, and in the end she couldn't remember a single one."
After finishing the second cigarette, Li Banfeng moved to light another, but Li Banling shook his head. "No more. I've got the morning shift tomorrow. You aren't leaving tomorrow, are you?"
"I'm leaving tonight."
"Why in such a rush? Let's exchange numbers. Next time you come around, be sure to let me know. We'll find a place for drinks, my treat."
After exchanging phone numbers, Li Banling returned to his dorm room, laid down on his bed, and rolled over to sleep. Suddenly, he felt something beneath his quilt.
The object was wrapped in a plastic bag, packed into solid blocks, resembling cartons of cigarettes.
*Who would leave cigarettes in the middle of the night?*
Li Banling felt around for a moment and realized it wasn't cigarettes.
He stepped out into the hallway to check. The bag was filled with stacks of cash—neat bundles of Huan Country banknotes.
There were twelve bundles in total. *Is this a hundred and twenty thousand?*
*Whose money is this? Why was it put on my bed?*
Shocked and frightened, Li Banling spotted a note inside the plastic bag: *Keep the money. Open the supermarket.*
Signed: *Li Banfeng.*
*What is Banfeng trying to do?*
*Why did he give me so much money?*
*Where did he go?*
Around the corner of the stairwell, Li Banfeng stood watching He Haisheng, who was trapped beneath a fine mesh net.
He Haisheng had tried several times to dissolve into smoke and flee, but to no avail.
This mesh net was a dark-energy carrier capable of suppressing the transformation abilities of Smoke, Water, and Mud Cultivators.
Earlier, when Li Banling saw smoke drifting from the stairwell, that smoke had indeed come from He Haisheng.
Yet by the time Li Banling reached the stairs, He Haisheng had already been captured.
The Dark Star Bureau had dispatched surveillance personnel to monitor the electronics factory since the previous night. Li Banfeng had also arrived on the scene by five in the afternoon and waited until the dead of night before He Haisheng finally showed up.
He waved to his men, signaling to depart.
Chen Changrui led the security officers in escorting He Haisheng into a vehicle.
Back at the Dark Star Bureau, sitting in the interrogation room, He Haisheng kept his head lowered in silence.
Li Banfeng peeled an apple and handed it to He Haisheng, then pulled out three thousand yuan and stuffed it into He Haisheng's hand.
"We're even now." Without another question, Li Banfeng walked out of the interrogation room.
***
He Haisheng had gone missing.
The contact waiting near the electronics factory to support He Haisheng had spotted multiple vehicles driving away, suspecting that He Haisheng had been apprehended.
Sitting in his office, He Jiaqing smoked several cigarettes in succession.
Duan Shuqun advised him, "Jiaqing, let's reconsider that business with Ma the Fifth. Li the Seventh wields immense influence in the Outer States. I'm afraid he might do something to Third Master..."
He Jiaqing shook his head. "If we don't strike at Ma the Fifth, how else can we rescue Third Uncle? Are we supposed to storm the Dark Star Bureau again and break him out?"
"The real question is, can Shen Jinzhong actually pull it off?"
He Jiaqing shook his head. "I didn't ask him to pull off anything major—just to host a dinner. If he can't even handle a simple thing like that, what use would there be in bringing such useless trash into the fold?"
***
That evening, Shen Jinzhong booked the Famous Songstress Private Suite at the Paramount to entertain Ma the Fifth.
The venue was beyond reproach. The Paramount was a property owned by the Chu and Lu families, as well as a landmark of Green Water City. Dining here suited Ma the Fifth's current stature.
Shen Jinzhong had also invited Chu Huaiyuan and Lu Chunying to accompany them, and both had agreed.
With everything prepared, Shen Jinzhong and his subordinates waited early at the Paramount.
A subordinate brought word: Ma the Fifth had already set out from Xiaoyaowu.
Shen Jinzhong smiled. This was the prestige of the Three Heroes Sect; with a single invitation, even a figure like Ma Junyang would show up without hesitation.
His sole task was to invite Ma Junyang to dinner. As soon as Ma Junyang arrived at the Paramount, his part of the job would be complete, and he wouldn't care about anything else.
However, Shen Jinzhong estimated that Ma the Fifth wouldn't make it to the Paramount. Having rolled through the pugilistic world for the better part of his life, Shen Jinzhong could see right through He Jiaqing's tactics. He Jiaqing certainly wouldn't strike inside the Paramount; he would likely eliminate Ma the Fifth along the road.
Yet once the deed was done, would He Jiaqing discard the pawn and pin the blame on Shen Jinzhong?
Shen Jinzhong was also worried about this, which was why he had invited Chu Huaiyuan and Lu Chunying. Having the two young mistresses as witnesses would prove that the Three Heroes Sect had merely hosted a dinner, conducting themselves openly and aboveboard.
After waiting about ten minutes, Bai Wuchuan arrived.
"Brother Shen, when will Ma the Fifth arrive?"
"He's already on the road. If the journey goes smoothly, he should be here in about half an hour."
Bai Wuchuan nodded repeatedly. "Though I don't think his journey will go very smoothly."
Shen Jinzhong looked at Bai Wuchuan and offered a meaningful smile.
After waiting for more than half an hour, Ma the Fifth still hadn't appeared. Shen Jinzhong sighed, "I reckon the deed is done."
Bai Wuchuan naturally understood the implication. "Brother Shen, this counts as a great merit on your part."
Shen Jinzhong frowned. "Why speak of merit? We're all brothers in the Brotherhood Alliance. Isn't this just handling business for our own brothers?"
Bai Wuchuan said, "How about we change spots and have a drink?"
Shen Jinzhong waved his hand. "No rush. Ma the Fifth isn't our only guest today. We haven't received definitive word yet, so we can't let the gathering go cold."
After waiting for more than another hour, Ma the Fifth still hadn't arrived, and not a single piece of news had come. Shen Jinzhong was growing restless.
Ma the Fifth had undoubtedly been dealt with by He Jiaqing en route, but why hadn't Chu Huaiyuan or Lu Chunying arrived either?
Shen Jinzhong dispatched his men to check. A subordinate returned to report, "The eldest Miss Lu left her residence long ago, but we didn't run into her along the way."
"What about the second Miss Chu?"
"She's right here at the Paramount, upstairs, but she hasn't come down."
"Go urge her!"
"Master Shen, who dares urge her? You know what kind of temper the second Miss Chu has."
Shen Jinzhong felt something was off. He said to Bai Wuchuan, "Brother, go ask He Jiaqing whether the business with Ma the Fifth succeeded or not."
Bai Wuchuan hurried off.
The moment he left, Chu Huaiyuan smiled.
The suite was fitted with a listening hook; Chu Huaiyuan had heard every single word the two exchanged.
"Old Yang, gather a couple of men and accompany Senior Sister Xiang to finish off Bai Wuchuan first."
Xiang Fenglan adjusted her arrows and set off with Yang Yanzheng.
Bai Wuchuan, flanked by several subordinates, reached the dance hall and headed toward the main entrance.
The band was performing "I Love Cha-Cha-Cha." The pitch was loud, the rhythm fast, and both the songstress and the musicians were putting everything into it, the volume deafeningly high.
Swept up by the music's atmosphere, the patrons were fully immersed, letting loose and dancing whether their moves were good or bad, and whether they had partners or not.
The patrons danced, the waiters danced, the idle dance hostesses danced, the guards watching the venue danced, and even the cleaners danced. The entire hall was doing the cha-cha-cha, packing the hallway that led to the entrance.
Squeezed into the dance floor, Bai Wuchuan couldn't make any headway for the longest time.
By rights, in a venue like the Paramount, he ought to have exercised restraint. But with urgent business on his mind, coupled with the peculiar music, his temper proved impossible to suppress.
He shoved aside the dancers in his path, and his subordinates turned equally irritable, shouting and cursing as they cleared a way for their gang leader: "Out of the way! Back off! Are you blind?"
An idle dance hostess suddenly lunged forward, wrapping her arms around Bai Wuchuan and beginning to dance.
His subordinates snapped, "You damned wench, you want to die—"
Halfway through the sentence, the subordinate swallowed his words.
In the dance hostess's embrace, Bai Wuchuan wasn't struggling.
Not only was he not struggling, he was kissing the dance hostess on the lips.
The two of them remained locked in a kiss, not parting at all.
*What is the meaning of this?*
While the crowd was still perplexed, the dance hostess spun around, leading Bai Wuchuan deep into the dance floor.
Their lips remained glued together. His subordinates wore helpless expressions, not daring to intervene.
An older man among them remarked, "It hasn't been easy for the gang leader. He's been weary and burdened lately; he deserves some enjoyment."
The others found that reasonable and stepped to the side to wait.
Holding Bai Wuchuan, the dance hostess twirled and spun until both vanished from sight.
*Where did the gang leader go?*
Terrified, the subordinates hurried in all directions to search for him.
The dance hostess had already carried Bai Wuchuan through the backstage of the dance hall and straight into a dressing room.
Inside the dressing room, she placed Bai Wuchuan into a wardrobe before finally releasing her lips.
Inside Bai Wuchuan's mouth was a hole that entered through the roof of his mouth and shot out through the crown of his skull—a strike delivered by Xiang Fenglan, who had concealed herself among the orchestra to shoot the arrow.
Despite such a massive wound, no blood had spilled, because the dance hostess had helped stem the flow.
This dance hostess was named Lan Jiali, a Food Cultivator. Using the Food Cultivator technique *Suck Blood and Chew Marrow*, she had sucked Bai Wuchuan's blood and brain marrow completely dry.
Prior to the attack, Bai Wuchuan had sensed something amiss, but failed to react in time because six of the performers on stage—both songstresses and musicians—were Sound Cultivators. Influenced by their Sound Cultivator arts, both he and the crowd on the dance floor had been driven into a frantic, irritable state.
Chu the Second entered the dressing room, glanced at the corpse, and nodded toward Lan Jiali.
Lan Jiali pushed Bai Wuchuan's body fully into the wardrobe, whereupon flames surged within, reducing his remains to ash.
Chu the Second looked back at Yang Yanzheng. "Take care of Shen Jinzhong too."
Yang Yanzheng said in a low voice, "Miss, Shen Jinzhong won't be so easy to deal with."
"What's the difference?"
"Shen Jinzhong has tumbled through the Three Heroes Sect for decades, whereas Bai Wuchuan had only been in the White Crane Gang for six and a half years. Shen Jinzhong earned the Second Gold Seal by his own merit and held it for over a decade, whereas Bai Wuchuan relied on his master to become gang leader and held the post for less than three years. The Three Heroes Sect and the White Crane Gang aren't even in the same tier of sects..."
Chu the Second said impatiently, "Hurry up and move. With all your babbling, Shen Jinzhong's head could have already been lopped off."
Helpless, Yang Yanzheng quickly arranged for another dance hostess to go to the Famous Songstress Private Suite.
This hostess was Wu Qiuying, a Joy Cultivator. On her own, she certainly couldn't kill Shen Jinzhong; her objective was merely to distract him as much as possible, creating an opening for Xiang Fenglan to strike.
Wu Qiuying arrived before the suite's door, where several guards of the Three Heroes Sect stood watch.
Fluttering her watery eyes and lifting her skirt, Qiuying looked at the men with a shy expression. "The second young mistress sent me to sing a tune."
The guards looked her up and down. One chuckled, "Looking all dazed and silly, do you even know how to sing? Sing a bit for me first!"
A guard beside him warned, "Don't fool around. She was sent by the second young mistress, don't make things hard for her!"
"So what if she was sent by the second young mistress? She isn't the second young mistress herself," the first guard said, staring at Wu Qiuying. "Do you know the rules? You get searched before going in."
Wu Qiuying flushed. "I've never heard of such a rule. This is the Paramount—"
"What about the Paramount? Here with our Three Heroes Sect, that's the rule!" The guards gave her a thorough frisking, then turned to enter and announce her.
Wu Qiuying's nostrils flared slightly. These guards were truly disgusting.
If they had announced her first and then searched her, it would merely show that the Three Heroes Sect acted overbearing and tyrannical.
Searching her first before announcing her meant that if Shen Jinzhong refused to let the songstress enter, they would have taken liberties with her for free.
As soon as the guard stepped inside, he turned right back around. "The Grand Gold Seal isn't here. Come back later."
Wu Qiuying was taken aback. "Where did he go?"
The guard scowled. "Is that any of your business?"
Wu Qiuying raised an eyebrow. The guard's veins bulged violently, his mouth and eyes twisted sideways, and he collapsed limp onto the floor.
"She has cultivation!"
Just as the other guards were about to charge, several arrows shot through the air, felling them to the ground in an instant.
Because one guard had spoken up on Qiuying's behalf, Xiang Fenglan had spared him a breath of life.
Wu Qiuying demanded, "Where did your Gold Seal go?"
The guard shook his head repeatedly; he truly had no idea where Shen Jinzhong had gone.
Several attendants arrived in the hallway to clear the corpses, and Chu the Second walked over as well.
Wu Qiuying looked at the sole surviving guard and pleaded with Chu the Second to spare his life. Chu the Second agreed.
As Yang Yanzheng pondered where Shen Jinzhong could have gone, Wen Hongyan spoke up, "No need to guess. He definitely went back to the Gold Seal Hall. Should we pursue him?"
Chu the Second was eager to give chase. "I've found the Three Heroes Sect an eyesore for a long time. We might as well take this chance to wipe them out."
Yang Yanzheng shook his head. "The Three Heroes Sect is the premier sect in Puluo Province; they can't be wiped out on a whim! Second Miss, this time you must listen to me no matter what. Besides, this was never our job to begin with!"
A commotion echoed from downstairs. With Bai Wuchuan missing, the White Crane Gang's men had begun causing a scene.
Chu the Second nodded. "The Lu family is providing backup outside. Leave Shen Jinzhong to them."
***
Having changed into coarse cloth clothes, Shen Jinzhong hurried along a narrow lane. Before he had gone very far, he felt someone tailing him.
Two or three people followed behind at an unhurried pace. Why weren't they rushing in to attack?
Likely because they couldn't win.
Shen Jinzhong was a seventh-tier Martial Cultivator. Though his cultivation hadn't advanced much over the years, he had nonetheless fought through the better part of a lifetime; ordinary people couldn't even get close to him.
He knew their reinforcements would arrive soon, so he needed to shake off these tails immediately.
Yet he didn't run toward the Gold Seal Hall; he ran toward Xiaoyaowu.
This move caught Lu Chunying, who was following behind, completely off guard.
To prevent mishaps at the Paramount, Lu Chunying had brought men to provide backup outside. Not long after Shen Jinzhong slipped out, Lu Yuanxin had spotted him.
However, Lu Chunying's personnel were somewhat dispersed, and gathering them required time. Lu Chunying had assumed Shen Jinzhong would head for the Gold Seal Hall, never expecting him to suddenly switch routes.
Lu Chunying asked, "Where is Shen Jinzhong heading?"
After following for a moment, Lu Yuanxin whispered, "This is the direction of Xiaoyaowu."
Lu Chunying's eyes darted as she lowered her voice. "We can't follow any longer. Strike immediately."
Lu Yuanxin said, "Our men haven't all arrived yet."
"We can't wait. Along the road to Xiaoyaowu, there will definitely be He Jiaqing's ambushers."
The girl was exceptionally sharp. Shen Jinzhong arranging a meeting with Ma the Fifth was surely on He Jiaqing's orders. He Jiaqing wouldn't strike inside the Paramount, as he wouldn't want to make things so conspicuous.
Therefore, he would almost certainly ambush Ma the Fifth on the road. If they continued following Shen Jinzhong, they were very likely to run headlong into He Jiaqing's ambush.
Shen Jinzhong was still marching briskly when a rickshaw approached from the opposite direction.
The alley was somewhat narrow. Shen Jinzhong waved at the rickshaw. "Move aside."
The puller kept his head bowed. "Right away."
He pulled the rickshaw to the side, then looked up. "You told me to yield, so I yielded to you."
Shen Jinzhong sensed something wrong. Gliding sideways in a flash, he plunged straight into the wall and vanished without a trace.
Lu Chunying gasped, "A Travel Cultivator art!"
The rickshaw puller hastily shouted, "Stand still and don't move!"
Because the target was already far away, the technique yielded no response.
This rickshaw puller was Tan Fucheng, leader of the Iron Wheel Gang and an Offering Cultivator.
Shen Jinzhong had just asked him to move aside, and Tan Fucheng had complied, which meant Shen Jinzhong had accepted Tan Fucheng's offering.
Tan Fucheng had then added, "You told me to yield, so I yielded to you," which established the rationale.
With the offering accepted and the rationale declared, the Offering Cultivator technique was established, and next it was Tan Fucheng's turn to demand recompense. Who could have foreseen that Shen Jinzhong would simply bolt?
Tan Fucheng beat his chest in frustration, blaming only his own clumsy technique and slow execution.
Lu Yuanxin pondered for a long while before saying, "Shen Jinzhong has been famous in the pugilistic world for ages. He's a seventh-tier Martial Cultivator. When did he take up Travel Cultivation as a secondary discipline?"
Tan Fucheng was equally baffled. "Normally speaking, it's very difficult for a Martial Cultivator to cultivate Travel Cultivation on the side. Both disciplines demand too much of the physical body."
While the two were still bewildered, Lu Chunying said, "Retreat for now, lest he circles back to strike. If he truly has dual disciplines, we might end up falling by his hand!"
The three of them fled together. As they ran, Tan Fucheng was still puzzled: "If he really had two disciplines open, why did he run just now? Why didn't he fight us directly?"
***
Having shaken off his tails, Shen Jinzhong ran all the way back to the Gold Seal Hall.
He summoned every fighter in the branch and ordered them to form an array at once—the Three Heroes Thief-Catching Formation.
The name sounded plain, and the formation looked plain too: just three squads occupying three positions in the main courtyard of the Gold Seal Hall, waiting for the enemy to arrive and acting according to the situation.
Yet when deployed in the main courtyard of the Gold Seal Hall, this formation became the most formidable array in all of Puluo Province.
The main courtyard of the Gold Seal Hall housed special mechanisms that synchronized with the Three Heroes Thief-Catching Formation. From that point on, regardless of who came to fight, as long as these three squads maintained their positions, every blade of grass, every tree, every brick, and every tile in the courtyard would turn into superior weapons that attacked the enemy of their own accord.
Once the Three Heroes Thief-Catching Formation was established in the Gold Seal Hall, even Li the Seventh himself would find it difficult to breach. Nevertheless, for safety's sake, Shen Jinzhong still headed for the rear hall.
Old Silver Badge Yun Yongcheng asked, "Grand Gold Seal, what has happened?"
Shen Jinzhong said, "A thief may have infiltrated our hall. I'm going to the vault to take a look. All of you stay and guard the courtyard."
"Going to the vault right now? That's—" The Old Silver Badge moved to stop Shen Jinzhong.
Silver Badge Tan Jinle shoved Yun Yongcheng aside. "Where the Grand Gold Seal goes is none of your business! Didn't you hear him say a thief broke in? And you still have the leisure to babble here?"
Yun Yongcheng lowered his head, not daring to say another word.
Shen Jinzhong hurried into the vault and bolted the heavy door.
The vault stored the gold, silver, and valuables of the Three Heroes Sect, protected inside and out by layers of deadly mechanisms.
With the Three Heroes Thief-Catching Formation outside and these layers of mechanisms within, Shen Jinzhong was temporarily secure. Sitting inside the vault, he calmed his racing thoughts and reflected on the turn of events.
First, he cursed Bai Wuchuan several times; ending up in this dire straits was all his fault.
Now that things had reached this point, cursing was useless. Shen Jinzhong needed to quickly devise a plan. Along the way, he had already thought of three options.
The best plan: claim that the matter with Ma the Fifth had nothing to do with him, that he had merely wanted to treat Ma the Fifth to a meal and knew nothing else.
This was the ideal outcome, but the only problem was that Li the Seventh would most likely not believe him.
The middle plan: seek out He Jiaqing and explain the reasons. He had invited Ma the Fifth, so his end of the bargain was fulfilled; the unexpected developments in between had nothing to do with him, and He Jiaqing would have to protect the Three Heroes Sect from now on.
This outcome was also acceptable, but the crucial factor was whether He Jiaqing would honor the agreement.
The worst plan: grab the gold, silver, and valuables, flee Green Water City under cover of darkness, and live under an assumed name.
If he took even a tenth of the treasures in this room, it would be enough for him to live lavishly for several lifetimes. But Shen Jinzhong was unwilling. Having clawed his way to Grand Gold Seal with such difficulty, why should he yield the position? Why should he—
*Hiss!*
A strand of hair sliced across Shen Jinzhong's face.
"Who is it!" Shen Jinzhong dodged swiftly. Blood appeared on his cheek, but it was only a superficial scratch, nothing severe.
A woman in green materialized before his eyes. Shen Jinzhong recognized her—this was Qin Tianjiu's wife.
Shen Jinzhong tried his utmost to remain calm, speaking with composure, "Sister-in-law, what are you doing in my vault? I suspected a thief had entered the Gold Seal Hall; could that thief be you?"
Feng Yuqiu's face was devoid of expression. She was a Cold Cultivator, and such words could not provoke her in the slightest.
It was precisely because she was a Cold Cultivator that when she ambushed him just now, Shen Jinzhong hadn't sensed even a shred of killing intent.
Shen Jinzhong gauged Feng Yuqiu's position, unable to fathom how Qin Tianjiu's wife could have gotten in here. The most reasonable explanation was that someone had brought her in.
*Could Qin Tianjiu be here too?*
*Where is he?*
"Grand Gold Seal, were you waiting for me?" Qin Tianjiu emerged from a heap of silver dollars and, from five paces away, took a deep breath.
From the wound on Shen Jinzhong's face, a jet of blood erupted, flying straight into Qin Tianjiu's mouth.
*Suck Blood and Chew Marrow!*
Impossible! With Qin Tianjiu's cultivation, how could he have learned such an art? That was a sixth-tier Food Cultivator technique!
Moreover, the way he executed it was absurd—drawing blood across several paces of empty air.
Shen Jinzhong rapidly pulled back, and the stream of blood finally snapped.
Feng Yuqiu struck from the shadows, carving another gash into Shen Jinzhong's thigh.
With a Martial Cultivator's physique, such minor wounds were truly negligible, but against Qin Tianjiu's relentless blood-draining charges, Shen Jinzhong could not hold out.
Shen Jinzhong shouted, "Xiao Jiu, there's a misunderstanding between us! Hear me out—"
Qin Tianjiu cut him off, "Save your breath. Halfway through talking, you'll definitely launch a sneak attack. We know each other so well, why play dumb?"
As he spoke, Qin Tianjiu took two steps forward, shielding his wife behind him.
"I truly regarded you as my own brother! Ever since you joined the Three Heroes Sect, haven't I taken good care of you? While I was away from home, you brought your wife into the sect vault—what are you trying to do?"
Qin Tianjiu chuckled. "What do you think I'm trying to do? I already told you, we're old acquaintances. Ever since I became a Silver Badge, you refused to grant me any territory. I barely earned any money and couldn't even eat my fill, yet I still worked like a dog running odd jobs by your side. Everyone throughout the hall is my friend; what tricks of yours don't I know?
"I predicted long ago that you would deploy the Three Heroes Thief-Catching Formation, and I knew you would hide in the vault. If cornered, you would grab the money and run. I waited here specifically to see you off on your final journey."
Shen Jinzhong yelled, "Xiao Jiu, that's not fair! Keeping you by my side was to temper you, all for your own good!"
*Swish!*
Shen Jinzhong suddenly hurled two silver dollars straight toward Qin Tianjiu's face.
Silver dollars flung by a seventh-tier Martial Cultivator flew faster than bullets.
Moreover, Shen Jinzhong had calculated the angle: if Qin Tianjiu dodged, the silver dollars would strike Feng Yuqiu behind him.
Qin Tianjiu didn't dodge. Opening his mouth, he swallowed the silver dollars whole.
Impossible.
Just what level was Qin Tianjiu's cultivation?
Before coming, Qin Tianjiu had gorged himself on a bellyful of fine coal; even he himself couldn't clearly define his current level of combat power.
Shen Jinzhong pushed himself up from the floor, dizzy from excessive blood loss.
He cut his eyes toward the wall.
Qin Tianjiu laughed. "Don't bother looking at the wall. I know you have a Travel Cultivator treasure that lets you phase through walls, but you won't get the chance to use it."
Shen Jinzhong grabbed a large handful of silver dollars and flung them at Qin Tianjiu.
Swallowing what he could catch and tanking what he couldn't, Qin Tianjiu—his skin gleaming with a silvery sheen—lunged forward and seized Shen Jinzhong in an iron grip.
Chapter 681