Chapter 222 – A Battle Where Everyone Wins - Part 3

High above, in an upper-floor room, a young man stood examining a luminous pearl between his thumb and forefinger, letting the sunlight play across its surface. Behind him stood Zhou Jia and Qian Da, both bowing respectfully.

“They tried every dirty trick in the book,” Li Yuan remarked in a measured tone. “Cause trouble, frame us, bring in bailiffs to shut us down...then kill us if that failed. Brutal and relentless.”

He slipped the pearl into his pocket. The troublemakers who’d appeared earlier had secretly planted it in the wooden drawer. But every inch of the Ginger Tavern lay under Li Yuan’s watchful eye; once they left, he retrieved it himself. Sure enough, not long after, the baliffs arrived to search.

He could easily imagine the scenario. If they’d found that incriminating item, they would’ve thrown everyone in jail on fabricated charges, likely leading to executions...unless he went begging to Gu Xuejian for help, token in hand.

Li Yuan shifted his gaze. “Qian Da, you’ve been digging for intel these last four months. What have you discovered?”

His calm yet reassuring voice filled the room, and Qian Da stepped forward with fists cupped in respect. “Master, I’m pleased to report success. From the moment we arrived, I posed as a wealthy merchant to connect with various local gangs. By now, I’ve learned quite a bit about the factions operating just inside Holy Tree Temple’s first gate.”

Qian Da looked quite different from when he’d first met Li Yuan. Initially, he’d worn short hair, dressed in tight-fitting garb, and exuded an air of menace, always with a steel blade strapped to his back. Now, he appeared genial, sporting a friendly smile, with a blade hidden away in one sleeve.

When Li Yuan had dispatched his advance team to Skygarden Prefecture, Qian Da had volunteered. Despite being an inner disciple of the Blood Blade Sect and a respected figure in Gemhill, he’d gladly chosen to follow Li Yuan.

Qian Da had given up the hard-earned Earthfire Roaming Technique four years earlier, all because he’d learned that Li Yuan was founding the Martial Lodge. Rather than continue perfecting the martial arts he’d built up, he went to work there as a low-ranking attendant...a diligent and eager one at that.

Now, in Li Yuan’s moment of apparent decline, Qian Da finally stood behind him once more, carrying out his orders. Despite being merely eighth rank, his cleverness and knack for gathering intelligence made him indispensable.

He reported, “Inside the first gate of Holy Tree Temple’s city stronghold, there are three main underground factions; the rest are a dozen or so smaller outfits, too minor to count. The major three are the Black Cloaks, Flying Flags, and Old Oakhouse.

“The first batch of troublemakers who showed up were likely disciples of Flying Flags, definitely acting on orders from the Guo Clan. As for the Old Oakhouse, they run martial schools everywhere, and many taverns hire their students as security. Lastly, the Black Cloaks are essentially a mercenary outfit; they handle tasks ranging from escort services to missions, so long as the price is right.”

After filling Li Yuan in on some details, Qian Da added, “Master, you asked about the smaller groups. There is one I’m familiar with—the Black Wolf Gang. They’re basically a bunch of local thugs, along with quite a few beggars from elsewhere. You wouldn’t believe how rampant the so-called Beggars Sect is in Silkfloss; aside from not being able to penetrate the temple’s city stronghold, they’ve got a hand in nearly every other place.”

Li Yuan nodded. “Someone you know is in the Black Wolf Gang?”

Qian Da grinned. “Yes. One of the men there, known as Fang, is also eighth rank. He’s been talking about opening a business with me. He claims to be the gang leader’s nephew. Drinks with me all the time, complaining about how tough it is to make a living these days.

“Black Cloaks and Old Oakhouse hold the open turf, and the Flying Flags sold themselves to the Guo Clan. Small fry like the Black Wolf Gang can only skulk through the sewers, fighting over scraps. They’d rather find an honest way to earn a living, like opening up a shop. Thing is, the underbelly here in Holy Tree Temple is a mess. Every night in those dark alleys, more than a few people end up dead...”

After thinking it over, Li Yuan said, “Invite Fang. I want to meet the Black Wolf Gang’s leader.”

˙·٠✧🐗➶➴🏹✧٠·˙

That very night.

In a private dining room of some tavern crowded with boisterous drinkers, Qian Da led a sturdy man inside and introduced him with a smile. “Fang, this is my boss. He’d like an audience with your gang leader.”

Fang sized up the masked man in front of him, about to speak when—

Thud!

His knees buckled, and he half-collapsed to the floor.

In that cramped space, a primal rush of power reverberated, like a tide slamming onto rocky shores, making one’s hair stand on end.

Midnight.

Deep within the first gate lay a vibrant back-alley scene. From outside, the alley looked run-down, but within it was surprisingly lavish, even boasting a large underground plaza lit by countless flickering lamps.

The rattle of dice punctuated the noisy crowd, with gamblers shouting, “Roll! Roll!” or “Big! Big!”

Women with heavy makeup laughed and teased, waving embroidered handkerchiefs. Some patrons were hastily dragging giggling young women into private rooms, while others were tossed out in nothing but undergarments, having lost everything.

In a few dark corners, bodies were quietly dragged away, leaving fresh trails of blood that a splash of water soon washed clean. Roaming about were squads of patrolling disciples.

Further in, in a private hall of the Black Wolf Gang’s lair, their seventh rank leader sat in his seat of honor, legs crossed, nodding lazily, waiting to meet a certain

wealthy merchant

.

The moment his nephew led in the masked visitor, the gang leader straightened as if jolted. His cocky posture vanished, and he jumped to his feet, throat gulping.

In his eyes, this masked man wasn’t some merchant, but a terrifying beast brimming with boiling bloodlust. Wearing a mask was one thing, but to radiate such raw, unfiltered menace; now that was unsettling.

Li Yuan waved a dismissive hand. His voice rasped. “You, out. I have business with your gang leader.”

Qian Da threw an arm around Fang’s shoulders and laughed. “Relax. You trust me, don’t you? My boss won’t harm you if there’s no reason to. He’s here to talk business, plain and simple.”

Moments later, the door closed with a creak.

Li Yuan moved forward. The Black Wolf Gang leader tried to steady himself, gesturing politely at a seat. But Li Yuan kept walking.

The leader’s eyes went wide. “Sir, you’ve come here—”

He didn’t finish. The masked man in front of him flickered, disappearing on the spot. Startled, the gang leader’s shadow blood flared up around his hand as he thrust a palm forward, roaring, “Guards!”

But to that unstoppable power closing in, his strike was no more than the flicker of a firefly against the brilliance of a full moon.

In the blink of an eye, Li Yuan appeared before the Black Wolf Gang’s leader and seized him.

The gang leader roared, “Let go! Let go!” as he pounded Li Yuan with punch after punch. But it was like a frail maiden trying to beat a burly man; Li Yuan didn’t feel a thing.

Ignoring the blows, Li Yuan calmly grasped the man’s arm and fastened the human-skin manacles around his wrist. Produced by Yan Yu, these manacles required no testing or elaborate methods; once placed on anyone of seventh rank or lower, the victim became utterly loyal to their new master.

The moment the handcuffs latched in place, they sank into the gang leader’s skin. His pupils went blank for a heartbeat, and then clarity returned to his eyes.

Just then, footsteps sounded outside, and moments later a group of Black Wolf Gang members burst through the door.

“Boss!” a long-haired man shouted with a heavy beard. “What happened?”

Their gang leader looked tense at first, but broke into boisterous laughter, dispelling the tension. “Why, we’re having a banquet, of course! Hahaha!”

Li Yuan didn’t attend the feast that followed. The gang leader, Wang Linji, however, shared a few hearty drinks with Qian Da and seemed to be in high spirits.

Afterward, in a private room, Wang Linji knelt before Li Yuan and addressed him respectfully, “Master.”

Li Yuan asked him about the gang’s current situation and verified that this minor group had no dealings with the Holy Tree Temple itself. He also confirmed that there were no sixth rank martial artists among any of the underworld factions behind the first gate.

Satisfied, he said, “Find out exactly which men from the Flying Flags harassed the Ginger Tavern yesterday.”

“Yes, Master.”

˙·٠✧🐗➶➴🏹✧٠·˙

The next evening.

“Master, it was members of the Flying Flag’s south branch who made trouble at the tavern yesterday...and again today,” Wang Linji reported obediently. He already felt a deep reverence for Li Yuan.

Li Yuan considered it briefly. “Is tonight a good time to deal with them?”

“My lord, as long as you give the order, it’s always a good time,” Wang Linji answered with a slight lick of his lips. “Shall I wipe out the Flying Flag’s south branch?”

Li Yuan nodded.

Wang Linji frowned. “They do have a few capable fighters, Master. I might not make it out alive if—”

Li Yuan cut him off, “I’ll go with you. But I’ll act like a new recruit in your gang. Call me Pan Feng.”

That night, the Flying Flag’s south branch was annihilated. Gang clashes weren’t unusual in these parts, and the authorities generally looked the other way.

The next day, the Ginger Tavern finally had some peace.

A few days later, the Black Wolf Gang was attacked, but the would-be attackers were completely wiped out.

The following day, the Flying Flag’s west branch vanished without a trace.

A week after that, more trouble arose at the Ginger Tavern, and by the same evening, the Flying Flag’s north branch vanished as well.

˙·٠✧🐗➶➴🏹✧٠·˙

“Damn brat! How dare he fight back! If he’s going to use force, then so will I!”

Guo Guangdan was practically foaming with rage, all pretense of composure gone. After some thought, he issued an order.

“Fetch my token and deliver it to the Flying Flag’s east branch. Tell them tomorrow they’re to smash the Ginger Tavern. This time, I’ll join them in disguise! He thinks he can bully us? Two can play at that game. I’m done with half-measures; I’ll kill him myself!”

A swift rider galloped off from the Guo clan estate. But an hour later...

A figure in white, followed by four Holy Tree Temple disciples, arrived at the Guo residence. This visitor was Jing Baikou, another deputy temple master of the Holy Tree Temple.

When the Guo Guangdan caught sight of Jing Baikou, he hurried forward and bowed deeply. “Greetings, Deputy Jing!”

Jing Baikou spoke coolly, “Enough. We have external enemies; there’s no need for internal strife. Li Yuan is connected to Gu Xuejian, which makes him an ally to us all. Why blow a minor issue out of proportion?”

Guo Guangdan’s expression shifted several times before he finally bowed again in feigned compliance. “Since you’ve asked it, Deputy Jing, I’ll let him be. From now on, I won’t trouble him again.”

Jing Baikou nodded and departed with the four disciples.

˙·٠✧🐗➶➴🏹✧٠·˙

A week later.

Word spread through the temple of how Jing Baikou had settled the feud between Guo Guangdan and Li Yuan. The current head of the Guo Clan, Guo Fanghai, capitalized on Jing Baikou’s support and successfully became a newly appointed elder.

Meanwhile, at 78 Peach Blossom Alley, Li Yuan’s residence received delegations from several families. They arrived bearing portraits of beautiful, graceful women. Their purpose?

Proposals of marriage.