Chapter 465: The Ten Saints

Long Zhengfei, Chi Chunshui, and Li Buyi were deeply shaken after hearing Li Xiaofei's words. They had initially thought Li Xiaofei was merely a martial prodigy; an ambitious youth unafraid of bloodshed and driven by passion to carve out a path with sheer determination.

But now, they realized they had underestimated the boy's ambition. He intended to unify the slum. It was important to note that while the slum occupied less than a tenth of Haijing City's land, it was home to a third of its population.

If someone truly managed to unify the factions, they would wield immense influence and potentially become a superpower within Haijing City. This ambition was even more astonishing than the strength and achievements Li Xiaofei had already demonstrated. Yet, they could not deny the logic in his plan.

If the slum could be united and the wills of its more than ten million residents could be aligned, it could indeed bring a glimmer of hope to the crumbling chaos of Haijing City. But could it truly be done? Even if they were to lend their full support, would the other power players in Haijing City idly stand by as a new titan emerged?

The people were not ignorant, but those in positions of power and privilege were often shortsighted, blinded by their own vested interests. Even if they recognized that unifying the slum would benefit Great Xia, they would undoubtedly work to sabotage the process for fear of losing their own influence.

"If you can resolve the impending troubles from the Jiepeng and Yiggs forces, then we three old fellows will help you establish the Jingwu Sect. Why not?" Chi Chunshui finally decided.

Long Zhengfei nodded in agreement. "Old Ruler is right this time. If the upcoming troubles aren’t resolved, everything we’ve discussed is just empty talk."

After a brief moment, he added, "Young man, if you decide to run now, we three old fools won’t mock you. After all, preserving your life is what matters most."

Li Xiaofei merely smiled faintly. He had already mapped out his plan clearly and had no intention of fleeing. Besides, his three ‘green hairs’ were still unused. The reason he had been relentlessly decisive in killing his enemies earlier was to lure out the strongest foreign forces in Haijing City so that he could eliminate them all at once. His only concern was that his enemies might not show up.

"Esteemed seniors, as someone new to Haijing City, I am not yet familiar with the Saints in this city. Could you enlighten me?" Li Xiaofei sat back down and asked humbly.

While such information was already available in the Dragon Group’s intelligence reports, hearing it directly from these three experienced masters might offer unique insights.

Li Buyi chuckled and said, "We three are just minor figures with some reputation in the slum. That so-called list of powerhouses shouldn’t be taken too seriously. After all, there are always hidden dragons and Saints who choose not to reveal themselves. That said, there is an overall ranking for Haijing City that is relatively more credible."

He paused to sip his tea before continuing, "In Haijing City, there are twenty-three Saints in total. Nine are from Great Xia, and fourteen are from foreign nations."

Li Xiaofei was momentarily taken aback.

The number of foreign Saints exceeds those of Great Xia?

"The reason is simple," Li Buyi explained steadily. "Haijing City is one of Great Xia’s gateways, the largest city in the south, with an immense population and plentiful resources. It ranks among the top five cities globally in terms of economic development and resource abundance. The surrounding region holds vast reserves of resources, many of which are world-leading."

"As such a juicy prize, everyone wants a bite. Unfortunately, Haijing City is home to dozens of Cave Beast spatial channels. These tunnels link directly to foreign territories, allowing nations and factions from other administrative regions to dispatch their emissaries here with ease."

"This is the reason behind the establishment of the Wanmao District in Haijing City," Li Buyi continued.

Li Xiaofei nodded. He was aware of these details but hadn’t expected so many foreign Saints to be present on Great Xia’s soil.

Li Buyi went on to elaborate.

"Currently, the top ten on Haijing City’s power rankings are all Saint-level figures."

"First place belongs to Lord Song Huaiyuan, Great Xia’s Sixth Commander stationed in Haijing City. Recognized as the strongest across all factions, his undefeated record solidifies his title without dispute."

"Second place is held by Aztast, a Beast Transformation Saint from the Yiggs Union, who also serves as an Inspector for the Star Council, stationed here in Haijing."

"Third is Tsukiha Tensō of Jiepeng, a master of the Flying Blade Stream. On the surface, he is a martial arts instructor at the Jiepeng Consulate, but in truth, he is Jiepeng's top operative in Haijing City. Even their Consul General, Qimou Xun, takes orders from him."

"Fourth is Mr. Lu Xufeng, honored by the title The Professor. He is the President of Zhendan University and a revered veteran Saint of Great Xia."

"Fifth is Yang Zhihou, who, despite his Great Xia name, is a naturalized citizen of the Yiggs Union. He serves as the Consul General of the Yiggs Consulate in Haijing City and is a leading expert on Great Xia. Many Yiggs Union policies concerning Great Xia were designed and implemented by him."

"The sixth is Lord Chen Zhishun, the Commander-in-Chief of Haijing City's stationed military forces under Great Xia."

"The seventh is You Longzi, a veteran Saint who transitioned from ancient martial arts to modern techniques. He now leads Haijing City's largest sect, the Heavenly Dragon Sect. However, his loyalties are fickle, swaying wherever profit lies."

"The eighth is Bojinov, the military attaché stationed at the Bayer Federation Consulate."

"Ninth place belongs to Glenn Johnson, the Consul General from the European Independent Nations Alliance stationed in Haijing."

"And the tenth is Sharman, the Deputy Consul General of the Indi Empire in Haijing."

Li Buyi introduced each of these ten figures in detail, then went on to describe other Saints, their power levels, preferences, and the factions they represented.

As expected of someone nicknamed The Divine Seer, Li Buyi’s knowledge far exceeded the intelligence reports from the Dragon Group. He even provided details about individuals not listed in official reports.

This greatly benefited Li Xiaofei, who felt that asking was well worth it. After finishing these discussions, Li Xiaofei seized the opportunity to inquire about a few other topics of interest.

Just then, Nan Hua’s micro light-core device vibrated softly. She glanced at it, her expression instantly turning serious. Without a word, she rose and left the living room. Moments later, she returned in haste.

"Sir, Deputy Leader Hua Wuying’s whereabouts have been discovered," Nan Hua whispered as she leaned close to Li Xiaofei.

Li Xiaofei’s mind stirred at the news.

He stood up immediately, cupping his hands toward Long Zhengfei and the others. "My apologies, the Dragon Group has an urgent matter that requires my attention. I must leave at once.

"I will prove everything I’ve said to you very soon. In the meantime, I ask the three of you to begin preparations for the establishment of the Jingwu Sect without delay. Time is of the essence, and we must act swiftly and decisively."

***

Haijing City. Anjing District. Lijing Hotel.

𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

A sudden influx of Jiepeng soldiers surrounded the entire hotel, locking it down and preventing anyone from entering or leaving. Huang Fulai, An Xiaohu, and others, who had just been released from house arrest, were stopped before they could even step outside.

"This isn’t the Wanmao District! How dare Jiepeng soldiers conduct a military operation here? This is outrageous!"

"I heard they’re here to apprehend an escaped fugitive."

"What fugitive?"

"No idea."

The murmurs among the surrounding crowd made Huang Fulai frown slightly. Jiepeng’s brazen behavior in Haijing City, forming a military lockdown outside the Wanmao District, was nothing short of humiliating to Great Xia.

As for the so-called criminal they were hunting, Huang Fulai suspected it was likely another courageous patriot resisting Jiepeng’s oppression. His mind began to work. He needed to come up with a way to help.

Meanwhile, a pale beautiful woman with bandages wrapped around her waist and abdomen was crouched in the basement of the Lijing Hotel. She listened to the commotion outside, bow in one hand, her expression a mixture of vigilance and urgency.

Four young girls in ragged clothing lay on a worn-out mattress beside her. Their appearances were almost identical. Each was a rare beauty, their icy skin and delicate features resembling artwork carved from white jade.

Huddled together for warmth, they clung tightly to one another, fast asleep. Whatever they had endured earlier left its mark since the four girls trembled slightly even in their sleep, as though trapped in a nightmare.

Outside, the sound of footsteps grew louder and closer.