Wind Rises on Ten Li Long Street

Pingjiang County, within the city.

This was a prosperous district, with all manner of shops lined up in rows.

The main road paved with bluestone slabs was spotless, lacking both the filthy disorder found elsewhere in Pingjiang County and the cries of vendors hawking their wares.

It seemed remarkably tranquil.

Yet because of that, it also appeared to lack some of the bustling, earthy flavor of ordinary city life.

In the center of the city stood a towering mountain.

This mountain was called Anning Mountain.

The City Lord's Mansion, along with all the truly prominent figures in the city, had built their residences upon Anning Mountain.

At this moment, atop Anning Mountain.

"Hall Master, have you brought me to see the Second Young Master?"

Xie Han, who usually lorded over the streets and bullied others, was now hunched over and walking on tiptoe, his gaze nervously and cautiously darting around.

Those living on Anning Mountain were either rich or noble. Any one of them merely needed to stamp a foot, and all of Pingjiang County would tremble three times. They were people a petty nobody like him could never afford to provoke, so how could he possibly feel secure?

"Who do you think you are? You think you're worthy of seeing the Second Young Master? Keep quiet!"

Tiger Sprint Hand Zheng Juexiong snapped, then continued onward.

They walked until they reached the mountaintop.

A vermilion, studded gate with eight door panels appeared before him.

Above the gate hung a plaque bearing two gilded characters, written in strokes that danced like dragons and flew like phoenixes—Sikong!

A smile immediately spread across Zheng Juexiong's normally arrogant face as he respectfully knocked on the door.

A moment later.

The gate opened, and a broad-shouldered, thick-waisted steward with a pair of slanted brows frowned at Zheng Juexiong before speaking.

"Next time you come, remember to use the side gate on the far right. Learn some manners."

"Yes, yes, yes. I understand," Zheng Juexiong hurriedly replied.

The side gate opened. Zheng Juexiong instructed Xie Han to stand guard outside, then wiped the yellow mud from his soles and the sweat from his brow against the stone steps beyond the gate before finally stepping into the residence.

Following the steward, Zheng Juexiong first crossed a vast lake teeming with countless rolling koi, then passed rows upon rows of carved-beam, painted-rafter rockeries and corridors, pavilions and waterside halls, before finally stopping outside a room.

"Go in. The Second Young Master has been waiting for you for a long time."

The steward patted Zheng Juexiong on the shoulder, then turned and left.

"Thank you for the trouble, Steward Xin."

After offering his thanks, Zheng Juexiong took a deep breath, rubbed his face, and gently pushed open the door.

The room was dark. Behind a folding screen painted with a yin-yang fish sat a figure cross-legged, black hair spilling down like a waterfall.

With the screen in the way, neither the person's face nor build could be seen clearly. Only one thing was vaguely discernible: the figure was exceptionally gaunt.

"Second Young Master."

Zheng Juexiong, ordinarily overbearing and utterly lawless, now held his breath.

"Have you prepared the people I told you to prepare?" A slightly hoarse, indifferent voice came from behind the screen.

"Second Young Master, when have I ever failed to handle something you entrusted to me? I finished tying up all thirty Virgin Boys and Girls last night!"

Zheng Juexiong patted his chest.

"Mm. Since that is so, quickly seize the ferry crossing east of the city and send out that batch of Human Pills." The hoarse voice came from behind the screen, still utterly devoid of emotion.

"Well... Second Young Master, you don't know this, but damn Long Huaxing! Even though that Old Man Yu is already crippled, he still refuses to hand over East Hall! He insists on making the underlings fight for it ourselves!" Zheng Juexiong immediately cursed in indignation.

"Heh. Your gang leader has grown muddleheaded with age. He thinks that so long as he does not participate in this struggle for succession, he can preserve himself by staying clear of trouble. Yet he does not understand that if he refuses to choose a side, then once the struggle truly begins, the first people every faction will settle accounts with are precisely those whose stance remains unclear."

The hoarse voice carried a hint of mockery. After a pause, it continued:

"How long will you need to take East Hall? You know that ferry crossing is very important to me."

Hearing this, Zheng Juexiong lowered his head, shame coloring his face.

"Second Young Master, to be honest, the fighter under me is weaker than the fighter under Old Man Yu. If they compete openly and fairly, my man probably won't be able to beat his."

The moment those words fell, silence descended behind the screen.

The entire room became grim and deathly still, and beads of cold sweat seeped from Zheng Juexiong's forehead.

Whoosh—!

The next instant, a black pill shot out from behind the screen with a flick of a finger.

"This Demon Embryo Pill is for the fighter under you to take. For a quarter of an hour, it can place him in the state of an Entry Realm Martial Artist. But after that quarter of an hour, his foundation will be utterly ruined and his meridians completely destroyed. For the rest of his life, he will only be able to lie paralyzed in bed, muddled and drifting through his days."

The hoarse voice spoke blandly.

"Understood!"

Zheng Juexiong hurriedly caught the pill. After giving it a swift glance, he stuffed it into his sleeve as though avoiding a venomous snake or scorpion.

"Rest assured, Second Young Master. With this pill's aid, I'll completely take East Hall tonight!"

"Go."

The figure behind the screen waved a hand, a trace of fatigue in its voice.

A moment later.

Before the eight-paneled gate of the residence.

"Xie Han, your great fortune is about to arrive. This is the Second Young Master's reward for you. Take it."

Zheng Juexiong smilingly patted Xie Han's shoulder. "Remember, only use this pill when you face Fang Xuan tonight. It only lasts a quarter of an hour. During that quarter of an hour, you'll be invincible below the Entry Realm!"

"Thank you, Hall Master!"

In an instant, Xie Han's eyes blazed with wild delight, and he repeatedly expressed his profound gratitude.

Winter snow melted away, and a shy crescent moon poked its head out from the dark clouds.

East of the city, beside the street.

At a wonton stall, One Line Sky, Water Monkey, Big Eyes, and Chu Chong were eating wontons, while a crowd of hooligans and lackeys stood respectfully nearby.

"Say, what has Brother Xuan been doing these past few days? He hasn't shown his face in days."

"Ask less about Brother Xuan's affairs! Though I heard that over in South Hall, children from many families have been disappearing lately."

"Why do you think that brute Xie Han hasn't made a move these past few days either? That doesn't seem like his style."

"Strange. Truly strange."

The four were still talking.

"Brother Tian, Brother Monkey, Brother Big Eyes, Brother Chong! Something terrible has happened!"

Just then, a young hooligan of around ten years old staggered toward them.

"What is it?"

The four looked at the young hooligan.

The young hooligan braced both hands on his knees and gulped for air. After wiping the sweat from his face, he finally steadied himself and said:

"Xie Han has come charging over with the men from South Hall!"

The moment those words fell, One Line Sky, Water Monkey, and the others felt their hearts tighten.

"What do we do? Should we send someone to fetch Brother Xuan?" Water Monkey had barely begun to speak.

Chu Chong, who had been sitting alone at a table, had already yanked a steel saber from beneath it. He rose to his feet and looked toward the end of the long street.

One Line Sky and the other two exchanged glances, then likewise stood and followed Chu Chong's gaze.

At the far end of Ten Li Long Street, vendors who had set up stalls along the road hurriedly packed away their goods and retreated to either side.

In only a few dozen breaths, the previously bustling and prosperous Ten Li Long Street had become completely deserted and silent.

Wisps of evening mist began to spread.

At the end of the long street, Xie Han dragged a horse-chopping saber along the ground as he strode forward.

Behind him, a vast black mass of hooligans surged onward in a mighty tide, blotting out the sky and covering the earth!