Taking Office

With Water Monkey clowning around, One Line Sky and the others could not help but laugh. The gloom in their hearts dispersed considerably.

Before long, a residence named "Black Whale Courtyard" appeared before them.

The usual sight of thugs from every branch gathered together was nowhere to be seen. Only a few thugs from North Hall stood guard outside.

"Fang Xuan."

Watching Fang Xuan arrive as though surrounded by stars paying homage to the moon, Xu San, North Hall's lead fighter, could not help showing a complicated expression.

He had spent more than ten full years in North Hall, risking his life countless times. Now past thirty, he was still only a fighter under Huang Zhen.

Fang Xuan, meanwhile, had joined the Black Whale Gang only a few years ago and had not even reached his coming-of-age year, yet he was about to ascend to the position of Hall Master.

Such a disparity left him with a jumble of emotions.

"Brother San, did I remember the time wrong? The gang's holding a grand meeting today—why is it so deserted?"

Fang Xuan stepped forward and greeted Xu San with a smile.

East Hall and North Hall had always been close, and he and Xu San were on quite good terms as well.

"You should be asking yourself that. Yesterday, you crippled Xie Han and Yu Zifu, and the whole gang's been spreading tales of your might! Today is clearly the day you take office. Naturally, the people from South Hall and West Hall have no face to show up."

Xu San punched Fang Xuan in the chest and lowered his voice. "You brat, you quietly entered the realm and didn't even tell me? Did you have to hide it that deeply?"

Fang Xuan cooperatively showed a pained expression and rubbed his chest. "Brother San's punch is still as powerful as ever! I only entered the realm a few days ago. I simply didn't have time to tell you."

"Cut it out! You entered the realm only a few days ago, and you could fight Zheng Juexiong without losing?"

As he spoke, Xu San shook his head. "I truly can't understand it. At your age, how can you keep your head down so well? Entering the realm is such a huge matter, and you didn't publicize it at all? Tell me honestly—had you been waiting for this day for a long time, planning to screw Zheng Juexiong over?"

"Brother San, do you take me for some master strategist? You're making me out to be far too complicated!" Fang Xuan said with a laugh.

"Forget it. You're craftier than a monkey; there isn't a single honest sentence out of your mouth. I can't be bothered to bicker with you. Congratulations in advance, Hall Master Fang."

"Ah, taking office, entering the realm, and your boss dying—the three great joys of the jianghu all landed on you. Your luck is truly something else!"

Xu San smiled and cupped his hands toward Fang Xuan. As he watched Fang Xuan's departing back, however, an unconcealable trace of envy and loneliness showed in his eyes.

He lacked neither ability nor seniority. All he lacked was an opportunity to rise.

And he had waited many years for that opportunity.

Fang Xuan entered Black Whale Courtyard. Compared to the desolation outside, it was quite lively within.

Inside the great hall bearing the plaque "Righteous Sea Cloud Sky," more than a dozen chairs had been added. The people seated in them were all elderly men.

These people were veteran members of the Black Whale Gang. Back then, they had followed Long Huaxing in carving out their domain in Pingjiang City. Later, some had grown old and retired in peace, no longer involving themselves in jianghu affairs.

Others had been injured during their struggles. Their skills had faded, leaving them no choice but to step down.

"Fang Xuan of East Hall Branch greets all uncles and elders."

Drawing a deep breath, Fang Xuan clasped his fists with his thumbs hooked together and performed a formal salute.

"A Xuan is here? Everyone, this is the Fang Xuan I was just telling you about. He is a very promising young man."

Huang Zhen, the Hall Master of North Hall, immediately pulled Fang Xuan over and enthusiastically introduced him to these gang elders.

One uncle after another nodded faintly at Fang Xuan, all smiling as they said:

"As for us, we're just a pile of old bones, no longer of any use. The world will belong to you young people in the future."

"A Xuan, right? The gang is short on young people like you. I think highly of you—you'll surely become one of the gang's main pillars in the future."

After the introductions, Huang Zhen lowered his voice and said indignantly:

"A Xuan, that motherfucking Zheng Juexiong used his seniority to bully you yesterday! If I'd received word earlier, I would definitely have brought men to support you!"

"Ah, yes, yes, yes."

Fang Xuan wore a smile, but inwardly curled his lip. If he had not received word yesterday that North Hall's thugs were stirring restlessly, waiting for him to lose so they could come to East Hall and take a share of the spoils, he might really have believed Huang Zhen's nonsense.

"A Xuan, today is the day you take office. By the rules, the Hall Masters of every branch should be present to witness it. Zheng Juexiong and Xiang Chengjiang not coming is clearly them refusing to give you face. Later, I must speak to the Gang Master about how those two don't follow the rules—"

Before Huang Zhen could finish his sentence—

"Enough. Speaking of rules, which one of you still follows the rules now?"

A calm voice rang out.

The next moment, Long Huaxing emerged from behind the screen in the great hall, dressed in a loose green robe and holding a string of sandalwood prayer beads.

"Gang Master."

Everyone hurriedly rose and saluted him.

"Sit."

Long Huaxing's face seemed to perpetually hold a trace of weariness. After waving everyone back into their seats, he finally looked at Fang Xuan and spoke in a deep voice:

"Ten days ago, I said that if you, A Xuan, could enter the realm, or fight until no one dared refuse to submit to you, then you would take over the position of East Hall Master.

"Since you have now accomplished both, then good. Someone, set up the altar and light the incense!"

A ceremonial table was carried out to the plaza beyond the hall. It was covered with incense burners, candles, fruit, and wine that had long been prepared. At the very top hung a portrait of a deity wearing armor, carrying a saber and a spear, and sporting a general's belly.

The man in the portrait was called the Martial Transformation Heavenly King, or the Martial Transformation General.

At the founding of the Great Yang Dynasty, he had been a legendary general. Because he valued righteousness, he was revered by those of the jianghu!

Although Fang Xuan had long known that today was the day he would take office, when those words truly came from Long Huaxing's mouth, his breathing still quickened slightly.

Hall Master!

Across the Black Whale Gang's four great halls, there were nearly two thousand official members whose names were truly recorded in the gang registry!

Yet there were only four Hall Masters!

Though he would still be a thug by origin after becoming Hall Master, within all of Pingjiang City, he would already count as a figure of no small importance!

Even those dignitaries and nobles living in the city would have to weigh matters carefully upon seeing him, not daring to offend him too greatly.

For the identity of Hall Master represented the face of the Black Whale Gang!

Whoever stepped on him would be stepping on the entire Black Whale Gang!

A force of nearly two thousand people was enough to make anyone swallow a bitter draught!

Setting status aside, the benefits enjoyed by a Black Whale Gang Hall Master were far beyond what ordinary thugs could compare to.

Not only would he be provided a four-courtyard residence in the city, but the monthly stipend issued by the gang alone amounted to five hundred taels of silver.

And that was merely the smallest portion of a Hall Master's income.

The monthly sums extorted from the hall's territory were the true bulk of it!

It could be said that once one became Hall Master, one had truly placed one foot into Pingjiang City's upper circles!

"Thank you, Gang Master!" Fang Xuan deeply saluted Long Huaxing.

From this day onward, he would no longer have to worry about money, and the three siblings would no longer be crammed into that tiny mud-brick house.

For all these years, he had licked blood from the edge of a blade and gambled his life for a future. Was this not the very moment he had sought?

A smile appeared on Long Huaxing's face as he nodded slightly at Fang Xuan.

Then he rose first from his seat, stepped down, and walked toward the outside of the hall.

The uncles and elders likewise stepped forward, taking their places on either side of the ceremonial table.

"It's starting!"

"They're opening the altar to formally confer Brother Xuan's position!"

"Hahaha! Once Brother Xuan becomes Hall Master, we'll rise with the tide as well. We'll become minor leaders managing the businesses under East Hall, no longer the lowest thugs and lackeys!"

"What's going on? I feel even happier than Brother Xuan!"

Outside Black Whale Courtyard, the eight-panel gates had been thrown fully open. Countless East Hall thugs crowded outside, their faces flushed with excitement as they looked in.

The sunlight in the plaza was dazzling.

Long Huaxing first took out three incense sticks and lit them from a candle. Then, with a solemn expression, he bowed three times to the portrait of the Martial Transformation Heavenly King and inserted the three burning sticks into the incense burner atop the ceremonial table.

"What heaven is heaven?" He turned back toward Fang Xuan and barked a question.

"Heaven is the heaven of righteousness!"

Fang Xuan knelt before the ceremonial table, holding three incense sticks in both hands as he lowered his head and shouted.

"What sea is sea?" Long Huaxing continued.

"Sea is the sea of brothers!" Fang Xuan answered loudly.

Long Huaxing nodded in satisfaction. "Pay homage to the Heavenly King!"

Fang Xuan rose and offered three sticks of incense to the Martial Transformation Heavenly King.

"Remove your clothes and bathe your body!" Long Huaxing barked again, his expression becoming unusually stern.

Fang Xuan then removed his clothes and knelt before the portrait of the Martial Transformation Heavenly King, revealing a body covered in savage scars.

An uncle took the water set upon the ceremonial table and continuously poured it over Fang Xuan's body.

This was the body-bathing ritual, symbolizing the washing away of all Fang Xuan's past, both good and bad. From this day forward, he would be a true disciple of the Black Whale Gang!

Afterward came another series of questions and answers, along with various oaths, before the ritual was finally completed.

"Bestow the red robe, reward the flower seal!" Long Huaxing shouted.

As Long Huaxing's words fell—

Two pretty maidservants emerged from behind the screen, carrying two red trays.

One tray held a red long robe, with a great black whale leaping from the sea embroidered over its chest in gold thread. The other tray held a crape myrtle jade pendant.

The two maidservants glanced at Fang Xuan's evenly defined muscles, and a blush swiftly flashed across the roots of their ears. They hurriedly and carefully helped Fang Xuan into the red robe, tidied his hair and face, and finally hung the jade pendant at his waist.

In the blink of an eye, Fang Xuan, who had been dressed in a short blue outfit moments earlier, seemed to have shed much of his rough jianghu air after changing into the long robe woven from precious silk. He gained several traces of nobility instead.

"Brother Xuan, you look so handsome in that! You look even more like a young master from an aristocratic clan than those actual young masters!"

Beyond the plaza, Water Monkey excitedly shouted, his face flushed red.

Xu San, standing some distance away, had a lonely look flash through his eyes. He had rehearsed this day in his mind countless times, yet he had never expected the one taking office would not be him, but Fang Xuan.

"Silence!"

Long Huaxing swept a glance over the loudly shouting Water Monkey. Then he looked at Fang Xuan and nodded with slight satisfaction before his expression once more turned solemn. Enunciating every word, he declared:

"On the twenty-fifth day of the first month, in the two hundred and ninety-seventh year of the Great Yang calendar, Fang Xuan, a third-generation disciple of the Black Whale Gang, assumes the position of East Hall Master!"

"From this day onward, the brothers of the gang shall be your true brothers, and the affairs of the gang shall be the affairs of your own family!"

"You must not maim fellow disciples. Otherwise, you shall suffer three blades and six holes, and incur Heaven's condemnation!"

"Will you remember this?"

Outside the plaza, strange expressions flashed across the faces of countless thugs watching the ceremony.

They must not maim fellow disciples?

Fang Xuan had obtained this Hall Master position precisely by maiming fellow disciples.

"This disciple shall remember!" Fang Xuan shouted without changing expression.

"The rites are complete!" Long Huaxing nodded.

Two thugs carried away the ceremonial table.

Just as Fang Xuan was preparing to rise and offer his thanks, Long Huaxing had already turned around and walked behind the screen inside the great hall.

"A Xuan, come with me alone." A weary voice drifted from ahead.

Fang Xuan was slightly startled, then nodded and quickly followed him.