Wind and Moon Tower.
As the finest brothel in South City, Wind and Moon Tower never closed. By day, it operated as an ordinary restaurant; once night fell, it became a realm of singing orioles and dancing swallows, plump beauties and slender maidens—the greatest gold-devouring den in South City!
At the same time, Wind and Moon Tower was also the headquarters of South Hall.
At this moment, on the second floor of Wind and Moon Tower, at the round table in the very center.
Han Xian, South Hall's newly promoted enforcer, was drinking morning tea and chatting cheerfully with a rather sturdy old man.
Unlike the other riffraff of South Hall, who spent every day preoccupied with what lay between their legs, Han Xian had little interest in women. He spent most of his time practicing martial arts.
"Uncle Yuan, I owe my rise to your kind words before the Hall Master this time!"
Han Xian raised his teacup and toasted the old man, unable to suppress the excitement on his face.
In terms of seniority, he had joined the gang even earlier than Xie Han.
In terms of martial prowess, he believed Xie Han was no match for him either!
In terms of merit, he dared to fight and kill, and his methods were ruthless. No one had ever dared make trouble in the establishments under his watch!
Yet for some unknown reason, Xie Han had already become an enforcer, while he could only cling to a few Horse Pens in South City as a minor leader.
If Xie Han had not been crippled this time, he did not know how much longer he would have had to wait before rising to power.
The old man called Uncle Yuan could not help shaking his head lightly at those words.
Han Xian did not lack ability, but he was too single-minded and did not know how to adapt. If South Hall had not currently lacked anyone particularly capable in a fight, Uncle Yuan would not have wanted to support him.
"A Xian, now that you've risen to power, you need to change the way you do things."
Uncle Yuan took a sip of tea, then continued, "Remember this: the martial world is not merely about fighting and killing. It is also about human feelings and worldly dealings.
"If those beneath you fear you but do not respect you, they will turn on you sooner or later."
Han Xian felt his head start to ache. What he hated most was hearing people lecture him on lofty principles.
"Elder Yuan, I know, I'm not stupid!" He hurriedly waved a hand, cutting off Uncle Yuan's lecture. Then, with smugness in his eyes, he said:
"Yesterday, I took men to East City and smashed Fang Xuan's establishments. Now, which brother in South Hall doesn't submit to me? Which one doesn't praise me for having guts?"
The moment those words fell, Han Xian was still basking in self-satisfaction, but Uncle Yuan's expression changed sharply.
"What?!" Uncle Yuan sprang to his feet and shouted sternly:
"Who told you to smash Fang Xuan's establishments? Why didn't you tell me?"
Han Xian froze, then smiled somewhat awkwardly. "Didn't you go to preside over Fang Xuan's Ascension Altar yesterday, Uncle Yuan? How was I supposed to tell you?"
After a pause, Han Xian continued with a grin, "Uncle Yuan, it's such a small matter. Was there any need to get this angry? Think about it—I just rose to power. If I didn't do something, which of the brothers below would submit to me?"
Uncle Yuan was so furious that his vision went dark. He nearly failed to catch his breath, but he forcibly suppressed his rage and said, "So you made a move against Fang Xuan? You took men to smash his establishments?"
"Yeah? So what? No matter how good Fang Xuan is at fighting, does he dare bring men into South City to kill me? He's just a young brat. How much courage can he have?"
Han Xian curled his lip disdainfully. "And even if we take ten thousand steps back, and Fang Xuan really has the guts to bring men here, the East Hall riffraff are all skinny as bags of bones. Are they a match for us? So what if Fang Xuan is an Entry Realm Martial Artist? Reaching the Entry Realm doesn't make him an immortal! With dozens of brothers, one blade each, we can chop him up so badly that even if his mother rose from the dead, she wouldn't recognize him!"
"Besides, aren't you here holding down South Hall, Uncle Yuan? He's an Entry Realm Martial Artist, and so are you!"
"Afraid of him?"
"If you don't even have this much courage, don't come out and mix in the martial world!"
Uncle Yuan laughed in fury.
Good, very good!
So Han Xian had been counting on him all along?
Just as he was about to speak.
Knock, knock, knock!
A burst of hurried footsteps sounded from the stairs.
A riffraff came rushing up, his face full of panic. "Master Han, Uncle Yuan! This is bad! Fang Xuan has brought East Hall's riffraff here to kill us!"
The moment those words fell.
"Fuck your mother! That Fang really dared come?"
Han Xian cursed, drew a steel blade from beneath the table, and was about to head downstairs.
"Stand right there!"
Uncle Yuan barked in a low voice, his gaze shifting slightly.
A moment later, his expression darkened.
"From now on, you don't need to concern yourself with anything. Leave everything to me."
"We'll wait for him here."
South City, on the main road.
By the time Fang Xuan arrived at Wind and Moon Tower, the entrance was already packed with South Hall riffraff.
They blocked the main doors, glaring at Fang Xuan like tigers eyeing prey. Riffraff continuously poured out from both sides of Wind and Moon Tower, surrounding Fang Xuan's group layer upon layer.
In no more than a moment, the number of South Hall riffraff that had gathered surpassed East Hall's, hemming them in three layers deep within and three layers deep without.
Fang Xuan's expression was calm, revealing little emotion. Behind him, One Line Sky, Chu Chong, and the other three likewise showed no fear.
Having weathered storms and rains alongside Fang Xuan for several years, they had experienced too many life-and-death perils. This small scene could no longer stir the slightest ripple in them.
Farther behind, Li Laosan, Pang Xun, Sha Dafu, and the others exchanged glances, all somewhat uneasy.
When Old Man Yu had been Hall Master, conflicts like this with other halls were usually settled by laying out a reconciliation feast, each side giving the other face and a way down.
So although they had fought many times, they had never experienced crossing into another territory to hack people down like this.
"Brother Xuan, Han Xian is inside, along with Uncle Yuan from the gang. Ever since Zheng Juexiong left, Uncle Yuan has been responsible for holding down South Hall for him."
Chen Jingming lowered his voice.
"Uncle Yuan?"
Fang Xuan narrowed his eyes. This was one of the gang's elder statesmen. Back when the Black Whale Gang was first carving out its domain, he had rendered tremendous service and reached the first Heavenly Pass, the Skin Arhat Middle Stage.
Not long afterward, however, Uncle Yuan had washed his hands in a golden basin and settled down to enjoy his old age in peace.
He raised his head and looked toward Wind and Moon Tower. At that very moment, a second-floor window was pushed open, and Uncle Yuan stood at it, looking down.
Their gazes met in midair in an instant.
Faintly, Fang Xuan could also see Han Xian behind Uncle Yuan, his face arrogant as he cast Fang Xuan a mocking smile.
Bang.
The window shut again.
One of the South Hall riffraff guarding the entrance crossed his arms and sneered.
"Master Fang, Uncle Yuan said that whatever it is can wait until he finishes his morning tea!"
The moment those words fell, Li Laosan and the others standing behind Fang Xuan changed expressions again.
Uncle Yuan!
He was a titan-like figure within the gang. They were not even qualified to meet him once, yet they had never expected Uncle Yuan to be here as well.
Li Laosan and the others looked at Fang Xuan with even greater unease, wanting to know what he would do.
If they truly waited outside the doors until Uncle Yuan finished his morning tea, there would be nothing left to discuss—their momentum would already be three parts shorter than the other side's!
"Chu Chong!" Fang Xuan pointed at Wind and Moon Tower and said without the slightest hesitation, "If I'm not through these doors within ten breaths, throw axes inside and smash them open for me!"
"No problem!"
Chu Chong cracked his neck, savage light gleaming in his eyes as he pulled the short axe from his waist.
"Everyone, arm yourselves!" He let out a low, ferocious laugh.
Boom—!
In an instant, the hundreds of riffraff behind Fang Xuan all removed short axes from their belts, gripping them in hand and aiming them at Wind and Moon Tower's doors!
Cold light blazed, sharp and chilling!
Fang Xuan stepped aside and looked at Wind and Moon Tower with calm composure.
"Ten!"
Chu Chong licked his lips. The hideous scar across his face grew all the more ferocious and terrifying with the motion.
"Nine!"
"Eight!"
"Seven!"
The riffraff blocking Wind and Moon Tower's entrance had initially remained unconcerned. But when they saw Chu Chong truly begin counting, and saw the East Hall riffraff behind him all wearing excited, impatient expressions, their faces finally changed. Nervously, they repeatedly glanced back at Wind and Moon Tower.
"Three!"
When Chu Chong once again spat out a number with a savage grin and was even preparing to hurl the short axe in his hand down with all his strength, the South Hall riffraff blocking the doors felt their hearts leap into their throats as well.
Creak.
Wind and Moon Tower's doors slowly opened outward.
"A Xuan, we're all sworn brothers, family bound by brotherhood. Why make such a scene and let outsiders laugh at us? Come in and have a cup of morning tea to cool your temper. We can talk things over properly."
The second-floor window opened again. Uncle Yuan stood before it, his expression somewhat unsightly as he spoke.
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