The entire great hall was sharply divided into distinct camps.
Led by West Hall Master Xiang Chengjiang, Yuan Bo and a group of the gang's elders gathered together, chatting and laughing about Zheng Juexiong's exploits in the Northern Land.
On the other side, Uncle Rong and two or three other elders who had overseen Fang Xuan's cleansing when he rose to power sat together. From time to time, they looked at Xiang Chengjiang, then at Fang Xuan, unable to stop themselves from shaking their heads and sighing.
As for the third party, it was Fang Xuan and North Hall Master Huang Zhen, who sat off to one side.
"Ha ha ha! I heard that Bear Demon in the Northern Land had ruled the mountain forests for years, with countless martial artists dying at his hands, only to be killed by our Hall Master Zheng within ten moves!"
"I reckon Hall Master Zheng already has one foot through the Second Heavenly Gate. Once he returns to Pingjiang City, it will not take more than a few months before he truly steps through the Second Heavenly Gate and achieves the Sinew Bodhisattva realm!"
Huang Zhen sat to one side, listening to the elders and Xiang Chengjiang laugh and talk. The longer he listened, the more uneasy his expression became, until he was drenched in sweat before he knew it.
He looked at the powerful and numerous group around Xiang Chengjiang, then at Fang Xuan, who stood alone. Conflict kept rising on his face.
The next moment.
He seemed to have finally made up his mind. He lifted himself from his seat and walked over to Fang Xuan's side.
"Little Xuan."
Huang Zhen reached out and placed a hand on Fang Xuan's shoulder, saying earnestly, "Little Xuan, I know your temperament. You have always dared to fight and dare to venture forth, but we still need to be practical in life.
"For the sake of my friendship with Old Man Yu, I'll offer you a few kind words. Why not just let this go? That Zheng Juexiong can already easily kill fierce beasts at the First Heavenly Gate Great Perfection. And you? You only entered the realm a month ago. I fear you have not even stabilized your foundation yet, so how can you contend with Zheng Juexiong?
"You are still young. Listen to my advice. Zheng Juexiong will return in another ten days or so. Lower your attitude a little and apologize to him. This matter may well pass just like that. Those who understand the times are heroes!"
The moment these words fell.
The atmosphere throughout the great hall immediately became subtle.
Yuan Bo, West Hall Master Xiang Chengjiang, and the other elders all stopped talking, their gazes turning playfully toward Huang Zhen and Fang Xuan.
Under everyone's watchful eyes.
Fang Xuan fell silent for a moment, then slowly removed Huang Zhen's hand from his shoulder. As if there were something filthy on it, he raised a hand and lightly patted his shoulder twice.
"Thank you for Hall Master Huang's good intentions, but Fang can only be a narrow-minded petty rogue. I cannot be a hero who understands the times. Hall Master Huang may keep this chance to be a hero for himself."
The moment these words fell.
Huang Zhen, who had still been speaking so earnestly, immediately showed embarrassment in his eyes, while threads of anger surfaced across his old face.
"Tsk."
A burst of mocking laughter came from Xiang Chengjiang's group.
"Hmph. Young man, if you refuse to heed an elder's words, you will suffer greatly!"
Huang Zhen let out a heavy snort through his nose, then rose and walked toward Xiang Chengjiang's group, a warm smile appearing on his face.
"Hall Master Zheng caused such a great stir in the Northern Land? He truly is a hero among men! Though we are all hall masters, we are far inferior to Hall Master Zheng!"
"Ha ha ha, it seems Hall Master Huang has come around now?"
Xiang Chengjiang, Yuan Bo, and the others burst into laughter. When they looked at Fang Xuan sitting alone to one side, their gazes became even more laden with amusement.
Fang Xuan seemed not to hear them. He turned a blind eye to those amused, mocking, or pitying looks, lowered his eyes, and calmly sipped his tea.
For some reason, while he had been at the Skin Arhat Early Stage, he had already been able to suppress Yuan Bo, who was at the Skin Arhat Middle Stage. Now that he had entered the Skin Arhat Middle Stage, his strength had increased by at least twofold!
He was confident that even if he was no match for Zheng Juexiong, he would not be utterly without the strength to fight.
What was more, ten-odd days were enough for him to raise both his cultivation and strength to another level!
"Still, the fear value for the Crimson King Eyes..."
Fang Xuan narrowed his eyes and looked toward Yuan Bo, Huang Zhen, and the others, who were laughing smugly nearby.
These people possessed powerful blood and qi and abundant mental strength. They seemed like the finest feed for fear!
"Cough, cough."
Accompanied by a bout of aged coughing, an elderly figure dressed in a short-collared long robe and holding Buddhist prayer beads emerged from behind the screen in the great hall.
"Greetings, Gang Leader!"
Everyone rose and bowed.
An hour later.
The Black Whale Gang's first assembly of the new year came to an end.
"Hall Master Xiang, Yuan Bo, Uncle Liu, all you uncles, come, come, come! Today is on me. Let's go taste the mountain delicacies of my North City!"
Huang Zhen glanced at Fang Xuan and gave a cold snort through his nose, then warmly laughed toward Xiang Chengjiang and the others.
The group gradually dispersed. In but a moment, only Fang Xuan, Long Huaxing, and Uncle Rong remained in the great hall.
Long Huaxing looked at Fang Xuan, who still sat unmoving in his seat, then waved at Uncle Rong. Uncle Rong understood and departed.
"Fang Xuan, why have you not left? What business do you have staying here?" Long Huaxing asked with a frown.
Fang Xuan set down his teacup, rose, and walked toward Long Huaxing, spreading his hands.
"Gang Leader Long, you saw it too. Nearly everyone in the gang is wearing the same pair of trousers as Zheng Juexiong now. Do you think I am their match?"
At those words, a shadow first flashed through Long Huaxing's eyes before he frowned and said, "So? What do you want to do? Obtain help from me? I told you already, I cannot help you."
"I know the Gang Leader cannot help me. If you could, why would a small fry like me need to act? Wouldn't you simply arrange some pretext and deal with Zheng Juexiong yourself?"
Fang Xuan grinned at Long Huaxing, then picked up the teapot beside Long Huaxing's hand, tilted back his head, and took a large gulp. He smacked his lips.
"Mmm, the Gang Leader's tea truly is fine tea!"
Long Huaxing coldly watched Fang Xuan's improper behavior. "So? What do you want?"
"Very simple."
Fang Xuan smiled faintly. "Before Zheng Juexiong returns, I want to completely cut away the wings and followers around him. Otherwise, if they join forces then, even if I possessed towering abilities, how could I possibly be their match?"
Long Huaxing frowned, thought for a moment, and asked, "You want to make a move against West Hall? If you have the ability, then go ahead."
"The Gang Leader truly is wise!"
Fang Xuan gave him a thumbs-up, then changed the subject with a smile. "It is only that after I kill West Hall Master Xiang Chengjiang, West Hall must also fall into my hands."
Before Fang Xuan could even finish his sentence.
"Impossible! Do not even think of it!"
Long Huaxing flung his sleeve and rose, his face displeased. "What you did in South Hall already violated the gang's rules against harming your brothers badly enough. If you take West Hall into your hands as well, then will this Black Whale Gang be your Black Whale Gang, or mine?"
"Gang Leader, you cannot make the horse run without feeding it grass, can you? They say that beneath a heavy reward, brave men are sure to emerge. You have promised me nothing, yet you expect me to fight Zheng Juexiong to the death. Is that not far too unreasonable?"
Fang Xuan shook his head, turned, and headed outside, muttering to himself.
"Forget it, forget it. I might as well listen to Hall Master Huang and go apologize to Zheng Juexiong, handing East Hall over on a silver platter. By then, it will no longer be merely a matter of one West Hall..."
"Get back here!"
A low shout rang out.
Fang Xuan halted and quietly looked at Long Huaxing.
"Fang Xuan, your life-and-death duel with Zheng Juexiong is for your own sake. Why do you make it sound as though I am forcing you to go?"
Before Long Huaxing could finish speaking, Fang Xuan had already turned and continued walking away.
"Enough!"
Long Huaxing's expression darkened. "You may take as many of the Dragon Whale Gang's resources as your ability allows. I will not interfere. But Zheng Juexiong—I want you, even if you die, to bite a chunk of flesh off him!"
Fang Xuan did not stop. Only a laugh drifted back.
"Received."
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