Tiger Sprint Hand Zheng Juexiong!

Inside the Black Whale Gang's main hall hung a black plaque bearing the words "Righteous Sea Cloud Sky."

There were only five seats in the entire hall.

Fang Xuan stepped inside and swept his gaze over the room.

At the head of the hall stood a stone chair draped in tiger hide. An old man with kind brows and gentle eyes, gaunt in build, wore a loose black robe. Like an old monk deep in meditation, his eyes were lightly closed as he slowly fingered a string of Buddhist beads.

This unremarkable old man was the current leader of the Black Whale Gang, Long Huaxing!

A powerhouse rumored to have stepped into the third realm of martial arts!

The remaining four grand chairs were arranged below it, lining both sides. They were the seats of the four Hall Masters.

At present, three of those four chairs were occupied. Their occupants spoke in low voices, occasionally glancing at the empty chair. Some shook their heads and sighed, while others wore faint smiles.

Fang Xuan's heart sank slightly at the sight. The vacant chair belonged to his immediate superior, Old Man Yu.

It seemed Yang Zheng had been right. Something really had happened to his Hall Master.

But Yang Zheng had also gotten one thing wrong.

When one's immediate superior met with trouble—

This was no opportunity. It was a killing calamity!

"Fang Xuan of the East Hall Branch greets the Gang Leader."

Taking a deep breath, Fang Xuan clasped his fists with his thumbs interlocked and performed a formal salute.

Long Huaxing merely lifted his eyelids slightly before resuming his old-monk-in-meditation pose.

Fang Xuan then gave slight bows to the other three Hall Masters before stepping behind the third grand chair.

"Gang Leader, we've waited long enough. Old Man Yu clearly isn't coming. Since his foremost fighter has arrived, let him stand in for him."

Zheng Juexiong, the South Hall Master seated in the first chair on the left, impatiently spoke first.

His face was rugged and square, his temples bulged high, and sharp light flashed in his eyes. He sat like a crouching tiger, radiating immense pressure.

To become a Hall Master in the Black Whale Gang, the first requirement was simple: one had to be able to fight!

South Hall Master Zheng Juexiong's Charging Tiger Fist had long since entered the realm. Throughout Pingjiang County, his name was as thunderous as a roaring bell!

At the head seat, Long Huaxing lightly nodded while holding his Buddhist beads, then spoke unhurriedly and calmly:

"Everyone should already know about Hall Master Yu being attacked last night, yes? Then let us all make a suggestion. If Hall Master Yu truly falls, how should East Hall be handled?"

The moment those words fell—

The foremost fighters standing behind the Hall Masters all changed expressions in shock, finding it hard to believe.

Old Man Yu was a veteran Entry Realm Martial Artist. He had actually been ambushed, and severely enough that East Hall might need to be handed over?

The three Hall Masters showed no surprise, clearly having received the news long ago.

"Gang Leader, since Old Man Yu has met with trouble and cannot manage East Hall for the moment, then by the rules, his foremost fighter should temporarily take charge.

Fang Xuan has been loyal and diligent in the gang all these years, and his performance has been excellent. I nominate A Xuan."

North Hall Master Huang Zhen cast Fang Xuan a friendly glance and was the first to speak.

Though the Black Whale Gang was merely a rough-and-ready gang, it still had cliques and factions.

North Hall and East Hall had always been on good terms.

However, before he could finish—

"I nominate your mother!"

Tiger Sprint Hand Zheng Juexiong slammed his palm heavily on the table and cursed disdainfully from the moment he opened his mouth:

"Fang Xuan is just a thug who hasn't entered the realm. He has neither seniority nor ability! He wants to manage East Hall? My eighty-year-old mother might as well manage it!"

Huang Zhen's words were cut off, and his face darkened. "Zheng Juexiong, what do you mean by that?"

"What do I mean?"

Zheng Juexiong rose with both hands braced against the armrests. He was like a fierce tiger waking from its mountain descent, naturally giving off a savage, intimidating aura that bore down on everyone.

He first glanced at the calm and composed Gang Leader Long Huaxing, then fixed his gaze on Fang Xuan and said with a cold smile:

"Our Black Whale Gang makes its living in the jianghu! Since we eat from the jianghu's bowl, we do things by jianghu rules!"

"East Hall should be occupied by whoever is capable!"

Fang Xuan slowly narrowed his eyes but did not respond.

The Black Whale Gang valued strength and seniority.

A fighter like him had no right to interrupt while Hall Masters were speaking.

"A Xuan lacks ability? Of the four hall branches, the fishermen's accounts at East Hall Ferry Crossing were the hardest to collect in past years! Ever since A Xuan took charge of East Hall Ferry Crossing, when have they ever owed even half a coin at collection time?"

Huang Zhen shouted.

"That counts as ability? My fighter Xie Han used to have those brothel girls sell themselves only three times a day. Ever since he took charge of the brothels, those girls sell themselves ten times a day! Profits have tripled and tripled again. He's practically the gang's money tree!"

"By that logic, should Xie Han become Hall Master?"

Zheng Juexiong cast Huang Zhen a disdainful glance. Though they were both Entry Realm Martial Artists, Huang Zhen was nearly twenty years older than him and had long grown old and frail. Zheng Juexiong did not take him seriously at all.

Xie Han, standing behind Zheng Juexiong, immediately revealed a look of wild delight.

"You—" Huang Zhen's chest heaved with fury, yet he did not know how to refute him.

For a moment, the entire hall fell into brief silence.

"Hall Master Zheng, may I ask: by what standard do you judge the capable person you speak of?" Fang Xuan suddenly asked calmly.

"A standard?"

Zheng Juexiong gave him a glance and said disdainfully:

"Very simple. Either you enter the martial realm. If you do, you can be Hall Master, and I won't say another word!"

"Or—"

"You do as we did back then and directly beat everyone in the gang into submission! Then I'll acknowledge that you're impressive!"

Huang Zhen frowned and interjected, "Zheng Juexiong, what you're saying is unreasonable. Can things now be the same as they were back then? When you were Fang Xuan's age, had you entered the realm? In my view, it should—"

"In your view, in your view, always in your view! What the hell does your view matter!"

"If he can't do it, then shut the hell up! Old ghost Huang, you're helping Fang Xuan this much—what, is he your bastard son?"

With a savage grin, Zheng Juexiong forcefully cut Huang Zhen off. He stared contemptuously at Fang Xuan and said:

"Boy, you want to rise to become a Hall Master? First piss in a puddle and look at yourself. See whether you have the fate for it."

"Enough."

At that moment, Long Huaxing, seated on the raised platform, paused in turning his Buddhist beads and slowly opened his eyes.

Though his voice was soft, it was like a divine needle that steadied the sea. The previously clamorous hall instantly fell quiet.

"By rights, Fang Xuan should indeed temporarily act as East Hall Master. But Hall Master Zheng's words also carry some reason."

"Then let us do this. Hall Masters may not take the field. Whoever refuses to accept Fang Xuan as Hall Master can go to East Hall and fight Fang Xuan!

"If, within one month, no one defeats Fang Xuan, then Fang Xuan will take the position of East Hall Master."

"Meeting adjourned."

Long Huaxing made the final decision, rose first, and left the main hall.

The other Hall Masters and Fang Xuan also rose and departed one after another.

"Boss, I know you want East Hall, but with the Gang Leader's method... I'm afraid I'm no match for that brat Fang Xuan. What should I do?"

Xie Han asked in a low, uneasy voice.

"Useless trash!"

Zheng Juexiong snapped unhappily. As he watched Fang Xuan's departing back, the look in his eyes shifted unpredictably.

"Relax. With me helping you, how could you lose?"

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