Under Currents Stir

After Bai Ze broke through to Perfected Viscera Refining, he continuously consolidated his realm.

All the powers in Changqing County were nervously preparing for war. Everyone knew that a great battle, with the Black Tiger Gang as its fuse, was unavoidable.

That morning, Black Panther paid another visit to the county magistrate and delivered another two hundred thousand taels of silver, promising that there would definitely be more in the future.

The county magistrate received him with a beaming smile and once again guaranteed the promise he had made before.

Yet that evening, the county magistrate and Qin Ming donned black robes and hooded cloaks, silently leaving the county office.

At the same time,

On the other side, within Ten Thousand Blades Sect territory, Song Kai, the sect master, had been waiting for a long time in a secluded house near the county office.

The room was brightly lit, and the table was laden with all kinds of delicacies. Clearly, he was waiting for someone.

Just then, his eldest son Song Nanjun pushed open the door and entered from outside, followed by two figures in black hooded cloaks whose appearances could not be seen clearly.

He said, "Father, the honored guests have arrived."

"Mm. Go outside and stand guard. No one is allowed to approach."

"Yes."

Song Kai rose and waved for him to go stand guard, not because Song Nanjun did not know who the visitors were, but because only the two of them knew about this meeting.

After all, who could say whether there were spies from the Black Tiger Gang or other forces within the Ten Thousand Blades Sect?

This matter concerned their future hegemony. Not the slightest leak could be permitted.

Once the door was tightly shut, the county magistrate and Qin Ming removed their cloaks, revealing their true faces.

Song Kai smiled and said, "Sit, please sit. Rest assured, only my son and I know of our plan. No one else in the Ten Thousand Blades Sect knows a thing."

"I think you are being overly cautious. With us joined together, what could the Black Tiger Gang do even if they found out?"

"Hehe, it is better to be cautious."

The county magistrate and Qin Ming exchanged glances upon hearing this, then replied with smiling faces. Yet the trace of deeper meaning that flashed through their eyes went unnoticed by Song Kai.

Under Song Kai's warm hospitality, they drank a few cups of wine before getting down to business.

The smile on the county magistrate's face faded somewhat as he lowered his voice. "Sect Master Song, how are your preparations going over there?"

"This is an opportunity that comes once and never returns. If you miss it, I fear your Ten Thousand Blades Sect will never again have the chance to stand alone at the top."

"Once it succeeds, I will only take my share of the silver. The Black Tiger Gang's territory will be yours."

"I understand that."

Song Kai naturally understood this as well. He said firmly, "Rest assured, County Magistrate. Everything has already been prepared."

"So long as the county office cooperates when the time comes, I can wipe out the Black Tiger Gang in one stroke."

"As for that old fellow Black Tiger, he is even less of a problem. If you had not stopped me last time, I would have already killed him."

Clearly, Song Kai was extremely confident about this.

And with the county office's help this time, not only did they have more ordinary gang members than the Black Tiger Gang, they also had more than three times as many martial artists in the Bone Refining Realm and Viscera Refining Realm.

Even if the Black Tiger Gang had hidden strength, they were absolutely confident they could take this chance to swallow them whole.

Seeing his confidence, the county magistrate smiled in satisfaction. Raising his wine cup, he said with a beaming smile, "Then let us have a drink together, as an early celebration of our success."

"Good. County Magistrate, I toast you."

"Hahahaha, together, together."

After drinking for a while longer and discussing the specific plan of action, the county magistrate and Qin Ming once again put on their hooded cloaks and left.

Without anyone else knowing, they returned to the county office.

After Song Nanjun saw them off, he returned to the room and found his father drinking alone while deep in thought.

He sat down beside him and asked quietly, "Father, why do you think the county magistrate is doing this?"

"After all, without the Black Tiger Gang to keep us in check, only our Ten Thousand Blades Sect will remain, standing alone at the top."

"Moreover, the county office's current strength cannot compare to ours at all. When the time comes, no matter what we do, they will be powerless against us. The county magistrate cannot possibly be unaware of that."

"Hehe."

Song Kai sneered, took a sip of wine, and said, "But what if, while we are wiping out the Black Tiger Gang, the county magistrate suddenly strikes and wipes us out as well? Then would they not be the only ones left?"

"Impossible."

Song Nanjun's voice rose at those words as he refuted him in disbelief.

But Song Kai did not care about his son's reaction. A chilling gleam shot from his eyes as he said in a deep voice, "Although I do not know where the county magistrate gets such confidence, since he has chosen to do this, he must have some degree of certainty."

"After all, if we want to annex other forces and dominate Changqing County alone, others will naturally have the same idea."

"Then we..."

"No."

Though Song Nanjun had not finished speaking, Song Kai already knew what his son meant.

He cut him off and said coldly, "Since the county magistrate wants to use this opportunity to eliminate both us and the Black Tiger Gang, then we can also turn the tables on him."

"When the time comes, do this..., then that..., and finally encircle them from behind. Do not let a single one go."

"Yes."

Song Nanjun did not dare forget a single word. He nodded solemnly and gave his assurance.

Before the great battle was completely settled, no one knew who would become the last yellow sparrow.

As everyone nervously arranged their plans, Changqing County had somehow gained quite a few unfamiliar faces starting several days ago.

They were all broad and sturdy, carrying weapons with them, scattered about in groups of twos and threes.

Though they appeared unrelated among themselves, some seemed to be connected.

When Bai Ze learned of this from the lowly underlings, he became wary and told those below not to act rashly.

After all, at a time like this, he did not want the actions of the gang members below to draw attention onto himself.

Other than that, Bai Ze remained the same as usual, without the slightest change, continuously consolidating his cultivation at his residence.

After practicing Star Point Swordplay several more times, his proficiency in the first three sword moves increased again, but the fourth move remained difficult to grasp even at the beginning.

On the third day, it was the day the Old Gang Leader would step down and the new gang leader would take office.

At Black Panther's notice, Bai Ze had already arrived at the hall.

Not only were there several hundred ordinary gang members outside, but after entering, he found the two brothers Black Panther and Scarred Leopard standing above, with all the elite members of Leopard Hall below. Every one of them was a martial artist at the Bone Refining Realm or above.

In addition, there were the twenty mysterious figures in black whom Scarred Leopard had previously arranged on his own.

Bai Ze merely gave them a casual glance before walking to Black Panther's side and clasping his fists.

"Brother Leopard."

"Mm."

Black Panther gripped his broadsword, its tip planted in the ground. He opened his eyes, nodded, then closed them again.

Seeing this, Bai Ze stood to one side and lowered his head. No one knew what he was thinking behind those deep eyes.