The Golden Dragon Gang (Part 1)

The dusty carriage slowed as it approached Suzhou Prefecture. The coachman, laughing loudly, said, "Guest, is this your first time in Suzhou Prefecture? This place is truly wonderful. As for food, there's..."

Li Feng had already lifted the curtain and landed on the ground with the grace of 'Peak Cloud Mist'. He casually tossed over a dozen gold ingots and said, "No need to say more. When I was making a living on the streets of Suzhou Prefecture, you didn't even know where to begin. This gold is for you. Do what you need to do and then leave." Without even glancing at the coachman, whose saliva was almost dripping out, Li Feng, carrying his belongings, walked towards the north city gate of Suzhou Prefecture with the flow of clouds and water.

This Mount Hua sect secret manual is quite good. Walking with it is much more impressive than walking on my own. It makes me look like a martial arts master at first glance, hahahahaha. Li Feng laughed triumphantly in his heart. The two secret manuals he had stolen from Mount Hua were already memorized and destroyed in the carriage. One was 'Little Heavenly Star Palm', and the other was 'Mount Hua Seven Absolutes'. These were considered the Hua Shan sect's ultimate techniques. He had already memorized the routes for circulating internal energy. Aside from lacking practical combat experience and never having truly executed the moves, his understanding of Mount Hua's supreme techniques already surpassed that of most Mount Hua disciples.

Li Feng's actions had their reasons. With the secret manuals in hand, he felt it would be a loss if he didn't study them diligently. Especially since his Daoist Magic and swordsmanship were considered trash by cultivators. He could only pass himself off as a martial artist. Therefore, he had to choose a sect to impersonate, and impersonating a Mount Hua disciple was the best option. Who else knew Mount Hua so well? He even knew the color of Wei Ziqun's underwear. As long as he didn't encounter any genuine Mount Hua elders, Li Feng was confident that no one would be able to discover his true identity.

Striding forward, Li Feng's heart pounded harder with every step. Finally, he heard his heart beating wildly, his face flushed red, and the internal pressure made his vision blur. Feeling as though he was on the verge of qi deviation, Li Feng immediately stopped and slapped himself hard across the face, muttering, "Damn it, useless! It's just Suzhou Prefecture, what's there to be nervous about? Don't be nervous, don't be nervous..."

A cool aura emanated from the 'Profound Stone', and the turbulent true qi and chaotic blood within him immediately calmed down. Li Feng dared not run anymore. Carrying his package, he slowly walked towards the city gate. It seemed that due to a recently issued imperial decree, the guards at the gate were not too strict with travel permits. As long as one had a permit and paid the one tael of silver for passage customs, they could enter the city.

Li Feng secretly clicked his tongue, "My god, one tael of silver just to enter the city? This Suzhou Prefecture magistrate is too good at making money! But are these guys charging based on who they see? I wore slightly better clothes, and they charged me one tael. Look at those acrobats; each of them only paid ten copper coins. Damn it, when I get rich, I'll visit the magistrate and empty his money chest." Muttering a few words, Li Feng followed the main street towards the city center, relying on his memory.

It had been six years. The current emperor seemed to place great importance on the southeastern region. The somewhat dilapidated streets of Suzhou Prefecture had been repaired neatly. The bluestone streets sparkled under the autumn sun. The market was at least twice as crowded as it was six years ago, with more wealthy merchants coming and going. Li Feng had already noticed the waists of three middle-aged fat men; based on his experience, they each carried at least dozens of taels of gold.

However, Li Feng's own wealth was also considerable now, so despite his itchy fingers, he did not resort to theft.

Tilting his head left and right, Li Feng marveled, "Heh, there were so few Persian merchants back then. How come two groups of over a dozen just passed by? The officials of Suzhou Prefecture must be grinning from ear to ear. The tax on jewelry is quite heavy; they must collect tens of thousands of taels of silver in taxes. Hmm, didn't I loot a lot of jewelry from those monsters' caves? I can get these Persian merchants to appraise them later, maybe I can make a profit."

While lost in his daydream, Li Feng suddenly felt someone approaching him from behind, a sharp aura slicing towards his waist. A sly smile appeared on Li Feng's lips, Damn it, I'm the ancestor of this profession, and you dare to make a move on me? Heh... With his left hand, he grabbed a withered arm, sealed the person's meridians with a bit of true qi, and dragged him away.

Familiar with the way, he passed through several alleys and dragged the seemingly fifteen or sixteen-year-old youth to the back alley of Chunyi Tower. He casually slapped the young man's monkey-like face and said with a cold laugh, "Kid, you don't have sharp eyes, daring to make a move on me? There's no need for pleasantries. How many jobs did you do today? Hand over all the money to me, or I'll do it myself."

The young man's eyes flashed, and he shouted belligerently, "You better be careful, I'm from the Golden Dragon Gang. You dare to take my money? I admit defeat since I was caught off guard, but if you dare to take advantage of me, be careful, our boss will cripple your limbs... If you're smart, let me go, and I can put in a good word for you later."

Footsteps sounded, and seven or eight burly men rushed over, led by a small fellow. The little fellow wiped his nose and said, "Big Tiger, Boss always told you to practice more, but you never listened. Now you've been caught red-handed and disgraced our Golden Dragon Gang for no reason. Hey, friend, no offense meant. Seeing as you're a tough guy, let Big Tiger go. We'll ensure your safety in Suzhou Prefecture, how about it?"

Li Feng, however, had already frozen on the spot. He stared blankly for a moment, then suddenly grabbed Big Tiger and asked, "You're from the Golden Dragon Gang? Who's your boss? Is it Niu Boss or someone else?" In his haste, Li Feng applied a little force with his fingers, and Big Tiger immediately struggled to breathe, his face turning red as he coughed incessantly.

Several burly men lunged forward, cursing fiercely, "Brat, are you trying to scout our Golden Dragon Gang? Behave yourself and don't resist. In Suzhou Prefecture, we, the Golden Dragon Gang, are heaven. If you don't want to suffer, tie yourself up with a rope." Before they could finish shouting, the burly men began raining blows upon him. One even more ferocious one drew a dagger and lunged at Li Feng's stomach.

Li Feng chuckled sinisterly, casually threw Big Tiger twenty feet away, and unleashed his not-yet-proficient 'Heavenly Gang Steps', weaving through the burly men. Li Feng had memorized the Mount Hua sect's 'Heavenly Gang Steps' in the carriage but had never used them. Now was a good opportunity to test their effectiveness.

The burly men were in a sorry state. They saw Li Feng jumping around erratically on the ground, but they couldn't catch or hit him. When one of them threw a punch, Li Feng slipped away with incredible agility to his side, and his own fist knocked his companion to the ground. As for the one who stabbed at Li Feng with the dagger, Li Feng gently pushed him, and the centrifugal force of 'Little Heavenly Star Palm' forced him to stab himself in the backside, causing him to yelp in pain.

In a short time, all eight burly men had fallen to the ground in a state of 'friendly fire', each with bruises and swellings, looking quite pathetic. Li Feng laughed heartily. Although he had only defeated a few ruffians, he felt like an invincible master and was extremely pleased. After all, in his seventeen or eighteen years of life (he didn't even know his exact age), this was the first time he had truly defeated such muscle-bound brutes, and eight of them at once. How could he not be happy? If it were in the past, when he was in Suzhou Prefecture, one such brute would have been enough to scare him into wetting himself and remaining silent.

The little fellow who led the group watched Li Feng easily take down his companions, his eyes nearly bulging out. Seeing Li Feng lost in self-admiration, he stealthily began to escape towards the alley entrance. Suddenly, a gust of wind sounded by his ear, and the world darkened before him. Li Feng, grinning, appeared in front of him, bent down to look at his face, and said with a smile, "Little brother, I know you'll take me to see your boss, right? ... Be good and obedient. Otherwise, I'll hit people too."

Li Feng chuckled sinisterly. He saw a thick wooden plank leaning diagonally against the wall nearby and split it with a palm strike. With a 'crack', the inch-thick wooden plank was shattered into hundreds of pieces by Li Feng's palm strike, falling to the ground. The little fellow shivered all over and immediately agreed profusely, "No problem, no problem. Brother, if you want to see our boss, I'll take you right now." After speaking, he glanced back at the burly men lying on the ground. Li Feng saw his subtle gesture but smiled and remained silent.

Casually grabbing the cunning-faced little fellow by the collar and heading towards the alley entrance, Li Feng asked, "Is your hideout still in that big compound outside the city?"

Before the little fellow could react, he casually replied, "No, our boss made a fortune last year, and our Golden Dragon Gang's branch has already moved into the city." He suddenly shivered and looked up, asking, "Hey, how did you know our old hideout was in that big compound outside the city?"

Li Feng smiled genuinely, "Ha, brat, maybe I even know your boss. Is your boss Niu Boss? Hmm? Is there someone named A Zhu?"

The little fellow jumped up, "It's true that our boss is Niu Boss. Boss Zhu is the head of our hall. How do you know?"

Li Feng's heart stirred. He grabbed the little fellow and cursed, "Damn it, stop rambling and take me to your branch. A Zhu became a hall master? Amazing, amazing! How could Tiger Boss and Old Yang let go of the territory in Suzhou Prefecture? What about those guys from the Golden Tiger Gang? Why haven't I seen any movement from them?"

The little fellow listened with growing alarm. Li Feng knew too much about the underworld in Suzhou Prefecture. Originally, their lookouts outside the city had seen Li Feng disembark from the carriage and throw over a dozen gold ingots to the coachman, and they immediately returned to the city to report. The little fellow and Big Tiger, along with their men, had planned to steal something from Li Feng, and if they couldn't, they would rob him directly. Who knew they would run into a tough opponent? Running into a tough opponent wasn't a big deal; they encountered two or three such opponents every month. But this tough opponent, Li Feng, knew so much about their situation that it made him suspicious.

Li Feng dragged the little fellow, and following the direction indicated by the latter, arrived in front of a large compound in the southern part of the city. He had already noticed over thirty fierce-looking men following him, but he merely smiled, completely unconcerned. He said softly to the little fellow, "Your Golden Dragon Gang seems quite powerful. With a group of guys who look like bad people following me, even the constables on the street don't say a word, hehe."

The little fellow proudly boasted, "Of course! Do you know who the chief constable of Suzhou Prefecture is? It's the renowned 'Cloud Mover' Gu Cangyue, Lord Gu. He and our boss are the best of brothers. Back in the day..."

The gate of the Golden Dragon Gang compound suddenly opened, and a voice shouted, "Little monkey, what the hell are you bragging about? Eight or nine people, and you still can't deal with a brat? You've disgraced our Golden Dragon Gang completely. Hmph, this kid looks all skin and bones, and you guys were beaten by him? A bunch of useless trash! I always tell you to practice martial arts properly, but none of you listen. Now you've suffered!"

Li Feng stared blankly at the person at the entrance. He was dressed in black, with a relatively handsome face, but a large scar on his forehead ruined the overall atmosphere, giving him an awkward appearance. Appearing to be in his early twenties, he was broad-shouldered and strong, with bulging veins on his hands, indicating years of hard training in external martial arts.

Li Feng suddenly threw his package aside and rushed forward, shouting, "Damn it, A Zhu, you brat, you've grown! ... Hey, hey, hey, what are you guys doing?" Four big men rushed out from behind the person Li Feng called A Zhu, brandishing daggers and blocking Li Feng. Li Feng jumped up and cursed, "Damn it, A Zhu, have you forgotten about me now that you've made it big? Damn it, one, two, three... Eight years ago, when you and I went to Chunyi Tower to peek at Little Linglong receiving guests, and someone smashed our heads with a brick, don't you recognize me?"

A Zhu let out a scream, kicked away the man in front of him, and leaped down from the steps, tightly embracing Li Feng. He shouted, "God, I curse your ancestors, Little Feng, you're not dead yet? You, you... My heavens, where have you been these past six years? Niu Boss searched all over Suzhou Prefecture for you, but couldn't find you. Damn it, you, you, you, where did you go?"

Li Feng tilted his head and desperately pushed A Zhu's face away, "Damn it, stop spitting all over me! I just got back to Suzhou, and you scoundrels are trying to rob me? You call yourselves good brothers... And you're all clumsy like pigs, no, even dumber than pigs. I could see the blades in their hands from ten feet away. When I was six, my swordsmanship was ten times better than theirs. Does the Golden Dragon Gang only raise such useless trash?"

A Zhu was very embarrassed and said in a low voice, "Damn it, you brat, be more respectful with your words. Those guys like Big Tiger are my direct subordinates. If you say that, doesn't it make me look incompetent? Let's go inside. I'll interrogate you properly. Back then, you abandoned me to recuperate in that broken village and disappeared somewhere. When I received the news and came back to Suzhou Prefecture to watch the excitement, my god, there was so much killing! Tiger Boss and Old Yang were wiped out. Twelve Heavenly Gang Stars from Cangfeng Fortress came, and half of them died. The people from Jinxiu Manor in Suzhou were completely wiped out, and countless others from various major sects suffered casualties... But you, how did you escape?"

Li Feng smiled mysteriously. He reached out his hand to a big man whose nose bridge was smashed and was still bleeding, "Hey, brother, sorry, my package has three hundred taels of gold. It probably weighed you down a bit? But I'll keep the package myself." Taking the package from the mournful-looking big man, Li Feng and A Zhu walked into the compound arm in arm, leaving the group of fierce-looking men outside in a state of confusion, unsure how to react.

Entering the second courtyard, tea was served in the main hall. Li Feng sat cross-legged on the grand tutor's chair, shaking his head from side to side and saying, "Hey, our Golden Dragon Gang is prospering now, huh? Look at that pair of bronze tripods, they must be worth at least a hundred thousand taels of silver. You guys really know how to spend money, buying such things just to show off?"

A Zhu plopped down next to Li Feng, shook his head, and laughed, "Do you think we'd spend money buying these things? Don't look at all these antiques here; most of them were extorted from those grave robbers we caught. Hehe, it's true that our Golden Dragon Gang has money now, but we're not rich enough to play with antiques."

Li Feng nodded, "Hmm, that makes sense. You guys don't know a single character. With money, you either whore around or gamble, hehe. Such elegant things, only I can appreciate them a little. You guys? Far from it."

A Zhu was furious and hit Li Feng on the shoulder, cursing, "Damn it, you brat, you still dare to brag? Do you even know two or three characters? We grew up together, I know what kind of person you are. Don't think I don't know. Even though you're dressed so respectably now, I don't believe you actually know how to read... Hey, your martial arts are not bad. I used two-tenths of my strength for that palm strike, and you didn't even bat an eye? Don't force yourself, my Iron Sand Palm has been practiced for five years."