Golden Dragon Devours Tiger (Part 2)

"Gu Cangyue, despite his cruel and malicious nature, has always been cautious. He wouldn't dare to take drastic action against us, risking a full-scale war between Cangfeng Fortress and our White Emperor Sect... In the past six years, we've supported the Golden Tiger Gang and the Golden Dragon Gang in their turf wars and control over various industries. Yet, Gu Cangyue only retaliated with minor moves, never doing anything too outrageous. Protector, don't you think the situation might not be as dire as it seems?"

The Right Protector's face was ashen. After cracking his knuckles, he strode into the main hall and said in a deep voice, "Second Miss, we are not leaving Suzhou Prefecture, but you are of invaluable importance. You must leave immediately. The 'Moonlit Sword' is a treasure of our sect, and I will naturally not let it fall into the wrong hands... Come, escort the Second Miss away." He knew very well that this situation had exceeded the expectations of both sides. Firstly, Gu Cangyue's guards had accidentally killed two of his subordinates, a debt that was difficult to let go of easily. Secondly, there was the sudden appearance of that skinny young man. He had never heard of the Golden Dragon Gang having such a master. It was evident that his skills far surpassed Black Diamond's, and this was another variable.

With all these events combined, the Right Protector had a very bad premonition. He suspected that the Golden Dragon Gang was heavily recruiting martial artists. Besides Gu Cangyue's forces, they might have hired other experts to deal with the Golden Tiger Gang. If other martial artists clashed head-on with the White Emperor Sect, Gu Cangyue could then seize the opportunity to use official power to severely suppress the White Emperor Sect's manpower in Suzhou Prefecture, thereby expelling them without risking a conflict between Cangfeng Fortress and the White Emperor Sect.

"What a sinister plan. He wants to cripple our White Emperor Sect's influence in Suzhou Prefecture while distancing himself. Truly formidable, Gu Cangyue." With his plan set, the Right Protector also resolved to contend with Gu Cangyue properly. As long as he could protect the Golden Tiger Gang's foundation, Gu Cangyue couldn't claim he was rebelling if someone attacked them. This would provide an explanation to the Sect Master. Unfortunately, the Second Miss had to be sent away; even a single hair out of place would be disastrous.

Bai Lingxin let out a cold laugh, "No, you want me to flee from the battlefield like this? Is that the kind of person Bai Lingxin is? Xiao Lan, give me your sleeve sword. I want to see if they truly dare to offend the majesty of our White Emperor Sect... Right Protector, send a carrier pigeon to have my father dispatch reinforcements. The White Emperor Sect is renowned throughout Shu. Are we afraid of that band of mountain bandits from Cangfeng Fortress?" Xiao Lan, the little girl who had been crying uncontrollably after being taunted by Li Feng, nodded in agreement. She drew a curved short sword from her sleeve and handed it to Bai Lingxin.

The Right Protector was anxious and about to speak when over a dozen burly men from the Golden Tiger Gang, led by their boss, rushed in, shouting, "Bad news, Master Chen! Suddenly, there are notices everywhere on the streets saying that several people committed murder for wealth, killing merchants from Xi'an Prefecture in Shaanxi and stealing over a million taels of silver... All the constables in Suzhou Prefecture have been mobilized, and the garrison has also dispatched two thousand soldiers. The entire Suzhou Prefecture is about to be locked down for a search."

Bai Lingxin jumped up, her beautiful face contorted with anger. She angrily shouted, "Has Gu Cangyue lost his mind? Does he really dare to offend our White Emperor Sect?... Hmm..." She let out a soft hum as the Right Protector pressed a pressure point under her armpit with his finger, causing her to faint.

The Right Protector said in a deep voice, "Xiao Lan, carry the young lady. Old Zhang, Old Zhao, Old Zhou, Old Li, you four escort the young lady and quickly leave Suzhou Prefecture. Damn it, their Cangfeng Fortress is utterly despicable. They started as mountain bandits, climbed onto the emperor's high branch, and now they've transformed into officials. Hurry and take the young lady away, send her back to White Emperor City. Damn it, we'll have our fun here in Suzhou Prefecture."

Four rough-looking middle-aged men responded and quickly followed Xiao Lan into the back hall, leaving through the back door.

The Right Protector sneered, calculated for a moment, and then loudly ordered, "Order all the brothers of the Golden Tiger Gang to stay in their homes obediently. During this period, they are not allowed to cause trouble on the streets. If they are caught by the constables, it will be a futile death. ... He paused, then looked grimly at the three gang leaders of the Golden Tiger Gang and said with a cold smile, "Those martial artists harbored by your Golden Tiger Gang, have them leave immediately, otherwise it will be a great disaster... We also cannot stay here. We must find a hidden place outside the city to hide and deal with them slowly. When the Sect Master sends reinforcements, we will reason with the people from Cangfeng Fortress then."

His orders were immediately carried out. A group of over twenty White Emperor Sect experts, carrying their belongings, filed out and lined up along the street, separated by seven or eight zhang, hurrying towards the city gate. On the way, they saw constables in groups of three or five swaggering back and forth on the streets, and teams of elite garrison soldiers, holding sabers and spears, patrolling the streets in formation. The notices bearing the official seal of Suzhou Prefecture openly displayed the likenesses of Bai Lingxin and the Right Protector.

The Right Protector spat a mouthful of phlegm onto the ground and cursed in a low voice, "These damn bastards, they're quite efficient. Frame-ups and false accusations, it seems they're already quite skilled."

On the city wall of Suzhou Prefecture, on the eastern side, a crack was secretly opened in a window of a pavilion. Gu Cangyue and Li Feng watched from the gap as the Right Protector and his men hurried out of the city gate, gathered in the woods outside the city, and then, led by several burly men from the Golden Tiger Gang, they fled rapidly forward. Gu Cangyue sneered, "Good, it's perfect that these troublesome guys are leaving. If it came down to a real fight, my men might not be able to handle them. Cangfeng Fortress controls too large an area, and we don't have enough experts."

Li Feng stroked his chin and said, "We're targeting the Golden Tiger Gang. There's no need to make sworn enemies of the White Emperor Sect. That's not a good thing. Heh heh, that White Emperor Sect girl is quite attractive, it's a shame she's so prickly. If her father weren't the Sect Master of the White Emperor Sect, I'd really want to keep her."

Gu Cangyue laughed, "That's absolutely not allowed. Killing a few of the White Emperor Sect's subordinates is nothing, just ordinary jianghu conflicts. If Brother Li were to get involved with Bai Ding Tian's daughter, Bai Ding Tian would definitely come from Sichuan to fight you to the death... Well, as long as the White Emperor Sect doesn't dare to enter the city, we'll find an excuse to eliminate the Golden Tiger Gang. Without these local snakes as their claws and teeth, are we afraid of how much trouble the White Emperor Sect can stir up?"

A Zhu said repeatedly from behind, "That's right, that's right... The White Emperor Sect has the production of salt from Sichuan, and they still want to interfere in our southeastern sea salt trade. This is overstepping their bounds. Now that the Golden Tiger Gang has been taken down, the surplus profits from sea salt, thirty percent will go to Old Tou'er. I can make this decision on behalf of our gang leader."

Gu Cangyue smiled with satisfaction, stretched, and patted A Zhu's shoulder, "You're too kind, too kind. We're brothers, why say such things?... Regarding Gang Leader Niu's matters, I will strongly recommend him for a military official position. With Gang Leader Niu's talent, it's absolutely no problem. The position of Golden Dragon Gang leader will be in Brother Li's hands... Hmm, you two brothers are both surnamed Li. Could you possibly be real brothers?"

A Zhu laughed, "We're not biological brothers, but we're closer than brothers."

Gu Cangyue's brow furrowed slightly, then he suddenly laughed, "So that's how it is. Brother Li Feng, you must be that A Feng, right? No wonder your cultivation is so strong. It's just a pity about the experts from Brocade Manor, who ran around Suzhou Prefecture in vain and returned home in defeat with heavy casualties. Heh heh, heh heh, this is fate. If it weren't for Brother Feng's successive fortunate encounters, how could I, Gu, have recovered my cultivation today? Everything is intertwined, as if predetermined."

Li Feng smiled, "You flatter me, Brother Gu. You truly are a wise person, immediately understanding that I am that lucky kid who stole the Sword Pellet and the Azure Spirit Pill. Heh heh, it's also fortunate that I had a master's help, otherwise, after inexplicably swallowing three Spirit Pills, I would have self-destructed long ago." Li Feng's words were flawless.

Gu Cangyue nodded repeatedly. He finally understood where Li Feng's cultivation came from and why he had kept the 'Jade Ginseng' instead of consuming it himself. After all, he had already taken so many Spirit Pills, and taking another 'Jade Ginseng' might not have much effect. Perhaps keeping it for sale or to exchange for favors would be the most cost-effective.

A constable rushed into the city tower and reported, "Sir, that White Emperor Sect girl has been sent away by their four experts. Can we proceed?"

A cold smile appeared on Gu Cangyue's face. He nodded fiercely and waved his right hand heavily, "Take action. The three leaders of the Golden Tiger Gang, cripple them and lock them up with Black Diamond. They will be executed in the autumn. All the subordinates of the Golden Tiger Gang, arrest them all. Hall Master Li, will you throw them in jail or recruit them? That's up to you."

A Zhu cupped his hands and said hurriedly, "In that case, I'll lead my men out to cooperate with you constables. They arrest in front, and we receive them in the back, how about it? As long as we take down all the leaders of the Golden Tiger Gang, the rest can become good brothers of our Golden Dragon Gang. Old Tou'er, I'll take my leave first... I'll host a banquet at Chunyi Tower tonight, and we can all have a good time."

Gu Cangyue smiled and cupped his hands, "Hall Master Li, please. You're busy. My little brother and I will be in charge of the overall situation here, ensuring not a single person from the Golden Tiger Gang can escape... Tonight, didn't an inside informant report that they are bringing a batch of smuggled salt from the south, intending to sell it through Suzhou Prefecture into the north? How about we have a drink and enjoy ourselves while intercepting this shipment?" Gu Cangyue was extremely pleased now. With his recovered cultivation, he dared to do many things he hadn't dared to before, and dealing with the White Emperor Sect's forces in Suzhou Prefecture was one of them. He had his own plans. He wanted to perform well in Suzhou Prefecture, and perhaps he could even advance further. As for the White Emperor Sect, their sphere of influence was in Sichuan, and Suzhou Prefecture was not within their influence, so there was nothing to worry about.

A Zhu laughed triumphantly, "Alright, I'll go arrange everything... Heh heh, I didn't expect the Golden Tiger Gang to bring us such a great gift in the end. Ha, let's split this batch of smuggled salt as a bonus, how about it?" A Zhu saw Gu Cangyue nod in agreement, and with a chuckle, he led a few capable Golden Dragon Gang thugs and followed the constables down the city tower.

Gu Cangyue rubbed his palms with glee, feeling a surge of satisfaction. His cultivation had not only recovered but also greatly increased. That batch of smuggled salt tonight would bring him at least tens of thousands of taels of silver. How could he not be pleased? At this moment, his body felt as if it were floating. Involuntarily, he felt extremely grateful to Li Feng. It seemed that it was all because of Li Feng's appearance that such wonderful things were happening. Everything was too wonderful... Hmph, after dealing with the White Emperor Sect, he would drive away the disobedient Earth Fiend Star among his subordinates and request reinforcements of experts not on the Heavenly Dipper or Earth Fiend lists from the fortress. Suzhou Prefecture would truly become Old Master Gu's personal treasury.

Li Feng looked at Gu Cangyue and suddenly burst into laughter. Seeing Li Feng laughing happily, Gu Cangyue couldn't help but laugh along. The two slapped their palms together and shook hands firmly.

Within Suzhou Prefecture, constables, guided by Golden Dragon Gang thugs, kicked open doors and rushed in, beating the hiding men inside and then chaining their necks, dragging them towards the Suzhou Prefecture prison. Meanwhile, garrison soldiers, armed with elite weapons, surrounded three desolate courtyards and apprehended the men who lived there, men whose demeanor was usually secretive and fierce.

After a busy afternoon, the Golden Tiger Gang was completely annihilated and all thrown into prison. A Zhu, leading the Golden Dragon Gang members, followed closely behind, waving silver ingots and beginning to recruit personnel with the constables: "One sentence, I, Li Feng, never lie. Join our Golden Dragon Gang, swear allegiance before Guan Erye, and you are our brother. We share blessings and hardships. Those who agree are good brothers. Follow us out immediately, and you can get ten taels of silver as a settlement fee. How about it?"

With a scream, the Golden Tiger Gang's boss, whose hand and foot tendons had been severed, was dragged in disfigured. Several Golden Dragon Gang thugs rushed forward, beating him and cursing, "Weren't you very arrogant before? Didn't you often beat our brothers? Why are you speechless today?"

A constable grinned and pried open the gang leader's mouth. His tongue had been scorched into charcoal by a branding iron...

The first Golden Tiger Gang thug shouted, "Great Master Li, I, I'll join your Golden Dragon Gang... Damn it, why would we not enjoy good fortune and be treated like idiots? Damn it, I've long disliked these three scoundrels. Our brothers work hard to make a living, and they hand over sixty percent of the profits to those White Emperor Sect bastards. Now that our brothers are in trouble, where are those so-called invincible experts of the White Emperor Sect? Last time, I accidentally spat a mouthful of phlegm, and it landed five feet in front of Chen Long, and they beat me severely."

A Zhu threw two silver ingots, "You're the first, here's fifty taels of silver. Good brother, come out. After we set up an altar and drink blood wine, you'll be one of us."

With one person taking the lead, over a dozen thugs followed, cursing crudely, "Damn it, I've long known that following you scoundrels leads nowhere. We've always treated those White Emperor Sect brats like gods, and now not a single one is here. Damn it, I'll join you too."

A Zhu watched as the Golden Tiger Gang thugs came out one by one, a smile appearing on his lips. This way, his hall would have more than double the members of the other three halls combined. With the help of Li Feng and Gu Cangyue, the position of Golden Dragon Gang leader was as good as secured.

On the city tower, Li Feng and Gu Cangyue sat opposite each other, holding tea cups and savoring the finest Tieguanyin. Li Feng sighed and said, "Lord Gu, thank you for not disdaining me. From now on, Li Feng will call you Brother."

Gu Cangyue quickly said, "You're too kind, too kind. Brother Li, a young hero like you, I can't wait to get to know you. I accept this title of 'Brother'."

Li Feng smiled, raised his teacup in a toast, and drank the tea in one gulp, grinning, "It's just this taste, not as good as the mountain tea from the mountains. Brother Gu, if I have time, I'll go back to the mountains and find a few pounds of top-grade mountain tea for you to try... With the Golden Tiger Gang gone, Suzhou Prefecture's righteous path belongs to you, Brother Gu. As for the underworld, the Golden Dragon Gang is the only one. If we join forces, we can definitely control both the underworld and the righteous path, and our wealth will be boundless. How much southern pearls and overseas incense do you think flows out of Suzhou Prefecture every year? Heh heh, if we skim off a million taels of silver for ourselves each year, that's not excessive, is it?"

Gu Cangyue also thought of this wonderful prospect, and his face lit up with a smile, "Indeed. As long as we brothers work together and firmly grasp the reins of Suzhou Prefecture, wealth will flow in like water. Take this smuggled salt, for instance. As far as I know, every year, as much as a million catties pass through Suzhou Prefecture to the north. Heh heh, why don't we handle this business ourselves instead of letting others profit?"

Li Feng chuckled sinisterly, "Naturally. As long as the supply is organized and Brother handles the connections, everything will be smooth sailing... Cangfeng Fortress sending you to oversee Suzhou, isn't it all for the sake of wealth? As long as Brother Gu can hand over tens of thousands more taels of silver each year, it will be a great contribution. In the future, if I want to make a name for myself in the martial arts world, I will still need your help."

Gu Cangyue waved his left hand and said loudly, "No problem. With your martial arts, you can go anywhere in the world. Your True Essence is profound, you just lack a bit of refinement. Work hard, and you can easily defeat first-class martial artists. In the martial world, the fear is not having power or connections. Now that the Golden Dragon Gang has annexed the Golden Tiger Gang, you will surely be the deputy leader, right? With the support of my Cangfeng Fortress behind you, as long as we find a few famous people in the martial world to deal with, your reputation will be established!"

Gu Cangyue sneered, "The martial world is like this. You have to step on others' heads to get ahead... Alright, I have a great idea, Brother." Gu Cangyue said excitedly, "The Golden Tiger Gang harbored a group of notorious bandits, two of whom are also famous martial artists. Let's start with them. We'll go to the garrison to demand the prisoners later and kill them directly. We'll say that you, Brother, single-handedly defeated them, and I'll help spread the word. That's how your reputation will be made."

Li Feng grinned sinisterly, "Then in the future, passing criminals in our Suzhou Prefecture will have to be careful?"

Gu Cangyue took charge, "Everything is on Brother's shoulders. I guarantee that they will all fall. Those lone wolves, no one will pity them when they die. Their reputation will just serve to highlight your fame... Suzhou Prefecture is such a good place, it should have a hero and chivalrous person to oversee it. Heh heh, as long as your name is known, perhaps nearby martial arts factions will automatically offer benefits."

Li Feng nodded repeatedly, shaking his leg and saying "Excellent." Gu Cangyue said with a wry smile, "Brother is from Cangfeng Fortress and is also the Chief Constable. I must adhere to the court's rules. Having too much fame is not good. However, you don't have to worry, Brother. What you need is fame, isn't it?... Looking at your character, you don't seem to be the type to stick around in a gang. Later, I'll ask Brother Ouyang to recommend you to participate in the martial arts examination. Obtaining an official position will be as easy as picking something up from the ground."

Li Feng's heart stirred, and he immediately applauded, "Official position? That's a wonderful thing. What else is there for a man to live for in this world besides seeking an official position and a pile of beautiful women? Hahaha..."

Gu Cangyue also burst into laughter. He began to consider what benefits it would bring him if Li Feng could obtain a good position in the imperial court. Cangfeng Fortress recruited all possible experts. A young man with Li Feng's skills had great potential for development. Making Li Feng a part of Cangfeng Fortress's power would also be a great contribution on his part.

Amidst the laughter, the Golden Tiger Gang was wiped out. In just one day, the Golden Tiger Gang, which could have been considered an equal to the Golden Dragon Gang yesterday, was completely absorbed by A Zhu. The experts of the White Emperor Sect were in hiding, and their return was not yet foreseeable. This time, Li Feng and his men won easily, too easily... Except for the death of three garrison soldiers during the arrest of those notorious bandits, no more blood was shed elsewhere.