Lineage Affiliates! Fifth Sister

"Is this information reliable? Who spread it?"

Zhang Lingshan asked in confusion.

Tie Feng said, "I don't know, but everyone's talking about it. The martial hall is already in chaos. No one has the heart to train anymore. They're all hoping Hong Master will show up and shatter this rumor."

"Has Hong Master appeared yet?"

"Not yet. But I saw many Senior Brothers rush over after catching wind of it. They're discussing going to the main residence to request an audience with Hong Master."

"Then let's go too."

Zhang Lingshan immediately hurried with Tie Feng to the martial hall's backyard.

Sure enough, they found all the Senior Brothers and Junior Brothers gathered together. Even some Copper Hide and Stone Skin experts who usually appeared like dragons showing only their heads and never their tails had shown up here without prior arrangement.

"Senior Brother Zhu Wei is here!"

Someone suddenly shouted.

Another person said, "Senior Brother Pan Mingzhong is here too."

"Now things are fine. With the two Senior Brothers requesting an audience with Hong Master, Hong Master will definitely show himself."

The Senior Brothers and Junior Brothers could not help but rejoice.

Zhu Wei and Pan Mingzhong were the two strongest Skin Grinding Martial Practitioners in the Hong Clan Martial Hall. They had also remained at the peak of Copper Hide for a long time, only one step away from breaking through into the Flesh Refining Realm.

Thus, they could be called reserve Flesh Refining practitioners. They were people Hong Zhengdao was bound to accept as Inner Disciples, and their status was completely different from that of ordinary disciples.

With the two of them representing the Senior Brothers and Junior Brothers to request an audience with Hong Zhengdao, there would certainly be no problem.

"Stop making such a racket!"

Zhu Wei shouted sternly.

He was broad and somewhat fat, with a face full of fierce flesh. If he stood before half a carcass of pork with a bloodstained butcher's knife in hand, he would look exactly like a pig butcher.

The moment he spoke, everyone immediately shut their mouths, not daring to discuss it aloud again.

Pan Mingzhong merely chuckled and said loudly, "Everyone, don't be too nervous.

"What kind of person is Hong Master? He is an expert at the peak of Tendon Changing, with strength reaching the heavens. How could he be seriously injured so easily? It must be a rumor!

"The reason Hong Master has not come over yet is because he has traveled a long distance and is weary in body and mind. Taking a rest is only natural.

"Once Hong Master has rested and finished lunch at noon, he will definitely come to the martial hall to inspect everyone's cultivation results.

"So stop slacking off and hurry back to your training."

Pan Mingzhong looked mature and steady, with a square-faced appearance that made him seem quite dependable. What he said was reasonable as well, earning the approval of many Junior Brothers.

But someone suddenly cried out, "What if Hong Master still doesn't come then?"

"Who said that?"

Pan Mingzhong frowned and immediately glared in that direction.

The disciple quickly shrank his head back.

Pan Mingzhong did not pursue the matter. Instead, he snorted. "If Hong Master still does not come, then Old Zhu and I will go request an audience with Hong Master."

"That would be best."

With that assurance, the Junior Brothers felt even more at ease and immediately went off to cultivate, satisfied at last.

But though they appeared to be training, they were actually all somewhat absentminded. They still wanted to see Hong Zhengdao, or else they would not feel secure.

After all, as formal disciples of the Hong Clan Martial Hall, they had always enjoyed the benefits of being Hong Clan disciples. Whoever saw them had to give them some face.

Yet the premise for enjoying all this was not how strong they were, but Hong Zhengdao's formidable strength.

If Hong Master was seriously injured and his strength greatly declined, the Hong Clan Martial Hall's prestige would inevitably fall, and their status would surely be greatly reduced as well.

Society was simply this realistic.

Now they could only hope the rumors were just rumors. Otherwise, they truly did not know how to face the changes to come.

"Xiao Shan, come with me. I'll take you to meet someone."

Song Dazhuang suddenly tugged Zhang Lingshan.

Zhang Lingshan found it strange. He rarely saw Song Dazhuang acting so mysteriously. Besides, when everyone was waiting to see Hong Master, who did he want to take him to meet?

"It's a good thing."

Song Dazhuang lowered his voice. "Come with me first. I'll explain slowly on the way."

"Alright."

Zhang Lingshan was not worried that Song Dazhuang meant him harm. After all this time, he trusted Song Dazhuang's character.

So he quickened his pace and followed beside Song Dazhuang.

Once they had left the bounds of Hongwu Street, Song Dazhuang said in a low voice, "For what I'm about to tell you, ask if you have questions, but don't cry out in surprise."

"Alright."

Zhang Lingshan's heart tightened. He knew some inside information was coming next.

As far as he knew, Song Dazhuang's family ran a Blacksmith Shop. It looked unremarkable, but for it to occupy a place in the land where every inch was worth gold in Dongyang Gathering, the power behind it had to be far from ordinary.

At the very least, it was no worse than the Feng Family Pharmacy.

Song Dazhuang was merely more low-key than the others. His strength and talent were not inferior to anyone else's.

One had to know that while Zhang Lingshan's strength had recently risen, Song Dazhuang had also smoothly broken through to the Ox Skin realm. Song Dazhuang was less than a year older than him.

At that age, with that strength, he had already surpassed countless people.

Not everyone was like Zhang Lingshan, able to use energy for Stat Points.

Song Dazhuang said, "The matter of Hong Master being seriously injured is true. There's no need to doubt it."

Zhang Lingshan was deeply shaken. "Hong Master is a Tendon Changing expert, yet one of his arms was crippled! But this should have been a secret. Hong Master definitely would not spread it himself, so who did?"

"Do you know the Yuan Family of the Inner City?"

Song Dazhuang answered a question with a question.

Zhang Lingshan nodded. "I know. The Jiang Family, Yuan Family, Zhu Family, and Sha Family—the Four Great Families of the Inner City."

"That's right. The Four Great Families of the Inner City control all of Jin City. Throughout the entire Outer City, aside from the Huo Family of Jin City Hero Huo Liuyin, every other force—whether lineages, shops, gangs, or martial halls—is an affiliate of the Four Great Families. The Hong Clan Martial Hall is an affiliate of the Yuan Family."

"So that was how it was."

This was the first time Zhang Lingshan had heard such a thing.

Although he knew that the Inner City was inhabited by high officials and nobles, none of them simple, and that all sorts of forces would surely spread outward to make money for them.

He had never imagined that even the Hong Clan Martial Hall was one of them.

Even someone at the peak of Tendon Changing can only work for the Four Great Families in the Outer City. If I want a place in the Inner City, I'll need to break through to Bone Forging at the very least!

Zhang Lingshan silently pondered.

Song Dazhuang did not know Zhang Lingshan was thinking about that and continued, "Besides the Hong Clan Martial Hall, my family's Blacksmith Shop, the Feng Family Pharmacy of Feng Shaolong's family, and the Zhenwei Escort Agency of Lü Feng's family are all affiliates of the Yuan Family. Since we all belong to the Yuan Family, we can gather together. Otherwise, the Hong Clan Martial Hall would not accept us."

"So that's why. Aside from people affiliated with the Yuan Family, the rest in the Hong Clan Martial Hall are ordinary commoners like me."

"Yes. Ordinary commoners who have no ties to any force actually have an advantage. They are more easily trusted and cultivated. The six Inner Disciples under Hong Master are all ordinary commoners. Most other martial halls are the same."

"I understand." Zhang Lingshan nodded.

Song Dazhuang suddenly stopped. "We're here. This is my family's back gate."

Zhang Lingshan said in surprise, "The person you're taking me to see is..."

"Come in."

Song Dazhuang pulled Zhang Lingshan inside, then shut the courtyard gate.

"Ninth Young Master, you've returned." A servant immediately greeted him.

Song Dazhuang said, "Has my Fifth Sister returned?"

"She has. She's practicing in the courtyard."

"Good. Xiao Shan, come with me."

Song Dazhuang immediately led Zhang Lingshan through a small door in the pavilion and into a small courtyard surrounded by bamboo.

Six burly men stood in two rows on either side of the courtyard, surrounding a cold and stunning woman with a tall, athletic figure.

She wore a golden hairpin, her hair swept high into a bun. Her upper body was clad in a red short martial outfit, cut open at the lower hem and tightly cinched at the waist, her chest full and ample.

She wore black fitted trousers below, outlining the round, full curves of her legs with perfect clarity.

Even from a distance, one could imagine the astonishing explosive power contained within those legs.

Zhang Lingshan had reached Entry Level in the Wind Stabilizing Posture and had strengthened his legs, but he felt he was still clearly far behind this woman.

"Ha!"

The woman let out a fierce shout, her legs whirling like a cyclone as she viciously kicked the nearest burly man.

Bang!

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