Early morning.
The sun shone brightly, and a soft breeze stirred.
The brief turmoil of the night had quickly passed. Guiyang Stronghold had long since returned to calm.
In the main hall.
Li Yun sat, by every right, in the tiger-skin chair that had once belonged to Bai Guiyang, calmly looking at those below him.
Below.
Besides Li Feihe and the members of Flying Crane Stronghold, there were Tian Qing, the second chief of Guiyang Stronghold, and a dozen or so leaders who had sobered up completely and fully realized what had happened. Every one of them hung his head in dejection, some even visibly uneasy.
Right now, they did not even have the nerve to curse.
All they felt was stifled resentment.
Who the hell could have seen this coming?
They had only had a drink, same as always. How had their stronghold changed hands?
Their former chief had even had his head chopped off.
Could this have come any more out of the blue?
The entire hall was silent.
Only when Li Yun's gaze fell on Tian Qing did he sigh, rise, walk to the center, and bow to Li Yun.
"I warned Bai Guiyang long ago not to be so arrogant, but he wouldn't listen. In the end... he brought this fatal disaster on himself."
"But he was he, and we are we."
"Bai Guiyang has paid for his arrogance. The rest of us brothers in Guiyang Stronghold can't die for him too."
"As the saying goes, the victor is king, the loser a bandit."
"Chief Li now holds the reins. I, Tian Qing, am willing to serve under you. I hope you'll give me and the brothers under me a chance."
The leaders below lit up at his words.
Bai Guiyang was dead, along with some