Qin Shousheng's days at Cangyou Peak had been pretty good, but everything was relative. Especially when it came to Pan Meiren, who, just a couple of years ago, had been nothing more than a prisoner and a cripple in his eyes.
Now, by a fortunate coincidence, he had hitched himself to a powerful patron and suddenly risen like a soaring roc.
What was more, that patron had now become Elder Xi's Chief Strategist. His status had skyrocketed, and his future looked bright. Qin Shousheng's heart burned ever hotter, and he was filled with ambition, eager to make his mark.
Taking the usual route would clearly make it difficult to get ahead of Pan Meiren and Dong Xinchang. Only by daring to think what ordinary people wouldn't and doing what they wouldn't dare could he find an unorthodox path to success.
Pan Meiren and Dong Xinchang exchanged an inadvertent glance, both reading the same thought in each other's eyes: Damn, Old Qin's trying to seize power!
The next instant, Dong Xinchang rushed out first. Pan Meiren shouted, "Old Dong, gather the men! We're going to seize the water!"
Xu Yi naturally knew nothing of the commotion at Cangyou Peak. Early that morning, he hurried out of his cave abode in response to Elder Xi's summons.
When he reached Duoluo Mountain, he released his senses. Not a soul was in sight; only Elder Xi sat cross-legged on a cushion in the main hall at the summit.
Seeing the scene, Xu Yi guessed that Elder Xi had another major matter to discuss with him.
Once inside the hall, he found Elder Xi indeed meditating on a grass-gray cushion. In a nearby bronze censer shaped like an animal's head, wisps of smoke kept shifting into new forms, like a bewitching trollop constantly striking seductive