The Cao Gang's Affairs Were Getting More and More Interesting.

Once the first person started, it didn't take long for the others to join in and egg him on.

"Pfft, hahaha! Baldy..."

"Aren't those two bald monks up there?"

"Now that you mention it, they are! Hey, you baldies up there, come down and have a couple of drinks with your grandpa!"

The Cao Gang's hall masters and stewards were a rowdy bunch, used to throwing their weight around and afraid of nothing. On top of that, they were on their own turf and seething with pent-up anger, so they were all the more eager to let it out.

A few particularly boorish fellows downed several cups of wine, then seized the chance to hurl a torrent of abuse at the White Dragon Temple monks above.

The two monks beside Liang Haisheng had cultivated their composure well. Faced with all the jeering and mockery, they remained calm and unmoved.

"Masters, please don't be angry. They don't know the full story, so they've misunderstood you."

Liang Haisheng turned his head and spoke to them in a low voice.

"Amitabha. This poor monk can contain all rivers and seas; I won't stoop to quarreling with them."

"The benefactors of the Cao Gang are attached to appearances."

The two monks pressed their palms together, their faces kind and benevolent.

Liang Haisheng let out a long breath of relief. "It's best that the two masters understand."

Seeing that the monks were still unmoved, the people below from the Cao Gang grew even more outrageous.

"Hey, why aren't those two bald donkeys up there saying anything?"

"Maybe they've taken a vow of silence."

"Brothers, do you think we might get a chance to visit White Dragon Temple too? I wonder if they've got any pretty nuns in there."

"Idiot, there aren't any nuns in a monastery."

"Heh, I know White Dragon Temple like the back of my hand! Longquan City is my home. One of these days, I'll take you all to have some fun at their temple."

"Why do you think these monks came to the Cao Gang instead of staying in their monastery?"

"Who knows? Judging by how shabby they look, they probably had nothing to eat at the temple."

The two monks above clenched their fists.

"Masters, please hold back. You have to hold back!" Liang Haisheng urged them earnestly.

"Senior Brother Guan Jing, hold it in! Don't ruin the Abbot's important plans!"

Monk Guan Jing took a deep breath. "It's fine. This poor monk..."

Just then, someone below chimed in.

"Look at them. They're probably homeless, and the Cao Gang took them in out of pity."

That remark struck a nerve with both monks.

"Senior Brother Guan Jing, enough is enough! There's no need to hold back anymore!"

"Junior Brother Guan Yi, I'm your senior. Let me handle this!"

Monk Guan Jing rolled up his sleeves, sprang to his feet, and shouted.

"Hey, you scoundrels! Prepare to die!"

Liang Haisheng slapped his thigh and cried out, "Oh no, Master Guan Jing! This... this... what are we going to do?"

The Cao Gang disciples below erupted in excited shouts.

"That bald donkey's coming down!"

"He wants to fight us!"

"Stand back! Let me deal with them!"

A tall hall master with a menacing face bellowed and charged at Monk Guan Jing.

But...

They hadn't even traded two blows before the hall master was kicked flying.

Monk Guan Jing struck a pose and sneered disdainfully. "With skills as pathetic as yours, you think you can spar with this poor monk?"

The hall master lay on the deck and shouted, "This bald donkey's got some skill! Everyone, get him!"

"Get him!"

"Take that bald donkey down!"

The Cao Gang members answered the call as one and charged forward with angry roars.

Just as Monk Guan Jing was about to be swallowed by the vast sea of Cao Gang members, his junior brother Guan Yi could no longer sit still.

"Senior Brother Guan Jing, I'm coming to help!"

Monk Guan Yi shouted and joined the fray as well.

Liang Haisheng was on the verge of tears. "Oh no, Master Guan Yi, why did you join in too? You're usually the most levelheaded one!"

On the deck of the Cao Gang's Dragon Ship, the two monks and the Cao Gang members were all tangled up in a brawl.

Li Xian didn't take part in this massive fight.

Seeing that things were about to go south, he had quietly retreated behind the crowd.

After enjoying the spectacle from a corner for quite a while, he gradually began to feel that something was off.

The two monks from White Dragon Temple were powerful. They were practically overpowering the Cao Gang's hall masters and stewards, and when the two fought together, hardly anyone from the Cao Gang could withstand even a single blow.

It was further proof that the Cao Gang's top fighters were no match for them.

But the two monks showed great restraint. They almost always stopped after landing a single blow, knocking the Cao Gang members down and teaching them a fitting lesson without ever threatening their lives.

Strange. Were these monks truly so compassionate that they wouldn't take another person's life?

Then how had Cao Xiong gone missing?

Could someone else be behind it?

It seemed he hadn't come to today's ceremony for nothing.

At least Li Xian knew that there was more to Cao Xiong's disappearance than met the eye.

Had Liang Haisheng colluded with outside enemies and harmed members of his own gang?

Were the White Dragon Temple monks friend or foe?

He still didn't have clear answers to any of these questions.

Li Xian rubbed his chin.

Before long, the Dragon Ship's deck was strewn with the Cao Gang's stewards and hall masters.

The two monks looked around, panting heavily. Looking down at the Cao Gang members on the deck, they had the air of men standing atop the highest peak, looking down on all the mountains below.

Li Xian thought, If I went up there now, would that be too much of a mismatch?

"All right, all right. Everyone, calm down. We're all on the same side as the masters of White Dragon Temple. There's no need to fight and ruin our good relations."

At that moment, Liang Haisheng stepped down from the seat of honor to mediate.

After all, he was the Deputy Gang Leader temporarily acting as Gang Leader. He held a high position in the Cao Gang, making him the ideal person to play peacemaker. Both the White Dragon Temple monks and the disciples below were willing to show him respect.

And so this little skirmish finally came to an end.

Both sides stood down.

A ceremony that had begun in such a lively fashion ended in farce.

Even now, Li Xian still hadn't taken the things happening in the Cao Gang to heart.

After all, he was just a lowly hall master.

Above him were the External Affairs Envoy, the elders, the Deputy Gang Leader, and the Gang Leader.

The safety of the Cao Gang was hardly his concern.

Yet the next day, news arrived that shook the entire Cao Gang.

"Hall Master Li, this is bad! Something terrible has happened!"

"What happened? Why are you in such a panic?"

"The prefectural government has issued a wanted notice! It says our Gang Leader Cao colluded with Demonic Evil and harmed the human race. He's now a wanted criminal!"

"Hm?"

Li Xian was shocked.

"Is that true?"

"Absolutely! The prefectural government's notice is posted all over the streets!"

Gang Leader Cao, oh, Gang Leader Cao... What on earth did you do to get yourself into such serious trouble?

Li Xian was baffled.

"How are things in the gang now? Has Gang Leader Liang said anything?"

"I don't know. I saw the notices outside just now and rushed back to report to you, Hall Master!"

"Mm." Li Xian nodded, then asked, "Where's Wan Cai? Why haven't I seen him?"

"I don't know. I haven't seen him."

As soon as he finished speaking, Wan Cai's voice came from outside.

"This is bad! This is bad! Something terrible has happened!"

Li Xian asked, displeased, "What happened this time?"

Panting heavily, Wan Cai said, "The prefectural government's people have surrounded our Cao Gang Dragon Ship! They say they're here to arrest Gang Leader Cao!"