Internal Strife?

By the time Li Xian and his men arrived at Cao Gang's Dragon Ship, the Prefectural Army had already surrounded it so tightly that not even a drop of water could get through.

On the outskirts, Cao Gang disciples who had received the news kept rushing over, surrounding the Qingzhou Prefectural Army in turn.

Layer upon layer, inside and out—the scene was bustling indeed.

Liang Haisheng stood on the Dragon Ship and called down.

"Commander Chen, are you trying to start a war with Cao Gang?"

The commander of the Prefectural Army in Yangzhou City was Chen Zhongwu, a Martialist who had been at Mid-fourth Grade for many years.

Chen Zhongwu sat atop a tall, handsome horse, his expression cold.

"This official has only come on orders to arrest the wanted criminal Cao Xiong. As for orders to start a war, I haven't received any yet."

What he meant was: I've wanted to deal with you for a long time. I've just been waiting for this day.

In Yangzhou City, people feared Cao Gang more than they feared the Prefectural Army. Chen Zhongwu could not accept that.

He had long wanted to find an opportunity to teach Cao Gang a lesson and crush their arrogance.

He hadn't expected the opportunity to come so quickly.

This was the perfect chance to give those Cao Gang ruffians a thorough beating.

Liang Haisheng smiled. "Commander Chen, you've come to the wrong place. Cao Xiong hasn't been one of our people for a long time. You should look somewhere else."

Chen Zhongwu said coldly, "That's not for you to decide. We'll know whether Cao Xiong is hiding inside after we've searched."

Cao Gang was a vast organization, with thousands of people watching. If they let someone search them like this, they would lose every last shred of face.

Liang Haisheng replied without the slightest courtesy, "Chen Zhongwu, if you want rivers of blood to flow today, then go ahead and try!"

Chen Zhongwu's face darkened. He said nothing.

How could he not know this was how things would turn out?

Seeing Cao Gang disciples packed tightly outside, a vast, dark mass of people, he knew that if a clash broke out, he might be able to get away today—but few of the Prefectural Army soldiers he had brought would make it out.

"My lord, what do you think—"

One of his subordinates spoke anxiously into his ear, afraid he would do something foolish.

"Shut up. I know what I'm doing!"

Chen Zhongwu said, displeased.

As the commander of the Prefectural Army in Yangzhou City, with great authority in his hands, he could not back down just because someone had said a few words. Even if he didn't fight, he had to save face somehow.

He turned to the monk beside him, who was also mounted on a horse.

"Master Yuan Zhen, I'll trouble you to make a move!"

"Amitabha!"

The fat monk named Yuan Zhen chanted a Buddhist prayer and said with a beaming smile, "That is only right!"

Yuan Zhen called out to the Dragon Ship.

"Guan Jing, Guan Yi, are you two here?"

Liang Haisheng hurriedly turned to the two monks behind him. "Masters, don't pay attention to that fat monk. Just pretend you're not here!"

But the two monks were honest men, and their own senior from the same sect was calling for them. How could they pretend not to hear?

The two monks stepped forward and called back down.

"Your disciples are here!"

"Amitabha!" Yuan Zhen said. "Come back with your martial uncle, both of you!"

Oh, so the two of them were his martial nephews.

Then they were all on the same side. Why fight?

Li Xian was confused.

Guan Jing and Guan Yi shook their heads together and refused.

"Martial uncle, we can't return. We still have more important things to do."

Yuan Zhen gave a smile that was not quite a smile. "Are you disobeying orders?"

"We wouldn't dare!"

"Then come with this old monk!"

The two monks shook their heads without a word and retreated again.

Yuan Zhen glared furiously and roared.

"Outrageous!"

As he spoke, he leapt high into the air, his broad monk's robes snapping in the wind.

He was as swift as lightning, hurtling toward Guan Jing and Guan Yi to attack.

"Old monk, how dare you!"

"Martial uncle, forgive us!"

Guan Jing, Guan Yi, and Liang Haisheng shouted together. They struck at the same time, joining forces to attack Yuan Zhen.

A loud boom rang out above the Dragon Ship.

The four exchanged a blow.

Yuan Zhen landed back where he had started, his expression unchanged.

Guan Jing, Guan Yi, and Liang Haisheng staggered, barely managing to keep from retreating.

But Yuan Zhen had faced three opponents without falling behind. In that exchange, Liang Haisheng and the others had lost.

Li Xian's expression shifted slightly as he watched, then returned to normal.

That big-headed, big-eared monk has some real skill. I'll find a chance to exchange a few moves with him.

Yuan Zhen laughed in fury. "Good, good, good! Guan Jing, Guan Yi, you ingrates who side with outsiders—you actually dared to attack me! When the Buddha Son returns, I'll make sure you two die without a burial place!"

He no longer bothered to keep up the act. The kindly face he had worn moments ago vanished, and his expression turned hideously sinister.

This was his true face.

Guan Jing and Guan Yi remained unmoved. With their palms pressed together, they spoke calmly.

"For the sake of White Dragon Temple, this poor monk has long since set life and death aside!"

Li Xian frowned as he watched from the side.

What was going on? Had something gone wrong within White Dragon Temple? Was this a case of strife within the family?

From the looks of it, White Dragon Temple had split into two factions.

The Buddha Son Yuan Zhen spoke of was one faction; Guan Jing and Guan Yi belonged to another.

Then who was behind Guan Jing and Guan Yi?

Just then, Yuan Zhen said with a sneer, "Don't count on that old fool Yuan Hui to save you. Do you really think we don't know where he and Cao Xiong went? Hmph... The Buddha Son is already on his way to find them."

Oh, now he knew. There was a monk named Yuan Hui.

But who was Yuan Hui, and what position did he hold in White Dragon Temple?

"Oh no!"

Guan Jing and Guan Yi's faces changed dramatically.

"Hahaha..."

Yuan Zhen laughed. "You really thought that little Golden Cicada Sheds Its Shell trick of yours could fool that lord? We saw through it long ago!"

Guan Yi panicked. "You old bald donkey, Yuan Zhen! If you dare hurt Abbot Yuan Hui, I won't let you go even as a ghost!"

Oh, so Yuan Hui was the abbot.

Li Xian suddenly understood.

With that, things became clear.

The Buddha Son and the abbot of White Dragon Temple had somehow come into conflict, and the two monks had each formed their own faction, fighting one another.

Judging by the situation, the Buddha Son's side was temporarily in the ascendant.

But when had Cao Xiong gotten mixed up with Abbot Yuan Hui of White Dragon Temple?

Had Gang Leader Cao wanted to meddle in their family affairs, only to get dealt with alongside them?

If so, this Buddha Son was pretty powerful.

Yuan Zhen and Guan Jing and Guan Yi traded insults from a distance for quite a while, making the two martial nephews on the Dragon Ship shout furiously, before he finally left with Chen Zhongwu's men, satisfied.

There was no chance of an actual fight. They could only trade insults for a bit of amusement.

After all, this was Cao Gang's home ground. If a fight really broke out, there were too few people on their side; they wouldn't even be enough to fill the teeth of this gang of Jianghu ruffians.

They couldn't help it. The other side had the numbers. Look at all the people packed in layers around them—there had to be at least a thousand. Every one of them looked fierce and menacing, their arrogance sky-high. They didn't take the Prefectural Army seriously at all.

Cao Gang's people were truly vicious!

Lord Zheng was right. Cao Gang had to be eliminated!

Yuan Zhen silently committed to memory the faces of everyone at the scene who had shouted the loudest, his gaze icy.

Just wait.

Once I find the chance, I'll kill every last one of you!