Who Was Looking for Trouble!?

The reason Li Xian planned to go to Yangzhou City was simple.

He had heard that there was a mighty gang there, famous throughout Qingzhou Prefecture in Dagan—so famous that everyone knew its name: the Cao Gang.

Li Xian planned to join the Cao Gang.

First, the Cao Gang was powerful, and it was good to have a big tree to shelter beneath. Second, rumors said its Scripture Repository held the martial arts of the entire world, making it a sacred place countless Martialists longed to visit.

And finally, the most important reason of all.

The Cao Gang accepted disciples in great numbers, regardless of their background or talent. Anyone who wanted to join was welcome—even those who already had martial arts training.

It was undoubtedly the best choice: easy to join, with plenty of martial arts manuals to choose from.

Li Xian had accumulated a large number of Proficiency Points, but he was stuck without any superior martial arts. Joining the Cao Gang and finding a chance to enter the Scripture Repository was his real goal.

A month later.

Yangzhou City, Kui Shui Pier.

The Cao Gang had a small outpost at the pier, where several people stood guard every day.

"Hey, hey, hey... Hurry up, hurry up! Let's play another round, another round. I refuse to believe my luck can be this bad every time."

"Hahaha, Brother Xin's lost five rounds in a row today. He's even gambled away tonight's dinner money."

"Fuck off. I can win it all back in one round."

"Keep this up and Brother Xin will gamble away his underwear, too."

"Get lost, get lost, get lost!"

Amid the commotion, the men suddenly sensed something. They turned to look and realized someone was standing at the entrance, though no one knew when he had arrived.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Brother Xin shouted.

The man walked in, smiling as he said, "I'm here to join the Cao Gang."

The newcomer was none other than Li Xian.

The Cao Gang members looked Li Xian up and down and exchanged glances. Once again, Brother Xin stepped forward to speak.

"What are you, some kind of nobody? You think just anyone can join the Cao Gang?"

Li Xian smiled, set down his travel bundle, and brushed the dust off his clothes. In a soft voice, he said, "As it happens, I'd like to see just how strong the Cao Gang's people are."

"Damn it, you brat, you're asking for a beating."

Brother Xin had a short fuse. Provoked like that, he immediately cursed and rolled up his sleeves, ready to attack.

The others stood behind him, laughing and joking. None of them made the slightest move to stop him; they were all ready to watch the show.

Brother Xin might have had terrible luck at gambling, but he was the strongest among them. He was already a Martialist of the lower Seventh Rank.

He had just lost money and was simmering with rage, with nowhere to vent it. Li Xian had walked right into his line of fire.

"Watch closely, kid."

Brother Xin shouted and struck a fighting stance, his presence imposing.

"Brother Xin's mighty!"

"Let Brother Xin teach this brat a lesson. Otherwise, people will think just any stray cat or dog can join the Cao Gang."

"Hey, kid! You can still leave while you've got the chance."

Behind him, several Cao Gang members laughed and hollered their encouragement, not taking the matter seriously at all. They were just waiting to see Li Xian make a fool of himself.

"Hyah!"

Brother Xin charged in, his body moving like a fierce tiger descending the mountain. He looked ferocious.

At the entrance, Li Xian didn't even raise his eyelids. He simply lifted a hand and met the attack with a casual, light punch of Tiger Cannon Fist.

"Ah!"

Brother Xin clutched his wrist and let out a scream, staggering backward several steps.

The brothers behind him were dumbfounded. They hadn't expected the strongest among them, Brother Xin, to be defeated in a single exchange.

They hurried forward to help him.

"Are you okay, Brother Xin?"

That was a ridiculous question.

Couldn't they see Brother Xin clutching his arm in agony? The cold sweat on his forehead certainly wasn't from the heat.

"I hurt a tendon. It's not too serious, but that kid's definitely a master. Hurry to the back and get the manager."

Brother Xin was trembling with pain, but he still remembered to tell his brothers to call for help.

They exchanged glances, and one quick-witted young man immediately ran toward the rooms in the back.

Li Xian stood by the entrance with his arms crossed, watching impassively. He didn't try to stop him.

This was exactly the effect he wanted.

Joining the number-one gang in Qingzhou Prefecture wasn't something he could accomplish with a few simple words.

If he wanted to join the Cao Gang without a hitch, he had to show some strength and cow them into submission.

Before long, a tall, bald man strode out of a room in the back.

He was the manager of this outpost, Yang Desheng.

Yang Desheng first examined Brother Xin's injuries, then turned to look at Li Xian by the entrance.

"Brother, where are you from?"

He asked because he thought Li Xian was there to scout the place out.

Li Xian shook his head and explained, "You've misunderstood. I came here today only to join the Cao Gang."

Yang Desheng gave a mocking laugh. "Our Cao Gang doesn't just recruit any unknown person who shows up."

Li Xian said, "My name is Li Xian. I'm from Nanfeng City in Qingzhou Prefecture, and my family runs an Escort Agency. You can investigate me as much as you like."

Yang Desheng hadn't expected him to be so open.

He frowned. "We'll certainly investigate you. But you injured my brother. How do you plan to settle that?"

Li Xian spread his hands and smiled. "I'm right here. If you want to get even, you can do it anytime."

At that, Yang Desheng couldn't help narrowing his eyes.

How could this kid be so brazen?

His underlings had already started cursing.

"Damn it, who do you think you are, talking like that?"

"Shit, you're so damn brazen. Go get some people. I'll make sure this kid can't leave Kui Shui Pier today."

"Boss Yang, you have to teach this kid a good lesson."

Yang Desheng raised one hand, signaling for silence. The underlings behind him immediately quieted down.

"In that case, I'd like to see what makes you think you can come here and raise hell in the Cao Gang."

"Gladly!" Li Xian replied with a smile.

"Hmph!"

Yang Desheng snorted and launched his fist without hesitation.

Li Xian's eyes lit up when he saw the man's fist.

"You practice Tiger Cannon Fist too? What a coincidence—I practice it as well!"

He laughed heartily and threw another casual punch.

"Roar!"

In the cramped room, it was as though a deafening tiger's roar rang in everyone's ears.

"Holy shit, Fist Intent! A Mid-grade Master!"

Yang Desheng's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. The fist stance he had just formed was scattered to pieces.

He stared at Li Xian as though he'd seen a ghost and said in shock, "How old are you? You've already reached the highest level of Tiger Cannon Fist and mastered Fist Intent? This... This..."

He was at a loss for words.

There was no need to fight now. If they kept going, he would only bring humiliation upon himself.

Li Xian let the Fist Intent around him fade and smiled. "With strength like mine, do I qualify to join the Cao Gang?"

Yang Desheng gritted his teeth, his expression uncertain. "You really want to join the Cao Gang?"

"Absolutely!"

Seeing that Li Xian didn't look like he was putting on an act, Yang Desheng could only smile bitterly. "I can't make the decision about your case. I'll have to report it to the Hall Master and ask the old man to come here personally."