A Personal Visit to the Poison Wolf Gang

After subjecting Shui Gaoge to a brutal interrogation, Zhao Ping'an learned a great deal from this Prince of the First Rank of the Profound Water Dynasty.

This included information on all the experts of the Profound Water Dynasty, his true identity, and who had told him that Zhao Ping'an possessed a cultivation method passed down by a Martial King, among other things.

In the end, Zhao Ping'an directly sent Shui Gaoge to meet his ancestors.

Then, he quickly looted the corpses of this group, carried a bag of spoils, and with his Mistress on his back, leaped up, charging toward the top of Thousand Guts Valley.

The steep cliffs on either side were as flat ground to him.

The cliff was only a little over two hundred zhang high; Zhao Ping'an reached the top in a few bounds. After checking his bearings, he vanished directly into the forest.

About a quarter of an hour later, he appeared before South Ridge City and strode in.

His figure, carrying his Mistress Zhao Xiuyun on his back as he entered South Ridge City, was clearly seen by dozens of gazes at the city gate.

"Zhao Ping'an? Is that Zhao Xiuyun of the Zhao Family?"

After confirming repeatedly, these scouts from various forces quickly transmitted the news.

Those with money and influence used carrier pigeons; the smaller forces had to rely on their legs.

The major forces that received the news all breathed a sigh of relief. The past day or so had exhausted them; they had nearly turned South Ridge City upside down, even searching the territories of various factions.

Although this exposed many of their unknown secrets, compared to their lives, that was nothing. After all, none of them could withstand Zhao Ping'an's wrath.

Especially his previous attitude of utterly exterminating the Sun Family left them with no room for wishful thinking.

Among these people, the Poison Wolf Gang was an exception.

"What did you say? Zhao Ping'an carried Zhao Xiuyun back through the West Gate, completely unharmed?"

"Yes, Gang Leader! I've just confirmed it. This scene was seen by many people; it can't be false."

"I understand. You may leave."

"Yes, Gang Leader!"

Wu Shirong watched the hall master turn and leave, his face immediately darkening.

He hadn't expected that lord to fail. Originally, he could have risen to prominence in one step, obtaining not only a fragmentary Human-grade Cultivation Method but also three Fourth-grade Spiritual Medicines to help him reach the Grandmaster Realm.

Now, everything had become uncertain.

That lord, known for his iron-blooded ruthlessness, would never have let Zhao Ping'an return alive if he had gotten what he wanted.

Since Zhao Ping'an had returned safely, something must have gone wrong, and he had to prepare early.

"Someone!"

After thinking for a moment, Wu Shirong clenched his fist and shouted loudly outside.

"Gang Leader!"

"Go find the Young Gang Leader!"

"Yes, Gang Leader!"

After the guard left, Wu Shirong quickly returned to his study and opened a hidden switch.

Then, a small door only half a meter wide and one and a half meters tall silently sank into the wall, revealing a pitch-black secret chamber.

Inside was most of the wealth Wu Shirong had accumulated over the years, and now he knew he couldn't stay in South Ridge City.

Soon, Wu Shirong carried out a delicate small box from the secret chamber, then closed the chamber door again.

Although there was still plenty of gold, silver, treasures, cultivation methods, and weapons inside, he had no time to take them all.

The box in his hand contained more than half of the wealth he had amassed over the years, all converted into Gold Notes—a full thirty thousand taels of gold.

These Gold Notes were not issued by the Profound Water Dynasty but by its suzerain state, the White Moon Imperial Dynasty, jointly issued with three other imperial dynasties. They were usable across more than a dozen neighboring dynasties and the four imperial dynasties.

Thus, their exchange rate was a full thirty percent higher than the Gold Notes issued by the Profound Water Dynasty itself.

In other words, it would take nearly forty thousand taels of gold to exchange for the thirty thousand taels of Gold Notes in the box.

About a quarter of an hour later, a Young Master strode into the hall where Wu Shirong was. This was the same bird-keeping Young Master who had earlier passed a message to the Scorpion Woman Qian Yingying at the city gate.

His true identity was the Young Gang Leader of the Poison Wolf Gang—Wu Xiangtian.

"Father, why did you suddenly send for me?"

"Tian'er, that lord may have failed. Zhao Ping'an has returned to South Ridge City with his Mistress Zhao Xiuyun. If he finds out we betrayed him, then..."

"So, take this box now, immediately ride Chasing Wind out of South Ridge City, and go as far as you can!"

"Father, what about you? Won't you leave with me?"

Wu Xiangtian took the wooden box from his father's hands and asked worriedly.

Although he was a notorious Profligate Son far and wide, that was just a facade. Now twenty-five years old, his cultivation had reached the ninth-level peak of the Houtian Martial Artist Realm, only one step away from the Innate Realm. His cultivation talent was definitely among the best in South Ridge City.

"Me? I can't leave. There are always eyes watching my every move. If I suddenly disappear, it will definitely draw the attention of various forces, especially at this critical moment. That would be an obvious sign that we have a guilty conscience, and then none of us might escape!"

"Besides, that's just my guess to be safe. After some time, when the heat dies down, you can come back. I've prepared a bottle of Third-tier Qi Gathering Pills for you; you can take this opportunity to break through to the Innate Realm outside!"

"Father! Take care!"

Seeing his father's resolute attitude, Wu Xiangtian's eyes reddened. He immediately knelt and kowtowed three times, then ran out without looking back.

His mother had died in childbirth back then, leaving him and his father to depend on each other. To keep him from being bullied, his father—a powerhouse who ruled over South Ridge City—hadn't touched another woman in over twenty years. He had grown up under his father's protection until now, and now, he was about to leave.

Wu Shirong watched his only son walk out the door, his own eyes reddening at the rims.

If it hadn't been for that story Zhao Ping'an had casually made up, which he'd overheard from Zheng Hetong while drinking, none of this would have happened. Especially now, with Zhao Ping'an, that great deity, stationed in South Ridge City, all the local powers were desperately reining in their men to avoid causing trouble. His Poison Wolf Gang had been developing steadily for quite some time.

And now, all of that had been swallowed up by his own greed.

"Bam!..."

"Boom!..."

Just as Wu Shirong was wallowing in grief and regret, he suddenly heard a violent crash and a thunderous roar. His nerves, already taut, made his face change color instantly.

But before he could rush out to check, he saw a tall figure gripping another figure by the neck, striding right up to him.

And the figure being choked was none other than his son, Wu Xiangtian.

"Tian'er!!! Zhao Ping'an?!!"