Four Families and Four Sects

On the ninth floor of Jinghua Pavilion, at the open-air observation deck outside the Kuotian Chamber.

This was the highest point in the Outer City. The night wind howled, sending the hems of their clothes fluttering.

The elegant domain name of the original website was .

Qin Yuwei, dressed in fine clothes, stood by the railing and looked down at East Street, sleeping beneath him.

His gaze was as deep as an ancient well, reflecting the scattered lights below.

At night, East Street resembled a dim painting of sharply contrasting layers, laying bare the stark divisions between its classes.

East First Street and East Second Street, close to the Inner City, still blazed with light.

The faint strains of music drifted between pavilions and terraces, while carriages and horses glittered in motion, sketching the outline of wealth and prosperity.

His gaze shifted slightly to East Third Street, where the lights grew much sparser.

Like scattered stars, they were few and far between. The main street was somewhat better, but only a few other places had lights at all.

Farther away, East Fourth Street was almost entirely swallowed by darkness as thick as spilled ink.

The houses there were low and haphazard, the lanes winding like a maze, with scarcely a decent light to be seen.

This county town's point of contact with the outside world seemed like a weary giant beast crouching deep in the night, silently panting amid poverty and chaos, grinding its teeth and sucking blood.

Only the small area where the Patrol Bureau was conducting its demon-clearing operation tonight stood out. The gathered crowds and torches made it stubbornly glow with a faint but tenacious patch of light in the boundless darkness, drawing the eye.

Qin Yuwei's gaze lingered on that spot, as if he could peer through the rows of buildings and see the fighting in the lanes—and its conclusion.

Light footsteps came from behind him, accompanied by a faint, delicate fragrance.

"Yuwei, standing here alone in the cold wind—do you have something on your mind?"

At her voice, warmth returned to Qin Yuwei's expression. He turned to face her.

The newcomer was a woman in her early twenties, dressed in a well-tailored, blue-green outfit for combat with a sheer outer robe of the same color. It made her look both capable and graceful.

Her features were lovely and refined, but her brows held a boldness and easy confidence rarely found in sheltered young women. She was Xu Ruoxi, the young mistress of the Green Garment Sect.

"Ruoxi, you're here."

Qin Yuwei smiled and nodded, stepping aside to give her a view.

Xu Ruoxi walked over unhurriedly and stood beside him, looking toward the darkness and the patch of light in East Fourth Street.

"You're watching the Patrol Bureau's demon-clearing operation, aren't you?

It's quite a commotion."

Her tone was casual.

"That 'Jade-Faced Tiger' Yang Ning has burst onto the scene, stirring up East Street in no time.

Behind all this...

Has your Qin Family been giving him a push?"

Qin Yuwei shook his head gently, his smile tinged with frankness and helplessness.

"My Qin Family merely happened to be there at the right time. He saved Yu Rong's life, so we gave him the status of a guest retainer as a small token of gratitude.

As for who has made a major investment in him...

I'm afraid Gong Tian has done far more than my Qin Family."

"Oh?

You mean that lofty 'Bright Jade Hand,' Patrol Commander Gong?"

Xu Ruoxi raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised.

"I heard you two were on good terms."

"We have some history."

Qin Yuwei admitted it openly.

"We met at an auction in the Inner City years ago. His bearing, vision, and martial talent were all exceptional. He was worth befriending.

This time, when I was posted to Kui Mountain's Outer City, he happened to be serving here, so we got back in touch.

A few days ago, I hosted a banquet at your Jinghua Pavilion and had hoped to invite you along so we could catch up, but you had other business that day."

A trace of regret entered his voice.

Xu Ruoxi rolled her eyes at him, exasperated.

"If I want to see someone, certain people know perfectly well who it is. Why bother fobbing me off with polite excuses?

Besides, apart from the Qin Family's direct descendants from the Jade Branch and Gong Tian himself, the others at that banquet were nothing but your 'followers' and 'yes-men.'

What standing did they have to sit at the same table as me, Xu Ruoxi?"

She was forthright and fiery, never mincing words.

Her blunt retort left Qin Yuwei a little embarrassed. He rubbed his nose and smiled wryly.

"Ruoxi, your temperament...

There's nothing wrong with you, except that you're a little too direct.

They were all prominent young members of their families. There's no need to humiliate them like that."

"Pfft..."

Seeing her beloved in such a fluster, Xu Ruoxi couldn't help laughing. It was like snow melting in spring, and her slight annoyance vanished. She stopped giving him a hard time.

"Enough. Let's not talk about that.

You went out of your way to ask me here today. Surely it wasn't just to admire the night view of East Street?

Tell me, what's this about?"

Qin Yuwei's expression turned serious again. His gaze returned to the darkness of East Fourth Street, and he spoke slowly.

"Ruoxi, you're stationed in the Outer City, managing the Green Garment Sect's many businesses. You know its various factions and forces better than I do.

About the Blood Ape Gang, which has already been wiped out...

Do you know anything more about them?

Especially who was backing them."

"The Blood Ape Gang?

They're a bunch of dead men. Why bring them up?"

Xu Ruoxi answered offhandedly at first, but when she saw Qin Yuwei's grave expression, she dropped her casual air and thought for a moment.

"As far as I know, the Blood Ape Gang only rose to prominence in recent years, after coming from Hualin Town outside the city.

When Wang Han first arrived, he was strong, tough, and willing to fight. He also knew how to handle people. He spent a good deal of money greasing palms and cultivating connections before he gradually secured a foothold on East Street.

As for who backed him..."

She paused, then stated with certainty:

"On the surface, it doesn't look like any of the Four Sects.

At least, the Green Garment Sect had no part in it. As far as I know, none of the others openly supported them, either.

Perhaps they were like Patrol Commander Gong—a case of 'unknown origins.'"

"Four Families and Four Sects..."

Qin Yuwei repeated under his breath.

These eight powers represented the true core of authority and the strongest forces in Kui Mountain County.

The Four Families were the four century-old clans: the Qin, Shen, Ning, and Yuan Families. Their roots ran deep, their branches tangled throughout the county.

They held positions of power, commanded immense wealth, or had people in the military. Each had Organ Refining and Marrow Cleansing Realm experts among its ranks, with deep foundations and influence extending into every corner of the county.

The Four Sects were the Green Garment Sect, Daoyi Sect, Black Hou Hall, and Rain Sword Sect.

Unlike the clans, which relied on bloodline inheritance, they were bound together by martial traditions and shared interests.

They, too, had Organ Refining and Marrow Cleansing Realm experts, and stood on equal footing with the Four Great Families, jointly maintaining the county's outward balance.

Of course, the eight powers differed in strength.

Daoyi Sect, for example, had a widely acknowledged strongest fighter in the county, while the Rain Sword Sect had fallen far from its former glory because its last Marrow Cleansing Realm expert was old and close to death.

Any new force hoping to gain a foothold in Kui Mountain County had, to some degree, the backing—or at least the shadow—of one or more of these eight powers behind it.

But the Blood Ape Gang and Gong Tian seemed to be exceptions.

Qin Yuwei pondered for a moment, then said:

"A few days ago, Wang Teng of the Blood Ape Gang suddenly attacked Yu Rong. The matter was rather suspicious.

I suspect it may be connected to certain events that have taken place in the Inner City in recent years..."

He brought up the rumors that several high-ranking officials in the Inner City had died under murky circumstances.

Xu Ruoxi's delicate brows furrowed at his words, and she grew serious as well.

"Yuwei, your concerns aren't unfounded.

The city seems peaceful on the surface, but beneath it, undercurrents are surging.

The attack on Yu Rong was no accident.

But the Inner City is deep water, and the news is tightly controlled. We in the Outer City can hardly see the whole picture."

She lowered her voice.

"That hot-tempered 'Blood Swordsman' of the Rain Sword Sect, the Yuan Family's Second Master, famed for his cunning, and several capable people our two families sent to assist the County Government Office...

Didn't they all die in those inexplicable incidents?

Their deaths were suspicious, and to this day, no clear explanation has been given."

Qin Yuwei nodded silently.

Then he looked toward the Inner City, where the lights were brighter but the mysteries deeper. His voice carried a trace of solemn anticipation.

"Let's see whether the new County Magistrate coming from Prefecture City can bring about any change."