Strength Reigns Supreme

As Lin Fei gazed at Jade Hibiscus's peerless beauty, listened to her melodious voice, and breathed in the strange fragrance wafting from her, he couldn't help but lose himself in her presence.

"I'd like to buy information about the Blood Wolf Gang. The more detailed, the better."

Jade Hibiscus smiled faintly, her smile utterly captivating.

"Does our guest have a grudge against the Blood Wolf Gang?"

"About me and the Blood Wolf Gang..."

Lin Fei was about to answer when a sudden alarm stirred in him, and he snapped back to his senses for an instant.

Something was wrong!

Very wrong!

He had nearly blurted out the truth. Before coming to the Ten Thousand Flowers Pavilion, he had already thought through how he would answer.

Why, as soon as he met Jade Hibiscus, had he been unable to resist telling her everything on his mind?

"Could Jade Hibiscus have used some kind of bewitching art?"

Lin Fei hurriedly lowered his head, not daring to look into her eyes again. He secretly pinched his thigh, forcing himself to stay alert.

"This is a personal matter. I'd rather not say."

"Your Ten Thousand Flowers Pavilion sells information. Do you really need to know what it'll be used for before you're willing to sell it?"

A flicker of surprise crossed Jade Hibiscus's eyes.

This man was clearly an ordinary person with no cultivation. How had he come to his senses so quickly?

She had no idea that Lin Fei's heart was already filled with hatred.

A man consumed by hatred had no mind to admire beautiful women.

Their charms held far less temptation for him.

"Hehe, our guest is joking. I was only asking casually."

"The Blood Wolf Gang is one of Nanli City's two major gangs. Our Ten Thousand Flowers Pavilion only deals in information and doesn't involve itself in gang disputes. I asked because I was afraid of getting burned."

Li Ruxue had once warned Lin Fei that the Ten Thousand Flowers Pavilion was no simple place. Otherwise, it would never have been able to secure its position as one of the five great powers.

Jade Hibiscus's words were just polite evasions.

"Whatever happens between me and the Blood Wolf Gang won't involve the Ten Thousand Flowers Pavilion. You can rest assured, Miss Jade Hibiscus."

"Why don't we get straight to the point? Name your price."

Seeing that Lin Fei was on his guard, Jade Hibiscus stopped probing.

"Since our guest is in such a hurry, I won't beat around the bush."

"Information on the Blood Wolf Gang costs three thousand gold coins. That includes detailed information on the gang leader, the young gang leader, and the four hall leaders under his command."

"If our guest wants even more detail on a specific person, that will cost extra."

Lin Fei took out a banknote worth three thousand gold coins and pushed it across the table to Jade Hibiscus.

"Let me look at the information first."

"Just a moment!"

Jade Hibiscus put away the banknote and turned to enter a room to one side.

She closed the door, and a moment later, a bell rang from inside.

Before long, Jade Hibiscus came out holding a scroll.

"This is the information on the Blood Wolf Gang. You may read it here, but you can't take it away."

Lin Fei frowned slightly. He had wanted to bring it back and study it at his leisure.

It seemed the Ten Thousand Flowers Pavilion was preventing its information from leaking, so they wouldn't let him take it away.

Lin Fei didn't argue. As long as he could learn the Blood Wolf Gang's strength, that was enough.

He unrolled the scroll.

"Blood Wolf Gang leader Situ Lie, cultivates the Blood Wolf Art, a mid-grade Qi Refining cultivation technique. Qi Refining Level Eleven. Skilled with the saber..."

"Young gang leader Situ Ye, cultivates the Blood Wolf Art, a mid-grade Qi Refining cultivation technique. Qi Refining Level Seven. Skilled with twin blades..."

"Blood Wolf Gang's Wind Wolf Hall, hall leader Cheng Kun, cultivates Wild Ox Strength, a mid-grade Qi Refining cultivation technique. Qi Refining Level Ten. Skilled with the spear..."

"Blood Wolf Gang's Fire Wolf Hall, hall leader Deng Liang, cultivates Blazing Fire Art, a low-grade Qi Refining cultivation technique. Qi Refining Level Nine. Skilled with the staff..."

"Blood Wolf Gang's Earth Wolf Hall, hall leader Shi Yong, cultivates Nine Turns of Bedrock, a low-grade Qi Refining cultivation technique. Qi Refining Level Nine. Skilled with twin hammers..."

"Blood Wolf Gang's Black Wolf Hall, hall leader Gong Wang, cultivates Green Scorpion Poison Art, a low-grade Qi Refining cultivation technique. Qi Refining Level Nine. Skilled in poison and hidden weapons..."

The more Lin Fei read, the deeper his frown grew.

He hadn't expected the Blood Wolf Gang to have so many experts. Besides the four hall leaders, the scroll also listed more than a dozen core members at Qi Refining Level Seven and Level Six.

Situ Ye, the young gang leader who had killed Peach Blossom, was himself a Qi Refining Level Seven expert, two levels stronger than her maid Xunmei.

Xunmei could use a single chopstick to pierce Ding Tiechui's calf from a distance.

Situ Ye was even stronger.

Killing him would be far too difficult.

Seeing that Lin Fei remained silent, Jade Hibiscus smiled and asked, "Does our guest want more detailed information?"

"The information you're looking at is already a year old. One or more of them may have grown stronger since then."

"If you want detailed information on a particular person, I can have our informants investigate. We can even include his recent eating and sleeping habits and his usual whereabouts. It'll just cost extra."

No matter how difficult it was, Lin Fei had to avenge Peach Blossom and the child. Otherwise, he would be no man.

He took out a banknote worth ten thousand gold coins and handed it to Jade Hibiscus.

"I want all the information you have on the Blood Wolf Gang leader, the young gang leader, the four hall leaders, and every other member above Qi Refining Level Five."

"Their appearances, their daily habits, the places they've been frequenting lately, where they live—the more detailed, the better."

"If ten thousand gold coins isn't enough, I can pay more. If there's anything left over, consider it a gift to help you buy rouge and powder, Miss Hibiscus."

Jade Hibiscus pocketed the banknote and nodded with a bright smile.

"No problem. But gathering all the information you've asked for will take some time if we're to make it thorough and avoid mistakes."

"I can wait."

"Good. Come back in ten days, and you can collect it."

Jade Hibiscus took a jade token from her waist and handed it to Lin Fei.

A single "flower" was carved into the front of the token, while the back bore an image of a blooming hibiscus.

"Next time you come, just show them this token, and someone will bring you to see me."

Lin Fei accepted the token, cupped his hands in farewell, and turned to leave.

"Goodbye!"

Not long after Lin Fei left, a middle-aged woman dressed in purple appeared in Jade Hibiscus's room.

Though she was already middle-aged, she had retained her charm. Her skin was well cared for, and her figure was full.

In her youth, she must have been a stunning beauty.

"Pavilion Master!"

Jade Hibiscus bowed to the middle-aged woman, her manner respectful.

The woman in purple gave a slight nod and asked, "That man's appearance just now must have been disguised. He was generous with his money, so he probably holds some standing in Nanli City."

Jade Hibiscus replied, "I didn't sense the slightest trace of true energy from him, so he's probably an ordinary person. He's likely buying information on the Blood Wolf Gang to get revenge for some grudge."

"I suspect he's just a pawn, with a powerful figure behind him. Still, he had impressive self-control. He actually managed to snap out of my bewitching art."

The woman in purple waved her round fan, her expression unruffled and serene.

"The Blood Wolf Gang is ruthless and arrogant. They've shed who knows how much blood over the years. Plenty of people have tried to take revenge on them, but all have failed."

"Whether in this little Nanli City or throughout the Dragon Abyss Dynasty, strength reigns supreme."

"The weak can die without anyone caring. Even the Blood Wolf Gang would be wiped out in the blink of an eye before a true immortal cultivator."