Sacred Cup

The first time Xu Yi threaded through the streets and alleys of the 38th Shop District, he had been stunned by the thriving snack culture there. At the time, he had sworn to taste every kind of snack this place had to offer.

Later, he discovered that such a dream was far too easy to fulfill. Prices in Puxi City were low and remarkably stable at the time. Even the most expensive snack, steamed soup dumplings stuffed with pork and scallions, cost only twenty copper coins for a basket of eight, each one as large as a palm.

Even that counted as "high-end fare" among snacks.

Xu Yi encountered no further supernatural incidents along the way.

He returned to the Golden Orchid Nunnery, steeled himself against looking at the thing in the incense hall, and went straight into the tea hall.

When Mr. Ye Hai saw Xu Yi return so soon, he set down the book in his hand. His face twitched as he asked in surprise:

"Couldn't find the place?"

Xu Yi cupped his fists and said:

"Candied Zhang was cruel and faithless, morally corrupt. I have cleaned house for Master."

Mr. Ye Hai nearly lost his grip on his teacup:

"Ah?"

Xu Yi concealed the matters concerning the Night Roaming God and the Hundred Night Miasma, tidied up what he had seen and heard, and told Mr. Ye Hai about it.

Mr. Ye Hai's grip on the teacup tightened.

I told you to stabilize the scene, and you killed everyone at the scene.

Is that what this means?

The light in the tea hall shone down from above, casting half of Mr. Ye Hai's face into shadow.

"You did well."

Mr. Ye Hai's voice had always been so steady and calm:

"Selling opium is a calamity that harms both the nation and its people.

"Our Green Gang was founded on benevolence and righteousness. No matter what, we should not be tainted by the opium trade.

"Candied Zhang deserved to die. You did well."

"It is late today. Go rest first. Tomorrow, I have an important task for you."

Xu Yi took his leave of Mr. Ye Hai, wished him good night, and left.

Mr. Ye Hai watched Xu Yi's back vanish through the entrance of the Golden Orchid Nunnery, and his expression gradually darkened.

"Crack, crack, crack..." The purple clay wine cup slowly shattered beneath his ever-increasing force. Then, ground against itself by his furious strength, it turned into porcelain powder in mere moments.

Mr. Ye Hai also had a share in Candied Zhang's business.

These days, what person of standing did not dabble in a little bloodstained business behind the scenes?

Mr. Ye Hai did not believe he had done anything wrong.

But he was the teacher of a Green Gang hall, and he had to preach benevolence, righteousness, and morality to those beneath him. He had to make them treat him with benevolence, righteousness, and morality as well.

That was the Green Gang's rule.

No matter how filthy or sordid one's private business might be, once it was brought into the open, everyone was a respectable person who put righteousness first.

After turning it over and over in his mind, Mr. Ye Hai still felt pained over his money.

He let out a heavy sigh, left the tea hall, and entered the incense hall. He took up three incense sticks and lit them.

One he placed in the center of the incense burner, in reverence to Bodhidharma, who symbolized "origins and wisdom."

One he placed on the right side of the incense burner, in reverence to Guan Sheng Di Jun, who symbolized "loyalty, righteousness, trustworthiness, and martial might."

One he placed on the left side of the incense burner, in reverence to the Green Gang Founder, who symbolized "the gang's inheritance and rules."

Members of the Green Gang believed that as long as the incense in the burner was continuously replenished and never ceased burning, these good things would protect them.

After offering the incense, Mr. Ye Hai murmured a prayer:

"May I make a fortune, stumble into good luck, and have smooth sailing for the latter half of the year. May there be no more setbacks."

As his words fell, an imperceptible glimmer flashed through the pupils of Lord Guan's statue.

Mr. Ye Hai did not notice it.

Mr. Ye Hai picked up the wooden crescent-shaped implements before the incense burner—the Jiaobei.

He pressed his palms together, held the Jiaobei, passed them over the incense smoke, and then said softly:

"Xu Yi is a child with great loyalty and righteousness in his heart.

"But he is newly fledged, too rigid in his actions, and unable to adapt to circumstances. Inevitably, he will harm the gang's interests and injure its incense.

"To broaden his experience and make him see reality clearly, I wish to teach him a lesson.

"The Jing Family at Courtyard No. 2, 38th Shop District, is a tough bone. They have repeatedly refused our gang's goodwill and are unwilling to cooperate in business.

"The Jing Family was once a wealthy and prominent household. Recently, for some unknown reason, they provoked some ruthless force. Their business has suffered repeated heavy blows, their goods are constantly being robbed, and the pillar of their household suddenly had his waist broken by someone, leaving him paralyzed in bed. The family is on the brink of collapse.

"I want Xu Yi to go assess the situation. If he can help, he should lend the Jing Family a hand and let them know the goodness of our Green Gang.

"Once he experiences this affair, he will naturally understand the sordidness of the jianghu, understand that good and evil are not absolute, and understand that only money can let a person settle down and make a living.

"He will naturally understand my painstaking intentions."

This matter was difficult and dangerous. If Xu Yi went, he would most likely meet with disaster...

He should meet with disaster.

Even Mr. Ye Hai himself found the Jing Family's affairs thorny. How much more so a half-grown boy with no connections whatsoever?!

"But then again, who walks the jianghu without living from one morning to the next?

"I hesitate because I pity him as a talent. It would be far too wasteful for him to be broken in this matter.

"But without enduring hardship, how could he become a talent?"

"May I ask the gods: should I send him?"

After saying this, he gently tossed the Jiaobei onto the ground.

The Jiaobei fell to the floor, rolled two or three times, and came to rest with one side flat and the other rounded—

This configuration was known as a "Sacred Cup"!

When a "Sacred Cup" appeared in Jiaobei divination, it represented the "agreement" and "affirmation" of the founders and Guan Sheng Di Jun.

Joy appeared on Mr. Ye Hai's face.

He did not notice at all that the divine light flashing in the brass eyes of Guan Sheng Di Jun's statue was brighter than before.

Following the rules, Mr. Ye Hai cast them twice more.

Both times were Sacred Cups as well!

At the same time, the divine light in Guan Sheng Di Jun's statue's eyes had gathered into two points of light, concentrated without dispersing.

Mr. Ye Hai did not notice because electric lamps were lit in the incense hall, and their light concealed the gleam in the statue's eyes.

Mr. Ye Hai had obtained the result he wanted, and his face glowed with radiance.

This time, if Xu Yi fell into the Jing Family affair, it would count as a failure in his travels through the jianghu, and Mr. Ye Hai would have an explanation for those back home.

When the time came, he could add a little money and shed a few tears for those back home, give Xu Yi a grand burial, and people in the underworld would praise Mr. Ye Hai's righteousness—he was even willing to use such lavish rites for a child!

Having gotten the result he wanted, Mr. Ye Hai was delighted. He bowed in thanks and withdrew.

What Mr. Ye Hai could not see was that not long after he left the incense hall, the divine light in Guan Sheng Di Jun's statue's eyes completely condensed into form, becoming two divine lights the size of soybeans.

The divine lights floated out of the incense hall and drifted to the dormitory on the left side of the courtyard, hovering outside Xu Yi's window.

Xu Yi had been busy all day and was already asleep.

The sleeping Xu Yi had a dream.

In his dream, he drowsily looked out the dormitory window. Through the haze, he saw a figure in armor holding a blade standing outside. Light and shadow cast in from beyond, and the enormous silhouette fell across the blinds like a warrior who could stand against ten thousand men.