In the Zhao family study, Zhao Zhentian held a brush and scribbled on a sheet of paper.
The paper listed several locations, all properties belonging to the Black Water Gang in the Outer City:
The docks on West Street, the gambling den on South Street, and several warehouses.
Just then, the door opened, and the old steward, Zhao Fu, walked in.
"Master, something terrible has happened."
"The Black Water Gang has surrounded our grain shop on West Street and our medicine shop on East Street."
"Their deputy gang leader is at the head of it. He brought more than thirty men, all armed. They've blocked the shop doors and won't let anyone in or out."
Zhao Zhentian put down his brush.
"Did they really discover our secret? What are they trying to do today?"
Zhao Fu said, "They're claiming that our Zhao family killed two of their men behind the martial arts school last night."
"They want us to hand over the culprits. Otherwise, they'll smash the Zhao family's shops today and make trouble in the Inner City, too."
Zhao Zhentian asked in confusion,
"Did any of our people go out last night?"
"No. The rain was heavy, and all the guest warriors were in the mansion. No one went out," Zhao Fu replied.
No one from the Zhao family had gone out, yet the Black Water Gang had named them specifically and demanded they hand someone over.
Zhao Zhentian recalled that Zhao Ming had gone to the Limestone Cave last night to refine that Beast-Controlling Bone Whistle.
That thing was a treasure the Zhao family had developed in cooperation with the Black-Robed Gu Master.
He suspected Zhao Ming had caused trouble outside.
"Go get that disobedient son of mine," Zhao Zhentian ordered.
Before long, Zhao Ming walked into the study.
He looked awful, with sunken eyes and a crooked collar.
The Bone Whistle had gone missing last night, and he had spent the whole night searching near the Cold Spring outside the Limestone Cave.
He had meant to keep it under wraps and wait until after the examination to come clean, but he hadn't expected to be summoned first thing in the morning.
"Greetings, Father," Zhao Ming said, head lowered.
"Did you make any progress refining the Bone Whistle in the Limestone Cave last night?" Zhao Zhentian asked directly.
Zhao Ming replied, "Everything went smoothly, Father. The Bone Whistle was difficult to handle, but I've already used the Mystic Yin Technique to suppress it. In a few more days, I'll have it fully under control."
"Is that so?"
Zhao Zhentian stepped forward. "If it went smoothly, then take it out and let me see. The examination is coming up, and this thing is very important. We can't afford any mishaps. From today on, I'll keep it myself."
Zhao Ming couldn't produce the Bone Whistle.
"Th-this... Father, the Bone Whistle is in the secret room in my study," he said, making up an excuse on the spot.
One look at Zhao Ming told Zhao Zhentian he was lying.
"Take me to the secret room," Zhao Zhentian ordered.
Zhao Ming stood still.
Zhao Zhentian understood.
He stepped forward and grabbed Zhao Ming by the shoulder.
"Father, that hurts!" Zhao Ming cried out.
Zhao Zhentian ignored him and searched his person.
He checked his sleeves, belt, and chest, but found only some banknotes and a bottle of medicine.
Then he dragged Zhao Ming toward the study.
Zhao Fu followed behind and shut the study door.
They reached the study's secret room.
The stone door opened. Inside stood only a stone table and a few meditation cushions. The table was bare.
"Where is it?" Zhao Zhentian turned and asked.
Zhao Ming knelt on the ground.
He knew he couldn't hide it anymore, but he couldn't admit he'd messed everything up himself.
"Father, something happened last night! I was refining it in the Limestone Cave, and just as I reached a critical point, a man in black suddenly burst in!"
"A man in black?" Zhao Zhentian asked.
"Yes! He was dressed all in black, his face covered, and he moved incredibly fast. He came in and used hidden weapons to shatter the stalactites, sending them crashing into the Cold Spring."
"I was nurturing the Bone Whistle at the time, and my qi and blood suddenly went into disarray. I spat blood, and the man in black took the chance to snatch the Bone Whistle and run." Zhao Ming spun his tale while stealing glances at Zhao Zhentian's expression.
"You didn't chase him?" Zhao Zhentian asked.
"I did! But he was too fast, and he knew the Limestone Cave's layout very well."
"After stealing the Bone Whistle, he jumped into the deep pool in the Cold Spring. I thought he'd died, so I stood guard by the pool for half the night, but found nothing."
"Father, I didn't mean to keep it from you. I wanted to find the Bone Whistle before telling you," Zhao Ming said.
Zhao Zhentian stood in the secret room without a word, his mind racing.
A man in black, incredibly skilled, had stolen the Bone Whistle.
Early that morning, the Black Water Gang had arrived and surrounded the Zhao family's shops, demanding the culprits.
He decided that this was what must have happened:
The Black Water Gang had suffered heavy losses in the Outer City. Their gang leader suspected someone was using demon beasts to cause trouble behind the scenes, and had traced it back to the Zhao family.
Last night, the Black Water Gang had sent a death warrior to sneak into the Limestone Cave and steal the Bone Whistle, obtaining proof that the Zhao family was causing beast calamities.
Then they'd killed two people at random and pinned it on the Zhao family, claiming their men had died behind the martial arts school...
Now that the Black Water Gang had the Bone Whistle, it was a huge problem for the Zhao family.
If they handed it over, the Zhao family would be finished.
But instead of handing it over, the Black Water Gang had surrounded the Zhao family's shops and demanded the culprits.
Zhao Zhentian suddenly saw through the Black Water Gang's scheme.
Zhao Ming, still kneeling on the ground, was completely baffled.
"Father, you mean..."
"Idiot!"
Zhao Zhentian kicked Zhao Ming to the ground. "How can you still not see it? The man in black who stole the Bone Whistle last night was a death warrior from the Black Water Gang! They've had their eyes on us for a long time!"
Zhao Ming clutched his chest, still not understanding.
The man in black was a death warrior from the Black Water Gang?
He hadn't seen any man in black last night. He'd made the whole thing up.
How could his father be even more certain than he was?
Still, since his father had given him a way out, he would go along with it.
"Exactly! You're right, Father! That man's movements had the Black Water Gang's style!" Zhao Ming quickly agreed.
Zhao Zhentian paced back and forth in the secret room.
He thought, the Black Water Gang had the Bone Whistle, but didn't dare hand it over directly. That meant they were afraid of the Zhao family, too.
They had surrounded the shops to use the Bone Whistle as leverage, forcing the Zhao family to hand over its businesses in the Outer City and surrender a share of its interests in the Inner City.
"Want the Zhao family's foundation? Dream on!"
"Master, what should we do now?" Zhao Fu asked from the side. "If we really fight the Black Water Gang, the Zhao family will suffer heavy losses."
"If the Black Water Gang wants to play, we'll play along."
Zhao Zhentian walked out of the secret room. "Zhao Ming's blood essence is on the Bone Whistle. It's evidence, and we can't leave it in the Black Water Gang's hands. As long as they have it, the Zhao family won't know a day's peace."
"Go, issue my clan leader's order. Summon all the Zhao family's guest warriors and death warriors, and get ready to act."
"If the Black Water Gang's men dare to enter any of our shops, kill them on the spot."
"Also, send people to keep a close watch on the Black Water Gang headquarters. If they try to hand the Bone Whistle to anyone, intercept them on the way at any cost. Take them dead or alive!"
"Yes!" Zhao Fu acknowledged the order and withdrew.
Zhao Zhentian looked at Zhao Ming, still kneeling on the ground.
"Get up! Stay home until the examination. You're not allowed out. If you cause another problem, I'll cripple you myself!"
Zhao Ming left the secret room, relieved. He'd managed to get away with it after all.
The Zhao family estate soon sprang into action.
Guest warriors who were rarely seen came out of hiding, and death warriors in tight black clothes emerged from the shadows and gathered.
The atmosphere in Zhao Mansion grew tense at once.
In the shadow of a pagoda tree outside the Zhao family estate, Li Pingsheng leaned against the trunk.
He stayed hidden in the tree's shadow.
His eyes were closed, but his ears twitched.
After hearing Zhao Zhentian's theory that the Black Water Gang had stolen the Bone Whistle and was now playing the victim, Li Pingsheng smiled.
That suspicious old man had gotten himself tangled up in his own imaginings this time.
Still, he couldn't really be blamed.
Li Pingsheng had left behind a pretty thorough trail of clues:
The Bone Whistle stained with Zhao Ming's blood essence, the marks left by the Corpse Dissolving Powder, and the Black Water Gang's death warriors lying dead at the scene.
Zhao Zhentian believed there was only one possible explanation: the Black Water Gang had sent someone to steal the Bone Whistle, then played the victim to threaten the Zhao family.
Now Zhao Zhentian and the Black Water Gang leader were headed for a showdown.
Things were getting interesting.
Neither the Zhao family nor the Black Water Gang was any good.
The Black Water Gang ran rampant in the Outer City, and Master Qin and Master Scar had nearly hurt his family;
The Zhao family was colluding with evil cultivators to cause beast calamities in order to swallow up businesses, with no regard for the lives of the Outer City's residents.
He was all for those two powers fighting each other. Better yet, he hoped they'd both go down.
Li Pingsheng still wasn't strong enough. Even with his Three Great Talents, he'd be at a disadvantage if he took on the entire Zhao family and Black Water Gang head-on.
He needed time and resources to keep growing stronger.
A fight between the Zhao family and the Black Water Gang would buy him time and draw everyone's attention elsewhere.
The harder they fought, the better.
The examination was only a few days away. He had to keep pretending that his qi and blood were damaged and that he had no future.
Only then could he take everything into his own hands amid the chaos to come.
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