Zhu Hu

"Hall Master, Senior Jiang is a true master. You... you mustn't slight him so casually."

At those words, Jiang Yuan barely reacted, but Liu Mang jumped in fright.

He had long since recommended Jiang Yuan to Zhu Hu, stating plainly that the man might be a reclusive martial arts master and had been brought in to serve as a guest elder.

Saying something like that upon meeting him—wouldn't that offend him?

"Slighting him?"

Zhu Hu shot him a sidelong glare, his cheeks twitching. The words that reached his lips were swallowed back down.

With his discernment, he could naturally tell that although Jiang Yuan carried himself with extraordinary bearing, his strength was lacking. At most, he had only just entered the Meridian Opening Realm.

Such cultivation might not be everywhere in the Black Market, but it hardly qualified one as some senior master.

And at his age, his future prospects were limited. Wasn't he just utterly ordinary?

And he had supposedly been disrespectful? Disrespectful, my ass!

If not for Liu Mang's sake, he could not even be bothered to acknowledge Jiang Yuan.

Still, though Zhu Hu grumbled inwardly, he did not put it quite so harshly. He merely said coolly, "The Black Market has the Black Market's rules. Must I treat everyone who walks in as an honored guest?"

"Still, Old Brother Jiang seems capable enough. Go serve as a steward at one of the halls."

"A steward?"

Liu Mang froze. A steward ranked even below a deacon, responsible only for miscellaneous affairs in part of a district. Any inner disciple with a little martial arts experience could take the post, and it held no great status in the Black Market.

A master like Old Brother Jiang was being made nothing more than a steward who handled odds and ends?

"Hall Master..."

Liu Mang's expression tightened as he was about to speak, but Jiang Yuan stopped him.

"This old man thanks the Hall Master."

Jiang Yuan smiled faintly, unconcerned. In fact, it was exactly what he wanted.

How could he not know that, given his age and cultivation, he naturally would not catch the eye of the White Tiger Hall Master? It was only normal to be looked down upon.

This was just as well.

He did not want to pretend to be some master in the first place. Playing the pig to eat the tiger, starting from the bottom and climbing step by step—that was the solid way forward.

"Mm."

Zhu Hu gave a slight nod, his gaze saying, At least you know what's good for you.

Before long, the two of them left the Zhu residence.

"Ah, Old Brother Jiang, this brother has botched things up. I've truly wronged you."

Liu Mang looked deeply apologetic.

Jiang Yuan patted Liu Mang on the shoulder. "It's nothing. If this old man cared about such empty reputation, I would not have hidden myself from the martial world for so many years."

Liu Mang was instantly filled with reverence and raised a thumb. "Old Brother, your breadth of heart truly surpasses us ordinary men."

"Hahaha..."

Jiang Yuan stroked his beard and laughed. Flattery like this was still rather pleasing to hear.

But it was not because he was broad-minded. He truly did not have the strength.

Liu Mang glanced around, then lowered his voice. "Old Brother, to be honest, I'm worried the Hall Master has given you too low a position, and that it will delay your participation in the big business to come."

"Big business?"

Jiang Yuan's eyes flashed, and his interest was immediately piqued.

"Indeed."

With a mysterious look, Liu Mang said, "Old Brother, you may not know this, but this business is personally overseen by the Branch Master. Those above place enormous importance on it and began preparing long ago. They have even been making ready to recruit countless martial arts experts for it."

"To speak frankly, one reason I recruited you into the Black Market was also because of the task from above."

"Is that so?"

Jiang Yuan's heart gave a jolt. If the Black Market's Branch Master placed such importance on it, then it truly had to be major business.

What exactly could it be?

"Brother Liu, can you reveal a little more?" Jiang Yuan asked curiously.

Liu Mang grinned and gave a mysterious smile. "To be honest, Old Brother, I don't know much about it either, but it's definitely so lucrative the oil will drip from it."

"They say that after doing this job once, you can go ashore. When the time comes, I'll have to rely on Old Brother to pull your little brother along!"

"Going ashore" was underworld slang in their trade.

Put plainly, it meant washing one's hands in a golden basin—going clean.

The more Jiang Yuan heard, the more alarmed he became. This matter was likely far bigger than the business he had imagined.

What kind of business could let someone go ashore after just one job?

The more he thought about it, the more terrifying it became!

Then he recalled the Blood-Clad Cult, the City Lord's Manor, and the Azure Profound Sect from some time ago...

So many forces were tangled together in a tiny Jiangning City. Calling it a storm of rising winds and surging clouds would not be an exaggeration.

For all he knew, this was a massive whirlpool.

"With so many experts in the Black Market, I fear it won't be this old man's turn, will it?" Jiang Yuan forced himself to remain calm.

"Ah, Old Brother is too modest."

Liu Mang laughed freely. "With that invulnerability to blades and spears alone, you are the only possible choice!"

Why did this sound more and more wrong?

Jiang Yuan's heart pounded like a drum. He felt as though he had boarded a pirate ship and was now riding a tiger with no way to dismount.

Liu Mang might be calling him Old Brother this and Old Brother that now.

But if he said he did not want to take part in this big business, Liu Mang would likely turn hostile at once.

"Hehe, this old man will do his best." Jiang Yuan chuckled.

He could only laugh.

For now, the urgent matter was to raise his strength as quickly as possible. He would take one step at a time.

Before long, Liu Mang brought Jiang Yuan to the Accounts Hall to register as a steward. When the young disciple heard that Jiang Yuan was seventy years old, his jaw nearly hit the floor.

At that age, he was old enough to be the disciple's grandfather, yet he was still out roaming the martial world?

"Master Jiang, everything has been registered. This is your identity token. Every month, disciples will deliver your stipend to your residence, but..."

The disciple hesitated, unsure how to continue.

"But what?"

Liu Mang frowned. "Let me warn you, Master Jiang is no ordinary steward. He is my elder brother, so you had better serve him well!"

The disciple jumped in fright.

White Tiger Hall was a main hall. Its deacons were basically equivalent to the chief and deputy hall masters of other minor halls. They did not dare slight Liu Mang in the least.

Since Jiang Yuan was Liu Mang's elder brother, he was not someone they could afford to provoke either.

"Master Liu... Master Liu."

The disciple trembled as he spoke. "All the small courtyards for stewards have already been assigned. Only a few residences remain, and those are reserved for newly appointed deacons from the various halls."

"Bring them over and let me see."

Liu Mang frowned slightly and took the register. One look at it, and he immediately cursed, "Bullshit! Isn't there still one vacant residence here?"

The disciple wiped the saliva off his forehead and said helplessly, "Master Liu... this residence was reserved long ago by Master Zhang. He said he was saving it for his newly arrived nephew."

"Master Zhang? Zhang Bo?"

Liu Mang's eyes widened as his anger flared on the spot. "Is that useless nephew of his worthy of living in a deacon's residence? Clear it out and let my Old Brother live there!"

"Ah, this..." The disciple looked miserable.

Zhang Bo was also a deacon of White Tiger Hall and had always been deeply at odds with Liu Mang.

He could not afford to offend either of them.

Seeing that things were going badly, Jiang Yuan smiled and said, "Brother Liu, there is no need for trouble. Just find me any side room."

"Hey, how can we let Old Brother suffer such a grievance here?"

Liu Mang looked thoroughly righteous. "Rest assured, Old Brother. Your little brother will bear everything. That madman Zhang would not dare trouble you!"

Seeing Liu Mang insist so firmly, the Accounts Hall disciple could only write Jiang Yuan's name after that residence.

As for Zhang Bo's nephew, they could settle it among themselves later.

With the registration complete, Jiang Yuan had officially joined the Black Market from this day onward. He could assume his post tomorrow.

But before that, Jiang Yuan decided to first complete his cultivation of Palm Thunder, so he would have another trump card in hand.

As it happened, tonight seemed likely to be a stormy night...