Facing Hong Tao's ill-intentioned speculation, Wei Zheng clenched his fists and glared coldly.
"Wei conducts himself uprightly and sits straight. I disdain keeping company with mountain bandits. How could I possibly collude with Blackwind Stronghold in secret?"
"Your Azure Flood Gang, on the other hand, is a mixed bag of fish and dragons. Quite a few among you have unknown origins."
"I think the Blood-Qi Warrior who suddenly intervened and rescued the people of Blackwind Stronghold may very well have been connected to your Azure Flood Gang."
Hong Tao's expression darkened at those words.
He said in a deep voice, "Brother Wei, you must take responsibility for saying such things."
Wei Zheng gave a scornful laugh, leaned back into his chair, and offered no reply.
Of the remaining people, whether Gu Zhao or those from the Three Great Families, they exchanged several glances and saw amusement in one another's eyes.
Qin Anming tapped the table with his fingertips. Everyone present knew the Firewood Gang's and Azure Flood Gang's backgrounds well enough.
The former haunted the forests and mountains. It was impossible for them to have no ties to mountain bandits. The aristocratic households that were usually at odds with the Firewood Gang had often been plundered by bandits.
The latter drifted through rivers and lakes, and it was common for them to occasionally smuggle wanted criminals from other regions across the border.
For one thing, it was none of their business, so no one exposed it.
For another, the two gangs might prove useful someday, so they naturally could not offend them lightly.
Qin Anming said, "Gentlemen, let us set other matters aside for now. Today, we are chiefly here to discuss how to deal with Blackwind Stronghold."
Then Qin Anming turned to Wei Zheng and said,
"Gang Leader Wei, please tell us what the Firewood Gang has discovered over these past few days."
"Since Elder Qin has spoken, I'll say a few words." As Wei Zheng spoke, he shot Hong Tao a glance.
Everyone noticed the gesture. Gu Zhao's hand paused as it stroked his beard, but he said nothing.
"From the information gathered over the past few days, the one who rescued Tan Bing and the others was Xue Ren, the former chief of Vermilion Serpent Stronghold."
"Xue Ren?" Gu Zhao's brows rose slightly. "So it was him."
"Oh?" Wei Zheng asked softly. "Hall Master Gu knows this man?"
Seeing everyone's gaze fall upon him, Gu Zhao said unhurriedly, "I have heard a thing or two about Xue Ren."
"Xue Ren came from humble origins. Later, he killed several local ruffians, seized some silver, and took to the hills."
"This man has some talent in martial arts. He is ruthless and deeply calculating—a figure of some caliber."
"Who cares what sort of man he is? The seven of us can simply charge into Azure Radiance Mountain together. Can Blackwind Stronghold really stop us?"
The Blood-Qi Warrior from the He Clan spoke abruptly, his tone full of disdain.
Immediately afterward, the Tao Clan's representative nodded in agreement. The Liu Household's warrior said nothing, but the indifference in his eyes already said everything.
The scene fell silent for a time.
Wei Zheng, Hong Tao, and Gu Zhao all instinctively looked toward Qin Anming. After all, the Three Great Families had always breathed through the same nostril; even when disputes arose, they never caused real harm.
Qin Anming smiled kindly. "Destroying Blackwind Stronghold would naturally be as easy as turning over one's hand. But we still need to determine why the people of Blackwind Stronghold have gathered at Azure Radiance Mountain."
"Let us continue listening to Gang Leader Wei."
Wei Zheng paused. A sharp gleam appeared in his eyes as he continued, "Blackwind Stronghold has a secret. Their base on Blackwind Mountain is practically empty. The overwhelming majority of their bandits have now fled to Azure Radiance Mountain."
As everyone's attention settled on him, Wei Zheng spoke slowly, recollection in his eyes.
"Blackwind Stronghold rose to prominence several years ago, and Hei Kui also advanced into the Qi-Blood Realm around that time."
"Verdant Grain County was thrown into no small turmoil back then."
The moment he said this, the scene fell silent again.
Everyone present knew about the upheaval from several years ago. Quite a few had even participated in it personally.
Gu Zhao frowned. "Is Gang Leader Wei referring to..."
He stopped there for a moment, as though greatly apprehensive, before slowly uttering three words.
"Azure Cloud Bandits!"
"Precisely!" Wei Zheng said solemnly.
At this moment, Hong Tao had no mind to continue contending with Wei Zheng. The words Azure Cloud Bandits carried too much weight for him to disregard.
"If that is so, then this matter must be considered over the long term."
Even the people from the Three Great Families fell silent for a while. Clearly, they all knew the Azure Cloud Bandits' reputation.
Then Qin Anming heavily rapped the table and said in a deep voice, "No matter how powerful the Azure Cloud Bandits may be, they are ultimately trapped in the northern lands. Their reach cannot possibly extend this far."
"Besides, we are citizens of Great Qian. Must we fear a mere bandit?"
Qin Anming knew that everyone before him was the sort who would not release a hawk until they saw a rabbit. To make them exert themselves, there had to be profit in it.
"Think about it, everyone. Why would people from the Azure Cloud Bandits travel so far to Verdant Grain County?"
The He Clan's warrior rubbed his chin and pondered. "So there is something here that the Azure Cloud Bandits want?"
"Brother He is right. In my view, we should each send people to investigate. Azure Radiance Mountain is so vast that moving together would instead make it easy to alert the snake in the grass."
"Each of us can choose a direction and return here to meet again in three days."
The Liu Household's warrior offered his opinion.
"I think that is feasible," the Tao Clan's representative echoed.
Seeing the three settle the matter in just a few sentences, Hong Tao and the others could not help looking toward Qin Anming.
"If that is the case, then it will do for everyone to investigate on their own."
Qin Anming felt somewhat helpless, but Blood-Qi Warriors all had minds of their own, so he could only nod in agreement.
A short while later, everyone dispersed.
Qin Anming did not go far. He returned to the tent in the camp and rested there.
Time flowed on, and night veiled the sky.
Taking advantage of the hazy darkness, a figure quietly slipped into Qin Anming's tent.
Qin Anming abruptly opened his eyes, a gleam flashing through them.
Seeing the visitor, he was not surprised. He smiled faintly. "I wonder what business brings Hall Master Gu here in the middle of the night?"
The visitor was none other than Gu Zhao.
Gu Zhao came to the table and sat down, accepting the tea Qin Anming handed him.
His words were warm, and his face bore a smile. He was entirely unlike the courteous figure he had been that afternoon.
"Brother Qin, this younger brother knows absolutely nothing about Azure Radiance Mountain. I need you to offer me much guidance."
Qin Anming understood at once. Gu Zhao had come to form an alliance.
He laughed heartily. "Hahaha... easy enough, easy enough."
Once the laughter subsided, Qin Anming turned serious.
"Brother Gu, how much do you know about Azure Radiance Mountain?"
A trace of confusion appeared in Gu Zhao's eyes. Were they not discussing Blackwind Stronghold? Why had they suddenly begun talking about Azure Radiance Mountain?
Still, he answered without thinking. "The soil of Azure Radiance Mountain grows good things. Which of those great aristocratic households has not secretly fenced off a few plots deep in the mountains to cultivate precious herbs?"
At this point, Gu Zhao chuckled.
"Even I have hidden away several precious ginseng plants—very few people know about that."
Qin Anming smiled. "Brother Gu is an honest man indeed."
"However," Gu Zhao abruptly changed the subject, "this land has not always been like this."
Gu Zhao continued, "According to the county records, Azure Radiance Mountain used to be an ordinary range of mountains."
"But from a certain day onward, countless rays of rosy light burst from its depths. Strands of golden radiance poured down, and through the swirling clouds and mist, it looked like a divine mountain."
"From that day on, the soil of Azure Radiance Mountain changed. Even the demon beasts and spiritual creatures grew more numerous."
"Indeed." Qin Anming lowered his eyes and nodded, one hand stroking his long beard. "The Martial Academy has records of it as well, and they are far more detailed."
"Oh?" Gu Zhao's interest was piqued. He leaned forward slightly and assumed an attentive posture.
Qin Anming did not beat around the bush. His expression became grave, and he sat even straighter.
Seeing Qin Anming's manner, Gu Zhao knew this was no simple matter. Infected by Qin Anming's solemnity, he too sat upright.
The next instant, Qin Anming said seriously,
"The phenomenon of rosy light stretching for thousands of miles and golden brilliance filling the heavens was caused by a mysterious expert."
"What?!"
Gu Zhao's pupils suddenly dilated, and his palm unconsciously pressed down upon the table. By the time he reacted and raised his hand, a distinct palm print had already been left on its surface.
He froze for a moment, then smiled wryly. "I have made a fool of myself before you, Brother Qin."
Qi-Blood Realm warriors had long since undergone transformation. The force throughout their bodies was as round and unified as one, and situations where they could not control their strength almost never occurred.
What had happened now clearly showed that Gu Zhao had been too startled to restrain his force.
Qin Anming shook his head, signaling that Gu Zhao need not mind it. "When I first heard of this, my reaction was not much different from yours, Brother Gu."
Gu Zhao grew curious and asked tentatively, "Does Brother Qin know the identity of this mysterious expert?"
Qin Anming shook his head. "The Martial Academy has no record of it. Yet judging from the phenomenon, the seniors of that time described this mysterious expert as a supreme figure, one who could not be spied upon."
"This mysterious expert merely waved a hand, and a stretch of barren land regained its vitality."
"Such a record sounds like something from a novel or storybook, yet it appeared openly in the deepest secret archives of our Martial Academy."
"There are actually people like this in the world. Such methods are simply unheard of." Gu Zhao sighed in wonder, then seemed to think of something. "Could the people from Blackwind Stronghold have gathered here to seek traces left behind by this great figure?"
"That should be the case."
Qin Anming added, "This mysterious expert ultimately headed into the depths of Azure Radiance Mountain, seemingly intending to reside here permanently."
"There were later rumors that this mysterious expert's lifespan was nearing its end, and that he left behind an inheritance deep within Azure Radiance Mountain to await one fated to receive it."
A bright light appeared in Gu Zhao's eyes, and a trace of longing rose in his heart. Yet he did not rush to speak. Only after tapping the table lightly several times with his fingers did he say slowly,
"Then Blackwind Stronghold—or rather, the people of the Azure Cloud Bandits—came for this inheritance?"
"If we obtain this mysterious expert's inheritance, we may be able to break beyond Blood Qi and glimpse the scenery of a higher realm."
"Whether this is true or false remains unknown. But Blackwind Stronghold's strength has surged greatly, and it has already become a thorn in Verdant Grain County's side. We must seize this chance to eliminate them." Qin Anming shook his head.
"Good. Since Brother Qin has such resolve, this younger brother will naturally follow your lead," Gu Zhao agreed.
The two then discussed matters in detail. Only as midnight approached did Gu Zhao take his leave.
"This younger brother will have to trouble Brother Qin greatly in the days ahead."
"Hahaha... Brother Gu is too polite."
Qin Anming glanced at Gu Zhao's departing back, then looked at the untouched tea on the table, inwardly amused.
He kept calling him brother, yet his guard was not lowered in the slightest.
At the same time, inside a cave on the outskirts of Azure Radiance Mountain.
Hong Tao casually tended the fire, roasting demon beast meat.
Footsteps approached from afar, slowly entering the cave. Then someone dropped down beside the fire.
"You're here." Hong Tao did not raise his head, and his hands never stopped moving.
"Here, take it." Wei Zheng tossed over a pale red fruit. "Picked it up on the road. Don't complain about it."
Hong Tao caught it in one hand, then swallowed it in two bites. The harmonious appearance of the two was nothing like their drawn-sword confrontation that afternoon.
Wei Zheng said casually, "Old Hong, how long are we going to keep up this act? If we keep acting for too long, I'll start believing we really are enemies."
"Keep acting. When the two of us become invincible in the Qi-Blood Realm, we will not need to act anymore."
"When will that be? I have been in the Qi-Blood Realm for almost ten years, yet I have only undergone Two Blood Exchanges."
Hong Tao sighed softly and smiled bitterly.
"Am I any different? In the end, we lack resources. If resources were plentiful, I would probably have already undergone Three Blood Exchanges and reached Qi-Blood Perfection."
"Am I any different? I have undergone Two Blood Exchanges now, but I have not dared to begin the third. Is it not because I fear lacking resources during the Blood Exchange and causing it to fail?"
Hong Tao paused briefly. "Old Wei, this is an opportunity."
Wei Zheng raised his head, his gaze landing on Hong Tao with a trace of inquiry.
"How so?"
"Mountain bandits never rise early without profit. Whether Blackwind Stronghold or the Azure Cloud Bandits, they are all the same."
"Now that they have gathered at Azure Radiance Mountain, it proves there is something here that they want."
Hong Tao tore off a large piece of the roasted demon beast meat and handed it to Wei Zheng.
The two ate as they talked.
They had known each other since their youth. They had traveled together and gone through life-and-death trials, forging a deep friendship long ago.
"Brother Hong, what do you think Blackwind Stronghold is after, moving everyone to Azure Radiance Mountain?" Wei Zheng asked through a mouthful of meat.
"You are the Firewood Gang's leader, and you are asking me?" Hong Tao shot Wei Zheng a glance and asked in return.
"Everyone in Verdant Grain County knows Gang Leader Hong is clever as a fox. I have already told you all the intelligence from my gang. Help me analyze it."
"Cunning as a fox, you mean."
Wei Zheng smiled, said nothing, and lowered his head to keep gnawing on the roasted meat.
Complaints aside, after a brief pause, Hong Tao said, "The Three Great Families have always breathed through the same nostril. They are naturally one alliance."
"The two of us are allies in secret, while openly we remain enemies."
"Qin Anming is a steadfast supporter of Great Qian and has the strongest desire to wipe out Blackwind Stronghold."
"Gu Zhao is smooth and worldly. The other two Qi-Blood Realm warriors of the Martial Hall Alliance have gone out, so he is the only one remaining in Verdant Grain County for the time being."
"I would guess Gu Zhao is in Qin Anming's tent right now."
Hong Tao's eyes were bright, and certainty permeated his words.
"Oh?" Wei Zheng stopped eating and leaned forward slightly. "Then Gu Zhao and Qin Anming count as allies?"
"Haha, Brother Wei is right." Hong Tao's smile faded as he said seriously, "But even if they are allies, that alliance will only remain on the surface."
"Why is that?"
"Gu Zhao seems gentle and approachable, but he is extremely wary. The other two Blood-Qi Warriors of the Martial Hall Alliance going out may not be unrelated to this."
Hong Tao continued, "Perhaps when we return, Gu Zhao will privately seek an alliance with us as well."
"Then Gu Zhao is a smiling tiger," Wei Zheng remarked.
"With Gu Zhao, we can agree outwardly, but inwardly we must keep a measure of vigilance," Hong Tao said.