Water Serpent Gang

Biodata

Organization and Territory

Known Clear Water Hall Members

Cultivation Benchmarks

Feng Feiyi explains the following martial thresholds while warning Lu Hao about Zhou Zhenbei. 19

History

The Water Serpent Gang and the Black Tiger Gang fought for territory in the southern city, with Clear Water Hall losing members and the Black Tiger Gang reporting two deaths and seven or eight injuries in one recent clash. The Black Tiger Gang’s simultaneous conflict with the Golden Saber Gang made this southern front strategically costly. 10

To stabilize the situation, the Black Tiger Gang paid the Water Serpent Gang five hundred taels of silver for a five-day truce and sent representatives to negotiate a longer settlement. 10 11

The Golden Saber Gang attempted to prevent reconciliation by ordering its embedded agent, Cai Kun, to provoke a confrontation during the talks. Cai rallied Clear Water Hall members around revenge against Qian Hao and called for the Black Tiger delegation’s deaths. 12 14 15

Liu Zimu rejected a group assault as dishonorable and instead arranged three individual matches. The event became catastrophic for Clear Water Hall: Shi Kang killed Cai Kun, Lu Hao killed Zhou Zhennan, and Lu Hao later killed Liu Zimu in an additional duel. 15 16 17 18

Following the deaths of Clear Water Hall’s two senior combat leaders, Feng Feiyi took temporary control, declared a cessation of hostilities, and finalized the truce with the Black Tiger Gang. 19

Story Role / Major Arcs

Conflict with the Black Tiger Gang

• The gang’s territorial war with the Black Tiger Gang contributes to the Black Tiger Gang’s two-front crisis against both Water Serpent and Golden Saber forces. 10 11
• Its reputation for hostility makes Qian Hao, Lu Hao, and Shi Kang believe their negotiation assignment is a likely death trap. 11 14

Clear Water Hall Negotiations

• Cai Kun attempts to turn the negotiation into a massacre, using grievances against Qian Hao and the Black Tiger Gang to mobilize hall members. 14 15
• Liu Zimu converts the confrontation into three formal duels to preserve the gang’s honor. 15
• The deaths of Cai Kun, Zhou Zhennan, and Liu Zimu overturn Clear Water Hall’s leadership and bargaining position. 16 17 18

Aftermath

• Feng Feiyi uses the leadership vacuum to become acting Hall Master and pursue peace, citing the gang’s interests at the New Stone Azure Stone River. 19
• Zhou Zhenbei’s connection to the slain Zhou Zhennan leaves the gang with a powerful elder who may seek personal revenge despite the official truce. 19 20

Relationships

• Black Tiger Gang — Long-standing territorial rival in southern Bluestone County; the two gangs formally enter a truce after the Clear Water Hall incident. 10 19
• Golden Saber Gang — Cai Kun secretly served as its embedded agent and was ordered to sabotage the Water Serpent–Black Tiger negotiations. 12 14
• Lu Hao — Killed Deputy Hall Master Zhou Zhennan and Hall Master Liu Zimu during the negotiations, then reached a truce agreement with Feng Feiyi. 17 18 19
• Shi Kang — Killed the Golden Saber spy Cai Kun in a sanctioned duel at Clear Water Hall. 16
• Zhou Zhenbei — Water Serpent Gang elder and Zhou Zhennan’s elder brother; Feng Feiyi warns that he greatly favored Zhou and may retaliate against Lu Hao. 19