The Old Fox

The Skywind Rain-Listening Tower's intelligence agent's mouth twitched slightly.

He had known all along that he was supposed to cooperate with Chen Yuan's act, but hearing Chen Yuan say those lines still made him feel embarrassed.

You're a gang brat who chopped someone's head off at the Carefree Pavilion just days ago because they had a foul mouth, and now you're pretending to be some righteous martial hero with me?

But his boss had given the order, so he could only grit his teeth and keep acting.

"Misfortune should not extend to one's family? What a joke!"

The leading intelligence agent said coldly, "Boy, this is a grudge between the Mystic Whale Gang and Zuo Xinglie. I advise you not to meddle in other people's business, or I'll kill you too!"

"What Mystic Whale Gang? What big fish gang? This is Linked Mountains City, the territory of my Heavenly Wolf Gang! Let's see how you plan to kill me!"

Chen Yuan turned to Zuo Xinglie and said, "Old sir, you should leave first. I'll hold them off."

Zuo Xinglie gasped for breath and immediately said, "Thank you for your aid, young hero. This old man is deeply grateful."

After saying that, Zuo Xinglie did not linger for even a moment. He picked up his granddaughter and fled at once.

Watching Zuo Xinglie's retreating back, Chen Yuan revealed an inscrutable smile before turning around and fighting the Skywind Rain-Listening Tower agents.

Since he was unsure whether Zuo Xinglie might look back, Chen Yuan truly did engage them in a fierce fight at first. However, neither side went for the kill.

The leading Skywind Rain-Listening Tower agent grew more alarmed the longer they fought.

Previously, he had not thought much of Chen Yuan.

Though he was merely an outer intelligence agent of the Skywind Rain-Listening Tower and was only fit for rough work like fighting and killing, he still belonged to a top-tier major force.

In his eyes, a martial artist like Chen Yuan, who came from a gang in some small city, was little different from a country bumpkin—someone who knew nothing beyond the bottom of a well.

Who would have thought that Chen Yuan had mastered the Heavenly Wolf Saber Art to perfection, while his internal strength was also remarkably solid?

He was in the Meridian-Unblocking Realm, and yet even with more than ten Body-Tempering Realm martial artists, they were still evenly matched against him.

Moreover, he could tell that while they were not fighting to kill, Chen Yuan had yet to reveal all his cards.

If this became a true fight to the death, it was uncertain who would live and who would die.

After fighting for a while, once they felt Zuo Xinglie had gone far enough, both sides immediately stopped.

Chen Yuan cupped his hands toward them. "Thank you. Sorry for the trouble, everyone."

The leading intelligence agent also returned the salute politely. "You are too courteous, Young Master Chen. Our boss gave the order; this is what we should do."

With that, he led his subordinates away in different directions.

Chen Yuan immediately pursued Zuo Xinglie in the direction he had left.

However, Chen Yuan suddenly halted and looked toward his rear flank, frowning slightly.

But he did not remain there. He immediately continued the pursuit.

Zuo Xinglie was truly frightened, and he ran extremely fast.

In that short time, he had already escaped Linked Mountains City and hidden temporarily in the dense woods outside the city.

It was not that he did not want to keep running, but that he truly could not run any farther. He could only sit beneath a tree with his eyes closed, gasping for breath as if his heart were about to burst.

Without internal strength, fleeing on physical endurance alone was already his limit.

"Grandpa, Grandpa, are you all right?"

His granddaughter's eyes were red as she repeatedly stroked Zuo Xinglie's chest.

"Don't cry, Nannan. Grandpa won't die."

Zuo Xinglie let out a long breath and used his right hand to brace himself against his Miao saber as he tried to stand.

That young man seemed fairly capable, but there were more than ten people on the Mystic Whale Gang's side. He would not be able to hold them off for long.

He no longer had any internal strength. He could not even conceal the traces of his escape, so they would surely follow those tracks and catch up. Hiding was useless; he still needed to flee as quickly as possible.

Just then, footsteps suddenly sounded. Zuo Xinglie swiftly held the Miao saber horizontally before him.

"Don't panic, old sir. It's me."

Chen Yuan pushed aside the branches and appeared before Zuo Xinglie.

"Young hero, have you dealt with all those people?"

Chen Yuan said proudly, "Those people called themselves the Mystic Whale Gang, but Linked Mountains City is where my Heavenly Wolf Gang calls the shots! After I made my move, members from our branch hall noticed and dealt with them.

"People from Lan Prefecture have no respect for martial world rules. They even attacked the old, weak, and young. They are utterly shameless!

"Old sir, you can return without worry now. So long as my Heavenly Wolf Gang remains, that damned Mystic Whale Gang will never dare run wild in Linked Mountains City!"

Chen Yuan was unsure whether Zuo Xinglie knew his identity, so he did not hide his Heavenly Wolf Gang background.

He merely portrayed himself as a righteous but naïve young man who had only just entered the martial world, was narrow-minded and ignorant, and did not understand what the Mystic Whale Gang represented.

Zuo Xinglie laughed bitterly inwardly.

Not to mention the mere Heavenly Wolf Gang—even if the Heavenly Wolf Gang and Blackwater Gang were combined, they would not compare to a single branch hall of the Mystic Whale Gang.

After swallowing up his Thirty-Six Waterways Alliance, the Mystic Whale Gang had completely dominated the waters of the Nine-Dragon River. Their power would surely soar.

"The Mystic Whale Gang bears a deep grudge against me. Even though I have already washed my hands of the martial world and retired, they will not let me go.

"Since they were able to find Linked Mountains City, my trail has already been exposed. If I remain here, not only will I live in constant fear, but I may also drag you into this, young hero."

Zuo Xinglie sighed. "The martial world is vast; anywhere can be home. I should find another place to live in seclusion.

"Today, young hero, you saved both this old man and my granddaughter. I am deeply grateful.

"However, I possess nothing of value now. I can only gift you the martial arts that made my name, as repayment for your kindness."

As he spoke, Zuo Xinglie took two thin booklets from his robes and stuffed them into Chen Yuan's hands.

Written on the booklets were none other than "Surging Waves, Flowing Clouds Formula" and "Autumn Water, Startling Swan Saber Art."

Just as Chen Yuan was about to decline politely, Zuo Xinglie said, "Young hero, do not refuse. The only things of any worth that this old man can offer are these two martial arts.

"This old man is crippled now. In my hands, these techniques can only rot in the ground with me.

"Therefore, I hope you can cultivate these two martial arts and pass them down, so they will not have existed in this martial world for nothing."

Chen Yuan's expression turned solemn as he cupped his hands. "Rest assured, old sir. I will never allow these two martial arts to be buried in obscurity."

Zuo Xinglie cupped his hands in thanks, then took his granddaughter's hand and hurried away as though pursuers were still on his heels.

Once Zuo Xinglie's figure had completely vanished, a strange smile appeared at the corner of Chen Yuan's lips. He spat out three words: "Old fox!"

He had been acting with Zuo Xinglie, but had Zuo Xinglie not been acting with him as well?

That old fellow was no harmless man.

Back then, the Thirty-Six Waterways Alliance on the Nine-Dragon River had essentially been a gang. They lived by collecting passage fees from merchant ships traveling through the river.

Zuo Xinglie had originally been a rough-and-tumble tyrant. Though he could not be called some demonic villain, he was certainly no good man either—a ruthless and vicious character.

Would someone like that trust others so easily and truly believe in repaying even a drop of kindness with a gushing spring?

Chen Yuan had found it strange before. In the original plot, that player had merely helped Zuo Xinglie conceal his tracks, yet received the two martial arts Zuo Xinglie had kept hidden away. Zuo Xinglie had been far too sentimental.

Today, Chen Yuan had saved Zuo Xinglie, and Zuo Xinglie had eagerly offered up the martial arts as if he feared Chen Yuan would refuse them.

That attitude finally made Chen Yuan understand what Zuo Xinglie was trying to do.

He merely wanted someone to cultivate the Surging Waves, Flowing Clouds Formula and the Autumn Water, Startling Swan Saber Art. When the Mystic Whale Gang came looking, they would mistake that person for Zuo Xinglie's successor, helping divert the Mystic Whale Gang's attention.

To put it bluntly, Zuo Xinglie had generously offered the martial arts only to find cannon fodder who could draw fire for him, allowing him to calmly search for another hiding place.

The fact that this old fox could scheme against the person who had saved his life without changing expression showed just how deep his calculations ran and how ruthless his heart was.

However, this was precisely what Chen Yuan wanted.

Originally, he had prepared several methods to coax the martial arts out of Zuo Xinglie.

It would have been best if things proceeded according to the original plot. If not, he had other plans.

Who would have thought that in the end, without any effort at all, the martial arts had been delivered right to his door?

As for the Mystic Whale Gang, Chen Yuan was not worried in the slightest.

By the time the Mystic Whale Gang came again, the forces throughout Linked Mountains City would have been thoroughly reshuffled. Who would they even find?

Chen Yuan and Zuo Xinglie had schemed against each other, and both had gotten what they wanted, each gaining what the other had to offer.

Still, Chen Yuan felt that Zuo Xinglie had gotten the better deal.

In the original plot, Zuo Xinglie had truly been found by the Mystic Whale Gang and only then fled in haste.

Now, he had escaped in advance. The Mystic Whale Gang was still on the road, giving him more time to make arrangements at his leisure.

At that moment, Chen Yuan suddenly looked behind him and said calmly, "You've watched enough, haven't you? Stop hiding."