"Brother Lü, you tested them today. If Zhou Yingjun shows no reaction tomorrow, take Manager Liu over there."
"It's almost the end of the month anyway. Next month's city defense tax, street patrol tax, head tax, water fee, as well as the Martial Dao Bureau's public security management fee and membership fee, all need collecting. It's your territory, so charge them at the highest rates."
As the son of the Fishermen's Gang leader, Qi Haifeng's strength was only on par with Lü Chenggong's, but his father was an Eighth Rank Martial Artist. Naturally, his words carried an air of pointing at the heavens and ordering the earth.
The thin middle-aged man with a goatee beside them toyed with the wine cup in his hand and nodded slightly at the words.
"No problem on my end! We're all working for Third Master anyway. Lending Second Master a hand while we're at it is perfectly reasonable."
The Second Master he spoke of was naturally Lu Zhengquan. Some taxes were beyond Fierce Tiger Martial Hall's reach, but not beyond that of the county lieutenant's Second Master.
"But let's make this clear first. I can go, but I won't make a move."
The hand gripping Lü Chenggong's wine pot trembled as though he had recalled something frightening. His stubbly cheeks bulged and deflated several times before he finally filled both men's cups.
"Young Master Qi, if that old undead bastard truly goes mad, I won't be able to stop him. Forget collecting taxes—my four hundred pounds will be left there too."
"Where's the might of your Descending Mountain Tiger?"
Qi Haifeng shook his head and tossed out the question carelessly.
But Lü Chenggong did not answer. He looked toward Liu Jin beside him.
Though the Fishermen's Gang leader Qi Rui'an had assigned this task to Fierce Tiger Martial Hall, he had not specified how it was to be done or to what extent.
For the sake of his own life, Lü Chenggong naturally intended to stall wherever possible. In any case, he had already received the benefits.
Besides, that little bit of reward was not worth risking his life for.
"I say we wait a little longer. First, chop down those lackeys and see how that old undead bastard reacts."
Liu Jin had the Lu Family's Third Master behind him, so his opinion mattered greatly.
"Lü Chenggong! Have you really turned into a sickly cat?"
Qi Haifeng flung his wine cup onto the table. The splashing fish soup spilled across the robe on the chest of this Fierce Tiger Martial Hall master.
He had also heard about what happened a few days ago. White Ape Martial Academy actually had an Eighth Rank expert, scaring the group from Fierce Tiger Martial Hall who had gone to probe them half to death.
But no one could take Young Master Qi's benefits for free!
Lü Chenggong's face immediately reddened like pig liver, yet he did not dare lose his temper on the spot.
He could only force a smile and put on a pitiful act.
"My Young Master Qi... that man is an old Eighth Rank who has suppressed several generations. So many capable fighters from gangs have fallen at his hands. You can have me test the waters by throwing stones across the river, but you can't shove me into a pit of fire."
That trip to White Ape Martial Academy had scared the three masters of Fierce Tiger Martial Hall out of their wits. Their original plan had been to strike at several of White Ape Martial Academy's upper ranks, but now they could only beat around the edges.
Qi Haifeng gave a derisive snort.
"He's just an old Eighth Rank on the verge of death. Look how badly he's frightened you."
He was still young. By the time he had entered the scene, the older generation had mostly retired.
"Either way, this is all I'm doing!"
Since matters had reached this point, Lü Chenggong no longer feared losing face. He stiffened his neck as he spoke.
Qi Haifeng was merely a Lower Ninth Rank. Lü Chenggong had attended tonight's banquet only because the other side had brought out Manager Liu.
White Ape Martial Academy might have been a fallen household driven out from the south of the city, but in the west of the city, it could at least rank among the top three.
Thinking of that, he gritted his teeth and looked at Manager Liu beside him.
"If it won't do, I'll return those two bottles of Bone-Forging Pills to you!"
As he spoke, he pretended to reach for his purse.
Liu Jin toyed with the wine cup in his hand, smiling as he watched the two converse, as though what they discussed had absolutely nothing to do with him.
Third Master had handed the job to the Fishermen's Gang. He was merely in the city on leave.
After the nighttime raid on the Qian Family and Veteran's Trade House, the Lu Family had received a warning from the Martial Dao Bureau. An expert from the Inspection Bureau had even entered the Lu Family's ancestral residence in the city to search for people.
Only a few days had passed. Who knew how many pairs of eyes were watching them?
They had a Grandmaster, and even an expert within Qingzhou Academy. Yet the person in charge of the Martial Dao Bureau in Qingzhou was likewise a Core Embrace Grandmaster.
And that person had an organization behind them.
Directly under the Cabinet, with a bureau chief at the Baleful Convergence Realm, a Grandmaster-level figure, as backing.
What was more, the Lu Family was in the wrong over this matter to begin with. If that batch of goods were discovered, things would become even more troublesome.
Therefore, the Lu Family could not make a move in the retaliation to come. At the very least, within Lin County, they could not act directly.
"Add another five bottles of Bone-Forging Pills!"
Without warning, Qi Haifeng suddenly blurted out those words.
This was the bargaining chip his family had given him to complete the task.
The cup in Liu Jin's hand suddenly trembled. Greed flashed through his eyes, but he quickly suppressed it.
"Heh... your father is truly willing to part with them..."
He sighed softly.
Five bottles of Bone-Forging Pills cost five hundred taels of silver at the Martial Dao Bureau, and that was only if one had a quota.
In the underground black market, the price would at least double.
A thousand taels of silver was already enough to buy a Ninth-Rank Martial Warrior's life.
Though he appeared to hold a high position and great authority, he was merely one of the Lu Family's dogs.
The corner of Lü Chenggong's mouth twitched, but no expression could be seen on his dark face.
After a long while, he slowly shook his head.
Clearly, for him, this bargaining chip was still not enough to offend an Eighth Rank expert.
And rightly so.
In terms of strength, they were no match for White Ape Martial Academy.
In terms of reason, White Ape Martial Academy had been keeping to itself ever since arriving.
Besides, he had already received two bottles of Bone-Forging Pills, enough to raise his cultivation a little.
Qi Haifeng gritted his teeth, and six more words popped from his mouth.
"A Grade-Eight True Art."
Clack!
Crash~
The cup slipped from Liu Jin's hand and fell to the ground, while the smile froze on his face.
A Grade-Eight True Art.
This was a great killing weapon capable of founding a second-rate power. In the entire west of the city, only three factions possessed one openly.
On the black market, it could sell for at least thirty thousand taels of silver.
Qi Rui'an himself was only an Eighth Rank Martial Artist. How could he bear to take it out?
Liu Jin had done so many black-hearted deeds for the Lu Family's Third Master. He could have diligently eaten shit for thirty years and still never received one.
He had not even had the chance to look at one.
At last, Lü Chenggong's expression changed.
It was impossible to tell whether he was happy or wanted to cry, but his bell-sized eyes had already turned red.
"You're not lying..."
He gritted his teeth and forced out those words.
"Who are you looking down on?"
Qi Haifeng took a small bell from his robes and shook it gently several times.
Though somewhat reluctant, no one in the Qi Family had managed to cultivate this Grade-Eight True Art in the more than ten years since they acquired it.
Thus, in order to atone for his crimes and earn merit, Qi Rui'an had taken it out as bait.
He refused to believe that Lü Chenggong, a crude fellow who only knew the half-baked Crouching Tiger Stance, could learn such intricate swordsmanship.
Jingle~
Jingle~
As Su Xinghe neared Fierce Tiger Martial Hall, he heard the ringing of bells from an artificial hill beside the hall.
"Not sleeping in the dead of night—are they summoning souls or driving corpses?"
Driven by curiosity, his feet involuntarily moved closer.
As he silently circulated the Listening to Tides Art, all manner of vibrations within twenty zhang immediately entered his ears.
The various waves tangled together. Amid the chaotic information, three heavy breathing sounds caught his attention.
One was at the foot of the hill, racing up the slope alongside the sound of footsteps. The other two were at the top of the hill, and there seemed to be another person nearby.
"Heh..."
"Seven bottles of Bone-Forging Pills, plus a Grade-Eight True Art."
"Young Master Qi, even this old man's heart has been stirred by such generosity."
A somewhat gloomy voice echoed in Su Xinghe's ears.
"A Grade-Eight True Art!"
His heart jolted.
He hurriedly darted into a clump of grass beneath the slope.
What luck.
He had merely taken a walk through the night, yet had stumbled into a legendary gang transaction.
As he gradually drew closer to the hilltop,
he heard things even more clearly.
Of the four, the one with the steadiest breathing spoke.
"We're all working for Third Master, so naturally we must put some thought into it."
"Young Master, the item has been delivered to you."
Very soon, a name Su Xinghe had just been muttering suddenly appeared. Even that person's familiar voice followed immediately after.
"Lü Chenggong! I'm giving you the item now. If I don't hear news about White Ape Martial Academy tomorrow..."
"Rest assured, Young Master Qi. I will definitely complete the task Third Master assigned."
"Manager Liu, sorry for the trouble tomorrow. May you ride straight to victory."
Two sets of footsteps headed down the slope, in the direction of the Azure Lotus Pool docks.
Su Xinghe roughly understood who these two groups were. One of them included his target for tonight.
Sure enough, Fierce Tiger Martial Hall harbored ill intent.
Just now, those people had been discussing how to deal with his Martial Arts School tomorrow.
But how could that be allowed?
He weighed retreating to report the news against charging over to unleash a massacre, then decided to launch a sneak attack after they had fallen asleep.
Fighting more than a hundred people alone would be a bit troublesome, but everything was for the Grade-Eight True Art.
But Su Xinghe did not know that,
while he was considering how to fight over a hundred people by himself, four masked figures in black robes were also quietly approaching Fierce Tiger Martial Hall.
Only, they were not approaching from the rear courtyard by Clear Lotus Pond, but from the main entrance of Fierce Tiger Martial Hall.
"Young Gang Master, we've confirmed it. Lü Chenggong and the others are all here tonight."
"Then what are we waiting for?"
"Move!"