An Irresistible Bait

"Brother Lü, you tested them today. If Zhou Yingjun still doesn't react tomorrow, take Steward Liu over there."

"It's nearly the end of the month anyway. Next month's county government's city defense tax, street patrol tax, head tax, clean 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 calculate everything at the highest rate."

As the Fishermen's Gang leader's son, Qi Haifeng's strength was only on par with Lü Chenggong's, but his father was Grade Eight. His words naturally carried an overbearing air.

The lean, goateed middle-aged man beside them idly toyed with his wine cup and nodded faintly at this.

"No problem on my end! We're all working for Third Master anyway. Lending Second Master a hand along the way is only right."

The Second Master he meant was naturally Lu Zhengquan. Some taxes were not within Fierce Tiger Martial Hall's reach, but Second Master, as the county lieutenant, could collect them.

"But let's make this clear beforehand. I can go, but I won't make a move."

The hand holding Lü Chenggong's wine jug trembled. It was as though he had recalled something terrifying. His stubbled cheeks puffed up and deflated several times before he finally filled both their cups.

"Young Master Qi, if that old bastard truly goes mad, I won't be able to stop him. Forget collecting taxes—my two hundred pounds of flesh 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.

Yet Lü Chenggong did not respond. He looked toward Liu Jin at the side.

Although this assignment had been handed to Fierce Tiger Martial Hall by Qi Rui'an, the Fishermen's Gang leader, he had not specified how it was to be done or how far they were to go.

For the sake of his own life, Lü Chenggong naturally intended to delay things as long as he could. The benefits were already in his hands, after all.

Besides, that little bit of profit was not worth risking his life for.

"I think we should wait a little longer. Cut down those lackeys first and see how that old bastard reacts."

Liu Jin had the Lu Family's Third Master behind him, so his opinion mattered greatly.

"Lü Chenggong! Have you truly turned into a sickly cat?"

Qi Haifeng flung his wine cup onto the table. The splashed fish soup stained the robe over the chest of Fierce Tiger Martial Hall's master.

He had heard about what happened several days ago as well. White Ape Martial Academy actually had a Grade-Eight expert, and the Fierce Tiger Martial Hall group sent to test them had been scared half to death.

But no one could take Young Master Qi's benefits for free!

Lü Chenggong's face instantly turned the color of pig liver, yet he did not dare flare up on the spot.

He could only force a smile and play the pitiful victim.

"My Young Master Qi... that man is an old Grade Eight who once crushed several generations beneath him. Countless gang experts have fallen to his hands. You can have me throw a stone across the river to test the depth, but you can't push me into a fire pit."

That last trip to White Ape Martial Academy had frightened Fierce Tiger Martial Hall's three masters out of their wits. Their original plan had been to target several of White Ape Martial Academy's higher-ups, but now they could only beat around the bush.

Qi Haifeng gave a derisive snort.

"He's only an old Grade Eight on the verge of death. Look how badly he's frightened you."

He was still young. By the time he entered the martial world, the older generation had mostly retired already.

"Anyway, this is all I'm doing!"

Since matters had reached this point, Lü Chenggong no longer feared losing face. He craned his neck and spoke.

Qi Haifeng was merely Lower Ninth Rank. Lü Chenggong had only attended tonight's banquet because the other party had brought out Steward Liu.

White Ape Martial Academy had been driven from the south of the city like ruined refugees, but in the west of the city, it could at least rank among the top three.

Thinking this, he gritted his teeth and looked at Steward Liu beside him.

"If it won't do, I'll just 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 and watched the two with a smiling expression, as if the matter being discussed had absolutely nothing to do with him.

Third Master had assigned the work to the Fishermen's Gang. He had merely come to the city on leave.

After the nighttime attack on the Qian Family and Veteran's Trade House, the Lu Family had received a warning from the Martial Dao Bureau. An Inspection Bureau expert had even entered the Lu Family's ancestral residence in the city to search for people.

Only a few days had passed, and countless eyes were watching them.

They had Grandmasters, and experts within Qingzhou Academy. But the person in charge of the Martial Dao Bureau in Qingzhou was likewise a Core Embrace Grandmaster.

And they were organized.

They answered directly to the Cabinet, with a bureau chief at the Baleful Convergence Realm Grandmaster level backing them.

What was more, the Lu Family had been in the wrong to begin with. If that batch of goods were discovered, the consequences would be even worse.

Therefore, the Lu Family could not make a move in the coming retaliation. At least within Lin County, they could not act directly.

"Add another five bottles of Bone-Forging Pills!"

Out of nowhere, Qi Haifeng suddenly blurted out the words.

These were the bargaining chips his family had given him to complete the task.

The cup in Liu Jin's hand suddenly trembled. Greed flashed in his eyes, only to be quickly suppressed.

"Hehe... Your father really is willing to part with them..."

He gave a soft sigh.

Five bottles of Bone-Forging Pills would cost five hundred taels of silver at the Martial Dao Bureau, and that was only if one had a quota.

At the underground black market, the price would at least double.

A thousand taels of silver were already enough to buy the life of a Ninth-Rank Martial Warrior.

Though he appeared powerful and influential on the surface, he was merely one of the Lu Family's dogs.

The corner of Lü Chenggong's mouth twitched, though nothing could be read from his dark face.

Only after a long while did he slowly shake his head.

Clearly, to him, this bait was still not enough to offend a Grade Eight.

In truth, that made sense.

In terms of strength, they were no match for White Ape Martial Academy.

In terms of reason, White Ape Martial Academy had remained peaceful and law-abiding ever since arriving.

Besides, he had already taken two bottles of Bone-Forging Pills, enough to raise his cultivation a little.

Qi Haifeng gritted his teeth and spat out another six words.

"A Grade-Eight True Art."

"Clatter!"

"Crash~"

Liu Jin's cup slipped from his hand and fell to the ground, while the smile on his face froze.

A Grade-Eight True Art.

This was a great weapon capable of founding a second-rate power. In all of western Lin County, only three such arts existed openly.

At the black market, it could sell for at least thirty thousand taels of silver.

Qi Rui'an himself was only a Grade-Eight Martial Artist. How could he bear to offer it?

Liu Jin had done so many black-hearted deeds for the Lu Family's Third Master, diligently eating shit for thirty years, yet he had 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 reddened.

"You're not lying..."

He clenched his teeth and struggled to force out those words.

"Who do you think I am?"

Qi Haifeng pulled a small bell from his robes and gently shook it several times.

Though he was somewhat reluctant, no one in the Qi Family had managed to master this Grade-Eight True Art in the more than ten years since they obtained it.

Therefore, in order to redeem himself through meritorious service, Qi Rui'an had taken it out as bait.

He refused to believe that Lü Chenggong, a crude brute who only knew the half-baked Crouching Tiger Stance, could learn such exquisite swordsmanship.

"Jingle~"

"Jingle~"

Just as Su Xinghe neared Fierce Tiger Martial Hall, he heard a burst of bell chimes coming from the artificial hill beside the Martial Arts School.

"Not sleeping in the dead of night—are they summoning souls or driving corpses?"

Driven by curiosity, his footsteps unconsciously crept closer.

At the same time, he silently circulated the Listening to Tides Art. All sorts of vibration waves within twenty zhang instantly entered his ears.

The various fluctuations tangled into a mess. Amid the chaotic information, three heavy breathing sounds caught his attention.

One was at the foot of the hill, racing up the slope along with the sound of footsteps. The other two were at the top of the slope, and there seemed to be another person nearby.

"Hehe..."

"Seven bottles of Bone-Forging Pills, plus a Grade-Eight True Art."

"Young Master Qi, even this old man's heart has been moved by such generosity."

A somewhat gloomy voice echoed in Su Xinghe's ears.

"A Grade-Eight True Art!"

His heart jolted.

He hurriedly flashed into a clump of grass beneath the slope.

What kind of luck was this?

He had merely taken a walk at night, yet he had stumbled upon a legendary gang transaction.

As he slowly approached the hilltop,

he heard things even more clearly.

Among the four, the one with the steadiest breathing spoke.

"We're all working for Third Master, so naturally we must put our hearts into it."

"Young Master, the items have 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 items now. If I don't hear news from 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 return victorious as soon as you set out."

Two sets of footsteps headed down the slope, toward the Azure Lotus Pool docks.

Su Xinghe roughly understood who these two groups were. One of them was his target tonight.

Sure enough, Fierce Tiger Martial Hall harbored ill intentions.

Just now, those people had been discussing how to deal with their own Martial Arts School tomorrow.

But how could he allow that?

He weighed retreating to report the news against charging over to slaughter them all for a moment, then decided to launch a sneak attack after they had fallen asleep.

Taking on more than a hundred people alone would be a little troublesome, but everything was for the Grade-Eight True Art.

But Su Xinghe did not know that.

while he was considering how to fight more than a hundred people by himself, four masked figures in black robes were also quietly approaching Fierce Tiger Martial Hall.

They were not approaching from the rear courtyard near Azure Lotus Pool, however, but from Fierce Tiger Martial Hall's main entrance.

"Young Gang Master, it's been confirmed. Lü Chenggong's group is all here tonight."

"Then what are we waiting for?"

"Move!"