"Who's there?!"
Seeing three darts flying toward him, Chen Ming darted backward, dodging the projectiles hurled from the shadows, then shouted in fury!
A blurred figure in black swept across the rooftops. Chen Ming used Shrouding Smoke Steps to give chase, but as the sky gradually darkened, the figure vanished just as he reached the area outside Jiayuan City's eastern gate!
Standing outside the city, Chen Ming watched the figure disappear. After a moment's thought, he turned to head back, only to hear something slicing through the air behind him. He immediately leaped forward and twisted around in midair, barely making out a black-clad figure standing beside a distant tree!
"Provocation comes at a price!"
Chen Ming channeled spiritual power into his legs and reached the figure in an instant. His blade rose and fell, blood splashed, and a head rolled to the ground. Even the tree beside the figure was cleaved through. He then crouched and pulled the cloth mask off the severed head.
He lit a fire striker and examined the face, searching his memories, but found nothing about this person. After some thought, he could only shake his head helplessly before heading back!
Night fell, and lights gradually came on throughout Jiayuan City. There was no nighttime curfew in this coastal city, and ships still docked at its wharves even deep into the night.
Jiayuan City had quite a few night markets, and it was often livelier at night than during the day!
When Chen Ming returned to the Mo Mansion, large red lanterns hung high outside the entrance. Upon entering the main hall, he saw Li, Liu, Yan, Wang, the eldest daughter Mo Yuzhu, the adopted daughter Mo Fengwu, the youngest daughter Mo Caihuan, and Zhang Tie waiting at the dining table!
"Husband! Husband! Husband! You're back!"
"Dad! Dad! Dad! You're back!"
At the sight of Chen Ming returning, they called out and were about to run over to him!
"Go ahead and eat. I'll take a bath first!"
As they began coming forward to welcome him, Chen Ming waved them back. Covered in blood and grime, he hastily spoke, then turned and left.
The second wife, Li, was named Yun Yi. Educated and well-mannered, she was a concubine-born daughter of the second branch of the Li family, one of Jiayuan City's four great families. The body's original owner had married her shortly after establishing his gang in the city and making a modest name for himself!
The third wife, Liu, was named Zi Yan. Fierce-tempered and ambitious, she had an elder brother, Liu Feng, who was the sect master of the Long Wind Sect in Qu Ling City. Back then, to gain a foothold in Qu Ling City, the original owner had struck a partnership with him. Marrying his younger sister was one of the conditions, helped along by the fact that the original owner was handsome.
The fourth wife, Yan, was named Dongmei. She was the original owner's younger cousin, and the two had grown up together as childhood sweethearts. Meticulous and thoughtful, she had been entrusted with managing most of the gang's affairs!
The fifth wife, Wang, was named Xiaocui. She had originally been the maidservant of the first wife, Jin. Jin had fought alongside the original owner to build his fortunes, but during a gang battle, she had fallen into a trap. While covering his retreat, she had suffered several blade wounds and died from excessive blood loss.
Only after Jin's death had he married Wang Xiaocui. Wang Xiaocui also controlled the secret force Jin had left behind!
The eldest daughter, Mo Yuzhu, was Jin's child. Sixteen this year, she had already blossomed into a graceful young woman. She resembled the original owner and was very beautiful!
The adopted daughter, Mo Fengwu, was the daughter of a trusted subordinate. After that subordinate and his wife had died in battle, the original owner had adopted her. She was only a year younger than Yuzhu!
The youngest daughter, Mo Caihuan, was Yan Dongmei's child and was only twelve this year!
"Why isn't he here yet?!"
Deep in the dense woods of the eastern outskirts, a group of people lay in ambush among the bushes. After waiting a long time without anyone arriving, they could not help voicing their doubts!
Those lying in ambush were members of the Vajra Sect, which sought to replace the Amazing Flood Dragon Society. Upon learning that Mo Juren's cultivation had actually fallen to the second innate stage, they had begun scheming. But after hearing that Mo Juren could kill Cao Yang, who was at the fourth innate stage, despite the gap in their cultivation, they had set this ambush and sent someone skilled in lightness techniques to lure him here!
The Vajra Sect's master was only at the sixth innate layer. Had he known that Chen Ming had killed both Li Biao of the Brothers Alliance, a martial grandmaster at the first heaven, and Geng Fang, who was at the eighth innate layer, he would never have done something so foolish!
"Now that I'm back, I've made a decision. We're moving the Amazing Flood Dragon Society's headquarters to our branch in Qu Ling City."
As everyone sat around the table eating, Chen Ming suddenly set down his chopsticks and spoke.
Qu Ling City was an inland city more than three hundred li away. He wanted to move because Jiayuan City was relatively chaotic, and immortal cultivators occasionally appeared here.
Since Chen Ming had already become an immortal cultivator, he would have to leave sooner or later. He could not remain in the mortal world for long. There were no cultivation resources here, and he also had a system!
For the safety of his wives and daughters, he had no choice but to leave. As for destroying the Brothers Alliance, they had simply been courting death. It had also served to kill the chicken to warn the monkeys; they had merely been unlucky enough to walk straight into his line of fire!
"Zhang Tie, would you be willing to become my adopted son? The Amazing Flood Dragon Society will be yours in the future. Are you willing?"
Chen Ming looked at Zhang Tie, abruptly changed the subject, and asked solemnly!
"This disciple is willing!"
The unexpected words stunned Zhang Tie. Only after a long while did he come to his senses and answer!
"Good! Fourth wife, spread the word tomorrow. In three days, we'll formally hold the adoption ceremony. Invite all the major and minor powers in Jiayuan City!"
Chen Ming continued with his instructions.
After dinner, servants led Zhang Tie to a guest room to rest. The others remained, looking at Chen Ming as though they wanted to speak but hesitated!
"I know you have a lot of questions right now. I'm doing all this with the future in mind. There are some things you shouldn't know yet. When the time is right, I'll tell you!"
Looking at his wives and daughters, Chen Ming naturally knew they could not make sense of it all just yet. He waved a hand as he spoke!
The next day.
News of the Brothers Alliance's destruction spread throughout Jiayuan City. Even more explosive was the fact that quite a few people had witnessed it: the man who had destroyed the Brothers Alliance was none other than Mo Juren, the newly returned head of the Amazing Flood Dragon Society!
As the news reached powers large and small, it stirred towering waves. Upon hearing it, the Vajra Sect's master was so terrified that he fell gravely ill. Everyone who had lain in ambush in the woods the previous night trembled uncontrollably, chilled by the mere thought of what might have happened.
"My lord, should we do anything about the destruction of the Brothers Alliance?"
Inside Jiayuan City's city lord's residence, a scholar looked at City Lord Tuo Hai, seated behind his desk, and asked quietly!
"Is the gold and silver still there?"
City Lord Tuo Hai merely asked in an indifferent tone!
"Three million taels, not a single coin missing. I've already had it brought back to the city lord's residence!"
The scholar answered upon hearing his question!
"Mm! Then that's fine. As long as the money wasn't lost!"
Tuo Hai's brow relaxed as he spoke!
Around noon, the various powers received invitations from the Mo Mansion, one after another. News that Mo Juren was taking an adopted son also spread throughout the city.
Meanwhile, the Seven Mysteries Sect was facing a crisis of its own. This happened to be precisely when the Wild Wolf Gang came knocking!
It was also Han Li's most glorious moment in the Seven Mysteries Sect: he was about to face Venerable Golden Light!
Duan Tianfeng, the sect master of the Heavenly Tyrant Sect, looked at the intelligence his subordinates had delivered, and his expression turned extremely ugly. His own cultivation was not much higher than Li Biao's.
The Heavenly Tyrant Sect had always been suppressing the Amazing Flood Dragon Society, especially during Mo Juren's absence. Now, Mo Juren had returned in overwhelming strength.
"Elder Yu, we've found the person you're looking for!"
In a village in the Green Nether Mountains, a young man galloped up to a wooden house, dismounted, and entered. Looking at a white-haired old man, he spoke!