A Feast of Treachery

Black Glory Ward.

Near the Guest-Welcoming Tower.

"Boss, let us go in with you."

"Yeah, if there really is danger, we can cover your retreat."

Che Zhenzhong and Ding Ying looked earnestly at Wei Sheng.

Wei Sheng shook his head. "Stay here. I'll be out soon."

Hearing this,

Che Zhenzhong and Ding Ying could only nod helplessly.

They also knew they were too weak. If he took them along, they probably wouldn't be any help and would only hold him back.

When he reached the Guest-Welcoming Tower, the restaurant was just as it had always been. The Hong Residence across the street, however, had a new owner.

It was said that after the Eldest Master of the Hong Family died, the Hong Family in the Inner City had reclaimed the residence, then bestowed it upon a steward of the family who had rendered distinguished service.

"May I ask if you're Boss Wei?"

At the restaurant entrance, a Fish-Dragon Gang member with a Two-Tailed Fish pattern tattooed on his chest spotted Wei Sheng and hurried over to greet him.

"Mm." Wei Sheng nodded slightly. "Where's Lan Fei?"

"Brother Fei has been waiting in a private room on the third floor for some time. Please follow me upstairs, Boss Wei," the gang member said hurriedly.

Wei Sheng followed him to the innermost private room on the left side of the third floor. The gang member stepped forward and knocked. After receiving permission, he opened the door, and a faint floral fragrance drifted out.

The room was spacious. Seven or eight people sat around a round rosewood table in the center, and all of them looked over.

Wei Sheng swept his gaze over them, his eyes shifting slightly.

Of the seven or eight people in the room, six were unfamiliar faces. The only one he had dealt with before was Snake Eye, seated to the right of the head seat.

But...

This was a reconciliation banquet within the Fish-Dragon Gang. Why was Snake Eye here?!

Besides Snake Eye, two Azure Dragon Hall members occupied the seats beside him. They looked at Wei Sheng with hatred in their eyes, as though he had stolen their wives.

Seated at the head of the table was a short-bearded young man in blue with a lean, formidable air. He regarded Wei Sheng calmly, his gaze arrogant and appraising.

At the sight of this man, Wei Sheng's heart tightened slightly.

It was because he sensed an aura similar to Fire Ox's from him, though much weaker.

"Ah, Boss Wei honors us with his presence! I failed to come out and welcome you. Please forgive my discourtesy."

"You invited a Tiger General like me to a banquet, yet sent only an ordinary gang member to greet me. You were indeed discourteous!" Wei Sheng said indifferently.

Lan Fei's smile froze, and a trace of annoyance flashed through his eyes.

But a moment later, he returned to normal.

"You're right, Boss Wei. I'll drink three cups as punishment later... Boss Wei, let me introduce everyone. This is Brother Snake Eye, an expert serving under Azure Dragon Hall's deputy hall master, Chu Dongjiao. The two beside him are also fourth refinement experts from Azure Dragon Hall.

"The two beside me are our brothers from Wind and Cloud Hall...

"As for this gentleman, he deserves a special introduction. He is Wind and Cloud Hall's newly advanced six refinements expert, Feng Li Dao-Brother Dao!"

Six refinements, just as I thought.

Wei Sheng remained expressionless.

He had already suspected as much when he first saw the young man in blue.

"I've never heard of a Tiger General named Feng Li Dao in Wind and Cloud Hall. Newly appointed?"

At Wei Sheng's words,

Lan Fei's smile stiffened.

Even the young man in blue at the head of the table had a flash of coldness in his eyes.

Snake Eye, however, curled his lips slightly at the sight, then caught himself and immediately restored his usual expression.

"Wind and Cloud Hall has plenty of experts. With my meager strength, how could I qualify as a Tiger General...?"

Feng Li Dao spoke with a smile, but his words were a veiled sneer at Weiyuan Hall for having only two or three cats, big and small, and letting someone at the fourth refinement become a Tiger General.

Wei Sheng ignored him and looked straight at Lan Fei. "Get to the point! Where's the silver?"

"Brother Wei, we both belong to the Fish-Dragon Gang. Why ruin our friendship over this little bit of silver?

"When Brother Changyou met with trouble, I was worried that villains would seize his territory, so I specifically sent men to watch over it...

"Now that you've taken Changyou's place and want the two streets back, we'll return them. But where does this business of two thousand taels of silver come from?"

Lan Fei wore an aggrieved expression as he spoke.

"Return them to me?"

Wei Sheng's smile was knowing. "If you were going to return them, would you need to invite this many people, and even bring in Azure Dragon Hall?"

"Brother Wei, we've watched over those two streets for quite a while. Our brothers stayed in by day and went out at night, working very hard. Shouldn't you show some appreciation...

"Besides, last time you hired someone to beat and kill so many of Azure Dragon Hall's brothers...

"How about this? Two thousand taels of silver, and we return the two streets. The matter of you hiring someone to beat and kill Azure Dragon Hall members will also be wiped clean. What do you say?!"

Lan Fei looked at Wei Sheng with a broad smile, his tone making it clear he thought he had Wei Sheng firmly in his grasp.

Before, he might have had some reservations about the mysterious expert backing Wei Sheng.

But now, with Feng Li Dao, a six refinements expert, presiding here, even if that expert appeared, he wouldn't be able to stir up so much as a ripple.

From the moment he stepped into this room, Wei Sheng had been fish on his chopping block, his to carve up at will.

Snake Eye and the other fourth refinement experts, as well as Feng Li Dao, all watched Wei Sheng with faint smiles, as though looking at prey caught in a spider's web.

"I get it. You don't intend to pay, and you want me to pay you instead. What's more, you're joining forces with experts from another gang to force a member of your own gang to hand over silver..."

Wei Sheng's expression was calm. "What if I refuse?"

"Then we follow the rules of the martial world and settle it with a fight. These four are all at the fourth refinement. Pick whichever you like. If you win, we'll do as you say!"

Lan Fei pointed at the fourth refinement gang members beside himself and Snake Eye.

"They aren't worthy!" Wei Sheng shook his head.

I'm one of the Five Tiger Generals. What are these people supposed to be, to think they're worthy of fighting me?

"Fuck! We give you face, and you throw it away!"

The fourth refinement Azure Dragon Hall member beside Snake Eye slammed the table and rose, pointing at Wei Sheng's nose as he cursed.

"If not for that fifth refinement expert behind you, would a mere fourth refinement like you even qualify to negotiate with us?"

"If you know what's good for you, hand over the money, and we'll wipe the slate clean. Otherwise, if we really fight this to the bitter end, you might come out unscathed, but as for Wei He, that's hard to sa-"

The other fourth refinement expert also stood, threatening him with a sneer.

Before he finished, Wei Sheng suddenly vanished from his sight. Only a bone-chilling voice came from behind him.

"Are you threatening me?!"

"What?"

As the fourth refinement gang member instinctively turned his head, he saw a palm come smashing down at his head.

Bang! Bang!

Two figures were instantly slapped flying like spinning tops. They smashed through several wooden chairs and crashed headfirst into the room's wall, their necks bending at grotesque angles as blood splashed across the scene!

"What?!"

Everyone present sprang to their feet in alarm, knocking over a jumble of chairs with a clatter.

But no one paid them any attention. They all stared at Wei Sheng in shock.

Lan Fei looked startled and uncertain, while Feng Li Dao's gaze sharpened slightly.

Only Snake Eye...

felt a chill in his heart!!

He hadn't seen how Wei Sheng moved at all. It was as though he had appeared behind those two in the blink of an eye.

If Wei Sheng had targeted him instead of those two, could he have dodged?

The more Snake Eye thought about it, the darker his expression became. For the first time, deep wariness appeared in his gaze as he looked at Wei Sheng.

"I don't like being threatened! This is the first time, and I hope it's the last!"

As though he hadn't seen their shocked, wary gazes, Wei Sheng picked up a towel from the table and wiped the blood from his hands, speaking unhurriedly.

"Oh, right. Where were we?!"