Silence.
An eerie silence!
The Four Hall Masters wore strange expressions.
Hu Rong abruptly raised his head, a flash of astonishment crossing his eyes.
Dapeng's pupils contracted slightly, but returned to normal in an instant.
Master Qin's mouth fell slightly open, his face full of regret.
Black Tiger's eyes widened, wondering whether he had misheard.
Wei Sheng had severely wounded Feng Li Dao with a single saber strike?!
Feng Li Dao was at six refinements. How had Wei Sheng done it?
Wait...
Could he have already brought the Tiger-Howling Saber Technique to minor accomplishment?
The more Black Tiger thought about it, the more likely it seemed.
He had brought the Tiger-Howling Saber Technique to minor accomplishment in less than a month...
A genius!
I've struck treasure!
The corner of Black Tiger's mouth unconsciously curled up. Catching himself, he gave a light cough and thought through the saddest experiences of his life before saying with a grief-stricken expression:
"Hall Master Qin, Lan Fei colluded with a member of another gang to frame a core member of our own. What punishment does he deserve?!"
"Under gang rules... he should receive the Three Knives and Six Holes Punishment!" Master Qin understood his intent and declared loudly.
"Hmph, dying now let him off easy!"
Black Tiger snorted and turned to stare at Dapeng. "Dapeng, although Lan Fei is dead, his collusion with another gang to harm a fellow member was an atrocious offense. You owe me, and everyone in this gang, an accounting!"
With that, Black Tiger swept his sleeve and left without waiting for Dapeng to answer.
He feared that if he stayed any longer, he would no longer be able to hold it in!
The moment he stepped out of the Wind and Cloud Restaurant, Black Tiger burst into laughter.
"Keep it down. Dapeng can hear you," Master Qin reminded him with a faint smile as he followed close behind.
"I want him to hear! He's always thrown his weight around with our three halls because the Wind and Cloud Hall is powerful. He wouldn't even loosen his jaws on a juicy piece of meat like the Southern District. Anyone who didn't know better would think he was the Gang Leader.
"I didn't get the Southern District rotation today, but seeing him eat dirt was more satisfying than getting the Southern District management authority. Hahaha..."
"Black Tiger, can we discuss something?"
"Not up for discussion."
"...I haven't even said it yet."
"Wei Sheng belongs to my Weiyuan Hall. He's a genius qualified to succeed me as hall master one day, so don't even think about it."
"Ah, if I'd known, I should have snatched him straight into the Loyalty and Filial Piety Hall when he defeated Huang Man'er!"
"Hahaha, too late!"
Black Tiger laughed, then instructed the gang members waiting outside:
"Go, invite Wei Sheng to the Weiyuan Hall. I want to see him."
Crash!
Once Black Tiger left, Dapeng could no longer keep his emotions in check. He flipped the enormous round table, sending bowls and plates shattering across the floor and scattering food all over the room.
"Dapeng, calm down!" Hu Rong, hall master of the Chivalry Hall, urged from beside him.
Dapeng's face was dark.
He did not care that Lan Fei had been killed or Feng Li Dao severely wounded...
What he cared about was that Black Tiger had used this to challenge him, slapping both him and the entire Wind and Cloud Hall in the face and stripping him of all dignity.
That was what he found most intolerable!!
"Where is Feng Li Dao?" Dapeng asked coldly.
"He... he was severely wounded and has already been taken back to the Medical Hall for treatment."
The gang member trembled as he spoke.
"A man at six refinements couldn't even beat someone at the fourth refinement. Why doesn't he just die?!
"Go!
"Bring him here. Bring him here!!"
At that moment, Dapeng was like a frenzied beast, danger radiating from his entire body.
After the gang member left, Dapeng calmed down, his gaze cold and dark. "Wei Sheng..."
"A Sheng."
Wei Sheng had not waited long in the Weiyuan Hall's inner courtyard before a hearty laugh came from outside the gate.
Then Black Tiger walked in, his face wreathed in smiles.
"Tiger Lord."
Wei Sheng and Fire Ox hurriedly rose to greet him.
"You're in a good mood today, Tiger Lord?"
Fire Ox was somewhat surprised. He knew that every time Tiger Lord returned from the Wind and Cloud Restaurant, he was in a foul temper.
Seeing him all smiles this time was rare indeed.
"You've reached the fifth refinement?" Black Tiger asked Wei Sheng.
"Yes."
"And minor accomplishment in the Tiger-Howling Saber Technique?"
"Yes."
"Show me!"
It was not that Black Tiger doubted him; he simply wanted to see it with his own eyes.
Without another word, Wei Sheng drew his saber and slashed at Fire Ox.
Fire Ox had anticipated this and likewise drew his saber to meet him.
At the same instant, both unleashed the first form of the Tiger-Howling Saber Technique: Hungry Tiger Pounces on Its Prey!
Clang!
Their sabers clashed, sparks flying everywhere. Like two fierce tigers tearing at each other, their tiger roars deafening and their force astounding, both men were driven back two steps.
"It really is minor accomplishment!"
Black Tiger's smile deepened. "A Sheng, you truly are a genius!"
"He certainly is!"
Fire Ox nodded in wholehearted agreement.
When he first heard the news outside the Guest-Welcoming Tower, he had wondered whether he had misheard. Only after confirming it repeatedly had he barely managed to accept it.
He could not help it. It was too terrifying!
He had spent years practicing tirelessly every day before bringing the Tiger-Howling Saber Technique to minor accomplishment.
As for Wei Sheng, less than a month had passed between receiving the saber technique and reaching minor accomplishment...
Even more terrifyingly, while training with the saber, he had also broken through to the fifth refinement.
He was simply a monster!
At this rate, it probably would not be long before Wei Sheng caught up to him, reaching six refinements or even surpassing it.
At that thought, Fire Ox felt both proud of Wei Sheng and somewhat anxious.
My former junior is almost at six refinements. Surely I can't still be at six refinements myself?
I have to hurry up and break through to seven refinements!
"I'll negotiate with the Azure Dragon Hall. You don't need to worry about retaliation...
"Neither the hall master of Azure Dragon Hall nor its deputy hall master, Chu Dongjiao, will come looking for trouble with you. Of course, they don't have time to trouble you right now anyway!"
Black Tiger smiled faintly.
"??"
Wei Sheng did not understand what he meant.
"I didn't tell you before because your cultivation was too low. There was no point. But now that you've killed Snake Eye and have the combat strength of six refinements, you're bound to have dealings with the Azure Dragon Hall. I'll tell you now so you don't suffer for it..."
After a pause, Black Tiger asked, "How much do you know about the Firewood-Fisher Gang?"
"Not much. I've only heard the Firewood-Fisher Gang was formed from three gangs: the Firewood Gang, the Fisher Gang, and the Kiln Gang."
Wei Sheng answered truthfully.
"They were indeed formed from three gangs. That's why the Firewood-Fisher Gang only has three halls. The Kiln Gang became the Vermilion Bird Hall, the Firewood Gang became the White Tiger Hall, and the Fisher Gang became the Azure Dragon Hall...
"As for why the Firewood-Fisher Gang came into being,
"one reason was to pool resources and produce a Martial Arts Master at twelve refinements, or beyond twelve refinements.
"The other was to hold our Fish-Dragon Gang in check.
"Remember, the Firewood-Fisher Gang isn't frightening. What's frightening is the Three Great Households behind them."
"The Three Great Households?!"
Wei Sheng was startled.
These were the Inner City's three great lineages, the three overlords who monopolized the fish markets, the Firewood Market, and the Kiln business.
He had never expected the Firewood-Fisher Gang to have been established with the backing of the Three Great Households.
"Take the Azure Dragon Hall, for instance. It's the Hong Family's private property. Practically all its experts, great and small, come from the Hong Family...
"So every month, the Hong Family assigns them specific missions to search for Treasure Fish!
"Chu Dongjiao got lucky. I heard he found a school of fish and is busy fishing..."
Understood.
Chu Dongjiao was busy completing the task the Hong Family had assigned him. He had no time to bother with his subordinate's death.
Of course, even if he learned of it, Black Tiger would shoulder the burden.
"All right, enough about the Firewood-Fisher Gang. Next, it's time to fulfill my promise to you."
At those words, Wei Sheng immediately perked up.
He had been looking forward to the surprise Black Tiger had mentioned for a long time.
He did not know what it would be, but anything the hall master of Black Tiger Hall considered a surprise should not be bad... right?
Before you continue