"Hall Master Chu, that sounds rather like you're trying to fool me."
Cao Xuan held a teacup in one hand while forming a Spirit Art Hand Seal with the other beneath the stone table.
He narrowed his eyes. "You now lead the Iron Banner Gang's largest outlying hall. You have a thousand members under your command, and your strength is fast approaching that of the main headquarters. I hear Tie Kuangren even intends to promote you to Deputy Banner Chief. How could you possibly know nothing about something as important as purchasing Four-Armed God-Slaying Crossbows?"
What puzzled him, however, was that Chu Xisheng's expression remained unchanged. He showed no reaction at all.
"How long have I even been in the Iron Banner Gang? Besides, I've been busy lately. Where would I find the time to concern myself with so much?"
Chu Xisheng gave a derisive laugh, then asked curiously, "You said Uncle Kuang wants to promote me to Deputy Banner Chief? Where did you hear that?"
Cao Xuan, however, was bewildered and uncertain. Even now, this fellow behaved as though nothing were wrong.
Was he pretending, or was he really unaffected?
He lowered his head again to look at his left hand beneath the table.
Had he remembered incorrectly? Had he formed the wrong Hand Seal?
Cao Xuan examined it carefully. This gesture should be right.
The Hand Seal was perfectly formed. Every finger was in the correct position, and the whole resembled an orchid.
Nevertheless, to be safe, Cao Xuan formed the Hand Seal again.
"He said it not long ago, before setting out against the Seventeen Linked Forts. He also said that if anything happened to him in the future, you would inherit the Iron Banner Gang. Many people heard him say it."
At this point, he gave