United hearts

The sudden cries made everyone freeze.

Before they could go out to investigate, a familiar voice rang out.

"Keep practicing. Don't just stand there."

"Yes, Senior Brother Zhang!"

The outer courtyard apprentices answered in unison.

They usually followed Hei Hu and Sun Yan, who were Zhang Lingfeng's lackeys. They knew only Zhang Lingfeng, not Ye Fan, Ma Fei, or the others.

Those Dark Force disciples stood high above them, treating even a few words with them as charity. How could that compare to the comfort of following Senior Brother Zhang? So these people usually looked to Zhang Lingfeng as their leader.

Ye Fan, Ma Fei, and the others also knew that Zhang Lingfeng had the support of a group of outer courtyard apprentices, but they all dismissed it with disdain.

They thought Zhang Lingfeng's horizons extended only that far. Did he really believe a few Ming Jin or Dark Force martial artists could emerge from these mediocre apprentices?

Most of them paid only three months' tuition. If they failed to break through to ming jin after three months, they would pack their bags and leave.

Afterward, they could only scrape by on the streets, return home to farm, or guard someone's house. Worse still, they might die in some forgotten corner.

Even if they met on the street in the future, it would only be these apprentices recognizing Ye Fan and the others, while Ye Fan and the others continued to ignore them.

But at this moment, their cries sounded unbearably grating.

They brought the Dark Force disciples Wu Yun, Ye Fan, Zhao Hu, Liu Rushuang, and Ma Fei, along with some Ming Jin disciples, to the entrance to investigate.

They saw Zhang Lingfeng walking in front.

Liu Feng followed behind with a solemn expression, while Hei Hu and Sun Yan brought up the rear with a group of apprentices. As Zhang Lingfeng stepped over the inner courtyard's threshold, Hei Hu, Sun Yan, and the others had already taken their stances alongside the outer courtyard apprentices and begun practicing the Twelve-Routine Iron Mountain Fist Upper Part.

"Good morning, senior brothers and senior sister."

Zhang Lingfeng greeted Wu Yun and the others.

"You actually didn't die?"

Ye Fan blurted out.

"You must be joking, Junior Brother Ye. I'm alive and well. Why would I die?"

Zhang Lingfeng smiled.

Ye Fan felt somewhat angered. Zhang Lingfeng actually dared to talk back to him.

Although his last attempt to break through to dark force had failed, Guo Wei still had high hopes for him. He had also replenished his blood and Qi and could attempt the breakthrough again.

"We just learned from Junior Brother Wu that Warm Breeze Hall belongs to you, Junior Brother Zhang. Warm Breeze Hall and the Baile Gang fought with weapons last night, and there are bloodstains all over the streets today. We thought..."

Zhao Hu looked at Zhang Lingfeng rather strangely.

Zhang Lingfeng was actually fine, and Liu Feng was completely unharmed too. It seemed last night's battle had been all thunder and little rain, and the rumors on the streets had exaggerated everything.

"Oh, last night was just a minor scuffle. I hope it didn't disturb your quiet cultivation."

Zhang Lingfeng explained.

Hearing this, everyone reached the same conclusion as Zhao Hu, thinking the Baile Gang and Warm Breeze Hall had not fought head-on, and that Ming Jin martial artists had not participated in last night's battle.

Otherwise, with Dong Wenhan's Flowing Cloud Saber Technique, Zhang Lingfeng and Liu Feng would have shed a layer of skin even if they survived.

"I saw casualties among the Baile Gang's brothers. Aren't you afraid Dong Wenhan will come knocking, Senior Brother Zhang? I hear his saber technique is quite good. If you push him too far, even a Dark Force expert will lose blood."

Ye Fan spoke meaningfully.

He wanted Zhang Lingfeng to beg him.

"Dong Wenhan was already put to death last night. From now on, Baile Ward has only Warm Breeze Hall. There is no more Baile Gang!"

Liu Feng said.

"What?"

Everyone was shocked.

They looked at Liu Feng and Zhang Lingfeng in disbelief, still somewhat doubtful.

"The Baile Gang plagued the neighborhood, cheating in their gambling houses and leaving many families broken and ruined. After Warm Breeze Hall learned of this, we advised Gang Leader Dong to restrain himself. Who knew he would refuse to repent and even gather his accomplices to launch a sneak attack on Warm Breeze Hall? We truly had no choice but to finish him off."

Zhang Lingfeng sighed.

"Dong Wenhan died at Warm Breeze Hall?"

Wu Yun exclaimed.

"Yes. Warm Breeze Hall has now taken over the entire Baile Gang. Fortunately, the Baile Gang's members are all reasonable people. Last night, they abandoned the darkness for the light. From now on, they belong to Warm Breeze Hall."

Zhang Lingfeng nodded.

Wu Yun, Zhao Hu, Liu Rushuang, Ma Fei, and even Ye Fan found it inconceivable and could not help exchanging glances.

"Maintaining order in Baile Ward still requires everyone's efforts. I'm hosting a banquet at the Drunken Spring House tonight. Senior brothers, senior sister, and junior brothers, please be sure to honor me with your presence."

Zhang Lingfeng cupped his hands toward them.

"Senior Brother Zhang has rid the people of a scourge. The common folk of Baile Ward are blessed now."

"Junior Brother Zhang has vented the common folk's anger for them. I must share a few more cups with you tonight."

"Congratulations, Junior Brother Zhang. I'll definitely be there tonight."

"Congratulations to Warm Breeze Hall, and congratulations to Junior Brother Zhang."

Several fellow disciples with ming jin cultivation stepped forward to offer their congratulations.

They had never slighted Zhang Lingfeng before. Now that they knew he was the master of Warm Breeze Hall and had actually dealt with Dong Wenhan, how could they dare slight him? They all responded to his invitation.

Zhao Hu, Liu Rushuang, and Ma Fei, however, waited and watched. They knew Warm Breeze Hall had just dealt with the Baile Gang, and inviting them to the Drunken Spring House tonight was actually an attempt to drape itself in their tiger skins.

This meal would not come free.

In the past, they would have refused outright.

In fact, Zhang Lingfeng had invited them several times before. Even with Wu Yun's support, they had never given him the time of day, because they simply did not belong to the same circle.

But now Zhang Lingfeng was the master of Warm Breeze Hall, backed by a group of gang members and followed by Ming Jin martial artists like Chen Sanshi and Liu Feng. His strength alone was already no less than that of a Dark Force martial artist.

Refusing him publicly might cost Zhang Lingfeng face.

If the situation stabilized and Warm Breeze Hall remained standing, they certainly would not refuse another invitation from Zhang Lingfeng. Their fear was that, amid the wind and rain, Warm Breeze Hall might be uprooted tomorrow before it had found its footing, leaving them reeking of the mess.

So all three felt somewhat troubled.

Ye Fan, on the other hand, remained disdainful throughout.

"Senior Brother Wu, what about you?"

Zhang Lingfeng looked at Wu Yun.

Wu Yun froze. Zhang Lingfeng was asking him to take a stand.

When would Zhang Lingfeng ever have dared before?

Now he was Warm Breeze Hall's master in the open, and even Dong Wenhan had been taken down. Wu Yun had also accepted Dong Wenhan's silver, so Zhang Lingfeng probably already harbored a grudge.

If he refused and Warm Breeze Hall grew stronger in the future, even if Zhang Lingfeng could do nothing to him, he would gain nothing either.

He might as well do him this easy favor. Even if Warm Breeze Hall were swept away tomorrow, he would suffer no more than a few mocking remarks.

With that thought, Wu Yun smiled. "With my junior brother inviting me, how could I not go?"

"Thank you, Senior Brother Wu."

A cold glint faded from the depths of Zhang Lingfeng's eyes. He hated those who bit the hand that fed them most of all.

The expressions on Zhao Hu's, Liu Rushuang's, and Ma Fei's faces grew even more conflicted.

Should they attend this banquet or not?

"Dong Wenhan died after Junior Brother Zhang struck him several times in the back over his heart, shattering his internal organs."

Liu Feng could not help saying.

Ma Fei's expression stiffened, and Ye Fan froze as well.

"Dong Wenhan's corpse is lying at Warm Breeze Hall. If you're interested, senior brothers, you can go take a look. The Twelve-Routine Iron Mountain Fist Master taught us is stronger than that so-called Flowing Cloud Saber Technique, not weaker!"

Liu Feng added.

"See you at the Drunken Spring House tonight."

Ma Fei's brow relaxed, and he cupped his hands toward Zhang Lingfeng with a smile.

"Congratulations, Junior Brother."

Zhao Hu and Liu Rushuang followed immediately after.

Both of Ye Fan's cheeks flushed red. He raised his hands slightly. "Congratulations, Senior Brother."

"Thank you, senior brothers and senior sister. See you at the Drunken Spring House tonight."

Zhang Lingfeng spoke gratefully.

"Certainly, certainly."

Wu Yun led the response, and Ye Fan and the other three nodded and smiled in turn, presenting a scene of cheerful harmony, fellow disciples united in their efforts.