The bright moon hung high in the sky.
A small ferry boat, two zhang long, sped toward the Dark Goods Wharf under cover of night.
Ye Xingge poled the boat from the stern. He had been racing against time, but before they had gone far, he saw a fire dragon flare to life along the shore.
Then scattered points of fire spread in every direction, and signal fireworks rose into the sky. Fireworks soon rose from islands several li away as well.
Whoosh, whoosh~
Boom-
In mere moments, the whole of Forgetful River Mouth had turned into a roiling sea of fire!
Ye Xingge frowned at the sight, sensing something was wrong. He turned and asked:
"What's going on?"
Inside the cabin, Hongyu was also watching the lakeshore through the window. Seeing fires rise on all sides, she frowned and said:
"A sect summons, calling disciples outside back to their aid. They usually only use it in emergencies when the sect is under attack. This shouldn't be happening."
Ye Xingge agreed that it shouldn't be happening.
Tail Fire Tiger was one of the Return to Origin Cult's Twenty-Eight Stars. The cult's crimes were beyond counting. Black Dragon Island and the River-Spanning Pavilion had both been robbed before, and a jianghu kill order had been issued against the cult.
And with the Divine Arm Crossbow, smoke bombs, and other tools he had used, even a blind man could tell the Heaven-Observing Pavilion was behind it.
Under normal circumstances, once Black Dragon Island discovered that an Embroidered Robe had killed Tail Fire Tiger, they should have dragged the corpse to the docks and hung it up for all to see.
Even if they were unhappy that the Heaven-Observing Pavilion had acted without a word, they should have sought him out privately and chased him away. They might not even have dared beat him up.
They knew full well the Heaven-Observing Pavilion was responsible, yet they had still sent a "cloud-piercing arrow" straight into the sky and summoned everyone with great fanfare. What were they trying to do?
Were they preparing to kill an official and rebel, to see whether Great Yan's Heaven-Observing Decree could still eat its fill?
Based on intelligence from her sect, Hongyu only knew that Tail Fire Tiger was somewhere in the area. She had no idea who he actually was.
Seeing that something was wrong, she immediately went to the cabin entrance and rummaged through the items they had found on him.
Among the odds and ends were a brass bracelet, a Return to Origin Cult waist token, and a money pouch. There was also a small wooden plaque with the words "Black Dragon" carved on the back and the following on the front:
Wealth Hall incense master, Li Yi...
"?"
Seeing the writing on the plaque, Ye Xingge suddenly understood. He spread his hands slightly:
"Is Black Dragon Island blind? I helped them kill a spy in their ranks, and they didn't recognize him?"
Hongyu picked up the Return to Origin Cult's communication token:
"We took all the evidence and left them nothing but a corpse. How were they supposed to identify him?"
But Ye Xingge couldn't very well have left the token behind. How else could he prove he had killed Tail Fire Tiger?
"Should we find a way to explain it to Black Dragon Island?"
"There's no point anymore. Now that the summons has gone out, the Return to Origin Cult and Gold-Chasing Gentleman will definitely lower their banners and still their drums. They won't show themselves again, so we won't find them if we go over there. Black Dragon Island's entire nest is out searching everywhere. Let's withdraw first."
Hongyu was visibly annoyed as she spoke.
After all, she had spent the whole night carefully devising this plan to prove to her matchmaking partner why she was the head of the Mountains and Rivers Association!
Instead, right from the start, "not a single link fit the next." Wasn't this persona of hers only getting more firmly established?
This time, though, Ye Xingge didn't make any snide remarks. After all, Great Beauty still had a plan C: if they couldn't kill the Return to Origin Cult members or Gold-Chasing Gentleman, they would look for other wanted criminals.
Surely nothing could go wrong with that.
But if they withdrew now, what about the Fate-Robbing Saber?
Ye Xingge had been ready to go all in for half a year and take a big gamble. Going back just like that felt rather unsatisfying...
Ye Xingge thought for a moment, then took the communication token from Great Beauty, wanting to see how the Return to Origin Cult would react.
When he activated it with his internal force, a few words appeared:
"What's happening on the lakeshore?"
Clearly, he had killed Tail Fire Tiger in time, and the Return to Origin Cult's higher-ups still didn't know what had happened.
Ye Xingge's gaze shifted. He sat down in front of her and asked:
"How about we try luring the snake out of its hole?"
Hongyu thought it over:
"The Return to Origin Cult knows Tail Fire Tiger was Li Yi, and they might know Li Yi arranged to meet you tonight. Once the news spreads, your cover will be blown.
"Besides, this would only let us kill Heart Moon Fox. Our target is Gold-Chasing Gentleman, and the Return to Origin Cult isn't worth any money. Two people make it riskier too. There's no need to take the chance."
Ye Xingge thought she had a point, but since they were already here, he had to consider how to make sure "a thief never leaves empty-handed." He began reviewing the cards in his hand:
Great Beauty was eighth in Second Rank. Her internal force was gone, but her eyesight remained, and she was confident she could spot hidden Second- and Third-Rank experts...
Using Heavenly Maiden Scatters Flowers and the like would give away his position, which was tantamount to suicide...
Ravine-Leaping Tiger Jian was his only hope of killing a Third-Rank expert. He had ruined the wound earlier, so it probably hadn't come to light, but he only had one chance to use it, and it could only deal with a single target...
The Filth-Severing Whip could only be used to lash Great Beauty. If he dared show it on Black Dragon Island, Black Dragon Island wouldn't be the only ones hunting him down. Every old devil would come...
As for the Shaking Gang Bracelet he had just seized, it wasn't very useful and conflicted with his bracers. He could only give it to Great Beauty for protection...
Ye Xingge felt there really wasn't much hope in any of that, so he turned his attention back to the Return to Origin Cult's token.
The token's function was "communication."
And information, whether in ancient or modern times, was of great strategic importance. It offered the best chance of a breakthrough.
But how could he use it to communicate for maximum killing power...?
Telecom fraud...
?
At that thought, Ye Xingge suddenly had an idea. Sitting in front of Great Beauty, he asked:
"Are we, the Return to Origin Cult, and Gold-Chasing Gentleman the only ones who know Tail Fire Tiger's identity?"
Hongyu didn't want to have made the trip for nothing either. She nodded:
"Right. If any other faction knew, Li Yi couldn't possibly have lived until now."
Ye Xingge pondered briefly:
"Gold-Chasing Gentleman has always gone to Tail Fire Tiger to fence his goods. Now that Tail Fire Tiger has suddenly died under mysterious circumstances, wouldn't he want to find out what happened?"
Hearing this, Hongyu thought it made sense.
When someone they knew suddenly died, any normal person would inquire about the cause.
Tail Fire Tiger was also the only person Gold-Chasing Gentleman was in contact with. Without finding out what happened, how would Gold-Chasing Gentleman know whether it had anything to do with him?
Black Dragon Island had no idea why Li Yi had been killed, and neither did anyone else. So if Gold-Chasing Gentleman wanted to get to the bottom of it, he could only learn about it from the Return to Origin Cult...
With that thought, Hongyu leaned a little closer:
"You mean...?"
Ye Xingge leaned closer too:
"The Return to Origin Cult has been lying in wait for so long without catching him. Gold-Chasing Gentleman must have figured out where its people are.
"Now, let's make an assumption. If Gold-Chasing Gentleman goes looking into why Li Yi died and suddenly discovers that the Return to Origin Cult has received an 'urgent message from the capital'...
"The message says the Filth-Severing Whip is in my hands, and that I came to kill Tail Fire Tiger to silence him.
"And Rabbit and Fox rushed out as soon as they got the message. They've already come to catch me and seize the divine weapon. What do you think Gold-Chasing Gentleman would do?"
"?"
Hearing this, Hongyu sat up straighter and thought to herself:
Gold-Chasing Gentleman's only goal now was to reach First Rank before the year's end and keep the divine weapon in his hands, but his chances were slim.
The Filth-Severing Whip and the Fate-Robbing Saber perfectly complemented each other. Ye Xingge wanted to wield both divine weapons and take a big gamble. Wasn't the same true of Gold-Chasing Gentleman?
Besides, if Ye Xingge couldn't get it, the worst that could happen was that he would spend ten years slowly cultivating.
Gold-Chasing Gentleman had no time left!
So if Gold-Chasing Gentleman unexpectedly found out that the Return to Origin Cult had a lead on the Filth-Severing Whip and had already gone after it, he would have to crawl over to the vicinity if necessary to see what was really going on.
Ye Xingge really did have the Filth-Severing Whip. As long as Gold-Chasing Gentleman dared come, they could definitely fish him out...
But...
Hongyu spread her hands. "Where would the Return to Origin Cult get a lead for Gold-Chasing Gentleman to hear about?"
Ye Xingge raised a hand and gestured at the token.
"I'll tell them."
"Huh?"
Hongyu's expression went blank.
Ye Xingge, meanwhile, was full of enthusiasm. He gestured at himself again:
"In our eyes, isn't Gold-Chasing Gentleman worth far more than the Return to Origin Cult?"
Hongyu nodded solemnly. "Of course. If we can catch Gold-Chasing Gentleman, who would have the mind to catch Fox and Rabbit?"
Ye Xingge continued, "Then in the Return to Origin Cult's eyes, who's worth more: me, an Embroidered Robe who killed one of their pawns, or Gold-Chasing Gentleman, who carries a divine weapon and is covered in treasure?"
Hongyu understood what he meant and said earnestly:
"Never mind an ordinary Embroidered Robe. Even if you showed them all your divine weapons, Gold-Chasing Gentleman would still be worth more-a lot more."
Ye Xingge clapped his hands lightly:
"Exactly. Neither the Return to Origin Cult nor I am worth much, and we look down on each other. So why not let harmony bring wealth? We can find a quiet place first, lure Gold-Chasing Gentleman out, and do him in."
"..."
Hongyu blinked, looking at him as if he were a celestial being! But she still hesitated:
"You just killed someone from the Return to Origin Cult, and now you're saying this. Will they believe you?"
Ye Xingge trusted the Red-Eye Disease Cult's reputation in the trade. They would never let hatred get in the way of making money. Even if they didn't believe him, he didn't care:
"It's not as if I'm lying to them. If I really bring Gold-Chasing Gentleman out, they'll really have a chance to get him. If they're unwilling, we'll just find someone else to kill. It won't hold us up."
Hongyu thought he was right. Her blood was already beginning to boil. She leaned close and tipped her chin up slightly:
"Then you do the talking."
Ye Xingge held the jade token and thought carefully for a moment, then shook his head:
"No, we need to find somewhere we can advance or retreat freely first. If they really agree and get there faster than us, we'll be in trouble if we can't escape."
Hongyu immediately got up to pole the boat:
"Let's go to Green Snail Island. I know the terrain. Even if Jiang Jinjiang came, I could spot him from seven or eight li away. I'll pole the boat. Hurry and think it through. We have to be quick and set the trap before the news reaches Gold-Chasing Gentleman's ears."
Ye Xingge knew speed was essential in war. He held the token and carefully worked out his wording...
Meanwhile, at the Dark Goods Wharf.
A thousand sails crowded around the island, and the market was brightly lit as well.
As fireworks rose from all over Forgetful River Mouth, large numbers of Black Dragon Island disciples hurried toward the docks with weapons in hand. Jianghu people frequenting the black market also asked one another what was happening:
"What's going on?"
"Something seems to have happened at the lake mouth..."
"Have the Mountains and Rivers Association's people attacked?"
"With a commotion this big, maybe..."
Near the Li Family Money House, inside an inn.
He Lin, the Mysterious Armament Pavilion's external affairs hall master, quietly entered a room after making sure no one had followed him. He said in a low voice:
"Something's happened over at Lake Mouth Town, though I don't know what. With such a commotion, Gold-Chasing Gentleman definitely won't come today."
In the unlit guest room sat an old man wearing a cloak and a mask. His identity, however, was nothing particularly special: Duan Lianshan, master of Jingzhou's Autumn Mountain Sect. He was an old martial artist at the bottom of Third Rank who had joined the Return to Origin Cult to seek opportunities only because he really couldn't advance any further.
Because he was relatively close to Forgetful River Mouth, Duan Lianshan had usually been the one to come lie in wait for Gold-Chasing Gentleman. After making the trip several times without results, he was visibly irritated as he asked:
"Didn't you ask Huzi what happened?"
He Lin was Heart Moon Fox, and Li Yi was a core subordinate he had recruited. He sat down beside Duan Lianshan:
"He went to meet Leopard just now. With something happening on Black Dragon Island, I reckon he's busy. He hasn't replied yet."
Duan Lianshan knew Li Yi had received a message yesterday about "Mantanghong, the Filth-Severing Whip," and so on. He glanced out the window:
"Let's hope nothing happened to Huzi."
He Lin didn't think that was very likely.
After all, this was Black Dragon Island's core territory, and Huzi was an incense master in the local gang. For anything to happen to him, his cover would have to be blown and Black Dragon Island would have to be purging its ranks. How would any other gang dare touch him?
Even so, the situation outside really was strange. He Lin took out his jade talisman and circulated his Qi to check it.
A line of writing met his eyes, and the room fell deathly silent:
[Huzi is dead. My condolences. I can lure Gold-Chasing Gentleman out. Interested in working together?]