Chapter 371: Joining the Swindler Gang

Chapter 371 -314: Joining the Swindler Gang

However, there was still a month and a half until the Dharma Ship’s departure. During this time, Jiang Xu could only hide in the vicinity of Wenqu Island.

But this was Xiong Anling’s home turf.

His high status on Xiao Jin Island gave Jiang Xu pause.

If Xiong Anling truly decided to deal with Jiang Xu, it would be a huge problem.

Although Jiang Xu was still relatively confident in his Concealing Ability.

But he knew full well that the world was full of skilled individuals, and he couldn’t afford to get complacent.

One could never know when disaster might strike from an unexpected corner.

But Jiang Xu couldn’t delay for too long.

Delays breed complications.

What if Xiong Anling’s strength was no match for his enemies, and he ended up getting killed along with his daughter?

In that case, there would be no way for Jiang Xu to complete his mission.

And when that happened, Jiang Xu figured the Heart Demon Oath wouldn’t give him a chance to explain himself.

Given the circumstances, choosing the right moment was indeed very difficult.

…

After a moment, Xiong Anling slowly walked over to Jiang Xu, his attitude having undergone such a drastic shift that it was as if their earlier confrontation had never happened.

He spoke in a more sincere and conciliatory tone.

“Fellow Daoist Zong, since that’s the case, let’s just say everything before was a misunderstanding. I apologize.”

“We share a common goal, which makes things easier. From now on, we’re a team, on the same side.”

“But you mentioned you have news of my daughter… I just don’t know if it’s true.”

“It’s true, of course it’s true!” Jiang Xu said. “Since I was able to find you, finding your daughter is naturally no problem at all.”

“Please, tell me what you know!” Xiong Anling was overjoyed.

Jiang Xu didn’t address the topic directly, instead changing the subject.

“Just now, I saw Nephew Xiong appear before me as if by teleportation. I barely had time to react. I wonder how you managed that? I’m quite curious.”

Xiong Anling was stunned for a moment before he understood Jiang Xu’s intention.

‘It wasn’t just that I wanted to know his techniques; he was paying close attention to mine as well.’

His previous desperate move, though intended to stop Jiang Xu from leaving, had also unintentionally revealed one of his trump cards.

This ability was the fruit of his many years of cultivation, one of the cornerstones of his standing on Xiao Jin Island.

But Jiang Xu had seen it and taken note.

“Haha, Fellow Daoist Zong, you are truly observant. It was just a minor trick, nothing worth mentioning.”

Xiong Anling laughed, feigning nonchalance, but inwardly he was weighing just how much of the truth he should reveal.

But then he saw Jiang Xu’s penetrating gaze and dismissed the idea of simply fabricating an answer.

Xiong Anling realized that at this critical juncture, any deception could cause him to lose Jiang Xu’s trust, and with it, the key information needed to save his daughter.

‘I’m the one who needs him right now.’

‘If I try to deceive him and he finds out, won’t I lose my chance to find out where my daughter is?’

Besides, it wasn’t some unmentionable secret; quite a few people on Xiao Jin Island already knew about it.

So, Xiong Anling decided to tell him the truth.

“It’s a complementary Magic from my Thousand Sects Techniques. You could also call it one of the Thousand Techniques.”

“What you just saw wasn’t an Instant Teleportation Technique. It’s called Moving Stars and Changing Dipper, and it allows me to switch places with an object within a certain range.”

“And this is not the only complementary Magic. There are thirty-six in total, such as Dark Thread Pearl, Beast-Trapping Heaven, Dripping Water Rolling Pearl, Three Mountains Offer the Cauldron, Circulating Grain and Returning it to the Field, and so on.”

“However, I haven’t mastered all of them yet, so the number I can use is limited.”

Jiang Xu was dumbfounded, the shock in his heart beyond words.

He had never imagined that the Thousand Sects Techniques concealed such profound and mysterious power.

‘If I could get my hands on it and cultivate it myself, wouldn’t my combat strength increase dramatically?’

Xiong Anling seemed to perceive Jiang Xu’s thoughts, adding with a hint of helplessness and emotion in his voice:

“The Thousand Sects Techniques can only be inherited by members of the Thousand Gates. Furthermore, your merits must be recognized by more than half of its members.”

“During the cultivation process, one must also meticulously design and execute various ‘Thousand Games.’ The success or failure of each game directly affects the speed and depth of a Cultivator’s progress.”

“To increase your cultivation speed, you have to arrange even bigger Thousand Games.”

“And no Thousand Game is easy. After selecting a target, there’s setting the scene, laying the trap, gaining their trust, starting the game, executing the final play, and after it’s all over, withdrawing and closing the books. Every single step is fraught with danger.”

“A small con targets wealth, a medium con targets people, and a grand con targets a nation.”

“An Old Cheater in the Qi Cultivation Realm only needs to con for wealth to advance their Realm. The more Spirit Stones they earn, the faster their Realm progresses.”

“An Old Cheater in the Foundation Establishment Realm must set their schemes against people. The more dangerous the targets, the higher their status, and the greater their number, the faster one’s Realm will advance.”

“Upon reaching the Golden Core Realm, one must devise a scheme to usurp the authority of a nation to reach the peak of that Realm.”

“The path of the Thousand Gates is thorny. The higher you climb, the more perilous it becomes.”

“In truth, if I’d had any other choice, I never would have become an Old Cheater.”

Xiong Anling finished with a bitter, complex smile.

As they say, only the one drinking the water knows if it’s hot or cold.

Only he truly knew the hardships he had faced on his journey.

Hearing Xiong Anling’s explanation, Jiang Xu had his own reservations.

‘It’s that difficult?’

He didn’t have enough information to determine if Xiong Anling was telling the truth, but it was certainly enough to extinguish any desire he had for the Thousand Sects Techniques.

Jiang Xu still hadn’t fully grasped the Cuiwei Heart Technique. Trying to take on another Cultivation Technique would be a waste of effort, with the potential losses outweighing any gains.

“Fellow Daoist Zong, now that I’ve been forthcoming, about my daughter’s location…” Xiong Anling’s voice, tinged with urgency, cut through Jiang Xu’s thoughts.

“Oh!”

Jiang Xu snapped back to reality and, without wasting any time, gave Xiong Anling the location.

“Thirty-three kilometers from here, in the direction I came from.”

Overjoyed, Xiong Anling turned to go at once.

“Not so fast, I’m not finished!” Jiang Xu stopped him. “She’s over there, yes, but the entire area is covered in traps!”

Jiang Xu then proceeded to describe the various clever mechanisms, traps, and ambushes he had seen.

After hearing about the dangers surrounding his daughter, Xiong Anling, though burning with anxiety, was successfully dissuaded by Jiang Xu. He didn’t let his emotions get the better of him and rush recklessly to the rescue.

Xiong Anling thought for a moment, then turned to leave.

However, just as the three were about to leave, Xiong Anling stopped and looked back at Jiang Xu.

“Fellow Daoist Zong, I believe you are sincere in your desire to save my daughter. In that case, why don’t we act together?”

“Indeed, indeed! That’s exactly what we should do!” Jiang Xu’s eyes lit up.

“Brother Ling, how can you just bring an outsider into this!”

Elder Hong hadn’t said a word, but Xiaojiu was already getting worked up.

“Hey now, that’s where you’re wrong. Brother Xiong and I are as close as blood brothers, which makes me family. How could I be an outsider?” Jiang Xu retorted. “By that logic, wouldn’t you be the outsider?”

“Huh? I’m the outsider now?” Xiaojiu was stunned.

‘What is happening today?’

‘The outsider who just showed up is now family, and I’m the one who’s always been here, but now I’m the outsider?’

Xiaojiu’s eyes welled with tears as he looked at Xiong Anling.

“Brother Ling, am I really an outsider?”

Xiong Anling sighed, looking up at the sky.

‘What a mess.’

…

“Fellow Daoist, I don’t know your name. What kind of ‘general’ are you?”

Jiang Xu was now walking with Xiong Anling’s group.

Xiong Anling had said they were going to find their other companions, and Jiang Xu tagged along.

On the way, Jiang Xu turned to Elder Hong, who was walking beside him.

“Fellow Daoist Zong, just call me Elder Hong. I’m an Escape General.”

‘Escape General?’

Jiang Xu’s eyes lit up.

‘Oh, that’s a good one!’

Jiang Xu felt that if he were to join the Thousand Gates, he’d most likely end up as an Escape General too.

An Escape General’s job was to help people get away when a Thousand Game went south.

As the saying goes: “Where right is wrong and truth is a lie, shed your old self and be reborn.”

A job like that was right up Jiang Xu’s alley.

“Say, Elder Hong,” Jiang Xu asked curiously, “that little teleportation trick I used earlier, did you get a good look at it?”

Jiang Xu was quite curious about the effectiveness of his Shadow Escape.

Every one of these Ancient Techniques was extraordinary.

But just because Jiang Xu knew these Ancient Techniques didn’t mean others didn’t.

If someone else were to use them against him, Jiang Xu knew they would give him a massive headache.

Hearing Jiang Xu’s question, Elder Hong immediately recalled how Jiang Xu had vanished into thin air earlier.