Chapter 188 - 112: The Long Night Dims, a Youth Captures a Dragon, Slays an Outer Gang, and Publicly Manifests as a Saint

Chapter 188: Chapter 112: The Long Night Dims, a Youth Captures a Dragon, Slays an Outer Gang, and Publicly Manifests as a Saint

Ever since he struck out on his own on West Street, becoming the Mountain Road Chief and sitting on equal footing with the so-called "Fist, Spear, Saber, and Sword; Lion, Leopard, Eagle, and Falcon," Ji Xiu, a former Hall Master of the Wind and Cloud Association whose name was still on the rolls, had long since handed over all his duties. He concerned himself only with his own operations.

The last time the Three Major Professions organized a temple fair to discuss the county’s business, they had invited him, using the pretext of offering him the fourth seat of power.

But he had been searching for an Earth Treasure and racking his brains trying to break through the Mercury Blood Silver Marrow. After all this time, this was Ji Xiu’s first time back.

The moment he arrived and pushed open the tightly shut doors, he saw a dense crowd of Martial Artists holding swords, sabers, and other weapons... They were lined up neatly, split into two groups.

On the left were those wearing Wind and Cloud Association attire, among them many familiar faces.

The heirs, the Young Masters and Young Ladies of the Three Major Professions, were there—people like the siblings Lu Yu and Lu Hongyu, and Young Lady Wei Zhi from the Cattle and Sheep Market...

At this moment, most of them had taut faces, nervous expressions, and sweaty palms. They gripped their weapons tightly, standing behind Lu Chengfeng and the other two leaders.

On closer inspection, though Lu Chengfeng and the other two stood at the very front, each of them bore some injuries.

As for the other side,

there stood Zhang Liechen, the Lion Hall Master once known as the "Mad Lion," and Xu Xin, the Eagle Falcon Gang Leader called "Cangying."

Gang Qi flowed around both men. One’s hair and beard stood on end, while the other’s robes billowed. A sharp Qi Mechanism erupted from their bodies, stinging the eyes of anyone who looked. Standing before and behind them were all Central Yellow Disciples, clad in yellow robes.

The two sides had been in a standoff.

The Mad Lion was leaning on his saber, grinning at the three leaders of the Major Professions opposite him, who were panting, grim, and silent.

"The names ’Fist, Spear, Saber, and Sword; Lion, Leopard, Eagle, and Falcon’ have been the top ranks for over a decade. Why have the names of your Three Major Professions never been added to that list?"

"You three are businessmen. You want both silver and martial prowess, trying to have it all."

"But over time, wanting everything inevitably spreads you too thin. So achieving profound skill in the Martial Arts? That’s just a pipe dream."

"We who run gangs already have far superior Martial Arts. We may have been weaker than that Instructor from the Prefecture City’s Martial Arts Hall, but that was only a matter of age and experience."

"However, after being forced out of the County by that brat Zhao Jiu, we had no choice but to fully enter the Grand General Altar and join the Central Yellow Sect."

"From the Altar Master, we obtained the Outer Gang Secret Method! Through diligent cultivation, and with initiation and guidance from the Incense and Candle Secret Skill, we’ve already succeeded in Refining Force into Gang!"

"Old Lu, Old Wei, Old Xuu, a wise man knows when to yield."

"Hordes of demons are now running rampant, stampeding into the County. Chaos has begun."

"Wei Altar Master is already leading the Sect’s direct lineage to seize control of the County Yamen and suppress the Martial Arts Hall. He’s also sending out disciples to protect the common folk, spread our doctrine, and relieve their suffering."

"This is the time for you to cooperate obediently. Offer up your silver taels and family assets for the salvation of the people."

"Not put up a futile resistance!"

"You lot can’t even properly refine your Skin Membranes. In our hands, how could you possibly..."

Zhang Liechen cracked his neck.

CRACK! CRACK!

The long-patterned green bricks beneath his feet were made of the highest quality material.

Yet as he spoke, under the pressure of his overflowing Gang Qi, they cracked and splintered, the fissures spreading rapidly like a spiderweb!

Then, before he even finished speaking, he raised his long saber and infused it with Sword Gang. He let the Gang Force erupt from his body, spreading in all directions as his muscles and bones swelled and his eyes bulged with fury!

In an instant, a surging wave of Qi Force rushed toward them.

It threatened to overwhelm the leaders of the Three Major Professions, along with the hired Guests and association members from their manors and markets who stood behind them...

...and crush them all!

An overwhelming pressure, like toppling mountains and overturning seas, crashed down upon them.

Lu Chengfeng, Wei Dinchang, and Xuu Manor exchanged a look, a shadow falling over their hearts.

A while ago, Yang Daohan, the Dragon Head of the Tiger and Leopard Hall, had his son Yang Yan use an incident at Feiyan Tower to cause trouble and suppress the heirs of their Three Major Professions.

When the three of them went to demand an explanation, they suffered a major defeat simply because Yang Daohan had reached the second step of Skin Refining, the Outer Gang Realm. His Vigorous Qi could leave his body, transforming into Gang.

Lu Chengfeng had even been nearly crippled, and it almost cost the Fire Kiln more than half of its assets, which nearly fell into the scoundrel’s hands.

If not for Ji Xiu, who had appeared like a divine soldier descending from heaven in a dramatic turn of events, taken Duan Chenzhou as his master, killed Yang Yan, and forced the Three Great Gangs to disband...

...this disaster for the Fire Kiln would certainly not have been resolved so easily before the arrival of either that Grandmaster from the Wind and Cloud Association or Feng Zhengming, the direct disciple who had visited just two days prior.

Refining the Jade Skin, condensing Force into Gang!

It could be said that even three to five ordinary Skin Refining experts attacking together wouldn’t necessarily be able to defeat that Gang Force!

Without a Secret Martial Dao to rely on...

even if one could master a Sword Stance...

...the gap between ’Force’ and ’Gang’ was glaring. It couldn’t be bridged by ordinary means!

Originally, with the demon uprising and the flood of refugees into their territories, Lu Chengfeng and the other two had gathered their Guests and Martial Artists. They were preparing to take in the refugees, defend their manors to the death, and wait for news from the County Yamen and the Instructor on Inner Street.

But before they could make a move...

these two Dragon Heads from the Three Great Gangs had shown up at their door. Now Central Yellow Remnants, they had both achieved the Outer Gang Realm and put them in their place from the very first moment!

"Cut the crap, Zhang Liechen! If the demons invade the city, we can still survive. But if we become Central Yellow Remnants, you can just wash your hands of the whole affair and leave whenever you please!"

"But I’ve fought for decades to build this massive enterprise! So many people depend on it to eat! If the Prefecture government comes looking to assign blame and brands us as traitors, who are we supposed to plead our case to then?"