Chapter 454: The Beggar Sect Turns Fierce

To Su Wangchuan, money was not anything especially precious.

Even before the New Year, he had already accumulated no less than one hundred thousand taels of gold. After Yan Xiaobei was brought over, another nearly twenty thousand taels of gold came into his hands. Then, during the fighting, he killed Zhuang Xuyan and the other Beggar Sect experts and took in more than ten thousand taels of gold.

The Weapon Room had also gradually released a batch of weapons onto the market and earned more than thirty thousand taels of gold.

This time, Li Na had joined forces with more than a hundred studios for an offline barter exchange. Not only had Sanjiang Studio spent no money at all, it had also sold off a batch of niche cultivation methods and was about to receive more than forty thousand taels of gold.

If he told people how much money he now had, it would scare them to death.

A little over two hundred thousand taels.

The halls beneath him were making profits every day.

Qingfeng Escort Agency was also bringing in daily revenue.

Money was something he simply could not spend fast enough.

Since Old Seven had opened his mouth to ask for help, Su Wangchuan had to secure that favor.

On the one hand, he needed to prop up Heitu Commandery and keep Old Seven’s side from collapsing, so that Old Seven could continue helping him contain the Beggar Sect.

On the other hand, he still remembered the favor Old Seven had once done him by promoting him.

Zhao Heiniu went quickly, and he returned just as quickly.

“Hall Master!”

“You’re back this fast?”

“Quick, tell me. What’s the situation on Old Seven’s side right now?”

Su Wangchuan stopped training and pulled Zhao Heiniu over to question him.

Zhao Heiniu immediately recounted everything he had seen in Heitu Commandery.

“Hall Master, the amount of goods Old Seven’s side sent out for the spring departure was not very large, less than three thousand taels of gold in total... He has already coordinated with the local families and the authorities, and the compensation has been settled at one and a half times the cargo value.”

Originally, the compensation had been threefold.

After coordination, half of that had been waived, greatly reducing the pressure on Old Seven.

But because of the personnel casualties and the destruction of the ships, there was still a gap of eight thousand taels of gold to cover in total.

The fifteen thousand taels of gold that Su Wangchuan had sent as support directly solved Old Seven’s urgent crisis. Old Seven was deeply relieved, and he had pulled Zhao Heiniu aside to talk for a very long time, reminiscing, praising Su Wangchuan, and complimenting him almost without pause.

Old Seven had him bring back two niche cultivation methods: the third-rank 《Underwater Assassination Art》, and the third-rank 《Disguise Art》.

Old Seven had truly been deeply moved by Su Wangchuan.

Before the New Year, Su Wangchuan had sent ten thousand taels of gold to relieve his urgent difficulties.

After the New Year, he had sent another fifteen thousand taels of gold...

Old Seven himself felt ashamed that he had nothing more valuable to offer, so in the end, he simply passed on the techniques he had kept hidden up his sleeve to Su Wangchuan.

When Su Wangchuan accepted the two manuals, he was just as thrilled.

《Underwater Assassination Art》 was yet another niche cultivation method.

Back in the day, Old Seven had relied on his underwater skills to kill a Silver-Ranked assassin of the Crimson Pavilion. That alone made it obvious how formidable this technique was.

As for 《Disguise Art》...

After rapidly flipping through it, Su Wangchuan’s eyes filled with shock.

It was a method that could, in a very short time, use internal force and a special solution to alter one’s facial features and appearance. He could not yet tell what sort of attribute category it belonged to, but it was definitely an exceptionally powerful cultivation method.

Those fifteen thousand taels of gold had directly drawn out Old Seven’s hidden trump cards.

Worth it!

Zhao Heiniu continued:

“Hall Master.”

“Heitu Commandery’s situation is still alright for now.”

“But I heard that over in Shenyu Commandery, the hall is on the verge of collapse.”

His tone was heavy.

Su Wangchuan froze, confusion rising in his eyes.

“Didn’t headquarters send several elders over there to hold the line?”

“Hall Master Yin Xingtian’s 《Golden Bell Shield》 was broken. His strength was severely damaged, and on top of that, he suffered serious injuries. It has already been confirmed that it will be very difficult for him to recover his strength within half a year, so he has been taken back to headquarters.”

Zhao Heiniu explained:

“The two Deputy Hall Masters of Shenyu Commandery were also heavily wounded. At present, all of the key positions in the entire hall are facing vacancies, and it has lost the ability to function.”

The moment he heard that, Su Wangchuan immediately understood.

The three elders sent in from above were only there to protect the hall. They could not possibly replace a Hall Master and oversee its daily operations.

Shenyu Commandery was now leaderless.

The branch helms, island masters, cavern masters, and even the subordinate branch factions beneath them were all likely facing problems of coordination and command.

And under the Beggar Sect’s full suppression, who would still dare casually continue carrying out shipping operations?

Zhao Heiniu was not exaggerating when he said that Shenyu Commandery’s situation was on the verge of collapse.

“And furthermore,” Zhao Heiniu continued, “this subordinate heard from a conversation between Old Seven and one of headquarters’ elders that Shenyu Commandery has already lost three Hall Masters in succession. It has now become the most dangerous hall in the entire Caobang. The candidates at headquarters are all unwilling to go to Shenyu Commandery. Some deliberately went out to carry out missions, while others announced closed-door cultivation, all to avoid being assigned there.”

...

Su Wangchuan’s brow furrowed tightly.

The elders could not take overall command and could not keep Shenyu Commandery running.

Headquarters had still not managed to assign anyone to take office...

Shenyu Commandery’s situation would only deteriorate further.

“If a hall stays leaderless for too long, the branch factions beneath it simply cannot withstand the Beggar Sect’s suppression. They will either rebel or be destroyed. The longer it drags on, the more will be lost.”

Su Wangchuan had risen up from a branch faction himself. He knew very well the danger of a hall having no central pillar.

“Exactly.”

“When the time comes, the branch helms will no longer be able to control the dock halls in the waterways below them, and shipping security will be completely severed!”

“Something big is going to happen!”

Even Zhao Heiniu could see the problem clearly.

Su Wangchuan did not believe that Gang Leader Luo Tiancong could have failed to notice it.

“If the Gang Leader does not make arrangements and adjustments soon, Shenyu Commandery is going to be lost!”

Just like the Beggar Sect had lost Sanhe Commandery and Qinghe Commandery...

His fears very quickly became reality.

Early the next morning, an even worse piece of news came from Constable Captain Yu of the Six Gates.

He came calling first thing in the morning and delivered the grim news:

“The Beggar Sect has gone mad.”

“They actually arranged for people to attack one of your headquarters’ candidates and one of your elders.”

“What?!”

Su Wangchuan nearly sprang from his seat in shock.

“Constable Captain Yu, tell me quickly. What exactly happened?”

Constable Captain Yu’s expression was solemn, and his tone was heavy.

“Your Caobang finally selected a candidate from below to go to Shenyu Commandery and take over the position of Hall Master. Elder Wan Xiwen was accompanying him. But... the group was intercepted midway by Beggar Sect experts. The one who was supposed to take over as Hall Master of Shenyu Commandery reportedly died on the spot, while Wan Xiwen escaped back to headquarters in the Capital with injuries.”

At that point, he fixed his eyes on Su Wangchuan.

“There is no doubt that the one who made the move this time was yet another sixth-rank expert! The Beggar Sect is likely preparing to launch a full counteroffensive against your Caobang... Hall Master Su Wangchuan, you should be careful.”

...

Su Wangchuan stared in disbelief.

Wan Xiwen was a seasoned elder of the Caobang. His strength could not have been much inferior to that of an ordinary sixth-rank martial artist, yet now even he had been wounded and forced to flee.

It seemed the Beggar Sect truly had become serious this time and was going all out against the Caobang.

Su Wangchuan cupped his fists toward Constable Captain Yu.

“Many thanks for coming to inform me, Constable Captain Yu. Please accept this small token of appreciation.”

“Hall Master Su Wangchuan is too courteous.”

Constable Captain Yu accepted the gold note worth one hundred taels of gold, cupped his fists in farewell, and said,

“Fortunately, Hall Master Su Wangchuan, you are already a fifth-rank martial artist. As long as you do not leave Sanhe Commandery and remain inside your own hall, there should be no problem. The message has been delivered. Yu still has other duties to attend to, so I will take my leave.”

“Ergou, see Constable Captain Yu out!”

“Yes!”

Chen Ergou left together with Constable Captain Yu.

Wang Yuehui, Zhao Heiniu, and the others then emerged from the back.

Su Wangchuan lowered his voice and asked,

“You all heard that?”

“The Beggar Sect’s counterattack has begun! From this moment onward, all of you will cultivate with everything you have and break through to the Fourth Rank!”