Chapter Ninety-Two: Dao Bailiu’s Heart Comes Home

Tonight, the Young Master’s words had left Dao Bailiu feeling that he had seen too little of the world; many of them were beyond his grasp, like listening through a veil of clouds and mist.

Yang Cheng also realized he had rushed ahead too quickly, so he could only explain that these businesses were things he had long been pondering in private. He then went on to describe the prospects and operating methods of various service trades.

Dao Bailiu listened in astonishment. Much of it he still did not fully understand, but he could sense that, even if it was not quite as miraculous as the Young Master made it sound, it would at the very least be highly profitable. Compared with fighting for turf and shedding blood for petty gains, it was far more worthwhile.

If not driven by the need to survive, who on the path of the underworld would willingly spend a lifetime licking blood from the edge of a blade? By the time age and weakness came, they would only be trampled and bullied, their lives hanging by a thread.

Even Dao Bailiu, who considered himself a capable man in that world, had never stopped wanting to change his fate. Yet he was trapped inside the gang and powerless to do anything, with ambition but nowhere to put it.

Though his acquaintance with the Young Master had been brief, Dao Bailiu now saw hope for the future in his words. The Young Master’s plan seemed made precisely for him. For years he had been bitter and frustrated, numbing himself with drink day after day. This was a once-in-a-lifetime chance. Whether he could turn his life around depended on this very moment. Dao Bailiu told himself he could not afford to miss it again.

Thinking of this, he no longer put on any airs. He rose and bowed deeply.

“Please, Young Master, teach me. Dao Bailiu will give it everything he has. Whatever the outcome, in the future I will follow only your lead.”

Yang Cheng quickly helped him up and said, “Good. As long as you are willing to cooperate fully, there are many ways for the gang to make money. What I just mentioned was only a glimpse through a bamboo tube. If you took any one of those ideas out alone, a large gang might not even be able to swallow it whole. Whether this succeeds depends on whether you have the ability to carry it through. First, you must take control of the Qinghuo Gang as it stands now. Then find a way to seize the underground forces of the South District and unify the various gangs. Only then will our future business in South City be free of restraint.”

Dao Bailiu’s blood began to surge.

He had long wanted to do something major. The hundreds of small gangs in the South District were nothing to fear. The eight old and established gangs had deep roots, but they were not invincible either. If he could not even accomplish this, what right did he have to speak of grand ambitions?

He immediately agreed with fervor. “Rest assured, Young Master. In no more than two years, I will unify all the gangs.”

Then, after a brief pause, he said with some concern, “All of this depends on controlling the Qinghuo Gang. But I killed Song Qinghuo, and I fear the brothers in the gang may not accept me.”

Yang Cheng smiled. “You need not worry about that. The remaining leaders of the Qinghuo Gang are all here now. I will help you settle this matter properly.”

Dao Bailiu let out a breath. “That is ideal. With the Qinghuo Gang as a foundation, everything else will be much easier.”

“Good. Once I have dealt with Song Qinghuo’s affairs, I will invest two hundred thousand spirit coins in you. Together with the Qinghuo Gang’s own resources, that should be enough for you to recruit many brothers and establish a footing in the South District. In addition, if necessary, my people will support you from the shadows.”

“That, that would be wonderful,” Dao Bailiu said, visibly moved. “If the Young Master is helping me, why would it take two years?”

“Then it is settled. Stay in the Yang residence for another day or two and rest. I will make the arrangements.”

“I will obey the Young Master’s orders in all things,” Dao Bailiu said with clasped fists.

Since the subject had turned to the underground world, Yang Cheng himself became somewhat excited. He then recounted, one by one, many stories he remembered from his former life about the rise and fall of gangs. Dao Bailiu listened with deep emotion, believing that the Young Master was trying to point him toward the principles he should follow in the future, and quietly memorized every word.

“The Young Master has broad vision and great strategy, with excellent plans hidden within him. Dao Bailiu is ashamed of my own inferiority. With the Young Master’s strength, let alone the underground world of the South District, even taking over the entire underground world of Wuzhou City would be easy. Why does the Young Master not take it for himself?” Dao Bailiu asked.

Yang Cheng only smiled and said nothing, wearing an expression of profound mystery.

Seeing this, Dao Bailiu nodded as if he understood, though inwardly he thought: The Young Master must not wish to say it aloud. His ambition surely does not stop here; how could such a small underground force satisfy him? If so, then his appetite must be even greater. Could it be that his true aim is...

Thinking this far, Dao Bailiu dared not continue. To think any further would be close to treason. His gaze toward Yang Cheng grew even more awed.

Yang Cheng naturally could not say it plainly, because what he was thinking was: such a dangerous thing, with enemies everywhere and constant hatred coming from all sides, is terrifying just to imagine. How would I dare get personally involved? It would be far safer to invest a little, offer some strategy, and let others fight for it. Fortunately, this Dao Bailiu is young and hot-blooded, and easy enough to persuade.

The two of them sat together and talked far into the night, not parting until dawn before going to rest.

In the west wing, the six leaders of the Qinghuo Gang had waited uneasily through an entire day.

Hong Yunshan was an old hand in the Qinghuo Gang, though not because of his age. Eighty-odd years old was still the prime of life for a cultivator in the Fusion Stage. He had once been the leader of a small gang, but when they fought the Qinghuo Gang for territory and lost to Song Qinghuo, he merged his people into the Qinghuo Gang.

Throughout the years, he had earned a reputation for ability and wisdom, and because of his moral standing within the gang, he was considered its strategist. Though Song Qinghuo had never formally appointed him, he had nonetheless become the gang’s unspoken second-in-command.

Song Qinghuo valued him, but was also somewhat wary of the influence he held within the gang. Perhaps because Song Qinghuo was suspicious by nature, he alternated between closeness and distance with the core members of the gang, making himself difficult to read. Still, whatever the case, Gang Leader Song had led everyone to greater strength over the years, and he had earned a certain prestige. Now that he had suddenly died, Hong Yunshan and the others could not help feeling a measure of sorrow.

He, together with Shan Youxin and the other four, had been confined to one room. Though confined, they had in fact been treated well, with fine food and drink provided, which eased their anxious hearts somewhat. Hong Yunshan comforted the other five, saying that if the Yang family truly intended to kill them, there would be no need to bring them back and treat them so kindly. There was no reason to go to all that trouble.

Shan Youxin was the martial artist whose arms had been frostbitten by Yan Shuihan. In truth, his cultivation was no weaker than Yan Shuihan’s, but he had never expected the latter’s technique to be so peculiar. Caught off guard, one of his arms had been frozen, greatly diminishing his combat power, which was why Yan Shuihan had defeated him so easily. He was the kind of gang member who handled liaison work both within and outside the gang, well-connected and trusted by many brothers. He had an excellent relationship with the other members of the gang, including Dao Bailiu.

Not only that, he also had wide connections in the underworld, with considerable influence, and after Dao Bailiu he was the one most disliked by Song Qinghuo.

Yesterday, when Dao Bailiu was publicly humiliated by Song Qinghuo on the battlefield, the five of them had not dared speak up for him. The gang leader’s usual brutality was too deeply ingrained; his authority was still heavy in everyone’s mind, and to challenge him in public would only mean being made to suffer later. They had thought it would end as it always did, with a round of cursing and that would be that. Who would have imagined that this time, for some unknown reason, Dao Bailiu would turn against Song Qinghuo in the midst of battle and kill him?

Last night, when they spoke of it, all of them were astonished at Dao Bailiu’s true strength, never having realized it before. Of course, they felt even more regret that they had not tried to dissuade the gang leader at the time. Now the Qinghuo Gang had collapsed, and they were all like meat on the chopping block, their prospects grim.

Although the Yang family’s guard was not especially strict, after having wandered the path they had, they still possessed some pride. None of them intended to run. Instead, they decided to heed Hong Yunshan and await the Yang family’s judgment.

After breakfast early that morning, Murong Tie arrived and said that the family head had matters to attend to and had been slow in receiving them, so he would take the group to stroll around the eastern and western courtyards. The six of them did not understand the purpose, but since they were already here, they might as well take things as they came, and obediently followed him on a round of the estate.

Hong Yunshan thought that perhaps the Yang family meant to recruit them. If so, that would not be so bad. Though they would lose their freedom, they would at least be assured of food and clothing.

After the tour, and after lunch, Murong Tie brought them to the front hall. There, they saw the Young Master of the Yang family seated at the head of the hall with a smile. Beside him sat another man with a face full of scars, his features ferocious, sitting upright and stern. There was no one else in the hall.

Just as the six of them entered and were about to pay their respects, the seated man gave a cold snort, and a vast surge of spiritual energy immediately swept outward.

“A Golden Core expert!” the six of them exclaimed in shock.

The Golden Core realm was a dividing line for cultivators. Cultivation itself was defiance of heaven, and most experts remained stuck in the Fusion Stage. Once one reached the Golden Core realm, however, one could fly with a sword and stood almost like an immortal. Golden Core cultivators were exceedingly rare, appearing only in the great families and seldom showing themselves.

The six exchanged bitter smiles.

The Yang family had hidden themselves very deeply. When they had first scouted the place, they only knew that the Yang family had risen not long ago and had little strength. They had never imagined that when the Yang family defeated them, not even a Golden Core expert had needed to step forward. What they had shown them was only the tip of the iceberg.