novelbin Chapter 209: The Jianghu
Chapter 209: The Jianghu
Su Wangchuan sat at the bow, leaning against the cabin, lost in thought.
The sudden turn of events had indeed caught everyone off guard.
If Hall Master Yin were held accountable, he might lose his position as the Hall Master of Sanhe Commandery. Not only would Su Wangchuan lose a powerful backer, the Yulong Gang would as well.
That was the bad news.
The good news, however, was that if he continued to remain in Huishui County, then with his current abilities, he should not face any immediate danger in the short term.
Of course…
These thoughts were merely passing clouds.
What truly stirred him was the Jianghu he had witnessed today.
In the past, around Huishui County, all he had encountered were small gangs squabbling. At most, a Second-Rank martial artist would appear; perhaps a snake swarm; perhaps a Third-Rank martial artist…
Compared to what he had experienced today, those incidents were nothing more than child’s play.Four escort ships of the imperial envoy had reportedly been single-handedly sunk by that mysterious Fifth-Rank martial artist.
It was difficult to imagine that a single individual could overturn an entire hall of the Caobang—and nearly retreat unscathed.
The man’s ability to tread upon water, his ruthless killing prowess, and that gaze of his were seared into Su Wangchuan’s mind, impossible to erase.
Especially the moment when he smashed through a boat at close range, overturned the battlefield, and even after being injured, erupted with the ferocity of a wounded tiger—forcing Su Wangchuan and Yang Feiyue to dive into the river and flee.
That was a true Jianghu man.
A true master.
“Wangchuan, what are you thinking about?”
Seeing him lost in thought, Yang Feiyue walked over and sat beside him.
“Gang Leader.”
“I was wondering—an assassin like the one we met today, someone with skills like his… How many such masters exist in this Jianghu?”
Su Wangchuan’s perspective had already changed, though he might not even have realized it himself.
Yang Feiyue sighed and looked out over the calmly flowing river.
“If this Sanhe River were the Jianghu, then martial artists would be as numerous as carp crossing the river. But existences like that… they are not many. They usually lurk beneath the surface. Only when they rise up to stir the waters do we get a glimpse of them. As for how many there truly are…”
“Let me put it this way.”
“There are over a dozen prestigious orthodox sects in the Jianghu. Counting both righteous and demonic factions together, there are more than twenty major sects. Nearly every one of them has Sixth-Rank, Seventh-Rank, or even higher-level martial artists.”
Yang Feiyue gazed toward the distant horizon, a look of longing in his eyes.
“Then there are first-rate gangs like the Caobang—though not acknowledged as orthodox sects. In the north, the Money Gang; in the southern frontier, the Divine Dragon Cult; in the mountains, the Qilian Stronghold; in the desert, the Horse Band; along the coast, the Xuanwu Gate; and the Salt Gang… Each controls its own territory. They also have quite a few Fifth-Rank and Sixth-Rank martial artists.”
“Beyond them, there are the Eight Great Families and the Twelve Prince Residences. Their power is no weaker than these first-rate gangs. They command elite troops and are filled with experts.”
“Below these first-rate forces are numerous local gangs operating within various commanderies. They often have one or two skilled masters as well…”
“But beneath all of that are the ordinary, third-rate gangs, mainly led by Second-Rank and Third-Rank martial artists.”
“Our Yulong Gang stands at the very bottom of these third-rate gangs.”
At this point, Yang Feiyue sighed with emotion.
“Wangchuan, now you understand the benefit of having a powerful force as a backer, do you not? When these great fish stir up storms and kill without restraint, someone stands in front and bears the brunt for us… so that we are not crushed casually like ants.”
Su Wangchuan could sense that Yang Feiyue likely carried many bitter stories in his past.
He did not probe further.
But the Jianghu Yang Feiyue described was filled with so many powerful forces—experts as numerous as the stars.
Huishui County was indeed too small.
If he truly wished to survive properly in 《spirit realm》, he had to climb to a higher rank.
Otherwise, when facing an assassin like today’s…
A Second-Rank martial artist…
Was not much sturdier than a Quasi-Martial Artist.
The Caobang.
He still had to go.
On one hand, he needed protection.
On the other, access to the Caobang’s armory vault would make it easier to obtain Third-Rank martial arts manuals and shorten his path toward breaking through to Third-Rank.
…
After passing through Heilong County and dropping off some inner disciples, Yang Feiyue and Su Wangchuan returned to Huishui County.
“Hah!”
“Hah!!!”
No sooner had they stepped onto the dock than they heard the booming, rhythmic shouts from the hall’s training grounds—loud and stirring.
Yang Feiyue’s eyes lit up. He deliberately glanced at Su Wangchuan.
“Come.”
“Let us go take a look.”
Su Wangchuan and Captain Zhao Heiniu followed.
“Greetings, Gang Leader!”
“Hall Master!”
Along the way, inner and outer disciples alike paused to bow.
The three of them strode quickly inside, heading straight for the training grounds.
“Hah!”
Thrust!
“Hah!”
Thrust!
The rhythmic sounds grew clearer.
Members of the Qingfeng Escort Agency and the inner disciples were training together in the grounds. Spears stabbed forcefully into wooden stakes as they practiced 《Basic Spear Technique》 and 《Yang Family Spear Technique》…
Over a hundred people moved in unison, their momentum surging like a rainbow. The sight was magnificent.
Yang Feiyue was delighted.
“Magnificent!”
“Wangchuan, you truly know how to lead people.”
“This spirit and vigor are far stronger than before.”
His face beamed.
Su Wangchuan quickly waved it off.
“Some of them are from the Qingfeng Escort Agency. I thought training together would boost everyone’s confidence and morale, so I arranged it this way.”
“Excellent.”
“Very excellent.”
Yang Feiyue’s sharp eyes scanned the crowd.
“There are a few who already have the foundation of full-fledged martial artists…”
“You are perceptive, Gang Leader. A few are indeed on the verge of breakthrough,” Su Wangchuan replied with a smile. “With the half-price martial arts manual benefit you granted, everyone has progressed smoothly.”
“Good!”
“Very good!”
Yang Feiyue’s smile widened.
This little fox certainly knew how to speak. Far better than He Haisheng or Song Minshu.
“Who would have thought that in just a few months, the Huishui County hall would be reborn? With this batch of people, we could consider expanding outward—perhaps take control of the escort agencies, gambling dens, and brothels in Rong County.”
Yang Feiyue’s ambition surged forth, impossible to suppress.
Su Wangchuan quickly reminded him:
“Gang Leader, the Beggar Sect…”
At the mention of the Beggar Sect, Yang Feiyue’s eyes instantly cleared.
“Yes, yes. You are right. This is a sensitive period. We must keep a low profile.”
After a pause, he said fervently, “When I return to the Water Stronghold, I will have Hall Master He designate a training ground as well. We will pull out all inner and outer disciples to train—just like your method.”
After inspecting everything carefully, Yang Feiyue decided to temporarily stay at the hall.
The reason was simple.
Seventh Master was gone. The Rong County hall and the Water Stronghold were no longer safe. It was better to remain at Huishui County’s hall. At least here, the forces looked strong enough to provide a sense of security.
Su Wangchuan did not mind. He arranged accommodations at the infirmary, had Physician Liao take meticulous care of the wounded, and then continued his own training in 《Wudang Sanshou》.