Chapter 76. Natural Enemy (1)

"What? Is that true?"

"Y-Yes, it's true, incredibly. They say the fight that started last night continued until this morning, and no one has been able to defeat Young Master Lian so far."

Jade Abundance pursed his lips.

"No, does that even make sense? The head of the Ming family isn't stupid; he wouldn't send just anyone to deal with this, right?"

Viper Cover swallowed hard.

"Even yesterday, they sent three experts: Ming Xue, Ming Hui, and Ming Xian."

"Huh?! Who are they? I think I've heard of them..."

"I only learned about them this time. They are experts from the collateral line of the Ming family. It's said that when the three brothers attack together, they can even suppress the highest elders of the Nine Sects and Eight Schools."

"Th-That level of experts?"

"At the very least, that's what they are. This is the analysis from the Filthy Ear Pavilion, so it's reliable."

"Wow..."

Jade Abundance shook his head.

"It feels like I'm dreaming."

He knew about Lian Huozheng's martial arts.

Of course, there might be skills he hasn't shown. But those are just skills; they don't necessarily reflect his true strength.

Lian Huozheng is a strong person. At nineteen, he can easily overwhelm most peak experts.

His talent is on par with the Twin Dragons and Three Phoenixes, or perhaps even better.

But that's all. He is a genius, but still an incomplete great talent. There must be countless martial artists in the Central Plains who are stronger than Lian Huozheng.

Yet, he's facing the experts of the Ming family.

'What's going on with this guy?'

Originally, Lian Huozheng's role was to be a decoy.

To buy time. His plan was to use his unparalleled eloquence to argue the Ming family's injustice and his own innocence in front of many people, holding his ground.

The second plan was for himself. If the Ming family tried to forcibly take Lian Huozheng, he, as the deputy leader of the Beggar Sect, would step in to speak out about Lian Huozheng's innocence.

To achieve this, he had been gathering information all night. Not to defend Lian Huozheng, but to collect information on the illegal activities of the Ming family.

Of course, this wouldn't be enough to strike a blow to the Ming family. But it would buy time.

How long? Until the grand assembly.

During this time, when everyone's attention was on the Ming family, he planned to gather the Henan sects allied with the Beggar Sect to pressure the Ming family.

'The core of this plan isn't to pressure the Ming family. It's to buy time to investigate the source of the rumors after making the Ming family hesitate.'

It might seem complicated, but it's not. With Lian Huozheng's abilities and the Beggar Sect's information network, it was a feasible plan.

But Lian Huozheng messed it up.

"What a lunatic. I told him repeatedly not to fight."

"Sir... Deputy Leader."

"What?"

"Should I tell you something more serious?"

Jade Abundance's face turned pale.

"More serious than this?!"

Viper Cover hesitated.

"Y-Yes, he's doing it."

"Speak clearly! Make it clear!"

"Y-Young Master Lian is... he's daring the head of the family to come out."

"What?"

"He's pressuring them to stop wasting their subordinates and show up in person."

"..."

"This is really reckless. No matter what, it would be better to back off now... Moreover, he's defeating the experts sent by the Ming family one after another..."

"That's not the point."

"Excuse me?"

Jade Abundance's eyes sparkled.

"He's doing well in the midst of all this."

"Doing well? Is it good to tell the head of the First Family to come out himself?"

"It's good. He's drawing the attention of the entire Henan region."

Even though they haven't exchanged a single letter.

Jade Abundance immediately understood what Lian Huozheng was up to.

'He means to uncover as many of the Ming family's wrongdoings as possible before the grand assembly.'

When the entire Henan region is focused, the Nine Great Families are also included.

The Nine Great Families, after obtaining the title of the First Family, are being tested by a single person for the first time. And not by an elderly expert, but by a young man who hasn't even reached his twenties.

They must be furious.

With everyone's attention on Henan, they can't send assassins, and they can't just kill him because his innocence is obvious.

Moreover, as the eldest son of one of the Seven Great Families, killing him would be difficult. The death of a direct descendant is a different matter from the death of a subordinate or a collateral line member.

"Should we send the Shadow Corps just in case?"

"Are you crazy?! Then the Ming family would have a reason to kill Young Master Lian!"

"Oh..."

"The Shadow Corps should be sent after the grand assembly. Our job now is to uncover the wrongdoings of the Ming family."

In any case, the decisive blow will be delivered by the Murong family. Before that, he needs to gradually expose the Ming family's wrongdoings to prevent them from touching Lian Huozheng.

"Oh, and there's one more thing I haven't told you!"

"Spit it out! What is it?!"

"Li Chongjing has appeared."

Jade Abundance's eyes widened.

"Li Chongjing? That Li Chongjing?"

"Yes."

Li Chongjing is the strongest among the lay disciples of Shaolin, renowned for his exceptional talent.

Despite being a lay disciple, he has been taught several of Shaolin's supreme martial arts, making him a genius. His age is similar to Jade Abundance's, but his martial arts are said to have already reached the level of the elders of the Nine Sects and Eight Schools.

The public believes that the Twin Dragons and Three Phoenixes could easily become the Three Dragons and Three Phoenixes due to him. In some regions, he is already referred to as one of the Three Dragons and Three Phoenixes.

Moreover, he is already leading the Golden Fist School, a sect that ranks among the top ten lay sects of Shaolin, at an age just over twenty.

His influence in Henan is also significant.

"Why is he here all of a sudden?"

"Suddenly? This is an unprecedented situation for the Ming family, and a rare event in the history of Henan's martial world. It's natural for him to take action."

"That's true, but... where is he now?"

"He was seen at a tavern not far from Young Master Lian's group."

"Really?"

Jade Abundance smiled.

"Things might go more smoothly than expected."

"What?"

"You! Immediately inform all the beggars in Henan, Hubei, Jiangsu, Anhui, and Zhejiang! Tell them to raid any business or organization related to the Ming family!"

"Understood! What about me?"

"I'm going to that lunatic!"

While Jade Abundance was moving so quickly that the soles of his feet were peeling off, the atmosphere at the Wall Mountain Lian Family in Jiangsu was extremely tense.

"…That's the situation."

"…"

"What do you plan to do?"

Lian Wei, looking out the window, didn't move a muscle.

Iron Spear Cover sighed inwardly.

'Of course.'

No matter how tough a man he is, this is a moment when his child's life is at stake.

But he can't move right now. As the head of the family, if the Ming family pretends to be crazy and invades Jiangsu, the Lian Family could be destroyed.

Moreover, he has already sent the Changying Team. If the head of the family moves again, it would lower the family's prestige.

However, he can't just sit by and watch his eldest son in crisis. It's a maddening situation.

At that moment, Lian Wei spoke.

"Branch Leader."

"Yes, Head of the Family."

"Ming Family's head has sent letters directly to the leaders of the Nine Sects and Eight Schools and the Seven Great Families, planning to open the grand assembly."

Iron Spear Cover's eyes lit up.

"It's already arrived?"

"It arrived this morning."

"Do you plan to go?"

Lian Wei slightly raised his head, looking at the sky outside the window.

"I don't plan to go."

"…"

"If I move now, Huozheng will be shaken. At a time like this, the best course of action is to hold my ground."

A look of regret appeared on Iron Spear Cover's face.

He could tell that Lian Wei's voice was trembling slightly. He must want to rush to the grand assembly, no matter what.

"I have a favor to ask of you."

"Please speak."

Lian Wei turned his body. His expression was as indifferent as always.

"Take this."

The letter he handed over was quite thick.

Iron Spear Cover, holding the letter, looked at Lian Wei with a puzzled expression.

"What is this?"

"I had it investigated through my trading company."

"Trading company?"

"Yes."

"Can I read it?"

"Go ahead."

Iron Spear Cover unfolded the letter.

His eyes widened in shock.

"To be honest, I don't care if the Ming family falls or not. But since they have crossed the line and shown greed for our territory, a warning would be enough."

"Swallow."

"But, the death of my son is a completely different matter. As a father, I must avenge my son, even if I am the head of the family."

"…!"

"Blood will flow like a river. Many innocent people will die. I hope my son is safe, and I don't want to kill innocent people."

"…"

"Therefore, send this to the Ming family directly."

"Head of the Family, if we send this, the Ming family's blade will be directed at you."

"That's true."

"This won't be enough to bring down the Ming family. But if this fact becomes known, the Ming family will have to give up the title of the First Family."

"That's why I want you to send it."

"Rather, shouldn't we send this to the head of the Murong family to be revealed gradually at the grand assembly?"

Suddenly, Lian Wei's eyes glowed fiercely.

"More important than the destruction of the Ming family!"

"…?!"

"My son's life is more important to me."

"Head of the Family."

"I couldn't properly care for my son. Now, he has grown up and is fighting alone, taking on responsibilities that I should have taken."

"…"

"Send it to the head of the Ming family. Directly. It shouldn't leak to anyone else."

"…Understood."

"I'm sorry for shouting."

"No, I'm the one who should apologize. I was blinded by the desire to punish great evil and failed to understand your feelings. Please forgive me."

He knows that Lian Wei doesn't easily say sorry, which means he is very anxious.

"I'll leave it to you."

"Don't worry. It will arrive within four days."

Iron Spear Cover hurriedly left the head's room.

Lian Wei looked out the window again.

"…Clear."

The sky, without a single cloud, was so clear it was maddening. It was so clear that he wanted to tear it apart with the Heavenly Net sword technique.

"Just a little longer. Just a little longer."