Chapter 15

15. The weakest group in the Jianghu.

When I challenged Zhaosanping to a duel, the man in black robes looked around and said, "All spectators, step back and do not interfere with the fight. Zhaosanhuan’s innkeeper and Shihualou’s Zhaosanping will engage in a life-or-death battle. I, Lingzhishi of Heixianbao, will be the witness."

Heixianbao was a black path force that mainly earned money through gambling and auction businesses, so they were quite valuable guests in Yiliang County.

When the spectators, including Zhaosanping’s subordinates, stepped back, a circular dueling ground was formed in front of the burning Zhaohuan Inn.

While Zhaosanping drew his straight sword with a grim expression, I examined the man named Lingzhishi.

Although he spoke of giving a fair chance for a life-or-death battle, his intentions were not so simple.

He would observe my skills while I fought Zhaosanping and then decide whether to step in or back off.

Such cunning tactics are basic in the Jianghu. Although I lack talent in the basic skills of the Jianghu, I am well aware of these basic tactics.

I glanced at the Zhaohuan Inn, which was engulfed in flames, and then untied the whip from my waist. When I saw a look of panic flash across Zhaosanping’s face, I asked, "Why?"

"What kind of whip is this? Draw your sword."

"This is perfect for a dog."

Ignoring Zhaosanping’s barking, I swung the whip.

Whizz... Slash!

The whip, which flew quickly, aimed for Zhaosanping’s feet, causing him to start jumping around like a mad dog.

I swung the whip with a cold expression but deliberately avoided hitting Zhaosanping’s body.

Since I had infused it with internal energy beyond the wooden level, a proper strike would tear flesh.

However, I needed to hide my true strength from Lingzhishi, who was observing. I swung the whip carelessly, only infusing it with internal energy.

The whip is convenient.

As long as it is supported by internal energy, even a casual swing can be threatening.

In any case, I planned to draw my sword if Lingzhishi decided to join in.

Zhaosanping, despite jumping around, struggled to close the distance. His sword skills were low, and his internal energy was far inferior to mine.

Neither Zhaorilin nor Zhaosanping were particularly skilled.

I swung the whip as if beating a mad monkey in the neighborhood.

'You should disappear from this neighborhood forever.'

From the moment I believed Lingzhishi would not intervene, I began to mercilessly beat Zhaosanping with the whip.

Whizz! Smack! Smack! Smack!

As the spectators’ murmurs quieted, only Zhaosanping’s screams of pain could be heard.

Zhaosanping’s face and clothes were already tattered.

After knocking Zhaosanping’s sword away with the whip, I exchanged a glance with Lingzhishi. Seeing me overpower Zhaosanping, Lingzhishi smirked and gestured as if to say, "Do as you please."

It also seemed like he was suggesting I could kill Zhaosanping in front of him.

Or it might have had another meaning.

Regardless of its meaning, I had no intention of sparing Zhaosanping.

I grabbed Zhaosanping’s neck with the whip and pulled him close, striking his forehead with a palm.

Thud!

Zhaosanping’s body collapsed to the ground, dead instantly.

After confirming Zhaosanping’s death, Lingzhishi said in a seemingly indifferent tone, "I will attest that this was a fair life-or-death battle. We may meet again if there is another occasion."

Just as Lingzhishi was about to step back, I swung the whip.

Whizz!

The curved whip aimed for Lingzhishi’s neck, but he quickly drew his long sword to block it.

As the whip wrapped around the sword, it became taut.

Lingzhishi looked at me with a shocked expression.

"What? You dare to... challenge Heixianbao..."

Internal energy was pouring through the whip, so Lingzhishi quickly shut his mouth.

I looked at him and said, "Heixianbao and all that..."

I am not the type to let someone who is just watching and waiting get away.

Especially someone who stood by while someone else’s home was burning. This means he would have stood by if Zhaosanping had raped or killed someone.

His subtle opportunism made him even more despicable.

Even if I ignored all of that, I already knew about Heixianbao’s black path activities and had no intention of sparing him.

In an instant, the impurities-eliminating technique of the Golden Gou Xiaoyao Gong flowed through the whip into Lingzhishi’s sword.

The surface of the whip glowed with a reddish light, and Lingzhishi’s sword began to change color due to the heat.

My eyes also took on a fiery glow, similar to the burning Zhaohuan Inn.

Lingzhishi, realizing his internal energy was inferior, trembled.

'This won’t do.'

Lingzhishi dropped his sword without hesitation and fled using lightness skills. His life was more important than his sword. With extensive combat experience, he used his internal energy to clash with the whip, creating a momentary gap and opportunity.

I immediately leaped into the air.

Lingzhishi was trying to hide among the spectators, but that was a bad choice.

I moved by stepping on the shoulders of the spectators. After stepping on about six shoulders, I overtook the fleeing Lingzhishi. I pushed the last man I stepped on backward and landed in front of Lingzhishi.

Lingzhishi gathered his palms and released a powerful palm strike, infusing it with all his internal energy.

I raised my sword diagonally and poured the internal energy of the Golden Gou Xiaoyao Gong into the blade.

The palm strike, which initially blocked my view, was split in half by the scorching sword wind.

We made eye contact one last time.

Just as Lingzhishi was preparing to counterattack, I advanced and drew my sword diagonally downward.

With a squelch, a long stream of blood spurted, and Lingzhishi’s body split into two and fell to the ground.

I glared at the severed body on my sword.

The spectators watched me and Lingzhishi’s corpse in silence, their mouths agape.

* * *

Shaking the blood off my sword, I said to the spectators, "The fire show is over. Everyone, go home."

At that moment, I did not forget Zhaosanping’s subordinates.

"Zhaosanping’s subordinates, stay. If anyone tries to run, I’ll catch them and send them to Zhaosanping first."

People who work for a living need to go to bed early and wake up early. The ordinary people, who had been frozen in fear, quickly dispersed, leaving Zhaosanping’s lackeys behind.

There were seven of them.

I sat in a chair that remained intact outside the inn and glared at Zhaosanping’s lackeys.

They were trembling all over, having witnessed me brutally killing Zhaosanping and Lingzhishi.

A thought suddenly occurred to me.

These bastards are just as problematic as Zhaosanping.

They were willing to kill someone or burn down someone’s home just because their superior told them to, like mindless fools.

Naturally, my demonic tone from the past slipped out.

"Don’t just stand there, kneel, you bastards. If you don’t want to follow Zhaosanping."

All seven knelt simultaneously.

"Why did you so easily burn down someone’s home? An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Do you want to feel the fire too?"

"Please spare us."

"Answer me. Why did you burn down someone’s home?"

"Because we were ordered to. We are sorry."

"We had no personal feelings about it."

Similar answers flowed out.

"Having no personal feelings doesn’t justify burning down someone’s home. Should I kill you without personal feelings?"

"We are sorry."

"If I hadn’t killed Zhaosanping, you would have spent your lives licking his boots."

These men had never taken responsibility for anything in their lives. They followed Zhaosanping out of fear, and as a result, Zhaosanping was free to commit evil deeds. Killing them one by one seemed futile and meaningless.

However, there was something I could make them do.

"From now on, you will completely restore the Zhaohuan Inn. Chachengtai and the survivors from the brothel will also help with the restoration."

They looked puzzled at the order to restore, but I meant it.

The Zhaohuan Inn is a good place to watch the sunrise or sunset, and it is my home.

Although I can’t make delicious noodles, there was no need for the inn to disappear like this.

Since it burned down, I planned to make it even better this time.

If someone set it on fire again, I would catch them and order them to restore it.

If the Zhaohuan Inn burned down ten times, I would restore it ten times. This is the difference between my past and present.

They might have set the fire out of their own will, but if they got caught by me, they would have to clean up the ashes and restore it exactly as it was.

The seven lackeys were in a dilemma.

"How should we restore it?"

"What do you mean? You will carry the stones, build the walls, and plaster the mud. Chachengtai will provide the necessary funds. If there’s a shortage of labor, the brothel workers will be mobilized."

Chachengtai, who had just arrived upon hearing the news, responded to my words.

"Is Zhaosanping dead?"

I nodded toward Zhaosanping’s corpse. Chachengtai, who had been looking at the corpse, then noticed the remains of the Zhaohuan Inn.

"It’s completely burned down."

Chachengtai’s usually cunning expression turned serious for a moment. The matter he had been uncertain about despite his suspicions had finally come to an end.

'Jianshui really won everything. It’s hard to believe even though I saw it with my own eyes.'

I called out to Chachengtai, who was staring at the Zhaohuan Inn.

"Chengtai."

Chachengtai turned with a smile.

"Yes, what is it?"

I pointed to the seven men and said, "Do you know them?"

"I know them well. They are under, under, under me."

"Make them help with the restoration of the Zhaohuan Inn. You and your subordinates should also help restore it perfectly."

"Why should I?"

I smiled slightly.

"I’m joking, but I’m serious. I’m not joking now."

Chachengtai, looking at my serious expression, slightly bowed his head.

"I will restore it. I will make it better than before. The site is quite spacious. Should we restore it in the style of a brothel, or as a comfortable inn for anyone to visit? This time, we will restore it as a two-story building."

"Build the walls a bit wider to make the inner space larger."

"I will do that."

"Build a training ground and a garden."

"Are you asking me to build a martial arts family estate instead of an inn?"

"Have you ever built a martial arts family estate like an inn? What can you do, anyway?"

"Is that what you want? Then I will build the Zhaohuan Inn as a martial arts family estate."

Chachengtai suddenly checked the state of the seven men. They were all trembling in fear, looking terrible.

I needed to make it clear to Chachengtai and the lackeys.

"The survivors from the brothel will go to the Reformation Gate. I will not stop anyone who wants to leave. Send them out after the inn is completed. If they run, tell them I will chase them to the ends of the earth."

"Understood."

The first principle of the underworld organization I envision is this:

A place where people who have nowhere to go and nowhere to return to gather.

Not a place where people act despicably, but a place where those who have nowhere to go are gathered and allowed to live within the boundaries I create.

This is the image of the Haomen I envision.

A group of the weak and the helpless. Building an organization this way might make the Haomen the weakest group in the Jianghu.

But that’s fine.

I will become strong.

I will embrace all the scum and the desperate, and their blood will only stain my hands.

I believe this is the role of the leader of the Haomen.