Chapter 60. I've come to collect the debt.

Painting is much like martial arts.

You have to discard countless attempts before you can complete a good painting.

The same goes for portrait sketches.

Although Chief Bi had drawn Guangming Zuo's face, I kept discarding them because none of them satisfied me.

To achieve better results in anything, you must keep discarding.

While the riffraff of the black path gathered at Huahua Mountain Lodge to discuss how to suppress me, I was working hard with Chief Bi to create the portrait sketch.

"Chief, his cheekbones aren't that prominent. His jawline is more similar to mine. Look again."

Chief Bi examined my jawline and said, "The hair also plays a role in defining one's appearance. Whether his hair is curly or smooth like a woman's is also important."

"What kind of hair does that guy have?"

"It's smooth. What about his eyebrows?"

"Overall, they are straight like a ruler, but the ends curve like feathers."

"He must have carefully trimmed his eyebrows with a knife. He's a serious lecher."

Chief Bi synthesized all the information he had heard and drew again. After a while, a portrait sketch that closely resembled Guangming Zuo was finally completed. Chief Bi smiled and asked, "Does it meet your satisfaction?"

"It's good. Let's use this to find him. I know he's from a noble family, but only that he's a collateral descendant. He's around twenty years old."

"That's simple if it's a noble family."

"Why?"

"The martial artists of noble families pay attention to their attire, so they never dress shabbily. If he's a lecher, he would stand out even more. First, narrow it down to noble families, then by age, and finally compare the attire with the portrait sketch. It won't take too long. What about his martial arts skills?"

"He's stronger than the young talents of noble families of similar age."

At that, Chief Bi's eyes widened.

"Then he must be an incredible expert."

"Exactly. Just locate him and inform me. He's not someone my subordinates can handle."

"Understood."

Thinking about it, he's a collateral descendant with strong martial arts skills and has caused trouble, so he must have been disliked by the main family's experts.

If the main family's experts considered him a competitor for the next generation's family head, they would have buried him completely to prevent his revival. Thus, he had no choice but to join the Evil Cult.

"Chief, focus on finding this guy. Leave the fighting to me. I find that more convenient."

"Understood."

I looked at the board Chief Bi had drawn.

"Tonight, the leaders at Huahua Mountain Lodge will discuss their plans, and they'll have a drink, right?"

"That's right. They'll discuss who gets which territory and how to handle the money. Once someone brings up these topics, the meeting won't end quickly."

Perhaps this is a chronic problem of the black path.

In fact, those who don't discuss such matters are likely the truly powerful black path forces.

The same applies to individuals and organizations.

Those with real skills are generally not very interested in money.

I scratched my head in the main hall for a moment.

Some of my subordinates have already left for Yiliang County and Heixianbao. I need to wait until evening to gather all my forces.

As I was lost in thought, Chief Bi said, "Patriarch, may I speak freely?"

"Of course."

"Although we are part of the black path, the people of Nanhua are familiar with our presence. They would welcome us even more if we stop all the oppressive actions of the Great Monastery. If another black path force takes over, many things will change, and more people will be hurt or injured. Fortunately, several of the Twelve Elders remain, and your force is not small. Please consider the heavy responsibility of being the leader and handle the situation carefully."

Did he see a hint of unreasonable rebellion in my eyes?

I nodded solemnly but dismissed his advice.

"Of course, I need to be careful. Just because the enemy leaders are gathered at Huahua Mountain Lodge doesn't mean I should rashly launch a surprise attack alone. Right?"

Chief Bi bowed slightly and said, "Thank you for understanding."

"So, I shouldn't storm in with the Twelve Elders and set fire to Huahua Mountain Lodge with flaming arrows, causing a forest fire. Right? Flowers and trees are precious."

"It's a clever idea, but it's not something a commander with many troops should do. There are quite a few experts on the other side, so it will ultimately come down to a sword fight. Flowers and trees are precious."

I nodded at Chief Bi.

"I was feeling a bit restless, but Chief Bi has enlightened me. In any case, Chief Bi is truly the pillar and strategist of the Black Cat Sect. When we find that lecher, you will receive a gold ingot. You can record it in the ledger or collect it directly."

Chief Bi clasped his hands with a pleased expression.

"Thank you, Patriarch."

"It will take some time to gather the troops, so I need to visit the Murong family for a while. I also want to see our doctor."

"Oh, have you become close with the young doctor of the Murong family?"

"Like brothers, I suppose."

"I see. I'll keep an eye on the Murong family as well. And, Patriarch, in this situation, it's safer to travel by carriage. I'll prepare it for you."

"Good."

* * *

As I walked towards the waiting carriage, I muttered to myself.

"If you're going to tell me what to do, you should be the Patriarch."

The waiting coachman, unsure if I was talking to him, asked, "Pardon?"

"It's nothing."

As I got into the carriage, the coachman, who had been briefed, asked, "Patriarch, shall I take you to the Murong family?"

"Let's go."

As soon as the carriage turned a corner, I told the coachman, "I've changed my mind. The wind is cool, so let's not go to the Murong family."

"Understood."

"Drop me off near the Yunwu Club, and you can return."

Sheng Sheng is the young master of the Yunwu Club, and he is currently at Huahua Mountain Lodge. The coachman hesitated for a moment.

"..."

The coachman asked again, "Patriarch, should we return to report to the officers or Chief Bi before leaving? After all, the Yunwu Club is a dangerous place, so shouldn't we clarify the destination?"

Thinking that it's wrong to scold someone who is speaking the truth, I replied, "Let's go to the Yunwu Club, which uses the name 'Yunwu' in its name. I feel left out because they always share their feelings without me."

"Understood."

Riding in a carriage is always enjoyable.

I headed to Liuhua County, where the Yunwu Club is located, admiring the scenery outside.

On a warm spring day, the breeze made me feel as if I were on a vacation.

Noticing the coachman's concern, I reassured him, "Sheng Sheng is busy at Huahua Mountain Lodge, so don't worry too much."

"Understood."

I imagined the incident between Sheng Sheng and the Wulin Alliance members.

What crime did he commit against the Wulin Alliance members that led to their beheading in the market, and why was he imprisoned for it?

Was he someone I knew?

I didn't know.

In any case, during his time as a lecher, the Wulin Alliance member must have been released from prison. He wouldn't have been imprisoned for long for killing a black path member.

Although I have returned to the past...

Sometimes I know the process but not the outcome.

Sometimes I know the outcome but not the process.

I'm just curious and bored, so I'm going to the Yunwu Club.

* * *

"Patriarch, we have arrived in Liuhua County."

Looking down, I saw the carriage had been parked in a quiet spot by the observant coachman.

I warned the coachman, "You've parked in just the right spot. Waiting here would be boring, so return first. But tell everyone I'm at the Murong family."

"Understood, Patriarch."

"Take this."

I handed the black robe to the coachman. Underneath, I was wearing ordinary martial attire, so my appearance wasn't particularly noticeable.

Wearing a black robe in such warm weather is a martial artist's instinct. It can hide multiple weapons, provide some protection if struck by a blade, and when infused with inner energy, can deflect most hidden weapons. It has many uses.

However, a black robe is definitely a combat uniform, making one stand out.

After sending the coachman away, I toured Liuhua County.

I was curious about how Sheng Sheng's influence compared to the Great Monastery and what business the Yunwu Club was in.

I was also curious about why it was called the Yunwu Club.

I'm a person with many curiosities.

I came here out of curiosity, not with any specific plan.

The street scenes in Liuhua County were no different from those in Nanhua.

The larger the black path's influence, the more people there are. After all, the black path lives by taking money from those who work.

Thinking about it, the Black Cat Sect, which I now lead, was originally such a force, which made me feel uncomfortable.

I decided to inspect myself by touring Liuhua County. The method was simple: I could tell by the expressions of the shopkeepers whether business was good and if they were being harassed.

This is a matter of pride.

If the ordinary people of Nanhua look worried after I became the Black Cat Sect Patriarch, it's my fault.

What kind of black path figure is Sheng Sheng here?

I wandered around, entering inns and markets. There were many street vendors here, who tend to work hard even in tough times, so I didn't learn much.

Looking down on those who work leads to this.

After completing my inspection of Liuhua County, I headed to the Yunwu Club.

Looking at the main gate, I thought:

Those who do shady things often have a small window on their main gate, like the Black Cat Sect's main gate.

Bang bang bang!

After knocking with my fist, a small door creaked open.

"Who is it?"

Seeing only the eyes of the person speaking, it felt like looking at a prisoner.

"Who is it?"

I made a "tsk" sound and replied, "I've come to collect a debt."

Bang! The small door closed, and then the main gate creaked open.

This revealed that they often failed to pay their debts. The process of opening the door was quick, precise, and repetitive. Moreover, there was clear annoyance in the way it was opened and closed. I understood the psychology: it was a way to intimidate the debt collector.

The person who opened the door looked at me with a tilted head.

"Come in."

I replied with a stiff expression, "If you're not in a good mood, I can come back later."

The person immediately retorted, "Come in, brat."

"Alright, then. I'll come in."

This is the difference between the black path and the white path.

If saying "I've come to collect a debt" is sometimes a code phrase, it's the black path.

However, the white path doesn't create debts in the first place.

The white path can be further divided into sects and noble families.

Noble families are so wealthy that they rarely have debts, so such code phrases wouldn't work.

Sects live and die by their honor, so they would rather forage for food than eat on credit.

That's why major sects are often found in the mountains.

The white path is more fearsome than the black path, regardless of whether they live in the mountains or cities, because of their endless pride and self-respect.

The gatekeeper interrupted my thoughts.

"Whose debt? Surely not the Club Master's. The Vice Master's drinking bill?"

As I followed the gatekeeper, I muttered, "Scary, really."

"What?"

The gatekeeper turned around, looking at me with a mix of disbelief and anger.

"What did you say? Just now."

I replied calmly, "Nothing, just talking to myself."

Perhaps the gatekeeper had been confident in his training. His palm, aimed at my face, drew a curve and arrived.

I grabbed his wrist and reasoned with him.

"I said, just talking to myself."

I released the gatekeeper's hand and started a staring contest.

"Whoever blinks first loses. The loser gets a slap."

"..."

"By the way, I've mastered the Tan Zhi Gong. It's not just a slap. It's a slap that clears your mind. It's called the Zixia Tan Zhi Gong, one of the three great Tan Zhi Gong in the martial world."

The gatekeeper's eyes widened, determined not to blink first, no matter the situation.

With bloodshot eyes, he asked, "Where are you from?"