Chapter 92. I'm in a bad mood from today.

After losing in the inner strength competition, getting slapped, and soiling my pants from a laxative, why does it feel so unpleasant to see that guy laughing happily?

"Laugh a little less."

Zuosa replied with a smile.

"I thought you were something special because Master highly praised you, but you're just a bumpkin. Got it. I'll stop laughing."

"Shithead, anyone can flatter with a few words. You don't need to be proud of the women you've met."

Zuosa replied in a serious tone.

"Anyone can do that, but I doubt you can. You probably end up slapping a woman first in a conversation, then issuing a death threat, and dragging her by the hair to throw her out. Am I wrong?"

"......"

"Right? Hahahaha."

This lunatic pounded the table and laughed. I also smiled slightly. Reflecting on it, it seems I was like that in my past life.

No.

Actually, I don't remember much about myself, that's who I am.

When I called the waiter to pay for the drinks and stood up, Zuosa asked,

"Leaving already? Where are you going? To find true love? Where can you find it? Hey, don't go. Just stay at Baiyingzhi. There are more beauties here than anywhere else. This place and the famous Nangong's playground have the most beauties."

The waiter, who had been listening, interjected,

"True love, I hope you find it."

Zuosa burst into laughter again.

"Hahahaha......"

I replied with a calm expression,

"If I have any questions during my training, I'll come to you."

Zuosa nodded.

"Don't get cocky just because you won one inner strength competition. Train hard. Oh, if Master looks for you, where should I tell him to go?"

"I'm at the Black Cat Gang, so come there."

"Wait, you're the leader of the Black Cat Gang?"

"I'm beating up, killing, and absorbing all the black path forces around me. I am the leader of the Black Cat Gang."

"Ah, I see."

It seemed he had something to say, but I had no more business here and started to leave. Zuosa called out from behind,

"Go, bumpkin. Find true love and come back."

I nodded.

The path of a lonely and isolated man.

A life that a lecher can't understand.

Suddenly, I recalled the Central Plains' First Beauty, the White Path's First Beauty, and all sorts of regional beauties, as well as female experts known more for their beauty than their skills.

It doesn't really mean anything.

They just came to mind.

Thinking about it, half of them had been teased or insulted by me.

But it's fine.

This time, I didn't tease them.

Not yet, anyway.

My steps became a bit lighter.

On my way back, I deliberately chose mountain paths, hills, secluded roads, and ambush-prone routes, walking defenselessly, but I didn't see any bandits.

'Bad luck.'

Even though I was returning from Baiyingzhi, young, and dressed like a scholar in white, they didn't show up.

I arrived at the Black Cat Gang without incident.

* * *

Nothing much happened at the Black Cat Gang.

After clearing out all the black path forces in the nearby area, peaceful days continued. Fortunately, the internal atmosphere of the Black Cat Gang was under control thanks to Xiaojunping, and Chaxingtao was training like a madman, so the atmosphere wasn't bad.

I mainly practiced qi cultivation under the plum tree.

I need to build up more inner strength to use the Brain Sword Technique or the Plum Blossom Sword Technique. Of course, I could force it now, but in a real fight, it's meaningful only if I have some reserve.

Moreover, Xianxie, whom I sent to the Dragonhead Iron Gang, hasn't returned in a completed state.

While waiting for the sword, I built up my inner strength.

While building up my inner strength, I watched the falling plum blossoms.

This monotonous daily routine was about to change, as I expected a visitor soon.

Bi Zongguan reported,

"Leader, a man claiming to be the leader of the Southern Ming Association has arrived. I've placed him in the outer courtyard. He came alone, but he has quite a few subordinates outside."

I opened my eyes and replied,

"Guide him to the main hall."

He came earlier than I expected.

He probably didn't come because of the immediate conflict with the First Sword Gang, but rather to discuss the matter before someone hired assassins.

Of course, Nan Jialuo, the leader of the Southern Ming Association, wouldn't know who hired the First Sword Gang, even at the moment of death.

So, it's likely that Nan Jialuo is here to discuss the employer of the First Sword Gang.

Is it the Sword Demon Association? Or the Southern Heaven Alliance?

When I took my seat in the main hall, Nan Jialuo entered alone, guided by Bi Zongguan.

How did I talk to this guy again?

While I couldn't remember, Nan Jialuo spoke first.

"Leader, I'm here."

"You're here?"

I didn't bother to speak formally unless it was a man of the Sword Demon level. Nan Jialuo shared his impressions as he passed through the outer and inner courtyards.

"Your subordinates are training hard."

"They're just mediocre, so they have to work hard to survive."

Seeing Nan Jialuo's calm expression, I asked,

"Is something happening around here?"

"I received a late notice. It seems the Southern Heaven Alliance and the Sword Demon Association had a major conflict recently. They often fight over overlapping territories, so it's not surprising."

"But?"

"This time, there were many casualties. It started with thirty or forty people in Yuyang, but as the fight dragged on, both sides sent reinforcements, and it escalated. The leaders of the Southern Heaven Alliance and the Sword Demon Association even showed up and had a big fight."

"Who won?"

"It was a costly battle for both sides. If one of the leaders had died, we might have known who won, but that didn't happen. The conflict zone was neutral, so they both left."

What happened next was somewhat predictable.

"The leader of the Southern Heaven Alliance went crazy. He contacted all nearby black path forces, even those not in his territory, and ordered them to come to the Southern Heaven Alliance. He threatened to exterminate them if they refused, after the fight with the Sword Demon Association was over."

Nan Jialuo pointed at himself.

"I also received a call."

I nodded.

"I see."

Nan Jialuo continued,

"But a day later, the Sword Demon Association also contacted me. The content was similar. It means that all nearby black path forces, like me, are being forced to choose sides."

"What do you think, Leader Nan?"

"I'm going to refuse both."

I asked, resting my chin on my hand,

"I don't know the detailed situations of the Southern Heaven Alliance and the Sword Demon Association. I created Haomen to protect the lives of those who work for me. I understand they are both black path forces. But, Leader Nan, don't you know which one is worse?"

Nan Jialuo explained,

"The Sword Demon Association is a large organization that grew by forcibly merging merchant guilds. They have a lot of money. The merchant guilds probably joined out of necessity due to their tyranny."

"How did the Sword Demon Association tyrannize?"

"For example, if a specific item in a region costs two silver coins, they send a merchant guild to supply it for one silver coin, disrupting the balance, and then negotiate with the local guild. They make a lot of money, so they use money to pressure, and if that doesn't work, they send their martial artists, and if that doesn't work, they hire assassins."

I thought the Sword Demon Association was likely the one behind the First Sword Gang.

"What about the Southern Heaven Alliance?"

"The Southern Heaven Alliance is a black path force. It's a force that the leader, Situ Xing, merged by force, controlling all black path forces in the Southern Heaven region. He created the Southern Heaven Alliance alone in his late teens, making him the most famous man in Southern Heaven and someone immune to the Sword Demon Association's wealth."

"Judging by their nature, the Southern Heaven Alliance seems better."

Nan Jialuo replied, looking troubled,

"That's true, but Situ Xing is the king of Southern Heaven. If you introduce yourself as the leader of Haomen, he'll make you kneel. That's why I don't want to join either side."

I crossed my arms and replied,

"I'm the king where I am. There can't be two kings."

"Haha, you're just like Situ Xing."

Just as I was thinking, the main hall door opened, and Xiaojunping reported,

"Leader, the Sword Demon Association is here."

"The Sword Demon Association?"

Thinking about it, I'm now the leader of the Black Cat Gang. But it was surprising that the Sword Demon Association reached out here. They seemed desperate to eliminate each other. I thought the Sword Demon Association was gathering troops like hiring assassins due to their excessive wealth.

I looked at Nan Jialuo's expression and replied to Xiaojunping,

"Let them in."

Nan Jialuo snorted.

"Coming all the way here is ridiculous."

I muttered, suddenly thinking of Zuosa,

"I've been in a bad mood lately, and they came at the worst time."

The main hall door burst open, and a messenger from the Sword Demon Association looked at me and Nan Jialuo.

"Who is the leader of the Black Cat Gang?"

A man in his mid-twenties walked over and sat opposite Nan Jialuo.

"I am," I replied, looking at him.

The young man nodded and pointed at Nan Jialuo.

"Ask your subordinate to leave."

I looked at Nan Jialuo and then replied to the Sword Demon Association's martial artist,

"He's not a subordinate. Speak your business."

"Is that so? Let me introduce myself. I'm from the Sword Demon Association..."

"Hey."

"......"

I called the Sword Demon Association's martial artist and continued,

"I don't care who you are, so speak your business."

The martial artist twisted his hair and glared at me.

"Leader of the Black Cat Gang, you're disrespectful. I'm from the Sword Demon Association."

"Is that so? I forgot."

I laughed and looked at Nan Jialuo, who also laughed. The Sword Demon Association's martial artist, with a stiff expression, stated his business,

"Three silver coins per Black Cat Gang martial artist per day. Ten gold coins if the leader comes personally. We'll settle cleanly from the day of participation. Especially, if the Great Monk comes, we'll give fifty gold coins per day. We plan to annihilate the Southern Heaven Alliance in one go when all the troops are gathered. If you refuse, you'll face the wrath of the Sword Demon Association's leader. What will you do, Leader?"

Nan Jialuo burst into laughter and said to me,

"They offered five silver coins per day for my subordinates. It seems my subordinates are still more valuable than the Black Cat Gang."

I laughed at Nan Jialuo's words.

"Ah, to be treated like this. It's embarrassing. They probably didn't know the Great Monk was dead."

The Sword Demon Association's martial artist, with an unpleasant expression, said,

"Ah, you're also the leader of a black path force. This isn't my opinion. I'm just following the guidelines to contact various black path forces. And the Great Monk is dead?"

Nan Jialuo ignored the messenger and asked me,

"What will you do?"

"What do you think, Leader Nan?"

Nan Jialuo shared his opinion,

"To be honest, I wish the leaders of the Sword Demon Association and the Southern Heaven Alliance would meet one-on-one to resolve this. I don't understand why they can't kill their subordinates and why they're pressuring surrounding forces to fight. Frankly, both are crazy, and I don't want to join either side."

I nodded.

"I see. Leader Nan's words make sense. A man should act like that."

The Sword Demon Association's martial artist stood up.

"Is that your answer? I heard you. We'll see again after the matter is resolved."

I shouted,

"Xiaojunping!"

The main hall door burst open, and Xiaojunping replied,

"Yes, you called?"

As Xiaojunping blocked the entrance, the Sword Demon Association's martial artist stopped.

I pointed at him.

"He's a messenger from the Sword Demon Association, who will soon fight us. Have a match in the inner courtyard. Gather your subordinates to watch. We need to check the skills of the Sword Demon Association's lower ranks."

The Sword Demon Association's martial artist glared at me.

"Are you out of your mind?"

Ignoring his words, I said to Nan Jialuo,

"Leader Nan, have your subordinates come in. We need to check the Southern Ming Association too. I don't like either the Southern Heaven Alliance or the Sword Demon Association, so let's gauge their strength before fighting."

Nan Jialuo smiled and replied,

"Sure, let's do it."

I stood up and said,

"Prepare for the match, you arrogant messenger."

I stood in the main hall and slapped the messenger, who was about to speak. With a thud, he fell to the ground. Holding his cheek, he looked at me.

"Are you deaf? Can't you get up? I've been in a bad mood lately, and a border black path force is pissing me off."

The messenger, with an angry expression, tried to save face.

"Can you handle it?"

I didn't kill the messenger, but I could hit him. I slapped him again, and he rolled on the ground a few times.

"Prepare for the match. If you don't want to die from slaps."

I left the main hall with Nan Jialuo.