Chapter 97. My Heart is Full of Sowing Discord

I took a moment to drink some Dujiangju, pondering whether to relentlessly track down and finish off Yiwudao or to first attack the Peijian Society.

The assassin in front of me, who had just drawn his sword, was now spitting blood. I poured my palm force, followed by Touji’s power, into the sword.

The tip of the sword I was holding was trembling quite a bit.

This guy couldn’t be the one who killed Nan Jiaoluo in my previous life. Perhaps my current fame wasn’t as well-known as Nan Jiaoluo’s, so an assassin matching my current status was dispatched.

His power was somewhat lacking compared to Nan Jiaoluo.

Then, I saw the sword in front of me and grabbed it with my left hand.

‘Is this a quick sword technique?’

Only then did I notice the assassin’s expression.

“...!”

Sweat was trickling down his face, so I infused Yanyi into the sword I was holding.

This would be a case of fighting fire with fire.

As I watched the assassin’s face contort, I observed the onlookers.

“Everyone, don’t move.”

I waited for the other assassins while torturing the one in front of me with my inner power. If our powers were similar, we could retreat at any time during the power struggle. However, with such a significant difference in power, a hasty retreat was impossible.

Before the guy could cut off his own arm, I added a threatening word.

“If you move, you’ll be ashes.”

The assassin’s sword had already turned red. The hand holding the sword was being burned by the heat.

I infused Yanyi while torturing him and turned my head to the left.

I met the eyes of the porter.

“...”

What kind of weapon does this assassin disguised as a porter have?

To my surprise, this guy threw the load on his shoulder directly at me. Then, the load burst open due to the palm force, and the metal objects inside rushed towards me.

Did he mistake the palm force confrontation for an even match?

I combined Miji and Yanyi in the sword-drawing stance, just as I did before, and used the palm force to stop the incoming hidden weapons, then immediately twisted their direction using the Absorption Technique.

Swoosh!

The startled porter reached out towards the man in front of me.

“No!”

Bang!

But the hidden weapons from the porter had already pierced the man I was holding. His face, neck, shoulders, and abdomen... his entire left side was riddled with numerous steel needles.

The assassin’s power dissipated instantly, and he was soon enveloped by the Yanyi force.

It was unclear whether he died from the hidden weapons or the Yanyi force, but his body fell to the side.

Thud...

I looked at the panicked porter.

“Why did you kill your comrade?”

I drank some Dujiangju while watching the porter and asked abruptly.

“Xiao Junping, how far have you surrounded them?”

Xiao Junping answered from among the crowd.

“I’ve surrounded them in a radius of about thirty zhang. I’ll try to spread out as much as possible and only kill those who try to escape.”

“Can you distinguish them?”

“I’ll try to find them.”

“Wait a moment...”

“Yes.”

“Ah, kill the porter first.”

Hong Xin, who was hiding among the crowd, threw a hidden weapon.

Swoosh!

The porter, startled, narrowly avoided Hong Xin’s hidden weapon, but then a gold coin dart thrown by the white-robed priest embedded itself in the porter’s back.

Thud!

“Gah!”

Then, Qing Jin and Bai You’s leaf darts and steel needles embedded themselves in his shoulder and head. After seeing the porter fall, I called Zhang San, who had taken refuge inside the inn.

“Zhang San.”

“Yes, Fangzhu.”

As soon as Zhang San came out, he stood close to me.

I looked at the onlookers and asked Zhang San.

“Can you find them? The ones who look suspicious, have you practiced a bit?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Start pointing out the suspicious ones.”

Zhang San pointed to a man.

“That pancake seller.”

“The pancake seller looked awkward.”

The pancake seller, pointed out by the waiter, pushed a pedestrian in front and fled with great momentum.

I slightly raised my head and watched the fleeing pancake seller.

“Faster, run faster.”

Just as he seemed to be getting away, a sudden knife pierced his neck, killing him instantly.

Thud!

I clicked my tongue.

“Oh, he didn’t get far.”

Nan Jiaoluo, who had killed the pancake seller with one strike, kicked the body towards the inn.

Thud!

Another body added to the pile.

I waved at the onlookers.

“The assassins seem to be making a fool of me. I clearly said I have more subordinates. Zhang San, let’s try again.”

Zhang San was about to point to someone with his finger but retracted it, as the assassins’ reactions were too quick.

Zhang San said.

“The man next to the cart.”

The man next to the cart seemed to have been caught already. Nan Lianfeng and other Nan Minghui brothers were already surrounding him, preventing him from escaping. As soon as Zhang San spoke, they drew their swords and stabbed and slashed him without a word.

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

This time, Nan Lianfeng kicked the body, which hadn’t even fallen, towards the inn.

Thud!

The body rolled to a stop.

I met Nan Lianfeng’s eyes for the first time in a while and smiled. Nan Lianfeng, looking a bit embarrassed, scratched his cheek.

“Zhang San, well done. Are there more?”

Now, whenever Zhang San scanned the crowd, people got scared.

Zhang San said honestly.

“I don’t know any others.”

I asked Nan Jiaoluo, who was still hiding among the crowd.

“Nan Huizhu, what do you think?”

“There might be more.”

“Then let’s weed them out.”

“Agreed. To catch assassins, we need to learn patience.”

“You’re right. Those who know Zhang San, come over here and then go about your business. One by one, slowly. Zhang San knows everyone in the neighborhood, right? Probably.”

Surprisingly, the onlookers listened to me well.

They came one by one, exchanged a few words with Zhang San, and either sighed in relief or hurriedly left the scene.

The number of innocent onlookers gradually decreased.

Zhang San, now more at ease, waved to the people who came to confirm their identities.

“Go inside quickly. Yes, come for a drink. Uncle Gao, go inside. Yes, go in. Next, next, next, yes, go in.”

What an amazing order and controlled atmosphere.

I watched Zhang San’s enthusiasm, dedication, and nosiness and laughed to myself.

I know the waiter’s strengths better than anyone. I know that without customers, he can’t help but watch the street all day and meddle in various matters.

As the people Zhang San vouched for left like a receding tide, the crabs on the beach blinked their eyes.

I wasn’t the only one looking for assassins.

My subordinates, in the improved environment, were also glaring, trying to weed out the assassins.

When only five were left, a man, frightened, knelt on the ground and said.

“It’s not me! I don’t know any martial arts!”

I said to the five.

“Come to my side. I won’t kill you randomly, so don’t worry.”

Surprisingly, except for the kneeling man, the other four quickly used their lightness skills and scattered in all directions.

I pulled out a chopstick and aimed it at the back of the head of the first one to run.

Swoosh! Thud!

I stood up and scanned the surroundings.

There was no need to give additional orders.

One of them was jumping onto the building, with Nan Lianfeng in pursuit. The subordinates quickly scattered to chase, and Nan Jiaoluo approached the kneeling man.

Nan Jiaoluo extended his hand to the kneeling man and said.

“Give me your hand.”

Nan Jiaoluo, having confirmed the absence of inner power, told me.

“Pangzhu, this guy really doesn’t have any inner power.”

I looked at the kneeling man’s face and said to Nan Jiaoluo.

“Send him over.”

Nan Jiaoluo kicked the man’s buttocks.

“Go.”

Zhang San brought a chair and placed it opposite me, then said to the approaching man.

“Sit here.”

The man, with a terrified expression, sat down.

I looked at his face and said.

“Put everything you have on the table.”

“Huh?”

At this moment, the white-robed priest brought the body of the fleeing man to the front of the inn and kicked it to the center.

I asked the priest, worried.

“Priest, did you touch the body?”

The priest raised his hand and replied.

“Big Brother, I’m wearing gloves.”

“Good.”

Then, Nan Lianfeng kicked a body from the rooftop, and Xiao Junping brought a body with a rope around its neck, finishing the chase.

The only one left was the man in front of me.

“...They’re all dead. Only you remain.”

“...”

“If you have nothing to say, die.”

“I haven’t learned any martial arts. Can you just kill people like this?”

“If you had done anything at Yiwudao, you would deserve to die. Why are you so angry? Did you think I would spare you?”

After a while, the officers gathered and took their seats in the inn. Chasing Tai, who appeared late, distributed gloves and quietly started moving the bodies.

Xiao Junping, sitting down, asked me.

“Should we kill him?”

I nodded and replied.

“This guy doesn’t seem to be from Yiwudao.”

“Really?”

“Maybe a subcontractor? They probably don’t know the main base.”

The priest, with his arms crossed, glared and asked.

“Is it the Peijian Society?”

“I don’t know.”

I looked at Zhang San, who was watching.

“Zhang San.”

“Yes.”

“Turn your head that way for a moment.”

As Zhang San turned his head, I struck the man in front of me with a palm, killing him instantly.

The sound of a thud and the cracking of his neck bone mixed, making Zhang San flinch.

Zhang San exhaled deeply and turned his head.

“Phew...”

I said to the seated officers.

“Let’s have a meeting here. Let’s get some drinks.”

“Understood.”

“Zhang San, share some drinks. You’ve worked hard.”

“Yes, Fangzhu.”

The officers were waiting for my words, so I organized my thoughts and laid out the plan.

“If I stay here, it will be tiring for the people working. From what I’ve seen, the target seems to be me alone.”

Being the target isn’t a bad thing.

“Finding the main base of Yiwudao won’t be easy. It’s a well-organized group. Priest.”

“Yes, Big Brother.”

“Is the Peijian Society connected to the merchant guilds?”

“They are likely connected to several merchant guilds.”

“Then call Priest Jin Hai and have him thoroughly investigate the merchant guilds related to the Peijian Society. Investigating them will make it easier to find the main base of Yiwudao.”

“Do the merchants know?”

“No, but they might know the contact methods. Merchants fear death more than assassins. Even if not, when the Peijian Society is dismantled, the merchant guilds that were involved will need to be dealt with. We can’t kill them all, so tell Jin Hai to have the Jinshan Merchant Guild intervene and claim the benefits. Priest Bai, you should handle this appropriately. Priest Jin Hai will likely benefit the most financially. He knows the merchant wars better than we do. He will distribute the benefits to those affected this time, so tell him to calculate well. In the end, the Jinshan Merchant Guild will be the biggest beneficiary.”

The priest nodded.

“I understand.”

“My method might be wrong, but I will entrust the task of finding Yiwudao to the priests.”

“Yes.”

I looked at Nan Jiaoluo.

“Nan Huizhu, let’s attack the Peijian Society.”

“How?”

With Nan Tianlian involved, the question was about the strategy.

I fight according to my thoughts, so the participation of Nan Tianlian is irrelevant.

“With a small, elite team, let’s raid and burn the key points of the Peijian Society, but don’t kill anyone. Then retreat.”

Nan Jiaoluo, confused, replied.

“Why?”

“Why? What’s the point of burning their homes? It will make sleeping uncomfortable. It will also cause property damage.”

“Is that it?”

“No. We need to provoke Nan Tianlian. We’ll think about it as we go. We need to make them fight until they collapse.”

I decided on the broad strategy to incite the fight between the Peijian Society and Nan Tianlian.

“We need to move with a small, elite team. Burn and run, kill a few and run. Make the Peijian Society think it’s Nan Tianlian, and make Nan Tianlian think it’s the Peijian Society. So, while moving, steal the clothing of both sides and wear masks. Do you understand? We’ll sow discord until both sides go mad.”

Since it was a task where my subordinates wouldn’t die, Nan Jiaoluo’s expression, rarely seen, brightened.

“Ah... I like it.”

I smiled at Nan Jiaoluo.

“Nan Huizhu.”

“Yes.”

“Let’s have some fun. No need to be serious with these fools.”

Nan Jiaoluo, unable to respond immediately, tilted his head back and laughed for a while.

“Hahaha...”

The Jianghu I envision can be serious, but it can also be not.

The key is...

to make the enemy suffer.

Until they faint from agony.

Until they go mad and pass out.

I know better than anyone the fun of further sowing discord among already bad relationships.

In any case, deep in my heart, the Peijian Society is already gone from the Jianghu.

And my heart is full of thoughts of sowing discord.

“Who is the worse person will be clear after this is over.”