Chapter 43: Face-to-Face (1)

"Wow, it's luxurious."

Xueliang's first words as he looked around the VIP room he was led to were these.

"You've wallpapered it with gold. Is this a show of wealth?"

Wei Honglian's evaluation was not only harsh but also rude.

"......"

Ma Dongpi was silent, his eyes closed.

Unlike Xueliang's residence, which was large but desolate, Hong Weimen's place was incredibly opulent.

Wei Honglian glanced at Xueliang.

Xueliang, seemingly amazed, kept looking around. There was no trace of resentment or jealousy on his face.

"Master."

"Huh? Why?"

"Wouldn't it be nice to decorate your home like this, Master?"

Xueliang stuck out his tongue as if he were about to vomit.

"Are you crazy? I can't live in such a place where the money is rotting. Admiration is temporary, but the inconvenience will make it hard to swallow food."

Wei Honglian grinned.

"Indeed, that's what you think."

"Isn't it obvious?"

It's not obvious.

At least, the officials Wei Honglian had seen all enjoyed luxury. Or, many didn't even realize it was luxury.

In that sense, Third Master is indeed different. He seemed to enjoy simplicity and comfort.

Wei Honglian frowned.

"By the way, why isn't Fourth Master coming?"

They had been led to the VIP room for less than half an hour. Her impatience was sky-high.

Ma Dongpi, still with his eyes closed, said:

"He will come when the time is right."

"That's something anyone can say. Now that the superior has arrived, shouldn't we move quickly?"

"I advise you to be careful with your words. There are many ears listening."

"At least, no one is setting off my senses."

Ma Dongpi, interpreting her immediate situation as a warning to be careful in the future, closed both his eyes and mouth.

At that moment, Xueliang said:

"He won't come soon."

"Huh?"

"He won't come soon."

Ma Dongpi's eyes snapped open. Wei Honglian, surprised, looked at him.

Xueliang scratched his head.

"I've seen old men do this a lot. When unexpected guests arrive, they rarely rush to greet them."

"What do you mean?"

"To put it simply, it's a game of气势. Since you weren't invited and came without notice, they need time to prepare. So, even if you feel impatient, you have to endure it."

Of course, the old man in question was the leader of the Righteous Heaven Alliance. Publicly, to take control of the conversation, and privately, to enjoy the discomfort of the other party, he always arrived late.

Wei Honglian's frown deepened. The scar on her face made her look even more menacing.

"Would you dare to say that in front of Third Master?"

"Third Master is just a title, isn't he? He's a disciple of the same sect leader. Even if he were a Great Demon Lord, he wouldn't need to consider our situation, right?"

His calmness made it sound even more casual. Wei Honglian hesitated.

Ma Dongpi said:

"Master, what will you do?"

"What do you mean?"

"Sending a message to someone to come quickly..."

"Why?"

"Excuse me?"

Xueliang leaned back in the chair. It was so soft and comfortable that it felt like lying on a bed.

"Hey, honestly, when will we ever get to relax in such a place? Spending a day enjoying the luxury here isn't bad."

He even mentioned food and lodging. It seemed he thought they might be kept waiting for a long time.

"If you're hungry, why not call someone to order food?"

Ma Dongpi shook his head.

"I'm fine..."

Ding!

The person who pulled the cord from the ceiling was none other than Wei Honglian. Ma Dongpi stared at her intently.

Wei Honglian said boldly:

"Thinking about it, Master is right. When will I ever get to eat a meal in such a place? I'll eat and sleep here."

"That's a good idea."

A moment later, a servant entered. Though not in silk, his attire was surprisingly high-quality for a mere servant.

"Did you call for me?"

Wei Honglian rattled off a list of dishes.

All of them were strongly scented, and she ordered them for a room with only one window. Ma Dongpi said:

"Master doesn't like strongly scented dishes. Instead, you should..."

At that moment, Xueliang raised his hand.

"Order what you want. I don't mind."

Wei Honglian smirked at Ma Dongpi, who sat back down, seemingly resigned.

Xueliang looked up at the ceiling.

His eyes grew deep.

'What would the old man do?'

Though he was a detestable old man whom he wouldn't want to meet even in a dream, there were things to learn from him in such situations.

Before becoming the leader of the Righteous Heaven Alliance, the old man traveled widely.

Many people fell into ruin due to the old man's efforts to gain power.

If I were the leader of the Righteous Heaven Alliance? If the many enemies the old man destroyed were now Hong Weimen?

And if I adapted the old man's methods to my own style, what would happen?

"Leader Wei."

Wei Honglian flinched. Third Master, who had been calling her names, finally addressed her formally.

Xueliang smiled.

"Will a few dishes do?"

"Excuse me?"

"Order a few jugs of wine too!"

Wei Honglian forced a smile. It was quite a peculiar sight.

"If Master wishes."

* * *

"Ordered food and wine?"

"That's right."

"Hmm."

Hong Weimen, with a nonchalant expression, puffed on a red smoke pipe.

Shenhui's face, on the other hand, was tense.

"What could he be thinking?"

"Xueliang?"

"......Yes."

"Who knows. I didn't expect him to come in this manner, especially with the Great Demon Lord."

Despite his words, he seemed quite relaxed. It was a genuine look of ease.

"He's just an unexpected guest who came during 'business' hours. There's no reason for me to rush and meet him."

"Of course."

"Do as he wishes. If he wants wine, give him wine. If he wants food, give him food."

A faint purple light flickered in Hong Weimen's eyes and then disappeared.

"I need to see the limits of the man he is now."

* * *

"Ugh! I'm done."

Wei Honglian's face was flushed.

Ma Dongpi clicked his tongue.

"Drinking eleven bottles of Fenjiu in an hour and not being drunk is more surprising."

Actually, the fact that he could drink that much was itself astonishing.

The continent is vast, and there are many heavy drinkers, but to finish eleven bottles of Fenjiu, each longer and thicker than a man's arm, was remarkable.

"Huff! Master is truly remarkable."

Perhaps because they were now on the same side, Wei Honglian had been quite friendly to Xueliang since they arrived. With her now drunk, she became even more affectionate.

Xueliang tilted his head and finished his glass.

"What do you mean?"

"How can you drink the same amount as me and still be so fine?"

"Really? I find it surprising too."

It was so surprising that he was almost curious. He knew his drinking capacity was abnormal.

He vaguely thought it might be due to Gaozhu Lin's spiritual energy, but he wasn't sure.

Wei Honglian, staring at Xueliang, grinned.

"Master, do you know how I got this scar on my face?"

"You mentioned it earlier. It was from fighting a lecherous enemy."

"This scar, I encountered a cat spirit in the Tian Shan mountains in the northwest, and I got a hard swipe from its front paw..."

"Dongpi! Take care of her. She's starting to get tipsy."

Ma Dongpi moved closer to Wei Honglian.

"Leader Wei, it's time to rest."

"Go away! I'm not drunk!"

"Anyone can see you're very drunk."

"Hey, this guy?"

Now he was acting like a superior. Ma Dongpi kept the character '忍' (endure) in his heart.

"Master is watching."

"Who doesn't know? I'm talking to Master now!"

"Try to sober up."

"I'm fine!"

A typical drunkard's behavior. Xueliang chuckled and poured her more wine.

"Sure, drink more. Until you lose your mind."

"Hey? That's dangerous, isn't it?"

"What is?"

"Usually, men... Ah, this isn't about Master."

"Got it, man. So what?"

"Usually, men try to get women drunk to... you know..."

"Hey! Don't drink anymore!"

"Hehe."

"What is this guy? Just one, just one! Damn, it's suffocating."

Everyone has different drinking habits, but they all show a different side of themselves. Despite his extraordinary drinking capacity, Xueliang's drunk behavior seemed no different from ordinary people.

How long did the lively and noisy drinking session last?

"Dongpi."

"Yes, Master."

"How long have we been here?"

Ma Dongpi looked out the window.

"Judging by the setting sun, it's been about half a day."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, Master."

"Then it's time to start."

"Start what?"

Xueliang stood up calmly.

Ma Dongpi's face turned grim. He sensed something unusual about Master's demeanor.

"What are you going to do? If you tell me, I can..."

"No, I have to do it."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm going to adapt the old man's despicable tactics to my own style. If it works, great; if not, there's nothing I can do."

"I don't understand what you mean..."

Swoosh!

The sound of drawing a sword, refreshing to the ears.

The sound was so clean that Ma Dongpi couldn't help but admire it. Even the drunk Wei Honglian's eyes widened.

Xueliang's eyes, looking at the long, smooth blade, grew colder.

He recalled the words of the Righteous Heaven Alliance leader.

- Taking control isn't complicated. People who care about their reputation often seem to have the upper hand at first, but they eventually collapse under their own limits. On the other hand, those who push forward honestly and stubbornly can advance without limits, even if they are ridiculed. In a battle for control, honesty is always the best policy.

The teachings given to the Righteous Heaven Alliance's eldest son. Xueliang had heard all of this while in hiding.

He intended to use this method in his own way.

"Since I'm known as a tyrant, shouldn't I act like a tyrant with a bad temper?"

Instantly, Ma Dongpi's face turned pale, and excitement flickered in Wei Honglian's eyes.

Roar!

A terrifying aura of evil concentrated on the blade.

Xueliang laughed wickedly.

"It's been a long time since I've drawn my sword."

He swung the sword.

Flash!