Chapter 70

In the early morning, the Xu family residence was solemn and quiet. The servants walked softly, and the entire mansion was hushed, with no one making a sound.

In the main hall of the residence, six people sat together, arguing loudly.

The high-ranking members of the Jingyun Gang had gathered, including the four hall masters of Wind, Rain, Thunder, and Lightning, and the two great protectors.

The gang leader, Xu Zhichun, died silently and unexpectedly.

This morning, when the servant knocked on the door and found no response, he did not dare to enter the bedroom. First, he reported to the young lady, who then had the bedroom broken open and discovered that the gang leader, Xu Zhichun, had already passed away peacefully in bed.

The usually wise and valiant gang leader's sudden death left them shocked and disbelieving. After an initial examination, they determined that he had died due to a martial arts mishap.

His sudden departure left the Jingyun Gang in a bind, creating a major problem.

The four hall masters and the two great protectors sat together to discuss their strategy, how to handle the aftermath, whether to keep the death a secret or to hold a grand funeral, and who would take over as the new leader.

The four hall masters were founding members of the gang, each with a loyal group of followers. However, under Xu Zhichun's deliberate suppression, they could only wield power within their respective halls, and the other three halls did not recognize their authority. As for the two great protectors, their influence was not deep, and they posed no threat.

They all understood that if the Jingyun Gang split, the Qitian Gang, which was eyeing them closely, would surely swallow them whole, leaving them with no place to bury their bodies. Therefore, they needed to maintain the integrity of the Jingyun Gang.

However, they were all不服气 (unwilling to accept) the idea of someone else becoming the leader.

Finally, the protector Xu Anxia suggested that the young lady could become the leader, taking over the Jingyun Gang in place of the young leader.

This proposal left everyone silent, looking at each other in uncertainty.

The young lady was a woman, and they found it hard to imagine the Jingyun Gang following the orders of a woman. Moreover, she was not the son of the gang leader.

Unfortunately, the gang leader's two sons were unknown, and they were too young to take on the responsibility.

"I think the young lady is suitable!" Hu Hai stroked his beard and said solemnly, "The young lady acts justly, is wise and virtuous, and has a high reputation within the gang. The brothers all respect her."

"But she is a woman!" the hall master of Wind pondered.

Hu Hai snorted, "The disciples of Qinglu Cliff are all women, and none of them are inferior."

"True, but..." the others shook their heads helplessly.

This was indeed true, but the world was still dominated by men, and it felt awkward to follow the orders of a woman, and it would be embarrassing to go out in public.

Hu Hai said, "The most pressing concern is to prevent the Qitian Gang from taking advantage of the situation... Are you all thinking of becoming the leader yourselves? You don't have the ability, so give up early and loyally support the young lady!"

"Old Hu, you're right, but..." the hall master of Cloud, a handsome middle-aged man, stroked his beard and sighed, "This seems a bit too casual!"

Hu Hai snorted, "Old Ma, as long as the young lady is here, the Jingyun Gang will remain. We can unite, but who would accept anyone else?... If we fight over the leader's position, none of us will survive!"

Zheng Gongming, who had been dozing with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them and said slowly, "The young lady is gentle yet strong, a true heroine, and can be the leader."

"If Old Zheng says so, there must be no mistake," Hu Hai chuckled.

Xu Anxia remained silent. Compared to the other five in the hall, he was too junior, and his words carried little weight. It was already a rare occurrence for his suggestion to be accepted.

"... Alright, then let's ask the young lady to take the position of leader!" the hall master of Lightning, with his gray hair, said solemnly.

"Exactly!" Hu Hai clapped his hands.

"Let's hope this choice is right..."

---

The moonlight bathed the Xu family garden.

Chu Li and Chen Siyu sat by a stone table, admiring the flowers, and chatting casually. The lanterns cast a dreamlike glow over the garden.

"I didn't expect..." Chen Siyu shook her head lightly.

She had originally thought it would be extremely difficult, almost impossible, but it turned out to be so smooth that the position of the Jingyun Gang leader fell to her in just one day.

She felt it was unreal, as if she were in a dream.

The leader of the Jingyun Gang, a position she had never even considered, held great power and influence, making her almost a co-ruler of Yunzhou City. A single step could make the entire city tremble.

Chu Li smiled at her.

He didn't need the Great Mirror Wisdom to know her state of mind. The difference between the young lady and the leader of the Jingyun Gang was vast, and it was no wonder she was out of sorts.

"Big Sister, the position of leader isn't that easy to hold," he said, trying to cool her down.

Chen Siyu looked at him in confusion.

Chu Li continued, "Can you control the four hall masters, the two great protectors, the guest experts, and even the ordinary gang members?"

Chen Siyu frowned and eventually shook her head.

As a woman, she was inherently weaker, and her martial arts skills were insufficient. It was almost impossible to overpower these deeply rooted elders.

Chu Li said, "If you can't control them, you'll be a puppet, and the position of leader will be tasteless."

"What should I do?" Chen Siyu asked, frowning.

"Win them over, divide them, and balance their power. Don't let them unite, or they'll marginalize you."

Chen Siyu pondered this.

Chu Li smiled. Chen Siyu was a smart and calculating person, calm and composed, with great potential. With a bit more training, she might be able to secure the position of leader.

Chu Li waited a moment, giving her time to think, and then said, "If all else fails, you'll have to take drastic measures."

Martial power was the quickest way to resolve issues. Issuing orders without the backing of martial power would be weak and ineffective. The key to the position of leader was the ability to intimidate with martial power.

"... Don't shed blood unless absolutely necessary," Chen Siyu said.

Killing the elders right after becoming the leader would cause unrest, making it difficult to control the Jingyun Gang. The Qitian Gang would surely take advantage of the situation, and the Jingyun Gang might fall into chaos.

Chu Li said, "I'll help you take care of one before I leave."

Chen Siyu looked at him.

Chu Li smiled, "You won't be able to persuade someone who harbors ill intentions against you."

"But killing now..." Chen Siyu hesitated.

Chu Li said, "How can you establish authority without killing? Without authority, no one will listen to you as a woman!"

"Who should I kill?" Chen Siyu sighed.

She was conflicted, feeling that killing was inauspicious, yet understanding that Chu Li's words made sense. Without authority, she would be a mere puppet.

"The hall master of Wind," Chu Li smiled. "He's in league with the Qitian Gang."

Chen Siyu was surprised, "Really?"

Her father-in-law, though a beast, was extremely cunning and sharp, and it was hard to believe that someone close to him could betray him without his knowledge.

Chu Li said, "Xu Leader might have known."

Chen Siyu looked at him in confusion.

Chu Li sighed, "Xu Leader was too confident, thinking he could control the situation. He pretended not to know to lull the Qitian Gang into a false sense of security, and then strike hard when the time was right!"

Chen Siyu frowned and pondered.

These intricate schemes were headache-inducing. It seemed she had a long way to go to secure the position of leader and needed to learn a lot!

Chu Li said, "Xu Leader was playing with fire, but you can't do that. So, this thorn must be removed first, both to establish your authority within the gang and to send a warning to the Qitian Gang!"

"Establish authority..." Chen Siyu realized.

Chu Li smiled, "Don't rush this. Prepare yourself. The position of leader isn't as comfortable as it seems. Stay alert!"

"I can handle it!" Chen Siyu bit her lip.

This was a matter of life and death. As a weak woman, if she stepped down from the position of leader, even if she survived, she would become a plaything for others.

Chu Li nodded, satisfied.

She was already smart, and the pressure of life and death would push her to her limits. He believed she could do it, but she lacked the means to protect herself, which was still very dangerous.

"What martial arts have you practiced?"

"I practice the Rainfall Technique and the Rainfall Sword Method, both of which are family traditions."

"Have you practiced anything else?"

"No."

"Do you have any secret techniques for protection?"

"The sword method has a special move."

"... I have a martial arts technique for you to use in the last moment." Chu Li pulled out a thin book from his chest.

Chen Siyu took it, looked down, and saw "Sacrificial Life-Ending Blade."

She had heard of this technique, which was said to be extremely powerful but could only be used once, with the outcome being either your death or the enemy's.

Chu Li also pulled out a porcelain bottle from his chest and handed it to her, "This is the Primordial Essence Pill. When you use the Sacrificial Life-Ending Blade, take this pill beforehand. After a quarter of an hour, use the Sacrificial Life-Ending Blade again, and you can recover your internal energy and continue fighting!"

"The Sacrificial Life-Ending Blade can only be used once, right?"

"It can only be used once, but if you take the Primordial Essence Pill beforehand, you can recover your internal energy and continue fighting, but remember not to use the Sacrificial Life-Ending Blade again."

"Why?"

"The Sacrificial Life-Ending Blade puts a heavy strain on your meridians. Using it twice in a row would be too much for your meridians to handle, and you would be in mortal danger."

He had the Sutra of Withering and Flourishing to strengthen his meridians, and he practiced the Small Meridian Cleansing Technique, along with the enhancement from the Tendon Grass, allowing him to use the Sacrificial Life-Ending Blade multiple times. Others, however, would likely suffer meridian collapse and become crippled or even die.

Chen Siyu looked deeply at Chu Li, tightly pursing her lips without expressing gratitude.

Chu Li said, "The Rainfall Technique is not bad, and the Rainfall Sword Method is also good. If you practice well, you can become a top-tier expert. The key is to break through to the innate stage, and the Primordial Essence Pill can help you. I'll bring you a few more bottles when I return."

"No, no." Chen Siyu shook her head quickly.

She knew the reputation of the Primordial Essence Pill, a unique and powerful medicine of the Duke's residence, rarely seen outside. Martial artists revered it as a treasure, and Chu Li was generous, giving her a bottle and offering more. She dared not accept.

Chu Li smiled, "The Primordial Essence Pill is precious in the martial world, but it's not a big deal in the Duke's residence. You need it to speed up your cultivation. As the leader of a gang, if your martial arts skills are not impressive, it won't last long!"

"... Alright." Chen Siyu sighed.

The Jingyun Gang also had medicines, but as a third-rate gang, they were far inferior to the Duke's residence.

Chu Li suddenly frowned, waving his hand to signal not to speak. Someone had intruded into the residence!

(End of the page)