Chapter 211

Hall Master Yin could not even protect himself anymore.

Wangchuan and Yang Feiyue stopped entertaining any other thoughts. They trained in peace every day.

SLAP!

SLAP! SLAP!

Wangchuan’s 《Wudang Sanshou》 had already reached the introductory stage. On the iron dummy stake, he could easily leave palm prints that sank slightly into the surface...

Training 《Wudang Sanshou》 was not as difficult as 《Qingcheng Sword Art》.

Part of it might have been because practicing 《Black Tiger Fist》, 《Iron Sand Palm》, and 《Blazing Leg》 had given him a deeper understanding of fists and palms.

It might also have been because 《Wudang Sanshou》 emphasized variations in fist-and-palm techniques without being as endlessly intricate as 《Qingcheng Sword Art》. As a result, he reached the introductory stage smoothly in just over half a day.

However, what made 《Wudang Sanshou》 completely different from 《Black Tiger Fist》 and 《Iron Sand Palm》 was this: the latter belonged to a fierce, hard-charging style, while the former centered on “using softness to overcome hardness.” It emphasized “entangling” and “spiraling,” storing power through softness, balancing hardness and softness, and using small force to break great force.

A straight punch!

Wangchuan circled the iron dummy stake, gathering strength as he pressed out with his palms. Each strike looked gentle, yet when the power burst forth, it was heavy and steady!

BANG!

SLAP!

The iron dummy stake boomed again and again.

Just then, Wang Yuehui came in from outside.

“Hall Master! Gang Leader!”

Wang Yuehui reported the day’s various earnings from both the inner and outer disciples, not avoiding Yang Feiyue at all.

Yang Feiyue beamed.

In the past, the Yulong Gang’s income over an entire month had been less than one hundred taels of gold.

Now, a single hall in Huishui County was bringing in more than fifty taels of gold every day!

Tsk, tsk.

The Yulong Gang was truly on the rise!

After Wang Yuehui left, Yang Feiyue could not help chattering again. “You have quite a few capable people under you. Wang Yuehui has broken through to the First Rank, Zhao Heiniu is First Rank, and even that little fellow who used to do blacksmithing in the weapon room has already cultivated to First Rank...”

“Gang Leader, you cannot set your sights on them,” Wangchuan said quickly, giving Yang Feiyue a preventive warning. “They are the core group I am taking with me to the Caobang. I will be relying on them to gain a firm foothold in Sanhe Commandery.”

Yang Feiyue snorted and said, “If Hall Master Yin leaves, I am not even sure I will be able to push you into the Caobang again... and you are still dreaming of good things. If it really does not work out, you can stay in Huishui County. The two of us will seize a few more docks and grow the Yulong Gang. When the time comes, I will make you a deputy gang leader. What do you say?”

“Do we have any Third-Rank martial arts?”

“...”

Yang Feiyue was left speechless.

He did not have any Third-Rank martial arts at all.

Wangchuan stopped talking as well and continued circling the stake, driving his punches and palms.

Hmph. When training 《Wudang Sanshou》, he had to cast aside stray thoughts and maintain focus.

“Ding!”

System prompt:

“《Wudang Sanshou》 has been raised to ‘Minor Mastery.’ Reward: +1 Stamina.”

By the evening, he had finally trained 《Wudang Sanshou》 to Minor Mastery and earned the reward of an attribute point.

He logged off to rest.

A phone call came from Su Wan.

Su Wan revealed an extremely important piece of news:

“Wangchuan.”

“In Sanhe Commandery, the incident where the imperial envoy was attacked has a further outcome.”

Wangchuan’s spirit lifted at once!

Then he heard Su Wan continue:

“The Caobang’s hall master, Yin Xingtian, has been stripped of his hall master position by upper management on the charge of ‘inadequate protection.’ He has already followed them to the capital.”

“...”

Wangchuan’s heart sank.

What was meant to happen had happened in the end.

But Su Wan immediately delivered news that shocked him:

“However, before he left, he recommended someone at his side named ‘Old Seven’ to serve as the acting hall master of Sanhe Commandery. It should be the person who has been protecting your gang leader, Yang Feiyue, by his side! Because he had merit in killing the assassin, he was elevated to acting hall master and will temporarily oversee the hall’s affairs in Sanhe Commandery.”

“Lord Seven?”

Wangchuan blurted out in surprise. “Lord Seven is overseeing the Sanhe Commandery hall? He is Yin Xingtian’s trusted aide. If Lord Seven controls the hall, that means the Caobang has no real intention of dealing with Yin Xingtian. This might be nothing but a smokescreen for outsiders—the hall is still in Yin Xingtian’s hands!”

“That is my guess as well.”

Laughter came from Su Wan on the other end. “If our inference is correct, you may still be transferred to the Caobang! The Huishui County hall can proceed step by step and be handed over to Lin Xun. Our studio’s influence around Huishui County will be stabilized, and our influence and connections over at the prefectural government will also improve.”

No wonder Su Wan was so excited that she called in the middle of the night.

The position of hall master in the Caobang truly would have a significant impact on the Warring States Game Studio’s future plans and influence.

Wangchuan smiled.

“Thank you, Chief Steward Su.”

“When I log in tomorrow, I will go confirm this news...”

“If everything goes smoothly, that would truly be wonderful.”

As long as development returned to the proper track, he would be able to obtain the Caobang’s Third-Rank martial arts quickly and accelerate his push toward the Third Rank.

With that news, he found it hard to fall asleep. In the end, he ate a little, circulated 《Qingcheng Heart Method》 to recover his energy, returned to the game, and continued training as he waited for good news.

Early the next morning.

Yang Feiyue came over, just as expected.

His face was full of joy. The moment he entered the courtyard, he could not help bursting into loud laughter.

“Good news!”

“Good news, Wangchuan!”

“Although Hall Master Yin lost his hall master post, Lord Seven has taken office and is temporarily acting as the hall master of the Sanhe Commandery hall. That means our pillar is still there! Hahahaha...!”

The great stone in Yang Feiyue’s heart finally fell away.

Their pillar had not run off!

And Lord Seven had once been specifically ordered to protect him for a time. The two of them were actually closer. With that relationship, things would be even easier to discuss.

“Lord Seven sent a carrier pigeon message, telling me to make a trip to the prefectural government. And you too—Lord Seven named you specifically and wants you to come as well. I think some good fortune is about to fall into our laps!”

Yang Feiyue sounded impatient. “Let us go!”

“Pack up. We leave at once.”

Only then did Wangchuan realize that Yang Feiyue was dressed neatly and understated. He did not know whether to laugh or cry.

The two of them boarded a boat.

As usual, Wangchuan brought Zhao Heiniu along.

Even though this trip to the prefectural government was supposed to be a happy occasion, he had grown used to going out fully armed whenever he left the hall. He slung on the iron-reinforced bow, chainmail armor, the Hundredfold Steel longsword, armor-piercing arrows, and Hundredfold Steel throwing knives.

Yang Feiyue glanced at him from the side, looking him up and down, shaking his head again and again.

“You brat. Do you have to be this afraid of death?”

“Better safe than sorry,” Wangchuan replied. Then he added, “Besides, Gang Leader, are you not the same? An inner cuirass, a longsword, a short blade—you brought all of them too.”

Yang Feiyue’s clothes were understated and restrained, but he was not missing any of the necessary gear. He had simply concealed it more carefully.

“What do you know? This gang leader has survived an assassination attempt. I have to watch out for the Beggar Sect...”

Yang Feiyue lowered his voice, speaking as if it were only natural.

“So of course I have to protect myself... no, protect the gang leader,” Wangchuan said, correcting himself at once.

Yang Feiyue rolled his eyes and shook his head helplessly, turning his back to him.

“Set off!”

At his full-throated order, a large ship of the Yulong Gang slowly left the dock.

More than twenty inner disciples guarded Yang Feiyue and Wangchuan on the deck as the vessel cut through the river’s surface and sailed toward Sanhe Commandery.