Chapter 65: Chapter 64: Undercurrent

After a week of rest, Zhao Xuanqi led the Wind Shadow Hall into action once more. This time, he set his sights on Nankun Street, which the Golden Blade Martial Arts Hall and Rongbin Trading Company were fighting over.

As expected, Zhao Xuanqi took Nankun Street in just three short days. The men from Golden Blade and Rongbin were all driven from the district, and Zhao Xuanqi swiftly seized control of the related businesses.

This time, however, the Golden Blade Martial Arts Hall didn’t send men to challenge Zhao Xuanqi to a Street Arena like the Hengchang Martial Arts Hall had. Instead, they contacted Weng Xiaolin. The leaders of the three martial arts halls met secretly to conspire, and in the end, Golden Blade and Hengchang decided to pay a price to have the Xiaolin Martial Arts Hall take action.

Previously, Golden Blade and Hengchang had considered asking the Xiaolin Martial Arts Hall for help, but Weng Xiaolin had demanded an exorbitant price. Moreover, the two halls felt that Xiaolin’s strength wasn’t enough to provide the level of support they needed, so they hadn’t agreed to Weng Xiaolin’s terms.

Now, however, everything was different. With the Street Arena on Mingyu Street, Zhao Xuanqi had proven to everyone that his strength was among the best in the prefecture. If he were to lead the Wind Shadow Hall into action, it would be of immense help to the two martial arts halls.

Besides, even if they were unwilling to compromise, Zhao Xuanqi’s strength and ambition meant he would eventually seize the districts from them anyway. That would be an even greater loss.

In the end, the two martial arts halls each agreed to give up one more street district, along with all the businesses and properties within them, to hire the Xiaolin Martial Arts Hall. The three halls would form an alliance to jointly repel the invasion of forces under the Jili Empire.

Naturally, the task of taking action for the Xiaolin Martial Arts Hall fell to the Wind Shadow Hall, led by Zhao Xuanqi. According to the rules, both of these street districts would fall into Zhao Xuanqi’s hands; he would only need to pay a fixed monthly share to the main hall.

Zhao Xuanqi gladly accepted the three halls’ cooperation agreement. Four street districts were roughly equivalent to one-fifth of the Xiaolin Martial Arts Hall’s territory in the Upper River District, which was enough to satisfy his current needs. If his territory grew any larger, he likely wouldn’t be able to hold it with just the Wind Shadow Hall and ordinary security disciples. At that point, he would have to ask the Luo Family and Liu Changfeng for help.

For a time, the entire Celestial Sea Prefecture was once again plunged into a storm of bloody conflict.

After Zhao Xuanqi led the Wind Shadow Hall to intervene, the three martial arts halls joined forces. The stalemate instantly shifted, and the forces under the Jili Empire began to suffer one defeat after another.

The Jili Empire’s interests in Celestial Sea Prefecture suffered a huge blow. During this period, life was not easy for Director Pete.

Celestial Sea Prefecture, the residence of the Jili Business director.

TAP TAP TAP!

Pete, who usually wore the characteristic arrogance of a gentleman, was now slightly hunched over, a respectful smile on his face as he led a tall, middle-aged white man into the residence.

Upon reaching Director Pete’s office, the tall white man sat down in the main chair at Pete’s desk without any ceremony, while Pete could only stand to the side with a bow.

"Pete, your performance has greatly disappointed the members of the Council. Lord McKen gave you so much support and so many resources, yet you can’t even take a small prefecture like Celestial Sea. Instead, you’ve allowed the Empire’s interests to suffer continuous losses."

the tall white man said to Pete coolly.

"My apologies, Mr. Gulade, it is my incompetence," Director Pete said with an apologetic smile. "But some unexpected situations have indeed arisen in Celestial Sea Prefecture. That Zhao Qi rose to prominence far too quickly, beyond the scope of my preparations. The main issue is that there are simply too few Divine Land Martial Artists here who can be won over."

"I didn’t come here to listen to your excuses."

"Can’t you use your brain when you do things? He’s just a mere True Inheritor from some martial arts hall. You have more than one elite Cross Royal Fighter at your disposal."

Gulade picked up the files on Director Pete’s desk, glancing at them casually with a cold expression.

"Sir, if the Royal Fighters make a move rashly, I’m afraid the City Defense Army and the Civil Affairs Department will have a pretext to move against us."

Pete said in a low voice.

Royal Fighters are elites who have been cultivated with the Jili Empire’s core Secret Medicine, with impeccable techniques and abilities.

For a Royal Fighter who has reached the Cross Level, their Physical Realm is similar to that of Cross-Training. However, upon breaking through to that realm, their Secret Medicine Ability also undergoes a further mutation, amplifying it to a terrifying degree.

Back then, it was a powerful army composed of three thousand strong Royal Fighters that forced open the gates of the Divine Land.

Kaiser, who fought Zhao Xuanqi during the previous three-hall tournament, was an Apprentice Royal Fighter, and his muscle ability could almost be called a Superpower.

However, precisely because this kind of power is so terrifying, the various Warlords have strictly forbidden them from taking action. If they were caught and it was used as leverage, even the Jili Empire would have to pay a price, so long as they didn’t want a complete falling out with the Giant Spirit Army.

"Heh. In this world, there are no rules, only interests."

Gulade said coolly. He slowly stood up and said, "Let’s go. Come with me to meet the Military Officer of Celestial Sea Prefecture."

...

...

Office of the Military Officer, City Defense Army Garrison, Celestial Sea Prefecture.

"This is against the rules."

A tall man was leaning back in his office chair. He had a large frame but didn’t appear particularly muscular. His face was as smooth as jade, and his narrow, upturned eyes gave him an androgynous look. His aura was chilling and supple, like a cold-blooded animal, giving off a deeply unsettling feeling.

This was Hou Rong, the Military Officer of Celestial Sea Prefecture and its highest-ranking military commander.

At the same time, he was also likely the strongest Martial Arts Expert in all of Celestial Sea Prefecture.

"Mr. Hou, not much of the martial arts halls’ profit ends up in your hands, does it? Besides, your Giant Spirit Military Department doesn’t want to see the halls grow too powerful, right? And what’s more, we’re talking about a mere True Inheritor from a martial arts hall."

"This is just a small matter. If Mr. Hou can be accommodating, this will be all yours."

Gulade said to Hou Rong with a smile, slowly pushing a small wooden box across the desk to him.

Hou Rong gently opened the wooden box, revealing ten neatly arranged gold bars inside.

"Zhang Hongyun of the Xiaolin Martial Arts Hall also serves in the Giant Spirit Army. In terms of rank, he’s one level higher than me."

"Therefore, this matter is too risky."

Hou Rong said flatly.

"If Mr. Hou has some demands, please feel free to state them directly."

Gulade’s eyes narrowed slightly. ’He’s clearly saying the money isn’t enough. I have to add more.’

"This isn’t enough. If the matter is successful, I want five percent of the profits from your businesses, converted to gold and paid to me monthly."

"And if your people are careless, let word slip, and leave behind evidence... forget the profit share. I’m still keeping the gold bars, and I will still hold you accountable. You can deal with whatever consequences arise yourselves."

Hou Rong said with a calm expression as he closed the wooden box in front of him.

Hearing Hou Rong’s words, Gulade’s eyes narrowed. ’Just five percent profit? But that profit was acquired at a tremendous cost. This man gets it just by moving his lips. What an outrageous demand.’

"Fine. I agree to your terms."

Gulade was silent for a moment before finally agreeing to Hou Rong’s conditions.

’You greedy yellow-skinned monkey,’ Gulade thought. ’One day, I’ll make you spit out everything you’ve eaten.’