The hall was silent. Aside from the five main masters, eight others were present—comprising the Red Whale Gang’s elders and internal affairs members. The group exchanged glances, but not a word was spoken.
Earlier, the divine light in Lu Sheng's eyes had made it clear: his strength combined both internal and external cultivation. Whether he had reached the Ningshen state was uncertain, but even if he was merely at the Tongyi level, it was enough. Without a direct conflict, no one wished to provoke someone of his caliber.
"Since there are no objections, it's settled," Gang Leader Hong Mingzi said with a smile. "Brother Lu Sheng will be appointed as the sixth Foreign Affairs Envoy of the Red Whale Gang, taking over the manpower and territory previously under Wu San. Does anyone have any objections?"
"Isn't this a bit inappropriate?" Deputy Gang Leader Gongsun Zhanglan muttered, lowering his gaze.
Chen Ying looked over at him. He knew exactly what this was about—Gongsun Zhanglan had been planning to position his niece, Gongsun Jing, in charge of Wu San’s former territory. It was no surprise he chose this moment to voice dissent.
Dressed in a black robe with his hands hidden in his sleeves, Gongsun Zhanglan gave Chen Ying a sidelong glance and said with a faint, insincere smile, "Brother Lu’s strength is undeniable, but that reflects only his personal prowess. Managing power and territory isn’t something that can be handled by bravery alone. Wu San may be dead, but his area still has people, businesses, and influence. How would the other senior members of the gang feel if everything was handed to a newcomer? Accepting such a generous reward without earning it—does that follow the rules?"
Chen Ying scoffed and replied coldly, "Everyone knows how Wu San died. Now someone wants to take over his people and resources—but without touching the danger that comes with them. There’s no such thing as enjoying benefits without taking risks. Boss Gongsun, your niece Gongsun Jing may be talented and clever, but if she wants to inherit Wu San’s role, how about letting her take on the dangerous parts too?"
"I never mentioned Xiao Jing," Gongsun Zhanglan responded calmly. "As Deputy Gang Leader responsible for law enforcement, I’m simply speaking on behalf of the older generation in the gang. So many of them have bled for the Red Whale Gang for years—are we really saying a newcomer deserves more than they do?"
"And what exactly are you implying?" Chen Ying snapped. "Jumping in at a moment like this—even if that’s not your intention—it certainly gives people that impression."
"Whether it causes misunderstandings or not is none of my concern," Gongsun Zhanglan said calmly. "As the deputy gang leader in charge of laws and discipline, I have every right to question anything that goes against the rules."
The two exchanged barbs, each unwilling to back down. But Lu Sheng, watching the dispute, was starting to lose patience.
"What’s there to argue about? If anyone’s dissatisfied, come up and fight me!" He licked his lips as he rose to his feet, his gaze sweeping over the room, locking onto the strongest figures.
"Power decides everything in this world. Whoever has the strongest fist makes the rules!" As he spoke, his fists began to move, his fighting spirit igniting.
Gongsun Zhanglan was momentarily stunned, a chill creeping up his spine under Lu Sheng’s intense stare. He composed himself slightly and responded,
"We’re all brothers in the same gang. Must we really resort to violence? If word of this gets out—"
"This is called internal communication," Lu Sheng interrupted. "Come on, don’t be shy. If anyone has a problem, I’m right here. Let’s ‘communicate’ together!"
He could feel his blood starting to boil. Ever since his fight with the ghost on the pleasure boat, he had grown addicted to that raw sensation—the rush of existence, the clarity that came from walking the edge between life and death.
"Brother Lu, I think you may have misunderstood. I’m not exactly against you taking over Wu San’s territory..." Gongsun Zhanglan said, the muscles on his face twitching slightly.
"It’s fine. Come on. Just a friendly fight." Lu Sheng stared at him, eyes gleaming. "You look like you can take a beating."
"Brother Lu, you really are..."
"Come on, come on! Just one round!"
Gongsun Zhanglan felt the veins on his forehead tighten. He cleared his throat, his anger bubbling beneath the surface. But with so many eyes watching, he held himself back and warned sternly:
"Internal fighting goes against gang discipline. Besides, there’s a considerable gap in strength between us. The Profound Origin Palm I practice is extremely fierce. If I strike, you might end up dead or crippled. If I hurt you by mistake, it’ll be hard to explain..."
"Hurt me? Dead or crippled?" Lu Sheng’s eyes reddened slightly, a crooked grin spreading across his face.
"Isn’t that perfect? If you’re scared and hold back, then it’s just a game!"
He stepped closer, eyes locked on Gongsun Zhanglan.
"Come on. Fight me. If you kill me, I’ll accept it!"
A powerful wave of killing intent rolled off him like a tide.
Gongsun Zhanglan stared back at him in silence, unable to speak for a moment.
Gongsun Zhanglan realized he had underestimated just how arrogant this new recruit truly was. Lu Sheng clearly had no qualms about offending others—he acted entirely on his own terms, without the slightest hesitation.
"It seems Brother Lu truly wants to fight me..." Gongsun Zhanglan’s eyes finally flickered with a trace of murderous intent. In that moment, he genuinely considered killing the newcomer on the spot.
But he wasn’t foolish. The old gang leader was present, and so was Chen Ying. Even if he wanted to make a move, succeeding under their watchful eyes would be difficult.
"Alright, alright," the old gang leader finally spoke, breaking the tension with a smile. "Let’s settle this peacefully. What Zhanglan said has some truth to it. It’s indeed inappropriate for someone to take control of such a large and critical operation without first proving himself. For now, hand over a portion of the territory. If Brother Lu can resolve the ongoing issue, then he can take full control."
He turned to Lu Sheng with a warm gaze.
"So, Brother Lu, what do you say?"
Suddenly, all eyes shifted to Lu Sheng, waiting to see how he would respond.
"There’s some trouble in Wu San’s territory, right? Can someone tell me what it is exactly?" Lu Sheng asked, his fighting spirit slowly settling down. Though slightly disappointed that the fight didn’t happen, he wasn’t disheartened. With so many masters in the room, opportunities for battle would come again.
"Wu San was the previous Foreign Affairs Envoy," Chen Ying replied. "Within his area was a highly important iron mine. Recently, something happened there. When he went to investigate, he mysteriously disappeared. Later, we found his body in a forest outside the mine."
Lu Sheng frowned in thought.
"How strong was Wu San’s cultivation?"
"He was a Tongyi realm master, already close to stepping into Ningshen," Chen Ying said seriously. "He was highly elusive with his Flying Flower Scimitar. In a direct confrontation, he could rank among the top ten in the entire gang."
"Top ten?" Lu Sheng narrowed his eyes and swept his gaze across the room.
He could sense it—through their spirit, presence, and subtle expressions—who among the people present had reached the level of internal and external harmony. From what he could tell, six of them had achieved the Ningshen level or something close to it. If Wu San had ranked in the top ten, it meant he had been among the four strongest in the Tongyi realm within the entire Red Whale Gang.
"So, how about it? Are you confident?" Gongsun Zhanglan chuckled, his tone tinged with provocation.
Lu Sheng’s expression darkened. He was growing increasingly annoyed—this man had been obstructing him from the start, always looking for faults, always trying to trip him up. And all because he didn’t want Lu Sheng to take over Wu San’s industrial network? Or perhaps there was something more behind it.
Lu Sheng wasn’t just bold—he was cautious as well.
Just like that day on the Red House Pleasure Boat—on the surface, he was drinking and laughing with his companions, but beneath the surface, he remained alert. While eating, he carefully watched the others who ate first, silently checking if they showed signs of poisoning before taking a bite himself.
If he were truly careless, he wouldn’t have brought a blade. But how many people carry a blade when going out to "have fun"?
If it weren’t for the strange encounter on the boat, he wouldn’t have grown so wary—but his suspicions had been proven right.
And now, faced with a mission that had already killed a Tongyi realm master, he didn’t rush in recklessly. He had carefully asked about Wu San’s strength to assess the threat.
"Is it your business whether I have confidence or not?" Lu Sheng shot back coldly. Since the man insisted on stirring trouble, there was no need to hold back.
Gongsun Zhanglan was momentarily silenced, his face darkening. But after a beat, he let out a cold sneer and said nothing more.
Around the hall, soft murmurs spread. Elders whispered among themselves, their voices low, but not low enough to escape notice.
Ouyang Ningzhi exchanged a few hushed words with a middle-aged woman nearby, both of them glancing toward Elder Wang with furrowed brows.
Elder Wang, one of the internal affairs officers, had always valued Lu Sheng highly. Seeing Gongsun Zhanglan’s continued provocations, his face flushed with frustration. He looked like he wanted to stand up and speak several times, but each time, his old comrades held him back.
"Wang’s family's martial art—the Heart-Shattering Palm—was used by an outsider and became terrifyingly powerful," Ouyang Ningzhi whispered. "That alone proves Lu Sheng’s talent is frighteningly rare. He must have already sent word to his elder brother. Gongsun only dares act so boldly because he thinks he has enough backing. But if Wang Yuanshan shows up... this matter will take a sharp turn."
44Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZPYunOI25i
"Wang Yuanshan?" The middle-aged woman dressed in Taoist robes beside Ouyang Ningzhi looked visibly surprised. "You mean that Wang Yuanshan—the one known as the Nine-Directions Sword Palm?"
"That’s right. He’s no ordinary figure... if he truly comes." Ouyang Ningzhi lowered her voice, not finishing her sentence. She suspected this was exactly why the other foreign affairs envoys were hesitant to offend Lu Sheng. And knowing Elder Wang’s notorious big mouth, she was certain that Lu Sheng’s story had already made its way to the top of the Red Whale Gang.
Meanwhile, at the center of the hall, Lu Sheng had finished asking about Wu San’s case and now understood the basic situation.
The matter itself was relatively straightforward.
An unusual incident had occurred in a village located near the gang’s most critical iron mine.
Normally, a problem in some remote village wouldn’t attract much attention—but this one was different. The village lay directly on the path to the mine. Anyone heading there had to pass through it.
After several miners vanished en route to the mine, the gang became concerned and dispatched investigators. But those investigators vanished as well.
That was when the gang formally classified the incident as a black disaster and ordered the foreign affairs envoy to intervene.
These black disaster assignments were deadly—but they came with significant perks. Foreign affairs envoys received excellent benefits and wielded influence nearly rivaling the gang leader’s. However, the position was rarely permanent—typically rotated once a year among the higher ranks.
Most high-ranking officials would eventually serve as foreign affairs envoys, if only for a term. Wu San had just assumed the role when the incident occurred. Aware of the danger, he didn’t act carelessly. He assembled a full team of five Tongli-level experts and set out to investigate.
And yet, despite the precautions, Wu San vanished. His entire team disappeared with him.
Only later was Wu San’s body found—discarded in a grove not far from the village.44Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIKufNOZedf
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