Chapter 681: Three Heroes Capture the Thief

Shen Rongqing entered the office and said to He Jiaqing, "Jiaqing, we've found out Li Banling's identity."

"That was quick," He Jiaqing praised. "Tell me about it."

"He's an orphan who grew up with Li Qi. He's currently a common worker in another province."

"A common worker?" He Jiaqing stared at Shen Rongqing for a long time, but Shen Rongqing remained perfectly calm.

"Any other news besides that?"

Shen Rongqing replied, "I also found out that Li Qi is involved in a business deal; he has a batch of land deeds he's looking to sell."

"A business deal? He calls that a business deal?" He Jiaqing's eyes glinted with coldness before he smiled. "Where did you get this information?"

"From Zhang Xiuling."

"Is Zhang Xiuling's relationship with Li Qi that close?"

Shen Rongqing said, "I don't know about anything else, but I heard Zhang Xiuling herself say that Li Qi often guides her in writing 'Jade Fragrance Chronicle'."

"Li Qi guiding Zhang Xiuling in writing a book?" He Jiaqing laughed. "Do you believe that yourself?"

Shen Rongqing replied, "I didn't believe it at first either, but Xiuling has mentioned more than once that 'Jade Fragrance Chronicle' is a very special book, and some things in it only Li Qi can understand."

He Jiaqing nodded. "I also really like 'Jade Fragrance Chronicle'; it is indeed very special. Since Zhang Xiuling and Li Qi are so close, wasn't it a bit reckless to directly approach Zhang Xiuling for the investigation?"

Shen Rongqing was silent for a moment, then said, "Jiaqing, I feel like you're putting me in a difficult position. For something so important, if I don't start with the person closest to him, how could I possibly get any information?"

He Jiaqing nodded. "You have a point. I trust your investigation results."

Shen Rongqing turned to leave, but He Jiaqing suddenly called out, "Rongqing! Do you know the origin of the land deeds Li Qi plans to sell?"

Shen Rongqing shook her head.

"Let me show you something." He Jiaqing unfolded a map, on which he had colored twenty-nine plots of land, making them vibrant and conspicuous. Seeing that vast expanse of territory, Shen Rongqing was greatly surprised.

"From the very beginning of the Brotherhood's establishment, I've been planning this territory. Each of these twenty-nine plots has been carefully selected. These areas have ample resources—sufficient coal, rich mineral deposits, and fertile land. Some are connected to established lands, but they are all 'proper lands' like Hua Xian Zhuang. This ensures we maintain contact with the outside world while simultaneously blocking external infiltration and invasion."

Shen Rongqing nodded repeatedly as she looked at the territory He Jiaqing had planned.

He Jiaqing continued, "These lands represent the future of the Brotherhood. They are currently just 'new lands.' One day, when they become 'proper lands,' I will find a way to erase their boundaries. At that time, the Brotherhood will become the most powerful force in Puro Province, truly capable of changing Puro Province."

Shen Rongqing was very surprised. "You've never mentioned this before."

He Jiaqing said, "I couldn't mention it. Even if I did, no one would believe me; it would only invite ridicule and mockery. Before I went to study in another province, I didn't even have the right to speak with the local deities. Once I gained that right, a group of people targeted the Profound Crimson Lotus, preventing me from returning to Puro Province. Now that I'm back, the first thing I did was continue to plan our grand territory. For this, I didn't hesitate to fight desperately in Inner Province. These sixteen land deeds are my blood, my conviction, the future I fought for with my life for the Brotherhood. Rongqing, you must not lie to me about this, absolutely not!"

Shen Rongqing firmly replied, "Jiaqing, I am not lying to you."

"I trust you." He Jiaqing nodded and dismissed Shen Rongqing from the office.

He Jiaqing touched a button on his chest, contacting He Haisheng. "Third Uncle, any news on Li Banling?"

"The investigation is almost complete. He grew up in the same orphanage as Li Banfeng and currently works at an electronics factory in Chan City."

He Haisheng's investigation results matched Shen Rongqing's, proving that Shen Rongqing had indeed not lied.

He Jiaqing instructed, "Third Uncle, bring Li Banling to Puro Province. Act tonight, and remember, he must be captured alive."

Not long after, Bai Wuchuan knocked and entered the office. "Young Master He, Shen Jinzhong has agreed, provided that he can accomplish what you ask of him."

"He can, it's very simple," He Jiaqing said in a low voice. "Just one thing: tell him to invite Ma Wu to dinner tomorrow night. I'll choose the location."

At ten o'clock at night, Li Banling, dragging his weary body, left the workshop and returned to the dormitory with his co-workers. It was peak season, with four hours of overtime daily and thirty working days a month, earning him over eight thousand yuan.

There were thirty-two people in the dormitory, all asleep, but Li Banling was still awake. He didn't want to fall asleep so quickly; he was pondering his future. He dreamt of arranging a variety of good quality, affordable goods on shelves, then sitting behind the cash register, opening the door, and starting his day's business. This was his dream, and he always set aside a little time for it every night; this was the best part of his day.

A powerful wave of drowsiness swept over him, and Li Banling was about to fall asleep when a scent of smoke drifted into the room, making him somewhat alert again. Who was smoking in the hallway at this hour? Weren't they afraid of being caught by the dorm inspection? The smell of smoke was quite strong, and Li Banling also felt like having one. He took out his cigarette case from his pant pocket, opened it, and saw it was empty. Should he go ask that guy for one?

Li Banling got out of bed and pushed the door open to the hallway. No one was in the hallway, but wisps of smoke were coming from around the staircase corner. Li Banling walked towards the stairwell when a man in a suit suddenly appeared before him. Li Banling was startled. He looked closely and found the man somewhat familiar. Under the dim light of the stairwell, Li Banling looked for a while, then exclaimed with surprise, "Banfeng?"

Li Banfeng nodded. He had suppressed his Residential Cultivator talent, intentionally allowing Li Banling to recognize him.

"Banfeng, what are you doing here?"

Li Banfeng smiled, "I'm here for business. I heard someone mention a Li Banling here, wasn't sure if it was you, so I came to check."

"What kind of business are you doing, coming here in the middle of the night?" Li Banling looked at Li Banfeng in his suit, a hint of envy in his eyes. "You look so sharp. Are you in sales?"

"Something like that. It's so late, why aren't you asleep yet?"

"Can't sleep. Came out for a cigarette, but didn't bring any with me, so I thought—"

Li Banfeng offered Li Banling a cigarette. Li Banling looked at it. "I haven't seen this brand before." After lighting it and taking a puff, Li Banling coughed for a long time. "This cigarette is strong, a bit like hand-rolled tobacco."

As they talked, Li Banling kept glancing around. "Let's keep our voices down, don't let the dorm inspectors hear us. That guy is ruthless; one catch means a fifty-yuan fine, over two hours of work for nothing!"

Li Banfeng asked, "Is working here particularly tiring?"

"It's alright. A few thousand yuan a month is a decent income. I'm planning to save up some money over the years and then open a small supermarket. I want to do business while also reading books, gaining knowledge, and learning things. That would be enough for my life."

"How much does it cost to open a supermarket?"

"Our team leader opened a supermarket last year; he only spent three hundred thousand yuan in total."

"How much more do you need?"

Li Banling's expression became a bit conflicted; it seemed like a question that shouldn't have been asked.

"Banfeng, are you trying to borrow money from me?"

Li Banfeng shook his head. "Absolutely not."

Li Banling took a deep breath, forcing down the pain in his heart. "If you need to borrow, just say so. I've saved one hundred eighty thousand yuan over the years. I used to be foolish and just spent recklessly when I earned money. If I push myself this year and save more, I should be able to save up to two hundred fifty thousand."

Li Banfeng nodded. "You'll definitely be able to save that much!"

After finishing one cigarette, Li Banfeng lit another for Li Banling. "Have you visited Old Mrs. Wu?"

Li Banling said, "I visited her once. She's old, her mind isn't good. Every time she sees me, she calls me Li Chunmei." "Still calling you Chunmei?" Li Banfeng sighed. "The old lady isn't having an easy life."

"It's not just about the cigarettes. I bought her a box of soft Yun-brand cigarettes, and she still called me Li Chunmei. You know, she gave us our names, but she doesn't remember any of them."

After finishing the second cigarette, Li Banfeng tried to light another for him, but Li Banling shook his head. "No more, I have to work early tomorrow. You're not leaving tomorrow, are you?"

"I'm leaving tonight."

"Why so sudden? Let's exchange numbers. Next time you come, be sure to tell me, and we'll find a place to have a drink. It'll be on me."

They exchanged phone numbers, and Li Banling returned to his dormitory. He lay down on his bed, turned over to go to sleep, and suddenly felt something under his blanket. It was wrapped in a plastic bag, in blocks, like cigarettes. Who delivered cigarettes in the middle of the night? Li Banling fumbled for a moment and realized it wasn't cigarettes.

He went to the hallway and looked inside the bag. It contained stacks of currency, Heng Nation banknotes. There were twelve stacks in total. Was that one hundred twenty thousand? Whose money was this, and why was it on his bed? Li Banling was both surprised and scared, but then he saw a note inside the plastic bag: "Keep the money, open your supermarket." It was signed Li Banfeng.

What was Banfeng trying to do? Why did he give him so much money? Where did he go?

Li Banfeng was at the staircase corner, watching He Haisheng, who was trapped in a silk net. He Haisheng tried several times to transform into smoke and escape, but it was futile. This silk net was an dark energy conductor, capable of restricting the transformation abilities of smoke cultivators, water cultivators, and earth cultivators. When Li Banling saw smoke at the stairwell earlier, it was indeed He Haisheng transforming. But by the time Li Banling reached the stairwell, He Haisheng had already been captured.

The Dark Star Bureau had dispatched reconnaissance personnel to monitor the electronics factory last night. Li Banfeng also arrived at the scene at 5 PM and waited until late at night, finally intercepting He Haisheng. He waved to the others, signaling to move out. Chen Changrui, with his security team members, escorted He Haisheng into a car.

Back at the Dark Star Bureau, He Haisheng sat in the interrogation room, head bowed in silence. Li Banfeng peeled an apple for He Haisheng and then took out three thousand yuan, placing it in He Haisheng's hand.

"We're even now," Li Banfeng said before leaving the interrogation room without asking any further questions.

He Haisheng was out of contact. The person waiting to rendezvous with him near the electronics factory saw several vehicles leaving the factory and suspected He Haisheng had been apprehended.

He Jiaqing sat in his office, chain-smoking.

Duan Shuqun advised, "Jiaqing, let's reconsider the matter with Ma Wu. Li Qi's influence in the other province is too great. I'm afraid he might—"

He Jiaqing shook his head. "If we don't act against Ma Wu, how can we rescue Third Uncle? Should I go back to the Dark Star Bureau and break him out?"

"But is Shen Jinzhong truly capable of pulling this off?"

He Jiaqing shook his head. "I'm not asking him to pull off a grand scheme, just to arrange a dinner. If he can't even manage that, what good is bringing in such a useless person?"

That night, Shen Jinzhong booked the star's private room at the Grand Entertainment Hall and invited Ma Wu to a banquet. The location was impeccable; the Grand Entertainment Hall was owned by the Chu and Lu families and was a landmark of Greenwater City. Dining there suited Ma Wu's current status. Shen Jinzhong also invited Chu Huaiyuan and Lu Chunying to accompany them, and both agreed.

With everything prepared, Shen Jinzhong and his subordinates waited early at the Grand Entertainment Hall. His subordinates reported that Ma Wu had already departed from Xiaoyao Dock. Shen Jinzhong smiled; this was the Three Heroes Gate's leverage—with just an invitation, even someone of Ma Junyang's caliber would show up. His task was simply to invite Ma Junyang to the banquet; once Ma Junyang arrived at the Grand Entertainment Hall, his part was done, and he wouldn't concern himself with anything else.

However, Shen Jinzhong speculated that Ma Wu wouldn't make it to the Grand Entertainment Hall. Having navigated the underworld for most of his life, Shen Jinzhong could discern He Jiaqing's tactics. He Jiaqing would certainly not strike at the Grand Entertainment Hall; he would likely deal with Ma Wu en route. But after the deed was done, would He Jiaqing discard him like a used tool, blaming everything on Shen Jinzhong? Shen Jinzhong also worried about this, which was why he invited Chu Huaiyuan and Lu Chunying, asking the two young ladies to be witnesses that the Three Heroes Gate was merely hosting a dinner, acting openly and honorably.

After waiting for about ten minutes, Bai Wuchuan arrived.

"Brother Shen, when will Ma Wu be here?"

"He's already on his way. If the journey goes smoothly, he should be here in about half an hour."

Bai Wuchuan nodded repeatedly. "But I have a feeling his journey won't be that smooth."

Shen Jinzhong looked at Bai Wuchuan and smiled meaningfully.

After waiting for more than half an hour, Ma Wu hadn't arrived, and Shen Jinzhong sighed, "I assume the matter has been taken care of."

Bai Wuchuan naturally understood the implication. "Brother Shen, you've certainly performed a great service this time."

Shen Jinzhong frowned. "What's this talk of service? We're all brothers in the Brotherhood. Isn't this just doing things for our own brothers?"

Bai Wuchuan suggested, "Why don't we go somewhere else for a drink?"

Shen Jinzhong waved a hand. "No rush. Ma Wu isn't the only guest tonight. We haven't received confirmation yet, so we can't let the atmosphere cool down."

Another hour passed, and still no sign of Ma Wu or any news. Shen Jinzhong began to feel restless. Ma Wu must have been dealt with by He Jiaqing on the way, but why hadn't Chu Huaiyuan and Lu Chunying arrived either? Shen Jinzhong sent his subordinates to check. They reported back, "Young Miss Lu left a long time ago, but we didn't encounter her along the way."

"What about Young Miss Chu?"

"She's right here in the Grand Entertainment Hall, upstairs, but she hasn't come down yet."

"Go urge her!"

"Master Shen, who would dare urge her? You know Young Miss Chu's temper."

Shen Jinzhong felt something was wrong and said to Bai Wuchuan, "Brother, go ask He Jiaqing if the matter with Ma Wu has been completed or not."

Bai Wuchuan quickly left.

As he left, Chu Huaiyuan smiled. There were listening devices in the private room, and Chu Huaiyuan had heard every word they said clearly.

"Old Yang, get two people and go with Sister Xiang to deal with Bai Wuchuan first."

Xiang Fenglan prepared her arrows and set off with Yang Yanzheng.

Bai Wuchuan, with a few of his subordinates, arrived in the dance hall and headed towards the main entrance. The band was vigorously playing "I Love Cha-Cha-Cha," with a high pitch and fast rhythm. The singer and musicians were putting in a lot of effort, and the volume was exceptionally loud. Guests were infected by the musical atmosphere and fully immersed themselves, dancing freely regardless of their skill or whether they had a partner. Guests danced, waiters danced, idle dancers danced, even the security guards and cleaners danced. The entire hall was doing the cha-cha-cha, blocking the aisle leading to the exit.

Bai Wuchuan was stuck in the crowd, unable to move for a long time. Normally, in a place like the Grand Entertainment Hall, he would be more reserved, but today, with matters on his mind and the peculiar music, he found it hard to control his anger. He pushed away the dancing people, and his subordinates also became agitated, shouting and cursing to clear a path for their leader: "Get out of the way! Get back! Are you blind?"

Suddenly, an idle dancer embraced Bai Wuchuan and started dancing with him. His subordinate panicked, "You stinky wench, you want to—" He stopped mid-sentence. Bai Wuchuan was in the dancer's arms and didn't struggle. Not only did he not struggle, but he also kissed the dancer. They kept kissing, not letting go. What was going on?

As everyone was bewildered, the dancer turned and led Bai Wuchuan deeper into the dance floor. Their lips were still locked, and the subordinates, looking helpless, dared not interfere. An older man commented, "It's not easy for the leader; he's been through a lot lately. He deserves to enjoy himself." The others agreed and stood aside, waiting.

The dancer spun around with Bai Wuchuan, disappearing from view. Where did the leader go? The subordinates were terrified and frantically searched around. The dancer had carried Bai Wuchuan into the dance hall's backstage area and then into the dressing room. In the dressing room, the dancer placed Bai Wuchuan into a wardrobe and finally released his mouth.

There was a hole in Bai Wuchuan's mouth, entering through his upper palate and exiting through the top of his head. This was from an arrow shot by Xiang Fenglan, who had been hidden among the band. Such a large wound, yet there was no blood; the dancer had helped Bai Wuchuan stop the bleeding. This dancer was Lan Jiali, a Food Cultivator. She had used a Food Cultivation technique, "Blood-Sucking Marrow-Chewing," to completely drain Bai Wuchuan's blood and brain matter.

Before the attack, Bai Wuchuan sensed something was wrong but failed to react in time because six of the singers and musicians performing on stage were Sound Cultivators. He and everyone else in the dance hall were affected by their Sound Cultivation technique, their emotions becoming agitated.

Chu Er arrived at the dressing room, glanced at the corpse, and nodded at Lan Jiali. Lan Jiali placed Bai Wuchuan's body into the wardrobe, where flames erupted, reducing Bai Wuchuan's body to ashes.

Chu Er turned and glanced at Yang Yanzheng. "Deal with Shen Jinzhong as well."

Yang Yanzheng whispered, "Miss, Shen Jinzhong isn't that easy to deal with."

"What's the difference?"

"Shen Jinzhong has been with the Three Heroes Gate for decades, while Bai Wuchuan only joined the White Crane Gang six and a half years ago. Shen Jinzhong became the Second Golden Seal through his own efforts and held the position for over a decade, whereas Bai Wuchuan became the leader through his master and held it for less than three years. The Three Heroes Gate and the White Crane Gang are also not on the same level of gangs—"

Chu Er impatiently interrupted, "Just do it quickly. With all your chatter, Shen Jinzhong's head could already be off."

Yang Yanzheng, resigned, quickly arranged for a dancer to go to the star's private room. This dancer, Wu Qiuying, was a Joy Cultivator. She certainly couldn't kill Shen Jinzhong by herself; her task was to distract Shen Jinzhong as much as possible and then allow Xiang Fenglan to find an opportunity to strike.

Wu Qiuying arrived at the private room door, where several Three Heroes Gate guards stood watch. Wu Qiuying blinked her watery eyes, lifted her skirt, and shyly looked at them. "Young Miss Chu asked me to sing."

A few guards scrutinized Wu Qiuying. One laughed, "You look clueless. Can you even sing? Sing a bit for me to hear first!"

Another guard beside him said, "Don't be silly. This is from Young Miss Chu. Don't make things difficult for her!"

"What if she's from Young Miss Chu? She's not Young Miss Chu herself!" the first guard said, looking at Wu Qiuying. "Do you understand the rules? A body search before entering."

Wu Qiuying blushed. "I've never heard of such a rule. This is the Grand Entertainment Hall—"

"What about the Grand Entertainment Hall? At our Three Heroes Gate, this is the rule!" The guards thoroughly searched her, then turned to enter and announce her presence. Wu Qiuying's nostrils flared slightly; these guards were truly disgusting. If they had announced her first and then searched her, it would have been acceptable, simply showing the Three Heroes Gate's arrogance. But to search her first and then announce her, if Shen Jinzhong didn't allow the singer in, wouldn't they have taken advantage for nothing?

The guard had just entered and immediately came back out. "The Great Golden Seal isn't in. Come back later." Wu Qiuying paused. "Where did he go?" The guard frowned. "Is that any of your business to ask?" Wu Qiuying raised an eyebrow, and the guard's veins bulged, his mouth and eyes twisted, and he collapsed to the ground. "She has cultivation!"

The other guards were about to rush forward when several arrows flew in simultaneously, felling them all in an instant. One guard who had spoken up for Qiuying earlier was left with a breath of life by Xiang Fenglan. Wu Qiuying asked, "Where did your Golden Seal go?" The guard shook his head repeatedly; he truly didn't know where Shen Jinzhong had gone.

A few attendants arrived in the corridor to clean up the bodies, and Chu Er also came over. Wu Qiuying looked at the only surviving guard and pleaded with Chu Er to spare his life. Chu Er agreed.

Yang Yanzheng was still contemplating Shen Jinzhong's whereabouts when Wen Hongyan said, "Don't bother thinking; he must have returned to the Golden Seal Hall. Should we pursue him?"

Chu Er really wanted to pursue him. "I've disliked the Three Heroes Gate for a long time. We might as well use this opportunity to wipe it out."

Yang Yanzheng shook his head. "The Three Heroes Gate is the largest gang in Puro Province; it can't be wiped out just like that! Young Miss Chu, you absolutely must listen to me this time. Besides, this isn't even what we're supposed to be doing!"

A commotion arose downstairs; Bai Wuchuan was missing, and the White Crane Gang members were creating a ruckus. Chu Er nodded. "The Lu family is waiting outside. Let's leave Shen Jinzhong to them."

Shen Jinzhong changed into rough clothes and quickly walked along a small path. He hadn't gone far when he felt he was being watched. Two or three people were following him, neither too close nor too far. Why weren't they rushing to attack? They probably couldn't win. Shen Jinzhong was a seventh-level martial cultivator; although his cultivation hadn't advanced much over the years, he had spent half his life in combat. Ordinary people couldn't get near him. He knew the enemy's reinforcements would arrive soon, so he needed to shake off these tailing individuals quickly. But instead of running back to the Golden Seal Hall, he headed towards Xiaoyao Dock. This caught Lu Chunying, who was following him, by surprise.

To prevent any unforeseen incidents at the Grand Entertainment Hall, Lu Chunying had brought people to wait outside. Shen Jinzhong had barely come out when Lu Yuanxin spotted him. However, Lu Chunying's subordinates were somewhat dispersed, and it would take time to gather them in one place. Lu Chunying had anticipated Shen Jinzhong would go to the Golden Seal Hall, so she was surprised when he suddenly changed his route.

Lu Chunying asked, "Where is Shen Jinzhong going?" After following for a while, Lu Yuanxin whispered, "This is the direction of Xiaoyao Dock." Lu Chunying's eyes darted, and she lowered her voice, "We can't follow him anymore. Engage directly." Lu Yuanxin said, "The team isn't all here yet." "We can't wait. There are definitely He Jiaqing's ambushes on the way to Xiaoyao Dock."

This girl was truly smart. Shen Jinzhong's invitation to Ma Wu must have been at He Jiaqing's instruction. He Jiaqing wouldn't act at the Grand Entertainment Hall; he wouldn't make things so conspicuous. So, he would most likely ambush him on the road. If they continued to track Shen Jinzhong, they might very well run into He Jiaqing's ambush.

Shen Jinzhong continued to walk quickly when a rickshaw approached him. The alley was a bit narrow, so Shen Jinzhong waved at the rickshaw, "Move aside." The rickshaw driver lowered his head and said, "Alright." He pulled the rickshaw to the side, then looked up and said, "You said to move aside, so I moved aside for you."

Shen Jinzhong sensed something was wrong. He slid sideways, suddenly entering the wall and disappearing. Lu Chunying was startled. "Travel Cultivation technique!" The rickshaw driver quickly shouted, "Stay still!" But because the person had gone far, the technique had no response. This rickshaw driver was Tan Fucheng, the leader of the Iron Wheel Gang and a Devotion Cultivator. Shen Jinzhong had just told him to move the rickshaw, and Tan Fucheng did so, which meant Shen Jinzhong had received Tan Fucheng's 'devotion'. Tan Fucheng then added, "You said to move aside, so I moved aside for you," which clarified the matter. The devotion was given, the matter was clear, and the devotion cultivation technique was completed. Next, Tan Fucheng should have demanded payment, but Shen Jinzhong ran off. Tan Fucheng beat his chest in frustration, blaming only his own lack of skill and slowness.

Lu Yuanxin pondered for a long time. "Shen Jinzhong has been famous in the jianghu for a long time. He's a seventh-level martial cultivator. When did he also cultivate travel cultivation?" Tan Fucheng was also puzzled. "Logically, it's very difficult for a martial cultivator to also cultivate travel cultivation. Both paths are very demanding on the physique." While the two were still wondering, Lu Chunying said, "Let's retreat first. Don't let him come back to attack us. If he truly has two cultivation paths, we might fall into his hands!"

The three fled together. As they ran, Tan Fucheng was still puzzled, "If he really had two cultivation paths, why did he run just now? Why didn't he just fight us directly?"

Shen Jinzhong shook off his pursuers and ran all the way back to the Golden Seal Hall. He summoned everyone capable of fighting from the hall and instructed them to immediately form the "Three Heroes Capture Thieves Array." The name sounded simple, and the formation looked simple: three teams of people standing at three specific positions in the main courtyard of the Golden Seal Hall, waiting for the enemy to seize the opportunity.

However, if this formation was executed in the main courtyard of the Golden Seal Hall, it would become the most formidable array in Puro Province. The main courtyard of the Golden Seal Hall had special mechanisms that would respond to the Three Heroes Capture Thieves Array. From then on, no matter who came to fight, as long as these three teams maintained their formation, every blade of grass, every tree, every brick, and every tile in the courtyard would transform into superior weapons and automatically attack the enemy.

With the Three Heroes Capture Thieves Array activated in the Golden Seal Hall, it would be difficult to breach even if Li Qi himself came. But for extra safety, Shen Jinzhong still went to the back hall.

Old Silver Seal Yun Yongcheng asked, "Great Golden Seal, what happened?"

Shen Jinzhong replied, "Our hall might have been raided. I'm going to check the treasury. All of you stand guard in the courtyard."

"You're going to the treasury now, this..." Old Silver Seal tried to stop Shen Jinzhong.

Silver Seal Tan Jinle pushed Yun Yongcheng aside. "Where the Great Golden Seal goes, is it your place to comment? Didn't you hear the Great Golden Seal say we might have been raided? You still have the mind to idle here."

Yun Yongcheng lowered his head, not daring to say more.

Shen Jinzhong quickly entered the treasury and bolted the door. The treasury held the Three Heroes Gate's valuables, and both inside and outside the vault were filled with intricate mechanisms. With the Three Heroes Capture Thieves Array and these numerous mechanisms, Shen Jinzhong was temporarily safe. Sitting in the treasury, he calmed his mind, recalling the events.

He first cursed Bai Wuchuan a few times, attributing his predicament to him. But now that things had come to this, cursing was useless. Shen Jinzhong needed to quickly devise a countermeasure. Along the way, he had already thought of three strategies.

The best strategy: Claim that the matter with Ma Wu had nothing to do with him; he merely intended to invite Ma Wu to dinner and knew nothing else. This was the best outcome, but the only problem was that Li Qi would most likely not believe him.

The middle strategy: Approach He Jiaqing, explain the situation—that he had invited Ma Wu, and the matter was considered done, with any subsequent changes unrelated to him—and then ask He Jiaqing to protect the Three Heroes Gate in the future. This outcome was also acceptable, but it depended on whether He Jiaqing would acknowledge it.

The worst strategy: Take all the valuables and leave Greenwater City overnight, living anonymously. Taking even ten percent of the gold and silver in this room would be enough for him to live comfortably for several lifetimes. But Shen Jinzhong was unwilling; he had finally become the Great Golden Seal, why should he give up his position, why should he—!

A strand of hair brushed against Shen Jinzhong's face.

"Who's there!" Shen Jinzhong swiftly dodged. There was blood on his face, but it was just a superficial scratch, nothing serious. A woman in green appeared before him. Shen Jinzhong recognized her; it was Qin Tianjiu's wife. Shen Jinzhong tried hard to maintain his composure and calmly said, "Sister-in-law, what are you doing in my treasury? I suspect the Golden Seal Hall has been robbed. Could you be the thief?"

Feng Yuqiu was expressionless; she was a Cold Cultivator, so these words couldn't infuriate her. And precisely because she was a Cold Cultivator, Shen Jinzhong didn't sense any murderous intent when she launched her surprise attack just now. Shen Jinzhong observed Feng Yuqiu's position. He didn't understand why Qin Tianjiu's wife was here. The most logical explanation was that someone had brought her in. Could Qin Tianjiu be here? Where was he?

"Great Golden Seal, were you waiting for me?" Qin Tianjiu emerged from a pile of silver coins, five steps away, and took a deep breath. A jet of blood spurted from the wound on Shen Jinzhong's face and flew into Qin Tianjiu's mouth.

Blood-Sucking Marrow-Chewing! Impossible! How could Qin Tianjiu, with his cultivation level, learn such a technique? This was a sixth-level Food Cultivation technique! And his technique was incredibly bizarre; he could absorb blood from several steps away. Shen Jinzhong quickly widened the distance, and the blood jet finally broke. Feng Yuqiu attacked again, leaving another cut on Shen Jinzhong's thigh. For a martial cultivator's physique, these minor injuries were nothing, but Shen Jinzhong couldn't withstand Qin Tianjiu constantly rushing over to absorb his blood. Shen Jinzhong couldn't hold on much longer.

Shen Jinzhong shouted, "Little Jiu, there's a misunderstanding between us. Let me explain slowly—"

Qin Tianjiu interrupted Shen Jinzhong. "No need to explain. If you talk halfway through, you'll definitely try to ambush me. We know each other so well, why are you playing innocent?" As he spoke, Qin Tianjiu took two steps forward, shielding his wife behind him. "I genuinely considered you a brother. Ever since you joined the Three Heroes Gate, I've given you a lot of help, haven't I? Now, while I'm not home, you bring your wife to the gang's treasury. What do you intend to do?"

Qin Tianjiu smiled. "What do I intend to do? I've already told you, we're all familiar with each other. Ever since I became a Silver Seal, you've never given me territory. I haven't earned much money, and I can barely eat, but I've still diligently done odd jobs around you. Everyone in the hall is my friend. What tactics do you have that I don't know about? I anticipated that you would use the Three Heroes Capture Thieves Array, and I knew you'd come to the treasury to hide. If you couldn't hide, you'd run off with the money. I specifically waited here for you, to send you off on your last journey."

Shen Jinzhong shouted, "Little Jiu, what you're saying isn't right! I kept you by my side to train you, it was all for your own good!"

*Shing!*

Shen Jinzhong suddenly threw two silver coins, aiming for Qin Tianjiu's face. The silver coins, thrown by a seventh-level martial cultivator, were faster than bullets. Furthermore, Shen Jinzhong had aimed precisely. If Qin Tianjiu dodged, the silver coins would hit Feng Yuqiu behind him. Qin Tianjiu didn't dodge; he opened his mouth and swallowed the silver coins.

Impossible. What was Qin Tianjiu's true cultivation level? Before coming, Qin Tianjiu had consumed a belly full of good coal. He himself couldn't clearly state his current combat power level.

Shen Jinzhong stood up from the ground, dizzy from excessive blood loss. He glanced at the wall with his peripheral vision. Qin Tianjiu smiled. "Don't look at the wall. I know you have a travel cultivation artifact that lets you pass through walls, but you won't get a chance to use it."

Shen Jinzhong grabbed a handful of silver coins and threw them at Qin Tianjiu. Qin Tianjiu either swallowed the ones he could catch or endured the others. With his shimmering, silver-like skin, Qin Tianjiu grabbed Shen Jinzhong.