Chapter 671: Infiltrating the Divine Dragon Gang
Chapter 671: Infiltrating the Divine Dragon Gang
After finishing the roasted chicken and beef, Jin Banhua and his companions prepared to continue their journey south.
Before leaving, Jin Banhua lingered, pulling Su Rongrong and Li Hongxue aside for a few more words. He finally departed, glancing back every few steps.
...
When they finally reached Huai'an, Hua Zhenzhen's expression turned somber.
"What's wrong?" Jin Banhua asked.
"Abbot Kumei has personally come to Jiangnan," Hua Zhenzhen replied.
Qu Wurong was taken aback. "I heard that Abbess Kumei hasn't set foot in the secular world for twenty years. She actually came down the mountain for this?"
"Yes," Hua Zhenzhen nodded.
Yidianhong sighed. "The Thirteen Styles of Clear Wind truly live up to their reputation as a secret technique of Mount Hua. Abbess Kumei is taking this very seriously!"
Jin Banhua patted Yidianhong's shoulder and said to Qu Wurong, "You'll have to bear the burden from now on."
Qu Wurong's lips curved into a smile, but she remained silent.
Yidianhong turned and demanded, "What's that supposed to mean?"
Jin Banhua shook his head and asked Hua Zhenzhen, "How many people from Mount Hua have come to Jiangnan?"
"Only four," Hua Zhenzhen replied. "Besides Abbess Kumei, there are Gao Yanan, Mei Yuhua, and Xu Jinxia."
"Are they all inner disciples who know the Thirteen Styles of Clear Wind?" Jin Banhua asked.
"Indeed," Hua Zhenzhen's expression was heavy.
"Could the traitor be among these three?" Qu Wurong frowned, looking at Jin Banhua. "You can't be suspecting Abbess Kumei, can you?"
Jin Banhua looked at Hua Zhenzhen. "You didn't expect Abbess Kumei to come to Jiangnan, did you?"
Hua Zhenzhen pondered for a moment and shook her head. "I can't say I didn't expect it. After all, the theft of the Thirteen Styles of Clear Wind is a major responsibility for her."
"You shouldn't suspect Abbess Kumei just because you suspect everyone else," Yidianhong said, frowning. "I've heard of Abbess Kumei. She once fought the Four Swords of the Dark Moon on Mount Hua, protecting her fellow disciples. Later, she challenged the Cold-Faced Demoness on Mount Tai to protect Mount Hua's reputation, earning her fame across the land."
Hua Zhenzhen thought for a moment and sighed in relief, her face brightening. "You're right; I was being paranoid. After all, the purpose of spreading the news was to draw out the traitor. Hearing that Abbess Kumei came down the mountain made me uneasy."
Jin Banhua glanced at Hua Zhenzhen. "What are you smiling about? Even if it's not Abbess Kumei, the other three are true disciples of Mount Hua, right?"
Hua Zhenzhen's smile vanished, and she glared at Jin Banhua.
...
When the group reached Jiangnan, they heard news of Chu Liuxiang.
"According to Second Hero Ding, who returned from Reed Flower Marsh, he saw Chu Liuxiang at Throw Cup Manor," Qu Wurong said as she entered the tavern and sat down. "He originally went there to discuss the marriage of his nephew, Ding Rufeng, to Zuo Qinhou's daughter, Zuo Mingzhu.
However, Zuo Mingzhu suddenly fell ill, and Zuo Qinhou was in a bad mood. Added to that, the Beggar Sect spread word that the Ding brothers had an enemy who had suddenly appeared in Jiangnan, so he rushed back."
Jin Banhua's eyebrows lifted. He knew that the plot of Ghostly Love had progressed to its midpoint.
The first three parts of The Legend of Chu Liuxiang were seamlessly connected, but the fourth part felt more like a side story, much like the fourth part of The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng, The Silver Hook Gambling House.
Zuo Qinhou and Xue Yiren were sworn enemies. After agreeing to a duel with Xue Yiren, Zuo Qinhou promised his daughter, Zuo Mingzhu, to the Ding family's son. However, Zuo Mingzhu had already secretly pledged her love to Xue Yiren's son, Xue Bin.
Additionally, Xue Yiren planned to strengthen his ties with the Shi family by arranging a marriage between Xue Bin and Shi Yin, the daughter of the Shi family.
But Shi Yin had her own heart set on Ye Shenglan, a famous actor from the capital.
So, the young people came up with a clever plan: they used the body of a woman who had died of illness to impersonate Shi Yin. Shi Yin pretended to die and ran away with Ye Shenglan, while Zuo Mingzhu posed as Shi Yin and married Xue Bin under the pretense of the marriage agreement between the Shi and Xue families.
This way, everyone was happy, and it might even resolve the long-standing feud between the Zuo and Xue families.
It was a simple story, and it wouldn't have been difficult for Chu Liuxiang to uncover the truth. In the original story, he even managed to reveal Xue Xiaoren's true identity.
Now that Xue Xiaoren was already buried on the back mountain of the Divine Water Palace, this case was even less challenging for Chu Liuxiang.
Jin Banhua wondered if, without Xue Xiaoren's interference, Xue Yiren and Chu Liuxiang would still end up fighting.
Should she go and see?
Jin Banhua glanced at Hua Zhenzhen, who had returned to the tavern.
"Abbot Withered Plum has arrived in the Jiangnan region. They have split up to gather information. The abbot is traveling with Gao Yanan in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang areas, while Mei Yuhua and Xu Jinxia have gone south to the Minyue region," Hua Zhenzhen said.
"Have they found anything?" Jin Banhua asked.
"Not yet," Hua Zhenzhen shook her head and then stared at Jin Banhua. "I want to find Yun Conglong of the Divine Dragon Gang."
In the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions, there are two major river systems: the Yangtze River and the Huai River.
The Divine Dragon Gang controls most of the Yangtze River's interests, while the Phoenix Tail Gang controls most of the Huai River's interests.
Since the Yangtze River is the largest and flows directly into the sea from Songjiang Prefecture, the Divine Dragon Gang is more likely to know the secrets of the golden grottoes at sea.
Yan Hong volunteered, "Then we'll go to the Phoenix Tail Gang and ask Wu Weiyang."
...
The Divine Dragon Gang's base was located on a mid-river island in the Yangtze River. Because it was surrounded by vast waters, the defenses were not as tight as one might expect.
However, the Divine Dragon Gang had dominated the Yangtze River for years, and its members were not weak. Yun Conglong, in particular, was a formidable fighter.
But for Jin Banhua and Hua Zhenzhen, neither the vast river nor the Divine Dragon Gang's disciples posed any challenge.
Under the cover of night, the two of them silently made their way onto the mid-river island, effortlessly scaled the walls of the main compound, and silently approached the heart of the Divine Dragon Gang's territory.
A grand courtyard, with green tiles and white walls, looked more like a wealthy landowner's estate than a stronghold of a river lord.
But there were still lights inside the estate.
In the main bedroom at the back, a single lamp was clearly visible in the night, and a thin, withered man with a weathered face sat inside, his expression wavering with pain and struggle.
This man was Yun Conglong.
Rumored to be a smooth-talking, well-rounded individual, Yun Conglong now seemed panicked and angry.
"It looks like we came to the right place," a young voice said suddenly from outside the window, causing Yun Conglong to nearly jump out of his chair.
"Who are you?" Yun Conglong demanded, though his voice was not very loud.
"Who we are, why don't you take a guess, Chief Yun?" the young voice teased.
Yun Conglong's face changed, and his already bloodshot eyes grew even redder. "You promised me ten days to consider, why are you here so soon?"
Yun Conglong clenched his fists and emphasized, "I am still the Chief of the Divine Dragon Gang!"
Outside the window, Jin Banhua raised an eyebrow at the gleaming-eyed Hua Zhenzhen and continued, "Chief Yun, when you owe someone, you're at their mercy. You know our rules and methods, so why continue to struggle?"
Yun Conglong laughed bitterly, filled with regret and hatred. "I shouldn't have accepted your invitation back then!"
(End of Chapter)
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