Chapter 179: The Fall
February 29, Saturday.
Eastern China, H City in Province A, deep within a valley on the edge of Mount Huangshan.
In a remote mountain forest, a large ancient courtyard styled after the Ming and Qing dynasties sits—this is the central headquarters of the Hermit Alliance, which on the surface functions as a training base for a martial arts school.
With blue bricks, black tiles, and large red pillars, ancient trees, and moss-covered Bagua wells, the details suggest that the estate has been built for at least a hundred years.
Inside and outside the estate, men and women in combat clothing move stealthily, each maintaining a high level of vigilance.
Zhuang Jianfei and Wei Jun behind him are both dressed in suits, which looks somewhat out of place here, but everyone from the Hermit Alliance they pass greets them with respectful cupped fist bows.
Entering deeper into the estate to a certain courtyard, the patrolling figures suddenly disappeared, as if there were some invisible barrier here that kept anyone from getting close.
“Ah, it’s Jianfei! Come, come, the new Mingqian green tea has arrived, make do with it, and when the Huangshan Meicha comes out next month, we’ll enjoy that properly.”
The old man Chu, lounging in a rattan chair under the sun, chuckled as he lifted his frail hand, while Yao Li quickly prepared hot water to brew the tea.
Without needing any words or gestures, after setting up the tea, Wei Jun and Yao Li discreetly exited the courtyard.
Glancing at a small door deep within the courtyard, Zhuang Jianfei composed himself, respectfully assisted Old Man Chu to the stone table, and only sat down himself after the old man was settled.
“Have the action times with the Wang family been set?”
The old man lifted his teacup, casually tilting the lid and taking a sip.
“Yes, scheduled for the early morning of March 8. The Wang family will handle the targets in P City and Y City, and Brother Xiang, Sister Wu, I… and Wan Yue will attack the targets in L City together.”
Zhuang Jianfei quickly stood up, retrieving a piece of paper from his suit pocket, carefully placing it in Old Man Chu’s hand.
“Heh, a significant move. Wang family’s fifth son is putting in substantial resources. Not counting the baron, with Xiang Zuxing and Wu Yuqing, that’s eight viscounts or half viscounts… Are you sure Wan Yue is going this time too?”
Old Man Chu reviewed the list of people involved, a trace of coldness appearing at the corner of his mouth: the Wang family in the south can’t compete with the Engel family and the James family. On the other hand, this time the Japanese Fujiwara family is holding back and hasn’t taken action yet…
“Heh, it all depends on how the hidden arrows strike… If the Wang family loses a few more viscounts this time, they’ll really be a bunch of turtles. Then our matters will become much simpler.”
“Jianfei, once this is settled, you should head south to arrange matters with Feng Jiulong and Deng Baoyi… These two have long since ceased to be on our side.”
At this point, a proud look appeared in Old Man Chu’s eyes, as if recalling some good fortune, with even the age spots on his face seeming to glisten.
Zhuang Jianfei bowed his head slightly, a flicker of struggle in his eyes. After hesitating for a dozen seconds, he lightly nodded.
“Yes, I’ve already arranged with the Engel family, next will be Feng Jiulong and Deng Baoyi… However, Old Man Chu, since Xiang Zuxing and Wan Yue are people you personally brought out, is it really necessary to handle them? Perhaps we could try and continue to win them over…”
After saying this, Zhuang Jianfei covertly observed the old man’s expression, gripping his hands tightly on his knees.
“To accomplish significant things, one must be decisive. It’s for this reason that I have my eye on you… Xiang Zuxing was very loyal to me when he was young, but after all, he’s a relative of Elder Gao, and over the years has controlled the Hub…
As for Wan Yue… I cannot see through this girl. She’s unstable, and isn’t she a sworn enemy of yours? You’re showing a bit of woman’s compassion here…”
Old Man Chu trembled slightly as he lifted his teacup, suddenly smiling, but his expression was exceptionally cold: “S City in Eastern China, the two G Provinces in Southern China, and the old streets in Northern Myanmar are all excellent places that must be in our own hands.”
“Everyone says it’s for the Hub, for the Hermit Alliance to branch out, but what are they really thinking? Only by leveraging this opportunity to uproot Elder Shen and Elder Gao’s key members outside can the Hermit Alliance be reassembled and return to the right path.”
After saying this, Old Man Chu smiled, looking at Zhuang Jianfei as he savored a sip of hot tea.
Zhuang Jianfei listened attentively, seemingly reaching an understanding, and smiled too, lifting his teacup to shield his face; in that moment, a trace of savagery flashed in his eyes.
“Jianfei, time hasn’t favored me… my fate is limited. If I weren’t so reluctant to let go of the thousand-year foundation of the Hermit Alliance, I wouldn’t have to resort to such measures.”
“Elder Gao is highly respected, ambitious, and contends with prestigious families, having once led the Hermit Alliance’s reforms, elevating everyone to become the most prominent wandering blood family force in Huaguo, and thirty years ago, he successfully ascended to the title of baron. He’s made a name for himself and can live on for many more years…”
“Elder Shen is not very old and lacks foundation, but he has high talent, having begun rising to baron status before two hundred years old. His niece, Wu Yuqing, is also quite impressive…”
“It’s a pity that if I hadn’t clashed with the Japanese all those years ago, I would probably be at least a mid-level baron by now. My dear great-grandson, Chu Songming, if he hadn’t died, should have taken over for me by now…”
Chattering away, or perhaps monologuing, for over half an hour, Old Man Chu recounted the brothers of the Hermit Alliance who died or are still alive over the past half century, his eyes revealing a spectrum of pain, envy, confusion, and brutality.
The elder who once saw through the vicissitudes of life and maintained a peaceful mindset in front of Wan Yue seemed never to return, leaving only a greed for life and power, raw and ferocious.
Zhuang Jianfei hesitated, lowering his voice: “Old man, not to mention Elder Gao, who is still in slumber, but Elder Shen is about to emerge from his retreat. If he knows…”
Old Man Chu glanced at a small door in a certain direction behind him, shaking his head with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile: “He won’t come out… Back then, I exhausted my roots to save him, and now it’s just a matter of regaining what I lost.”
As he spoke, Old Man Chu broke through the haze, releasing his aura. In that instant, Zhuang Jianfei’s pupils constricted, and he unconsciously turned back to stare at that small door deep within the courtyard.
Old Man Chu had long been determined to have been injured and fell from mid-level viscount status due to the injury sustained eighty years ago, and has yet to recover his strength. But now, he was infinitely close to the upper viscount realm, intertwined with a trace of barely perceptible dark blood clan aura.
Chu Dali, most likely, has fed on Elder Shen; who knows about Elder Gao… Reacting to the implications in his words, Zhuang Jianfei felt cold all over and trembled internally.
Old Man Chu retracted his aura, his old face more smug, and his tone noticeably lighter: “Heh, the medicines from European and American noble families work wonders, able to dissolve the dark blood clan’s aura. But Jianfei, you also have to push them; I don’t want this to come to nothing in the end.”
“You are now my coordinator with them. Tell them that regardless of how the ancestral plan unfolds next, I must get one of Jiang Yan or Jiang Yao!”
Zhuang Jianfei nodded quickly, but his expression seemed hesitant:
“Old man, right now Wu Yuqing is inquiring about Elder Shen’s seclusion; by the look of it, we can’t hide much longer…
What? Are you afraid I will expose everything? Heh, don’t worry, once everything is set, without these outsiders’ restraint, everyone inside and out will be from the Chu family. You just need to sit firmly in the center and lead the Hub. In the future, there will be one more genuine Chu family among the prestigious families in Huaguo.
Once the Engel family gets the baron breakthrough pills, I’ll go into seclusion to advance, and from then on, I’ll contact Kong Ming and assign the ancestral plan to you.
When the viscount breakthrough potions made from Feng Laotou’s flesh are ready, I’ll leave one for you! Jianfei, you’re a clever and ambitious child; I’ve long had my eye on you. Later, I’ll pick a Chu family girl for you to marry; then we’ll truly be one family.”
The tone in which Old Man Chu spoke of life and death was as casual as if discussing ingredients laid out on a cutting board, chilling Zhuang Jianfei’s back.
Without paying attention to Zhuang Jianfei’s current expression, Old Man Chu drained his teacup, savoring even the tea leaves, and returned to his rattan chair to close his eyes and rest.
Thank you for your cultivation, Old Man…
Zhuang Jianfei took a deep breath, stood up, and deeply bowed to Old Man Chu before exiting the courtyard.
Heh, the old fox… even now, he doubts me, refusing to reveal Kong Ming’s identity, and thinks I haven’t done enough…
A few minutes later, Zhuang Jianfei returned to the entrance of the villa, glancing back silently with a hint of resignation and disdain on his lips.
Where to now, Elder Zhuang?
Wei Jun drove out an off-road vehicle from the parking lot, slowly stopping beside Zhuang Jianfei.
To C City, I’m meeting up with Elder Xiang and Elder Wu.
Zhuang Jianfei restored his gentle smile, opening the door and comfortably sitting in the back seat.
Wan Yue, in her private villa at Longquan Mountain, welcomed a new visitor.
When Wu Yuqing’s Altakar Mann SUV appeared outside the villa, Wan Yue, looking from the balcony, couldn’t help but twitch the corner of her mouth slightly.
Xiang Zuxing, on the other hand, was much more understated, with an ordinary off-road vehicle that couldn’t be more ordinary, boldly parked next to Wu Yuqing’s luxury car—just like the devoted admirer accompanying a goddess, ordinary yet confident.
“Sister Wu, you’ve struck gold! A global limited edition, when will you show me that path to wealth?”
In the living room, Wan Yue served coffee to the two, while the young baron standing behind Wu Yuqing with his head down went unnoticed.
“Hehe, I mustn’t get too excited about my new clothes… Just got my hands on this, and already I feel like I’m struggling against a lead. So suffocating.”
Dressed in a sea-style qipao, Wu Yuqing sat on the sofa, mindlessly filing her nails, her words even slipping into Eastern China’s S City dialect.
“I say, Sister Wan, how long are you going to hold back? Advance to viscount sooner; while it won’t increase your strength much, we should have at least the proper presence.”
“Ah, I’m worried about embarrassing Wu Sister. If I had a capable helper, I wouldn’t have had to hold on all these years…”
Wan Yue glanced at the young baron not far behind Wu Yuqing, smiling as she lit a cigarette, turning her head toward Xiang Zuxing. “So, you came alone without bringing Guo Hao along?”
“He wants to check out the old streets; there are always reckless people causing trouble there. I don’t want the territory I just acquired to be messed with… The Luo family, let’s put it kindly they’re allies; let’s not sugarcoat it, they might not be willing to share the old streets with me.”
Xiang Zuxing had no interest in the coffee at all; instead, he pulled out a bottle of old liquor, though his demeanor seemed somewhat awkward.
It seemed the situation in Northern Myanmar had not developed as originally expected for Xiang Zuxing and others. As an outsider, although they had forcefully intruded, their strength was still somewhat thin, and they lacked local connections.
“This time, we must eradicate the Black Dragon Society! They infuriate me to death! They took an entire warehouse of goods and set a trap to ambush me. If it weren’t for Yuan Zi noticing something was off, I would have almost fallen into their trap.”
As she spoke, Wu Yuqing glanced back at the young baron behind her and smiled slightly: “Here, Shen Yuan, my cousin, just became a baron last year, costing me quite a bit of resources.”
“I heard your Zhao Peng is also dormant for advancement; both from the Siberian lineage, we might as well arrange a sparring session between them!”
The young baron felt a bit shy, quickly bowing his head in greeting to Wan Yue, remaining silent.
“This time, rather than saying the Wang family assigned us targets, it would be more accurate to say Zhuang Jianfei devised and confirmed them… Brother Xiang, Sister Wu, what do you think?”
Avoiding Wu Yuqing’s topic, Wan Yue lifted her coffee, her expression a mix of smile and seriousness: “For me, since leaving the Hermit Alliance, I’m just an outsider now. This time I’m here to participate; I want to see what he’s really up to…”
“Right now, he’s close to Old Man Chu and has helped the Chu family cultivate a few new barons. It’s not an exaggeration that he’s currently the most favored person in the alliance, but he seems to be reasonable and has helped me a lot these past few years.”
Wu Yuqing certainly knew Wan Yue’s stance; she quickly smiled and gestured, obviously siding with her: “Now he has obtained Sodocaine from the James family, perfectly complementing the Yuheng Dan in the alliance. He’s not hoarding it all for himself.”
“Actually, Wan sister, is there anything more important for us blood clan members than realms? You’ve been treading with him for over twenty years, there’s no need to keep counting, besides, back then, that Chu Songming regarded himself as a top-tier talent, acting haughty. I didn’t see him care much for you then…”
Truth be told, Wu Yuqing also had her grievances regarding Chu Songming’s interest in Wan Yue back then. Fortunately, she had a straightforward disposition, completely different from Deng Baoyi’s cynical and small-minded nature.
“Hehe, I’m not afraid of you laughing, I have a bad temper… everyone lives for their face, as long as he’s alive, I won’t let it go!”
Wan Yue had no intention of showing gratitude, her tone growing colder: “Zhuang Jianfei, having come from an unclear background and sinister intentions, I believe Brother Xiang and Sister Wu should play it safe.”
“Alright, since it’s us against the outside, let’s not quarrel among ourselves!”
Beside them, Xiang Zuxing frowned, heavily placing down the liquor bottle in his hand, looking seriously at Wan Yue: “His background isn’t a secret, but since even the old man trusts him, it’s still possible to work together. Some things are better left unsaid.”
“Wan sister, don’t worry. This time I’ll make sure he goes in with me. If there’s anything fishy, he can’t escape!”
“It’s you I’m worried about… sigh… for the sake of the business, just bear with it. If not, you can stay outside with that Jin person from the Wang family and handle the ambush while keeping an eye on our escape route.”
Xiang Zuxing naturally didn’t want to go through the trouble of gathering a large force only to have Wan Yue’s temper ruin the plan, so he was straightforward about the details of this operation.
Seeing Xiang Zuxing getting a bit angry, he probably guessed the other side was in a bad mood recently, rolling his eyes and saying no more.
“You’re right, Brother Xiang. Although this time we will be attacking three strongholds simultaneously, I hope that Cao Laosan—this scoundrel—is in the target we’re hitting the Star Hall!”
Mentioning Cao Kuang made Wu Yuqing’s face darken, clearly still harboring bitterness: “If Zhu Bixian is there, great, I’ll deal with him. Whatever tricks he plays, I’ll take care of it!”
“Cao Laosan is easier to deal with; he’s from the same lineage as Brother Xiang. Xiang, you take him out. No, preferably cripple him and hand him over to me! Brother Xiang, a mid-level viscount, it shouldn’t be difficult to handle a thin-skinned upper-level blood clan viscount!”
“As for those flimsy barons under Cao Laosan, as long as Zhuang Jianfei is around, Yuan Zi can hold them back. So, Wan sister, just keep an eye on that person from the Wang family and guard the retreat!”
Wu Yuqing clearly looked down on the Black Dragon Society, especially since they would be jointly attacking the target in L City with the Wang family, not only with overwhelming strength but also having Zhuang Jianfei as a safeguard, which amounted to double insurance.
Of course, the main reason was that Wu Yuqing was also afraid that Wan Yue would act together and entangle with Zhuang Jianfei’s old feud, leading to unforeseen complications that could be difficult to manage.
Back then, Wan Yue had caused quite a scene due to Chu Songming’s death, almost turning the Hermit Alliance upside down just to get Zhuang Jianfei’s life.
“Hehe, you’ve all arranged me quite clearly… whatever, after all, I’m just here to watch the show… These days, Brother Xiang and Sister Wu, you two can stay with me. If you want to explore around C City, I can arrange for Huang Gu to be your guide.”
Wan Yue smiled, crushing the cigarette stub, lifting her coffee cup, no longer concerned about the joint operation happening days later.
The coffee cup hid her face, as well as a trace of unease in her eyes.
As the topic shifted to other areas, the three Hub elites, who hadn’t gathered together in over twenty years, were deeply engaged in conversation. It was unclear how much time passed when a car horn sounded outside the villa, causing all three to turn their heads.
Is it Xiao Ling?
Before she could see anyone, Wan Yue already knew from the familiar aura who had arrived.
She pulled out her phone to check, realizing that due to her phone being off for days, Xiao Ling had to search aimlessly for her due to some important news.
“Sister Wan! Not good, Xiaoyao’s back has a problem…”
As soon as Xiao Ling rushed into the living room, she seemed as if struck by lightning, her whole body shivering, the rest of her sentence caught in her throat.
In the vast living room of the villa, in addition to their own head, there were also three unfamiliar high-ranking blood clan members, all looking stunned at her. The muscular middle-aged man among them looked particularly intimidating.
“Have you caused more trouble again? Sigh, you only bring disasters…”
Wan Yue made a gesture to Xiao Ling, then smiled at Xiang Zuxing and Wu Yuqing: “The kids at home are restless; it’s probably another bet gone wrong, and they don’t know how to control their strength.”
As she spoke, she gestured to Xiao Ling: “Call Zheng Shaolin over, have him showcase his skills and properly entertain these esteemed guests. And yes, make sure he brings plenty of unique local produce.”
Xiang Zuxing smiled, appearing indifferent: “Since there’s something at home, you should go take care of it; after all, we have several days. But this place is indeed nice, and Wu Daimei and I will just overstay our welcome, wandering around.”
Wu Yuqing was even more cheerful, turning to her cousin and saying, “I heard Sister Wan here has a pair of beautiful sisters with exceptional talent; maybe she can introduce you to them. Who knows, one of them could catch your eye, and our two families could join together.”
Wan Yue smiled without speaking, turning to head upstairs to change before going out.
