Chapter 421: The Gang Leader Takes a Disciple

When he came out of the Armory Manual Vault, Lin Zhentao immediately came up to him and said,

“Hall Master Wangchuan.”

“Your new identity token has already been forged. The Gang Leader asked that you go and collect it.”

“Alright!”

Wangchuan nodded and, under Lin Zhentao’s guidance, turned into a courtyard in the rear hall.

Gang Leader Luo Tiancong was sitting in a pavilion, holding a square token in his hand. When he heard them approach, he glanced sideways and looked over, a rare smile appearing on his face.

“You’re here?”

“Come, sit.”

Flattered and startled by the invitation, Wangchuan stopped outside the pavilion and cupped his fists.

“How could there be a place for this subordinate to sit in the Gang Leader’s presence? This subordinate will remain standing.”

Luo Tiancong did not insist. He nodded and said unhurriedly,

“In the second half of this year, among all the Halls, only the Hall under your charge in Sanhe Commandery turned over its full earnings as required.”

Wangchuan’s heart tightened.

Were the other Halls really all in such dire straits?

Not necessarily.

The Halls near the capital, aside from Heitu Commandery and Shenyu Commandery, should actually have been living quite comfortably, at least far more comfortably than Sanhe Commandery had—because they could receive support from headquarters at any time.

But!

Luo Tiancong was clearly displeased because the various Halls had privately embezzled large amounts of gold and silver that should have been turned over to headquarters, and had done so while shielding one another in factions. That was why he was looking at Wangchuan with such unusual favor.

What Luo Tiancong did not know was that Lin Cunxin, who had been responsible for this matter in Sanhe Commandery, had in fact also been preparing to embezzle a massive amount of gold and silver in secret...

It was only because Lin Cunxin had been unexpectedly removed by Wangchuan that a crack had appeared in this collective withholding of remittances, allowing Luo Tiancong to sense that something was wrong.

Aside from Heitu Commandery and Shenyu Commandery...

Sanhe Commandery should have had the tightest reserves of all at the year’s end.

Yet Sanhe Commandery had paid in full.

Did there even need to be any question what lay behind that?

Looking at Wangchuan, Luo Tiancong said,

“At present, Sanhe Commandery is the only Hall in all of Caobang whose collections are normal and which has also gained an overwhelming advantage in its clashes with the Beggar Sect.”

“This Gang Leader believes that rewarding you with only one Fifth-Rank cultivation method would not be enough of a commendation, so I intend to add another layer of reward.”

Wangchuan was startled again.

Then he heard Luo Tiancong ask,

“Wangchuan, do you have a master?”

“I have a master who taught this subordinate the craft of blacksmithing,” Wangchuan replied.

Luo Tiancong smiled.

“So in the martial path, you have not yet formally apprenticed yourself under any famous master, correct?”

Wangchuan nodded.

Then a strange thought and suspicion surfaced in his mind.

“In that case, Wangchuan, are you willing to become this Gang Leader’s disciple?”

Luo Tiancong stared at Wangchuan.

Wangchuan thought he had misheard him. He froze for a moment, then finally reacted and dropped to his knees on the spot.

“Wangchuan is willing to take the Gang Leader as his master! This disciple greets Master!”

If he could become the disciple of the Caobang Gang Leader, what was there to hesitate about?

Luo Tiancong smiled and raised a hand. A gentle force immediately lifted Wangchuan back to his feet.

The sheer power behind it left Wangchuan feeling utterly unable to resist. His body straightened against his will.

Wangchuan stared at the Gang Leader in disbelief.

This was the strength of a Sixth-Rank Martial Artist... no, definitely someone above the Seventh Rank!

Externalized Inner Force!

Too terrifyingly strong!

Luo Tiancong smiled and said,

“There is no rush.”

“Taking a disciple is not something that can be done so casually.”

“I only entertained the thought of taking you in because I see that your nature is upright and kind, and your talent and aptitude are excellent...”

Wangchuan was so excited that he listened with full attention.

Luo Tiancong’s expression turned solemn as he said,

“Becoming this Gang Leader’s disciple is a double-edged sword. In the future, your standing within Caobang will rise, and all manner of benefits and preferential treatment will follow! But your reputation in Jianghu will also rise. You will draw the attention of all parties, and perhaps even become a target!”

Wangchuan nodded slowly.

“That is why our master-disciple relationship is not suitable to be announced for the time being.”

Luo Tiancong said to Wangchuan,

“Lin Zhentao is this Gang Leader’s man and is absolutely trustworthy. He will not spread word of what happened today. But your formal apprenticeship ceremony must wait until after you have advanced to the Fifth Rank.”

“This disciple understands.”

Wangchuan cupped his fists and said,

“The Gang Leader is doing this to protect this subordinate... In the future, I will still address you as Gang Leader.”

“Clever.”

Luo Tiancong nodded, his face filled with approval.

“But this Gang Leader also has a mission to entrust to you.”

“Gang Leader, please speak.”

“Once you return to Sanhe Commandery, you must ensure that the Hall’s shipping business continues to run normally, and that the earnings collected in the first half of next year exceed those of previous years! Among all the Halls, Sanhe Commandery must rank in the top three!”

Hearing that, Wangchuan immediately understood that Luo Tiancong was preparing to make a major move and clean up the Halls of Caobang, purging the corruption festering within them.

At that point, he would be the Gang Leader’s blade.

Just as when he had put Wang Yuehui’s Sanjiang Branch Helm earnings on display, causing all the managers to tremble in fear, forcing them to disgorge their embezzled wealth, and then stripping them of their positions.

The reason Luo Tiancong did not dare move immediately...

was because Caobang was currently beset by both internal troubles and external threats.

He could not scrape the poison from the bone at a time like this.

“This disciple understands.”

“This disciple will certainly not fail the Gang Leader’s trust. Within half a year, I will strive to make Sanhe Commandery one of the top three Halls in the gang!”

Wangchuan accepted the mission on the spot.

Even though he understood perfectly well:

this meant he had now placed himself in opposition to the overwhelming majority of Hall Masters.

But he needed the status of being the Caobang Gang Leader’s personal disciple!

The benefits that golden signboard would bring were enormous.

And the increase to his Jianghu Reputation would be extraordinary as well!

Had the 《spirit realm》 Online Guidance Center not still failed to come to him precisely because his rank was too low, his reputation too weak, his standing too far down the rankings, and his influence too small?

Wangchuan quietly steeled his resolve. He had to seize this opportunity, rise with the current, greatly boost his Jianghu Reputation, and take another step upward within Caobang!

When the time came, with the Gang Leader backing him, he would no longer need to fear the likes of Yin Xingtian or Wan Xiwen.

“Good!”

“You have spirit!”

Luo Tiancong was highly pleased with Wangchuan’s sharp resolve. He tossed the identity token in his hand toward him and said in a ringing voice,

“Since you have accepted the mission, then do your job well! Do not disgrace this Gang Leader!”

“Though you and I are not yet master and disciple in name, if there is anything you need help with, speak freely. So long as it is a reasonable request, this Gang Leader can agree to it.”

Luo Tiancong spoke with impeccable caution, leaving no gaps.

Wangchuan cupped his fists and said,

“This subordinate killed Elder Zheng and Qiu Dahong in Sanhe Commandery and purged the Beggar Sect disciples there. Sooner or later, the Beggar Sect will either storm the Hall to assassinate me or send experts to challenge me. Once spring begins next year, a major confrontation will be unavoidable. This subordinate humbly asks the Gang Leader to bestow stronger martial manuals upon Wangchuan!”

“At the very least, this subordinate must be able to protect himself if a Fifth-Rank Martial Artist comes to storm the Hall and assassinate me! I must also ensure that I can remain undefeated when the challenge comes!”

Luo Tiancong pondered for several breaths, then silently turned and went into the room, emerging shortly after with a manual in his hands.

Its cover was silver, and at a glance it was obviously no ordinary thing.

“This is the Gang Leader’s signature supreme art, 《Wind Fills the Vast Sky》. I originally intended to pass it on to you only after you formally became my disciple, but I may as well teach it to you now. With this technique in hand, there should be no one among Fourth-Rank Martial Artists who can stand against you.”