Chapter Eighteen: Strife Between Factions

  After the fight, it proved who had the bigger fist. Xiao Dou led more than 200 fellow disciples into the Qing Yi Alliance!

  The little bean sat in the main seat, squinting his eyes and scanning the crowd. Hmm~ The two groups of people still had hostile gazes towards each other. This was no wonder, whoever was defeated without a fight would lose everything, nobody would be willing to accept it, nobody would feel good about it. Now some small tricks were needed!

  What means? Well, it's time for a carrot after the stick!

  "Hmph!" Xiaodou let out a light cough and laughed loudly, "I know that everyone is not convinced now and feels very uncomfortable in their hearts. That's because you don't understand the benefits we can bring to everyone yet. Believe me, as long as I'm here, I guarantee that you'll be worry-free for thousands of years!"

  "Hmm~" A burly man stepped forward and asked in a questioning tone, "What benefits? What peace of mind? We Jianghu people, aren't we all living on the edge of knives, for thousands of years? I've been in this gang for over 40 years, and I've seen it get destroyed 19 times. Among the 19 leaders, you're the one with the biggest mouth!"

  This guy, on the surface, looks honest and simple, but in reality, he has a lot of cunning. Xiao Dou accurately detected the unusual glint in his eyes, but this matter was now settled. At this point, Xiao Dou smiled faintly and said:

  "Wealth will only make you arrogant, our strength is beyond doubt. This is my trump card in military affairs. Next, I will treat all of you brothers like my own hands and feet. Even if it's the former leader, I won't kill him. I want to let him see how to be a good leader and win over the crowd!"

  The man in the purple robe stepped forward and said coldly, "Although I lost to you in terms of martial arts skills, you've just arrived and know nothing. How can you speak so boldly without knowing the facts? Aren't you afraid of getting your tongue cut off by the wind? You'd better explain how you can do a better job than me!"

  Xiao Dou smiled and said: "I heard that the gang wants to build a warehouse for escorting goods? It requires a large area, I vetoed this matter. When I do things, there is always one principle - affection, reason, law, the order never changes. My brothers and family members don't even have houses to live in, what's the point of earning silver? However, this matter is also a good opportunity to take back the address of Dong Street Dalian Gate and turn it into a warehouse. If the Xian Shui gang dares to make a move, I will destroy them. Also, there is a saying that everyone often says - what new officials take office three fires, haha ~ I think that's the way people without skills do things. My last measure is to distribute 15 taels of silver to each member of the gang for a makeover, from now on, our Zheng Qi Gang must have a dignified and elegant appearance, I want to lead everyone towards a glorious era. You are the first elder who questioned me, with the most seniority, and the bravest and most straightforward, do you think I am a wise leader?"

  "Hmm~" The burly Han's surface thinking, but his heart is shouting continuously, almost scared to pee in his pants. This little boss isn't simple, obviously saw through me, an old man. Now he's giving sweet dates, next is the time to hit with a stick, don't hit your own head, ah! Better say something good!

  "This is a good idea, young master, but the Saltwater Gang has occupied our land for over 20 years and we've never taken it back. This is a tough task, if I were to do it myself, I wouldn't be capable of it. If you can take them down, then I, Zhao Lao Er, will acknowledge your authority!"

  Dealing with smart people is just a matter of course, Xiao Dou said with a hearty laugh:

  "That's right, oh ~ good, look at everyone who is about to catch a cold, go back and rest, don't forget to drink some ginger soup, take care of your body!"

  Thousands of people went back to rest, still busy, lying in bed, as if they still didn't believe what had just happened. It was too strange - had he really replaced the old boss? Gained fifteen taels of silver? Avenged decades of humiliation? Couldn't understand it - go to sleep!

  It's another sunny day, and the people of Yangzhou City are shocked to find that the signboard of the "Emotion Alliance" has changed to "Zheng Qi Gang"!

  And this leader was actually a young man in his early twenties, for a time, he - Xiao Dou, was the legend of Yangzhou City!

  Then, the legendary figure led a large group of people to take back the prosperous commercial address on East Street. Seeing that they were still not convinced, he directly attacked the old nest of the Xianshui gang. Xiaodou and more than 200 fellow disciples launched a fierce attack together, using over 200 sword energies to blast their grand hall into destruction!

  After this incident, masters from all sides came to challenge him, and were defeated by him alone. However, there were also a few capable people among them, several masters, and even Xiaodou had to use a low-grade artifact to barely gain victory, it was really not easy.

  In the Immortal Realm, there are rules - in this city, it is forbidden to use magic, and if you do, you will definitely be severely punished by the immortals. So, the magical powers of my fellow disciples are completely useless here. Not to mention their martial arts skills, which they have practiced for years, although their internal energy is strong, but still can't compare to the power of a mortal master who has cultivated for decades. How frustrating!

  However, Xiaodou utilized everyone's strength and still managed to carve out a piece of the sky in Yangzhou City under the watchful eyes of the outer sect disciples of Jiuhua Mountain. At least one-tenth or two-tenths of Yangzhou City were within the influence of his Zhengqi Gang!

  Those outer disciples of Jiuhua Mountain, it was their second day, the night they took back the land with a thunderous method. More than 30 outer disciples appeared in the evening, suddenly and mysteriously!

  A middle-aged man in a yellow crane costume stared at the sleeping little bean and shouted loudly:

  "Hmm? You little brat, your actions are a bit too much, aren't you looking for death?"

  Xiao Dou took a deep breath and slowly sat up, looking around at the soundproof barrier that had been set up. He spoke in a lackluster tone:

  "What's wrong, everyone? Is it because we've made too many moves? What mistake have we made?"

  The middle-aged man with a bad temper said: "You didn't make a mistake, otherwise I would have killed you earlier. Now, you all get out of here immediately!"

  "Hmph!" Xiaodou's face turned cold, her piercing eyes and icy tone said:

  "You think you're something, but in front of my master, you're just a piece of trash. Humph! Trash, get out!"

  "You!" The middle-aged man with a red face shouted loudly: "You little rascal, don't use your master who appears once every few hundred years as a shield, I'm not afraid!"

  Xiao Dou sneered with a faint smile: "You say ordinary outer sect disciples are not afraid of me, I believe it. But you, a future genius foundation-building cultivator, are not afraid? I don't believe it. If you dare, try to move against me, and let me tell you, stop pretending, it's useless!"

  The middle-aged man sneered: "Then I'll just call an ordinary outer sect disciple to clean you up, playing tricks and plotting, you're still too tender!"

  Xiao Dou looked up at the sky and laughed loudly: "If you really have the guts, if you really have the style, if you really have the skills, then go ahead, see if you can deceive the Heavenly Great Master's Dharma Eye! Hmph~ I don't have time to waste words with you, today I'll say it all in one breath, from now on we'll take our own path, just make some small fortune, you take your own great way, and we'll never meet again!"

  The middle-aged man frowned and said, "Give out some small wealth, hum~ you guys will be in the mortal world from now on, love to give out whatever wealth you want, even if it's being an emperor fighting for the world we won't care. However, you'd better remember, don't touch our family's profits, or else, facing death, no one fears what heavenly great repair masters!"

  "Hehe~" Xiaodou suddenly smiled cutely and said: "Ah~ brother, you're speaking correctly now. If I had known you were so understanding, why did we have to turn red-faced as soon as we met? We're all for the sake of our future cultivation, for the sake of survival. If there's a solution, then why do us younger generations need to stir up trouble with the older generation?"

  A middle-aged man with an unnatural expression said: "You little brat, you're turning your face faster than flipping a book! Remember, it's better to break those big rules than to hinder our family's development. Mainly, you're not allowed to exchange silver and white objects for spiritual stones, or sell worldly goods on Jiuhua Mountain. This is our main source of income! Whoever destroys it will not be tolerated!"

  "Heh heh~" Xiao Dou said with a sly smile: "Alright, alright, we won't do that. If you don't believe me, then have a few of the senior brothers stay behind. Coincidentally, some top martial artists from the secular world are about to arrive and kill us. You can help us out too, after all, we're fellow disciples!"

  "Don't want to earn spirit stones? What are you going to do then?" The middle-aged man muttered and said, "Since we don't have any conflicts, we'll secretly help you when necessary. Try not to let those two hundred plus disciples of yours show their faces too much, it's too eye-catching. Alright, since there's nothing else, I'm leaving!"

  With both soft and hard tactics, they sent away those pests. Next, they will deal with various opponents who want to make a name for themselves in the mortal world's martial arts, coming to challenge them, but it has been many days of fighting!

  It's really not easy to be exhausted and overworked, but in the end, it wasn't just the sect secretly helping out, all of my fellow disciples were mobilized, barely managing to deal with this group of "crazy" people who were trying to make a name for themselves.

  It was just a commotion that almost caused a big mess. My fellow disciples saw the prosperity of the mortal world and immediately couldn't bear it in their hearts!

  Yun Rui Yao led the way forward and asked: "Big Brother Master, why can't we go out? Let's go out and have some fun, let everyone see us!"

  "Right! ~" Yun Xiaoqiao said excitedly: "I want to have fun, there are so many fun things in the world. I wasted more than 30 years before, now I want to make up for it!"

  "Hmph!" Xiaodou's face turned iron-green with rage as he shouted: "What are you playing at? As cultivators, how can you be so infatuated with the mortal world? Those whose will is not firm shall die - this is an eternal truth of the cultivation world. Don't you understand?"

  Li Tongtong exclaimed: "Practitioner of the Tao, Big Brother Master, what do you mean? Are you not going to lead us in enjoying a life of luxury and also try to enter the realm of immortals?"

  "No way!" Zhao Kai said with a difficult expression: "The sect is always keeping an eye on us, they've quarreled with the eldest senior brother several times because of this matter, and now they're watching us all the time!"

  Xiao Dou took a deep breath and said firmly, "Don't waste any more words. I'm telling you, we're not trying to return to the Immortal Realm. We've always been in the Immortal Realm. Bring back your thoughts and focus on cultivation. As for what's next, I have it all planned out. For your sake, I will definitely succeed!"

  Having convinced his fellow disciples, he didn't want to develop anything else either, and didn't have the heart for it. He came here simply to earn some worldly wealth and enjoy the things ordinary people should enjoy, and then...

  This plan had been in his mind for a few years. It was an accident that Xiaodou went out to buy pen and ink, and met a middle-aged fellow who was in a bad mood.

  With a sweep of his divine eyes, he was shocked to discover that the other party was a cultivator in the middle stage of foundation building!

  At that time, he was also given a white eye for his own rude behavior. However, it was later discovered that this person was actually a Dan refining master cultivated by the sect. Unfortunately, his lifespan was approaching, and he would be sitting in meditation in just a few decades.

  This man is absolutely priceless, and he must have a lot of elixirs for cultivating immortality. Now many low-ranking disciples are calculating his legacy, but he got angry and drove all the disciples away. He has nothing to do but drink some wine and wait for death, or find acquaintances to reminisce about old times.

  In that case... Xiaodou suddenly remembered what Shuixian had once said to him, a cultivator, in the long and dark night, anything can be done, especially when a cultivator is about to die, it's normal to go crazy to an uncontrollable extent!

  It's just that this person isn't inherently bad, the vast majority can't find opportunities to be bad, don't want to be bad, or won't be bad. The main thing is, they lack a leader, and for the sake of their fellow disciples, they have to become the sect's greatest taboo - a corrupting guide!