Chapter 41: Making an Example of a Chicken to Scare the Monkeys

The information was overwhelmingly complex and explosive.

Yet, with a brief mental sorting, the underlying thread became clear and straightforward.

Fifteen years ago, Shen Zuishan schemed against the three grandmasters of the old Pi Sect in Kyoto, usurped the sect's assets, and established the Nine Nether Hall, which had since evolved into a colossal behemoth.

Following the dissolution of the old Pi Sect, Jiang Sheng'er feigned retirement and lay dormant for many years. Finally, after investigating the cause of his master's death—one of the three grandmasters—he began secretly cooperating with certain factions within the Nine Nether Hall opposed to Shen Zuishan, all the while waiting for an opportunity to replace him.

The golden opportunity arrived two years ago. Shen Zuishan suddenly fell gravely ill and, producing a lead on the old Pi Sect's ultimate treasure, the Golden Silkworm Molting, dispatched Elder Bai Laokui to hire my elder brother and sister-in-law, leading a group of elites to pillage an ancient tomb in Yunnan. Jiang Sheng'er led a team of men in black to launch a sudden ambush, which not only wiped out two-thirds of the Nine Nether Hall's top fighters but also resulted in the tragedy that befell my brother and sister-in-law.

Liao Xiaoqin believed that Bai Laokui and his faction had turned traitor, while Bai Laokui insisted that the men in black were my brother and sister-in-law's backup plan to snatch the treasure. Consequently, the two sides fell into bitter, irreconcilable hostility.

Afterward came the various intricate power struggles played out across Chang City.

Unfortunately, the true mastermind behind it all was none other than Jiang Sheng'er, notorious in the underworld as the old cowardly fox of the Pi Sect.

Seeking the dragon leads one deep into the Yellow Springs.
Pinpointing the acupoint pushes one through the gates of death.
The risks of tomb raiding lie not merely in mechanical traps and hidden darts, but even more so in the treacherous jianghu beyond the tomb walls.

This was a lesson written in blood!

I carefully reviewed the entire process of luring Bai Laokui out of hiding. Where had I gone wrong?

Indeed, I had made a mistake.
I should never have gone to Jiang Sheng'er for help.

And yet, it seemed I hadn't made a mistake.
At that time, faced with Xu Qingguo's critical, life-or-death situation, I had no choice but to urgently seek out Jiang Sheng'er.

First, the disparity in strength between the enemy and myself was far too vast, and time was critically short. No matter what my subsequent plans might be, the absolute prerequisite was to ensure Qingguo's safety to the maximum extent possible. In other words, I had to find someone immediately who could shoulder the burden of a failed scheme and serve as a safety net. And for this fallback option, I had no other choice; it had to be Jiang Sheng'er, who still retained old connections and a certain level of prestige within the old Pi Sect.

Second, for the scheme of drawing the snake out of its hole at the Changjiang docks, only the sudden, "sudden death" of Jiang Sheng'er—Qingguo's godfather—could highlight the authenticity of Qingguo's frantic, panic-stricken state as she demanded I provide the Golden Silkworm Molting to save her life. Only this could make Bai Laokui completely convinced and rush headlong into the trap.

Combining these factors, my visit to him at Wushui Garden that moment became the sole method to break the deadlock.

Man proposes, heaven disposes.
Who on earth could have foreseen that Jiang Sheng'er would turn out to be the hidden final boss behind the entire Golden Silkworm Molting incident?

Things had reached this point; further rumination was useless.
I had to firmly believe that everything that happened worked to my advantage.

Since the mastermind behind the scenes had finally surfaced, seeking revenge was just like making a phone call: either I hung up first, or he did!

I managed a faint smile at him.
"Second Master, I am truly in awe!"

Jiang Sheng'er slowly twirled the iron walnuts in his palm, his aged eyes brimming with appreciation.
"Little Meng, I am growing old! Had you known the inside story from the beginning, the one paralyzed and sprawled on the floor right now would most likely be me."

Though my body was weakened from the drug, my limbs retained enough mobility for basic movement. I lit a cigarette.
"In this world, all affairs are ultimately judged by the outcome of who reigns supreme and who falls. Every hypothesis is meaningless."

"I do, however, have a question that requires Second Master to answer."

Jiang Sheng'er said, "Please go ahead."

I asked, "Two years ago in the ancient tomb in Yunnan, did you see the corpse of my brother, Meng Chuan?"

The old bastard shook his head.
"The ancient tomb was far too dark, a three-way chaotic brawl was underway, and countless mechanisms like fire dragons, poisonous gases, and crossbows were heavily triggered. This old man only vaguely saw your brother rush toward the outer coffin in his quest for the Golden Silkworm Molting. Shortly after, blood splattered like a fountain around the coffin, and I heard his earth-shattering, heart-rending scream. The Golden Silkworm Molting and he both vanished without a trace, leaving behind only bloodstains and fragments of clothing."

Jiang Sheng'er was the victor.
A victor had no need to lie to an ant in the palm of his hand that he could crush at any moment.

I took a few fierce drags of my cigarette, desperately trying to steady my body, which was trembling all over at the hearing of these specific details of my brother's misfortune, and clenched my back teeth.
"Thank you for telling me! What do you plan to do next?"

The old thing chuckled softly.
"I will control Bai Laokui's life, forcing him to pretend he is completely fine, and using the excuse of having left Chang City abruptly due to an urgent matter, continue commanding the subordinates of the Nine Nether Hall to frantically search for you guys throughout Chang City. This will paralyze Shen Zuishan in Kyoto and also paralyze Liao Xiaoqin in Yunnan."
"I will control your life and take you on a trip to the Yunnan ancient tomb, using you as a hostage to blackmail Liao Xiaoqin into handing over the Golden Silkworm Molting."
"Once these two tasks are accomplished, I will immediately organize my forces and head to Kyoto, sending that dying ghost Shen Zuishan to meet King Yama ahead of schedule. Thus, I will rebuild the old Pi Sect and sit upon that tiger-skin armchair I have yearned for my entire life."
"Little Meng, what do you think of this old man's plan?"

I nodded.
"A top-tier strategy, venomous and meticulous!"
"However, there is one major flaw."

A fake humility of asking for instruction flashed across Jiang Sheng'er's aged face.
"Oh? Then I must beg Little Meng to impart your wisdom. This old man is all ears."

I stubbed out the cigarette butt with savage force, leaned forward, pointed at my own face, stared coldly into his eyes, and uttered a single sentence.
"If you don't kill me right this second, you will live to regret it!"

Hearing this, the old bastard burst into hearty laughter.
"Thank you for the reminder! This old man has endured fifteen long years; I am not in such a rush to finish you off. Once I secure the Golden Silkworm Molting, I will send you down to reunite with your brother and sister-in-law."

With that, he turned and prepared to walk out of the room.

I called out, "Wait a moment!"

Jiang Sheng'er turned his head back. "Little Meng, is there something else?"

I said, "My two friends have nothing to do with this matter. If you still consider yourself a man of stature, let them go."

Jiang Sheng'er patted his forehead.
"Ah, look at my memory! I was just about to bring them up with you. Since they have nothing to do with this matter, they are of no use."
"This old man may not be much of a figure, but I do know one thing: useless people do not need to be kept alive."

Just as his voice trailed off.

The old man's expression turned stern.
"A-Zhi!"

Luo the Praying Mantis entered, his demeanor respectful as he gave a slight bow.
"Second Master!"

Jiang Sheng'er said expressionlessly, "Deal with those two little fellows. Make it clean."

A loud buzzing echoed in my head.
I had known this old bastard was shameless, but I never expected him to sink to such depths.
This was killing a chicken to scare the monkeys, ensuring I would completely obey his plans moving forward.

"Jiang Sheng'er, if you dare to touch them, I swear you will never, ever get your hands on the Golden Silkworm Molting!!!"

Hearing this, Jiang Sheng'er threw his head back and let out a long, sighing breath.
"If I don't get it, then I don't get it. This final move of mine, right or wrong, is going to be played out just like this."

Luo the Praying Mantis had already dragged Fatty Dong and Xiaoyao out of the adjoining room and was heading toward the door.
Judging by their conditions, they, just like me, had clearly been drugged.

Fatty Dong was already heavily injured, the dried stains of blood still lingering around his nose and mouth. Catching sight of me through the doorway, he unexpectedly burst into loud laughter.
"Little Meng, this Daoist priest is ascending to the heavens a step ahead!"
"When you strike it rich, don't forget to build a Daoist temple for me—we did kowtow to Lord Guan together, after all! Hahaha!"

Xiaoyao glanced at me, her eyes red-rimmed, biting her lower lip with pearly teeth.
"Brother, don't worry about us; Xiaoyao has no regrets!"

When I had asked Xiaoyao to help deal with Xiao Sanpi, the young girl had once said that whether facing mountains of knives or seas of fire, she might cry, but she would never frown even once.
Now, she had lived up to those words.

I never imagined that two people meeting by chance would entrust their lives to one another unto death.
Nor did I ever imagine that my own appearance would become such a catastrophic doom in their lives.

Seeing this, Jiang Sheng'er shook his head with an expression of deep pity.
"What a pity. Young people as loyal and true to their bonds as these are truly rare nowadays."

The blood throughout my entire body felt ice-cold, my mind ringing as if thousands of firecrackers were exploding in unison.
What should I do?!