Martial Arts Crossover: My Wife is the Top Scholar

Chapter 398 Japanese Pirates Conspire to Lay a Deadly Scheme, Trapping Li Lang with a Thousand Troops
"I've been tricked by the Azure Dragon Society!"

"Let's go to the study to analyze the clues."

Li Zhaoting took Lu Xiaofeng to Jade Sword Manor and to Mr. Du's study to analyze relevant clues.

Lu Xiaofeng's face was very gloomy and serious. His fair and jade-like face was stained with a layer of bluish-black due to his anger, and it looked so gloomy that it seemed like ink could drip from it!

Lu Xiaofeng certainly had reason to be angry.

The martial arts master who had drunk with him last night, a man who had reformed and asked him to be a witness during the peace talks, was killed with a single palm strike.

His eyes were wide open, his face contorted in a grimace, and he tried his best to convey a look of shock in his eyes. But Lu Xiaofeng could tell that Yun Conglong was eighty or ninety percent prepared for death.

Yun Conglong's expression didn't seem like shock; it was more like someone who had been plotted against for years, suffered greatly, and knew all along that he would die, finally awaiting his end.

In order to avoid arousing the assassin's suspicion and to leave clues for Lu Xiaofeng, who was in charge of the investigation, Yun Conglong made a shocked expression in his last moments before dying, his limbs stiff and curled up, holding a fish eyeball in his hand.

Yun Conglong loved eating fish most of all his life, and he especially loved the swim bladder and fish eyes when eating stewed fish. However, the fish eyes left behind before his death were the eyes of a grilled fish, which was the grilled fish that Zhang San gave to Yun Conglong. Could Zhang San be the murderer?
Absolutely impossible!
After drinking the peace-making wine, Zhang San went to the dock to inspect the boat prepared by Mr. Du. He did not leave the boat for a moment, and the navigator and sailors can all testify for Zhang San.

Even if Zhang San had the time to commit the crime, with his insignificant martial arts skills, it would be extremely difficult for him to defeat Yun Conglong.

Yun Conglong died at the hands of Da Ziyang.

The Purple Sun Demon Flame penetrated deep into Yun Conglong's internal organs, leaving a purple palm print on his chest. His internal organs were roasted by the flames, and apart from the fish eye in his hand, there were no other clues.

Lu Xiaofeng sensed trouble.

It involves two large water gangs, Eagle Eye Lao Qi of the Twelve Linked Docks, the Minjiang River, and endless troubles affecting the livelihoods of tens of thousands of people.

The Phoenix Tail Gang and the Divine Dragon Gang together have about three thousand disciples. However, if the two gangs merge and jointly control the underworld forces in the Minjiang River area, they can control several strategic water fortresses along the Minjiang River. All ships that deliver goods or go to sea via the Minjiang River will have to pay money and will need the two gangs to provide security. The profits involved are immeasurable.

Three thousand disciples are clearly not enough, but with Eagle Eye Seven as their backer, it is not impossible for the Phoenix Tail Gang to relocate the headquarters of the Twelve Linked Docks to the Minjiang River.

In times of great chaos, fortified villages stood guard and helped each other.

With peace prevailing, the fortified villages found themselves in an increasingly awkward position.

Just like the conflicts between East Fort, West Town, South Village, and North City, they grew increasingly intense, almost to the point of a sword fight to seize command.

The Twelve Linked Forts consist of twelve interconnected fortresses. If one were to say that there were no conflicts or conspiracies among them, even Eagle Eye Seven wouldn't believe it.

Lu Xiaofeng and Eagle Eye Laoqi are good friends. Last year, when they were drinking, Eagle Eye Laoqi drank a lot of wine in frustration and drunkenly complained that business was getting harder and harder, being a big brother was getting harder and harder, his brothers had different thoughts, and without new income, the Twelve Linked Docks would inevitably split up.

The fortified villages are the most closed forces in the world, with family bloodlines as the highest rule of inheritance. Once the twelve linked fortified villages are torn apart, they will inevitably be devoured by others.

Including Hawkeye himself.

Eagle Eye Seven's martial arts skills are only ranked in the lower class on the Earthly Fiends List, probably around fifty or sixty. The reason he has such a reputation in the martial arts world is because of the iron barrel formation of twelve fortified villages that are linked together, which makes outsiders dare not approach.

Over the years, Hawkeye has offended many people, and once the fortress splits, he will inevitably be kicked while he's down.

Is doing business really that simple?
Profitable businesses have long been controlled by imperial merchants, tycoons, and martial arts masters. Who would willingly share their profits? Does Eagle Eye Seven possess the martial arts skills and wisdom to snatch food from a tiger's mouth?
Not only does Eagle Eye Seven lack this ability, but Lu Xiaofeng does as well, otherwise he wouldn't be Lu Sandan.

Lu Xiaofeng didn't know how to comfort Eagle Eye Seven, so he could only drink with him and listen to Eagle Eye Seven's complaints.

If you don't become a householder, you don't know how expensive firewood and rice are.

Being a gangster boss isn't easy!
Where there is demand and difficulty, there will be weaknesses.

The Azure Dragon Society loves this kind of opening.

Lu Xiaofeng had a vague suspicion that these flaws were actually orchestrated by the Azure Dragon Society. As the most notorious troublemaker in the martial arts world, the Azure Dragon Society was best at sowing discord. They first stirred up trouble between several fortified villages, keeping Eagle Eye Seven busy, and then offered to recruit him, giving Eagle Eye Seven a chance to drink poison to quench his thirst and prolong his life.

By the time Eagle Eye Seven realized what was happening, he had already been ensnared by the Azure Dragon Society. His subordinates were either bribed, addicted to wine and women, or were opportunistic.

Submit or die!
—Dying suddenly and without a sound!

Although there is no conclusive evidence, the conflict between the Dragon Gang and the Phoenix Tail Gang, and the predicament of Eagle Eye Seven, are most likely related to the Azure Dragon Society. Even pirates like Shi Tianwang are also intricately connected.

Lu Xiaofeng's sixth sense was correct!
Shi Tianwang is indeed connected with the Azure Dragon Society.

Shi Tianwang was the April Branch Leader of the Azure Dragon Society and the money bag for the Azure Dragon Society's water forces. He was extremely difficult to deal with. If it weren't for a master like Li Zhaoting, who had reached the pinnacle of skill and killed him with unparalleled martial arts, Shi Tianwang could have lived a carefree life for decades.

Seven Heavenly Kings, the Vajra of Heaven and Earth Subdues Demons Circle.

Very few could defeat this lineup.

Not to mention there were 1,500 pirates on the island, most of whom were disguised as fishermen, civilians, and merchants. When killing these people, a sense of guilt would subconsciously arise.

It is the duty of chivalrous heroes to kill notorious bandits, but it would create psychological trauma and shackles for them to kill "common people."

Chu Liuxiang was no match for Shi Tianwang not because his martial arts skills were not strong enough, but because Chu Liuxiang was too soft-hearted.

Li Zhaoting doesn't have this kind of trouble.

King Shi, kill!

Pirates, kill them!

Everyone on the island can be killed!

Lan Fenghuang completely obeyed Li Zhaoting's orders.

Jiang Yuyan will absolutely not feel guilty about this.

The navy that stormed the island was composed of elite troops handpicked by Mr. Du, who deeply hated pirates.

Shi Tianwang's power vanished into thin air.

The power structure in coastal areas is undergoing a major reshuffle.

Li Zhaoting and Lu Xiaofeng exchanged information, and when they expressed their doubts, confusion, and speculations, they said in unison, "The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind!"

If Jia Leshan, Shi Tianwang, and the Japanese pirates of Shenzhidao are eliminated, who will benefit the most?
Of course, it's the Phoenix Tail Gang.

Internally, it absorbed the Shenlong Gang, becoming the strongest water force in the Minjiang River basin and the absolute king of the water.

The pirates were completely wiped out, and the fleet could sail without any further hindrance, without losing a single soldier.

This kind of manipulative, divisive, and opportunistic style of doing things—if it weren't for the Green Dragon Society, who would believe it? Not even a fool would!
Lu Xiaofeng stroked his beard: "Shi Tianwang is the leader of the Azure Dragon Society in April. He has infiltrated the Twelve Linked Forts and the Phoenix Tail Gang is also controlled by a leader. The relationship between the twelve Azure Dragons of the Azure Dragon Society is truly intriguing."

Li Zhaoting sneered: "You're wrong! This isn't a conflict between the Twelve Azure Dragons. The leader of the Azure Dragon Society originally wanted to eliminate Shi Tianwang, but Shi Tianwang overstepped his bounds!"

When Shi Tianwang was the Pirate King, Qinglong would turn a blind eye to the rotten things he did.

Shi Tianwang wanted to clean up his act, join the imperial court, obtain official titles and ranks, and even conquer cities and territories in the south to become king. This was something the Azure Dragon Society could not tolerate!
This will lead to countless imitations.

If Shi Tianwang, a pirate leader, could conquer a small territory in the south and become a king, wouldn't those arrogant pirate leaders have the same idea?

Do the Twelve Azure Dragons have any special advantages?

Nothing beats being king!
If we can't defeat Dali and the Song Dynasty, are we sure we can't defeat Siam, Bagan, Lahore, and Brunei to the south?
If we still can't win, let's keep heading south!
The Grand Dragon Head allowed the Twelve Azure Dragons to line their own pockets, to use the Azure Dragon Society to strengthen their own power, and to outwardly comply while inwardly defying orders. But Shi Tianwang's blatant act of slapping him in the face made the Grand Dragon Head want to eliminate him personally.

Considering the Green Dragon Society's modus operandi, the head of the society ultimately decided to hand the matter over to another leader, using the pretext of eliminating traitors to plot against and kill Shi Tianwang.

According to the management structure of the Green Dragon Society, the November branch is responsible for eliminating traitors. In other words, Lu Xiaofeng's opponent is the November leader of the Green Dragon Society.

Li Zhaoting and Lu Xiaofeng had a crazy brainstorming session, saying whatever came to mind, uttering all their wildest ideas, writing them down on slips of paper, arranging them up, and then eliminating them one by one using the process of elimination.

"Was it really made by the November dragon?"

"It could also be the July branch. The July branch is responsible for strategizing and planning. All of the Azure Dragon Society's major plans are formulated by the July branch."

Li Zhaoting gestured the number seven with his hand.

"Is Mr. Du a member of the Green Dragon Society?"

Lu Xiaofeng didn't want to doubt others casually, but Mr. Du's abilities were very suitable for being the leader of July.

"no!"

Li Zhaoting shook his head firmly.

"why?"

"The Azure Dragon Society is not worthy!"

Who is Mr. Du?

Throughout his life, he always held a high position. In Miao territory, he was the leader of the "Divine Guards".

In the Demonic Sect, she is one of the Four Princesses and the Lady of the South Sea.

While studying away from home, he was personally taught by Li Nanxing.

In the Imperial City Guard, the high-ranking and powerful steward manages all the intelligence systems along the southeast coast. He has been fighting against pirates and Japanese pirates for many years and has always been able to handle things with ease.

What makes the Green Dragon Society so capable of recruiting Mr. Du?

What kind of price can the Green Dragon Society offer?
Love is a passionate thing for Miao women. Mr. Du did leave Miao territory for love back then, but after leaving and seeing the vast sky, he gradually developed ambition.

For Mr. Du, wealth is not about gold and silver jewelry. A casual remark or a single order from her can trigger a naval battle, and merchants will rush to give her money.

The martial arts skills provided by the Demonic Sect are even stronger.

Power and influence, the imperial court grants actual power.

The Azure Dragon Society's attempt to recruit Mr. Du is akin to sending the current prime minister to serve as a county magistrate in a rival court. If Mr. Du even glances at them, he has already lost.

"Lu Xiaofeng, this is for you!"

Li Zhaoting pulled out a burlap sack, which contained treasures found in Shi Tianwang's treasury. Lu Xiaofeng disliked carrying weapons and was destined to never possess any divine weapons in his life, but when it came to naval battles, it was best to carry a suitable weapon.

A long, soft rope, about three zhang long, with a grappling hook at the top, is best suited for climbing sails.

A deep-sea pearl, not a pearl, but the "inner core" of some mutated sea beast, somewhat similar to the Tongxi Dilong Pill. This substance can expel poisonous insects, and if one is poisoned, one can swallow it to remove the toxins.

The purple-gold inner armor was too big for Shi Tianwang's tall and muscular build to fit into. Moreover, he was used to fighting with his stunt double, and if he wore the inner armor, he would be recognized by outsiders. The inner armor would become a useless piece of armor.

A birchwood bow, specially supplied by Shi Tianwang, comes with twenty arrows. Lu Xiaofeng is afraid of water, so if the enemy tries to escape by warship, he can use the bow and arrows to snipe them.

The final gift was a jade pendant fragment, identical to the one Li Zhaoting found at the Sunflower Sect. It depicted a landscape map and held a great secret. According to the law of attraction, when Lu Xiaofeng possessed a jade pendant, those who wanted to collect jade pendants would actively approach him.

There's no need for formalities between friends.

Lu Xiaofeng happily accepted the gift, and under the pretext of taking the beauty on a hunting trip, he went to familiarize himself with archery.

Martial arts masters are known for their sharp eyes and quick hands, and Lu Xiaofeng is an outstanding example of this. He can catch weapons with his Lingxi Finger. If one's eyes are even a little slower or one's hand is slightly off-center, death is certain. His eyesight is precise and his arm is steady.

Lu Xiaofeng had almost never touched a bow and arrow before, but as soon as he picked up the hard bow, he felt a sense of familiarity. He nocked an arrow, shot it, and pierced through a rabbit.

In just one afternoon, Lu Xiaofeng mastered archery without a teacher, and his skills became increasingly refined. By evening, Lu Xiaofeng shot his last arrow and managed to kill two birds with one stone.

Lu Xiaofeng was overjoyed, thinking to himself that Li Zhaoting's gift was really good, and this hard bow was really handy.

……

A martial arts dream.

Jia Leshan, Fujita Tsuyoshi, and Yagyu Masayuki were discussing how to deal with Li Zhaoting in the study.

Jia Leshan is the major shareholder of Wulin Dream, but he is not the only shareholder; all three pirate groups are shareholders.

He tried to bribe Lu Xiaofeng and use moral blackmail to force Lu Xiaofeng to back down, thinking he had succeeded. But he was completely fooled by Lu Xiaofeng and Li Zhaoting. Lu Xiaofeng was the one who took the money. What did Li Zhaoting have to do with it?
Lu Xiaofeng agreed, but Li Zhaoting did not!

Is Li Zhaoting going to listen to Lu Xiaofeng's persuasion?
Li Zhaoting: I don't even listen to my own father, and Lu Xiaofeng wants to persuade me? What makes him think he can persuade me?
This is a very simple trick used in the underworld.

such as:

"Confess, and I won't kill you!"

"I promised to spare you, but Heartless didn't!"

"You're a ruthless constable, but I'm a江湖人 (jianghu person, a member of the martial arts world). How can a江湖人 (jianghu person) make things difficult for a constable? You're just unlucky!"

Or perhaps:

"Confess, and I won't kill you! Nobody here will kill you; it's the Golden Silkworm Gu that will kill you!"

And also:

"I only promised not to kill you, I didn't say I couldn't plant 108 Life and Death Talismans on you. Your suicide due to the torment of the Life and Death Talismans has nothing to do with me!"

Jia Leshan, of course, understood this tactic as well:
"I didn't kill you. I just threw you onto a deserted island teeming with venomous snakes. I just hacked you to pieces and threw you into the sea. It was the venomous snakes that killed you, it was the sharks that killed you. I did not break my promise!"

There is no absolutely perfect language structure.

If you want to find fault, you can find hundreds of things to criticize.

Jia Leshan thought Lu Xiaofeng was a gentleman, that Lu Xiaofeng was soft-hearted, and that Lu Xiaofeng had the ability to persuade Li Zhaoting. He never considered these shallow calculations.

On the one hand, as his status rose, Jia Leshan came into contact with powerful figures in the martial arts world, and with bloodshed and turmoil. He hadn't been involved in such shallow calculations for several years.

On the other hand, Jia Leshan wanted to whitewash his identity, become a philanthropist in Jiangnan, become an official, obtain a noble title, and have influence over both the legitimate and criminal worlds, losing the courage and drive he had when he started his business.

When Jia Leshan was starting his business, he had nothing but a knife, a boat, and his own life. He dared to risk his life to fight for wealth and status.

Nowadays, Jia Leshan has a large family and a huge business. He has endless gold and silver to spend and countless beauties to sleep with. The world of temptations has drained his body and extinguished his blood and energy. The sharp teeth and claws he once had in life-and-death battles have long been worn down by himself!
Could Jia Leshan really not have thought of these things?

Of course he could think of that.

He didn't want to think about it!
Jia Leshan didn't want to face Li Zhaoting and dared not fight him. Jia Leshan preferred to deceive himself, thinking that Lu Xiaofeng would be defeated by his moral blackmail.

This is the process of the decline of many underworld tycoons.

They rose to power with nothing, but their courage was unstoppable.

After gaining fame, he became extremely powerful and imposing, but lost all his vigor and vitality.

Therefore, powerful figures like Lei Sun, Su Mengzhen, and Shangguan Jin Hong, who stand at the top of the underworld, always personally take action during major battles and will never be swayed by wine and women.

Shangguan Jin Hong abstained from all pleasures, lived in a stone house, slept on a hard bed, and honed his ambition as a ruthless hero through an ascetic lifestyle.

Jia Leshan also made a mistake: he threatened Lu Xiaofeng with the lives of his subordinates.

If Lu Xiaofeng were cold-hearted, Chu Chu and the others would surely die. Who would be loyal to such a leader?

This loss is irreversible!
Loyalty can only be lost, never regained.

Coincidentally, in the original storyline, Jia Leshan was tricked by Chu Chu and died in an attack by his trusted subordinates!

Until Shi Tianwang's entire army was wiped out, until the struggle between the Shenlong Gang and the Fengwei Gang reached a critical juncture, until the sword hung over his neck, Jia Leshan finally picked up the steel knife he had put down for several years and mustered the last bit of blood in his body.

"Jia Jun, have you made up your mind?"

“Li Zhaoting is ruthless. If we continue to hide in our stronghold, we will be defeated one by one by Li Zhaoting. If we want to live peacefully, we have to fight to the death.”

"We have no grudge against Li Zhaoting."

"Does King Shi have a grudge against Li Zhaoting? Li Zhaoting has always been a fame-seeker who enjoys slaughtering bandits and martial arts villains to enhance his reputation in the martial arts world. The Japanese pirates have repeatedly harassed the people, which violated Li Zhaoting's biggest taboo. He might let me go, but he certainly won't let you go!"

"Is Li Zhaoting really that amazing?"

"Li Zhaoting has been in the business for less than four years, yet he has climbed to the top of the Heavenly Gang by stepping on the heads of hundreds or even thousands of underworld tycoons, bandits, demons and monsters. Countless experts have died under his sword. The Shuiyue Grand Sect died under Li Zhaoting's sword. How dare you underestimate Li Zhaoting?"

"What countermeasures does Lord Jia have?"

"Li Zhaoting is all alone and has nothing to fear. Even if surrounded by thousands of troops, he can easily escape and launch a sneak attack from the shadows. We are bound to be defeated."

To kill Li Zhaoting, you must isolate him and give him a reason to stay, and then use sheer numbers to achieve your goal.

Even if we can't kill him, we'll exhaust him to death.

If our two families join forces, and five or six thousand pirates and Japanese pirates swarm in, I don't believe we can't kill Li Zhaoting!
There can be no holding back when dealing with Li Zhaoting.

You must bet all your chips at once.

Only by fighting for our lives can we survive!

Jia Leshan slammed his fist on the table: "I've found a powerful backer in the imperial court. At worst, I'll abandon my family business and join his ranks as his bodyguard. Where can you escape to? Are you planning to return to Japan?!"

Returning to Japan? Absolutely not!

Staying might mean death, going back would be worse than death!
(End of this chapter)