Be a proper Taoist priest in The Condor Heroes

The Qin family's mansion was located in the eastern district of Hezhong Prefecture. It was surrounded by high brick walls and guarded by black-clad guards. Compared to the dilapidated houses in the city, it exuded a rare luxury in the chaotic world, but it also hid a bit of a violent and domineering aura.

At this moment, the atmosphere in the main hall was as heavy as iron.

Qin Wanshan sat upright in his armchair, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the table, his fat face trembling slightly with anger. That morning, he had spent a fortune bribing the government to summon Lei Hong, the leader of the Yellow River Gang, for questioning on the pretext of "possessing contraband." His intention was to create an opportunity for Zhao Heitan to eliminate Liu Yuru. With the eldest daughter of the Liu family dead and Liu Chengzong seriously injured, the Liu family would collapse without a fight, and the situation in Hezhong Prefecture would be entirely under his control.

But after waiting for a long time, he didn't receive news of Liu Yuru's death. Instead, he received a panicked report from his subordinates.

"Master! No...something terrible has happened!"

A henchman stumbled and crawled into the main hall, his face ashen.

"Chief Zhao... Chief Zhao... he was killed at the Yellow River Gang's dock!"

"What?!"

Qin Wanshan slammed his hand on the table and stood up abruptly, the legs of the armchair scraping against the floor with a screeching sound.

"Say that again! How could a third-rate peak-level fighter with a dozen or so brothers be killed?!"

"It's...a strange young boy!"

The henchman stammered in response.

"I heard that the young man only came to inquire about the ship's schedule, and happened to run into Chief Zhao chasing Liu Yuru. The two got into a fight, and Chief Zhao... Chief Zhao was beaten to death by that young man's fists!"

Qin Wanshan's triangular eyes narrowed instantly, filled with shock, anger, and disbelief.

Zhao Heitan was his trump card, cultivated by him personally. His peak third-rate strength was unmatched in Hezhong Prefecture. He had thought eliminating Liu Yuru would be a piece of cake, but unexpectedly, he was defeated by an unknown youth. What angered him even more was that the plan to lure Lei Hong away had completely failed, and he had lost his most important henchman, shattering the balance between the Qin and Liu families.

"Investigate! Dig three feet into the ground and find out who that kid is!"

Qin Wanshan roared, his voice so sinister it could drip water.

"Liu Yuru isn't dead, and Zhao Heitan is gone. That old bastard Liu Chengzong definitely won't let this go! Send word to strengthen security at the mansion. Sun Ergou will temporarily act as the leader of the Black Sand Gang. Let him lead his men to keep a close eye on the Liu family and the Yellow River Gang. Report back immediately if there's any unusual activity!"

His subordinate quickly agreed, bowed, and withdrew. Qin Wanshan stared at the courtyard outside the hall, his eyes as fierce as knives.

"Liu Chengzong, and that reckless brat, I'll tear you to pieces!"

At the same time, Yuelai Inn had quietly emptied all its guests and diners, exuding an unusual solemnity.

Outside the private room on the second floor, the waiter knocked softly on the door.

"Sir, Master Liu has come to visit you, saying he wants to express his gratitude."

Su Yan frowned slightly, understanding in his heart that Liu Chengzong had arrived so quickly because Liu Yuru must have already woken up, and his visit was definitely not just to express his gratitude.

He told Xiao Nianba to stay inside, then gripped his iron sword and cautiously opened the door.

Following the waiter to the first floor of the inn, we found that all the residents and diners had already been emptied.

In the main hall, an elderly man with half-white hair and beard, dressed in a blue robe, was sitting and drinking tea. He was none other than Liu Chengzong, the head of the Liu family. Several strong men stood beside him, including Liu Yuru. Although her face was still pale, she was now able to walk normally.

Upon seeing Su Yan come down, Liu Yuru quickly stood up and bowed.

"Young Master Su, thank you so much for saving my life yesterday!"

Liu Chengzong also stood up and bowed to Su Yan.

"I am Liu Chengzong. I am deeply grateful to you, young hero, for saving my daughter, Yuru. I cannot express my gratitude enough!"

Su Yan stepped aside to avoid the greeting, her tone indifferent.

"Mr. Liu, you're too kind. I was just there by chance and acted purely in self-defense. I have no debt of gratitude for saving my life."

He was secretly on guard. Liu Chengzong had come to his door in person and had gone to such lengths to clear out the inn. What he wanted must be something extraordinary.

"Young hero, you are too modest. I have come today for two reasons: first, to express my gratitude, and second, to discuss a matter of great importance concerning the lives of the people of Hezhong Prefecture."

Liu Chengzong smiled and waved his hand, signaling his subordinates to bring out a brocade box. When opened, it revealed a 500-year-old wild ginseng, with plump roots and a rich aroma.

"This is a 500-year-old wild ginseng from my collection. It's just a small gift, nothing more, but I hope you'll accept it, young hero."

Su Yan was startled. Even wealthy and powerful families would regard a five-hundred-year-old wild ginseng as a treasure. Such a gesture showed the weight of what was being sought.

"You're too kind, Mr. Liu. Yesterday's events were purely coincidental."

He walked straight to the table, poured himself a cup of tea, and spoke in a flat tone.

"I'm not interested in the important matter you mentioned. I'll be crossing the river and leaving in three days, so I'm afraid I won't be of much help."

"Young hero, please don't be in such a hurry to refuse."

Liu Chengzong sat at the table and got straight to the point.

"I had a life-or-death bond with Lei Hong, the leader of the Yellow River Gang, in my younger days. Back then, when he was being hunted down by his enemies, I saved his life. Yesterday, Yu Ru went to the dock seeking help, hoping to find Lei Hong's protection, but she didn't expect that Qin Wanshan had planned this all along, luring Lei Hong away and sending Zhao Heitan to ambush him halfway."

Su Yan's heart skipped a beat. No wonder Lei Hong valued Liu Yuru so much yesterday; it turned out there was this connection.

"To be honest, young hero, I was originally a second-rate martial artist, but unfortunately I was ambushed by Qin Wanshan a few days ago and was seriously injured. Now I can only exert the combat power of a third-rate martial artist."

Liu Chengzong sighed, raised his hand to his chest, coughed twice, and his face grew even paler.

"Qin Wanshan is a wolf in sheep's clothing, aiding and abetting evil, colluding with the Jurchens to harm our Han people. I have tolerated him for many years. Now Yuru is being hunted down again. Although Zhao Heitan is dead, Qin Wanshan's foundation is not shaken. Sooner or later he will strike again, and the people of Hezhong Prefecture will never have peace."

He took out a scroll from his pocket and handed it to Su Yan.

"This is the irrefutable evidence I have collected of Qin Wanshan's collusion with the Jin. The Mongols hate the Jin people for colluding with the enemy the most. I have already made arrangements with the Hezhong Prefecture government. As long as we surround and capture Qin Wanshan and his followers tomorrow, we can directly hand them over to the Mongol Ten Thousand Households. We will definitely be able to uproot them and restore peace to Hezhong Prefecture."

"I have already invited disciples from the Beggars' Sect's River Branch, as well as several like-minded heroes from the martial arts world. They are all third-rate martial artists, and Qin Wanshan knows nothing about them."

Liu Chengzong's eyes were sincere, and his tone was earnest.

"Young hero, you are highly skilled. You were able to kill Zhao Heitan yesterday. If you could lend a hand, tomorrow's matter would be a sure thing. After it is done, I will offer you a generous reward. I heard from Lei Hong that you want to go to the south bank. My Liu family also has some connections on the other side, which can ease your worries."

Su Yan fell silent.

He truly didn't want to get involved in these conflicts; he only wanted to cross the river to Zhongnan Mountain as soon as possible. However, Qin Wanshan was involved in treason and evil deeds, just like the Black Tiger Gang in Taiyuan Prefecture—both were malignant tumors that plagued the region in the chaotic world. Liu Chengzong's plan was meticulous. He took advantage of the Mongols' resentment towards his alleged collusion with the enemy and united various forces, including the Beggars' Gang and the Yellow River Gang. He wasn't fighting alone, so the risks weren't too great.

"Why does Master Liu trust me so much?"

Su Yan asked, her tone tinged with wariness.

"Young hero, you dared to save Yu Ru, a complete stranger, at the dock, which shows your upright character; and you were able to kill Zhao Heitan, a peak third-rate cultivator, with only a third-rate cultivation level, which shows your extraordinary skills."

Liu Chengzong smiled.

"More importantly, Qin Wanshan is vengeful and will definitely seek revenge on you for Zhao Heitan's death. Even if you want to stay out of it, it's impossible. Rather than reacting passively, you should take the initiative and eliminate this scourge completely, thus protecting yourself and saving the people of Hezhong Prefecture."

Su Yan touched the Quanzhen Token in his pocket, and then thought about crossing the river and the inspection in Shanzhou three days later. He had already made up his mind. Qin Wanshan's evil deeds should have stopped. This time, by borrowing the strength of all parties to eliminate him, he could avoid taking risks alone and protect innocent people. Why not do it?

"Okay, I promise you."

Su Yan nodded.

"When should we make our move tomorrow? What do I need to do?"

A hint of relief flashed in Liu Chengzong's eyes.

"Young hero, just go and meet at the Liu family's residence; we'll make detailed arrangements then."

"no problem"

Su Yan agreed, then changed the subject.

"I have one condition: when besieging the Qin family, try not to harm innocent people, and focus on Qin Wanshan and his cronies."

"Rest assured, young hero!"

Liu Chengzong nodded emphatically.

"My actions are to eliminate treacherous officials and protect the people; I will never indiscriminately kill the innocent. Tomorrow at 9 PM, I will send someone to the inn to pick you up."

After saying this, Liu Chengzong got up to take his leave, leaving behind a gift box containing ginseng.

"This is a small token of my appreciation. If you require anything, young hero, please feel free to send someone to inform the Liu family."

Su Yan accepted the gifts without hesitation. Back inside, Xiao Nianba looked up, her eyes filled with worry.

"Yan-ge'er, are you alright?"

Su Yan patted her head, his tone gentle.

"It's nothing, just something I need to do. Once it's done, we can cross the river safely."

He walked to the window, watched the departing figures of Liu Chengzong and his entourage, and gripped the iron sword at his waist.

As night deepened, the streets and alleys of Hezhong Prefecture gradually fell silent, yet undercurrents were stirring.

Qin Wanshan was still plotting revenge in his mansion, unaware that a large net, created by leveraging his power, had quietly been laid out for him.