stonecrandall Chapter 28 The Situation in Yan City
Chapter 28 The Situation in Yan City
Chapter 28 The Situation in Yan City
"What? You slaughtered so many of our fellow disciples, and you're completely unaware of the powerful forces behind us?"
"A powerful backer?" Li Yi frowned slightly, his eyes flickering.
Scarface sneered even more, raising his chin slightly towards his second brother's corpse not far away, and said with a resigned indifference, "Do you really think that Wei Tong would send us out of the mountains to investigate your background for no reason? My Blood Robe Sect has never been considered a true top power in Yan City. In the end, we are nothing more than vassals under others."
These words immediately caught Li Yi's attention. He stood quietly, listening patiently to what was to come.
"Are you aware that Yan City is home to three top-tier powers?"
Scarface took a few deep breaths to calm the surging blood in his chest, and slowly described the power structure of Yan City: "First is the Yan City Lord's Mansion. The Lord's cultivation has reached the Creation Realm. He is stationed in the city and holds the power of the city's defense forces. He has the most powerful foundation and is the nominal controller of Yan City. Second is the Wan Jin Chamber of Commerce. It monopolizes most of Yan City's commercial resources. It has immense wealth and connections throughout the surrounding counties. It has secretly recruited and won over countless experts. Its foundation is unfathomable. Third is the Blood Wolf Gang."
"These three forces stand in a balance of power, dividing up all the resources and territory of Yan City. They are wary of and restrain each other, and there are constant frictions on a daily basis, but they dare not easily start a large-scale conflict."
Scarface meticulously recounted the core power structure of Yan City, word by word.
"Our Blood-Clad Sect is a vassal force of the Blood Wolf Gang, protected by them and subject to their orders. Above our sect leader, Wei Tong, is a truly powerful figure: Yue Shan, the leader of the Blood Wolf Gang, known in the martial world as the 'Mountain-Breaking Hand.' His cultivation has already reached the Great Perfection of the Yuan Dan Realm, and it is said that he is only one step away from reaching the Creation Realm. His external martial arts techniques are extremely domineering and renowned throughout the entire Tiandu County."
When he mentioned Yue Shan, his tone unconsciously carried a hint of fear and awe, clearly indicating that he was well aware of the terrifying strength and ruthless methods of the Blood Wolf Gang leader.
"Yue Shan is extremely ambitious, ruthless and cunning, and will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. He is also narrow-minded and vindictive."
"Ever since he heard about the double pupils, which is you, he has been eyeing the power of this extraordinary gift and has long coveted it. Wei Tong dared not disobey Yue Shan's orders, which is why he sent us disciples out to investigate your whereabouts and background."
The excruciating pain from the severed arm surged through him, causing the veins on Scarface's forehead to bulge and beads of cold sweat to seep from his brow, yet he maintained his nonchalant, "what's the point" attitude.
"Today you have slaughtered so many of our Blood Robe Sect members. Sooner or later, the news will reach the sect leader and then the Blood Wolf Gang headquarters in Yan City. Yue Shan will never let this go. He is ambitious and will never let you, with your double pupils, go unpunished. Wei Tong is arrogant and conceited, and he is extremely concerned with his reputation. Your loss of so many of his disciples is tantamount to slapping him in the face in public. Given his nature, he will definitely retaliate with all his might, until the very end."
Li Yi listened quietly to this detailed analysis of power dynamics, including the subordinate relationships between the three major powers in Yan City, the Blood Robe Sect, and the Blood Wolf Gang.
He kept in mind the cultivation, temperament, ambition and schemes of the two leaders, and his expression remained calm and undisturbed from beginning to end, as if he had only heard trivial matters.
He paused for a moment, processing the vast amount of information about various factions in his mind, then changed the subject, getting straight to the point, and asked, "Which way to Yan City?"
Scarface paused for a moment upon hearing this, then suddenly threw his head back and burst into laughter. His hoarse, rough laughter aggravated his injuries, causing him to grimace in pain and break out in a cold sweat, yet he still couldn't stop laughing.
"What kind of bullshit question is this? If you want to make fun of me, you don't need to! Just kill me!"
"If you're willing to tell me the truth, then tell me. If you're not, I have my own way of finding the path, so there's no need to waste my breath," Li Yi said.
Scarface laughed for a long time, until his breathing became erratic, before he finally managed to stop laughing, raised his only remaining intact hand, and pointed towards the mountains at the exit of the valley.
"Go that way, cross that continuous mountain ridge ahead, and follow the mountain road straight ahead. If your pace is normal, you can reach the territory of Yan City in two or three days."
Li Yi looked up in the direction he was pointing. The sun was blazing hot, and the distant mountains were slightly distorted in the rising heat, hazy and indistinct, revealing a sense of unknown desolation.
Scarface stared at his profile, the mocking smile on his face gradually fading, his gaze turning strangely odd, as if he were looking at a madman who didn't know the immensity of the world.
"I advise you, if you really insist on going to Yan City, you must never enter the city through the west gate."
"What's the reason?" Li Yi glanced at him sideways.
"The western part of Yan City is the core territory of the Blood Wolf Gang. Yue Shan's spies are everywhere in the streets and alleys, and the defenses are tight," the scarred man explained in a deep voice. "It won't be long before news of your slaughter of my Blood Robe Sect members reaches Wei Tong and Yue Shan, and they will definitely secretly order their men to keep an eye on any unusual activity outside the city. If you enter the city through the west gate, it's tantamount to walking into a trap and deliberately stepping into the Blood Wolf Gang's surveillance and encirclement. It's far too dangerous."
Li Yi's eyes narrowed slightly as he said, "Since you know I am your enemy, why did you specifically tell me these ways to avoid danger?"
Scarface fell into a long silence upon hearing this. Only the sound of the wind and the low cries of vultures could be heard in the valley, and the atmosphere became tense once again.
After a long silence, he finally spoke slowly, his voice low and weak, almost a murmur: "I can't explain why—perhaps—I don't want you to die too easily. If Wei Tong kills you so easily, then it would be too unworthy for us fellow disciples who died at your hands, having given our lives in vain."
He raised his head and calmly met Li Yi's deep gaze. There was no longer any fear in his eyes, only an indifference that seemed to have seen through life and death.
"At this point, is begging for mercy even of the best you can do?"
Li Yi remained silent and did not give any reply.
Scarface smiled sadly, his eyes filled with understanding and relief, and said, "I already understood when you crippled my arm and crushed all of us. A person as calm and decisive as you would never leave any hidden dangers for yourself, and you would never let us leave alive to inform the Blood Robe Sect and the Blood Wolf Gang."
He tilted his head slightly and glanced at the fat man who was lying on the ground beside him, trembling with fear. Seeing that the other man was so frightened that he didn't even have the strength to lift his head, a trace of indifference flashed in his eyes.
Withdrawing his gaze, Scarface slowly closed his eyes, his expression calm, already prepared to face death.
"Let's get started."
"Without the slightest struggle, without the slightest pleading, only the calm acceptance of death."