Chapter 26: Coercion and Inducement

At the confluence of the Min, Qingyi, and Dadu rivers, a colossal Buddha sits in silent contemplation of the surging, endless waters. The river has remained unchanged for a thousand years, yet the world of martial arts is in constant flux.

The headquarters of the Money Gang is situated right here, built along the riverbank to overlook the meeting of the three waters. Shangguan Jinhong had just returned from Mount Song to the Money Gang, arriving exactly at mealtime.

The diet in the Money Gang is the same for everyone, from top to bottom; today’s fare consists of "Bobo Chicken" and fried chicken. Watching Li Xunhuan in the dining hall, savoring the spicy, fragrant Bobo Chicken while laughing and chatting with the braided girl, Shangguan Jinhong felt a surge of irritation.

"The matter at Shaolin Temple has been handled," Shangguan Jinhong said, sitting opposite Li Xunhuan.

Li Xunhuan replied, "You’ve worked hard! Have something to eat with me."

Everyone else assumes he is the most powerful man in the martial arts world, but how could he not know the truth? He is merely a puppet. What else could he do? He had no choice but to accept it.

As the cook brought over a platter of Bobo Chicken and fried chicken, Shangguan Jinhong said coldly, "I do not eat fried chicken."

Only the women of the Fried Chicken Hall enjoy fried chicken; most people do not particularly care for it. Though it is fragrant, one cannot stand eating it every single day. Compared to fried chicken, he preferred the Bobo Chicken. When the Money Gang first chose the Great Buddha as their headquarters, Li Xunhuan had remarked that one could not be in Leshan without Bobo Chicken. However, there was no such thing as "Bobo" chicken in Leshan. Thus, the dish was essentially invented by Li Xunhuan himself. Although called "chicken," the dish is far more than just chicken, possessing a unique flavor all its own. Besides Bobo Chicken, there is also Malatang and Chuan Chuan Xiang, which Li Xunhuan claimed were local specialties of Leshan. Even though no one had ever seen them before, if Master Li said they were, then they were.

Li Xunhuan took a sip of wine and began to cough incessantly, his frame bending under the strain. He had not coughed for a long time. After a moment, the coughing stopped. He said, "Gang Leader Shangguan, do not say things that are detrimental to our unity. You are a leader, after all; you must be magnanimous." Refusing the fried chicken was a sign of prejudice against the Fried Chicken Hall, and the women there would certainly have something to say about it.

Shangguan Jinhong suddenly stared at Li Xunhuan and said pointedly, "With your cultivation, you still cough? Why don't you see a physician?"

Could the inscrutable Li Xunhuan truly be coughing?

Li Xunhuan smiled and asked, "Are you hoping for me to die young?"

Shangguan Jinhong remained silent. The braided girl sitting opposite Li Xunhuan noticed the sudden chill in the atmosphere and quickly interjected, "Master Li, how could he possibly wish for your death?" There were only the three of them present.

Li Xunhuan said, "If a man like me were to die, I fear my brothers would applaud and my subordinates would be too happy to sleep." By "brothers," he meant Shi Fei; by "subordinates," he meant Shangguan Jinhong.

Shangguan Jinhong did not speak, merely observing Li Xunhuan. He felt that Li Xunhuan was different today—lacking his usual domineering aura and mysterious, mocking smile. The Li Xunhuan before him now looked like a frail, sickly young nobleman. He looked nothing like the leader of the Money Gang. How could such a man be the leader? A spark ignited in his eyes—the spark of ambition. A real man, living between heaven and earth, how could he...

Li Xunhuan stared directly into the eyes behind Shangguan Jinhong’s bronze mask, his words layered with meaning: "Gang Leader Shangguan, in this world of martial arts, one is often not the master of one's own fate."

"You, not the master of your own fate?" Shangguan Jinhong said coldly. "I see you wandering the world every day; what is it that you have no control over?"

Li Xunhuan coughed twice and said, "What you see is not necessarily true. What you hear is not necessarily true, either." He gestured toward the braided girl and said, "For instance, she is the granddaughter of the Heavenly Machine Old Man, named Sun Xiaohong."

At the mention of the Heavenly Machine Old Man, Shangguan Jinhong’s eyes lit up. His Dragon and Phoenix Rings were ranked second in the Weaponry Codex, while the Heavenly Machine Old Man’s staff was ranked first!

"So, where is the Heavenly Machine Old Man?" Shangguan Jinhong asked, recalling the reports of an old man and a girl. He wanted to see what the legendary master was truly capable of.

Before Li Xunhuan could respond, he saw Shi Fei and the Heavenly Machine Old Man appear at the entrance of the dining hall. With an unchanging expression, he said, "Look, isn't that him right there?"

Sun Xiaohong turned her head and saw a man who looked to be in his prime standing beside Shi Fei. It was her grandfather! "Grandfather, you..." Sun Xiaohong looked at him in astonishment. The original Heavenly Machine Old Man had been withered and short; now, he looked like a robust warrior.

The Heavenly Machine Old Man—or rather, the now-virile Heavenly Machine Elder—said, "The ocean accepts all rivers; such is the magnitude of martial arts that one can indeed break through one's limits!"

Li Xunhuan watched the elder in silence; he was already accustomed to Shi Fei’s strange methods. Every master who joined the Money Gang received a transmission of power from Shi Fei. Those who received it became stronger, though they were no longer the people they once were.

Shangguan Jinhong also watched in silence; having never seen the man before, he assumed this was his natural state. It was Sun Xiaohong who was surprised. "Grandfather, you’ve become young again!"

The elder sighed and said, "Becoming young is not so simple. I am merely maintaining my peak state. Once my time comes, I’ll be gone all the same!" When a person’s time to die arrives, no one can hold them back; this is the most impartial law of nature.

A familiar feeling welled up in Li Xunhuan’s heart. He spoke involuntarily, "Your granddaughter enjoys fried chicken, and your state has been restored to its peak. Now, all I require is your loyalty!"

He naturally would not force himself upon either man or woman. There was no other reason than the fact that it was simply too unsightly.

Shangguan Jinhong, wearing his bronze mask, looked at Li Xunhuan, whose tone had shifted completely from moments before, and felt a sense of doubt. Was the Li Xunhuan of now the same as the Li Xunhuan of before?

Not long ago, in this very hall, the Heavenly Machine Old Man had been defeated by the Little Li Flying Dagger and taken captive along with his granddaughter. He had expected to face a mountain of blades and a sea of flames, or various tortures, upon arriving at the Money Gang. He had not expected the gang to restore his youth first. Even if it were a false youth, it had fundamentally altered his mindset. Perhaps he could live a few more years and see his granddaughter married into a good family?

The Money Gang was generous; they always paid their rewards upfront. Once one had accepted the rewards of the Money Gang, it was difficult not to offer one's loyalty in return, for the Money Gang gave... far too much.

The Heavenly Machine Elder pondered for a moment and said, "I pay my respects to the Gang Leader!" He could not refuse, for the consequence of refusal was death. He did not fear death, but he had his granddaughter to consider. If he died, what would become of her alone in the Money Gang?

Li Xunhuan nodded with satisfaction, perfectly embodying the principle that those who submit will prosper, and those who resist will perish. It was for this reason that few in the martial arts world could ever refuse the Money Gang.

"After joining the Money Gang, you shall be the third leader! But as a leader, you must also observe the rules of the Money Gang." The rules of the Money Gang could not be violated by anyone.

Li Xunhuan looked at the Heavenly Machine Elder and Shangguan Jinhong and said, "I leave the affairs of the martial arts world to you. As for me, I must return home."

Hearing Li Xunhuan speak of "home," the others were stunned. Does a wanderer have a home? A wanderer certainly has a home, even if that home no longer bears his name.