The speaker stood right beside Jia Tianlong—a dwarf barely three feet tall.
He appeared to be in his forties, with a gaunt and wiry frame. Draped in a red robe embroidered with golden threads, he wore gold rings on his fingers and a thick gold chain around his neck. Several golden bells hung from his waist, and when he spoke, a flash of gold glinted from his mouth—apparently, he had gold teeth. Overall, he looked every bit the vulgar parvenu.
At the moment, his face was full of impatience, clearly dissatisfied with Jia Tianlong’s hesitation.
Such a wretched-looking dwarf, dressed like some country bumpkin tycoon, actually dared to show such disrespect toward Jia Tianlong. The loyal Iron Guards nearby couldn’t help but glare at him angrily.
The dwarf noticed their displeasure but responded with a cold, mocking laugh, paying them no mind. Instead, he spoke arrogantly to Jia Tianlong: “Chief Jia, you spent three thousand taels of gold to bring me all the way from Golden Light Temple. Surely you didn’t invite me here just to stand around all night! If there’s someone you need me to deal with, just say it now. Don’t tell me it’s the leader of the Seven Mysteries Sect—such a weak opponent you could handle yourself. Is he really worth such a fortune to have me step in?”
“The leader of the Seven Mysteries Sect is hardly worthy of your attention, Immortal Master,” Jia Tianlong replied humbly, without the slightest hint of disrespect. “I’ve asked you here to deal with the sect leader’s three martial uncles. Although they’ve long been declared dead to the outside world, they’ve actually been secluded in meditation chambers on Sunset Peak, undergoing life-and-death closed-door training. Their skills have likely reached the pinnacle by now—far beyond what any ordinary master could handle. They are the Seven Mysteries Sect’s greatest reliance. Only you, Immortal Master, are capable of dealing with them.”
It was worth noting that Jia Tianlong had met this red-robed dwarf by chance in a Taoist temple near the border of the barbarian lands. The dwarf called himself the Golden Light Immortal, claiming boundless magical power and personally demonstrating the art of controlling flying swords and the invulnerable Vajra Indestructibility technique.
Witnessing this, Jia Tianlong was deeply shaken by the power of these spells. He realized the other party belonged to the legendary class of immortal cultivators and felt a strong desire to befriend him.
Upon learning of the dwarf’s obsession with gold, Jia Tianlong immediately showered him with vast sums of money and flattered him relentlessly. Eventually, he moved the dwarf to promise assistance on one occasion.
Therefore, Jia Tianlong always treated the dwarf with the respect of a junior, not daring to show the slightest disgust at his arrogance. He knew all too well that the Golden Light Immortal was not someone his small Wild Wolf Gang could afford to offend.
Upon hearing this, the Golden Light Immortal burst into raucous laughter. When his laughter subsided, he said arrogantly, “Just a few ordinary mortals? Leave them to me! No matter how high their skills or how strong their martial arts, they are no match for my flying sword technique. You have nothing to worry about!”
“Then I’ll trouble you, Immortal Master,” Jia Tianlong said, overjoyed. “The promised reward will be delivered without fail. Moreover, after the matter is settled, I am willing to offer an additional two thousand taels of gold as a token of gratitude.” He knew the other party was no kind-hearted soul—it was better to speak the language of gold.
Hearing this, a faint smile appeared on the dwarf’s withered, orange-peel-like face. He nodded in satisfaction, clearly appreciating Gang Leader Jia’s understanding.
With the Golden Light Immortal’s assurance, Jia Tianlong hesitated no longer. He immediately ordered the Wild Wolf Gang to advance to the summit of Sunset Peak and prepare to attack the Seven Mysteries Sect’s main hall—the Seven Mysteries Hall.
Due to the overwhelming number of people swarming the mountain, Jia Tianlong and his Iron Guards had to exert great effort to reach the front of the stone hall.
This was Gang Leader Jia’s first time laying eyes on his archrival’s main hall, and he was astonished by its grandeur. Comparing it to his own Wild Wolf Gang’s headquarters, he felt his own base was little more than a dog kennel—utterly pathetic.
Across dozens of acres of open space at the summit of Sunset Peak stood several stone halls constructed from massive blue stones—one large hall surrounded by six smaller ones.
Although the darkness and the dim torchlight made it impossible to see them clearly, the imposing, majestic, and grand presence of these dark, towering structures awed the members of the Wild Wolf Gang and other small to medium-sized sects who were seeing them for the first time. For a moment, they did not immediately launch an attack but instead surrounded the stone halls, sealing them off completely.
“After all, this is a sect with over two hundred years of history. Their financial resources are simply beyond what my gang, which has only risen to prominence in the last ten years, can match. Such extravagance and luxury!” Jia Tianlong couldn’t help but think to himself.
He had already made up his mind: as soon as the Seven Mysteries Sect was destroyed, he would move his headquarters here. Only such magnificent architecture would befit the status of a hegemon like himself.
Jia Tianlong glanced at the dark entrance of the main hall opposite him, then at his subordinates surrounding the area. Slowly, he raised his right hand.
In an instant, Sunset Peak fell into dead silence. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on his raised hand. They all knew that the moment that hand began to fall, the brutal battle to annihilate the Seven Mysteries Sect’s main hall would begin.
“Hold it!” Just then, a cold voice suddenly rang out from the dark entrance of the main hall.
Then, the rhythmic sound of footsteps—”pat, pat, pat”—echoed from within, growing clearer and clearer.
Finally, a middle-aged man in white robes appeared at the entrance. A wooden hairpin held his hair in place, and a long sword in a white scabbard hung at his waist. His face was deathly pale, but his eyes shone with a piercing intensity. Wherever his gaze fell, it felt like a sharp sword stabbing straight into one’s heart, sending chills down the spine.
He stopped several zhang away from the entrance, slowly surveying the crowd before him without the slightest trace of fear.
Eventually, his gaze settled on Jia Tianlong’s raised right hand, then shifted from the hand to Jia Tianlong’s face.
“Jia Tianlong,” the middle-aged man called out the gang leader’s name.
“Wang Juechu,” Jia Tianlong retorted without backing down, identifying the other in turn.
“You know, this is the first time the two of us, as leaders of our respective factions, have met face to face, isn’t it, Sect Leader Wang?” Jia Tianlong said in a very relaxed tone, a hint of mockery curling at the corners of his mouth as he slowly lowered his raised right hand.
Wang Juechu stared back expressionlessly, not saying a word. The atmosphere seemed to grow tense.
“Sect Leader Wang, coming out alone—are you here to surrender?” Jia Tianlong asked teasingly, a smile on his face.
“Exactly. I’m here to discuss terms of surrender,” Wang Juechu, leader of the Seven Mysteries Sect, replied coldly, his voice like ice.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage