Due to repeated confrontations between the Anmen (Hidden Door) and the Yuan Gang, the entire northern region fell into a state of unrest. As the Anmen used Dongling as a foothold to continuously expand its influence, it gradually reached a point where it could rival the Yuan Gang, creating an uneasy balance of power over the underground kingdom of the north.
However, the Anmen was naturally dissatisfied with this stalemate, and the Yuan Gang certainly would not allow a new force to challenge its dominance in the region.
Although the resurgence of ancient martial arts meant that no matter how strong ordinary people became, they could not match the power of an expert skilled in inner energy. No matter how many people one had, they might still fall before a single supreme warrior. Yet, the ruler of an underground empire was not someone just anyone could threaten, so the Yuan Gang believed its dominance in the north was secure.
At this moment, within the Yuan Gang’s conference room…
The atmosphere was unusually tense. Everyone present, despite being high-ranking and influential figures within the Yuan Gang, wore expressions of deep concern. All understood that if the Yuan Gang were to lose this time, their glory would vanish completely.
“This time, the Anmen is making a serious move. Almost all their elite forces have poured into the territory of our Yuan Gang in the north. This battle will determine who will ultimately rule the north!”
At the head of the meeting table, a middle-aged man frowned deeply. Clearly, his mind was far from calm. With Yuan Gang forces clashing against the Anmen outside, how could he possibly remain at ease?
For the leader of an underground empire, defeat meant death. Although he had always known this path was one where his life hung by a thread, he certainly didn’t want to die in such a humiliating way.
“If I had known it would come to this, we should never have allowed the Anmen to grow so strong in the first place!”
Below the head seat sat a young man with a refined and handsome face. He was Luan Tianyu, the most respected among the three young northern commanders. The middle-aged man at the head of the table was none other than his father, Luan Aoxiong.
“Perhaps, but you should understand that both the Situ family and the Su family are forces we cannot afford to provoke. If we had acted against them back then, the Yuan Gang might not even exist today.”
Luan Aoxiong’s expression turned bitter. Although he had anticipated the Anmen would grow strong, he had never imagined it would rise so quickly. In just a few short months, it had already reached a level capable of rivaling the Yuan Gang.
“Is he really that powerful?”
Luan Tianyu felt不甘心—reluctant and resentful. As the eldest among the three young northern commanders and the heir to both the Luan family and the Yuan Gang, he had always occupied a position of prestige. Although few were aware that he was the son of the legendary Luan Aoxiong, his first two titles alone were sufficient to place him above his peers.
Yet, he had still lost to Xiao Yufan—a man he had never even met. Even his own father seemed helpless before him…
Over the years, the Luan family had gradually faded from the public eye of the aristocratic clans, but it had not declined. On the contrary, relying on the Yuan Gang’s immense power, the Luan family had enjoyed peace and security. But if the Yuan Gang were to fall, the Luan family’s peaceful days would certainly come to an end.
“I haven’t gathered much information on this young man, but there are rumors that he commands several inner energy experts. That alone suggests his strength cannot be underestimated. More importantly, his identity is something even the hidden aristocratic families fear greatly!”
Suddenly, Luan Aoxiong felt a strong desire to meet this young man. He was curious to see just how extraordinary Xiao Yufan must be to have brought the Anmen to its current formidable state…
Hearing his father’s words, Luan Tianyu couldn’t help but inhale sharply. If even the hidden aristocratic families feared this man, then his background must be far more formidable than he had imagined. Unconsciously, the two had already drifted apart to completely different levels.
His expression dimmed slightly, and the desire to challenge Xiao Yufan, which he had once harbored, suddenly vanished.
“Leader, what should we do then? Are we just going to watch helplessly as the empire we built with our blood and sweat slips away?”
The people present could all sense Luan Aoxiong’s emotions. But they were all hardened criminals, ready to fight even after years of comfort. They certainly did not wish for the Yuan Gang to fall to the Anmen.
“Surrender? How could I, Luan Aoxiong, ever do something so weak? Since it was the Anmen who provoked us first, we have every reason to strike back—even if the Situ and Su families try to interfere!”
A cold glint flashed briefly in his eyes, and a sinister smile curled Luan Aoxiong’s lips. Even though he feared Xiao Yufan’s identity, it did not mean he would hesitate or hold back. As long as Xiao Yufan himself was not killed, and the Anmen was completely wiped out, that man would no longer pose any threat.
At least in Luan Aoxiong’s mind, without the Anmen, a mere member of the Situ family could not stir up much trouble. What he overlooked, however, was that the Anmen had already grown to an extremely terrifying level…
“If that’s the case, then let us old men meet these young Anmen upstarts head-on! Even if the underground empire will eventually belong to the younger generation, we shall see if they have the stomach to swallow the Yuan Gang!”
After Luan Aoxiong spoke, a rough voice rang out from another corner of the room. This was the Yuan Gang’s top general, the man who had played a crucial role in helping the Yuan Gang conquer the north.
“Good! Then let us meet them head-on!”
Luan Aoxiong stood up as well, his gaze sweeping across everyone in the room, exuding an aura of supreme authority. It had been many years since anyone had dared to challenge the Yuan Gang’s supremacy. This time, however, it was a matter of life and death for the Yuan Gang…
Meanwhile, as the Yuan Gang held its meeting, the Anmen had already engaged in fierce battles against them. The Shadow Hall, Dark Hall, Kill Hall, and Tiger Hall, led respectively by Wang Wei, Tianyi, Qinglong, and Xiao Dao, had surrounded the Yuan Gang’s forces.
Although Xiao Yufan was absent, since Nie Xiaodao took over leadership of the Anmen, everything had remained stable, because the bond between Xiaodao, Tianyi, and the others was even stronger than that of brothers.
“Only by defeating the Yuan Gang can we have the strength to confront the hidden Gu family and avenge our young master. Of course, this time we must succeed—failure is not an option!”
Nie Xiaodao’s expression was also serious. He did not delude himself into thinking the Anmen was fully capable of defeating the Yuan Gang. Even though Wang Wei, Tianyi, and he himself had all broken through to the Qi-condensing realm, they still had less than a seventy percent chance of victory. No one knew if the Yuan Gang had hidden experts of its own.
“Understood!” A low, solemn voice slowly spread through the room. Thinking of Xiao Yufan’s unknown whereabouts, a surge of passion and resolve coursed through each of them. Yes, only by defeating the Yuan Gang could the Anmen grow strong enough to confront the concealed Gu family.
But what they did not yet know was that the Gu family was currently facing an unprecedented crisis. Even without the Anmen, the Gu family’s fate was sealed—it would fall.
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