In just one afternoon,
Tang Wen's name spread throughout Mountain Chasing City.
Wu Hao stared at the portrait in utter disbelief.
He grabbed the messenger soldier,
repeatedly confirming that his partner—his brother-in-arms in side jobs for extra cash—was indeed the Seventh Young Master Tang Wen in the portrait.
The messenger left.
Clutching the portrait, Wu Hao slapped himself hard across the face.
His hand and cheek burned with pain: "Definitely not a dream."
"Boss Wu, does this mean we can strut around from now on?"
"Strut my ass! You think the other young masters in the gang are just freeloaders?"
Wu Hao frowned, though whether from pain or worry was unclear.
As the portraits plastered every street and alley, gossip spread like wildfire.
"This pretty boy can be a Blackwater Gang young master?"
The speaker's arms were thicker than the waists of the women at Hundred Flowers Pavilion.
Bald-headed and towering over two meters tall,
he was unmistakably from the Giant Rock Martial Hall, one of those Tough Skill practitioners.
They were obsessed with pursuing stronger physiques and greater brute force.
The entire hall prided itself on being iron-blooded, pure masculinity.
Pretty boys? They wouldn't give them the time of day.
Hundred Flowers Pavilion was even livelier:
"Such a handsome man—how have we never seen him before?"
"Right! And he's a Blackwater Gang young master? He's never even visited Hundred Flowers Pavilion!"
"If he came, I'd pay to try him!"
"I'd pay ten taels extra!"
"Can I take this portrait?"
"Go on, you little minx! What would you do with it?"
"Copy it, of course! What, you wanna use it yourself?"
"Ugh! I'll tear your mouth off!"
"..."
Inner City.
Huang Residence:
"A mere Martial Master, yet a Blackwater Gang young master!"
"He must have some talent."
"Talent? Pah! What good is talent?"
In the City Lord's Manor, not a single maid was in sight.
A guard delivered Tang Wen's portrait inside.
Soon after,
a voice devoid of emotion responded:
"Just follow protocol with the notification."
"Also, urge the five major gangs in the outer city to send night patrols. This time, the duration is three months."
"Yes, my lord."
Blackwater Gang Headquarters.
The commotion came and went quickly.
Before Tang Wen could even memorize all the higher-ups,
they had already left.
They clearly didn't take the newly promoted Martial Master "Seventh Young Master" seriously.
As for gifts? Not a single one arrived.
As the crowd dispersed, the gang's assembly hall returned to silence.
Watching their retreating figures, Tang Wen thought of a fitting saying:
"Don't mock the youth for being poor, don't mock the middle-aged for..."
Never mind.
Bad luck.
"Let's go. Your carriage is ready."
Elder Li rose from his seat.
"I get a carriage?"
"Obviously! The Seventh Young Master of the Blackwater Gang can't be without a proper carriage. If those brutes from Giant Rock Martial Hall saw you walking, they'd think we were going bankrupt."
Only then did Tang Wen remember he hadn't even asked about his benefits.
He turned to discuss it with Elder Li.
As one of Mountain Chasing City's second-tier powers,
the Blackwater Gang's treatment for its "young masters" was far from shabby.
Five vials of Transcendent beast Blood Essence per month.
Fifteen hundred catties of Transcendent beast flesh monthly.
Various Elixirs, ranging from one to ten vials per month depending on rarity.
Ten thousand taels of silver, a thousand taels of gold.
Unrestricted access to all cultivation rooms within the gang.
Additionally, one Transcendent-level bodyguard and a personal guard squad of ten.
At that last point, his heart sank.
Bodyguards—or spies?
Hard to say.
Refuse?
He had no grounds to.
"You ungrateful brat! Still not satisfied? You're almost getting the same treatment as me."
Elder Li scolded with a laugh.
The elders had to make great contributions and struggle for half their lives to attain their current status in the gang.
Yet Tang Wen became a Young Master and could immediately enjoy all privileges.
It was like a worker retiring thirty-five years early—and still receiving an executive's pension.
How could people not envy him?
"It's not that I'm ungrateful. It's just that the surprise came too suddenly—I feel like I'm dreaming."
"Haha! Don't overthink it. Focus on improving your strength and don't slack off." Elder Li patted Tang Wen's shoulder meaningfully.
Tang Wen understood—he had been made a "Young Master" because of his potential.
The gang was now pouring vast resources into him.
If he could become a sixth or fifth-rank expert, all would be well.
But if he failed?
Would he have a good ending?
He'd probably be squeezed dry by the gang until death.
The Blackwater Gang was a faction, not a charity.
Footsteps approached from afar, and the two stopped talking.
The newcomer was the Gang Lord of the Blackwater Gang—Shui Qianjun.
"Elder Li has explained everything to you?"
"Master, he has." Tang Wen's casual demeanor vanished, replaced by deep respect.
"Good! On the first of every month, I will personally instruct you. You may ask me any questions about Martial Arts."
Tang Wen thought: I want to ask right now—how proficient must my Aura Concealment Art be to never reveal flaws in your presence?
It's urgent.
Unfortunately, Gang Lord Shui couldn't hear his thoughts—otherwise, he might have slapped him dead on the spot.
"As for your Transcendent guard," Shui Qianjun continued, "you have three choices: select one from within the gang, pick someone from the Seven Kill Hall, or take my Deputy Commander of the Guards."
Tang Wen's mind raced. This wasn't just about choosing a guard—it was about declaring his allegiance!
He resisted the urge to glance back at Elder Li.
Elder Li had already fallen several steps behind them. Though they had been walking out of the hall together, he had somehow lagged.
"I leave it entirely to Master's arrangement!" Tang Wen replied without hesitation.
"Hmm. Then do you want my Commander of the Guards or the Deputy Hall Master of the Seven Kill Hall?"
"Master, this disciple rarely leaves the city. Please decide for me."
"Then come with me to the Seven Kill Hall."
The Seven Kill Hall was located in the northwest corner of the Blackwater Gang's headquarters.
Guards stood at its iron gate, and security was tight.
Upon entering, the pungent smell of sweat hit them.
Inside the vast courtyard, Martial Practitioners in shorts or bare-chested filled the space.
Tang Wen feasted his eyes.
The training ground was divided into two sections—one for men, the other for women.
He barely glanced at the men.
The women, regardless of looks, had scorching-hot figures.
Hmm, their physiques seem strong.
Surely they could withstand storm-like beatings, right?
The frailty of the women at home was currently Tang Wen's biggest headache.
"Gang Lord arrives!"
"Seventh Young Master arrives!"
The announcement echoed through the hall.
A group of people hurried out from the stone building, their auras fierce like ancient beasts.
Fresh from training and combat, their killing intent still burned in their eyes.
Meeting their gazes, Tang Wen felt as if he were being stared down by wild animals.
But that was all. If he were truly just a Martial Master, he might have been intimidated.
But he was already Transcendent. To put it bluntly, given his sustained explosive power, he could slaughter every last one of these hundred-plus Martial Masters in half a day.
Seventh Young Master?
Many hadn't heard this title before.
Has the gang appointed another young master?
Wasn't the situation supposed to have stabilized?
What does the Gang Lord mean by this?
Could he be dissatisfied with the Hall Master...
The Seven Kill Hall members grew uneasy in their hearts.
When it came to matters of gang succession, nothing was trivial.
The slightest misstep could lead to bloodshed!
Inside and outside the Seven Kill Hall, the gazes directed at Tang Wen unconsciously took on a scrutinizing and wary edge.
They were the Third Young Miss's staunch supporters.
"Father."
A brief, forceful address.
Tang Wen saw a tall woman.
She wore shorts and a cropped top, revealing fair, slender arms and legs.
A thick, jet-black braid draped over her shoulder from behind her long, snow-white neck, resting atop the high slopes of her chest.
As their eyes met, both momentarily lost themselves.
DNA stirred.
Was love at first sight merely lust in disguise?
Tang Wen remained inwardly vigilant: though he'd gone hungry at home, he shouldn't be constantly distracted by such thoughts outside!
Gang Lord: "You two should get acquainted."
"Tang Wen greets the Third Young Master."
"Shui Yun." The woman spoke concisely yet powerfully.
Upon learning Tang Wen was here to select a Transcendent bodyguard,
Shui Yun's gaze toward him softened slightly.
Having a Transcendent bodyguard from her faction meant this newly appointed Seventh Young Master would fully align with her.
This posed no threat to the gang's current power structure.
After careful consideration, Shui Yun said: "All Transcendents in our hall serve as deputy hall masters, each with their own missions. However, as I'm now a senior Transcendent myself and require no protection, I could assign Aunt Lian—"
"Unacceptable." A cold voice interjected.
A figure suddenly appeared.
Like a weightless specter, she materialized from the second-floor stairway and floated down!
Her face was veiled, clad entirely in black, her movements stirring powerful gusts that outlined astonishing curves.
Beneath the hem of her garment, glimpses of jade-like feet could be seen.
This figure—the very pinnacle of auntie aesthetics.
(End of Chapter)