A trace of helplessness flickered in Shui Yun's calm eyes.
"When you reach your father's level, that's when I'll leave."
Aunt Lian's figure was striking, but her voice was as cold as ice.
Tang Wen caught a whiff of fragrance—and tension.
This woman's tone was icy, and she hadn't so much as glanced at the Gang Lord the entire time.
Moreover, wasn't the father of the Third Young Master, Shui Yun, the Gang Lord himself?
And wasn't the Gang Lord right here?
Under normal circumstances, shouldn't she have said, "reach the Gang Lord's level" or "reach the Gang Lord's realm"?
Her bluntness suggested there was history between the two.
His gaze flickered briefly toward the hem of Aunt Lian's skirt before he swiftly averted his eyes.
What a shame.
She must be the Gang Lord's woman—or at least an old flame.
Tang Wen kept his eyes fixed straight ahead.
Shui Yun didn't seem to have any authority over Aunt Lian either, shaking his head lightly. "I'm not a child anymore."
"Without reaching Divine Martial, you'll always be a child."
The two argued briefly, but Aunt Lian remained stubborn and unyielding.
The Gang Lord stayed silent the entire time.
His deep gaze lingered on the main wall, where the plaque for "Seven Kill Hall" hung, as if it held some endlessly fascinating scenery.
The Gang Lord was just burying his head in the sand.
Shui Yun tried to persuade her a few more times, but the black-clad Aunt Lian turned her faintly glowing eyes toward Tang Wen.
Her gaze was indifferent, laced with coldness.
Tang Wen cursed inwardly—caught in the crossfire.
After a moment's thought, he stepped forward and said,
"Master, Mistress, Senior Sister."
All three of them froze.
Aunt Lian's delicate brows furrowed as she glared at the Gang Lord. "Did you teach him that?"
Tang Wen scoffed internally—Stop pretending. Your face is already red from hearing that title.
The Gang Lord shot Tang Wen a subtle look—Good job, kid. I didn't take you as a disciple for nothing.
He said, "Mistress, are you not?"
"At any rate, what this disciple means to say is that I'm preparing to go into seclusion. I won't be leaving the city much, so I don't need a Transcendent escort.
How about this—when I do leave the city, I'll come to Senior Sister for help then."
Transcendents weren't common in the Blackwater Gang.
As key members, each had their own responsibilities.
Within the Seven Kill Hall, Transcendents were even rarer.
No one wanted to play bodyguard—that was understandable.
Tang Wen breathed a sigh of relief.
As a hidden Transcendent from Flame Camp—sent in by the Bai family of Tri-Alliance City as a spy—
He'd be thrilled if no one tailed him.
Shui Yun smiled faintly.
She was also pleased that Tang Wen had subtly nudged Aunt Lian and her father, the Gang Lord, closer together.
After a moment of thought, she said, "Junior Brother, you may not know this, but Ganshan City isn't entirely safe. It's best to have some means of self-defense."
Tang Wen hesitated. "Well—"
Then it's up to the three of you to figure out how to protect me.
After a few seconds of silence,
Shui Yun reached to her waist and pulled out a thin piece of jade, handing it to Tang Wen.
"Senior Sister, this is something you carry with you. Wouldn't it be improper for me to take it?"
As he spoke, his fingertips brushed against the jade's surface.
Two words—smooth as silk!
"Take it. I'm a Transcendent, and I have Aunt Lian with me. I don't need it anymore."
Tang Wen glanced at the Gang Lord, Shui Qianjun, who gave a slight nod.
Only then did he thank Shui Yun and solemnly accept it.
But he still didn't understand—what exactly was this?
Shui Yun explained,
"When using this, aim it at your enemy and crush it with brute force."
As she spoke, her fair yet strong hand took the jade back from Tang Wen to demonstrate.
"Sealed within is one of Aunt Lian's killing techniques. Its power is immense. If timed right, within thirty paces, even a Transcendent will be crippled if not killed."
"Thank you, Senior Sister."
Shui Yun was a woman of few words.
After the demonstration, the four of them fell into an odd silence.
Tang Wen stole glances at the Gang Lord and Aunt Lian, noticing their distant gazes as if lost in thought.
But upon closer inspection, he realized Aunt Lian's eyes held something unusual.
Could it be that the two were secretly communicating through sound transmission?
How thrilling.
Playing this game right in front of their daughter?
Tang Wen spoke softly, "Would you mind showing me around the Seven Kill Hall, Senior Sister? I've never been here before."
With that, he winked at Shui Yun and turned to leave the room.
Shui Yun caught on quickly, her long, shapely legs carrying her after him.
"Junior Brother, follow me."
They exchanged a knowing glance and a faint smile before stepping out onto the training grounds.
"Junior Brother, how did you notice the exchange between Aunt Lian and my father?" Shui Yun looked down slightly at Tang Wen, who stood a little shorter than her.
Tang Wen had a favorable impression of Shui Yun.
As the future successor of the gang and the one in charge of the Seven Kill Hall, she held a position second only to the Gang Lord—loftier than thousands.
Yet she was neither arrogant nor capricious.
Her demeanor was efficient, her words measured.
True to her name, she carried no trace of bloodlust.
"Everyone, assemble!"
At Shui Yun's command, whether they were peak Martial Masters or ordinary Martial Practitioners—
Men or women, sparring or training—
They all gathered in formation within moments.
Within a few breaths, over a hundred people stood in perfect order.
The vast training grounds, previously bustling with activity, fell into absolute silence.
A hundred robust and fierce Martial Practitioners and Martial Masters, men and women alike, stood quietly in five neat rows.
Tang Wen met the gazes of over a hundred pairs of eyes, the sheer pressure bearing down on him.
Most of the women boldly scanned him from head to toe, lingering on certain key areas.
Their stares were even bolder than the lecherous old men eyeing legs on the streets in summer.
Thud.
Shui Yun's slender yet strong hand clasped Tang Wen's shoulder—
Like a big brother pulling a younger brother close.
Tang Wen tilted his head slightly, catching her profile, and cursed inwardly.
This woman is taller than me too.
The gazes of the hundred followed Shui Yun's movement, all now fixed on Tang Wen.
"This is the Seventh Young Master—Tang Wen! From now on, he is our Deputy Hall Master!"
The moment the words left her lips—
The hundred moved as one.
In perfect unison, they dropped to one knee, fists pressed before their eyes, and shouted, "Greetings, Deputy Hall Master! Greetings, Seventh Young Master!"
Whoosh.
For the first time in his life, Tang Wen felt like a true figure of importance.
The overwhelming rush of vanity even left him dizzy for a couple of seconds.
He felt almost lightheaded.
This—
So this is how it feels to be worshipped.
No wonder so many people scramble and sacrifice everything to climb higher!
It's just as exhilarating as bedding a woman!
"Senior Sister, this—?"
The position of Deputy Hall Master of the Seven Kill Hall carried power and status nearly equal to that of an elder.
Could it really be granted so casually?
Shui Yun shed her earlier gentle demeanor, her tone now commanding and unyielding:
"Junior Brother, trust me on this!"
"Then—thank you, Senior Sister!"
He clasped his fists toward Shui Yun before turning to the still-kneeling crowd and declaring loudly:
"Brothers and sisters, from this day forward, I, Tang Wen, will stand united with Senior Sister and all of you in pursuit of our shared future! Please, rise!"
"Thank you, Deputy Hall Master! Thank you, Seventh Young Master!"
Rustle—
The crowd stood.
Tang Wen felt an inexplicable emptiness.
His brief taste of power had expired, and he was tempted to renew the experience.
Shui Yun dismissed the rest with a wave, leaving behind seven men and three women—the captains of each squad.
The strength of a peak Martial Master.
Although referred to as a captain, the treatment is the same as that of an ordinary Commander.
He got acquainted with the various captains.
Shui Yun took Tang Wen around:
"Aside from you and me, there are four other deputy hall masters in the gang.
All are at the Transcendent level and are out on missions.
Outside the hall is the training ground, and inside are the cultivation chambers, reserved for deputy hall masters.
Since I'm on the verge of a breakthrough, hard training won't help anymore. You can use mine from now on."
"Thank you, Senior Sister."
As they walked and talked, Shui Yun gradually learned more about Tang Wen's background.
"Junior Brother, your demeanor and speech don't seem like someone from a small place," Shui Yun said, her eyes growing profound.
Tang Wen's heart tightened.
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