Chapter Nineteen: Subjugation

The soundproofing barrier concealed everything inside the secret chamber, leaving those waiting outside completely unaware of what had transpired. Chang Baichuan stumbled out of the chamber, his tattered clothes and pale face shocking everyone outside.

"Manager Chang, what on earth has happened to you?" A guard dressed in blue brocade with a yellow bronze belt stepped forward, supporting Chang Baichuan as he spoke.

"It's nothing, nothing at all. Have everyone gather in the back hall. I'm going to change my clothes." A flicker of hesitation crossed Chang Baichuan's eyes. A moment later, he sighed, gently shaking off the guard's hand, and walked toward his private quarters.

"What are you all staring at for? To the back hall!" Gazing at Chang Baichuan's retreating figure, the crowd looked at one another in dismay. It wasn't until the guard urged them on that they finally began walking toward the back hall.

Inside the secret chamber, a peculiar smile played at the corner of Lei Yan's lips. "The head of the Lei family?" Originally having no intention of usurping the position of the Lei family head, Lei Yan changed his mind at this moment because of the resistance put up by the Hundred Herb Hall and the others.

"Lei Yan, what are you actually planning to do?" the White Tiger asked, puzzled. He could never quite fathom Lei Yan's motives for controlling ordinary mortals.

"Me? Hahaha..." Lei Yan did not answer the White Tiger's question. Instead, he let out a gloomy, roaring laugh. A moment later, his gaze dimmed as he shifted his focus to the White Tiger, speaking slowly, "I want to reduce the possibility of helplessness to the absolute minimum, because I never want to taste that feeling of helplessness ever again..."

The White Tiger scratched his head in confusion, still failing to fully comprehend Lei Yan's words. If he had to describe any sensation, it was the wave of inexplicable sorrow he felt emanating from Lei Yan as he spoke those words—a sorrow that seemed to seal Lei Yan off entirely, cutting him off from everything in the outside world.

"Lei Yan, are we still friends?" the White Tiger suddenly asked.

A flash of complex emotion crossed Lei Yan's eyes. He did not know why the White Tiger would suddenly ask such a question, and moreover, this question actually created a conflict within his heart. He no longer wished to be burdened by the ties of friendship, yet deep within his soul, he had long regarded the White Tiger as a friend. Hesitating for a moment, he smiled and said, "Of course we are. Is there even any need to ask?"

"Lei Yan, perhaps I haven't experienced much and don't quite understand what you're trying to do. But I can feel your pain. Since you said we're friends, I hope you won't seal yourself off. At the very least, you still have me as a friend, and Qing Ling hasn't completely perished yet. We still have a chance." The White Tiger scratched his head, unsure of how to comfort Lei Yan, so he simply spoke whatever came to mind.

Lei Yan let out a long sigh and closed his eyes. After a long while, he opened them again, the fierce murderous intent in his gaze undiminished. Yet, much had been cleared up in his mind thanks to the White Tiger's words. He nodded toward the White Tiger and said, "Thank you, White Tiger."

"Hmph~" The White Tiger curled his lip. "Lacks sincerity. If you really want to thank me, bring me something to eat."

"Hahaha..." Seeing the White Tiger's expression, Lei Yan burst out laughing. "Rest assured, I guarantee you'll never go hungry in the future."

At that moment, the door to the secret chamber opened. Chang Baichuan slowly stepped inside. Having resolved his inner conflicts, Chang Baichuan no longer felt sheer terror toward Lei Yan; what remained was pure awe and reverence.

"Eldest Young Master, the matters you instructed have been properly handled," Chang Baichuan reported respectfully. "There are currently five merchant caravans remaining, each with two hundred guards. Within the Hundred Herb Hall, there are a hundred merchants, a hundred handymen, and four hundred guards. However, the Lei Guards have all been eliminated due to their resistance. Because of this, I'm afraid..."

"Chang Baichuan, I know you have your concerns. But rest assured, it won't be long before the entire Lei family is under my control," Lei Yan said with absolute confidence.

"Eldest Young Master, this..." Chang Baichuan could not help but worry. Having witnessed Lei Yan's strength earlier, while he might not hold the Lei family guards in high regard, the Lei family possessed powerful martial patrons, after all.

"Are you worried about the Lei family's patrons?" Lei Yan smiled, his tone dripping with disdain. "What kind of waves could those old fellows possibly stir up?"

Shock was written all over Chang Baichuan's face. In their hearts, those martial patrons were beings akin to immortals. Yet, listening to Lei Yan's tone, he treated them with utter contempt. "Eldest Young Master, do you mean..."

"Very well. You needn't worry about this matter; I have my own arrangements. Now, I have a task for you. You should be familiar with the White Tiger Hall, shouldn't you?" Lei Yan asked.

Baichuan replied respectfully, "The White Tiger Hall is one of the nine major gangs in Township Lu, boasting nearly a thousand members. Most of them are dock coolies and sedan-chair bearers from the north of the town. The gang leader is Wan Chongshan, known as the 'Flexible-Armed Ape,' and under him are three chief protectors and two managers."

"Two managers. Is there one among them named Wu Ta?" Lei Yan asked.

"Indeed. Wu Ta manages the sedan-chair bearers in the north of the town and the coolies at the northern dock," Chang Baichuan answered.

"It seems his words were not false." Lei Yan stroked his chin. "It's time to force his hand. Chang Baichuan, take people and occupy the White Tiger Hall. Show no mercy to anyone who resists. However, I want that Wu Ta kept alive."

Baichuan said respectfully, "Eldest Young Master, are there any other instructions? If not, this subordinate will go handle the matter right away."

"Go ahead," Lei Yan waved his hand.

Baichuan bowed and backed out of the secret chamber.

"Wu Ta, if the White Tiger Hall falls into my hands, what will you do then?" A smile surfaced at the corner of Lei Yan's mouth.

******

The northern dock, caressed by gentle breezes.

"Ah—choo!" Wu Ta, half-reclining on a bamboo reclining chair, suddenly sneezed. He rubbed his nose and cursed, "Damn it, who is missing your granddaddy?"

Suddenly, the image of a certain person flashed through Wu Ta's mind, and he shuddered all over. "Damn it, it couldn't be that fellow, could it? No, I need to think of a way. One must always plan ahead." He picked up the tattered fan beside him and began slowly fanning his chest. Whenever he pondered matters, he always had the habitual tic of fanning his chest with that broken fan.

"Hundred Herb Hall, Hundred Herb Hall..." Wu Ta muttered under his breath.

"Master Ta, could it be that you've set your sights on the Lei family's business? That's the business of a noble clan..." a burly man beside Wu Ta reminded him out of goodwill.

"Damn it, this is bad. No wonder that name sounded so familiar to me—it turns out to be the Lei family..." Wu Ta jerked up from the reclining chair, his gaze fixing on the boundless canal as he muttered, "Perhaps, I still have a chance. Let's hope you guys arrive on time tomorrow, or else this lord really will be living his life with his head tied to his belt. Best if I'm just worrying over nothing." With that, he lay back down on the reclining chair.

Suddenly, a shout roused Wu Ta from his half-dazed state. Opening his eyes, he cursed furiously, "What's all the shouting about? Can't you see your granddaddy is sleeping?"

"Master Ta! Something's happened! A major disaster! Gang Leader Wan is dead... Even the three chief protectors are dead! You'd better hurry back and take a look!" A burly man covered in blood rushed over.

"What? They're all dead?" Wu Ta's expression shifted drastically. "I'm going right now..." With that, he bolted toward the northern town gate, followed closely by a few muscular men from the bamboo shed.

"Master Ta, where are you..." one of the burly men called out in confusion. The White Tiger Hall was located within the town, yet Wu Ta was running toward the outskirts.

"Damn it, which part of me did those Lei family folks take a fancy to? They moved so fast!" Wu Ta had already concluded that the Lei family was responsible. Cursing inwardly, he suddenly heard the question from the brother behind him. Halting his pace, he put on a righteous expression and said, "You're right. But the murderers won't just sit there waiting to be caught. We'll split up and pincer them from two sides. You guys head to the White Tiger Hall; if anyone stands in your way, kill the bastards. I'll guard the outskirts of the town so not a single fish slips through the net."

"Master Ta's foresight is brilliant indeed!" a burly man exclaimed excitedly.

"Let's go! Kill those bastards!" Waving his hand, the burly man led the rest of Wu Ta's men running toward the White Tiger Hall.

Watching those burly men charge off, Wu Ta muttered helplessly, "May the gods protect you." With that, he sprinted toward the town outskirts.

Just as he stepped out of the town gate, Wu Ta spotted a familiar figure standing with his back to him. A jolt of panic surged through his heart, and he immediately spun around, sprinting back toward the White Tiger Hall while cursing under his breath, "Damn it, those Lei family people really are relentless troublemakers."

Wu Ta possessed decent martial prowess, and his running speed was faster than an ordinary person's. In a mere moment, he caught up with the burly men who had just parted ways with him.

"Master Ta, why did you come back?" a burly man asked.

"Damn it, don't ask. There wasn't even a shadow of a person at the town gate; it was my miscalculation. Hurry up and pick up the pace, all of you!" Leading the charge, he bolted toward the White Tiger Hall.

Just as they reached the entrance of the White Tiger Hall, Wu Ta saw that familiar figure once more. He ran with all his might, only to realize that no matter what he did, he could not escape the palm of this adversary. His psychological defense finally shattered, and with a dull thud, Wu Ta dropped to his knees. "Great Master, what on earth do you want? Please spare this lowly one's life!"

Lei Yan slowly turned around. "Wu Ta, have you still not figured it out?"

The burly men rushed over at that instant. Seeing Wu Ta kneeling on the ground, they assumed the adversary had wounded him. With furious glares, they clenched their fists and charged forward.

"Courting death." Lei Yan waved his right hand, and the burly men instantly collapsed to the ground. Until their dying breath, they had no idea what had just happened.

Wu Ta was dumbfounded. This time, he had witnessed Lei Yan's strike with his own eyes. It was just a casual wave of the hand, yet that effortless slaughter left him entirely unable to face him.

"If you haven't figured it out, keeping you alive is useless," Lei Yan commanded coldly.

"What fiend dares to act so audaciously within the jurisdiction of our Qingxia Mountain?" Two beams of light descended from the sky. As the light dissipated, two men wearing hair buns and blue-and-white Daoist robes appeared before Lei Yan.

A flash of joy crossed Wu Ta's heart. "They're here. They actually arrived early!"

"Qingxia Mountain." Lei Yan frowned slightly. "Two Nascent Soul stage cultivators. Not bad, they have some cultivation."

Upon hearing his words, the expressions of the two men shifted simultaneously.

"Gold Ghost, obey my command!" At Lei Yan's word, a black shadow flew out from his waist, shooting straight toward the two men.

The two men let out a cold snort and shouted in unison, "Fivefold Luminescence Subduing Evil Sword!" As their shouts echoed, two flying swords materialized out of thin air—one burning red, the other water-blue. The moment they appeared, the two swords intertwined in mid-air, their surface brilliance weaving together like rolling waves.

"Fire Radiance Scorches Evil!" roared the man carrying the sword scabbard on his back. Centered on the dual swords, a stream of blazing fire erupted from their cores, roaring toward the Gold Ghost.

The Gold Ghost crossed its arms before its chest, letting those streams of fire blast against its body. Although this attack could not injure the Gold Ghost's physical body, the torrent of fire completely suppressed its mobility.

"Water Radiance Purifies Evil!" Seeing this, the other Daoist priest immediately shouted aloud. A spiral of blue frigid current, intertwining outside the stream of fire, rushed toward the Gold Ghost. The fire current and the frigid current struck the Gold Ghost's body simultaneously. This was far beyond a simple cumulative effect; with a crisp "sizzle" sound, the Gold Ghost's body instantly froze into ice, only to be shattered to pieces by the blazing torrent.

"Interesting. It seems I underestimated the person who took away that stone tablet," Lei Yan chuckled coldly. Judging from the swordsmanship they employed, the Fivefold Luminescence Subduing Evil Sword was clearly a fusion technique of the Five Elements Dao, and this technique had undoubtedly been comprehended from that stone tablet.

"What?!" The two Daoists' expressions changed drastically. Even among Qingxia disciples, very few knew about that stone tablet. How did the person before them know of it?

"Black Fiend!" Lei Yan commanded coldly.

The moment Lei Yan's voice fell, a surge of black vapor violently burst from within his body. In the blink of an eye, the black vapor formed a human shape right in front of him.

"Indeed, you are of the Demonic Path! The disciples of Qingxia Mountain take subduing demons and defending the Dao as our bounden duty. Prepare to die! Fivefold Luminescence Subduing Evil Sword!" shouted the Daoist with the sword scabbard.

Just as his voice fell, the two of them suddenly realized their bodies were bound and entangled by an invisible restriction, rendering them completely unable to move.

"How does a scattered immortal's realm of freedom taste?" Lei Yan commanded with a wave of his hand.

The black vapor suddenly dispersed, forming a spiral in mid-air that pierced straight through the body of one Daoist.

Seeing this, the remaining Daoist immediately self-destructed his physical body. A massive wave of force struck Lei Yan, forcing him back a few steps, while a beam of white light seized the opportunity to streak away toward Qingxia Mountain.

The Black Fiend made to give chase, but Lei Yan commanded, "Forget it. I intended to let one escape anyway; this is for the best." Following that, Lei Yan turned around to look at Wu Ta. At this moment, Wu Ta was frozen in place, staring at Lei Yan with sheer terror. The attack of those two immortals just moments ago was still vivid in his mind—how formidable they were! Yet he could not fathom how those two immortals had been defeated so simply.

Before Lei Yan could speak, Wu Ta dropped to his knees, kowtowing repeatedly as he begged, "Great Master, whatever you want this lowly one to do, I will do it. From today onward, my life belongs to you!"

"Good. Hahaha..." Lei Yan burst into laughter. "Wu Ta, actually you needn't worry. Following me, not only will you obtain the life you desire, but you will also be able to fully showcase your talents."

"Showcase my talents?" Wu Ta's heart stirred, and a sharp gleam flashed through his eyes. He had nurtured a dream all his life—a dream to unearth everyone's secrets. Tentatively, he asked, "Great Master, you don't mean to have me go around digging up people's secrets, do you?"

"Clever. You catch on instantly. But it's not digging up dirty secrets; rather, it's gathering intelligence. Intelligence from across the entire continent. This is no simple task," Lei Yan smiled.

"Indeed, that is no simple matter." Wu Ta stroked his sparse whiskers, then said with confidence, "As long as there is manpower, material resources, and financial backing, I can pull it off."

"Good, very good," Lei Yan nodded. At first hearing, anyone given manpower, material resources, and financial backing could accomplish such a task. Yet managing it properly was no easy feat. What he needed precisely was someone capable of managing it, and Wu Ta perhaps fit that description.