88: Chapter 88 Taking Control of Dongzhou, Heading to Daliang Mountain

News of the Black Tiger Gang massacring the Qingqi Sect naturally reached the ears of the Martial Dao Sect.

As the titan of the Great Qing Martial Forest, the Martial Dao Sect was instantly enraged.

An ultimatum stamped with the golden seal of the Martial Dao Sect was dispatched with eight-hundred-li urgent speed, spreading across the world: "The Black Tiger Gang is ordered to hand over the culprit who slaughtered the Qingqi Sect within three days, or else the Martial Dao Sect will personally take action to purge the sect and raze the Black Tiger Gang's headquarters to the ground!"

Once this ultimatum was issued, the entire Great Qing Martial Forest was instantly in an uproar.

"I told you so! The Black Tiger Gang is courting death!"

"The Martial Dao Sect hasn't made such a big move in over a decade. With some forces in the Jianghu acting restlessly lately, the Martial Dao Sect is clearly using the Black Tiger Gang as an example to warn the others!"

"The Black Tiger Gang is finished. Even if they have that mysterious Black-robed man backing them, they cannot possibly be a match for the Patriarch of the Martial Dao Sect. That is the only Earthly Immortal in the world!"

Everyone pulled up a chair, waiting to watch the show of the Black Tiger Gang's destruction.

However, the development of events exceeded everyone's expectations.

The three-day deadline arrived, but the gates of the Black Tiger Gang's headquarters remained tightly shut, and no one came out to plead guilty.

Just when everyone thought the Martial Dao Sect's thunderous army was about to set out, the Martial Dao Sect released a bizarre announcement.

The announcement stated: "In recent years, the Qingqi Sect has acted tyrannically, oppressing the local populace and violating the true path of the Martial Dao. The Black Tiger Gang has acted on behalf of the heavens to mete out punishment. Although their methods were extreme, they have rendered meritorious service in pacifying Eastern State. Effective immediately, the Martial Dao Sect recognizes the Black Tiger Gang as the replacement for the Qingqi Sect, temporarily holding the position of hegemon of Eastern State. We hope the Black Tiger Gang will conduct itself well and avoid repeating past mistakes."

Once this announcement was released, the entire world was dumbfounded.

They had clearly chickened out, yet they insisted on putting on the high-and-mighty posture of an elder, with the words between the lines exuding a comical sense of "forced face-saving."

"What… what is going on? How did the Martial Dao Sect go soft?"

"What 'acting on behalf of the heavens'? Didn't they call them murderers just a few days ago?"

Soon, an even more shocking piece of insider gossip began to circulate secretly within the circles of the top-tier Jianghu forces.

It is said that late in the night on the second day after the Martial Dao Sect issued its ultimatum, that mysterious Black-robed man went up to the main peak of the Martial Dao Sect all by himself.

No one knows the process of that battle; they only know that earth-shattering roars came from the main peak of the Martial Dao Sect that night. The next morning, the Patriarch of the Martial Dao Sect announced he was entering secluded cultivation, and subsequently, that submissive announcement appeared.

What does this signify?

It signifies that the Patriarch of the Martial Dao Sect lost! The only Earthly Immortal in the world was defeated by an unknown Black-robed man!

This news was like a heavy hammer, smashing into the hearts of all the forces. Some Schools that had been coveting the massive wealth of the Dragon Trading House and preparing to loot the burning house were so scared that they recalled their men overnight and tightly shut their mountain gates.

In the Jianghu, no one dared to mention seeking justice for the Qingqi Sect ever again.

Taking advantage of this momentum that swept across the world, over the next three months, you carried out a brutal reshuffling of the various Martial Forest forces in Eastern State.

Those who submit will prosper; those who resist will perish.

Inside the grand hall of Tianquan Mountain, you, dressed in black, sat upright on the Sect Head's throne that originally belonged to Sect Master Shen Heming. Below you were dozens of newly promoted Hall Masters of the Black Tiger Gang.

"Deputy Gang Leader, the Flying Sand Gang and the Iron Sword Sect refuse to pay the annual tribute and are even secretly contacting several other small Schools, attempting to band together and resist." A Hall Master reported respectfully.

You didn't even lift your eyelids, and indifferently spat out one word: "Annihilate."

"Yes!"

In just three short months, all the thorny forces within Eastern State were uprooted. The key positions in all major counties and prefectures were completely replaced with trusted confidants of the Black Tiger Gang. Thus, the entire Eastern State completely fell under your control.

At the beginning of the fourth month.

You and Wei Feisen brought hundreds of elite Disciples from the Black Tiger Gang and arrived at the foot of Daliang Mountain in a grand procession.

Looking at the vast mountain range before you, with its undulating peaks and towering ancient trees, you narrowed your eyes slightly.

"Although the area of Daliang Mountain is much smaller than the entire world, trying to find a hidden Immortal Cave here is still like looking for a needle in a haystack." You pondered inwardly.

However, you were already prepared.

You turned around and looked at the hundreds of Disciples behind you. Each of them held a long, hollow iron rod with a semi-cylindrical tip and sharp edges.

This was the "Luoyang Shovel" that you had specifically drawn blueprints for based on your memories of your previous life and had blacksmiths forge overnight.

"Deputy Gang Leader Lin." A burly man walked forward and respectfully cupped his fists. He was the Hall Master of the "Spirit Seeking Hall" you had newly established, specifically responsible for this excavation work. "The brothers are all ready. Shall we start directly?"

You nodded. "Spread out according to the formation I taught you previously. Probe every ten zhang. If the soil brought up has an unusual color, or if you encounter hard objects that cannot be broken, immediately send a signal to report it. Only proceed with excavation after confirming the anomaly."

"Understood!"

The Hall Master of the Spirit Seeking Hall waved his hand, and hundreds of people quickly scattered into the forest, beginning large-scale soil probing operations.

You did not follow them deep into the mountains.

You turned your head and looked in another direction of Daliang Mountain. That was the place where you had cultivated in seclusion in your previous life, and it was also the home where you and Xiao Wang had lived for many years.

Although in this life you did not choose to hide in the deep mountains for ascetic cultivation, and naturally did not meet Xiao Wang.

You originally didn't intend to disturb it either. After all, in your current situation, even if you found it, you could only keep it in the Black Tiger Gang as a fat white cat waiting to die, which is not as good as waiting until you find the way to the Cultivation World to come and take it with you.

But since you had already arrived at Daliang Mountain, that feeling of longing spread like wild grass.

Relying on your memories from your previous life, you pushed aside the waist-deep weeds and walked towards the cave in your memory.

Although Wei Feisen did not know what you were looking for, he still followed behind you.

Passing through a dense pine forest, that familiar natural cave finally appeared before your eyes.

The cave entrance was overgrown with vines, and Xiao Wang's figure was not seen around.

You pushed aside the vines and walked into the slightly dim cave, with Wei Feisen following closely behind.

Just a few steps inside, two eerie green lanterns suddenly lit up in the darkness, followed immediately by a deafening tiger roar that exploded within the cave.

"Roar—!"

A gust of fishy wind hit your face. A huge white tiger lunged from the shadows, blocking the depths of the cave, baring its sharp fangs at you, and emitting a warning low growl from its throat.

You were stunned for a moment, looking at that familiar big face, with its little face slightly puffed up.

"Xiao Wang, it's me." You said softly, attempting to take a step forward.

Xiao Wang seemed even fiercer than in your previous life. It immediately lowered its body, assuming an attack stance, its roar even more shrill, completely refusing to let you get close, as if it were guarding something.

Seeing this, Wei Feisen, who was following behind, had his gaze instantly turn sinister. He placed his right hand on the hilt of his blade, and a dark red Protective Aura swirled around his fingertips.