315: Xiang Shuai explores the salt road

On the stone table in the Hanyue Valley Underground Palace, a map of the Jiangnan Salt Route was spread out, with densely packed red dots marking the strongholds of the River-Crossing Dragon Gang, extending from the Yangzhou wharf all the way to the mouth of the Qiantang River.

Jun Xiaoyao lightly tapped the location of 'Zhenjiang Ferry,' and the water mirror lit up in response. In the image, Fragrant Bat was waving his folding fan, mingling among a group of trackers, slowly walking toward the teahouse at the ferry.

[Target: River-Crossing Dragon Gang Zhenjiang Branch] [Mission: Investigate the hiding spot of the salt boats and obtain the gang's account books] [Threat Level: Branch Leader Lei Bao (Grandmaster Realm Late Stage), twenty guards (Innate Realm)]

'Marshal Xiang certainly knows how to enjoy himself.' Jun Xiaoyao watched as Fragrant Bat took the Biluochun tea handed over by the tea server in the image, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly. Zhao Gao stood to the side, holding the newly compiled list of salt route profits, and said in a low voice, 'The River-Crossing Dragon Gang has seized seventeen boats of refined salt from us in the last three months. Based on black market prices, the loss exceeds five hundred thousand taels of silver.'

Jun Xiaoyao's fingertip slid across the list, stopping at the words 'Qiantang Main Branch': 'What is the background of their main branch leader?'

Zhao Gao quickly pulled up the information: [River-Crossing Dragon Gang Leader: Ao Canghai, Great Grandmaster Realm Early Stage. He was a pirate in his early years and practiced a form of hard qigong, said to be able to withstand blades and swords. His adopted son, Ao Tianqing, manages the Zhenjiang Branch; he is ruthless and has close ties with the local prefect.]

'Great Grandmaster Realm Early Stage...' Jun Xiaoyao's eyes flickered slightly. 'No wonder he dared to move against The Net's salt boats.' He looked toward the summoning array. Due to the calming of the war in the Northern Territory, the spiritual energy in the array's core had stabilized at 42%, and a new list of summonable characters appeared on the light screen.

[Summonable Character: Huang Rong] [Origin: 'the legend of the condor heroes' world] [Realm: Grandmaster Realm Peak] [Martial Skill: Dog Beating Staff Technique (Major Achievement), Falling Blossom Divine Sword Palm (Minor Achievement)] [Expertise: Mystical Arts of Wondrous Gates and Hidden Staves, Disguise, Poison Arts] [Summoning Cost: 30% Spiritual Energy]

'Huang Rong?' Jun Xiaoyao raised an eyebrow. This brilliant woman, full of wit, was exactly what was needed to make up for The Net's shortcomings in strategic planning. 'Summon.'

The array's core lit up with a pale pink glow, and runes scattered like flower petals as the figure of a woman dressed in yellow gradually materialized. She was pretty and delicate, with agile eyes, and was toying with a jade-green Dog Beating Staff in her hand. Upon seeing Jun Xiaoyao, she first blinked, then performed a graceful bow: 'This little woman, Huang Rong, greets the Young Lord.'

[Character Panel: Huang Rong] [Status: Curious] [Loyalty: 85%] [Current Thought: This underground palace is quite interesting; it's much more exquisite than the stone chambers on Peach Blossom Island.]

Jun Xiaoyao pointed to the Zhenjiang Ferry in the water mirror: 'Fragrant Bat is currently investigating the River-Crossing Dragon Gang. You go and assist him. The priority is to find evidence of their collusion with the prefect.'

Watching Fragrant Bat laughing and chatting with the trackers in the image, Huang Rong covered her mouth and giggled: 'So it's him; that saves me quite a bit of trouble.' She turned and stepped into the teleportation array. 'Young Lord, rest assured, I will definitely bring back the evidence before sunset.'

The water mirror image switched, and Huang Rong's figure appeared outside the teahouse at the Zhenjiang Ferry. She had disguised herself as a flower girl, carrying a basket, and walked up to Fragrant Bat, whispering, 'Brother Chu, the Young Lord sent me to help.'

Fragrant Bat waved his folding fan lightly and pointed seemingly casually toward the teahouse's backyard: 'Lei Bao is in there gambling. The accountant just returned from the prefect's office, and he has a red silk bundle tucked inside his robe.'

Huang Rong blinked, carried her basket around to the backyard, and while the guards weren't paying attention, flicked a thin needle from her fingertip, precisely hitting the accountant's pressure point. She caught the falling bundle and opened it to find an account book and several banknotes inside, which clearly recorded the details of the division of spoils between the branch and the prefect.

'Many thanks for the gift, sir.' Huang Rong smiled at the unconscious accountant. As she turned, she had changed back into her yellow attire, and she spun the Dog Beating Staff in her palm. 'Brother Chu, the evidence is in hand. Shall we take the opportunity to wipe out this branch?'

Just as Fragrant Bat was about to answer, the sound of tables and chairs overturning suddenly came from the teahouse. Lei Bao rushed out with his guards, holding a ghost-head saber, and roared: 'Where did these little thieves come from? How dare you steal my things!'

Instead of retreating, Huang Rong advanced. The Dog Beating Staff transformed into a green shadow, employing the 'Trip-Horse Rope' technique, nimbly hooking Lei Bao's ankle. Lei Bao lost his balance, and the ghost-head saber flew out of his hand, only to be caught by Fragrant Bat with his folding fan.

'Gang Leader Lei,' Fragrant Bat weighed the ghost-head saber, 'This blade is quite nice, but unfortunately, it is paired with the wrong master.'

Lei Bao was both shocked and furious. He threw both fists out, pushing his hard qigong to the limit until his fists took on a bronze color. Huang Rong, however, did not clash with him head-on. Her Dog Beating Staff aimed at his joints with every move, and combined with Fragrant Bat's Flowing Cloud Flying Sleeve, she had Lei Bao tightly bound in less than ten moves.

'Speak, where are the main branch's salt boats hidden?' Huang Rong tapped Lei Bao's forehead with the Dog Beating Staff.

Lei Bao gritted his teeth and remained silent, but Huang Rong smiled and pulled a small porcelain bottle from her waist: 'This is Peach Blossom Island's 'Itch Powder.' Sprinkle a little on your body, and I guarantee you'll laugh until your bones fall apart...'

Before she could finish, Lei Bao hurriedly shouted: 'I'll talk! It's... it's in the Jiaoshan Cave! The main branch leader is guarding it personally!'

In front of the water mirror, Jun Xiaoyao watched the backs of Huang Rong and Fragrant Bat as they escorted Lei Bao away, and said to Zhao Gao: 'Have the 'Xuan' group go to Jiaoshan to provide support. Remember, capture Ao Canghai alive; I want to interrogate him personally.'

After Zhao Gao received the order and withdrew, Huang Rong had already sent back rubbings of the account book and banknotes via a message talisman. Jun Xiaoyao flipped to one of the pages, which recorded that the River-Crossing Dragon Gang offered five thousand jin of refined salt to the Wanfa Holy Land every month in exchange for protection through Cultivation Techniques.

'Wanfa Holy Land certainly knows how to do business.' Jun Xiaoyao sneered and handed the account book to Yellow Pharmacist. 'Daoist Master, take a look. Are there any exploitable flaws in the salt route defense layout recorded here?'

Yellow Pharmacist took the account book and tapped the jade flute on the defense map: 'The Jiaoshan Cave has three entrances, but only the waterway on the west side can accommodate large ships. However, it is densely packed with hidden reefs and requires the 'Seven-Star Positioning Method' to avoid them—as it happens, I have a partial sea chart that might just complete it.'

Jun Xiaoyao looked at the sea chart that Yellow Pharmacist had spread out and compared it with the terrain of Jiaoshan; it fit perfectly. He called out into the air: 'Guo Jing.'

A golden light flashed, and Guo Jing strode into the underground palace: 'What are your orders, Young Lord?'

'Take the 'Di' group and ride a fast boat to Jiaoshan,' Jun Xiaoyao handed him the sea chart. 'Enter the cave according to the waterway marked on the map, and coordinate with Fragrant Bat and Huang Rong to take down Ao Canghai.'

Guo Jing took the sea chart and bowed solemnly: 'This subordinate accepts the order!'

Watching Guo Jing leave, Jun Xiaoyao sat back down at the stone table. On the light screen, the image of Jiaoshan lit up—Ao Canghai was standing deep in the cave, directing the gang members to load salt bags onto a large ship. Beside him stood a middle-aged man dressed in Daoist robes; he was an Outer Sect Elder of the Wanfa Holy Land.

[Character: Daoist Master Qingxu] [Realm: Grandmaster Realm Peak] [Mission: Supervise the handover of refined salt and ensure the offering is delivered on time]

'Wanfa Holy Land is quite thoughtful; they even sent someone to keep watch.' Jun Xiaoyao's eyes grew cold. 'It seems the lesson from last time wasn't enough.' He said to Zhao Gao, 'Send a message to West Gate Blows Snow and tell him to go to Jiaoshan as a 'guest,' and while he's at it...'

'While he's at it, behead that Daoist?' Zhao Gao added.

'No.' Jun Xiaoyao shook his head. 'Cripple his cultivation and hang him outside the gate of the Wanfa Holy Land. Let them know that the property of Beyond Heaven is not something just anyone can touch.'

As Zhao Gao received the order to send the message, the sounds of fighting had already erupted inside the Jiaoshan Cave. Guo Jing's Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms shook the rock walls, causing stones to fly. Huang Rong's Dog Beating Staff entangled Ao Canghai's limbs, while Fragrant Bat led the 'Xuan' group to clear out the gang members. The three coordinated perfectly, actually forcing Ao Canghai, who was in the Early Stage of the Great Grandmaster Realm, to retreat step by step.

Seeing the situation was unfavorable, Daoist Master Qingxu turned and tried to flee, but his path was blocked by a flash of white light. West Gate Blows Snow's long sword rested against his throat, his voice as cold as ice: 'The Young Lord has ordered that your cultivation be crippled as a punishment.'

A flash of sword light passed, and Daoist Master Qingxu let out a miserable scream as the spiritual energy at his Dantian dissipated, and he collapsed to the ground.

Half an hour later, the sounds of fighting in the cave subsided. Ao Canghai was tied to the bow of the ship with iron chains, and the account books, salt boats, and witnesses were all secured. Huang Rong walked over to Fragrant Bat carrying a bundle and opened it to find secret letters between Ao Canghai and the high-ranking members of the Wanfa Holy Land, detailing the specifics of their cooperation.

'Now the evidence is irrefutable.' Huang Rong smiled.

Fragrant Bat tapped the secret letters with his folding fan: 'This is enough for the Wanfa Holy Land to suffer a major setback.'

In front of the water mirror, Jun Xiaoyao looked at the date on the secret letters; it was exactly the third day after the theft of the Wanfa Holy Land's treasure vault. He tapped his finger forcefully on the words 'Wanfa Holy Land': 'It seems they wanted to use the profits from the salt route to make up for the losses of the treasure vault.'

Yellow Pharmacist said from the side: 'Young Lord, shall we take the opportunity to seize the salt route in Jiangnan? With this ledger and the secret letters, it is enough to make the imperial court seal off the industries of the Wanfa Holy Land.'

'No rush.' Jun Xiaoyao shook his head. 'Leave the salt route to The Net to manage. As for the Wanfa Holy Land...' He looked at the summoning array; the spiritual energy in the core had risen to 55% due to the seizure of the salt boats. 'Wait until the next time I summon enough personnel, then we will settle the final account slowly.'

Outside the underground palace, the night in Jiangnan had deepened. The lights of Jiaoshan flickered on the river, reflecting the busy figures of The Net's assassins. With the destruction of the River-Crossing Dragon Gang, Beyond Heaven finally controlled the salt route of Jiangnan, adding an important part to its resource map.

Jun Xiaoyao watched the constantly increasing spiritual energy value on the light screen, the corners of his mouth curling into a cold arc. Wanfa Holy Land, the remnants of the Blood Shadow Cult, the feudal kings of the Imperial Dynasty... those forces that had once stood in front of Beyond Heaven were falling one by one.

And all he had to do was continue to sit deep in this underground palace, watching The Net weave tighter and tighter, until the entire continent was brought under the control of Beyond Heaven.