Chapter 99: Storm Rises

Chapter 99: Storm Clouds Gather

A sect foundation sufficient to elevate Li Jun to Martial Grade Six—Crow Hua’s generosity was staggering enough to make one’s jaw drop.

If a third person were to hear these words at this moment, they would surely think this unprepossessing old man had contracted a delusional disorder.

After all, even the two largest powers in Chengdu Prefecture, the Gu and Wu families and the Qingcheng Group, would likely be unable to scrape together a complete set of Seventh-Grade martial arts on short notice; such things simply did not exist on the open market.

Li Jun could tell Crow Hua was speaking the truth. Slippery as the old man was, he would never joke with Crow Duoduo’s life.

"To say I’m not tempted, that my eyes aren’t burning—that’s bullshit. But this grandpa’s character won’t let him kick a man while he’s down."

Li Jun tilted his head back, rolling his neck, and let out a sigh, smiling. "I said this mess started because of me, so I can’t take the goods. But the Heavenly Will Association—I’ll handle that for you."

Given Li Jun’s currently decent working relationship with Lord Ma, getting Crow Duoduo into the Heavenly Will Association wouldn't be hard; at most, it would require a few more slices of Yang Zhan’s brain tissue.

As long as he killed Gu Yong and seized the portion he had embezzled from his master, it would be enough.

Compared to a full set of Seventh-Grade martial arts, this cost was a world of difference.

However, Crow Hua seemed to have anticipated his refusal long ago, continuing, "The price I’m offering isn't just for you to handle the Heavenly Will Association matter."

Li Jun cut him off, his tone final. "Killing Yu Kou doesn't require payment either; he and I are destined to settle the score sooner or later."

Crow Hua still shook his head, his expression exceptionally complex. "Listen to me finish."

"Since the Chongzhen Restoration, the empire has revered martial might, and the Martial Path Sequence has always firmly occupied the pinnacle of the Three Teachings and Nine Streams. At its most prosperous, one could even say it was One Teaching and Eleven Streams."

"Back then, talents emerged in droves within the sequence, masters were as numerous as clouds. In the court, sect alliance leaders headed the Ministry of War; regional commanders were almost exclusively Martial Path practitioners. The number of martial artists in the empire exceeded tens of millions; the number of sects surpassed even the Confucian academies of today."

"Until the Imperial Ministry of Works and the Imperial Academy tinkered out the 'Mechanical Body,' giving the many streams long suppressed beneath the Martial Path a glimpse of a chance to rise."

"Feeble flesh and blood could no longer limit the evolution of their spirits, and it sparked in them the desire to retaliate against the Martial Path Sequence—hence the later 'All Under Heaven Divides the Martial.'"

Crow Hua sighed. "Now the glory has faded, sects have withered. The Chu Wu Sect legacy in my hands cannot serve as a foundation for revival; instead, it has become the crime that invites a slaughter."

"So, I want you to spread the word."

Li Jun picked up the thread. "Make them believe the remaining legacy of the Southwest Martial Grand Gate, the Chu Wu Sect, is all in my hands, while you lot, aside from your identities as sect survivors, hold no value whatsoever."

The old man fell silent for a moment, then nodded heavily.

Li Jun’s tone was mocking. "So you want me to stand at the eye of the storm, blocking the arrows for you."

"Not us. Just Duoduo."

Crow Hua’s face held neither sorrow nor joy. "I’ll use this old life to act alongside you. When I die, others will believe the goods are truly in your hands, and only then can Duoduo stay safe in the Heavenly Will Association."

The old man turned his head, gazing at that chiseled, resolute profile. "Don't hate me for being ruthless. I am an old servant of the Chu Wu Sect; I’ve lingered on this long only to protect Duoduo. She doesn't know what I've told you. If you're unwilling, don't take it out on her."

"I don't hate you, and I’d never take it out on her. Although we've had dealings, we're just two people struggling to survive."

Li Jun pressed his hands on his knees, bowing his waist, stretching his spine until it cracked, a look of relief washing over his face.

"On the contrary, now that everything is out in the open, I feel much more at ease."

Li Jun chuckled. "This job—I'll take it."

Crow Hua looked at the young martial artist before him, so open and aboveboard, and strangely felt a pang of discomfort.

"You're an old hand who's seen storms; why the hesitation now?"

Li Jun’s bearing was carefree, his laughter loud. "A complete set of Seventh-Grade martial arts—if sold on the black market, wouldn't it fetch tens of millions? Anyway, no shortage of people coveting this life of mine; more debt doesn't worry the debtor."

Crow Hua was silent for a moment, raising a hand to rub his withered, bark-like face, pulling an archaic-looking metal key from his sleeve and tossing it to Li Jun.

Li Jun caught it, smiling. "Payment before the job's done? Aren't you afraid I'll run off with it?"

"After all my years wandering the rivers and lakes, if I'm a bad judge of character, I deserve to die ten times over."

Li Jun laughed heartily, lowering his eyes to examine the object in his hand.

The key, gleaming with a silver luster, felt heavy in the hand; its material was indiscernible, but the surface was smooth and clean, the interior likely devoid of mechanisms.

However you looked at it, it was just a very primitive safe key.

Li Jun was startled. Something this valuable, stored in a safe?

"The more primitive the thing, the more reliable."

Crow Hua said. "The goods are at the Peace Hotel in Chongqing Prefecture. That's the territory of those Yin-Yang School mystics. When you arrive, give my name, and they'll take you to retrieve it."

Chongqing Prefecture again.

Li Jun’s heart stirred. The escape route Hundred-Household Wei Ju'an of Baoning Prefecture had mentioned was also in that place.

It seems once Chengdu Prefecture's matters are settled, I must make a trip to that dragon-and-snake-infested 'Land of a Thousand Layers' no matter what!

"Fine." Li Jun tucked the key close to his body, braced his hands on his knees, and stood up. "I'll handle the Heavenly Will Association matter right now. As for when our play begins?"

"Once you kill Yu Kou, I'll leak the news on the black market."

Li Jun nodded in agreement. His lips moved, hesitant, but he finally spoke: "For the time you have left, old sir... try to find some happiness."

"Old man stops hesitating, and you start? If you think this old man isn't so bad, then every time you kill someone from the Buddhist or Daoist factions, send me a message on the comms device. Let me have a little fun."

"As for tomb-sweeping and such, forget it. Odds are I won't leave a grave behind anyway."

Crow Hua waved a hand, laughing, and turned, vanishing into the shadows of the alley.

Just then, Li Jun’s wristguard suddenly vibrated. Qi Zhu’s avatar on the screen flashed frantically, like a man possessed.

Something happened?

Li Jun’s heart sank abruptly. He answered immediately, hearing only chaotic, noisy clamor through the channel, punctuated by the distant reverberation of explosions.

Under such conditions, Qi Zhu could only scream at the top of her lungs to make herself heard. "Director! The Group Headquarters was just ambushed! Young Master Gu Yong has been taken! The Main Family has ordered the Security Department to go fully active—we must get him back!"

Li Jun drew a long, slow breath in, then let it out slowly, scraping a finger against his razor-sharp brow ridge.

The storm... has finally arrived.