Volume 2 Chapter 30 - A New Record (1/2)
Chapter 30: A New Record
A black gate of a courtyard opened from the inside. Wang Taixu, dressed in a white-foxskin jacket, walked out and stepped onto the waiting carriage.
Inside the hall of this courtyard were several dozen gangster bosses of Changling’s streets. They looked at his back in silence for a long moment.
Several weeks ago, this master of Two Level Tower sat together with them, but weeks later, the other received strong support from the powerful Warden’s Office. The Warden’s Office had used some unusually strong tactics to help smooth the road for him in Changling. Starting today, he would be determining many rules of Changling’s streets.
All the people present knew some things about the happenings of that bloody night. In their view, stealing territory and benefits from gangsters was not much, but daring to claim territory from the Warden’s Office deserved respect.
Once aboard his carriage, Wang Taixu rubbed his temples. Tired, he leaned on the cushion and closed his eyes to rest.
Setting down rules and re-dividing territory for these gangster bosses in Changling was not a simple matter. He knew that he could not completely rely on threatening people in order to establish himself from now on. He had to make people feel he was better than others in the past.
It was close to the end of the year. The streets of Changling were busier than at any other time, and happy children ran around everywhere.
Even Falling Parasol Alley, a poor place in the past, had a cheerful air.
When he saw Wang Taixu’s carriage appear at the entrance of the alley, Ding Ning went to welcome him.
After sitting down in his usual spot in the carriage, Ding Ning looked at Wang Taixu who had taken off his mask and said, “Getting revenge is tiring.”
Wang Taixu smiled.
Every time he saw Ding Ning, he felt very relaxed. This relaxation came from the fact that he did not need to work his mind to think about problems. Ding Ning usually did this better than him.
“It should be Liang Lian.” He put away his smile as he looked at Ding Ning.
To others, these words would be abrupt and bewildering. Yet Ding Ning knew all the messages contained in Wang Taixu’s sentence.
Ding Ning sneered. “Such a coincidence.”
Wang Taixu misunderstood, nodded and said, “His military service is full. He just lacks a foundation to be ennobled as a marquis. He has a status high enough in the military. Some clues also point towards him … in the last while, he was the only one the empress or the two prime ministers expressed discontent towards. A coincidence that Cave Master Xue was used to express the empress’ intentions.”
Ding Ning was silent.
For him, his grudges with Liang Lian was not just these present ones.
“Liang Lian cannot be dealt with so quickly. You lack the support of an adequately powerful cultivator.”
Many breaths later, Ding Ning looked up at Wang Taixu and said, “Previously, there was Cave Master Xue. now there isn’t”
Wang Taixu nodded. “How is Cave Master Xu’s health?”
Ding Ning said, “He will see next year’s Min Mountain Sword Trials.”
Wang Taixu smiled bitterly.
Ding Ning glanced at him and said, “However, you do not temporarily have to seek others. Perhaps, after next year’s Min Mountain Sword Trials, I will have enough importance.”
Wang Taixu immediately stilled.
“It is not that I will possess enough power. But if I am able to get first, my status in the eyes of the powerful and noble of Changling will be different. For example, no one in Changling dares to kill An Baoshi and Jin Liuli,” Ding Ning said, calmly.
“Win the laurels at the Min Mountain Sword Trials?”
Although Wang Taixu knew that Ding Ning joined White Goat Cave in order to attend the Min Mountain Sword Trials, but when he heard Ding Ning’s words just now, he still found it hard to believe.
Ding Ning glanced at him but didn’t explain. He only said, “If you are free, you can come pick me up tonight.”
Wang Taixu’s tired eyes immediately flashed with light.
He knew if there wasn’t a special reason, Ding Ning would not say such words. So he said without hesitation, “Alright, I will wait for you at the gates of White Goat Cave.”
It was near the year’s end and White Goat Cave let out for the year. Most of the students had left so White Goat Cave was even quieter than usual.
Ding Ning was sent by a teacher of White Goat Cave into a hidden hut in the cliffs. Closing the door, and sitting down on the meditation mat, he took out a pill bottle from his sleeve. He swallowed the slightly bitter yellow medicine fluid without leaving a drop.