"Everything's been resolved. Your husband isn't so easily defeated—I just wanted to let you know. These past two months I didn't come to see you because I was genuinely busy. Don't hold it against me."
Seeing Huang Xuemei silent, Li Daoqiang continued with a smile. For a woman like Huang Xuemei, once the relationship was set, the best approach was gentleness and emotional persuasion. With He Qinghua, however, he had to maintain a strong hand. This stemmed from the differences in their personalities and strengths.
"No need," Huang Xuemei said coldly, meaning he didn't need to explain.
Li Daoqiang pretended not to notice and sighed, his expression darkening. "Xuemei, you don't know how dangerous it was this time. Even I wasn't sure I'd make it through. Luckily, luck was on my side, and nothing happened. Honestly, I thought about telling you midway—I believe you'd have faced it with me, life or death together. But I didn't. I figured if I had to die, let it be just me. Why drag you into it? If I really died, you'd still be alive, living on in my place."
Huang Xuemei frowned deeply, a question rising in her mind: If it came to that, would she truly share life and death with this husband? She didn't know. So, hearing those trust-filled words, she felt a pang of shame.
Li Daoqiang, closely watching her expression, continued without a shred of guilt. "If I really died, what regrets would I have? I thought it over seriously back then. In the end, it was only you, Xuemei. If I died, you'd be alone again. You'd be even lonelier—that's not what I want to see. Xuemei, I really can't bear to leave you by yourself."
"I'm not alone. I have Xiao Lin," Huang Xuemei spoke up, increasingly unable to bear his words, wanting only to escape.
"Xiao Lin has his own life. In this lifetime, parents have their own lives, siblings even more so. Even children, when they grow up, will start their own families. So only a husband and wife can support each other through life. Only a couple truly belongs to each other forever, always accompanying one another," Li Daoqiang said with a smile, his expression hopeful and yearning.
Huang Xuemei didn't agree but couldn't find a way to refute him, so she stayed silent.
"Alright, enough of that. I'll have Qi Fu prepare things. Tonight, let's talk properly, just the two of us." Li Daoqiang stood up, speaking gently as if completely at ease.
Huang Xuemei didn't know how to refuse, so she acquiesced.
That night, under Li Daoqiang's constant chatter, both he and Huang Xuemei drank quite a bit. Though the alcohol had little effect on them, it still played a role. Eventually, they ended up in bed.
After their intimacy subsided, Li Daoqiang felt quite satisfied. His approach had worked. Tenderness and emotional persuasion were most effective with Huang Xuemei. Even though she remained resistant, resentful, and even somewhat hateful toward him, her defenses weakened in the end, no longer so firm. As long as she wasn't resolute, he could break through. To him, what Huang Xuemei felt—love, hate, or anything else—didn't matter much. As long as she still acknowledged herself as his wife and didn't leave him, it was enough. That she was still willing to be with him, even if half-coerced, showed she didn't want to go.
After spending a day with Huang Xuemei, Li Daoqiang left, leaving behind 500,000 taels of silver. It wasn't favoritism—one was a Xiantian master, the other a Zongshi. Their expenses were naturally different. That was just reality.
Having appeased his two women, Li Daoqiang was in a good mood. He returned to Black Dragon Stronghold to comfort the easily satisfied Qi Fang before preparing for his trip to Suzhou. He didn't bring many people—just Duan Yanqing, Blood Saber Old Ancestor, and Yun Zhonghe. The four of them left the stronghold, heading straight for Suzhou.
Over ten days later, gazing at the scenic Taihu Lake, Li Daoqiang silently admired its beauty. He wondered how it compared to Jiangnan in the Ming Kingdom. Due to the cataclysmic merging of many worlds over a thousand years ago, the geography of this world had become chaotic. The landmass had expanded immensely, and many places shared the same names—like two Mount Songs, giving rise to the Northern and Southern Shaolin. Thus, people usually prefixed a location with the country name to distinguish identical places. With only the Ming and Song kingdoms left as Han Chinese states, these two were used to differentiate.
"How's the Beggar's Sect?" Li Daoqiang asked casually while enjoying the scenery.
"Chief, the Beggar's Sect Deputy Chief Ma Dayuan died recently, killed by his own signature technique. I hear many sect disciples are gathering in Gusu to trouble Murong Fu," Blood Saber Old Ancestor reported respectfully, having just hurried over.
"Have you found Ma Dayuan's wife?"
"Not yet." Blood Saber Old Ancestor lowered his head.
"Keep looking."
"Yes."
Li Daoqiang waved his hand, and Blood Saber Old Ancestor left to attend to matters. He had been in Gusu for several days but hadn't spent all his time sightseeing. Of course, he wasn't the one doing the actual work—he only needed to give orders. His goals for this trip to Jiangsu were clear. The primary one was figuring out how to sway Qiao Feng or Hong Qigong into giving him the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms. The rest were secondary. The tasks he'd assigned over the past few days were all preparations for this.
Gazing at the vast, beautiful lake, Li Daoqiang thought for a moment and smiled. "Yun Zhonghe, send a message to Swallow Island. Tell them that tomorrow, I, the Chief, will visit Brother Murong. Be polite."
"Yes." Yun Zhonghe, standing respectfully nearby, acknowledged and quickly left.
"What do you think? How should I obtain the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms?" Li Daoqiang suddenly asked with interest.
Duan Yanqing, standing like a statue a few yards away, glanced at him and said in a low voice, "With the Chief's strength, defeating Qiao Feng, Guo Jing, or Hong Qigong is no issue. Then you could threaten them with their lives and the Beggar's Sect disciples' lives. That could also be considered a trade."
"Heh, you're always looking to set me up, aren't you? Suggesting something that would openly break with the righteous path," Li Daoqiang laughed, seemingly unconcerned.
"That seems to be something the Chief often does," Duan Yanqing replied calmly, his expression unchanged.
"Really?" Li Daoqiang raised an eyebrow, feigning confusion. "Have I done that with righteous people?"
Duan Yanqing fell silent, closing his eyes slightly. His heart grew heavier. Beneath his greed for wealth and women, Li Daoqiang was clearly sharp and alert.
Li Daoqiang's face suddenly turned cold as he stared at Duan Yanqing. "This is the first time I've caught you trying to harm me. Fine, considering your Zongshi strength, I'll let it slide this once. But don't let me find a second time. The second time, I'll cut off one of your fingers. The third, I'll slice off your nose and ears. The fourth should be your eyes. Without them, your strength will plummet, and you'll be useless. Then, don't blame me for disregarding our master-servant bond."
Duan Yanqing's hands gripping his crutches tightened, his face twitching with agitation. Li Daoqiang had been tempting and testing him from the start, and he had walked right into it. He lowered his head, remaining silent—the best response he could muster.
"Heh." Li Daoqiang laughed again, walking over to pat Duan Yanqing's shoulder. "Remember, if you want to harm me, you'd better be extra careful. Otherwise, losing a Zongshi subordinate like you would pain me, you know?"
With that, he smiled and strode away.
Duan Yanqing took a deep breath, suppressing the flicker of fear within him, and etched caution deep into his heart. He knew he only had two chances left. The fourth time, with his eyes gouged out, he'd be useless. And useless, Li Daoqiang wouldn't spare him. Calming himself, he followed.
At Swallow Island's Canhe Manor in Taihu Lake, Murong Fu, Deng Baichuan, Bao Butong, and Feng Bo'e all wore grim expressions.
"Master, Li Daoqiang's arrival at this time surely has a purpose. A gentleman doesn't stand under a dangerous wall. I suggest you don't meet him; let us handle it," Deng Baichuan said seriously.
Murong Fu hesitated, sharing the same thought. But if he avoided Li Daoqiang out of fear after a proper visit, it would sting his pride.
"Not so, not so! Master, if Li Daoqiang visits with courtesy and you're home but refuse to see him, and it's exposed, the Murong family's face will be lost," Bao Butong shook his head firmly.
"Yes, Master, I think we should meet him," Feng Bo'e quickly agreed.
Deng Baichuan frowned but said nothing more, waiting for Murong Fu's decision.
After a few breaths, Murong Fu said solemnly, "If I don't meet Li Daoqiang when he visits, how will the martial world view the Murong family? I'll see him and perhaps win him over."
The three nodded without further comment.
The next day, at the Taihu ferry, a large ship slowly approached.
"Haha, Brother Murong, long time no see!" Li Daoqiang, waiting on the shore, greeted him with a hearty laugh.
"Brother Li, Murong Fu is late in welcoming you. My apologies," Murong Fu said with a broad smile, cupping his hands alongside his two retainers.
"Between friends, no need for such formality. Besides, I just arrived myself." Li Daoqiang waved dismissively, his tone warm and familiar.
Murong Fu felt a slight awkwardness—that past incident wasn't easy to forget. But for a strongman like Li Daoqiang, his main thought was still winning him over. So he responded with equal enthusiasm.
(Chapter 1, thanks for your support.) ······