"Hahaha!"
Li Daoqiang laughed, looking at Ding Dian with even more favor.
Setting aside the treasure—a prejudice and wariness that had cut him to the bone—Ding Dian was indeed a straightforward and upright man.
Though he didn't consider himself a good person, that didn't stop him from preferring to deal with honest men.
Without any beating around the bush, he said directly, "What I'm after is you."
"You?" Ding Dian was startled, looking at him in confusion.
"I'm Li Daoqiang, the chief of Black Dragon Stronghold." Li Daoqiang declared boldly.
Ding Dian's expression shifted slightly. Li Daoqiang, chief of Black Dragon Stronghold.
He'd heard that name. Though he'd been in prison, over the past few months, this title had become exceptionally famous.
The jailers had talked about it plenty.
With his deep cultivation, he'd caught every word clearly.
A flicker of caution rose again, but recalling the events just now, he inexplicably felt no disgust.
This man was a bandit, but he didn't seem like a villain steeped in evil.
On the contrary, that bold, open demeanor was the first thing in years to put him at ease.
After a moment's thought, he nodded slightly and said calmly, "I've heard a thing or two."
Li Daoqiang wasn't surprised. Ding Dian was in prison only because he chose to stay.
It was normal for him to have picked up some news.
It saved him some effort.
"Good, that saves me from repeating myself. I'll speak plainly—I've come for one purpose only: to invite you, Brother Ding, to join Black Dragon Stronghold." Li Daoqiang said loudly.
Ding Dian's eyes widened again, staring at Li Daoqiang with a hint of oddity.
Inviting him to join a bandit stronghold?
Without a second thought, he refused flatly, "Ding cannot join."
His tone wasn't harsh, but it wasn't warm either.
Li Daoqiang didn't mind, acting as if he hadn't heard the rejection. With a light laugh, he said, "Brother Ding needn't refuse so quickly. I know your character well, yet I still came to invite you. Naturally, I have my reasons and some confidence."
Hearing this, Ding Dian couldn't help but feel curious.
Reasons and confidence—he couldn't imagine what could possibly make him join a bandit stronghold.
He didn't speak, nor did he leave, just watching Li Daoqiang calmly.
"To be honest, Brother Ding, the people I least like dealing with are those like you." Li Daoqiang didn't state his reasons right away, but let out a soft sigh instead.
Ding Dian raised an eyebrow, not offended, but intrigued: "Why?"
"Because people like you don't crave wealth, aren't lustful, aren't martial fanatics, and most importantly, you're not afraid of death." Li Daoqiang's tone carried a hint of helplessness.
"Inviting someone like you to join Black Dragon Stronghold is incredibly hard.
If you were afraid of death, I could just threaten your life—simple and easy."
"Hahaha." Ding Dian couldn't help but laugh.
Though the words clearly weren't those of a good man, after all these years, he'd seen through too much.
He didn't find them offensive; instead, he felt a faint warmth.
He hadn't expected that besides Shuanghua, there was someone in this world who understood him, Ding Dian, so well.
A subtle sense of recognition flickered deep in his eyes.
Of course, that alone wouldn't make him join Black Dragon Stronghold.
"Ding thanks Chief Li for the praise, but I'm even more curious now. Since you understand me so well, why are you so confident?"
Li Daoqiang shook his head and said calmly, "I never praise people; I only speak the truth.
As for confidence, it comes from my thorough investigation."
With that, his expression turned serious, looking at Ding Dian earnestly: "First, though Black Dragon Stronghold is a bandit den, and I'm no good man, I set rules when I became chief.
No infighting, no assaulting women, and no killing without orders.
Since then, we've never robbed common folk, only merchant caravans.
Many know this, Brother Ding, and you can verify it freely."
Ding Dian's eyes shifted slightly, for the first time since learning Li Daoqiang was a bandit, feeling a genuine hint of goodwill.
Under these rules, in his eyes, the man wasn't a villain.
As for robbing merchant caravans, he couldn't care less.
He knew all too well what those merchants were like.
If even half of a hundred were truly innocent, it would be the world's luck.
He clasped his hands and said earnestly, "Chief Li is noble."
Li Daoqiang waved a hand. The first point was essential.
Otherwise, someone like Ding Dian would die rather than join Black Dragon Stronghold.
What could he do? The world always had those fools willing to throw away their lives.
"Second, I, Li Daoqiang, value two things above all.
One is trust, the other is fair exchange.
In my eyes, everything has value.
I believe Brother Ding joining Black Dragon Stronghold isn't impossible, as long as you can gain the corresponding value."
Ding Dian fell silent. Before his imprisonment, he might have found these words detestable.
But after all he'd been through, on reflection, they weren't wrong.
Was he, Ding Dian, truly without desires or needs?
No.
He said nothing, listening intently.
Li Daoqiang could tell from his demeanor that each step so far had been correct.
This Ding Dian, reborn through fire, was truly remarkable.
An upright man willing to listen seriously to a bandit chief—how many truly upright men in the world could do that?
Prejudice in people's hearts was indeed a mountain.
"Brother Ding, the price I'm offering took me a long time to prepare carefully, so forgive any offense."
A sharp glint flashed in Ding Dian's eyes, as if he'd guessed something. His fists clenched briefly, then relaxed, and he shook his head silently.
"Good, Brother Ding is magnanimous. Then I'll speak plainly." Li Daoqiang's tone lifted with confidence: "I've thoroughly investigated the events of that year, and based on my guesses, your greatest and only weakness in life now is one.
Ling Shuanghua, daughter of Jingzhou Prefect Ling Tuisi."
Ding Dian's eyes narrowed, like a tiger ready to strike, but he still said nothing.
Li Daoqiang paid it no mind, knowing it was a warning, and continued: "You and Miss Ling love each other deeply, but Ling Tuisi tore you apart and brought you to this.
Yet no matter what, Ling Tuisi is still Miss Ling's father.
He's the biggest obstacle between you. Given your character, Brother Ding, even if you had the chance for revenge, you wouldn't harm him.
Otherwise, you wouldn't have endured in silence until now."
Ding Dian remained silent, admitting the man was right.
"As long as Ling Tuisi lives, you and Miss Ling can never be together.
Frankly, Ling Tuisi is shrewd in some ways but utterly foolish in others.
He wants the Liancheng Jue treasure and the Divine Illumination Scripture. Given your bond with Miss Ling, if he married her to you, what couldn't he get?
But he judged you by his own standards, thinking you valued the treasure and the martial art above all.
To be sure, he chose to strike at you.
He lost a fine son-in-law, ruined his daughter's happiness, and gained nothing."
Li Daoqiang spoke slowly, and a deep, intense hatred flickered in Ding Dian's eyes.
Countless nights, he'd wanted to demand of Ling Tuisi:
Why did you harm me?
The Liancheng Jue treasure, the Divine Illumination Scripture—you're Shuanghua's father. If you truly wanted them, would I have refused?
Why did you harm me?
Of course, he'd long since figured it out. People like Ling Tuisi judged others by themselves; they never trusted anyone.
That was all.
"Now, it's too late to go back.
So, Ling Tuisi is the biggest obstacle between you.
That's just one point.
Second, if I'm not mistaken, Brother Ding plans to break through to the Grandmaster realm, then elope with Miss Ling and flee far away, right?"
Li Daoqiang looked at Ding Dian with certainty.
Ding Dian's gaze sharpened, but he said nothing.
It was an admission.
"Brother Ding is smart, knowing how conspicuous you are.
The Liancheng Jue treasure and the Divine Illumination Scripture have countless martial artists hunting for you.
That's why you're still willingly in prison, avoiding them.
Only by reaching Grandmaster do you have a chance to take Miss Ling and escape.
Ling Tuisi and the martial world's pursuit—those are the two things keeping you apart now."
"Correct." Ding Dian finally spoke, his voice heavy. "You're right about everything. Say the rest."
Li Daoqiang felt a flicker of joy. He knew Ding Dian was tempted for the first time.
Maybe not to join Black Dragon Stronghold, but by the price he offered to address those two points.
"Good. I, Li Daoqiang, always say what I mean. Let me first analyze the real difficulties you'll face with these two points.
First, Ling Tuisi. Setting aside that he and Miss Ling are father and daughter—since you've decided to elope—but even if you reach Grandmaster, can you really leave?
Don't underestimate him. Do you think he doesn't know you've recovered your strength or even grown stronger?
He's a true viper—cunning, ruthless, and heartless.
He might have already prepared a trap for you, waiting for you to spring out.
That trap could involve Miss Ling, by any means necessary." Li Daoqiang said slowly.
"Impossible!" Ding Dian was startled. Shuanghua was his own daughter.
But thinking of Ling Tuisi's character, was it really impossible?
"You know the answer yourself. Also, do you really think this is all of Ling Tuisi's power?
Let me tell you, Ling Tuisi was once the leader of the Dragon Sand Gang.
A gangster rising to such high office—do you know who backs him?
A newly broken-through Grandmaster, taking his daughter—do you think you can escape his grasp?
Ridiculous." Li Daoqiang let out a faint, contemptuous laugh.
Ding Dian was shocked again. Dragon Sand Gang leader!
Ling Tuisi...!
He understood the horror of it all too well.
Ling Tuisi must have a powerful backer.
As the top official of Jingzhou, his status was certainly not low.
Perhaps the Liancheng Jue treasure was something Ling Tuisi sought for his backer.
The more he thought, the more suffocating it felt.
For the first time, he lost confidence in taking Shuanghua and fleeing far away.
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