In the Song Dynasty capital, Lin'an City.
A sprawling, opulent mansion with overlapping eaves stretched as far as the eye could see. Above its gate hung a plaque bearing two large characters.
Jia Mansion.
Inside, a middle-aged man of distinguished bearing picked up a letter.
After a few breaths, his brow slightly lifted.
"Li Daoqiang~!"
"To reach the Grandmaster realm at just over twenty years old—truly impressive."
He murmured softly to himself, then showed a hint of dissatisfaction.
This Ling Tuisi had too narrow a vision. A treasure left by a fallen king's ruler?
How could it compare to a young Grandmaster?
He shook his head inwardly, pondered briefly, and spoke: "Gather all information on Li Daoqiang. I'll review it when I have time."
"Yes."
A respectful voice sounded from the empty study.
Then, the middle-aged man set down the letter and began reviewing other documents and correspondence.
Three days later.
Still in that same mansion, the same study.
The middle-aged man was reading a report.
It detailed nearly all the major events known about Li Daoqiang since he joined the Black Dragon Stronghold.
A flicker of interest arose, and the man smiled faintly. "A truly greedy bandit.
But somewhat clever, knowing the rules.
What about his earlier history?"
"Untraceable." A respectful voice replied from the study.
The middle-aged man's brow furrowed slightly. Untraceable.
Those three words raised too many questions.
After a moment's thought, he said slowly: "Tell Ling Tuisi that I have no time for the Liancheng Jue treasure for now. Let him handle it as he sees fit.
Then, keep an eye on things and report back promptly."
"Yes."
The voice acknowledged, then faded away.
A hint of intrigue crossed the middle-aged man's brow.
Li Daoqiang.
I wonder how much Ling Tuisi can force out of you?
······
A day later, Ling Tuisi received the message.
His face showed a thoughtful expression.
No time for now.
Handle it as I see fit.
Many thoughts raced through his mind—what exactly did Prime Minister Jia mean?
He had some ideas but dared not be certain, only speculating.
After a long while, he settled on a conclusion.
The Prime Minister wouldn't act, but that didn't mean he didn't want me to.
So, I'll proceed with the plan, using the martial world's strength.
A flash of killing intent crossed his face. He called for someone and began issuing orders.
······
In the Black Dragon Stronghold.
After finishing his talks with the major forces of Jingzhou, Li Daoqiang focused on cultivation and, more importantly, promoting his own reputation.
Reputation—it had both pros and cons.
A famous man attracts trouble.
Silence brings wealth.
If there were no need, Li Daoqiang could have set aside such empty fame for now. He could resist those temptations.
But now, he needed that reputation.
Leaving aside the long-term benefits—easier recruitment of experts, expanding the Black Dragon Stronghold's power, making others recognize him clearly for trade—there was an immediate advantage.
With fame, the greater it grew, the more powerful figures would hesitate to act against him, worried about exposing their secrets or revealing their identities.
The more hidden a strong figure was, the more they feared this.
So, with fame, Li Daoqiang could avoid some attacks from such experts.
And those who feared exposure were often the most dangerous, as they tended to stop at nothing.
Fame could be a curse or a blessing.
It all depended on the person.
Li Daoqiang had thought long and hard. He chose fame.
First, personal preference—few people dislike fame.
Second, to strengthen the Black Dragon Stronghold and pave the way for fairer deals in the future.
Third, to create a protective shield against others' ulterior motives.
Even if it only worked for a small part, it was enough.
As for the downsides of fame, Li Daoqiang believed he could handle them.
So, he seized the chance during his new plan to boost his reputation.
Many things would become much easier.
Within just a few days, Li Daoqiang felt the benefits of being a famous Grandmaster.
People began coming to the Black Dragon Stronghold to join him.
Most were fugitives, outcasts from the righteous path.
A few were independent cultivators.
They all had martial skills, though not strong. But it was still early.
Li Daoqiang believed that as time passed and his fame grew, more and stronger people would willingly join the Black Dragon Stronghold.
A few more days went by.
Then, Li Daoqiang finally got the news he'd been waiting for.
"Chief, news is spreading openly in Jingzhou City that Hall Master Ding holds the secret to the Liancheng Jue treasure. It's also spreading beyond Jingzhou. I suspect someone is targeting our Black Dragon Stronghold." Wang Lin reported respectfully, his face grim.
He hadn't known much about Ding Dian before, but as the news spread, he learned a lot.
Such a secret, if it spread quietly, might be tolerable. After all, the stronghold had over two thousand men; news about Ding Dian leaking was normal.
But spreading it openly was unusual, and simultaneously inside and outside Jingzhou—that was even more blatant.
Something was wrong. Someone was behind it, at least fanning the flames.
Li Daoqiang listened, a faint smile appearing.
"Good, they didn't disappoint my expectations, speeding up the spread of this news."
Wang Lin was puzzled but didn't question it. He replied respectfully, "Yes."
After dismissing Wang Lin, Li Daoqiang's smile deepened.
Ling Tuisi had made his move.
Excellent.
"Order: from now on, double the guards and patrols. Send a signal immediately if anything happens."
"Yes."
As the Black Dragon Stronghold tightened its defenses, the news that Ding Dian held the Liancheng Jue treasure and was in the stronghold spread rapidly across Jingzhou.
It surged like a flood, unstoppable.
Outside Jingzhou, it spread a bit slower, but under the lure of wealth, it was still very fast.
More and more people, including experts, learned of it.
Combined with the news that Li Daoqiang had become a Grandmaster, the two stories together stirred even greater commotion.
Especially in Jingzhou, many places were buzzing.
In Jingzhou City.
"Brother Li, have you heard? Ding Dian is in the Black Dragon Stronghold. Li Daoqiang has already gotten the Liancheng Jue treasure left by Emperor Yuan of Liang."
"Who in Jingzhou's martial world doesn't know? Too bad Li Daoqiang got it."
"Yeah, though he's the only Grandmaster in Jingzhou, he's still a... ah, what a pity."
"Is Li Daoqiang really a Grandmaster?"
"I heard the Liancheng Jue treasure is full of riches. I've also heard many experts have agreed to visit the Black Dragon Stronghold together."
"Visit? What do they plan to do? There's a Grandmaster sitting there."
"Heh, who knows? Brother Wang, a lot of people are going. Why don't we join the fun? If we can see a Grandmaster in action, that'd be great."
"True, let's go. With so many people, it'll be safe."
······
······
Similar talk was everywhere. The whole city seemed to have only one topic.
Led by someone unknown, many people headed for Fuyun Mountain.
In the Black Dragon Stronghold.
Li Daoqiang listened to Wang Lin's report and smiled. "How many are there?"
"Probably around a hundred. But more people are coming to Jingzhou City every day. I think the number heading to Fuyun Mountain will only grow." Wang Lin said solemnly.
Li Daoqiang chuckled, then his face turned stern. "How bold. Don't they know Fuyun Mountain is our territory?
Order: all available brothers mobilize. Capture everyone who comes.
If you run into trouble, send a signal. Remember, I want them alive."
The order went out, and the Black Dragon Stronghold sprang into action.
Except for one squad guarding the stronghold, the other eight squads—over sixteen hundred men—moved out immediately.
Led by scouts, they headed for those entering Fuyun Mountain.
Li Daoqiang stayed at the stronghold, ready to act at any moment.
He knew these were just small fry from Jingzhou, but every bit counted. He wasn't picky.
And it was a chance to set some rules, clear the field, and wait for bigger fish.
Fuyun Mountain stretched for hundreds of miles, vast and sprawling.
Hundreds or thousands of people could disappear into it without a trace.
But if they gathered around the Black Dragon Stronghold, a thousand or two could still stir up some waves.
At one spot.
A few martial artists were cautiously advancing.
Suddenly, over a hundred people surrounded them.
Their faces changed, and they warily eyed the newcomers.
"Capture them all."
The leader of the hundred didn't waste words, ordering directly.
The martial artists' faces darkened with anger. One shouted, "Who are you? Why are you arresting us?"
"Hahaha." The Black Dragon Stronghold leader laughed coldly. "You come to our territory and don't know who we are? Ridiculous.
As for why?
Don't you know Fuyun Mountain belongs to the Black Dragon Stronghold?
Trespassers won't be let off lightly.
I advise you to surrender quietly. If someone gets killed in the fight, don't blame us."
The martial artists grew even angrier.
"Entering Fuyun Mountain counts as trespassing? Isn't that too tyrannical?" one protested.
"Heh, that's how it is. Got a problem?" the leader sneered.
The martial artists exchanged glances, their faces ugly. Thinking of the Grandmaster in the stronghold, they quickly decided.
Run.
They bolted in one direction.
The leader snorted. "You refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit. Get them."
With a wave, the melee began.
Similar scenes played out many times across Fuyun Mountain.
Some martial artists escaped, but many were captured.
One by one, they were brought back to the Black Dragon Stronghold.
What followed was the stronghold's famous "debt of life spared."
For such small fry, Li Daoqiang didn't need to handle it personally.
His men were well-versed in teaching them what that debt meant.
(Thank you for your support.) ······