After the young official in front of him spoke, Xia Qifei's mind exploded. The pent-up humiliation made his hands tremble. He was, after all, the chief of the Jiangnan Water Fortress, a well-known figure in the underworld. When had he ever been bullied like this?

However, he was a smart man. Although he wasn't entirely sure of his judgment, he had a rough guess about the other party's identity. If his guess was correct, then this young official was no ordinary person, and that child beside him was even more…

"Endure! I must endure."

Xia Qifei kept telling himself this. He knew that with the other party's power, just a flick of a little finger could wipe out all the wealth he had accumulated over the years. His revenge would be out of the question, and his thousands of brothers who still needed to feed their families would probably lose their heads as well. More importantly, the Qing Kingdom's citizens' unwavering reverence for the royal family bound his mind, preventing him from having any rebellious thoughts.

So he had to endure it. Although江湖儿郎 (jiāng hú ér láng – wandering heroes) always had some spirit, and even hooligans had a bit of ruthlessness, Xia Qifei suppressed his anger for the sake of his brothers' livelihoods and his lifelong aspirations. With a hint of humility in his respectful tone, he said, "I don't know why the esteemed official has come here today. What are your instructions?"

Fan Xian glanced at him and said, "Please trouble Master Xia to handle the matters I instructed earlier."

Although he used the title "Master Xia," his words were still indifferent and effortless, without a trace of the respect commonly found in the Jianghu.

Xia Qifei didn't know what the other party was planning. His face gloomy, he turned and left the hall to give instructions to the trembling aide.

Fan Xian sat in the hall, drinking tea, seemingly unhurried.

The conversation resumed.

"I've come here today to ask Master Xia about something." Fan Xian put down his teacup and looked at Xia Qifei, speaking gently, "A few nights ago, some guests came aboard my ship at Yingzhou Wharf. I kept them there. I wonder how Master Xia plans to explain this matter?"

Xia Qifei's face darkened. Instead of answering the question, he preemptively asked, "My lord, I will speak frankly. Even if I deny this matter, it would be understandable. But as a member of the Jianghu, I cannot abandon my brothers. It is true that the people who mistakenly boarded your esteemed vessel that night were all my brothers… I, Xia, was blind and offended you. Please forgive me. I will bear all the blame, and I beg you to spare my subordinates."

The Third Prince found it annoying and slammed his teacup heavily on the table with a bang. The child coldly harrumphed and said, "Can you… afford it?"

He deliberately drew out the sentence, but it was still a child's clear voice, so it didn't sound particularly sarcastic, but rather conveyed a strange chill.

Xia Qifei felt a chill run down his back. He knew that if the crime was taken to its extreme, it would be an assassination of a prince, and even burying thousands of lives in this pit might not be enough to fill it. However, since this person was able to survive the Ming clan's pursuit as a child and successfully rise to power in the underworld, becoming an important figure in the Jiangnan martial world, his mind was naturally resolute and his thinking was extremely meticulous. He saw that these nobles hadn't mobilized troops to suppress them but instead "risked danger" by directly invading the branch, and there must be a deeper meaning behind this move.

So, he wasn't truly afraid, but he didn't know what these nobles from the capital wanted.

Xia Qifei gritted his teeth and, abandoning the integrity most valued by 江湖人 (jiāng hú rén – people of the Jianghu), knelt down on one knee to Fan Xian, sincerely saying, "This humble man knows that he cannot bear this crime, but seeing that you are blessed and unharmed, I beg you to slice me into a thousand pieces, but please spare my reckless and ignorant brothers."

This was a show of sincerity he made after gaining some confidence. Fan Xian, however, either didn't see through it or appreciated his quick wit, nodded in appreciation, and said, "Master Xia is indeed a true hero who cherishes his subordinates."

Everyone praises the sedan chair that carries them. Xia Qifei's self-address had changed from "I" to "Xia," then to "this humble man," and his aura grew weaker and weaker. Fan Xian, on the other hand, had gone from calling him by name to "Master Xia," and now to "Master Xia," gradually elevating his status, acknowledging that he had a certain standing to speak.

Fan Xian only said one sentence and stopped. The Third Prince felt a chill in his heart, knowing that his teacher didn't like his previous interruption and wanted him to play the role of the villain. However, as a prince, he was naturally not afraid of the so-called Jianghu rabble's grudges. He said in a crisp voice, "Master Xia is saying this a bit late. The thieves that night were all killed by the guards and thrown into the river."

"Ah?" Xia Qifei stood stunned. He didn't expect these officials from the capital to be even more ruthless than bandits! They hadn't even spared a single life.

He seemed to see Guan Wumei and those brothers' corpses floating in the river. His heart ached, and anger surged, but his face only showed grief, not resentment. He was truly a member of the acting school.

Fan Xian said gently, "Officials' ways of doing things are different from your rules. Since those people boarded the ship and drew their knives, they naturally couldn't be spared. If I had been soft-hearted and let them go, and the matter was reported back to the capital, the court would be furious, and their fate would be even worse, and their families would be implicated."

Xia Qifei remained silent. After a moment, he repeated the sentence he had said at the beginning: "I don't know why the esteemed official has come here today. What are your instructions?"

The other party's words were already very clear. The matter of robbing the ship had been temporarily washed away with the blood of those dozen brothers. That matter was set aside, and what was to be discussed was naturally something else.

Fan Xian waved his hand, and all his subordinates acknowledged and left the outer hall. The Third Prince jumped down from his chair, preparing to leave as well, but he was surprisingly stopped.

———————————————————————

Only three people were left in the room. In Xia Qifei's heart, he didn't know what kind of struggle and private thoughts were going on. For a underworld figure like him, being able to see two "princes" at the same time was certainly an unimaginable "blessing."

"I am Fan Xian."

Fan Xian's face was gentle, and he frankly revealed his identity.

Although Xia Qifei had vaguely guessed the other party's origin, he still felt a tremor in his heart and his legs weakened when he received the most definite confirmation from the other party's mouth.

The stories about this young man had already become something of a legend in the Qing Kingdom's folk circles. Not yet twenty years old, he was already the most powerful Supervisor of the Supervisory Council, composing poems before the emperor, killing people in the streets, exposing the cheating in the imperial examinations, fighting with Haitang in Northern Qi, collecting books, and returning to the country to deceive the princes. In just two years, this originally unknown illegitimate son of a vice minister had become the most famous person in the world, with his literary talent, martial arts, and power all being top-notch.

In countless rural chats, Fan Xian had become the object of envy and longing for all young men, including Xia Qifei. Moreover, due to his background, Xia Qifei felt a bit of admiration for the Supervisor he had never met. However, now he had offended the Supervisor. Xia Qifei knew too well what would happen to those who offended Fan Xian.

Roughly speaking, those who had fallen at Fan Xian's hands included Guo Youzhi, the former Minister of Rites; Han Zhiwei, the Minister of Punishments; and Guo Zheng, the Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate. Because of this young man, the censors of the Censorate had received two beatings, the Second Prince was under house arrest, and the Eldest Princess was forced to hand over the internal treasury.

Fan Xian's identity became even more bizarre with these events. Was he the prime minister's son-in-law or the emperor's illegitimate son? For the people in the Qing Kingdom's remote areas, the people and events in the central government of the capital originally carried a natural sense of mystery, and a figure like Fan Xian was even more embroidered with gold edges around his name, making people dare not look directly at him!

Ignoring what Xia Qifei was thinking at this time, his face was indeed incredibly shocked. He neatly adjusted the front of his clothes, knelt on the ground, and gave Fan Xian a heavy salute.

"This humble man, Xia Qifei, greets Supervisor Fan."

……

……

After a long silence, Fan Xian didn't let him get up but looked at him with interest. After a long while, he said softly, "Ming Qishao, I really hope you can be more sincere, at least when you salute, it's best to use your real name."

Xia Qifei's pupils shrank, and he suddenly looked up, staring directly into Fan Xian's seemingly gentle but actually aggressive eyes. His right hand had subconsciously dropped down, ready to unleash a thunderous strike at any time.

Ming Qishao!

These three words that he hadn't heard for a long time drilled into his ears, tearing at Xia Qifei's brain like two venomous snakes. In addition to his extreme shock, a fierce and ruthless feeling arose in his heart! How could the other party know his background! If this news spread out, how could that large clan that had been deeply rooted in Jiangnan for a hundred years let him go? Even if he had the Jiangnan Water Fortress, there was currently no chance of victory.

"No need to reach for the dagger in your boot." Fan Xian didn't know that the other party was thinking so many twists and turns, but he couldn't help laughing when he saw his movements. "Master Xia certainly knows that what I'm best at is this kind of thing."

Then Fan Xian made a gesture of gently helping him up. Xia Qifei stood up, but his whole body remained in a state of complete alertness. He listened to the movements outside the room, not knowing if the arrangements he had made with the aide earlier had been completed. In this critical situation, although he guessed that Supervisor Fan might want to threaten him for something, he still had to make the worst plan, preparing to fight to the death.

The Third Prince, as if unaware of the danger, watched the two men's conversation with great interest.

"Your mother was probably beaten to death by the current Old Madam of the Ming family." Fan Xian sorted out the information in his mind.

Xia Qifei's eyes turned red, as if he was ready to rush up and kill Fan Xian at any moment. But as the leader of the Water Fortress, he certainly knew what kind of person he was facing. Ninth-Rank expert Supervisor Fan was a figure comparable to Haitang of Northern Qi. Even if he risked his life, he couldn't possibly kill the other party on the spot.

"You were abused by your eldest brother since you were young." Fan Xian looked at him and frowned, saying, "Master Xia, don't mind, I don't want to bring up your sad past. I just want you to understand one thing: I want to do business with you, and this business must be based on your hatred for the Ming family. If you don't hate the Ming family enough, I wouldn't have come to you."

Xia Qifei's aura relaxed a bit. He closed his eyes, calmed himself down, and said in a deep voice, "I don't know what kind of business you want to discuss with me."

"I can help you with what you want to do." When it came to business, Fan Xian's words became more direct. "I know you're short of silver recently, and I have silver."

Of course, Fan Xian had silver. The Danbo Bookstore and Baoyue Brothel, the Six Ministries, and the Old Dai of the palace, the real gold and silver obtained in the name of rectification had reached an astonishing level. But compared to those established families in the wealthy Jiangnan region, it was still far behind. However, everyone in the world knew that Supervisor Fan had a wealthy father at home. His family managed the national treasury and the internal treasury. If you said that the Fan residence had no money, even a character like Third Sister-in-law wouldn't believe it.

Xia Qifei guessed that the other party would threaten him, but he didn't expect that the other party would actually help him. For a moment, he couldn't come back to his senses and asked blankly, "Are you… talking about the opening of the internal treasury in March?"

"You and I are both practical people, so let's be direct." Fan Xian said calmly, "The bidding for the opening of the internal treasury in March, which would certainly be the property of the Cui and Ming families in previous years, but this year, the Cui family has fallen, so there will naturally be a major change. If you want to get involved, this is the only chance. Coincidentally, I will be in charge of this matter this year. I will give you the qualifications to enter, enough silver, and take over the relevant share."

In fact, Fan Xian had a sum of silver that no one knew about, and that was where his greatest confidence lay.

Xia Qifei frowned, and after a moment, he responded, "Supervisor, you are too kind."

He didn't respond immediately because he knew how terrifying the Supervisory Council was. People who were associated with the Supervisory Council often ended up losing all their wealth and lives. If Fan Xian knew his psychological activities, he would give him a more appropriate description—making a deal with the devil.

"Let me explain what I need you to do." Fan Xian didn't care about the other party's hesitation, and he smiled warmly as he frankly revealed the price. "The Water Fortress is yours, and if you succeed in the future, the Ming family will also be yours. I won't even directly demand any relevant income."

Xia Qifei's frown deepened. There was no such kind Supervisory Council official in the world.

Sure enough, after Fan Xian drank a sip of cold tea, he said very naturally, "What's yours is yours, but you… this person must be from the Supervisory Council."

After Fan Xian finished speaking, he took out a waist tag that looked simple in style from his arms and gently placed it on the smooth surface of the black wooden table, saying softly, "The Supervisory Council's Fourth Division's inspector stationed in Jiangnan Road is not a high rank. Don't feel wronged."

Wronged? A underworld bandit who transformed into an official of the court, or even a supervisor with the power to oversee officials, wronged? Only a fool would feel wronged!

Xia Qifei was shocked by the price that Fan Xian offered. Although he knew that after entering the Supervisory Council, no matter whether he took control of the Ming family or the Jiangnan Water Fortress in the future, it would be impossible to leave this organization again. The vast income related to the internal treasury in the future would still depend on the Supervisory Council… no, perhaps just a word from Supervisor Fan personally!

Being able to obtain a large amount of funds, being able to have a secret official identity, being able to obtain Supervisor Fan's approval to participate in the competition for the internal treasury, Xia Qifei had confidence for the first time in defeating that rusty old family. He knew that he would never have such a good opportunity in his life again, but he was still hesitant. One was that it would be difficult to have freedom from now on, and he would have to become a loyal dog under Fan Xian, which was not something he was willing to do for someone who was used to wandering in the Jianghu. Moreover, he didn't dare to completely trust Fan Xian. The other was that the Supervisory Council had such a bad reputation that if the news of his secret appointment spread out, even if he had more power than one side in the future, this reputation would be completely ruined!

So, he made his final struggle, perhaps wanting to preserve the bit of spirit that still remained in his heart, and stared rudely into Fan Xian's eyes, saying, "My lord, this humble man really doesn't know why I should accept this deal."

"Oh?" Fan Xian asked curiously, "Don't you want to take back the Ming family, the family that originally belonged to you? According to what I know, the name at the top of the list in the old Master Ming's will was Ming Qingcheng."

Ming Qingcheng was Xia Qifei's real name. He shivered slightly and said through gritted teeth, "It's not that this humble man doesn't know what's good for him, it's just that there are too many ways to take revenge. This humble man is now the leader of the Jiangnan Water Fortress, and there are many ways to deal with the Ming family… As for the internal treasury, this humble man may have thought wrong. The Ming family is rich and powerful, and how can I possibly win against them openly."

Fan Xian narrowed his eyes and smiled, saying, "Kill people on a dark and windy night? I believe Ming Qishao, you have this ability and determination… but the facts over the years have proven that you are not such a crazy person. You don't want to risk the destruction of the Jiangnan Water Fortress to burn down the Ming family manor… let alone whether you have this ability, even if you really do, how can you convince yourself? The Water Fortress brothers are wanted by the government, and the orphans and widows wander the world. Is this the scene you want to see? Or are you saying that you think you will have the face to see the old chieftain who saved your life, helped you rise to power, and was so kind to you after you die, content with your revenge?"

He spoke methodically, and his aura wasn't very oppressive, but it was just that this gentle and considerate analysis hit the fragile spot in Xia Qifei's heart. The powerful persuasiveness, along with these analyses, began to invade Xia Qifei's thoughts, making his face darken.

Before Xia Qifei could come back to his senses, Fan Xian continued to say gently, "What you want most is not just revenge, but to take back the Ming family and then stand in front of your long lost brother and show your pride… If killing people could solve the problem, you wouldn't have waited so many years. And if you act with brute force, the Jiangnan Water Fortress will be destroyed. Even if you kill the Ming family and don't leave anyone alive, where will the Ming family be then? Will the things you want to take back continue to exist?"

Fan Xian looked calmly into his eyes. "From my point of view, I advise you not to choose this. The goal you've worked so hard for so many years will disappear before your eyes, and that taste must be very bad. And keeping the Ming family intact must also be the old Master Ming's last wish, although the Ming family has treated you terribly, your father didn't owe you or your mother anything."

Xia Qifei stood silently in place, motionless, seeming to be still digesting Fan Xian's words. This man who was accustomed to the edge of the knife suddenly thought of a fact that the young adult on the opposite side had many similarities with his own experiences. Was he also seeking to take back what originally belonged to him? Such as the internal treasury, which was originally the Ye family's property… to take it back completely?

Fan Xian wasn't angry because of his previous refusal, but patiently waited for the other party's results of his thoughts. He had confidence in his rhetoric. The key was that he had confidence in this Ming Qigongzi. The extremely similar life experience allowed Fan Xian to capture the other party's true thoughts as clearly as possible.

"Master Xia, what you want is the Ming family's property, not hundreds of heads."

After a long silence, Xia Qifei threw out his last question, "Supervisor, this humble man doesn't understand one thing."

"Please speak."

"Your Excellency's trip is naturally to prepare for taking over the internal treasury… The Cui and Ming families have controlled the external supply channels for a long time and are deeply involved with… that aspect. Your Excellency naturally wants to deal with them." Xia Qifei forcibly swallowed the words "Eldest Princess," and his face was a little red from holding it back. "But why does Your Excellency think so highly of this humble man? With your power and status, you can easily destroy the Cui family, and it's not difficult to get rid of the Ming family. Your Excellency can do this himself and doesn't need this humble man to contribute."

"The Cui family." Fan Xian shook his head. "The situation is different from the Ming family. As for why I didn't come forward, it's because it's inconvenient for me to come forward."

The three words "inconvenient" said all the truth in the officialdom. He himself was the Supervisor of the Supervisory Council, and now he was also in charge of the internal treasury. The court's rules were strict, and the internal treasury was only responsible for all the products, but the external sales had to be obtained by merchants submitting applications. In terms of both official and private affairs, it was impossible for Fan Xian to stand on the table, so he needed to find a trustworthy and convenient spokesperson.

For Fan Xian, the situation of the Cui family and the Ming family was of course different. When he was rectifying the Cui family, he had made enough and solid preparations. After a long period of silence and pretending to be good, Yan Bingyun led the thunderous strike, and naturally it was always successful. The Ming family now had a lesson from the past, and they had already made sufficient preparations. It was now very difficult to catch those treacherous merchants from the delivery channels and accounts.

Of course, the biggest difference was that Fan Xian had an absolutely powerful figure to help him overthrow the Cui family. That person had the most powerful force besides the Qing Kingdom's royal family — the young emperor of Northern Qi.

The people related to the Ming family were concentrated in Dongyi City and overseas. Fan Xian had killed two of Si Gu Jian's female disciples, and the Qing Kingdom's court and the public, including him, had also placed countless black pots on Dongyi City. The two sides had too many grievances, and at this time, if he wanted to work with Dongyi City to overthrow the Ming family, Fan Xian thought he didn't have the ability.

Fan Xian stood up and gently tapped the waist tag on the table twice with his finger, saying, "Leave this tag here first. Give me an answer before tonight. Of course, you should be clear about what you need to prepare if you decide."

Xia Qifei respectfully stepped aside and didn't answer his words directly, but said, "Your Excellency's arrival today is like a god descending from the sky. Although you don't like to disturb the people too much, the momentum is already there, and I'm afraid it won't be easy to hide."

He didn't know if this sentence was flattering or hiding some other meaning. Fan Xian glanced at him and said, "Currently, Master Xia is still a person who accidentally kicked an iron plate. You should play this role well first. As for why I need to hide my whereabouts? It's just a boat on the Yangtze River. I have to trouble Master Xia's subordinates to escort me along the way. I brought a box of silver with me, and I don't want to be targeted by thieves again."

Xia Qifei lowered his head firmly and said in a deep voice, "Thank you for not killing me."

Fan Xian turned back and pulled the Third Prince down from his chair. Only then did Xia Qifei realize that in this conversation, he seemed to have slightly neglected this little nobleman. He couldn't help but feel a little uneasy, but he didn't have time to make up for it. Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind, and he said hesitantly, "My lord, if the people are opened in March, and this official fights with the Ming family, the other party will definitely be suspicious… At that time…"

"You stand on my side, and I will naturally stand on your side." Fan Xian smiled and looked at him, leading the Third Prince by the hand and walking outside, leaving behind the last sentence, "Master Xia, you make decisions quickly. I admire it very much."

———————————————————————

There was a silence in the Shazhou branch of the Jiangnan Water Fortress, a deathly silence. The chieftain had issued the strictest gag order. Although he didn't say anything explicitly, the brothers knew that something big had happened. They only dared to guess and didn't dare to spread rumors.

Xia Qifei sat on the still-warm chair, his face uncertain, not knowing what he was thinking.

The aide walked in from outside and whispered in his ear, "The navy has closed the camp, and I don't know what happened."

Xia Qifei's face darkened, and he said in a low voice, "It doesn't matter. As long as this matter is settled, Lao Shen should be fine."

The aide said hesitantly, "They have already seized many of our ships. According to your order, there was no conflict… But after those masters from the capital left earlier, our ships were also released."

Xia Qifei lowered his head and said, "This is the other party showing their strength." He sneered and said, "In the other party's eyes, we are just ants."

"Chieftain, it's ready… The Consecrator is washing his sword in the back room, waiting for the chieftain to give the order."

Xia Qifei never issued the order, his brow furrowed deeply. After a moment, he suddenly said quietly, "Qian Shiye, do you think this matter can be done?" He gently stroked the Supervisory Council's waist tag. The waist tag was very smooth, and he didn't know how long it had been made.

The aide said in a trembling voice, "It's all up to the chieftain's instructions. This humble man… doesn't dare to say anything."

Xia Qifei closed his eyes and said, "The adults from the capital seem to be used to this method of doing things, and they overestimate their strength too much… Even if there are those seventh and eighth-rank masters guarding them, if we go out in full force, we actually have a chance…"

The aide cursed in his heart, thinking, you know that's impossible, but you still say that. It's just that you don't want to bear that bad name and want me to help persuade you. He said, "The leader of the guards has reached the peak of his strength. If he were placed in the Jiangnan martial world, he would be fully capable of starting a school. The chieftain must think twice."

"The key is that adult himself." Xia Qifei opened his eyes and said. In fact, the conditions that Fan Xian gave him were enough to move him, but as a hegemon of one side, he was now going to become someone else's subordinate, and it would be difficult to turn over in this life. It was indeed very difficult to accept for a while. Earlier, he was humbly talking to Fan Xian on the one hand, and on the other hand, he had made preparations for a desperate killing through the aide. Because the most unfathomable Consecrator in the Water Fortress happened to be in the Shazhou branch, the Jiangnan Water Fortress was not without the ability to fight back.

But he also knew in his heart that the so-called desperate killing was just him comforting himself, so as not to make himself appear too unpromising.

Xia Qifei sighed, feeling a little inexplicably sad. He knew that the Jiangnan Water Fortress was about to become the court's dogs on his hands, and this feeling was really very embarrassing and uncomfortable. He stood up, looked at the aide's face that wanted to cry, and knew that the other party was afraid that he would make an extremely unwise choice. He couldn't help but pat the other party's back subconsciously, wanting to comfort the other party.

His touch was cold and wet. After Xia Qifei was stunned, he realized that the aide had been frightened into a cold sweat by the people from the capital in this winter. He couldn't help but laugh mockingly — it seemed that the power of the imperial authority and the Supervisory Council was not something that he and other folk hegemons could resist.

The decision was finally made. He said with a stern face, "Immediately disperse all the arrangements, monitor the ship overtly, and protect the ship's safety covertly. Be sure to ensure that the ship from the capital arrives in Suzhou safely!"

"What about on land? Beside that adult."

"There are many strong people beside the adult. We don't need to do anything."

"Yes." The aide nodded in response, but then frowned and said, "But… the Consecrator, he's ready to take action."

……

……

Xia Qifei fell silent, knowing that this matter was a bit complicated. The matter of secretly surrendering to the Supervisory Council must not be exposed to the Jianghu too early, otherwise he would not be able to control his subordinates, and the external pressure would also increase. As for the old Consecrator… that was even more trouble. This Consecrator was the most mysterious expert in the Jiangnan Water Fortress. In terms of seniority, he was the old Chieftain's martial uncle, his martial granduncle. He rarely took action, but he was vaguely the Jiangnan Water Fortress's treasure.

If that rigid and persistent old Consecrator knew that he, the outsider Chieftain… wanted to completely rely on the government?

Xia Qifei suddenly shivered and realized that he seemed to have underestimated the complexity of the matter. After a long silence, a fierce look suddenly appeared on his face, and he said in a low voice, "Go and summon the personal guards from the inner hall."

The aide's heart turned cold, knowing that the Chieftain was going to clear the Consecrator for that matter, but… could they do it?

Half an hour later, Xia Qifei, the Chieftain of the Jiangnan Water Fortress, respectfully came to the back garden with a bowl of chicken soup, preparing to show his respect to the most special Consecrator in the Water Fortress. Behind him, he concealed his most trusted assassins, determined to accomplish everything in one battle.

But he stood outside the door for a long time, and no one came to open the door.

The courtyard was as silent as death.

……

……

Xia Qifei pushed the door open and walked in, his face calm, saying, "Martial Granduncle?"

No one answered him. Xia Qifei's gaze swept around, and his heart suddenly turned cold. He loosened his hand, and the chicken soup fell to the ground, a mess!

He saw an old man with silver hair sitting on a futon by the bed in the room. The old man's hair was tightly tied, wearing a sword robe, with a long sword tied to his waist, exuding a fierce killing intent. It was obvious that this Consecrator had adjusted himself to the most perfect state, ready to kill people at any time.

But the Consecrator could no longer kill people. His wide-open eyes revealed a strong unwillingness and anger. If his gaze could kill people, it would indeed be a bit shocking.

A terrifying and delicate blood mouth was broken open at his throat bone, directly to the back of his neck. After the penetrating wound, blood flowed to the ground along the old Consecrator's back.

The Consecrator was dead.

……

……

The assassin's sword intent that killed the Consecrator was amazing, so there was no blood on the Consecrator's body in front of him. All the blood was forced behind him by the power of that sword!

Xia Qifei trembled as he walked towards the Consecrator's body, looking at the scene in front of him with some disbelief. He was prepared to do something that would deceive his teacher and destroy his ancestors, but when this really happened, he felt a little incredible. He was prepared to risk dozens of lives, but who could kill this old man so quietly?

A piece of paper floated down.

Xia Qifei glanced at it with a panic-stricken look, and saw that it was written, "Even though you had that thought, I still give you a chance. He had murderous intentions, so I killed him."

The Chieftain of the Jiangnan Water Fortress's body began to tremble uncontrollably. At this moment, he truly knew that the strength of the Supervisory Council was really not something that a gang could contend with. The other party was helping him clear the last obstacle to surrender, and it was also his last invitation and warning.

(The following is not counted in the word count and is not the main text: The power went out after I got up today. My mother and her retired colleagues went out to play. Only me, my father, and my brother-in-law were left at home. The three big men stayed in the quiet house in a daze, not knowing when the power would come on. I was anxious... When it came to the afternoon, someone finally thought of asking the property management, and then they were shocked to find that the entire community had power, and our unit also had power, and even the door opposite had power! The three men were shocked and a little happy, thinking that there was a problem with the circuit in the house, and they could take the opportunity to show off the men's skills. So they started to toss around, and after a long time, the three pseudo-electricians still couldn't figure it out. Until the end, they found out... it turned out that the power supply outside was pulled by the power company... it turned out that the house... owed the electricity bill.)