Chapter Twenty-Four: The Advancing Willow Catkins

In the detention center, aside from the restriction of his freedom, Liu Maocai was not subjected to harsh treatment.

Inside the visiting room, father and daughter sat opposite each other.

“Xue’er, you’ve lost weight,” Liu Maocai remarked with a gentle smile. The man whom outsiders regarded as a cold-blooded overlord revealed an unexpectedly kind gaze.

Liu Xue’s smile bloomed like a peony, radiant and full. “Not at all, Father. In three days at most, they’ll have to let you go. I’ve spoken with the lawyer—those so-called pieces of evidence can’t convict you.”

“They never intended to convict me,” Liu Maocai replied with a cold laugh. “They just want me to stay here for a few days. How are things outside?”

“It’s not promising. When the wall falls, everyone pushes. Especially those officials we used to be close with—they won’t even dare see me now. But don’t worry, I can still hold the fort.”

“Have you found out who’s behind this?”

“Last night, Cheng Feng swore it was the Blade Sect. Today’s intelligence confirms it—they’re the ones who made a move.”

“The Blade Sect?” Liu Maocai was puzzled. “I don’t recall any serious conflict with them. Why would they go to such lengths to ruin me?”

Liu Xue’s expression flickered. “Who knows what madness seized them? But now that they’ve made their move, there’s no turning back. What puzzles me are two things: first, even if the sect leader has risen to become the third grandmaster in Lin City, why are these factions so willing to follow his lead in such a short time? Second, the Qi family’s attitude is odd. For them, a peaceful Lin City is ideal. Why tolerate the Blade Sect’s reckless actions? Don’t they realize that chaos is the beginning of regime change? Watching them build prestige is like raising a tiger in your own house—foolish!”

Liu Maocai sensed his daughter was intentionally steering the conversation away and didn’t press further. Instead, he spoke slowly, “There are only two possibilities: either a blade is at their throats, or silver fills their pockets. The specifics, only they know. Xue’er, how do you plan to break the deadlock?”

Liu Xue’s lips curved into a beautiful arc. “Naturally, capture the ringleader first!”

Liu Maocai nodded, hesitated, then his tone became heavy. “Do you know what I fear most now? My instincts. I’ve told you, twice my intuition saved me, helped me turn defeat into victory. But this time, my instincts are strong—terrifyingly so. Xue’er… alas, we must be cautious. All these years, I walked a narrow path and secretly saved a fund for you and your brother…”

He paused, then began to gesture with his hands, conveying meaning not through ordinary sign language, but through a code only they understood. He told Liu Xue the amount, location, and method to access the funds.

“…Remember what I say. If things become impossible, leave the country. Use the funds to start your own venture if you wish, or simply enjoy life. Leave a hope for the Liu family.”

Liu Xue was moved, but forced herself to remain calm. She smiled. “Father, you worry too much. Leave it all to me. When you’re released in a few days, I promise—the Liu family will still be the Liu family!”

Ten minutes later, Liu Xue left the detention center. As soon as she got in the car, she asked, “Well? Did you find the person I asked you to investigate?”

“Miss, we found him. Gao Chao, one of the Blade Sect’s three champions, is currently stationed at the Black Cat Bar.”

“Is the information reliable?”

“Reliable. We used the Li family’s informants.”

“Good. Let’s go!”

…

Each of the three champions of the Blade Sect had different roles. Cheng Yang was the sect leader’s confidant and bodyguard; Fan Jun managed the sect’s enterprises and finances; traditional gang duties like overseeing venues and providing forceful support fell to Gao Chao.

The Blade Sect owned many businesses. During the day, Gao Chao spent most of his time running around. Near noon, he enjoyed a whole roast chicken at the Black Cat Bar and patted his belly to rest. Just then, a subordinate came to report that someone outside was requesting a meeting.

“Who is it?” Gao Chao asked lazily.

“A stunning beauty,” the subordinate replied, grinning with that look all men understand.

Gao Chao was not particularly fond of women, but as a normal man, curiosity about a “stunning beauty” was inevitable. He waved his hand, “Why not invite her in, then!”

Click, click, click.

The rhythmic sound of high heels drew nearer. At this hour, the Black Cat Bar—closed to customers—was full of Blade Sect members. Hearing the sound, they all turned and were stunned. A voluptuous, beautiful woman walked in, radiating an intoxicating scent. Each step seemed to land on the beating hearts of the men, leaving them dumbstruck.

Gao Chao was a martial arts master, with a firm mind. At first, even he felt himself drawn in by the woman’s allure, but soon snapped out of it, instinctively annoyed. He barked, “Hey, watch yourselves! You’ll flood the floor with drool!”

“Brother Gao, it’s our first meeting. I’ve heard so much about you. My name is Liu Xue—surely you’ve heard it,” Liu Xue said with a gentle laugh, gathering her mink coat and sitting opposite him.

Gao Chao raised an eyebrow, gave her a quick look, then said, “So, the Liu family’s eldest daughter. I’ve heard of your fame. What, here to apply for a dancer’s job at my bar? Easy enough.”

A flash of murderous intent crossed Liu Xue’s eyes, but she hid it, smiling seductively. “Brother Gao, you jest. I’m here to discuss something with you. You see…” She glanced around, hinting that his subordinates’ presence was inconvenient.

Gao Chao was somewhat displeased. “Just say it!”

“Better have them step aside. What, afraid I’ll eat you?”

“Heh! What’s there to fear?” Gao Chao was annoyed but waved his hand. “You, move farther away!”

The henchmen moved ten meters off. Only then did Liu Xue say, “You’re very considerate. Now, Brother Gao, I have a question. What’s your relationship with Jiang An?”

Like hell I’d tell you.

Gao Chao was about to mock her, but as he met Liu Xue’s charming gaze, especially the brilliant green light in her pupils, it seemed to draw his mind in completely.

Suddenly, Gao Chao’s expression became calm, even blank, and he spoke, “Jiang An is the master of our Blade Sect.”

The statement hit Liu Xue like a thunderbolt. She pressed further, “Why is he your master?”

This time, Gao Chao hesitated, his body trembling as if resisting some force. Liu Xue silently cursed; her mind-control spell was failing. She quickly asked, “Where is he now? I can’t find any trace of him!”

“He…he…”

Gao Chao murmured, trembling even more fiercely. At that moment, the residual Clear Essence liquid in his body began to circulate, cool air rising from his core, and clarity returned to his eyes.

Seeing the spell was failing, Liu Xue withdrew it and stood. “Alright, Brother Gao, I’ll take my leave.”

When Gao Chao came to, he was covered in sweat, with Liu Xue already gone. He cursed angrily, then slapped his head—he needed to report this to the boss. Liu Xue was no ordinary woman; she could control minds!

Meanwhile, Liu Xue also blamed herself for failing to control even Gao Chao. But upon reflection, she felt better. First, her cultivation was shallow, and the witch had not taught her the true arts. Second, Gao Chao was not only a martial artist but had no emotional ties to her, so she couldn’t use memories to weave illusions. Even with Li Donglai, whom she saw daily, it took nearly a year to completely control his mind.

Still, she’d gained a crucial piece of information: her former lover was the master of the Blade Sect!

Suddenly, ambition surged in Liu Xue’s heart. If she could control Jiang An, the Blade Sect would be hers! But she wondered—how did Jiang An become the master? Surely disappearing for five years didn’t make him a peerless expert?

It seemed she’d have to use that special item. She was confident it would draw Jiang An back under her spell, whatever the cost. Yet Jiang An himself had vanished—no one knew his whereabouts.

Heh, if he wanted revenge on the Liu family, he’d definitely appear when the time came. Otherwise, where’s the pleasure in vengeance?

Liu Xue thought confidently.

But what she didn’t know was that Jiang An never cared about the Liu family. Destroying them was merely incidental. He had more important things to do—such as advancing his cultivation.

The simplest Spirit Gathering Array required twenty-four spirit stones. Jiang An had collected fifty, enough to sustain an enhanced array. He planned to retreat for two days to break through to the mid-stage of Qi Refinement.

For others, it would take at least ten days or half a month, but Jiang An’s Tribulation Scripture was so domineering that two days would suffice.

Of course, using the array to draw in heavenly energy required a secluded location. First, it couldn’t be crowded, as the spectacle of energy swirling couldn’t be concealed; he wasn’t about to waste spirit stones on a concealment array. Second, the place needed a relatively high density of spiritual energy or the effect wouldn’t be ideal.

As it happened, Jiang An found the perfect spot: the famous West Lake of Lin City.

West Lake was surrounded on three sides by mountains, with peaks layered and majestic, full of spiritual beauty. Such a paradise naturally had a spiritual vein, stretching from the Tianmu Mountains. Though not enough to form a spirit stone mine, it was far superior to the city’s interior. It was winter, so fewer tourists visited than in spring and summer. The area was vast, and Jiang An only needed a quiet corner, a simple concealment spell, and he’d be safe.

He was always a man of action. Last night, after taking his pet dog, he came alone to West Lake, used his movement technique, and found a secluded grove on an inconspicuous hill. With a bit of concealment, his presence was indistinguishable from the surrounding greenery.

“Listen, Tiger. Guard the area within three hundred meters while I’m in seclusion. If anyone approaches, drive them off!” Jiang An set Tiger on the ground and instructed.

Tiger was transformed compared to half a month ago—not only had it gained intelligence, but it drank Clear Essence liquid daily as if it were water. Jiang An often used spells to guide its growth, and within a week it had grown larger, its bones strong, its posture graceful, its yellow-white fur sleek and clean, its chubby face adorable. But its combat ability was not to be underestimated; it was fast and had sharp claws.

Hearing its master’s command, Tiger stood upright, nodded, and waved its paws as if to say, “Don’t worry, master! Anyone comes, I’ll scratch them to death!”

Jiang An patted its head and waved his hand. Tiger barked and dashed into the trees, disappearing.

Seclusion for cultivation carried risks, so Jiang An didn’t rely only on Tiger for protection. He had another measure—two “Green Thunder Talismans.” This was a minor spell from the immortal realm. The spirit energy in the stones was gentle, but with special methods to inscribe detonation runes, they became volatile “bombs.”

With everything prepared, Jiang An awaited only the final step.