The young man on the balcony of Chunfeng Court stood leaning against the railing, casually holding a jar of wine, and watched the Imperial Forest Guard leave and then return.

He hadn’t expected Chen Ji and his men to fight their way back in after finally getting out.

Neither had Heji’s Enforcers.

It was as if people no longer believed in the existence of the Jianghu; the legendary tales told by storytellers were just for listening, to be forgotten after a drink.

The young man simply felt that Chen Ji and his men seemed different after leaving the alley and then returning.

He said to Zhou Kuang with interest, “The sword finally has its intent; they’ve mastered it. Zhou Kuang, what were the odds of your Valiant Guard from the Five Army Battalions winning against them before?”

Zhou Kuang thought for a moment and replied, “One hundred percent.”

The young man chuckled again, “And now?”

Zhou Kuang pondered for a moment longer, “Fifty percent.”

The young man laughed heartily, “How is it still fifty percent? Isn’t their formation formidable?”

Zhou Kuang calmly replied, “If we disregard life and death, my Valiant Guard has at least a fifty percent chance of winning against anyone. If we didn’t have that confidence, we wouldn’t deserve the name ‘Valiant’.”

The young man’s gaze returned to the alley, intensely watching Chen Ji among the Imperial Forest Guard. “Zhou Kuang,” he said, “this lad is the very spirit of those thirty-eight men. When there’s a chance, invite him for a drink.”

Zhou Kuang reminded him, “He said he quit drinking.”

The young man rested his arms on the windowsill and said with a smile, “Only those with a mountain weighing on their hearts would quit drinking. But that mountain can’t always weigh them down, can it? There will always be a time when it can’t be contained.”

He pointed downstairs. “Look,” he said, “the moment he turned back outside the alley, it couldn’t be contained.”

Zhou Kuang frowned. “My lord,” he asked, “Furuixiang’s men are almost at the alley. Should we have them withdraw?”

The young man looked at the alley below. “No need,” he said. “Today, someone is going to make a name for themselves right here, at the foot of the Imperial City. Let Furuixiang be their stepping stone.”

In the narrow alley.

As the Imperial Forest Guard clashed with Heji’s Enforcers, Li Xuan felt a bit dazed.

Time seemed to slow down. He looked around within the Mandarin Duck formation, seeing Duo Bao clearing the way with his iron wolf-brush and Qi Zhenzhuo waiting for an opportunity to act.

He saw beads of sweat fly from Qi Zhenzhuo’s loose hair, and he saw Zhou Chong striking his rattan shield with his *pudao* (sabre), his mouth opening and closing as he roared at the Enforcers, though he couldn’t make out what they were yelling.

No one looked back.

New recruits were taught by masters before going to war: how to charge, where to strike the enemy, how to survive if an arm was broken, and how to charge into battle following veteran soldiers.

But the Imperial Forest Guard hadn’t been taught previously; only officials had instructed them on ceremonial marches: who would carry the Five Directions banners, the Sun and Moon banners, or the Big Dipper banners; who would hold the ceremonial axe and staff or the yellow banner; and how far each step should be when marching.

The Imperial Forest Guard’s first battle was alongside the veterans from Guyuan, and they could only imitate them.

So at this moment, the Imperial Forest Guard was like the rough, hard rocks of Guyuan, sweeping up sand and dust as they crashed into the Enforcers, who shattered on impact.

Some Enforcers tried their old trick again, rushing out from the courtyard of the brothel, attempting to break the Mandarin Duck formation.

But at this point, the Imperial Forest Guard, driven by bloodlust, would no longer hold back.

An Enforcer rushed out from the courtyard, grabbing onto the butt of Li Cen’s spear as he thrust it. “Quick, I’ve got his spear!” he shouted. “You guys…”

Before he could finish speaking, Li Cen actually exerted himself to lift both the Enforcer and the spear shaft, then slammed them heavily to the ground, causing the Enforcer to spit out a mouthful of blood.

Sweat from Li Cen’s hair and arms shook off simultaneously; in the light filtering through the red lanterns, it looked like a fine rain.

He declared loudly, “Come again!”

Another Enforcer rushed out from the courtyard next to the alley, holding a table, and charged towards the rear of the Mandarin Duck formation. Li Xuan glanced at him and kicked the table, sending the Enforcer and the table flying back.

Qi Zhenzhuo whispered, “Too bad Wang Fang carried Chen Wenren away. Otherwise, I could’ve stepped on him again…”

Li Xuan angrily retorted, “What time is it to be thinking about such things? Focus! Form ranks!”

The Imperial Forest Guard formed a wall of spears, pressing forward step by step. Each Imperial Forest Guard soldier performed their duty within the formation, like a war chariot with interlocking bronze gears, slowly crushing everything in its path.

Within the military formation, spears were drawn back and thrust forward, leaving Heji’s Enforcers powerless to retaliate.

Chen Ji reminded them from within the Mandarin Duck formation, “There might still be hidden *Xingguan* (senior enforcers) serving the halls. Don’t be careless.”

He and Li Xuan observed coldly from within the formation, but Heji’s Enforcers were steadily retreating, and no *Xingguan* ever appeared.

They finally forced Heji’s Enforcers completely out of Li Samao Alley.

Duo Bao laughed heartily from within the Mandarin Duck formation, “Didn’t you just tell us to come back? Now we’re back, why aren’t you happy? Come on, come on!”

Heji’s Enforcers stood frantically outside Li Samao Alley, hesitant to move forward.

An Enforcer eagerly asked, “Where’s Master Qian? Why isn’t he here to take charge?”

Someone whispered, “We and Furuixiang made a blood oath, and Master Qian is being held as a hostage at Furuixiang.”

The previous Enforcer grew anxious. “Then where’s the Dragon Head? Where did he go? And where are our *Xingguan* from Heji’s Eight Inner Halls? Why is no one to be seen? If they don’t come soon, all eight Great Alleys will be lost!”

But Heji’s *Xingguan* remained unseen, and Dragon Head Wang Huan’s whereabouts were unknown.

Just then, dense footsteps echoed from a distance. Someone stood on tiptoe to look and saw Furuixiang’s Enforcers rushing into the alley, each holding a dagger.

Qian Ping and Zhu Guan were surrounded by the crowd. Qian Ping looked at Heji’s Enforcers scattered on the ground in the alley and closed his eyes with a hint of sorrow.

When he opened them again, he looked at Zhu Guan beside him and angrily said, “Zhu Guan, because of your selfish desires, you’ve caused Heji to face the enemy alone. Do you have any shred of Jianghu righteousness left in your heart?”

Zhu Guan stroked his goatee. “Master Qian,” he sneered, “does your Heji even have the right to talk about Jianghu righteousness with me? Have you upheld Jianghu righteousness these past years?! And haven’t I arrived just in time?”

Qian Ping fell silent for a moment, ultimately prioritizing the bigger picture. “Now is not the time to discuss this,” he said. “Please, Furuixiang, act immediately.”

Zhu Guan looked at the Enforcers on the ground and gloated, “These people are too ferocious. How about you just give them the Eight Great Alleys?”

Qian Ping frowned. “Li Samao Alley and Hanjia Tan Alley belong to your Furuixiang,” he pointed out.

Zhu Guan chuckled. “I’ve always been a pragmatic person,” he said. “When I couldn’t afford to provoke your Heji, I didn’t. Now, I can’t afford to provoke this group either. Can’t we just hide? Master Qian, I call you Master Qian out of respect, because I know you’ve been managing Heji’s affairs all these years, and it hasn’t been easy for you. Let’s be frank with each other. Everyone says we’re prominent figures in the Outer City, but there are still people above us. You and I are just ‘managers’ who draw a monthly salary. Why rush to our deaths?”

Qian Ping remained silent.

Zhu Guan brushed dust from Qian Ping’s shoulder and continued with a smile, “For years, my Furuixiang has deferred to your Heji, not competing or snatching from you. And haven’t we lived perfectly well? Business isn’t always that important. Whether we gain or lose an alley, will the money still end up in our pockets?”

Qian Ping angrily retorted, “Our boss entrusted this business to us! How can we treat it as a game?”

Zhu Guan’s face darkened, and he poked Qian Ping’s chest with a finger. “Don’t pretend to be righteous with me here,” he snapped. “What are you, Qian Ping? Nothing but a homeless dog taken in by Wang Huan, a lackey beneath his seat. You talk about righteousness to them, but do they talk about righteousness to you?”

Qian Ping swatted away Zhu Guan’s hand. “Heji and Furuixiang have already made a blood oath,” he said. “Stop this nonsense. If you don’t act now, even the Three Mountains Association won’t tolerate you.”

Zhu Guan sneered, “Don’t worry, my Furuixiang will help your Heji clean up this mess right away. But this time, Furuixiang will demand more than just two alleys. I want four…”

Before he could finish speaking, the red lanterns above their heads suddenly ignited. The flames started burning from the bottom, extremely slowly, like an incense stick burning downwards.

Golden talismans slowly appeared on the red lanterns.

Not just this one, all the red lanterns hanging above Li Samao Alley caught fire, emitting thick plumes of smoke which gathered in the night sky without dispersing, forming a Bagua (Eight Trigrams) shape in the air.

The next moment, the smoke screen descended, enveloping the entire alley.

Inside Li Samao Alley, only the Imperial Forest Guard and Furuixiang’s men remained, the ink-black smoke isolating Heji’s men outside.

Zhu Guan’s heart jolted, and he hurriedly waved his hand. “Quick, quick, quick! Retreat from the alley!”

But Furuixiang’s Enforcers charged into the thick smoke, only to be pushed back by an unseen force. Another five men charged into the smoke together, but were still bounced back.

“This is a damn talisman formation of the Seeker Realm!” Zhu Guan roared. “Knock those red lanterns down!”

The Enforcers threw daggers at the red lanterns, but the daggers were also bounced away upon contact.

Zhu Guan looked at the masked figures charging towards them, then at Qian Ping, and exploded in rage. “Your damn Heji set me up?” he bellowed. “Jianghu righteousness? It’s all just damn business…”

As he spoke, he noticed Qian Ping staring blankly up at the red lanterns, seemingly lost in thought.

Instead of being angry, Zhu Guan laughed. “So you didn’t know either! Hahahahaha,” he roared. “It seems your Heji’s boss only cares about Furuixiang’s territory, not about your dog’s life! Men! Heji has broken faith. First, kill this Qian Ping!”

Furuixiang’s Enforcers exchanged glances, hesitating to step forward.

Zhu Guan roared, “What are you afraid of? He’s just a homeless dog!”

An Enforcer cautiously rushed forward. He saw Qian Ping still staring blankly up at the lanterns and thrust a dagger into his abdomen. But Qian Ping only lowered his gaze to look at him, not even a flicker of a frown.

Another Enforcer rushed forward and stabbed a dagger into Qian Ping’s back.

Seeing that Qian Ping had no intention of fighting back, a third Enforcer surrounded him and stabbed a dagger into Qian Ping’s right chest.

Just as a fourth Enforcer was about to strike another blow, the door of Yihong Brothel next to the alley opened.

A man dashed like a phantom to Qian Ping’s front, blocking the attack. He gripped the Enforcer’s wrist and looked up at Zhu Guan. “By Jianghu rules, three stabs are considered repayment of a debt,” he said. “This man is under the protection of Lord Qi. Does anyone object?”

Zhu Guan looked at Qian Ping’s wounds; he was clearly not long for this world.

He said with a sneer, “Of course, Lord Qi’s face must be given to this dead man. Whoever wants him can take him away.”

The man took out a pill from his sleeve and brought it to Qian Ping’s mouth, but Qian Ping, with a pale face, smiled and said, “No need, it would be a waste.”

Zhu Guan narrowed his eyes. “This is a pill from the Daoist Court,” he said. “You’re actually using it to heal his wounds?”

The man ignored Zhu Guan and only looked at Qian Ping, saying coldly, “Swallow it, there’s a long road ahead! The life you owed Wang Huan has been repaid; now this life is your own!”

Qian Ping quietly closed his eyes. “Brother Ji,” he murmured, “the Jianghu has lost its meaning. Let me go.”

The man named Ji angrily said, “Lord Qi is old and wishes to retire from the Jianghu. The burden of the Three Mountains Association still relies on you to carry! So many disabled soldiers still need someone to look after them!”

Qian Ping opened his eyes and hesitantly asked, “Why me?”

The man named Ji shoved the pill into Qian Ping’s mouth. “Live and ask Lord Qi yourself!” he commanded.

Qian Ping swallowed the pill. The man draped one of Qian Ping’s arms over his shoulder and supported him as they walked back into Yihong Brothel. “Don’t pull out the daggers yet,” he said. “This pill can only keep you alive. Whether you survive depends on your luck!”

Zhu Guan sneered from behind them, “The Three Mountains Association has fallen too far, taking in any homeless dog.”

The man from the Three Mountains Association stopped and looked back at Zhu Guan. “We live by a single breath,” he said. “What do you live by? This talisman formation won’t disperse anytime soon. You’d better pray for yourself.”

Zhu Guan froze. He turned his head to look and saw that the wall of spears and shields had already charged close.

He hurriedly waved his hand and said, “I have no grudge against any of you. Furuixiang will not get involved in the affairs between you brave men and Heji! Wait, Chongnan Ward can be yours too… and Chongbei Ward as well!”

The Imperial Forest Guard instantly shattered Furuixiang’s Enforcers, and Zhu Guan’s screams were swallowed by the forest of spears.

The smoke screen lasted for a full half hour.

Wang Huan, who had been hiding for a long time, now dragged his corpulent body and stood smiling outside the smoke screen, waiting for the black smoke to clear.

His thumbs hooked into his belt, his eyes almost disappearing into slits from smiling. “Tomorrow,” he declared, “all the halls are to prepare to take over Furuixiang’s territory in Chongnan Ward and Chongbei Ward. Take over Panjiayuan as well. From now on, Heji will have the final say in the Ghost Market business!”

Wang Huan walked closer to the smoke screen and peered carefully into the thick smoke, wanting to see what was happening inside. He saw that the smoke was bottomlessly black, and black hands were struggling outwards from within, as if trying to break free from the smoke.

An Enforcer whispered, “Dragon Head, where did this *Xingguan* come from? Aren’t our *Xingguan* from the Eight Inner Halls practitioners of Xingyi Quan?”

Wang Huan turned and glanced at him. “This is a Great *Xingguan* sent by the boss,” he said. “Don’t ask questions you shouldn’t.”

The Enforcer hesitated for a moment. “Master Qian is still inside. He…”

Wang Huan reassured him, “Master Qian is a fortunate man, Heaven will protect him. Nothing will happen to him.”

As he finished speaking, the black smoke screen gradually dispersed. Wang Huan smiled and looked inside, then his expression changed, and he took a small step back.

In the deep Li Samao Alley, the red lanterns had already burned to ashes.

The long, dark alley was filled with wailing Enforcers, writhing on the ground, like a living hell. Zhu Guan leaned against the green brick wall, his fate unknown.

Not far opposite Wang Huan, the Imperial Forest Guard soldiers had disheveled hair and clothes drenched in sweat.

They were panting. Some were re-tying their grey face coverings, while others pulled out hairpins to re-tie their hair.

Seeing the smoke disperse, Qi Zhenzhuo spat into his hand and re-gripped the long spear resting on his shoulder. Zhou Chong raised his long shield again, casually tapping its surface with his *pudao*. Duo Bao, who had been leaning against the green brick wall, resting on his iron wolf-brush, grumbled as he straightened up.

Lin Yanchu, Li Guang, and other commoner youths who had originally followed Chen Wenren now followed behind Li Xuan.

Chen Ji tied his face covering, kicked his long spear up from the ground with his toe, and caught it, giving it a shake.

He stood at the very front of the formation and asked without turning his head, “Are there any cowards?”

Li Xuan calmly replied from behind him, “None.”

Chen Ji raised his long spear horizontally, pointing it at Wang Huan from a distance. “Valiant warriors, ten thousand victories!”

“Kill!”