Volume One: The Hidden Dragon in the Abyss Chapter 22: Setting the Trap

“What story is that?” Xu Wei asked.

“There was once a noble lady who, just to see the man she admired one more time, prayed devoutly to the Buddha. The Buddha told her to become a stone and cultivate for five hundred years, only then granting her the chance to glimpse the young man as he hastily crossed a bridge. Then, she transformed into a great tree, cultivated for another five hundred years, and finally, the man rested beneath her branches for a fleeting moment…” Wang Chuan paused. “What do you make of it?”

“Do you believe in reincarnation?” Xu Wei asked him first.

“Such things—whether you believe or not is up to you. But I think there may really be people who have experienced it themselves,” Wang Chuan replied with a smile.

“Oh.” Xu Wei nodded thoughtfully. “Then the woman in the story is far too devoted, too passionate.”

“Perhaps so,” Wang Chuan continued. “So the Buddha asked the maiden, having cultivated for a thousand years, if she wished to continue. She answered that it was unnecessary. At this, the Buddha sighed in relief and said, ‘There’s another man who, just to see you, has cultivated for two thousand years…’”

“Is such a story found in the Buddhist scriptures?” Xu Wei was a little surprised. “Such tales of lovesick men and women—perhaps they do count as a kind of romance. But can they never truly be together?”

“And what is your idea of fulfillment? Simply getting what you desire?” Wang Chuan asked. “Have you ever truly loved someone? Loved them deeply, passionately?”

Xu Wei pondered for a moment, as if searching her memory, but seemed to find nothing.

“I once witnessed something in the past: several children grew up together in the same village, childhood friends. Two boys both liked the same girl, but she liked the second boy first,” Wang Chuan sighed. “That second boy’s temperament was a lot like mine used to be—indecisive, hesitant. He could never bring himself to confess his feelings. By the time he finally mustered the courage, it was too late. He’d already missed his chance.”

“Xu Wei, after meeting you, I feel as though you could be the one I’ve waited for. Maybe I’ll miss my chance too. It doesn’t matter anymore; as long as you can be happy, that’s enough for me.”

As they walked on, the path led them into a market, where crowds bustled and lively noise filled the air.

Other than the ripple Wang Chuan’s words sent through her heart, which soon quieted again, a mark was left deep within.

Xu Wei was like a bird freed from its cage, her face glowing with excitement, eyes bright, nearly skipping and jumping with joy she could barely contain.

Her steps were light, betraying some martial training. Each leap and bound was as weightless as falling leaves or drifting feathers.

“Stop right there!”

But before long, they were blocked by a group of men in black, their manner fierce and menacing.

Wang Chuan, dressed in long blue robes, radiated an aura of scholarly elegance and otherworldly refinement.

Xu Wei, too, was exquisitely adorned in a lavish green dress. Among the crowd, the two stood out like a crane among chickens—impossible not to notice.

Yet they were stopped, and with such brazen confidence.

One of the men leered at Xu Wei, looking her up and down before sneering, “Anyone entering the market must pay a protection fee…”

As he spoke, he revealed a mouthful of yellowed teeth, and a foul stench wafted several meters from his mouth and body, reeking of filth and vulgarity.

Startled, Xu Wei quickly retreated, hiding behind Wang Chuan.

“What protection fee? I’ve never heard of such a thing,” Wang Chuan replied, shaking his head.

“Well, now you know,” the man said, feigning anger as he glared at Wang Chuan.

“You’re right under the emperor’s nose,” Wang Chuan said, glancing behind him. “Who told you to collect protection fees? The authorities? The court? Or some local gang?”

“Is it your business, boy? Like it or not, you’ll pay up! Don’t think too highly of yourself,” the man scoffed lazily, casting a cold glance his way.

Wang Chuan raised an eyebrow, a cold smile on his lips. He could see at a glance that these men were here to cause trouble.

“If that’s how it is, don’t blame me for shedding blood. No matter who you are, or who stands behind you, no one can save you now.”

Wang Chuan’s gaze flickered toward a certain direction.

Up above, in an inn, a man who had been watching Wang Chuan while holding a wine bowl suddenly felt a chill run through his heart, and his bowl slipped from his grasp. “So that’s the Prince of Jin?”

…

“Fucheng needs stability!”

That was what the great man sitting opposite had said to him.

After more than twenty years of hard struggle, Li Jiu had finally attained his current position—he’d risked his life many times!

Now, his Gale Society was one of the top three factions in Fucheng.

Yu Kingdom, the capital, Fucheng.

The winds of change were rising again!

Fucheng needs stability—those had been the words of that great man, who recognized him, and so the factions made peace and divided up their territories.

Since then, the major factions in Fucheng had rarely clashed, and there had been no serious conflict.

But last night, that great man had sought him out again. The man’s rank and influence had only grown, and now he made a proposal that made Li Jiu’s heart race.

Let the Gale Society become number one!

Of course, reaching that goal would require a price.

And that price was the Prince of Jin standing before him.

“There are those who don’t wish him to return to Jin so easily. Do you understand?” the great man said. “Just humble him a little, let him suffer. It’s impossible for you to finish him yourselves, but you are to provoke him first—after that, leave the rest to us.”

That morning, the breeze was cool and moist.

The great man took the matter so seriously that he didn’t even attend court, instead calling in sick.

With a scholarly and gentle appearance, his beard neatly trimmed, he greeted Li Jiu while holding a handful of roasted pumpkin seeds.

The roasted seeds had little flavor, but as he cracked the oily kernels open and savored the year’s new tea, he enjoyed a subtle freshness and rare leisure.

“That Prince of Jin has appeared in Fucheng—surely with some scheme in mind. Let’s not concern ourselves with the rest, but his presence is too conspicuous, and will only bring us trouble. I hear His Majesty has already asked him to leave the city, but he doesn’t know what’s good for him.” The man, strikingly handsome and exuding an effortless grace, popped a seed in his mouth, sipped his tea, and went on, “If we offend him, so be it—it’s only your problem. The prince is a prince, but he does not represent Jin. At best, he’s the face of Jin.”

In the end, Li Jiu agreed to make trouble for Wang Chuan as the man asked.

Just as the great man said: Yu was Yu, Jin was Jin—the Prince of Jin held no sway over the old local powers.

And after this, Li Jiu would have his reward: the Gale Society would become the largest faction in Fucheng!

A deal well worth making.

Li Jiu snapped out of his thoughts and looked over again.

This Prince of Jin was not quite as he had imagined.

Had he discovered Li Jiu’s surveillance? Why was he suddenly looking his way? Impossible! How could he have noticed?

Even if he was the Prince of Jin, so what? He didn’t dare return home and had come to Yu instead. All those rumors of enlightenment—Li Jiu didn’t believe a word. Perhaps he had martial skills, but everyone knew the prince had no real power.

Back in Wei, the Zhao family, who’d been supporting him, had already given up.

So even though Li Jiu couldn’t afford to provoke him too much, he doubted Wang Chuan could do much to him either.

Yu was no friend to Wang Chuan; many in court would support Li Jiu.

“Courting death!”

Wang Chuan had no patience left to play games with these street thugs.

Whatever tricks lay behind them, against absolute strength, such schemes were laughable.

Could ants ever plot against a dragon?

No matter what they did, it was all futile!

Before he finished speaking, invisible energy shot forth.

Hiss, hiss…

The men in front pitched backward, collapsing with no chance to resist or evade.

The commotion they had staged was meant to draw a crowd to witness, but Wang Chuan’s sudden attack shocked everyone, causing them to take several steps back.

“You should hide for a few days. If anyone tries to harm you, I’ll sense it. Don’t distract me,” Wang Chuan said quietly, tilting his head.

Zhong Bo understood, and slipped away.

“Hurry,” someone in the crowd whispered—men in plain clothes, their bearing fierce.

Their leader was Yang Hao, who had somehow blended into the crowd.

Zhong Bo, getting the message, followed the group out.

On his own, it would have been hard to hide in Fucheng, but with Yang Hao’s help, it would be much easier.

For now, they could be trusted.

“It’s my fault. Meeting with His Highness exposed his whereabouts,” Yang Hao said as he led Zhong Bo through winding alleys to a nondescript house.

“There must be other reasons. Even I don’t know what His Highness is thinking,” Zhong Bo sighed.

These past days spent with His Highness—he seemed to sense something.

But he was unconcerned.

Perhaps it was nothing serious.

Back in the marketplace, Wang Chuan had acted without warning.

No one else had expected such a turn.

“Wang Chuan, stop! What’s wrong with you?” Xu Wei cried out, startled, grabbing his arm. “Let my father teach them a lesson. Don’t get involved, I’m scared.”

Wang Chuan frowned, then nodded. “Very well, I’ll give you this face—let’s see if they back down.”

“Let’s go back, then. I’m frightened,” Xu Wei said hurriedly.

“You go first. Today’s business has nothing to do with you. I don’t want you involved,” Wang Chuan replied.

“That man is terrifying, daring to take on the Gale Society here.”

“He’s clearly not from around here—dressed so finely, but doesn’t know his place. He’ll be in trouble soon.”

“Exactly, the Gale Society isn’t to be trifled with.”

“Look at him—pretty boy, never seen the world, has he?”

“There’ll be a show to watch.”

“…”

Xu Wei, genuinely concerned for him, tried to pull him away by his sleeve.

“Stop! You think you can just leave after attacking us?” the lead thug shouted, startled that Wang Chuan had actually struck.

Above them…

He, too, glanced back toward Li Jiu. With no further instruction, he proceeded as planned.

Things were progressing far faster than he’d anticipated—he hadn’t even pressed yet, and already the other side had acted.

Seeing them about to leave, he blocked their way.

He checked on his fallen men and suddenly cried out, “They’re dead…”

“What? Dead?” The other thugs jumped in fright, never expecting such ruthless lethality—striking to kill in an instant.

They were used to bullying and bluster, living by the knife, but those days were long gone—back when the gangs fought openly, and the city was chaos. Now, Fucheng had known peace for too long.

The crowd gasped in shock. Wang Chuan had killed several men without a word—cold and merciless.

Clearly, those who provoke the Gale Society are not to be trifled with.

“Who are you, to kill so easily?” the lead subordinate demanded harshly.

Who had their boss set them against? Could this be someone truly formidable?

Even in Fucheng, there were people they dared not offend.

“If you vanish now, there’s still time,” Wang Chuan said coolly.

He wasn’t the least bit concerned with rabble like this.

“Why go so far, sir?” Li Jiu finally appeared, his tone heavy.

Things had reached a point where the city guards would soon arrive.

They had done their part. Now, men had died.

Each one of them had been his brother.