Yan Lixing stared at Ning Beichen in shock, his eyes growing brighter. He had indeed felt the difference between a true Grandmaster and his own half-step Grandmaster status. It was a pity that Ning Beichen wouldn't let him glean any further insights.
"Master Ning, why are you here to see me?" Yan Lixing asked urgently.
Ning Beichen had given him a glimmer of hope, and though it was only a tiny spark, he craved more.
"Help me with a few things, and I can guide you on how to comprehend the true essence of being a Grandmaster," Ning Beichen told him.
This was no empty promise. Ning Beichen had broken through to true Grandmaster status through his own cultivation, unlike Yan Lixing, who was a pseudo-Grandmaster. Even if Ning Beichen's understanding of Grandmastery wasn't directly applicable to Yan Lixing, he could use his own Grandmaster domain as a reference point to help Yan Lixing take that crucial half-step.
"No problem, no problem, Master Ning, from now on, you are the leader of the Qinghe Gang," Yan Lixing said excitedly.
Ning Beichen's expression darkened. "What do I want with your Qinghe Gang? You don't even want to manage it yourself. Do you think I would?"
Yan Lixing's mind reeled, and he suddenly understood.
"I apologize, Master Ning, I, I just..."
"Forget it. I'm here today to ask for your help with a few things. Once you've done them, I'll help you step into true Grandmastery." Ning Beichen was direct.
"Master Ning, please command me. Little Yan will go through fire and water for you," Yan Lixing immediately became a sycophant.
At his age and current status, power and wealth no longer mattered. What he craved was that next step. What was a little loss of face or acting like a lapdog in comparison?
Ning Beichen's expression darkened further. This man was already decades old, yet he still referred to himself as "Little Yan." Ning Beichen felt embarrassed for him.
"Help me find the whereabouts of the other Nine Palace Scrolls, and secretly investigate the location of the Holy See," Ning Beichen instructed.
"Yes, Master Ning, I will immediately mobilize the entire gang to serve you," Yan Lixing declared loudly.
"Notify me when you have news." Ning Beichen turned and left. He couldn't stand being around the shameless old man for another minute.
After Ning Beichen departed, Yan Lixing's eyes gleamed, and his fists clenched. He was filled with fighting spirit. He knew this was his immense opportunity, his last chance. If he didn't seize it firmly, he would never take that half-step in his life.
Originally, Yan Lixing had considered exposing Ning Beichen's Grandmaster cultivation, but now he wouldn't. How could such a secret be shared with others? Ning Beichen was a Grandmaster at such a young age, and he must have an extraordinary background. Therefore, he was determined to cling to Master Ning's thick leg – not just cling, but firmly hold on. Why would he share this with anyone else? What if other shameless individuals tried to snatch this opportunity from him? He couldn't tell anyone; not only that, but he had to ensure absolute secrecy. In an instant, Yan Lixing seemed to regain his youth, a passionate flame burning in his chest.
Three days later, Yan Lixing secretly met with Ning Beichen.
"Master Ning, I've found the whereabouts of the Nine Palace Scrolls," Yan Lixing said, excited upon seeing Ning Beichen.
"Where?" Ning Beichen's face lit up. Yan Lixing did have some capability. Although his strength wasn't as great as Ning Beichen's, in terms of methods, he was far more cunning.
"Have you heard of the Hongmen?" Yan Lixing whispered to Ning Beichen.
Ning Beichen shook his head. He hadn't heard of "Hongmen" specifically, though he had heard of the Hongmen organization.
"The Hongmen is a faction that split from the Hongmen. Unlike the Hongmen, the Hongmen is comprised entirely of women and is a mysterious assassin organization. The leader of the Hongmen in each generation is known as the 'Hong Niang' (Red Lady)."
"The current leader of the Hongmen is Zhang Xin. Zhang Xin is a very mysterious woman; few have seen her true face, nor do they know her age. I've learned that one of the Nine Palace Scrolls is in her possession." Yan Lixing explained.
"Do you know how to contact this Zhang Xin?" Ning Beichen asked.
"We can't contact her directly; she has to contact us first," Yan Lixing replied.
"She will contact us?" Ning Beichen frowned slightly.
"Under normal circumstances, she wouldn't contact us. However, I have a method that might succeed, but it might require using your name, Master Ning." Yan Lixing said.
"Tell me more." Ning Beichen was intrigued.
"Request them to assassinate Master Ning." After saying this, Yan Lixing looked at Ning Beichen nervously, fearing he might misunderstand.
"You want to lure the snake out of its hole, to have them target the King of Darkness?" Ning Beichen immediately guessed Yan Lixing's intention.
Yan Lixing nodded and quickly explained, "Master Ning, I apologize. This is the only method I could think of."
"Master Ning is a Grandmaster; they certainly won't be able to assassinate you. At that time, once you capture the assassin, you might be able to learn the Hong Niang's whereabouts from them."
"Gang Leader Yan, why does it sound like you want to kill me?" Ning Beichen grinned at him, making Yan Lixing's legs go weak. Before he could explain, Ning Beichen interrupted.
"Don't be nervous, I was just joking. Leave this matter to you. Also, reveal my place of residence to them."
"Yes, Master Ning, I will make the arrangements immediately." Yan Lixing wiped a bead of cold sweat. If he hadn't witnessed Ning Beichen's prowess firsthand, no one would take this seemingly harmless young man seriously.
...
"Hong Niang, someone in Hong Lou has placed an order to have us assassinate the King of Darkness. Should we accept this contract?" a young girl asked, kneeling before a woman in a red dress.
"What is the price?" the woman in the red dress asked.
"Ten billion." The girl kneeling before her answered respectfully.
"Someone is actually willing to pay ten billion to kill him? Are you sure you didn't misread?" The woman in the red dress was astonished. The price was outrageously high; killing the president of a country wouldn't cost this much.
"It's the leader of the Qinghe Gang, Yan Lixing, who placed the order. Ten billion is a mere drop in the bucket for him," the girl kneeling on the ground said with utmost deference.
"Accept it. However, this person is not someone you can handle. I will deal with it myself," the red-dressed woman stated.
"Yes, Hong Niang." The kneeling girl responded.
"Bring me his information," the red-dressed woman commanded again. Soon, a file containing information about Ning Beichen appeared in her hand. This document was filled with intelligence about the King of Darkness, far more detailed than what an ordinary person could acquire.