Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Jianghu 2
The Forget Sorrow Building wasn’t the largest tavern in Lianshan City, but it was the most popular among the traveling Jianghu People.
Some said its liquor was the strongest, some said its meat was the most savory, and still others said its proprietress was the most alluring.
But in reality, it was simply because the Forget Sorrow Building’s prices were fair and affordable, making it perfect for the bottom-rung Jianghu People who lived day to day—poor as dirt, yet still putting on airs of grandeur.
At this moment, the first floor of the Forget Sorrow Building was filled with clamor and smoke, the air thick with the reek of liquor and the stench of sweat.
The Jianghu men, chests bared, drank cheap liquor and ate peanuts, gossiping boisterously about the latest happenings in Lianshan City as spittle flew.
The main topic of conversation was the struggle between Lianshan City’s two major gangs, the Celestial Wolf Gang and the Black Water Gang.
Lianshan City was a small city in Northern You Province, one of the Great Xia Nineteen Provinces, and these two gangs were the greatest powers within its walls.
The two gangs had fought nonstop for decades, always remaining evenly matched. In their most recent conflicts, however, the Black Water Gang had gained a slight upper hand.
Just then, a shirtless, brutish-looking man violently slammed his wine bowl on the table and bellowed:
"If you ask me, the Celestial Wolf Gang is doomed!
"The Celestial Wolf Gang Leader, Jiang Kaitai, was a real force to be reckoned with in his youth. His title, the Northern Celestial Wolf, wasn’t just an empty name.
"But he’s over seventy now. His Qi Blood has probably started to wither and his strength is failing, while the Black Water Gang’s ’Iron Head Arhat,’ Master Yuan, is in the prime of his life.
"And look at the next generation! The Five Guardians of the Black Water Gang are all formidable figures in their own right.
"And what about the Celestial Wolf Gang’s so-called Three Heroes of the Celestial Wolf Gang? What a bunch of clowns! Have any of them done anything worth mentioning?
"In the last few months, the Celestial Wolf Gang has lost battle after battle. I’m telling you, sooner or later, Lianshan City will belong to the Black Water Gang."
An older, world-weary man of the Jianghu sitting beside him gently shook his head and advised,
"Hu the Third, you can eat the wrong food, but you can’t say the wrong words.
"I know you’ve been getting cozy with that Black Water Gang captain, Zhang Biao, but the struggle between those two gangs is not for people like us to meddle in.
"Even if the Celestial Wolf Gang is truly on its last legs, a single one of their fangs is still more than enough to kill you."
Hu the Third jutted out his chin, indignant. "What, is the Celestial Wolf Gang the Emperor now? Can’t a man even speak his mind?
"I’d even dare to curse the Emperor himself, so who the hell does the Celestial Wolf Gang think it is?"
The words had barely left Hu the Third’s mouth when a blade flashed without warning, its vibrating hum suddenly ringing throughout the Forget Sorrow Building.
The next moment, Hu the Third’s massive head fell into the wine bowl on the table, sending up a spray of blood mixed with cheap liquor.
In the bowl, the arrogant expression had not yet faded from Hu the Third’s face. His eyes stared blankly at his own headless body as it gushed torrents of fresh blood.
Behind Hu the Third stood a young man in his early twenties, dressed in a black brocade robe. He flicked the blood from his Yanling Saber and sheathed it with a crisp, metallic ring.
"Is the Celestial Wolf Gang something that trash like you is qualified to criticize?
"Here in Lianshan City, you can curse the Emperor, but dare to insult my adoptive father, dare to insult my Celestial Wolf Gang, and you die!"
The young man’s face was somewhat pale, his features sharp and chiseled, and his gaze was as cold as a blade.
As his gaze swept across the room, the entire Forget Sorrow Building fell deathly silent.
A subordinate came over, picked up a black cloak embroidered with a silver wolf’s head, and draped it over the young man’s shoulders.
The young man pulled a silver ingot from within his robes and tossed it into the air. It landed in front of a voluptuous and alluring woman in her early thirties, who was dressed in a strapless gown.
This woman was the proprietress of the Forget Sorrow Building, Wen Rou.
"Boss Wen, my apologies for soiling your Forget Sorrow Building."
Wen Rou picked up the silver, weighing it in her hand. It was at least ten taels.
Her gaze toward the young man instantly became so alluring it seemed to drip with charm.
"You jest, Master Chen. That man had a filthy mouth. I’ve wanted to throw him out for a long time. I should be thanking you for helping me take out the trash."
The young man waved his hand dismissively and left the Forget Sorrow Building with his subordinate.
Only after the young man’s figure had completely vanished did someone ask in a hushed voice, "Boss Wen, which one from the Celestial Wolf Gang was that?"
Wen Rou scoffed. "You talk badly about people behind their backs, but you don’t even know who he is?
"Of the Three Heroes of the Celestial Wolf Gang, the eldest, Qin Yuancheng, is in charge of the Blood Fang Hall. The second, Zhu Zhiping, is in charge of the Punishment Hall.
"That was the third of them, Master Jiang’s last adopted son, Chen Yuan.
"Master Chen is in charge of the Instructor Hall. He normally doesn’t operate out in the open, as he’s only responsible for teaching Martial Arts to the gang members.
"However, it’s said he’s the most talented of the Three Heroes of the Celestial Wolf Gang. He’s only been studying Martial Arts for two years, but his Celestial Wolf Saber Technique has already reached the Mastery Realm.
"That strike just now, Celestial Wolf Devouring the Moon, looked like it already possessed seventy percent of the spirit Master Jiang had in his prime."
...
Outside the Forget Sorrow Building, Chen Yuan boarded the waiting carriage and instructed his trusted subordinate, Zhang Xiaoyi, "Spread the story of what just happened in there. Remember to be discreet, don’t make it look too intentional. The main thing is to highlight my anger at someone slandering my adoptive father."
Zhang Xiaoyi nodded repeatedly and immediately turned to spread the news.
Chen Yuan sat back in the carriage, gently rubbing his brow.
’After this little show, my standing with Jiang Kaitai should improve quite a bit, right?’
It had been ten days since Chen Yuan had transmigrated to this world.
To be more precise, he wasn’t even sure if it *was* a world.
Because he was intimately familiar with this world’s background—it was identical to the open-world holographic game he had made a living from in his past life, *Jianghu 2*.
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