Chapter 179: Controlling the Black Market Again

The first leader of the Crane Beak Gang was a herb picker; he possessed a family heirloom magic treasure, the Crane Beak Hoe, which was very effective for picking wild spiritual plants.

Herb pickers huddled together for warmth to resist extortion and blackmail, eventually forming the Crane Beak Gang.

Therefore, the roots of this gang were not tough.

During Sun Lingtong's time, the Crane Beak Gang surrendered under coercion.

Sun Lingtong was wanted, the Poison Snake Gang rose to prominence, and when they had the momentum to control the black market, the Crane Beak Gang was the first to send gifts.

And now, when the Monkey Head Gang Leader carried the head of the Poison Snake Gang Leader as a greeting gift to the Crane Beak Gang, the Crane Beak Gang Leader felt no shame or anger at being threatened, but was filled with emotion.

Watching him build a high building, watching him feast guests, watching his building collapse.

Not long ago, the Poison Snake Gang Leader, who was still in high spirits, was left with only his head, dying with his eyes wide open.

Not long ago, the Poison Snake Gang, which still had the atmosphere of ruling the black market, had disintegrated and fallen apart overnight.

"The old leader was right!"

"Those who kill will always be killed."

"Things like fighting and killing, unless necessary, don't need to be done."

"Living a life like ours is quite good; pick some herbs, sell them for money, and pay some protection fees."

"There is always someone stronger than you."

"Without talent, without excellent spiritual roots, and without a reliable background, if you want to survive in this world for a long time, then become a medicinal herb, acting as a spiritual plant. Then contribute fruit and show your value, instead of showing your fangs."

The Crane Beak Gang Leader sighed in his heart.

He had his own survival strategy.

The Monkey Head Gang Leader issued a warning to him, informing him that the Monkey Head Gang was intervening in the black market, with the Ning family as a backer, hoping that the Crane Beak Gang would be sensible.

The Crane Beak Gang Leader then said that he needed to gather the gang elders to discuss it, and asked the Monkey Head Gang Leader to wait for a moment.

The Monkey Head Gang Leader only waited for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea before receiving a response from the Crane Beak Gang Leader—the Crane Beak Gang was willing to surrender, but the specific terms still needed to be discussed with Unlike Ning Zhuo in person.

The Monkey Head Gang Leader felt a joy in his heart; the Monkey Head Gang had destroyed the Poison Snake Gang and had suffered huge casualties, urgently needing to rest. If the Crane Beak Gang could bow their heads, that would be the best thing.

He laughed immediately, "You are sensible! Follow me, don't keep Young Master Zhuo waiting."

Ning Xiangqian stood by the window, staring at the Crane Beak Gang's headquarters. He frowned tightly, paying close attention to the development of the situation.

The Monkey Head Gang Leader had been inside the headquarters for a while, and there was no sign of him, which made Ning Xiangqian feel increasing anxiety.

"Why is there still no movement?"

He couldn't help but look at Unlike Ning Zhuo.

Unlike Ning Zhuo sat in the main seat; ever since he sat down, he hadn't stood up once.

Clusters of pure white floating clouds wrapped around him; the clouds were dense, covering all the fluctuations of his cultivation.

"He is diligent..." Ning Xiangqian thought to himself.

Before he went to the ancestral hall to publicly support Unlike Ning Zhuo, he had never had close contact with Unlike Ning Zhuo.

This time, Unlike Ning Zhuo invited them to act together and intervene in the black market; it was Ning Xiangqian's first time cooperating with Unlike Ning Zhuo.

Unlike Ning Zhuo's various performances were truly beyond his expectations.

"Cultivating diligently, simply racing against time!"

"Very capable, not at all like a student who just graduated from school."

"However, he is still a bit young, and his actions are relatively impulsive!"

Ning Xiangqian believed that Unlike Ning Zhuo's arrangement for the Monkey Head Gang Leader to go and persuade them to surrender was an order that was too aggressive and risky.

The Monkey Head Gang Leader was the key figure helping Unlike Ning Zhuo control the entire Monkey Head Gang.

The battle to annihilate the Poison Snake Gang allowed the Ning family members to see the value of the Monkey Head Gang Leader.

He commanded well in this battle, able to fully mobilize all the gang members of the Monkey Head Gang, constantly boosting morale and maintaining military spirit.

From this point, it can be seen that the third leader was popular and had sufficient control over the entire Monkey Head Gang.

Besides him, there was no second person.

This point could also be seen in the battle.

No second person possessed the Monkey Head Gang Leader's reputation, and there were no eye-catching performances in the battle.

"If the Monkey Head Gang Leader dies, then the entire Monkey Head Gang will be very difficult to control, and it might become a pile of loose sand."

"Sigh..."

This was what Ning Xiangqian was most worried about.

The sound of footsteps approached, and then the door was knocked.

Ning Xianguo's voice came, "Young Master Zhuo, the Monkey Head Gang Leader has completed his mission; he has brought the Crane Beak Gang Leader to see you."

Ning Xiangqian stared; he had been looking out the window and hadn't seen anyone walk out of the gang headquarters.

It turned out that the Crane Beak Gang Leader had brought the Monkey Head Gang Leader over through an underground secret passage.

The specific terms needed to be discussed and negotiated before they could be decided.

According to the terms, the Crane Beak Gang could determine in what posture to surrender.

The Crane Beak Gang Leader entered the room and bowed to the floating clouds.

The floating clouds gradually dispersed, and Unlike Ning Zhuo's cold voice came out first, "Since you are surrendering, why don't you kneel when you see me?"

"Kneel!" Ning Xiangqian shouted coldly.

The Crane Beak Gang Leader's heart trembled; a large amount of divine sense inside and outside the room locked onto him, and the gazes of the Ning family Foundation Establishment cultivators also stayed on him.

Forced by the enemy's momentum, the Crane Beak Gang Leader gritted his teeth and knelt down.

The floating clouds dispersed, and Unlike Ning Zhuo saw the Crane Beak Gang Leader; for Unlike Ning Zhuo, the latter was an old acquaintance.

The Crane Beak Gang Leader had seen the 'Young Guest' many times, but this was the "first time" he saw Unlike Ning Zhuo. He didn't know the secret that Unlike Ning Zhuo was the 'Young Guest'.

"Too young!" This was the Crane Beak Gang Leader's first impression.

Unlike Ning Zhuo was only sixteen; he was really too young.

This young and immature face immediately added a lot of courage to the Crane Beak Gang Leader.

He opened his mouth to put forward his own requirements, attempting to retain the power to act independently.

Unlike Ning Zhuo sneered, "It seems you still haven't recognized what the current situation is. What you hold are all extravagant hopes and fantasies!"

The Crane Beak Gang Leader said, "Lord Unlike Ning Zhuo, this old man might be able to bring you unexpected help."

"For the present moment, you seem to want to unify the black market. You might not yet understand that there are three major gangs in the black market."

"Any person or force that wants to control the black market cannot bypass these three major gangs."

"Now, among these three gangs, the Poison Snake Gang has already been annihilated by you, and my gang, the Crane Beak Gang, has also surrendered to you. And this third gang is the most mysterious, and has always been rarely known, but its influence is extremely great."

Unlike Ning Zhuo laughed, "Are you talking about the Turtle Breath Gang?"

"Uh." The Crane Beak Gang Leader's expression froze.

Unlike Ning Zhuo looked up at the door, his gaze as if it could pierce through, "Counting the time, he should be here soon."

The next moment, the Ning family cultivators outside the door shouted, "Who is it?!"

"I am the Turtle Breath Gang Leader; having been persuaded by the messenger, I have come to surrender to Lord Unlike Ning Zhuo." A middle-aged man's voice came.

Unlike Ning Zhuo laughed, "Invite him in."

The Turtle Breath Gang Leader, dressed in black, walked in.

He was followed by two Ning family Foundation Establishment cultivators; the latter two looked alert and transmitted their voices to the others, "Be careful! This person's stealth skills are very strong; he got within a zhang of me before triggering my magic treasure's warning."

The Ning family Foundation Establishment cultivators' expressions became solemn, and their gazes and divine senses shrouded the Turtle Breath Gang Leader.

The Turtle Breath Gang Leader was expressionless, feeling some disdain in his heart. He had received Sun Lingtong's guidance and was very skilled in hiding his form and tracks. Just now, it was only because he proactively leaked his aura that he was discovered.

If he were to exert his full strength, even if he came behind the Ning family cultivators, they wouldn't discover him.

"It really is you!" The Crane Beak Gang Leader stared.

He felt it was incredible!

Because in his cognition, the Turtle Breath Gang was very mysterious, had no conventional gang headquarters, and the identities of the gang members were not even very clear to each other, often being in single-line contact.

Even during Sun Lingtong's time, the Turtle Breath Gang was independent.

The Poison Snake Gang rose up, annexed Sun Lingtong's sphere of influence, and when they were in high spirits, the leader woke up to find a letter on his bedside, written by the Turtle Breath Gang Leader.

This matter spread very quickly.

The Poison Snake Gang therefore restrained itself a lot, sweeping away its previous wanton and arrogant posture.

"How could such a gang, such a leader, surrender to Unlike Ning Zhuo for no reason?!" The Crane Beak Gang Leader felt very confused.

"So Unlike Ning Zhuo really has strategies and arrangements!"

"Besides us, this genius youth seems to have another force at his disposal."

"Amazing, his intervention in the black market was not a temporary impulse, but a plan made before acting!"

For a time, the Ning family Foundation Establishment cultivators also frequently cast admiring glances at Unlike Ning Zhuo.

Although Unlike Ning Zhuo only had the cultivation of the "third layer of Qi Condensation," such methods made people have to take him seriously.

The Monkey Head Gang Leader was intimidated by Unlike Ning Zhuo.

He had heard a lot of rumors about the Turtle Breath Gang.

Unlike Ning Zhuo had actually taken down this gang without a sound, which greatly exceeded his imagination's limit.

"The Turtle Breath Gang has always been in the intelligence business; with such people to monitor us, we must be extremely cautious under Unlike Ning Zhuo!"

The Monkey Head Gang Leader's mood became even heavier.

He had originally wanted to make some small moves, but the surrender of the Turtle Breath Gang made him retreat!

The Monkey Head Gang Leader took a deep breath and suddenly spoke, loudly congratulating Unlike Ning Zhuo on unifying the black market, turning his hands into clouds and covering them into rain overnight, with amazing achievements.

The Turtle Breath Gang Leader remained silent.

The Crane Beak Gang Leader's face was pale.

The surrender of the Turtle Breath Gang threw his plans into chaos. Unlike Ning Zhuo had become even more aggressive; he represented the Crane Beak Gang, which was too weak, so what qualifications did he have to negotiate?

Little did he know that Unlike Ning Zhuo heard the Monkey Head Gang Leader's flattering words, but shook his head.

"Still far from it."

"To control the black market, one must at least master three gangs and three loose cultivators."

"Now the Poison Snake Gang has been replaced by the Monkey Head Gang, and the Crane Beak Gang and Turtle Breath Gang have all surrendered to me."

"Next, we need to deal with Feng Heizi, the One-Armed Craftsman, and the 'Neither Clean Nor Dirty'."

Hearing this, the Ning family cultivators looked at each other.

They didn't know much about the inside story of the black market and were hearing these things for the first time.

The Crane Beak Gang Leader's face turned a few shades paler.

The Turtle Breath Gang Leader remained expressionless, only his pupils shrank imperceptibly.

Unlike Ning Zhuo's deep understanding of the black market made them all feel surprised. ===== CHAPTER 180 =====