Chapter 92: Main Hall

The contempt in his tone was something anyone could hear.

He seemed to have already decided that this Ye Tian had no chance of competing with him for the Hall Master seat.

"..."

Ye Tian said nothing, just curled his lips into a smile.

He stepped back, dodging the hand Jade Buddha reached out.

"Hmm?"

Giving no face like that? And the next moment, Ye Tian spoke up directly.

"I, on the other hand, feel my chances are pretty good. If seniority alone mattered, I heard Jade Buddha-senior's old man is nearly seventy or eighty, right? Why not just bring him out—what are we even voting on here?"

"You—!"

Perhaps he truly hadn't expected Ye Tian to give him no face at all.

"What did you just say!"

Before Jade Buddha could fly into a rage, Red Tiger beside him stepped forward first.

He glared at Ye Tian, bristling with fury.

"Do you know who this is? Daring to speak to our Buddha like that—have you got a death wish?"

This display of loyal devotion made the others around Jade Buddha grind their teeth in fury.

Damn it—you're such a bootlicker, back when you were under Lei Tang, how did you end up a nobody? Shouldn't be called Red Tiger at all, should be Lick-Tiger.

Jade Buddha's expression softened—clearly very pleased with Red Tiger's performance.

However.

"Oh? I didn't know our Black Water Gang had produced some 'Buddha' figure."

This time, the voice came from outside the main hall.

The next moment.

A figure strode in, swaggering with a wide, rolling gait.

"You—..."

Red Tiger raised his hand, ready to curse.

But Jade Buddha got anxious—fat as he was, he moved plenty fast, clamping a hand over Red Tiger's mouth in an instant.

Damn it, I know you're loyal, but not everyone here can be mouthed off at.

He turned with a face full of ingratiating smiles.

"Knife-sir, you jest. My underling doesn't know his place, talking nonsense—please don't take it to heart, Knife-sir."

The newcomer was none other than one of the Black Water Gang's Hall Masters, Knife Ghost, and the two behind him were fellow Hall Masters Blaze, and Uncle Qian.

Before Knife Ghost could say anything, Blaze furiously cut in.

"Doesn't know his place? Know where you are? If you don't know your place, then scram."

Uncle Qian beside them smiled amiably.

"Blaze, when will you ever fix that temper? What's there to bicker about with juniors? Who knows, they might soon be a Hall Master just like you."

A seemingly casual remark, yet the barbed undertone was something anyone could hear.

Even though Jade Buddha was displeased, he could only chuckle awkwardly and dare not respond.

Let alone that Jade Buddha wasn't yet a Hall Master—even if he took the seat, he wouldn't dare put on airs in front of three Hall Masters at once.

"What is it? Since everyone's here, why aren't we starting? What are we all gathered here for?"

A gentle voice came, and Old Yao appeared in everyone's sight, with Pig Sis and Poison Dragon.

Though all Hall Masters, the six clearly belonged to two camps, with a clear line between them.

"Hmph!"

Seeing it was Old Yao's group, Knife Ghost gave a light snort, said nothing more, and led his people over to sit down.

Jade Buddha couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, shooting Old Yao a grateful look.

If Old Yao hadn't suddenly shown up, he'd probably have been embarrassed for a while longer.

"Do your job well."

Meeting Jade Buddha's gaze, Old Yao just smiled easily and said to him appreciatively.

Pig Sis and Poison Dragon beside him both nodded in his direction.

"Thank you, Hall Master Old Yao!"

This scene filled Jade Buddha with joy, completely failing to notice the dark flash that crossed Knife Ghost's people's faces for an instant.

Even though Jade Buddha's faction was no weakling, the conflicts between Hall Masters weren't something one could casually窥探.

He was completely unaware of the undercurrents churning beneath the surface.

As for Ye Tian, Old Yao didn't pretend to ignore him—instead he swept a glance, gave a simple nod, his manner noticeably calmer than when he'd just faced Jade Buddha.

As if facing a stranger, he didn't speak, just walked straight past.

That was the normal reaction. If he'd outright ignored him, or deliberately belittled him, that would have raised suspicion. Everyone who could sit in a Hall Master seat was skilled—they'd all clawed their way out of scheming and infighting.

Jade Buddha grew even more excited, his gaze at Ye Tian carrying a hint of provocation.

'See? I've already earned several Hall Masters' favor—what about you?'

He became all the more certain that the Hall Master seat was his.

Ye Tian couldn't be bothered to respond.

Six Hall Masters had arrived; the Bāngzhǔ, Fù Bāngzhǔ, and the last Hall Master should be arriving soon.

Ye Tian's gaze swept over them one by one, as if analyzing something.

Pig Sis lived up to her name—at three or four hundred jin, from a distance she looked like a mountain of flesh, even more exaggerated than Jade Buddha.

Poison Dragon seemed low-key, his entire body wrapped beneath a cloak. He had heard Old Demon introduce him before — Poison Dragon had switched over to the Black Water Gang together with Old Demon back in the day, a brother who had followed at Old Demon's side since the latter roamed the jianghu.

As for Blade Ghost's side, each was different as well.

Finally, as time passed, the people began to arrive in full.

The last Hall Master's title was Iron Wall Hand, a pair of patterns that couldn't be read tattooed on both his arms.

Then came the Bāngzhǔ and the Fù Bāngzhǔ.

"Bāngzhǔ!"

The moment they saw the Bāngzhǔ appear, everyone raised their heads in unison and looked over.

Ye Tian also looked over in the same motion, a hint of curiosity in his eyes.

He had heard some rumors — the Black Water Gang's Bāngzhǔ, original name Hei Luo, had taken the seat of Bāngzhǔ because he inherited his father's business.

But to be able to hold the seat of Bāngzhǔ steady, this Hei Luo was also a capable one.

"Sit!"

Only after everyone had sat down did Hei Luo raise his hand, signaling them to be seated.

"I really didn't expect that in just a few short days, so many things could happen in the Black Water Gang — subordinates daring even to take out a Hall Master. Will it be a few more days before someone takes out me, the Bāngzhǔ, as well?"

When Hei Luo spoke, his expression was indifferent and calm.

But the more so, the more it made people feel an immense pressure.

"Bāngzhǔ, rest assured — such a person, we shall punish severely without mercy, absolutely never letting such a thing happen again."

The subordinates pledged one after another.

"Hmph!"

A cold snort.

Hei Luo had only originally intended to use this matter to give the few Hall Masters a rap on the knuckles.

Otherwise, as time wore on, the authority of his position as Bāngzhǔ would only grow smaller and smaller.

"Enough. Since the Black Water Gang was founded, there have always been eight Hall Masters — not one can be missing. Now that Sēn Lǎo is gone, the number of eight Hall Masters should be made up."

As he spoke.

His gaze swept over Ye Tian and Jade Buddha.

Clearly knowing that, at present, these two people were the most qualified to compete for the Hall Master seat left behind by Sēn Lǎo.

The moment Hei Luo's gaze swept over, Jade Buddha was all smiles — he had sent over several hundred thousand taels, surely he was more familiar in front of Hei Luo than Ye Tian, right?

Compared to Jade Buddha, Ye Tian's attitude was far calmer.

"Bāngzhǔ!"

"Mm!"

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