Chapter 885: Settling Down and the Youth

Woo-woo!

As the small steamboat sailed into the bustling port, the aura of wealth from Jinhu, the number one city under heaven, rushed to meet him.

In the port, iron ships were like mountains, and sails were like clouds.

As soon as he stepped off the pier, he saw a massive flow of people surging like a tide.

Rickshaw pullers and small automobiles chased each other, and the surrounding clock shops, snack stalls, and fruit shops were dazzling.

At a snack stall, pan-fried buns, soup dumplings, and marinated bamboo shoot soup... gave off an enticing aroma.

But judging by the routines, they were barely passable; it seems there is still some real substance in the Wuguan.

Aaron took the contract, scanned it, and after a rough look, signed it with a smile.

The outskirts of Jinhu.

"So that's how it is..."

Hearing the pride in the other party's expression when mentioning their children, Aaron thought for a moment and understood.

'That shouldn't be... who would normally associate a pile of wax with a corpse?'

"Yes."

Shi Mingsi: 'Terrible... I should have kept the manuscript fee under two silver dragon coins...'

Shi Mingsi took the manuscript, feeling somewhat surprised.

While speaking, he took another stack of manuscripts from the bundle at his side: "Just right... I have written another 100,000 words here, you can take a look."

"Bai Xiansheng..."

During the conversation, he learned that Yu Laotou and his wife had a son and a daughter, both attending school.

"Many thanks for the instructor's guidance!"

Aaron also leaned over and discovered it was a row of Wanted Orders, and what's more... the great name of Bai Xuan was prominently listed!

"That over there is the 'Dragon Stake'..."

"Auntie, don't you have a room for rent at home? I've brought you some business."

The Black-Clad Guard, however, placed greater importance on loyalty, and they all took in children from a young age to train them.

"This is Wubei Street, also Jinhu's famous Wuguan street, where they all do business in the martial arts world... Because Great Xuan bans blades, if it's just an ordinary brawl, that's one thing, but once a weapon is drawn, it is considered a violent act, and the search and arrest efforts are not ordinary... Therefore, whether it's dock laborers fighting for business or gangs fighting for territory, they mostly use fists and feet; they avoid using blades or guns if they can..."

Aaron walked into the Hongshang Printing House.

"Oh?"

Aaron followed Shi Mingsi into a small conference room.

"Does Bai Xiansheng trust our publishing house this much?"

A pier.

Although these were only disciples who had learned a few cat-and-mouse tricks, they hadn't even cultivated Internal Energy, nor had they entered a rank.

"Hongmen Boxing Hall, Chen Style Taiji, Huo Family Martial Arts Hall, Elite Association..."

After all, he had just returned from Great Ming.

Soon, the local leader of the Black-Clad Guard arrived and bowed: "Greetings, Sixth Rank Head."

The training camp over there absolutely must not have any issues.

"My lord, your observation is keen... Currently, there are 237 new recruits in the training camp, and they are undergoing training."

Thinking this, Aaron left the crowd at will and came to the Wuguan street.

Perhaps they were Heavenly Jade, Heavenly Pivot, or even the highest Tianshu Grandmaster!

'It is a good opportunity to absorb experience.'

Aaron politely declined Shi Mingsi's kindness, watched him leave, and then called a rickshaw. As the human puller ran, he slowly familiarized himself with this city, which in his eyes was only novel and not overly prosperous.

The head instructor's expression was cold: "Even if they successfully complete their training and join the Black-Clad Guard, they are just cannon fodder... After a few years, they will either die in battle or die of illness... Blood Kui Hand is quite suitable, and what's more... if this martial art is practiced to its peak, it can rival a Tianshu Grandmaster, and I didn't lie to him... it's just that he won't live to see that day."

Aaron took a sip, and his eyes lit up.

Looking at the signs one by one, Aaron felt they were all quite good.

For any organization, the addition of fresh blood is a top priority.

A huge steamship slowly docked, and a team of people wearing pitch-black uniforms came down from it.

"These Four Great Constables go without saying, they have official backing, while the Three Great Gangs are the Cao Gang, Hai Gang, and Li Gang, each eating their own slice..." the carriage driver said incessantly: "Back then, a daughter of a wealthy family went missing in Jinhu, and going to the government was useless... Later, they begged the head of the Four Great Constables, Lei Long, and Lei Laoda solved it with a single word."

"It is naturally for the best that the Sixth Rank Head can come to guide us amidst his busy schedule."

Aaron blinked and replied.

When passing under a large bridge, Aaron pointed to a pillar with a coiled dragon pattern and asked.

Some Wuguan even opened a dojo at the main entrance for disciples to train and attract business.

The rickshaw puller bowed and scraped as he invited Aaron into an alley, then pushed open a door and walked in: "Second Uncle, I'm here."

The Black-Clad Guard had twelve Rank Heads, and this leader was ranked sixth, with unfathomable martial arts.

The subordinate respectfully took the order and withdrew.

After all, education was very expensive in this era, and being able to send sons, and even daughters, to receive higher education was indeed rare among commoners.

"This is Tiannan Big Red Robe tea, please enjoy!"

"My lord, we have arrived in Jinhu, and our people will be here to contact us shortly."

After the head instructor had walked far away, a Black-Clad Guard nearby leaned in: "Boss, you're really wicked... This Blood Kui Hand is extremely quick to learn, but without the matching Secret medicine, and only drinking some decoctions to nourish Qi and Blood, they are practicing with their lives... A Grandmaster? They'd be lucky to even reach the Heavenly Rank."

But in Aaron's view, it was still too weak, far too weak.

And in Great Ming, they already had the internet.

"Oh."

Along the way, Aaron chatted with the rickshaw puller about things to watch out for upon arriving in Jinhu.

The leader had a pale, beardless face and a sinister expression, but his voice was extremely shrill: "The Qiankun Society rebels we captured couldn't withstand the heavy interrogation; they confessed that Cheng Dongnan fled to Jinhu. The Jingshi Book must be found!"

After all... *cough cough*... his other identity, 'Bai Xuan', was a notorious wanted criminal of the Xuan Dynasty!

Just as Aaron was contemplating practicing martial arts.

Taking this opportunity to learn from others' strengths to offset his own weaknesses would be quite good.

Two days later.

Tall figures dressed in black walked by from time to time, patrolling the interior and exterior.

"Brother Bai!"

According to the conventions of paper books, several hundred thousand words were already considered a long-form work.

The Black-Clad Guard leader didn't know what madness had seized the Sixth Rank Head, but since the Sixth Rank Head had this intention, he could only carry it out.

"You little brat..."

To be able to open a Wuguan in Jinhu, one had to at least have entered the Heavenly Rank; even Heavenly Power might not be quite enough.

Aaron pondered for a moment.

He muttered to himself, then suddenly thought of a key question: "I wonder how many words Brother Bai intends to write?"

"What kind of place is that?"

The force-generating posture of this palm technique was very strange and strenuous; after a full set, his hands were already as red as blood, yet he continued to strike the sandbag without pause.

The local Black-Clad Guard leader bowed and said.

"This... probably two or three million words."

Aaron smiled; in reality, he trusted in his own martial prowess.

Inside a camp surrounded on all four sides by high walls.

A man who looked like an instructor passed by: "However, this technique is extremely damaging to one's Essence Qi, so it must be supplemented with medicinal decoctions... Yang Kui, you've done well. Keep it up; I believe that one day you will be able to enter the rank of Grandmaster."

The rickshaw puller chuckled.

It had even reached third place, with a bounty of eight hundred dragon oceans, second only to Cheng Dongnan and another Qiankun Society leader.

Walking out of the printing house, Aaron recalled Shi Mingsi's expression at the end and still felt like laughing.

Sure enough, the rickshaw puller said: "This guest, seeing that you are a student, besides the government, the people you absolutely cannot provoke in Jinhu are the Four Great Constables and the Three Great Gangs."

This Brother Bai really writes manuscripts fast!

After reading through the content again, he felt even more suspicious.

"It's certainly exciting, but I feel the plot hasn't advanced much; there's a suspicion of padding..."

"Yes, I'm here to look at the room."

Most of the people coming and going on this street were martial artists, each with well-developed muscles, bulging temples, and eyes flashing with sharp light.

At the end of the street, a circle of people was gathered around looking at a notice.

Watching this, Aaron felt quite a sense of familiarity.

Anyway, he didn't have many requirements for a house, and he didn't mind the other party earning a little more.

"Get up."

"Two hundred people? Too many... after one year, it must be whittled down to only thirty-six. We, the Black-Clad Guard, must select the elite from the elite."

Aaron rubbed his chin, knowing that where there is sunlight, there must be shadows; the emergence of such an underground emperor was inevitable.

The youth named Yang Kui had delicate features and bright, intelligent eyes, carrying a sense of unyielding perseverance; upon hearing this, he thanked him loudly.

"The Four Great Constables and the Three Great Gangs?"

"Haha... is this the impact of internet economy on the physical economy?"

At this time, Shi Mingsi also brought his wife and son off the boat and found two rickshaws: "If you don't have a place to stay, I can introduce you to the Tiannan Merchant Guild Hall. Once the contract is negotiated, Brother Bai will have the funds for housing and can move out."

Remembering the names of the Three Great Gangs and the Four Great Constables, Aaron saw the rickshaw puller bring him to a nearby residential area.

But as he left, he gave a look to the person beside him.

Anyone who saw this mark would lower their heads and walk quickly, not wanting to have the slightest connection with these hounds directly under the Emperor of the Great Xuan.

Shi Mingsi took the contract with some surprise; although it was signed smoothly, which made him breathe a sigh of relief, and people of the Xuan Dynasty didn't usually pay attention to contract details, the other party's attitude was still too casual.

Aaron only looked for a while before nodding to himself.

On the training ground, the youth continued to train meticulously, letting sweat pour down like rain.

Shi Mingsi handed over a cup of tea and said with a smile.

And at this moment, Aaron realized that after wiping away the dust and sweat, the rickshaw puller was actually not very old.

"Boss, you are still the clever one."

However, he held back and hailed another rickshaw, arriving at Wubei Street, which was the street where the Wuguan were located.

'It seems that the Four Great Constables and the Three Great Gangs have jointly taken over the dark side of Jinhu?'

"A family is renting out a room here; the location is convenient, right outside is the snack street, and it's close to Wubei Street..."

Aaron nodded: "If it's suitable, let's rent it."

A Black-Clad Guard came to the leader's side and said in a low voice.

'Strange Art cannot be obtained for the time being, I can get some martial arts first...'

"Three dragon oceans per thousand characters; I could earn back my lodging fee in a single day... Perhaps I should visit more Wuguan and learn some martial arts?"

"Where... is this place?"

Yang Kui was panting heavily while practicing a set of palm techniques.

'Hmm, if I were the government and discovered Bai Xuan using Strange Art, he would at least rank second, with a bounty exceeding a thousand...'

"Hoo-hoo!"

Inside the conference room, a female employee with a nice figure brought in tea and snacks.

Even if I really took them in, it might not be a good thing.

After all, they are only paying tuition to learn, not True Disciples.

Yet the vicissitudes of life had already made him far more mature than his actual age.

"Many thanks, but I still have some money on me, so I plan to go find a place to stay first."

Aaron became interested: "Tell me more in detail..."

In the end, after viewing the room, Aaron was fairly satisfied and signed an agreement with Yu Laotou's family, setting the monthly rent at five dragon oceans, with meals at home calculated separately.

As the number one commercial city of Great Xuan with traffic extending in all directions, Jinhu naturally had a camp of the Black-Clad Guard nearby.

"Regarding Mr. Bai's novel, the editor-in-chief and I have both read it... We are prepared to publish it in the newspaper under this publishing house." Shi Mingsi handed over a contract: "This is a long-term contribution agreement, three dragon oceans per thousand characters. How does Mr. Bai feel about it?"

Aaron nodded: "I quite like it here, so I'll just find a place to rent nearby..."

"Besides that, the team led by Sun Daniang died under Strange Art; that must also be thoroughly investigated."

Rickshaw pullers are all local snakes, and this kind of information comes easily to them: "It is said that when they were driving the piles back then, they couldn't get them down no matter what, and several people even died. Later, they invited a master from the Jade Buddha Temple to take a look... After a dragon pillar was erected, the evil spirits below dared not cause trouble anymore."

And in a small square, there was a group of half-grown teenagers undergoing training.

Even if the publishing house cheated him, he could easily retaliate, so he was naturally fearless.

They were all high-spirited and capable in their movements, generally possessing a cold, gloomy temperament, and had an iron anchor symbol on their clothes.

"Hmm... it really is mellow and fragrant."

'Could it be that my killing of Sun Daniang has finally been discovered?'

A middle-aged woman who looked to be in her forties walked out; she had just started to scold someone, but when she saw Aaron, she stopped.

This is the mark of the Great Xuan Black-Clad Guard!

Rickshaws also have an advantage; they can easily weave through streets and alleys, passing through those narrow lanes that can only accommodate a few people walking side by side.

"Naturally I trust you; after all, I naturally believe in Mr. Shi's character."

The carriage driver explained: "As the demand grew, the number of people practicing martial arts increased, and it gradually developed into a street of martial arts schools... It's not easy to make a living on this street. Those who can open a Wuguan are all great Fist Masters who have set up an eight-directional ring and survived seven days undefeated!"

"The Blood Kui Hand is an extremely profound martial art, and it can even be mastered quickly; if trained to the peak, it is enough to rival a Tianshu Grandmaster!"

In reality, Baishu's martial arts foundation was laid very solidly, and there was even a faint trend of breaking through to the Heavenly Rank.

Aaron continued to let the rickshaw speed along, passing another street.

Shi Mingsi came out to welcome him, a smile on his face: "Welcome, please this way..."

Only when he lowered his head did a flash of sharp light pass through his eyes: 'I will not only survive, I will become a Grandmaster... and take revenge!'

'Great fortune has descended upon me; it must be that I am destined to achieve great things!'

(End of chapter)