Lanternrock stood before Hui Jian, its imposing stone walls etched against the pale, wintry sky. His breath fogged in the air as he passed through the city's bustling streets, slipping through the crowd unnoticed. The city was alive with the hum of activity—merchants haggling, mercenaries sharpening their blades, and low-level Gu Masters trading Gu worms and information like currency. The tension was thick, almost palpable. In Lanternrock, power shifted hands like sand, and Hui Jian intended to take advantage of it.
His recent advancement to Rank 3 had invigorated him. The Mind Flower Gu, now refined and deeply rooted within his aperture, was slowly revealing its true potential. Thoughts came quicker now, ideas formed with clarity and depth he hadn't known before. Each interaction became a puzzle, every conversation a strategy. The Mind Flower Gu had become his greatest weapon, not in direct combat, but in the art of manipulation and foresight.
Yet, for all his growing strength, Hui Jian knew one thing: his wealth was running thin. The primeval stones he'd gathered from past raids and deals were nearly depleted. The cost of refining Gu, maintaining his essence, and ensuring his survival in Lanternrock was draining him faster than he anticipated. He needed to find a way to keep his pockets filled if he were to continue playing this dangerous game.
For days, Hui Jian scouted the streets, taverns, and shadowy corners of the city. He learned quickly that Lanternrock wasn't just divided by its wealth—it was split by factions vying for control. At the heart of the conflict were the Jade Fist Clan and the Red River Sect, two groups entrenched in a bitter power struggle.
The Jade Fist Clan operated openly, their strength rooted in brute force and physical might. Led by Mu Xuan, a towering man known for his unyielding fists hardened by the Iron Fist Gu, the clan ruled through intimidation. Their Gu worms enhanced their physical prowess, making them formidable in close combat. Members of the clan, identifiable by their jade amulets and thickly bandaged hands, were often seen patrolling their territories, collecting dues from the merchants and keeping the lower sects in check.
In contrast, the Red River Sect moved in the shadows, relying on subterfuge and poison. Luo Xi, their leader, was a woman feared as much for her cold demeanor as for her mastery of Blood Leech Gu, which drained an opponent's strength over time. Her sect was made up of assassins, informants, and poisoners, their influence felt in the whispers that traveled the streets.
Hui Jian had no allegiance to either group. To him, they were tools—pieces on a board he could manipulate. And the opportunity to do so was fast approaching.
His first step was to create ripples of doubt and distrust within both factions. To achieve this, Hui Jian began to seek out the lower-tier members of both the Jade Fist Clan and the Red River Sect. These were the expendable soldiers, the grunts, and informants who fought for scraps in the larger game of power. He targeted those who felt undervalued, overlooked by their leaders.
One such member was Yuan Feng, a junior disciple of the Jade Fist Clan. Hui Jian approached him one night in the Rusted Coin, a notorious tavern where both factions often mixed under the veil of anonymity. Yuan Feng sat alone, his shoulders slumped, eyes darkened from exhaustion. His jade amulet, a symbol of his allegiance to the Jade Fist Clan, hung loosely around his neck, a clear indication that his loyalty was wavering.
"You look like a man with something on his mind," Hui Jian said smoothly as he slid into the seat across from him.
Yuan Feng barely looked up. "If you're here to talk about the clan, save your breath. We're all just pawns to Mu Xuan."
Hui Jian smiled slightly, knowing he had found his opening. "Pawns, yes. But what if I told you that there are ways to move up in the game? Ways that don't involve waiting for scraps from the clan's table?"
Yuan Feng's eyes flickered with interest, but he remained cautious. "And what would you know about that?"
"I know that the Red River Sect is planning something," Hui Jian said, his voice low, conspiratorial. "Luo Xi is growing bolder. Rumor has it, she's positioning herself for a major strike against Mu Xuan. And when that happens, those loyal to Mu Xuan will fall with him."
Yuan Feng shifted uncomfortably. "And you're suggesting… what? Betray my clan?"
Hui Jian shook his head. "No. I'm suggesting you survive. If you're smart, you'll distance yourself from the fallout. Let the leaders tear each other apart. You can position yourself to come out on top, without lifting a finger."
Yuan Feng's expression was unreadable, but the seed had been planted. Hui Jian didn't need immediate results. He simply needed to sow the right doubts.
He moved through the ranks of the Red River Sect with the same subtlety. He found Mei Lian, a junior poisoner with aspirations far beyond her current rank. She frequented the hidden markets, where poison Gu worms were traded alongside deadly concoctions. Hui Jian had observed her for days, watching her interactions with her peers. It was clear she harbored ambitions that Luo Xi's leadership was stifling.
Their conversation was brief but effective.
"You're too talented to be wasting away as one of Luo Xi's lackeys," Hui Jian remarked as they crossed paths in the crowded market.
Mei Lian raised an eyebrow, clearly unamused by the stranger who had suddenly taken an interest in her. "And who are you to say that?"
"A friend of a friend," Hui Jian replied, his voice smooth. "I've seen how the Red River Sect operates. They keep their best talents down, afraid that someone might overshadow Luo Xi. But there are other paths—paths that don't require you to live in her shadow."
Mei Lian's eyes narrowed. "What are you suggesting?"
"I'm suggesting that when the time comes, you side with those who recognize your talents. When this city explodes, and it will soon, you don't want to be standing too close to those in power. Power shifts. It always does."
Mei Lian remained silent, but Hui Jian saw the wheels turning in her mind. The message was clear. There were other players in Lanternrock, and Mei Lian, like many others, didn't need to remain loyal to a losing cause.
By the end of the week, whispers of betrayal and discontent had begun to spread through both factions. Members of the Jade Fist Clan quietly questioned Mu Xuan's ability to protect them from the growing threat of the Red River Sect. Meanwhile, some in the Red River Sect wondered whether Luo Xi's cautious strategies were holding them back from seizing control of the city.
Hui Jian watched it all unfold with the detachment of a chess master observing his pieces. The Mind Flower Gu allowed him to visualize the cascading effects of his actions, the ripples of doubt spreading through the ranks like a virus. Each move, each carefully planted seed of suspicion, was leading the factions toward a clash that would tear them apart from within.
But despite his success, Hui Jian's finances were dwindling. The primeval stones he had earned from past deals and raids were running low, and he needed to find new ways to maintain his growing influence in Lanternrock.
Hui Jian considered his options. He could steal, of course—there were plenty of wealthy merchants in the city whose coffers were ripe for the taking. But that would be a short-term solution, one that carried too many risks. Instead, he decided to leverage the very chaos he was creating. The factions would soon be too focused on their own internal conflicts to notice smaller players like him siphoning off resources.
His next move was to approach Zhao Rui, a mid-tier merchant with connections to both the Jade Fist Clan and the Red River Sect. Zhao Rui had made a name for himself as a man who could procure anything for the right price, and Hui Jian knew that Zhao's coffers were deep.
Under the guise of needing supplies for a potential expedition, Hui Jian convinced Zhao Rui to front him a significant amount of primeval stones and supplies in exchange for a future favor—one Hui Jian never intended to honor. Zhao Rui, ever the opportunist, agreed, seeing in Hui Jian a useful asset for future schemes.
With his pockets temporarily filled and his schemes in motion, Hui Jian retreated into the shadows once more. He had bought himself time, but Lanternrock was a dangerous place, and the longer he remained, the more enemies he would make.
For now, though, Hui Jian was content. The Jade Fist Clan and the Red River Sect were too preoccupied with their own suspicions to notice the puppet master pulling their strings. But soon, they would tear each other apart, and when they did, Hui Jian would be there to pick up the pieces.
His Mind Flower Gu pulsed softly within him, feeding him new strategies, new possibilities. The art of scheming was delicate, but Hui Jian had mastered it. Now, all he needed was patience. Lanternrock was his playground, and he intended to play until every piece on the board was his.