The Xuantian Society is divided into five halls, namely the Platinum Hall, the Greenwood Hall, the Bluewater Hall, the Blazing Fire Hall, and the Yellow Earth Hall.
After Jiang Li officially became the hall master of the Greenwood Hall of the Xuantian Society, he had other plans in mind.
The Xuantian Society's confrontation with the imperial court is truly like an egg hitting a stone. Jiang Li had no intention of getting involved in such dangerous disputes. Now it might be difficult for him to withdraw, so he decided to make use of the resources and environment of the Xuantian Society to improve his own abilities and obtain some items needed for cultivation.
After all, in this world where the strong are respected, only by having excellent personal strength can one have a foothold in the face of numerous changes.
However, things didn't go as he wished. Recently, the imperial court had launched a severe crackdown on the Xuantian Society, and the situation was becoming increasingly tense.
At this time, a carrier pigeon was hovering over the crowd.
Someone shouted,"It's a messenger. There's a letter from the headquarters!"
The pigeon's feathers were as black as ink all over its body, and only its eyes showed a strange red light. It flew straight to the stronghold of the Greenwood Hall and landed on Jiang Li's shoulder. It cooed twice and then handed over the letter tied to its leg.
Jiang Li took the letter and unfolded it. He saw that the handwriting on the letter was vigorous and forceful, yet it also conveyed a sense of haste.
It was written in the letter: Now that the imperial court's suppression of the Xuantian Society is intensifying day by day, the situation has become extremely severe. It's just like a violent storm is about to pour down. The entire Xuantian Society seems like a lonely boat swaying in the fierce wind and could be destroyed at any time.
In order to preserve our strength, we have decided to let all the members of the society disperse and hide themselves in every corner of the Jianghu. After this storm passes, we will gather again to discuss the important matters that follow.
Meanwhile, regarding the Greenwood Hall, although the position of the hall master is vacant, once a new hall master is selected, he should quickly assume the corresponding responsibilities.
The city of Wangyou in Xihe Prefecture is relatively remote, and the local forces there are complex and intertwined. For the time being, the imperial court's attention has not been focused too much on that place. All the members of the Greenwood Hall can go there first to avoid risks.
It is hoped that the new hall master can stabilize the situation of the branch hall at this critical moment, preserve the effective strength of the Greenwood Hall, and not give the imperial court any chance to uproot the Greenwood Hall completely.
After reading the letter, Jiang Li sighed inwardly. The development of the situation was truly beyond anyone's control.
Although he had little interest in getting involved in the disputes between the Xuantian Society and the imperial court, now that he was already the hall master of the Greenwood Hall and had received the order from the leader of the headquarters, it was not easy for him to disobey.
Moreover, after killing Wang Qianyuan, it was impossible for him to return to his mansion. If he went back, it would probably only bring endless troubles to his family.
Now that he had to wander outside anyway, it would be better to accept this arrangement and go to the branch hall in the city of the western prefecture. Perhaps he could find some peace and continue with his plan to improve his strength.
So, Jiang Li summoned all the people in the hall and conveyed the order of the leader of the headquarters.
Hearing this, although everyone looked worried, they also understood that the current situation was critical and that only by following the arrangements would they have a chance of survival.
In order not to attract attention, Jiang Li ordered everyone to disperse and head to the city of Wangyou in batches.
Before leaving, Jiang Li was followed by two subordinates from the Xuantian Society.
One of them was the man in black who had fought with him before. His name was Lin Xiao.
This man was in his early twenties, highly skilled in martial arts, at the intermediate level of a Martial Lord, and was somewhat famous in the Xuantian Society.
He was the Dharma protector of the Greenwood Hall.
At first, he was rather unconvinced by Jiang Li, who had suddenly emerged as the hall master. After all, Jiang Li was quite young, and in his opinion, perhaps he had only managed to obtain the position of hall master by sheer luck.
However, after having a fight with Jiang Li before and witnessing the astonishing strength that Jiang Li burst out with at a critical moment, his opinion of Jiang Li had changed a lot. He knew that Jiang Li was truly no ordinary person, and his expression was fairly respectful at the moment, although the arrogance in his bones would still inadvertently show from time to time.
The other one was a woman at the Great Perfection stage of Martial Lord, named Su Yao. She had a graceful figure but also exuded a heroic air, and her eyes were lively and intelligent.
Su Yao was not the kind of martial artist who only knew how to act recklessly. She was meticulous in her thoughts and had a keen insight into the situation.
This time, the leader of the headquarters arranged for her to follow Jiang Li. Firstly, it was because of her strength, and secondly, it was hoped that she could assist Jiang Li in handling the affairs of the branch hall. After all, in such a troubled time, having one more capable assistant was always good.
Jiang Li took the two of them and headed west all the way towards the branch hall in the prefectural city.
During the journey, Jiang Li was taciturn and kept thinking about his future plans in his heart.
Although this trip to the city of Wangyou was to avoid the limelight for the time being, there were bound to be numerous difficulties ahead.
He had to deal with the possible investigations by the imperial court and also handle the many problems that might exist within the branch hall. If he was a little careless, he might fall into an abyss from which there was no escape.
Seeing that the hall master was like this, Lin Xiao and Su Yao didn't dare to say much. They just followed silently behind him, always keeping an eye on the movements around them.
They habitually placed their hands on the hilts of the knives at their waists, and their eyes vigilantly scanned the surroundings, as if they were ready to deal with any unexpected situations that might arise at any time.
Su Yao, on the other hand, furrowed her brows slightly, and there was a trace of worry in her eyes. From time to time, she sized up Jiang Li's back, secretly wondering in her heart whether this young hall master could lead them to find a chance of survival in this chaotic world.
Deep in the prosperous capital city, within the Jiang State Mansion, the atmosphere was as cold as winter.
Madam Wang was sitting in the luxurious yet somewhat gloomy hall. She was dressed in a magnificent brocade robe embroidered with exquisite golden thread patterns, but her delicate face was now distorted with anger.
The capable subordinates she had sent out hadn't sent back any news yet. There was only one possibility - they were dead. And now Jiang Li was nowhere to be found. Everything was ruined.
Since Jiang Li dared to lay hands on Wang Qianyuan, he must have noticed something.
This Jiang Li, who usually seemed low-key, was actually very meticulous in his thoughts. Now that he had escaped, he would surely become a big trouble in the future.
Thinking of this, a trace of ruthlessness flashed in Madam Wang's eyes. She decided to cut the weeds and dig up the roots. She couldn't let Jiang Li have the chance to threaten the interests of herself and her family again.
"Come here!" Madam Wang shouted loudly. Her voice echoed in the empty hall, carrying an air of indisputable authority.
Before long, a servant dressed in black hurriedly walked into the hall and knelt respectfully on the ground."What are your orders, Madam?"
Madam Wang looked at him coldly, with a chill in her eyes."Go and find Li Xiao for me. I have important matters to entrust to him."
"Yes, Madam." The servant replied and then quickly withdrew.
Not long after, a man with a vigorous figure and a cold face walked in.
"Greetings, Madam. I wonder what you summoned me for?" Li Xiao clasped his fists and saluted, his voice low and hoarse, like the cry of a night owl.
Madam Wang slightly raised her eyes and looked at Li Xiao, saying coldly,"Find Jiang Li and kill him. I want you to bring his head to me!"
"Don't worry, Madam. I will go all out. However, it may take some time to find him and kill him." Li Xiao said cautiously.
Madam Wang frowned and said impatiently,"I don't care what methods you use or how much time it takes. I only want the result. If you can't get this done, hmph..."
Li Xiao shuddered inwardly. He knew what Madam Wang was capable of. If he angered her, the Shadow Assassins' Guild might really face a disaster.
Immediately, he quickly replied,"Yes, Madam. Your subordinate understands. I'll go back and arrange for our men right away. I will definitely live up to your expectations."
After saying that, Li Xiao hurriedly withdrew and returned to the stronghold of the Shadow Assassins' Guild. It was a courtyard located in a remote area on the outskirts of the city. The surroundings were gloomy and quiet, and from time to time, the cries of night owls could be heard, which was quite creepy.