Chapter 77: Reflections

"…"

With those words, Qin Yi took his leave.

After he departed, the old man’s face darkened. Damn it, you acted like you were going to buy something, and I spent so long searching for you…

Leaving that calligraphy and painting shop, Qin Yi visited several other similar shops along the street. After making the rounds, he discovered that these stores had very few Daoist-themed paintings or calligraphy. Moreover, the Daoist figures depicted were all ordinary priests—none was what he sought.

Glancing at the sky, Qin Yi found a restaurant to dine at. The free food at the inn was truly mediocre, and now that he was no longer pressed for money, he was determined to eat well. He would also pack some food for his father to take back.

He chose a corner seat and ordered a plate of marinated beef, a roast chicken, a portion of braised pork, some greens, and a large bowl of rice.

He waited quietly for his food.

“Finding the missing fifth of the Daoist diagram is like searching for a needle in the ocean,” Qin Yi sighed inwardly.

He had no idea in which province the missing part might be, whether it was buried underground, or perhaps it was not even in Dayong at all.

The world was vast—searching for it alone was as futile as betting on a lottery ticket.

“If only Elder Zhang Daoxuan were still around, I could ask him where he obtained his Daoist diagram. Perhaps the missing part is near where he found his portion,” Qin Yi analyzed to himself.

“Blind searching is pointless!”

After pondering for a while, Qin Yi concluded that if the missing part of the Daoist diagram still existed in this world, there were a few places where it was more likely to be found.

The first is the Tai Xuan Daoist Palace—the very place where Elder Zhang Daoxuan resided.

The second is the ruins of the Tai Qing Daoist Palace, the ancestral headquarters of the Daoist order. Qin Yi believed the diagram he held likely originated from the main lineage.

The third possibility lay with the other six Daoist branches.

Among these places, the chance of finding the missing part was at least higher than elsewhere.

“To search alone is far too uncertain. If I had a group of people to help me, perhaps my chances would improve.” At this thought, an idea began to take root in Qin Yi’s heart.

Now that his strength was considerable, if he established his own faction, not only could he have help searching for the diagram, but he could also accumulate resources for his cultivation.

Once this idea emerged, it swelled uncontrollably within him.

Whether in times of peace or chaos, might makes right. With his current strength, founding a faction would not be difficult.

At worst, he could start small, and as his own power grew, so too would the stature of his organization.

Soon, the food arrived. Qin Yi dug in heartily; ever since he began training in martial arts, his appetite had grown immensely.

“Have you heard?” someone at the next table was saying. “Ever since the rebel army captured Jiangning County ten days ago, their offensive has only intensified. With the county seat lost, our frontline troops are beset from all sides and have had to retreat by a roundabout route.”

“I heard yesterday that the rebels have taken eighteen counties in Jiangning. Half the entire county is lost!”

“Sigh, I wonder if the flames of war will reach our own Xiangzhou City.”

“Our city is a fortress; it won't be easy for those rebels to break in.”

“That’s right, that’s right…”

As he ate, Qin Yi listened to the conversation at the next table, his heart stirred.

So quickly—half of Jiangning had already fallen.

“Fortunately, I fled in time. Otherwise, escaping would have been far more troublesome,” he thought in relief.

After his meal, Qin Yi packed up another portion and headed back to the inn.

After handing the food to his father, he went downstairs again.

In the main hall, a scholarly-looking, middle-aged innkeeper was busily working an abacus, recording accounts.

“Innkeeper, I’d like to ask you something about the city,” Qin Yi said, placing a tael of silver on the counter.

The innkeeper glanced up at Qin Yi, then at the silver, and smiled broadly. “Sir, what would you like to know? They call me ‘Mr. Know-It-All’—there’s nothing in this city I’m not aware of!”

Qin Yi paid no mind to the man’s boasting and asked, “How many gangs are there in the city? Which ones are the strongest?”

“Gangs? You’re asking the right man! Our Xiangzhou City is vast, with at least thirty or forty gangs, big and small.”

“The strongest are the Flying Eagle Gang in the east, the Brotherhood in the north, and the Blue Wolf Gang in the south. Each has over a thousand members,” the innkeeper explained.

“What kind of strength do the leaders of those three gangs possess?” Qin Yi asked.

“That…I can’t say,” the innkeeper replied awkwardly.

“You don’t know?” Qin Yi frowned slightly. If he knew the strength of those leaders, he could start planning.

“What about the west side of the city?” Qin Yi continued. That was where he currently resided.

“The west side is chaotic. Of the dozens of gangs in the city, sixty to seventy percent are concentrated in the west. Of those, seven or eight are relatively powerful, each with several hundred members. As for the smaller gangs, some have only twenty or thirty people.”

“And the leaders of those seven or eight stronger gangs—what’s their strength?” Qin Yi pressed.

“Er…that, I don’t know either,” the innkeeper replied, even more embarrassed.

Qin Yi rolled his eyes. 'Mr. Know-It-All,' indeed. The man was shameless!

“Which gang controls this street?” Qin Yi asked.

“This is the territory of the Golden Tiger Gang. They have about two hundred members and are considered fairly powerful in the west.”

“And the strength of their leader?”

“I… I don’t know,” the innkeeper replied, completely unashamed now.

At these words, Qin Yi reclaimed the silver from the table.

“Your information is worth, at most, two hundred copper coins.”

“Wait, sir! I do know that the Golden Tiger Gang’s two deputy leaders are at the sixth rank. And I know where their main hall is!” the innkeeper said hurriedly.

He wasn’t about to let easy money slip away.

“Oh?” Qin Yi released the silver. “Where is their main hall?”

“In the first villa on Jin Chuan Street, just ahead!” the innkeeper replied quickly.

“Hm, that’s somewhat useful.” Qin Yi left the silver and headed upstairs.

In his room, as the sky outside darkened, he finalized his plan.

Since he intended to build his own faction, it would be far too troublesome to assemble it from scratch.

Therefore, he decided to directly take over an existing gang.

That would be much easier and more efficient.

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