Star Gate

Chapter 337: Southern Fist (II)

“I have indeed seen your master at your age,” He Yong chuckled. “He was already a famous martial master when he was twenty. Although he wasn’t as famous as he would later become, he followed his master in traveling all over the land...”

Master’s master? Li Hao had never heard of this man before, so he was curious. “My teacher’s master...”

“Yes, he was slightly famous in his own right, but later eclipsed by Yuan Shuo. Old Demon Yuan didn’t practice the Five Styles to begin with. He dug up some graves and uncovered the method, modified it, and turned it into what we know now!”

Yuan Shuo had created the New Book of Five Styles—or rather, he’d modified it from ancient tomes. That meant that its heritage started with Yuan Shuo. Li Hao nodded without further question.

“The Heartjab Daughter...” He Yong continued as he led his visitors inside. “No one’s called her that in a very long time. She’s Madame Bai now! She didn’t marry a royal and she isn’t with me. We’re just old friends that happened to be in Silver Moon, so she came to pay a visit. Perhaps you even know her husband.”

“Who?” Wang Ming was perplexed. “I haven’t heard of a Bai surnamed family in White Moon high society that has a Dominator daughter-in-law. They would have to be quite something. Are there any Bai surnamed experts in White Moon City?”

“You already said the city name!” He Yong laughed. “Bai is the character for White.”

Wang Ming blinked. “...the Bai family that the city is named after?!” he exclaimed.

“That’s right!”

Li Hao was still lost.

“White Moon City!” Wang Ming garbled out an explanation. “It wasn’t called that before. People eventually started calling the city that and slowly forgot the city’s original name. Even the official authorities ended up calling it White Moon City.

“Silver Moon is named after Silver City and White Moon City. Everyone thinks that the province is named after the capital’s second character. That’s wrong, but only locals know this fact after so much time has passed.”

Wang Ming was a born and bred White Moon citizen, so he knew the particulars well. “White Moon City gained the ‘White’ prefix because the Bai family was city lord for 120 years in a row up until eighty years ago! It wasn’t until the royal family stepped behind the curtain and the provincial government was formed that the Bai family no longer sat in their position.”

City lord! That was an ancient title. City lords were the sovereigns of a city under the old power structure of eighty years ago. The Bai family passed down the position through various generations and was always the city lord that ruled over Silver Moon.

There weren’t many that remembered them after eighty years.

“The Bai family...” repeated a surprised Li Hao. “Senior Southern Fist says that the Heartjab Daughter married into that family?”

“Yep,” He Yong laughed. “The Bai family has split into two. One branch is in Skystar City, the other branch is here. Do you know about the White Dragons?”

Li Hao looked at Wang Ming with blatant shock.

“I forgot to say...” Wang Ming said sheepishly. “That the White Dragons were actually founded by the Bai family back in the day. They became part of the three divisions of the provincial army after the family withdrew. That was why I immediately thought of the Bai family after Senior South gave me a pointer.”

“Then the commander of the White Dragons...” Li Hao arched a brow.

“He has nothing to do with the family.” Wang Ming shook his head. “I wouldn’t say that the Bai family lacks powerhouses otherwise. The leader of the White Dragons is Commander Ren Tianchuan. You might’ve seen him this morning.”

Li Hao thought back to the attendees of the morning meeting. The commander in question was roughly fifty years old. He hadn’t heard the man speak, but he wasn’t weak given that he was a peak Solar.

The three entered the house.

“It’s not that the Bai family lacks experts in White Moon City, they just keep a low profile. I’m not pulling things out of thin air when I say you might know her husband. You know Hu Dingfang, right? Have you heard of the vice commander of the Tiger Wings, Bai Yuanqing?”

“The commander who can’t seem to tan?” Wang Ming blinked. “I’ve almost forgotten his name. Everyone calls him General Lightbulb...”

Li Hao was quite lost. He didn’t know the man, and how were the Tiger Wings involved? Silver Moon was a complicated place, alright.

“That’s him, that’s who Madame Bai married,” He Yong answered. “Hu Dingfang owes a lot to the Bai family for being able to become a commander at such a young age. The situation is a bit complex in the province.

“The Bai family supported Hu Dingfang because they wanted to make him their own man. The Bais have connections to the Ministry of Armed Forces in Skystar City, so Hu Dingfang is a right and proper representative of the Ministry of Armed Forces. Provincial armies answer to that ministry to begin with, so Hu Dingfang comes from a strong background.”

“Then why didn’t the Bai family support their own Bai Yuanqing to be the commander?” Li Hao couldn’t make sense of what he was hearing.

“Hu Dingfang is no simple character!” He Yong laughed. “He has people behind him too. It would’ve been tough for him to be a commander, but it’s said that his wife is quite a competent person and was a major impetus behind his success.”

He looked meaningfully at Li Hao.

“She’s my senior sister,” the young man didn’t mind admitting. “Why beat around the bush, senior? What competency can my senior sister possibly possess?”

“A lot!” He Yong laughed uproariously. “Your teacher has a good relationship with Huang Yun. I don’t know the details, but they know each other and might call each other friends. Your senior sister went to Huang Yun, who then threw his support behind Hu Dingfang getting the position. The Bai family could only rub their noses and take the hit as they supported Hu Dingfang as well. They couldn’t throw all that away as there were many who didn't wish for them to rise again. Hence, Hu Dingfang received widespread support from upstairs when he took his position.”

“......” Li Hao’s head ached. It was just a woman, how did it end up leading back to him? They weren’t connected to begin with, but then his senior sister got involved, which meant his teacher did as well. Once his teacher was named, that became Li Hao’s business again.

The young man shook his head with resignation. Six degrees of separation really did connect people with everyone else in this world. That meant he truly did have something to do with this Heartjab Daughter.

He Yong knew a lot about Silver Moon’s situation. He grinned when he saw Li Hao losing his patience. “It’s best to fully understand the ins and outs of everything. You can trace everything to their roots and discover some interesting things. For example, Hou Xiaochen and Huang Yun are two people who appear to have nothing to do with each other, but they shared meals and drank together thirty years ago. They seem to have become strangers thirty years later.”

Li Hao raised an eyebrow.

“Tracing another thread further will reveal that your Manager Yu appears at the same time when someone else disappears!”

“Please go on, senior.” Li Hao’s interest was piqued.

“Do you know Red Moon?”

“......” No shit!

“It’s said that when Red Moon was established, they raised seven moons to their highest positions! Red, orange, yellow, green, indigo, blue, and violet. The first generation Violet Moon was a female expert of the Silver Moon martial world. Violet Moon has always been in residence in the province! She vanished very quickly and without a trace. Rumors had it that she was assassinated, and then Manager Yu appeared in your Night Watchers.

“The second generation Violet Moon simply inherited the position. Your Director Hou didn’t seem to like this title, so he stabbed the second generation Violet Moon to death with a spear!

“Ying Hongyue might have learned his lesson when it came to the third generation Violet Moon. Do you know who the third gen—the Violet Moon that you know—is?”

“Who?” asked a completely lost Li Hao.

“The current Violet Moon is Orange Moon’s daughter. Orange Moon is female and was a good friend of the first generation Violet Moon. And so, the third generation Violet Moon has survived to this day...”

Li Hao blinked with confusion; Wang Ming was equally blank faced, but the two understood these words. The first generation Violet Moon was Manager Yu. Second generation Violet Moon died because the title was annoying. Third generation Violet Moon was the daughter of Manager Yu’s good friend—would Hou Xiaochen be thick-faced enough to keep killing her?

The heck is all this?

“You can’t claim wild theories, senior!” Li Hao breathed out heavily. “How is this possible?”

“You don’t believe me?” He Yong chuckled. “The first generation Violet Moon was called Yu Luocha. Hou Xiaochen’s a cocky one alright, he didn’t even bother changing the name and calls her Little Yu. If she’s not Yu Luocha, I’ll do a handstand and eat my own shit!”

“......” Li Hao was having trouble holding on to his sanity. “Forget it, don’t talk to me of martial world gossip, senior. I’m not interested! It has nothing to do with me who they are!”

However, he smiled wryly at himself. The first generation Violet Moon is Manager Yu? What... the heck?? I have an unending blood feud with Red Moon!

“How long has it been since Manager Yu joined the Night Watchers?” he still asked after thinking things over.

“I told you she vanished a long time ago, maybe fifteen years.”

Li Hao carefully calculated the timeline. Red Moon shouldn’t have commenced their plans for the eight families yet at fifteen years ago. That set him more at ease. Otherwise, the situation would be very awkward. He wouldn’t know if he should take revenge or not.

Old fart He Yong was not a good person! He knew a lot of secrets after many years with the royal family, but decided to share ones that involved Hu Dingfang and Manager Yu. He dragged Li Hao into them and seemed to be purposefully creating trouble for the young man.

Granted, it could also be a warning.

Li Hao was regretting his actions in revealing the Heartjab Daughter’s identity. The old man wouldn’t have an opening to divulge all this gossip otherwise.

“Ignore them, senior!” Li Hao laughed. “I’ve come with a request this time.”

“Blood transfusion?” He Yong cut straight to the chase. “Do you want to ask about the specific process, changes, or method?”

Li Hao paused. This direct?

“It’s simple.” He Yong smirked. “Fight me to the point of beating me and I’ll tell you! I promise I won’t keep anything behind.”

The young man raised a brow.

He Yong sprawled in his chair and drawled, “What, you don’t have the balls to? Or you can’t? Is this all that swordsmen are worth? Yu Xiao and Huang Jie died so quickly, and Yu Xiao was there first. Even if Hao Lianchuan got to Huang Jie, did Yu Xiao choke to death on his own spit?”