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The enormous ship slowly docked at Baling Wharf.

The afterglow of the setting sun dyed the vast Yangtze River a golden red, but it also revealed the bustling and rugged atmosphere of the docks, which was different from the water towns of Jiangnan.

The air was thick with the distinctive fishy smell of the river, mingled with the odors of goods, sweat, and cheap grease. The docks were bustling with activity; laborers chanted as they hauled heavy loads, while ragged refugees huddled in corners, their eyes blank, while well-dressed merchants and itinerant travelers hurried along, their eyes scanning their surroundings warily. In the distance, the outline of the city walls blurred in the twilight, with only a few wisps of smoke faintly visible.

This is a major town in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, a hub for north-south waterway transportation, and the long-established stronghold of the Baling Gang. Beneath the surface of prosperity lies a fierce power struggle with countless undercurrents.

Looking out, this large commercial city, bordered by the Yangtze River to the north and Dongting Lake to the west, is vast in scale. The city is square in shape, with a cross street as its central axis. The streets and houses are all neat and orderly. The houses facing the street mostly have arched eaves and verandas, which provide shade in the summer and protection from the rain, making it convenient for pedestrians and giving them a friendly and comfortable feeling.

The fact that every household's facade is decorated with carved wood indicates that the residents are wealthy and live in peace and contentment.

The Baling clique had always maintained close ties with the Sui dynasty, thus establishing a dominant position within the prefecture. Xiao Xian himself was a local official and had always enjoyed the support of wealthy local gentry.

With Emperor Yang dead, the Baling Gang naturally took over the territory. The people of the county could only rejoice, and unlike other gangs, they did not have to go through struggles and wars. Everything in the county was able to preserve its vitality, which became the most favorable condition for the Baling Gang to contend for hegemony in the Liang Dynasty.

There are currently six major powers in the south.

The most powerful force was the Jianghuai Army led by Du Fuwei and Fu Gongyou, which had occupied the two important towns of Liyang and Danyang. However, due to their need to deal with the warlords in the north, they had no time to expand southward.

Although Li Zitong occupied Jiangdu, the area was in chaos and severely weakened by Emperor Yang and the Sui army, making it outwardly strong but inwardly weak.

Shen Faxing's Jiangnan army was located in the southeast, and its northwest route was blocked by Li Zitong and Du Fuwei. In the south, it was controlled by the Song clan, which dominated Guangdong, and it was difficult to make any progress for the time being.

Therefore, the war stage in the south suddenly became a situation of struggle between the two major forces of Lin Shihong and Xiao Xian.

On this fertile land nourished by the Yangtze River and Dongting Lake, the Chu Emperor regime of Lin Shihong and the Liang Emperor regime of Xiao Xian tore the south into two opposing halves.

Xiao Xian's sphere of influence centered on Baling County (present-day Yueyang), controlling the entire county, including Baling itself, and a vast, wealthy surrounding area. Its power extended west to the vast Dongting Lake and north to the natural barrier of the Yangtze River, stretching east and west along the river. Its hinterland extended deep into the Xiang River basin, establishing a strong foundation. Baling City, as its capital, was not only the political center but also a crucial water and land transportation hub controlling the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and connecting north, south, east, and west, attracting both wealth and military resources.

Xiao Xian's advantage lay in the peaceful acquisition of the Sui Dynasty's complete administrative and military system and accumulated wealth in Baling, with almost no large-scale war damage. The prefecture was orderly, the economy was relatively prosperous, and the people's hearts were particularly "stable" in the chaotic world.

Xiao Xian's navy was formidable. The Baling Gang, which originated from water transport and had been operating on the Yangtze River for many years, possessed a powerful navy, which was Xiao Xian's greatest asset in his quest for supremacy. Their ships were large and their personnel highly experienced. Controlling the throat of the Yangtze River and the gateway to Dongting Lake, their well-developed water transport made them strategically advantageous, capable of both offense and defense.

In addition, Xiao Xian himself was a descendant of the Liang Dynasty imperial family and had political appeal. He had a wealth of talented people under his command, especially the old subordinates of the Baling gang and local Sui Dynasty officials and generals who had submitted to him.

Dong Jingzhen – Xiao Xian’s top general, naval commander, commander of the Yangtze River fleet, well-versed in naval warfare, and the vanguard of Xiao Xian’s territorial expansion, loyal and reliable.

Zhang Xiu—responsible for the army or guarding a key town—was one of the core pillars of Xiao Xian's military group.

Lei Shimeng, Zheng Wenxiu, Yang Daosheng, and others formed the core of Xiao Xian's group. Most of them were veterans of the Baling Gang or local power holders, each holding military power or governing local areas. They were the backbone of maintaining the operation of the Liang regime. Cen Wenben was responsible for internal affairs and strategy, handling government affairs for Xiao Xian and stabilizing the rear.

Lin Shihong's sphere of influence was centered on Yuzhang Commandery (present-day Nanchang), encompassing the Poyang Lake Plain and a vast surrounding area. His influence extended east to the mouth of Poyang Lake, west to the border of Hunan and Jiangxi provinces (having already penetrated parts of eastern Hunan), and south to the edge of Lingnan. Lin Shihong's sphere of influence also relied heavily on the large lake (Poyang Lake), forming a complementary east-west relationship with Xiao Xian's Dongting Lake.

The support of the Yin Gui Sect is Lin Shihong's greatest trump card and reliance. The Yin Gui Sect, the strongest of the six sects in the Demonic Path, provides him with top experts (Bian Bufu, Wen Caiting, Elder Xia, etc.), intelligence networks, assassination methods, and immeasurable influence in the martial arts world, making its actions mysterious, difficult to guard against, and extremely powerful infiltration.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Lin Shihong (a successor of the Huajian School) rapidly annexed surrounding counties from Poyang Lake, employing ruthless methods and demonstrating a strong aggressive nature. Although his naval strength was slightly inferior to Xiao Xian's, he still possessed a powerful navy on Poyang Lake and emphasized the development of his land forces, striving to gain an advantage on land.

With the assistance of the Yin Gui School, they often exercised relatively strict control over the areas they controlled.

The Yin Gui Sect masters are the core fighting force of Lin Shihong's camp. They often operate in his army or sphere of influence, carrying out key missions, intimidating enemies, and training masters.

Zhou Wenju was the commander-in-chief, responsible for specific military operations, while Wang Rong was responsible for guarding key locations or commanding another army.

Lin Shihong and Xiao Xian's spheres of influence intersected on the Hunan-Jiangxi border, making conflict imminent. The vast land between Dongting Lake and Poyang Lake, especially strategic locations like Yuanling and Changsha, became the focus of contention. Xiao Xian hoped to consolidate his power and gradually expand by relying on the natural barriers of the Yangtze River and Dongting Lake, as well as his substantial wealth; while Lin Shihong, under the shadow of the Yin Gui faction, acted more cunningly and aggressively, using infiltration, assassination, and subversion to constantly weaken his opponent and seek an opportunity for a decisive battle.

Yi Huwei and his group stayed at the "Linjiangxian" Inn, the most upscale but also the most chaotic place in the city, and booked a quiet, private courtyard.

Built along the river, this place offers a wide view, overlooking the bustling docks and gazing at the misty waves of Dongting Lake. It is the perfect spot to observe this place where the winds and clouds converge.

Not long after we settled in, there was a gentle knock on the gate.

Shan Meixian's eyes narrowed slightly, signaling Shan Wanjing to calm down, and she went to open the door herself.

Outside the door stood two stunningly beautiful women, each with a distinct charm. The one in front wore a long, bright red brocade dress with gold-flecked peony patterns. Her figure was voluptuous and graceful, the hem of her dress swaying with every step, exuding captivating allure. Her hair was styled in the fashionable "惊鸿髻" (jinghu ji) updo, adorned with a red-gold and kingfisher-feather hairpin that swayed gently with her slightly raised chin, shimmering with light. Her face was like a lotus blossom, her eyes sparkling with spring, her lips like fire. Her every glance carried an innate allure and flamboyance. This was Rong Jiaojiao, Xiao Xian's sworn sister and a key pawn planted here by the Yin Kui Sect.

The woman half a step behind wore an elegant, pale white gauze dress. Her figure was slender and graceful, like a willow swaying in the breeze. Her hair was simply styled in a low bun, adorned with a jade bamboo-shaped hairpin. Her face was bare, yet this only accentuated her snow-white skin, making her appear even more ethereal and refined. Especially striking were her large, almond-shaped eyes, clear and bright, seemingly innocent and naive. However, beneath those occasional glances lay a subtle, almost imperceptible depth and calculating cunning, a stark contrast to her pure appearance. This was Bai Qing'er, a rising star whom the Yin Kui Sect had been grooming in recent years, a talent on par with Wan Wan.

When the two women saw Shan Meixian open the door, they both curtsied and greeted her: "Greetings, Senior Sister Meixian (Martial Aunt)."

His posture was respectful and his manners were impeccable.

When their gaze passed over Shan Meixian and landed on Yi Huawei's back as he stood with his hands behind his back in the courtyard, quietly gazing at an old locust tree, their reactions instantly became extremely subtle!

Rong Jiaojiao's captivating eyes suddenly contracted! She clearly felt an invisible, vast, and boundless aura enveloping the entire courtyard, instantly melting away her proud and alluring presence like ice and snow!
Not long ago, they received a top-secret order from Empress Zhu Yuyan! The order not only strictly commanded them to obey any of Yi Huawei's instructions unconditionally and to regard him as their master, but also included a shocking piece of news—Elder Bian Bufu had been personally killed by Empress Zhu Yuyan! His body was never found!

A tremendous wave of shock surged in Bai Qing'er's pure and innocent eyes! Her shock was even greater than Rong Jiaojiao's, because her mind was more delicate and sensitive, and she could better feel the terrifying realm of Yi Huawei, which was both simple and profound, yet contained endless pressure! That was far beyond what an ordinary grandmaster could achieve!

The Queen of the Underworld actually personally dealt with this person! What does this represent? It represents that the Queen of the Underworld's attitude towards this person has gone beyond mere cooperation.

She instinctively sensed that the presence of this person before her would completely disrupt the existing balance within the Yin Kui Sect and her plans. Her lowered eyelids flickered rapidly, concealing all her thoughts beneath her seemingly innocent and naive demeanor, her posture becoming even more respectful and submissive.

"come in."

Shan Meixian naturally took in the two women's reactions and understood what was going on.

The two women quickly composed themselves and cautiously entered the courtyard. Facing Yi Huawei's retreating figure, they bowed deeply, their voices filled with utmost reverence:

"Yin Kui Sect disciple Rong Jiaojiao (Bai Qing'er), by order of Empress Yin, pays her respects to Young Master! Empress Yin decrees that all members of the Yin Kui Sect shall obey whatever Young Master commands!"

Yi Huawei slowly turned around, his calm gaze sweeping over the two women, his eyes seemingly piercing through their carefully crafted exteriors and reaching the depths of their souls. His gaze was devoid of emotion, yet it instilled in Rong Jiaojiao and Bai Qing'er a chilling fear of being completely seen through, as if all their secrets had been laid bare.

Looking at the two seemingly beautiful but actually rotten-rooted "yin sunflowers" in front of him, Yi Huawei sighed almost imperceptibly.

This vast Yin Kui Sect, seemingly awe-inspiring to the demonic sects, has in reality been riddled with holes by termites. Zhu Yuyan possesses great ambition, yet she is trapped by her own obsessions and the sect's deep-seated problems.

Bai Qing'er, a candidate for Holy Maiden, covets Wanwan's position. To achieve her goal, she colludes with external enemies, attempting to weaken Wanwan's strength through the art of sexual cultivation.

Rong Jiaojiao is in charge of the sect's intelligence network in the Jianghuai region. She is ruthless and greedy. On the surface, she is loyal to Zhu Yuyan, but in reality, she is secretly colluding with Yuwen Wudi of the "Evil Extreme Sect". She attempts to exchange the Yin Kui Sect's defense map for the fragments of the Evil Extreme Sect's secret sexual cultivation technique, "The Book of Bliss".

She also has another identity—Miaofeng Mingzi, one of the Five Mingzi of the Great Ming Sect. On the surface, she is a disciple of the Yin Gui Sect, but in reality, she is an undercover agent of the Great Ming Sect, responsible for intelligence infiltration.

The Yin Kui Sect was able to persist until the later stages entirely because of the emotional entanglement between Wanwan and the protagonist.

The Yin Kui Sect values ​​strength above all else, encouraging its disciples to rise through cunning and manipulation. Their ultimate martial art, the "Heavenly Demon Great Art," requires practitioners to remain virgins, leading to ruthless competition among disciples for resources and status. Throughout its history, rivalry and betrayal among disciples have been considered the norm.

As the first successor of the Yin Kui Sect, Wanwan bore the mission of revitalizing the demonic sect. However, her feelings for Xu Ziling led her to repeatedly disobey her master's orders. In the original story, she even considered giving up her position as the Holy Maiden to protect Xu Ziling and fight against Zhu Yuyan. While outwardly obeying Zhu Yuyan, she secretly developed her power, attempting to establish personal prestige within the sect. Ultimately, after Zhu Yuyan's death, she used political maneuvering to become the de facto ruler of the Yin Kui Sect.

Zhou Laotan, an elder of the Yin Kui Sect, harbored resentment after being defeated by Zhu Yuyan. He secretly contacted the Xieji Sect to try to overthrow Zhu Yuyan's rule. He cooperated with Xieji Sect experts such as Yuwen Wudi and leaked the secrets of the Yin Kui Sect, causing the sect to fall into crisis on several occasions.

The other elders of the Yin Kui Sect (Wen Caiting and Bian Bufu) were no pushovers either. They had long controlled important resources and secretly cultivated their own factions. In the power struggles within the sect, they repeatedly contradicted Zhu Yuyan and even secretly supported Bai Qing'er in vying for the position of Holy Maiden in order to weaken Zhu Yuyan's control.

Luo Sha Nu (branch leader) takes charge of the Bashu branch and colludes with "Poison Immortal" Wan Hesong, exchanging the Yin Kui Sect's secret poison, "Qian Ji Yin," for Wan Hesong's poison technique inheritance. When Zhu Yuyan is conquering the Xie Ji Sect, she deliberately delays the transport of supplies, causing the Yin Kui Sect's vanguard to suffer a crushing defeat, thereby weakening Zhu Yuyan's direct forces.

Hong Fu Nu (the intelligence leader) was ostensibly in charge of intelligence gathering for the sect, but in reality, she was an undercover agent planted by Shan Mei Xian. She revealed the Yin Kui Sect's assassination plan against the Dong Ming Sect to Shan Mei Xian, leading to the complete annihilation of the Yin Kui Sect's assassination operation in the East China Sea.

Yu Luosha (Head of the Discipline Hall) is known for her impartiality, yet she secretly made a deal with Qian Luo of the "Path of Extinction of Emotions"—exchanging the list of traitors imprisoned by the Yin Kui Sect for the secret manual of the Path of Extinction of Emotions, the Heart Sutra. She even provided Qian Luo with a map of the Yin Kui Sect's forbidden area, helping him steal the sect's sacred artifact, the "Nine Sons Heavenly Demon Bell."

The only one who could be considered somewhat loyal was Shang Xiufang.

Shang Xiufang appears to be the most talented woman in the land, but in reality, she is a pawn planted by the Yin Kui Sect beside Kou Zhong. Her true purpose in getting close to Kou Zhong is to obtain the "Longevity Manual" and use his power to overthrow the Li Tang dynasty. Although she later falls deeply in love with Kou Zhong, she always puts the interests of her sect above her feelings, ultimately choosing to sacrifice her personal happiness to fulfill her mission.

The Yin Kui Sect is currently beset by internal and external troubles. A fierce struggle for succession is brewing, power struggles among the elders have reached a boiling point, and several branch sects are showing signs of defection due to resource depletion. Outside, various demonic sects surround them like hungry wolves, and the righteous sects' purge order has yet to be lifted. This once vast sect is now in a precarious situation.

(End of this chapter)