Chapter 24: The Wild Wolf Gang’s Fury

"Huh? The name of Deacon Chen from the Wind and Moon Pavilion has actually appeared on the Heavenly Book of the Great Dao. Does this mean my Heavenly Book can only record the names of three people? Since Deacon Ling died from the backlash, Deacon Chen’s name has been recorded instead? That must be it!" Jiang Fan muttered to himself. He had long suspected that there was a limit to how many enemies the Heavenly Book of the Great Dao could record, and it turned out his intuition was correct.

Although the Heavenly Book of the Great Dao was heaven-defying, it had its limitations; it could only track three enemies at once. Understanding this gave Jiang Fan a sense of assurance for the future.

"Deacon Wu’s name is already very faint; he won't last much longer. Since that’s the case, I’ll let him die first, then go hunt for stronger enemies." With this thought, Jiang Fan began to cultivate frantically. Whenever he felt fatigue creeping in, he immediately transferred the sensation to Deacon Wu.

Through repeated transfers of his exhaustion, the name of Deacon Wu—already comatose and suffering from the backlash of the Seven-Day Heart-Devouring Powder—grew dimmer and dimmer on the Heavenly Book. It was clear that at this rate, Deacon Wu would not survive.

Jiang Fan decided not to use the Human Blood Treasure Pill or the hundred low-grade spirit stones just yet. He resolved to first trade the lives of the Wild Wolf Gang's experts for cultivation progress, and only once he reached the peak of the second level of Qi Refining would he refine and absorb the items. That moment would also mark the final showdown between him, Old Demon Xu, and the Wild Wolf Gang.

Lost in his tireless practice, night soon fell. Jiang Fan returned to his room and continued his training with full intensity.

"The minuscule spiritual energy within my dantian’s vortex has begun to transition from a liquid droplet state toward a solid form! I must keep practicing and aim to reach the peak of the second level of Qi Refining within these next few days!" Jiang Fan took a deep breath, ate some food sent by the Wild Wolf Gang, and dived back into his cultivation.

He was unaware, however, that the news of Deacon Ling’s gruesome death and Deacon Wu’s mysterious illness had already reached the Wild Wolf Gang during the day. Deacon Ling’s corpse and the severely injured Deacon Wu had been brought back to the gang's headquarters, and Divine Physician Li had been summoned immediately to treat the unconscious man.

"Divine Physician Li, have you discovered any clues? How could my son suddenly end up with broken legs and die so miserably at the Daxuan Inn?" Ling Yun, the second leader of the Wild Wolf Gang, couldn't help but ask. He couldn't accept the reality: his most talented son, who had finally reached the Acquired Realm and become a deacon, had a promising future cut short so abruptly.

"Divine Physician Li, please, take a look at my brother! Why has he been in a coma all this time?" The third leader also asked, his face pale and eyes full of worry.

Divine Physician Li stepped forward to examine them carefully, but eventually shook his head. "The cause of Deacon Ling’s death is extremely strange. His heart was shattered into countless fragments; he must have endured unimaginable pain before death, as if... as if his heart had been devoured by thousands upon thousands of ants.

"Deacon Wu seems to be suffering from a similar affliction, though perhaps for a shorter duration, allowing him to survive through the strength of his Acquired Realm cultivation. However, he is currently in a state of extreme exhaustion, and it is uncertain whether he will ever wake up. My medical skills are limited... I am truly powerless. Deacon Wu’s fate is now in the hands of heaven."

In the great hall of the Wild Wolf Gang headquarters, everyone’s expression was grim.

"Damn it! Who dares to plot against the deacons of the Wild Wolf Gang? Don't let me find out, or I will make them pay an unbearable price!" the Wild Wolf Gang leader roared, his voice filled with killing intent.

"Big Brother, you must seek justice for my son. We must capture the culprit; I will tear him limb from limb and scatter his ashes!" the second leader’s eyes burned with fury.

"Count me in! The Wild Wolf Gang will reclaim this debt a thousandfold!" the third leader added coldly. The temperature in the hall seemed to drop, filled with a murderous chill.

"I will certainly give you an explanation, and we will get justice for both deacons," the gang leader declared. "Everyone else, leave! I have matters to discuss with the second and third leaders."

"Yes!" The deacons retreated, but Divine Physician Li remained. Having followed the gang leader from the very beginning, he held a position of profound trust, acting as an advisor and healer. Consequently, the three leaders hid nothing from him.

Once the others had left, the two leaders spoke up. "Big Brother, do you have any leads?" "Big Brother, what is the matter?" Divine Physician Li also turned his gaze toward the leader.

"A few days ago, the Immortal Xu came to see me. He spoke of a 'heretical cultivator' appearing within the gang and asked me to join him in hunting this person down. I suspect that the fate of our two deacons is linked to this 'heretical cultivator,' but..." The gang leader’s expression turned heavy. "...I suspect this heretical cultivator is involved with Immortal Xu himself."

"A heretical cultivator? Linked to Immortal Xu? Does that mean my son’s death was orchestrated by him?" The second leader’s face turned ghastly, filled with dark suspicions.

"Immortal Xu fought alongside us in the early days and contributed greatly to the gang. He holds a high status here; we cannot easily turn against him without proof," the third leader frowned deeply.

"You must have noticed," the gang leader said gravely. "The death of Manager Liu was suspicious, then came the death of my nephew Ling, and now Deacon Wu lies unconscious. All of this is too strange. Besides a cultivator, who else could cause such inexplicable deaths? And within our Wild Wolf Gang, who else possesses such power besides Immortal Xu?"

"Big Brother is right! I remember now, my son died only after coming into contact with Jiang Fan, the disciple of Immortal Xu!"

"Second Brother is right. My brother also ran into trouble just days after interacting with that brat! It seems highly likely that this is connected to Immortal Xu."

The two leaders were struck by a sudden realization, their expressions turning icy.

"Therefore, I suspect there is no heretical cultivator at all! It is all the work of Immortal Xu, or at the very least, he is the mastermind behind it," the gang leader said coldly.

"It seems certain that this is his doing. Though he helped us build this empire, he was never truly loyal, and he has become increasingly arrogant. Not long ago, his disciple went to Nanping Street to cause trouble for no reason. We sent someone to inform him, but instead of punishing the boy, he rewarded him! The old man clearly holds us and our gang in contempt." The second leader’s malice grew.

"I’ve long been sick of him. For years, other than helping us secure territory, he has done nothing but throw his weight around, and we have catered to his every need. What has he done lately? Other than preying on the youths and children in our ranks, he does nothing but act like a tyrant!" the third leader said coldly. "Big Brother, Second Brother, my brother and nephew were his victims! We cannot sit idly by; we must find a way to eliminate him."

"The Wild Wolf Gang has treated him well, yet he turns to harming our own people. If we don't act now, we might be next! Let’s find a way to kill him," the second leader agreed, his intent to murder absolute.

"Good! Since we are in agreement, we shall find a way to remove him. But this old demon is no simple foe; his methods are unfathomable. We must devise a foolproof plan." The gang leader took a deep breath and turned to Divine Physician Li. "Old Li, do you have any insights?"