Chapter 132: Stepping Down

After Li Shenzhou left with several members of the Flying Dragon SWAT team, Ye Sanxiao could no longer manage a smile. With a gloomy face, he waved his hand, and the members of the Axe Gang followed him glumly out of the villa.

As soon as Ye Sanxiao left, Deng Chao, the leader of the Tianlang Sect, led his people to Chu Tian and clasped his fists with a smile. "Third-in-command, you're truly a man of integrity. I, Deng Chao, sincerely admire you. I hope that someday we can enjoy a drink together and get thoroughly drunk."

Chu Tian nodded and responded politely. "Leader Deng is truly a man of passion. I, Chu Tian, have always admired straightforward and generous people. Let's forget about everything that happened tonight. I hope that in the future, our two gangs can coexist peacefully and seek common ground while reserving differences." Even Chu Tian himself didn't know how he came up with these words "seek common ground while reserving differences". Once the words were out, not only did he think they were very appropriate, but Deng Chao and the others also secretly praised them.

After Deng Chao finished speaking, he led his followers down the mountain. Immediately after, Huang Tianxiong, the leader of the Tianxiong Gang, and Guan Dongdao, the president of the Ba Dao Association, also came up to exchange some pleasantries and then led their people down the mountain. After all, thinking about their bases being left with no one alive, they were naturally a bit impatient and uneasy. Out of courtesy, Chu Tian specially escorted them to the villa's entrance. This act won him the favor of the various gangs. The third-in-command of the prestigious Jiang Bang, with outstanding martial arts skills and courage, was also so modest. How could they not be impressed?

After seeing them off, Chu Tian turned to Master Ba, took two steps forward, knelt down on one knee, and said with an apologetic face, "Master Ba, I didn't mean to deceive you about my identity. Everything was destined by coincidence. I hope Master Ba can forgive me." At this moment, Chu Tian no longer addressed Master Ba as "father" but wanted to test if Master Ba was really angry.

Master Ba smiled slightly, his face showing a bit of vicissitudes. "Chu Tian, you'd better still call me father. We made an oath to the gods. Do you want me to be condemned by heaven?"

Chu Tian was secretly delighted, knowing that Master Ba didn't blame him. He stood up and clasped his hands in front of him. "Thank you, father, for your magnanimity. I'm truly ashamed." Then he looked at Master Ba and the brothers of the Green Gang and said, "Father, tonight's matter has come to a temporary end, but it's not completely over. I hope father will be careful about everything, in case Ye Sanxiao acts recklessly like a cornered dog." Then he leaned closer to Master Ba and said in a low voice, "Father, give me a week. I will definitely drive the Axe Gang out of Shanghai."

Master Ba nodded in approval. Since Chu Tian said it, he must have a plan in mind. "Good, Chu Tian. The Green Gang belongs to me, and it also belongs to you. When you need it, more than eighty brothers of the Green Gang will be at your disposal at any time." Then he patted Chu Tian's shoulder and said, "A rare talent in a hundred years! Come visit me at home when you have time. Dahu and Xiaohu both listen to you."

Chu Tian was quick-witted. When he heard Master Ba's words, his heart skipped a beat. Then he pondered Master Ba's words, "The Green Gang belongs to me, and it also belongs to you." He was secretly shocked. Could it be that Master Ba wanted to hand over the Green Gang to him? But at this moment, it wasn't appropriate for Chu Tian to directly ask Master Ba what he was thinking. He could only try to understand it and hoped to test Master Ba someday when he had time. If Master Ba really handed over the Green Gang to him, he absolutely couldn't accept it. Leaving aside his identity as the third-in-command of the Jiang Bang, which might lead to interest disputes, even without considering that, he didn't have the ability to lead the Green Gang.

After Master Ba finished speaking, he nodded to Uncle Zhong, greeted Haizi and Guangzi, and prepared to leave. Master Ba knew that there were many things for the Jiang Bang to deal with tonight, and Chu Tian also needed to handle a lot of matters. The long night seemed endless but could pass by quickly.

The Xiao sisters looked at Chu Tian reluctantly. Xiao Sirou's cheeks even turned a bit red, and her eyes were filled with tenderness as if she was saying, "My dear, take care of yourself. Remember to come visit me at Yunshui Mountain Residence when you have time." Chu Tian seemed to understand Xiao Sirou's meaning and nodded slightly. Xiao Sirou immediately had a spring-like expression on her face and was full of vitality. Then she turned around, quickened her pace, and followed Master Ba and the others into the car.

After seeing Master Ba off, Chu Tian turned around and saw Haizi, Guangzi, and the members of the Jiang Bang. Although he had a thousand words in his heart, he couldn't say them. He just smiled, his eyes filled with tears.

Haizi and Guangzi looked at each other and said in unison, "Third brother, just because of our sworn brotherhood, you went through fire and water and stepped forward to save the Jiang Bang from danger. You're truly loyal and heroic. Please accept the kneeling of your brothers and the men of the Jiang Bang!" In an instant, more than a hundred people of the Jiang Bang, a dark mass, knelt on the ground, all with expressions of utmost respect and gratitude on their faces.

Chu Tian was at a loss. What he had done was just doing his best. How could he let everyone kneel to thank him? Moreover, Haizi and Guangzi, his two brothers, were among them. So he quickly knelt down to return the courtesy, held onto Haizi and Guangzi, and said movedly, "I, Chu Tian, have just done my little bit. How can I deserve you two brothers kneeling to thank me?" Then he said to the more than a hundred men of the Jiang Bang, "The men of the Jiang Bang are my brothers. If I don't shed my blood for my brothers, where else should I shed it?"

Haizi, Guangzi, and the more than a hundred men of the Jiang Bang smiled, their eyes filled with tears, and they shouted in unison, "Third-in-command, great brother, great man!"

Tian Yangsheng, who was leaning against the wall, heard their shouts. He suddenly stopped eating the steamed bun in his mouth, and a trace of a smile crossed the corner of his mouth.

Haizi, Guangzi, and Chu Tian helped each other up. The crisis of the Jiang Bang had passed, and everyone's mood became more relaxed. Haizi instructed several able-bodied disciples to find some trustworthy doctors to treat the injuries of everyone. Then he and Guangzi led Chu Tian and Tian Yangsheng into the villa and told the chef to prepare some food and wine and send them to Haizi's study.

When Tian Yangsheng entered the villa, he knew that Chu Tian and the others were going to discuss important matters. So he shook his head, took the remaining steamed buns, and walked out of the villa. Seeing Chu Tian and the others looking at him in surprise, he answered expressionlessly, "Standing guard." Then, without waiting for their response, he walked away without looking back. His figure was steady and powerful, but his footsteps made no sound. No one could tell that this ordinary young man had killed more than a hundred members of the Axe Gang tonight.

Haizi and Guangzi looked at Tian Yangsheng's figure. They were also men of passion and strength, so they naturally felt a mutual understanding and respect. They sighed and praised in unison, "He's truly a war god!" A young man who had killed more than a hundred people in one night, replenished his strength with just a few steamed buns, and showed no signs of fatigue was really beyond everyone's expectations.

Chu Tian smiled slightly, picked up a pot of water from the side, chased after Tian Yangsheng, and handed it to him. He said lightly, "Thank you."

Tian Yangsheng took the water but still didn't say anything. With a few leaps, his figure disappeared at the villa's entrance. No one knew whether he was hiding on the mountain or under a tree because the area around the villa had returned to peace, with only the sound of the wind.

The chef was quite fast. A quarter of an hour later, five or six exquisite side dishes were already placed in Haizi's study. Haizi took out a bottle of good wine, but Chu Tian shook his head and pressed it down with his hand. "Both of you brothers are injured. You can't drink wine at this time. We need to recover our strength as soon as possible because there are still many things to deal with in the future."

Chu Tian himself was also a bit injured. His chest was still隐隐作痛, which was the result of the powerful attack from the Solitary Sword. But it wasn't too serious, so he didn't tell Haizi and Guangzi to avoid making them worry. Until now, Chu Tian still couldn't figure out how the Solitary Sword had trained to achieve such martial arts skills.

Haizi and Guangzi looked at each other and smiled slightly. Haizi said, "Brother, Guangge and I have just discussed it. We want you to take the main position of the Jiang Bang."

Chu Tian's chopsticks paused slightly. "The main position of the Jiang Bang"? What did that mean? Chu Tian looked at Haizi and Guangzi with a questioning look on his face.

Guangzi was an impatient person. He simply made it clear. "Third brother, Guangge and I have discussed the position of the leader of the Jiang Bang. We are both men of passion. We can handle fighting and killing, but we are far behind others when it comes to scheming. If you hadn't shown up tonight, the Jiang Bang would have been destroyed by Ye Sanxiao's insidious means. So we think that with your talent, courage, and martial arts skills, you can lead the Jiang Bang to unify Shanghai. So we want you to take the position of the leader of the Jiang Bang."

Haizi nodded and summed it up in one sentence. "We can fight to establish the foundation, but it's difficult for us to maintain it. Third brother, you happen to have the ability to maintain it. If you lead the Jiang Bang, the Jiang Bang will surely thrive."

Chu Tian knew that what Haizi and Guangzi said made sense. They were both men of passion and were really no match for a cunning fox like Ye Sanxiao when it came to scheming. Just look at how Ye Sanxiao remained calm even when repeatedly challenged by Chu Tian tonight and how his words were flawless to know what a formidable character he was. But Chu Tian also had no reason to take Haizi's position. So he shook his head. "Brother Hai, Brother Guang, I'm afraid this won't work. How can I take Brother Hai's position? Besides, as the third-in-command, I can still offer advice and strategies for the Jiang Bang. You two brothers don't need to be so extreme and ask me to take the main position of the Jiang Bang."

Haizi firmly shook his head. "Third brother, more than a hundred disciples of the Jiang Bang were saved by you tonight, and that's already an immeasurable merit. The position of the Jiang Bang has always been held by the capable. Otherwise, the previous leader, Elder Sun, wouldn't have stepped down and let me take over. Now, among the three of us brothers, you are the best. If you don't take the position of the leader of the Jiang Bang, who else is more suitable? Besides, I always feel uneasy sitting in this position. I'm afraid that the Jiang Bang will be destroyed in my hands. Then I won't be able to rest in peace even when I go to see the King of Hell, and I'll have no face to meet the previous leader, Elder Sun."

After saying this, Haizi actually knelt down again and said sincerely, "Third brother, please accept it. For the sake of the Jiang Bang, I'm willing to be a capable general."

Guangzi also knelt down on one knee and looked at Chu Tian sincerely, saying with high spirits, "Third brother, for the sake of the Jiang Bang, I'm also willing to be a vanguard."

Chu Tian quickly knelt down to return the courtesy, but Haizi and Guangzi stubbornly refused to get up. After thinking for a while, Chu Tian let out a long sigh and said helplessly, "Alright, I promise you two brothers."

Although Chu Tian agreed verbally, he secretly thought that after helping Haizi and Guangzi unify Shanghai, he would find an excuse to retire successfully by saying he was going to study at Tianjing University.

At this moment, in a certain corner of a tavern in Shanghai, two middle-aged men were quietly drinking their sorrows away. If it weren't for the stack of banknotes they left, the tavern owner really wouldn't have dared to give them two bottles of XO, considering they were wasting it.

After the two men drank half a bottle of XO, their expressions calmed down a bit. Tu Longhu let out a long sigh, his eyes showing a bit of unwillingness. "Tonight, we both lost, defeated by an unknown young man."

The Solitary Sword's eyes became brighter, as if he saw Chu Tian standing against the wind again. He raised his head and took a sip of wine, saying lightly, "He's an unknown young man now, but he won't be in the future."

Tu Longhu nodded. He naturally believed that Chu Tian would surely achieve great things in the future. At such a young age, his courage and martial arts skills were beyond what he, Tu Longhu, could reach. If such a person couldn't achieve anything, there would really be no justice in the world. Before the wine reached his mouth, Tu Longhu changed the subject. "Actually, you could have killed him. You didn't lose, and he didn't win either. You bled a bit, and he must have been injured too."

The Solitary Sword shook his head, his eyes showing a bit of arrogance. He said softly, "Because I am the Solitary Sword, and more importantly, I admire him. Although I want to marry a wife and retire to the south of the Yangtze River, when you see an opponent who can fight with you and has an extraordinary bearing, everything else seems to be of no importance."

Tu Longhu let out a sigh and said with a bit of regret, "But in that case, your dream will be shattered."

The Solitary Sword let out a long sigh, but there was no regret in his eyes. He said lightly, "I really hesitated. At the last moment, I wondered whether to launch the final attack. If I did, my reputation and my dream would be restored; if I admitted defeat, my reputation and my dream would be shattered. But I really couldn't do it because you had already fought with him once and consumed some of his energy, and I still couldn't completely defeat him. I even got injured. So I lost. If I had really made that move, I would have had a shadow in my heart for the rest of my life, even if I married a wife and retired to the south of the Yangtze River."

Tu Longhu didn't say anything more. He seemed to be in a much better mood. Although he didn't have the demeanor of the Solitary Sword, he understood the Solitary Sword, that person who hid a trace of his own arrogance in his loneliness. That's why he was the Solitary Sword.

At this time, Shanghai didn't become desolate as the night deepened. On the contrary, in many corners, there were all kinds of people doing all kinds of things. Some men were visiting prostitutes, some women were selling their youth, some people were quietly dying, and some people were drinking alone. Many stories were quietly happening, but they were all unaware of each other because they were in different circles.

In the private hot spring of a private villa in Tianyue Longting, Ye Sanxiao buried his head deeply in the 42-degree warm water. After a long time, he raised his head and looked at the night sky. Everything that happened tonight flashed through his mind. Ye Sanxiao felt a surge of anger and pain. Looking at the beautiful female college student with a large chest beside him, he waved his hand impatiently, telling her to leave. The female college student knew Ye Sanxiao's temper well and quickly walked away, taking three steps at a time to get out of Ye Sanxiao's sight to avoid getting into trouble.

"You're still so easily angered. No wonder you can never become the underground emperor of Shanghai." A calm but authoritative voice gradually came from behind Ye Sanxiao.