Mu Qingfeng paused, utterly bewildered, watching Yang Yi approach him, wondering inwardly, Has this brat gotten another scheme cooking?

Yang Yi paid his confusion no mind, instead smiling broadly as he gazed down at the assembled disciples of the Xuanmen. He narrowed his eyes for a long moment, a strange smirk playing on his lips, before proclaiming, "Greetings, disciples of the Xuanmen!"

"Greetings, Ancestor!" a resounding chorus echoed back, their gazes brimming with utter respect.

Uh! Uh! Uh!

Yang Yi blinked in surprise. He understood immediately: these people were reasonable. He wasn't the official Sect Master of Xuanmen yet; at best, he was merely someone of a higher seniority. It made sense that they addressed him this way.

Observing these disciples, whose martial aura radiated respect, Yang Yi never imagined he would one day stand above them, looking down upon a crowd of martial practitioners like they were common mortals. A true leader must govern by word and by deed that demands reverence.

After a significant pause, Yang Yi waved a hand dismissively, his gaze sharpening, radiating the aura of a rogue sovereign. He squinted and said, "I have come up here now with no other intention than one. Because, as of this moment, I am not yet qualified to be the Master of Xuanmen. Therefore…"

He stopped there, glancing sidelong at the confused Mu Qingfeng, then at the stunned Xuan Hao and the other disciples. He lifted the corner of his mouth slightly and continued, "Therefore, I require some time. Surely you wouldn't just let some mere boy take over as your Sect Master, would you?"

"Ancestor, you speak too severely," the crowd suddenly murmured, their expressions shifting. They immediately sank to one knee, cupping their fists in respect.

Seeing this reaction, Mu Qingfeng, who had been teetering on the edge of confusion, finally grasped Yang Yi’s maneuver. A wry smile flickered across his face, though he forced a grin, thinking inwardly, This young man truly has a way about him. It seems I really am getting old.

"There is no need for such profound courtesy to me; everyone, please rise!" Yang Yi called out loudly.

"Yes, Ancestor!"

"To ensure the Xuanmen flourishes and grows great, I have decided to temporarily decline the position of Sect Master!"

"Whoosh!" The disciples of Xuanmen erupted into an uproar once more.

A trace of bitterness crossed Mu Qingfeng’s face as he muttered to himself, "It's coming—this kid—sigh!"

"Of course, a nation cannot be without a ruler, let alone our Xuanmen?"

"Ancestor, then who shall manage the Sect Master position temporarily?" a disciple asked.

"Ah, an excellent question!" Yang Yi exclaimed, delighted by the timing. "Therefore, I decree that the Xuanmen will be temporarily managed by the venerable Senior Mu Qingfeng and Xuan Hao. When I have thoroughly familiarized myself with our Xuanmen, I will formally assume the role of Master. I trust you will all be satisfied with my arrangement!"

"Excellent—Ancestor’s arrangement is most sound!" the disciples cheered in unison.

As a result of this move, Yang Yi instantly garnered significant weight in their hearts. After all, he hadn't relied on his Ancestor status to immediately seize leadership. This, one had to admit, was quite adept at winning hearts.

In truth, any strategist knows that something easily obtained, if not properly cultivated, can lead only to self-destruction. Yang Yi’s current action was clearly an attempt to consolidate loyalty, while simultaneously satisfying his selfish desire for the role of a hands-off manager. Who knew how long it would take him to truly understand the Xuanmen sect? One year? Two? Perhaps even three? Nothing was certain.

After a series of arrangements, Yang Yi temporarily delegated the Master position to Xuan Hao, granting him full authority over all Xuanmen affairs, with Mu Qingfeng assisting him. Under Mu Qingfeng’s increasingly aggrieved expression, Yang Yi walked away, arriving next to Murong Lianxue, who immediately greeted him with, "Brother Yi, you are so cunning. Grandpa is completely outmaneuvered."

"Shush!" Yang Yi quickly silenced her. "Heh heh, this is called deception in warfare. That old man wanted to dump everything onto me; wouldn't I be worked to death?"

Murong Lianxue stuck out her tongue but remained silent, quietly observing Mu Qingfeng and Xuan Hao above.

Sometimes this girl shows too much brilliance, Yang Yi thought, a new idea brewing. He smirked and curled his lips. When I return in a few days… hehe!

##################################################

Approximately five months had passed since the Black Dragon Society’s headquarters in Jiangsu was wiped out by the Black God Gang, leaving the branch dormant.

However, several Jōnin level operatives had just been dispatched from R Country to Hua Xia. Their purpose was singular: to verify if Black Lord was truly dead and, failing that, to settle accounts with Yang Yi. Although they had confirmed Black Lord’s demise, they could not locate anyone named Yang Yi. They only learned that Yang Yi had vanished following his battle with Black Lord, information subsequently relayed to the powers behind the Black Dragon Society.

The Black Dragon Society issued an order to these three operatives: find Yang Yi by any means necessary and eliminate him to avenge Black Lord. Furthermore, this was crucial for the Black Dragon Society to establish a foothold in Hua Xia, as eradicating the Black God Gang was essential for their presence there. Considering Yang Yi was the Dragon Lord of the Black God Gang, the ruthlessness of these Japanese agents was evident—their ambitions remained as fierce now as ever.

"That is the Black God Gang headquarters ahead. Brother, we’ve come here so many times; why don't we just infiltrate and scout?" a middle-aged man asked the other middle-aged man beside him.

"Baka! Didn't you sense it? There is no trace of Yang Yi inside. Sneaking in now would only alert them!"

"Yes!"

"It’s been nearly five months, and he’s still not here today. In that case, let’s leave. As the Chinese say, 'Do not strike the grass and startle the snake.'"

"Yes!"

"They’ve come again. Ever since the Dragon Lord disappeared, they show up every few days. Last month, they started coming every three days. At first, I didn't understand their objective. These Japanese are truly patient." Han Zhong stared down at the three figures visible through the glass window.

"It’s simple. Since those three are from R Country, they must be from the Black Dragon Society. Their repeated visits mean they are looking for the Young Master," Feng Shi sneered coldly.

"Then why haven't they acted? Could it be that because of the commotion we caused searching for the Dragon Lord, they heard about it and are waiting for the opportune moment to strike after they think we’ve found him?"

"Yes, it seems we will face a major battle with the Black Dragon Society in R Country soon, which will likely expose even more elements. But where is the Young Master right now?"

"Knowing the Dragon Lord is safe brings me peace of mind. However, I doubt the Yamaguchi-gumi would easily cooperate with the Black Dragon Society. After all, we destroyed the Black Dragon Society's Jiangsu headquarters and killed their people there, yet we haven't seen the Black Dragon Society attempt to ally with the Yamaguchi-gumi."

"I don't know. Perhaps the Black Dragon Society thinks their power alone is enough to make the Black God Gang fear them," Feng Shi admitted, finding strategy far simpler than killing. "But who knows when the Young Master will return!"

"Sigh, the Dragon Lord must have suffered a significant loss fighting Black Lord," Han Zhong gazed into the distance, his thoughts turning deep.

On the other side, Feng Shi and Han Zhong were correct: the Black Dragon Society showed no inclination toward aligning with the Yamaguchi-gumi, who seemed content to watch the conflict unfold from the sidelines, making no moves whatsoever.

However, within Hua Xia, the Yamaguchi-gumi also maintained influence. In R Country, they were a genuine underworld organization, so they weren't as foolish as the Black Dragon Society, attempting direct control over other gangs. Instead, they focused on commercial expansion, possessing several legitimate—and illicit—enterprises in Southern China.

This was a matter Qing Bang would need to explain, as there were persistent underworld rumors of cooperation between Qing Bang and the Yamaguchi-gumi. The Yamaguchi-gumi had somehow leveraged interests to secure the cooperation of the local Qing Bang factions. This was the real reason the Dragon Gang had always been locked in rivalry with Qing Bang. Still, that alone wasn't enough; as everyone knew, one mountain couldn't house two tigers, and both gang leaders coveted the title of the Southern Underworld Emperor.

As the entire criminal underworld was about to be rocked by massive storms, Yang Yi was deep within the Xuanmen, being bombarded by Mu Qingfeng’s torrent of unparalleled Xuanmen techniques and every scrap of information concerning the sect. He was utterly unprepared for the sheer power and influence a mere Xuanmen possessed.

It wasn't just the Dongfang family; Xuanmen’s holdings in Hua Xia spanned industry, commerce, and development, each sector having a unique and profound aspect. Yang Yi knew this knowledge would be invaluable for the future growth of his Black God Gang, so he memorized everything with fervor.