On the other end of the line, Xiao Yao Qingxiong sneered internally. Do you want to know why I suddenly issued the order to abandon the underworld? Or do you want my Xiaoyao Sect to prop up your Qing Gang again, giving you the strength to fight the recently surging Black God Gang?

"Heh heh, what if I ask for both as conditions?" Qinglong chuckled sinisterly.

"Then, Young Master Qinglong, aren't you being a bit too presumptuous?" Xiao Yao Qingxiong's tone suddenly turned placid, almost amused, though Qinglong couldn't quite discern it now.

"What, do you think your son isn't enough collateral for those two conditions?" Qinglong's words were deliberately layered.

How could Xiao Yao Qingxiong, a veteran slick operator, not understand the implication? Yet, he maintained his unhurried demeanor, saying calmly, "It seems, Qinglong, you have further terms! Go on, since you dare to threaten me with my son, I assume you are quite certain I will agree."

"Hahahaha, truly worthy of being the Sect Master of Xiaoyao Sect. Then I won't waste time. In truth, Qinglong using the Young Master to coerce the Sect Master this time serves a deeper purpose. After all, this is the only way I can save my own life, and if things proceed smoothly, perhaps we might even have opportunities to cooperate in the future!"

"Enough nonsense, just state your terms directly," Xiao Yao Qingxiong said sharply. Qinglong was undoubtedly laying down a preventative dose while negotiating—a psychological maneuver that Xiao Yao Qingxiong himself had employed countless times years ago, only to find it being used against him by Qinglong today.

"First, I need to know why the Xiaoyao Sect suddenly issued that order. Second, I require the assistance of your Xiaoyao Sect to help my Qing Gang eliminate the Black God Gang and take control of the underworld territories across East China, South China, and Central China. Third, this condition is rather tricky, and the Sect Master must agree: after everything is settled, your Xiaoyao Sect must not launch any punitive actions against my Qing Gang in any capacity!" Qinglong listed the three conditions in one breath.

To any discerning observer, these three conditions were undeniably difficult. From Xiao Yao Qingxiong's perspective, it meant being held hostage, forced to swallow his pride and cease any further inquiry. This was clearly a situation where one party benefited at the expense of the other.

"I can agree to the second and third conditions, but not the first. That matter involves not only my Xiaoyao Sect but also has implications for the Dragon Gate. I advise you to abandon that thought. If you persist in digging into it, I believe tomorrow will be your death anniversary!"

The voice was light, still cool, almost dismissive. This momentarily stunned Qinglong, who fell into thought. Just as he was about to speak, Xiao Yao Qingxiong cut him off: "That's enough. Except for the first condition, I agree to the other two. I will send someone to negotiate with you tomorrow."

With that, Xiao Yao Qingxiong abruptly hung up. Qinglong’s expression grew increasingly heavy, causing Liu Xinbei, who had been watching him closely, to become tense and deeply perplexed.

"Gang Leader, what happened?"

"It seems this matter indeed involves significant connections!" Qinglong put down the phone, saying mournfully, "He refused the first condition, but agreed to the other two. He said they will send someone over tomorrow to discuss details!"

"So, we still won't find out what that order was about?" Liu Xinbei felt more and more that this was no simple affair.

Qinglong glanced at him. "I know you are desperate to know what that order entails; frankly, I am too. However, this matter cannot be taken lightly. The Xiaoyao Sect warned that if we keep pressing on this issue and certain parties find out, we will be annihilated without a trace. Furthermore, this involves the Dragon Gate and others!"

"What?" Liu Xinbei flinched violently at the words, staring at Qinglong in disbelief.

Qinglong seemed to grasp the meaning behind his expression. He drew a sharp breath. "You guessed correctly. It appears that once the Black God Gang is dealt with, we will have to be wary of the power behind them."

After hearing Qinglong's words, Liu Xinbei remained silent, as if the doubt that had been constantly in his mind had just been clarified. Yet, simultaneously, another layer of doubt was established, leaving him utterly bewildered...

Meanwhile, five or six men in black had infiltrated the Qing Gang headquarters and searched everywhere, yet they failed to locate Xiao Yao Wuqing. They managed to slip away without alerting any of the Qing Gang members.

"Li Hun!" The five or six men appeared beside Li Hun.

"Well? Did you find the Young Master? Is he hurt?" Li Hun asked anxiously as soon as he saw them emerge.

"We did not find the Young Master. Instead, we discovered a basement beneath this villa, and within the basement, there was a prison cell!"

"A prison cell?"

"Yes, but inside the cell, three people were found mysteriously dead. Moreover, the cell door appeared to have been damaged by some sharp implement, so we couldn't find the Young Master!"

"What?" Li Hun trembled uncontrollably. "This is serious trouble. The Young Master must have been kidnapped by someone else again. We must report this to the Sect Master immediately, or we will all be in deep trouble!"

"Then hurry!"

After speaking, the group turned and sprinted rapidly in another direction...

Night descended. It was still the very beginning of the New Year period, and the weather in Hainan was already turning somewhat humid, perhaps because it was close to the sea. The gentle sea breeze swept across their faces, carrying an unfamiliar warmth. Perhaps it was because the ocean's atmosphere in nature was naturally comforting to the heart.

At a seaside hotel, a young man gently stroked the long strands of hair belonging to a girl resting on the bed, a tender smile playing on his lips. If an outsider were present, they would surely be astonished. The Dragon Lord of the Black God Gang, renowned across East, Central, and South China, usually projected an image of ferocity, yet here he was, completely transformed.

That touch of tenderness, that soft smile, those meticulous gestures—they belonged only to his woman. In the eyes of others, he might have become a ruthless tyrant drenched in blood, but in his woman's heart, he was a bit of a scoundrel, yet one who could reveal refinement within his roguishness, and from that refinement, an unmatched gentleness.

"Ah, you silly thing, it’s just the Xiaoyao Sect. Do you need to do something so dangerous for my sake?" Yang Yi’s expression was filled with tenderness. Even though he knew that the matter concerning Xiao Yao Wuqing, whom Xuanyuan Bing had brought back that afternoon, was important to Yang Yi’s plans, in his heart, nothing was more important than his woman.

"Ugh... cough, cough!"

Xuanyuan Bing’s color had somewhat returned, but a sudden cough brought a flush to her face. Opening her eyes, she saw Yang Yi looking at her with such gentle concern, and her face grew even redder. "Yi!"

"You're awake!" Yang Yi smiled and helped Xuanyuan Bing, who was trying to sit up. "It's alright, lie still for a while. Don't rush to get up!"

"Yi, I'm sorry, I...!" Xuanyuan Bing naturally knew why she was confined to the bed. If she hadn't forced herself and excessively drained her intrinsic energy, her old ailment likely wouldn't have relapsed.

"It’s fine, don't apologize. Silly girl, I told you not to strain yourself, look at you now...!" Although Yang Yi said this, in his mind, he was already planning how to eliminate the root cause of Xuanyuan Bing's recurring illness.

He didn't know much about intrinsic energy (Yi Neng), so he had no basis for reference, especially since, besides Xuanyuan Bing, there were no other practitioners of this energy near him—unless one counted the Leisai family.

"The Leisai family?" The thought suddenly sprang into Yang Yi’s mind, and he seemed to have found a sliver of insight, immediately falling into deep contemplation.

Xuanyuan Bing noticed the shift in Yang Yi's expression, from gentle affection to deep thought, and her face filled with confusion, feeling an ineffable curiosity about his sudden change.

"Hehe, it seems I need to take a trip to England with you sometime," Yang Yi declared with a sudden resolution, laughing.

"Go to England? Why go to England?" Xuanyuan Bing asked.

"Silly girl, if that chronic ailment of yours persists, do you think that will be good?" Yang Yi gave her a slight, reproachful look. "Although I don't know how to control or categorize the levels of energy for practitioners, I have a friend in England who is an energy practitioner of the same level as you. He might have a way to help you get rid of this root illness!"

"Yi!" Xuanyuan Bing felt a surge of warmth in her heart upon hearing this.

"Good—"

"Young Master!" Before Yang Yi could finish, Feng Shi’s voice cut in.

"Come in!"

"Young Master, Young Master Xiao Yao says he has an urgent matter to discuss with you!"

"Oh?" Yang Yi’s expression shifted. His eyes fixed on Xiao Yao Wuqing, who was staring directly at him, and he smiled faintly. "I wonder what matter the Young Master Xiao Yao has come to discuss with me?"