Chronicles of Daoist Fan

Just another block away, I saw Feng Yi waiting there with a bag of herbs in her hands. Seeing me, she immediately waved and I hid with her.

Her dress seemed a little different today. It was more bright and looked like a uniform. I asked her about it and the reply was, ''I registered myself as an alchemist of Pill Fire Association.''

Feng Yi then asked me who those people were. She had noticed them in the courtyard and fortunately hadn't entered.

''Enemies.'' I pulled her over to a simple restaurant and we talked for some time. Feng Yi wanted to go back to CangGong courtyard after the criminals left but I advised against it.

''But my cauldron!''

''You can always buy a new one.'' I shook my head which froze as soon as she spoke.

''There were ingredients for your medicinal bath in that. I was preparing it for tonight.'' Feng Yi spoke with great pity and smirked seeing my frozen expression. I had bought those things after so much trouble. I couldn't just keep it there.

''You will go and take that cauldron right now.'' I grabbed her hand.

''But there are bad guys in that place now. You can't tell this pitiful and weak young miss to go there…'' She made an innocent expression and made me seem like a molester in front of other people in this restaurant.

'This… this damn girl…' My eyebrows twitched. Look at that acting, anyone who saw her would feel the need to protect this ''distressed young maiden.''

I stood up and walked out. I planned to go myself. For how long would those criminals even remain there?

''Zuifan!'' she yelled and followed me. Her clogs made a clattering sound as she followed me with hurried footsteps.

''I'll go.'' She came beside me and smiled cheekily. I knew what it meant. She needed a place to stay, after all, and had made the CangGong courtyard practically hers while we were at the Martial House. But now that place was dangerous, she again had to go somewhere else or take the risk.

She could also find a job as an apprentice alchemist and maybe rent some cheap place. However, it was hard work and this high-class ''young miss'' didn't like working all day.

''You have even reached rank 5 in such a short time. I'm so happy.'' Oh, she finally noticed that. Maybe she was busy counting the ants walking on the ground, or maybe thinking why it didn't rain this morning.

''Hmm Hmm, this young master is very busy. Go pester someone else.'' I waved and put my hands behind my back, acting as if I was too important and entitled to listen to someone like her.

''Ah, my herbs!'' Feng Yi's bag fell on the ground as she cried like a truly distressed beauty. Then she looked up at me with teary eyes (fake tears, of course).

''Would this magnanimous and kind young master help this little me? I am sick, beautiful but very poor and don't have a home.'' In a dramatic moment, this activity attracted the attention of quite a few passersby who helped her pick up those herbs without a word.

They handed her the bag and told her to be careful while giving me disappointed and downright hostile glances. I was only staring at her with a stoic face, a little amused inside.

''You should be ashamed of yourself, young man.'' One grandpa pointed his walking stick at me.

''Young people these days are getting more selfish.'' Another middle-aged lady shook her head.

These were simple city dwellers who made their living by opening grocery stores. My outer appearance looked to be a boy of about 18-20 years old, too young and foolish in their wise eyes. I may have far superior cultivation but in this guarded city, they were assured that I wouldn't harm them.

''It's okay, it's okay.'' Feng Yi wiped her fake tears and ran ahead, looking sad and heartbroken.

I didn't stay there to listen to their words of wisdom. Passing another block, I saw her waiting for me with a defeated expression. She sighed and came beside me. Now that was truly pitiful.

''Fufu, poor someone has nowhere to go…'' I whistled idly. Of course, I wanted her to go back to the courtyard but she started this game in the first place. Although her acting had improved, she had to know that she could never fool me.

''Finally silent eh Feng Yi.'' I slowed down my steps. My sweat had dried and my whole body was smelly. I didn't know how she could stay so close to me despite that. I wanted to take a bath.

''You're no fun. Did you tell them about the criminals who came to our courtyard?'' She was talking about Chunu and Lingling. About that, maybe I should let Feng Yi stay with them at that hotel…

I found that a good idea. Hmm, she could stay in my room but I wouldn't let her practice alchemy there…

''Zuifan.'' Feng Yi nudged me and I answered her question. ''Yes, I have. They won't be coming here. Follow me, I'll take you somewhere.''

…

In the evening, we met on the place we had agreed upon. Bina and Lina, the two sisters, were waiting for me.

They took me to their uncle Lolan's place. It was a new house, furnished recently. Having modern aesthetics.

When we sat down on the woolen mat, I spoke. ''This is a nice house, being so near the city gates.''

''Yes, but we only stayed here for a few weeks. Our brother had only recently bought this house which he gave to uncle Lolan.'' Lina served us some refreshments.

Hmm, lemon juice. Well, it was nice. I put my cup down after drinking and was about to tell them of my plan to exterminate the Blood Fang mafia when Bina's little sister dropped something wildly interesting.

''I want to avenge my brother.''

Her elder sister looked at this brown-haired girl, surprised that her sister, despite being so weak, had such thoughts in her mind.

''Do you know what you are talking about? You need to kill Qin Mao for that. Can you do it?'' Bina harshly rebutted but her sister's mind was set on it. Both sisters wanted to kill the mafia boss for what he had done.

I had been planning to convince them to work on exterminating the mafia group but there was no need. I could use their conviction to taste revenge the other way around.

''I may help you with that. I don't like his guts as well.'' I showed my teeth. I wanted to get to the Wang clan that was behind the Blood Fang mafia group. That's why I was targeting them in the first place.

Yes, I didn't like the way Qin Mao tried using me but he was just a small fly. I was thinking along the lines of a cultivator even though I wasn't one. This thinking was what separated me from other practitioners.

''We will first weaken his influence in the underground world. Every shady area has one or two of his men. We can kill them off first. Contact the other independent groups. They aren't happy with the Blood Fang group's suppression, are they?''

''If we manage to get a superior number, we can just storm the underground of Azure Wind Stupa.'' Bina wasn't much of a schemer and she thought straightforwardly.

''No, it's impossible to get these fragmented groups under a single banner. Brother tried doing it and failed. We can use them to spy on Qin Mao's lackeys and individually command. But the question remains, how? They won't just work for us on a whim even though they are suppressed.'' Her sister knew what I meant.

I took out an ordinary scroll and spread it on the floor. ''How many Meridian Opening practitioners are there in Blood Fang group?'' I asked Bina. She knew more about the mafia gang than us.

''Three,'' She said. ''Other than Qin Mao and Var, that scarface from that day, there is also a woman, Doxua. Her face is pale, the color of diluted milk. She is the ugliest and most hateful person I have known.''

Bina seemed to have a deep hatred against this Doxua. Well anyways, that made three troublesome individuals. However, we just had to kill off their subordinates without letting them notice.

''Lina, is there a brush and ink here?''

She stood up hearing me and brought a cup of dark ink and a thin brush with her. Putting those gently on the covered wooden floor, she waited with her sister as I wrote names. The ink smelled like blackberries that I had eaten. It seemed the juices had been mixed with some kind of liquid to make the ink thicker.

After I finished writing the names and making a certain flowchart. I passed the open scroll to Lina and told her to fill it in accordingly.

There were blanks for the names of different groups. Then, there were blanks for dates and places. I had created boxes for writing details like the preferences of the group's bosses, the locations they frequented, a specific personality of theirs, etc. 

I wanted her to keep that information in this scroll as remembering all the names was difficult. It was also easier to follow a plan that was written like this.

''Who will gather all of this info?'' Bina asked, taking a closer look at the scroll spread on her sister's hands.

''You two, of course. I'll be busy with something else. Also, find someone to spread rumors that the Blood Fang mafia is weak currently. You do have this with you, right?''

I took out the fang from my pockets, the proof that someone was a member of the Blood Fang group.. This thing had much more uses than what Qin Mao had told me.