The Qi Arts Master 72: Kunming, the Holy City of Yunnan
No matter how much government and order had crumbled, any place where people lived followed certain rules and rhythms. What they wore, what they ate, where they slept. In other words, clothing, food, and shelter were essentials everywhere, and someone always provided them.
If there was one group unrivaled in supplying these necessities, it had to be the Hao Gate. They offered jobs to those at the very bottom of society, turning them into informants. That was why the Hao Gate had branches everywhere, and Kunming in Yunnan was no exception.
Yunnan, in particular, was a land of chaos where old systems had collapsed. The Hao Gate Lord seized the opportunity, sometimes with force, sometimes with money, sometimes with vital information, swiftly dominating the region's commerce.
In the blink of an eye, every inn, tavern, red-light district, and fabric shop in Kunming fell under Hao Gate influence. Not stopping there, they opened branches in Yunnan's major cities, expanding aggressively. Losses were heavy for now, but once Tian Ailang subdued the South Forest with the South Forest Beast King and even crushed Yunnan's unorthodox sects, these businesses would thrive under the new order.
Future negotiations with the South Forest Beast King over the South Forest and the gold mines in the Poison Fog Zone promised even greater profits. It looked like a gamble at present, but Lord Song Kang, having watched Tian Ailang closely, believed in his inevitable success.
At that moment, Song Kang sat in his makeshift office in Kunming, reading a letter about Tian Ailang's triumph over the Pagaksa Temple hunt.
"Hahaha! Incredible. Truly incredible. As expected!"
Song Kang chuckled in satisfaction, setting down the letter Tian Ailang had penned. His eyes lingered on the final notes, a mix of surprise and sly grin spreading across his face.
"Heh. Dangga... Not a small matter. He says he'll handle the unorthodox sects first... In that time, I should meet the Beggar Clan's branch leader. A long journey ahead—better hurry."
* * *
Tian Ailang arrived with Maeng Geon to meet the leaders of the Sapa Alliance gathered near the South Forest. He'd expected them to scatter back to their territories and plot, but they approached first.
Around the alliance's temporary tent, unorthodox fighters who had laid ambushes and now withdrawn numbered nearly a thousand—this was only a fraction. Their massive numbers parted like a sea before Tian Ailang and Maeng Geon, who strode in calmly, faces unchanged. If anything, the onlookers tensed under the duo's aura.
Inside the tent stood just seven chairs, with the five Sapa Alliance leaders rising to greet them.
"Please, come in."
As Tian Ailang entered, the leaders offered awkward bows. He scanned the tent briefly before taking a seat. Maeng Geon followed, sitting beside him. Their presence turned the air thick and stifling.
"For war preparations, this seems awfully sloppy," Tian Ailang remarked, lightly releasing killing intent. The leaders broke into cold sweats.
They knew his words weren't bravado—he'd slain the Pagaksa Temple master and the Dangga Twelve single-handedly. And it wasn't just Tian Ailang; the South Forest Beast King's bulging muscles beside him writhed like they might erupt in vengeance for his beast tribe at any moment. The leaders swallowed dryly.
Among the five, the head of House Xinpyeong stepped forward cautiously. He was the most skilled in negotiations, having dealt with officials before.
"War? You're mistaken. We arranged this meeting to clear misunderstandings and find ways to improve our future relations."
"Misunderstandings...?" Maeng Geon narrowed his eyes and echoed.
The Xinpyeong head replied in a trembling but polite voice. "Yes. Would you hear us out first?"
Tian Ailang glanced at Maeng Geon for his input after the polite request. Maeng Geon jerked his chin—handle it your way.
"Speak."
With Tian Ailang's go-ahead, the Xinpyeong head calmly explained the Sapa Alliance's ties to the Dangga, how he and his children suffered under the gudu poison, leaving them no choice but to obey orders and attack the beast tribe.
Tian Ailang tilted his head skeptically upon hearing it all. "So what? You expect us to forgive our friends' deaths over excuses like that?"
Seeing Tian Ailang's irritation, the Xinpyeong head waved his hands frantically. "No, no. We won't deny our actions. We just want to discuss something mutually beneficial."
Tian Ailang looked to Maeng Geon, who scowled silently but left the talking to him. Tian had braced for an emotional outburst, but Maeng Geon's restraint was unexpected. He nodded.
"Let's hear it."
The Xinpyeong head launched into the prepared pitch alongside the other leaders. The gist was simple: They recognized the South Forest Beast King and his beast tribe as masters of Yunnan's martial world. Considering the tribe's tendency to stay within the South Forest, the alliance would offer tribute in exchange for recognition of their territories.
That was their deal for the beast king and tribe. Maeng Geon smirked bitterly upon hearing it.
"Heh heh. Why assume we'll stay holed up in the South Forest? Don't you think we could just slaughter you all and rule Yunnan's martial world ourselves?"
Cold sweat poured from the Xinpyeong head under Maeng Geon's genuine killing intent, but he pressed on. "We know the beast tribe's current numbers are far too few to manage all of vast Yunnan. Kill us, and similar forces will rise again. Endless war would follow. Wouldn't it be better for you and your tribe if we—reasonable folk—preempt those threats and maintain this deal?"
Maeng Geon clicked his tongue at the logical point, but his grudge over the slain beast tribesmen lingered. Reading his mood, the Xinpyeong head continued swiftly.
"We apologize for killing your beast tribesmen. As compensation, we'll lend 500 men to develop the Poison Fog Zone—martial artists, all."
Maeng Geon calculated inwardly. He'd been pondering how to exploit the now-masterless Poison Fog Zone. Dang Jeong-a had advised that proper management of its poppies and toxic herbs could yield massive profits. 500 martial artists would be invaluable for laying the groundwork.
The recent battle had also depleted their beasts, and replenishing them required funds and manpower they sorely lacked. He yearned for bloody retribution, but as chieftain, cold pragmatism for his tribe's future was essential.
Maeng Geon crossed his arms, relaxing his posture. The Xinpyeong head took it as a good sign and turned to Tian Ailang.
"We have a request for the Qi Arts Lord as well."
"Out with it."
"Is there no way to obtain gudu antidote from the Dangga?"
The question arose knowing Tian Ailang traveled with Dang Jeong-a, the Dangga's sole daughter. The leaders stared desperately at his lips, their faces tense. Power balances and profits with the beast tribe paled against the immediate threat of gudu choking their lives and their children's.
"You want me to solve your gudu problem? What's the price?"
Tian Ailang had discussed gudu with Dang Jeong-a beforehand. Only the Dangga could handle it, treating it as top secret. Historically, gudu was force-fed to victims in its hermaphroditic state, tormented with opium-like drugs for relief. Thus, it was known as hermaphroditic.
But current Dangga Lord Dang Cheon-geum had developed a way to separate male and female. They learned the halves remained linked despite separation—kill one, the other dies. Processing fluid from the female subdued the male temporarily.
The leaders and their heirs hosted male gudu. Solution: Kill the females held by the Dangga, barring host death. Dang Jeong-a knew the details and storage site from her involvement.
"Name anything you need," the Xinpyeong head said, heart pounding, awaiting reply.
Tian Ailang slowly eyed him and the surrounding leaders.
"You claim the greatest influence in Yunnan right now?"
The Xinpyeong head nodded as representative. "Yes. Though it's an alliance, that holds true."
"Then scour Yunnan for every spiritual herb and send them to me. I'll relay details through the Hao Gate Lord."
The Xinpyeong head cocked his head at the vague demand, unclear on scope.
"All the spiritual herbs we possess?"
Tian Ailang shook his head. "No—every spiritual herb in Yunnan. Hide one or let any leak out deliberately, and you die."
He continued rapidly. "Also, ban all inhuman, illegal activities like human trafficking and pillaging against civilians. Violate this, and you die. No excuses about rogue subordinates acting on their own. Manage them properly."
Shock and dismay clouded the leaders' faces. The conditions were sweeping, the penalty death—hard to swallow, especially bearing responsibility for countless underlings' crimes.
Tian Ailang eyed their hesitation and delivered the clincher.
"In exchange, I'll completely resolve the gudu for you and your children. Not some drug-dependent fix—true, total freedom."
At those final words, the Sapa Alliance leaders cast aside all doubts and bowed deeply.