Chapter 272 – What of the Supreme Realm? Even Joining the Exploding Heavens Gang Requires Starting From the Bottom!

Evening.

Jianghai Martial Arts Academy, Scripture Pavilion.

The moonlight gently illuminated the Back Mountain as the wind rustled through the forest canopy.

A stilted pavilion stood firmly among the mountains.

In front of the pavilion, Elder Li and Li Zixuan were already waiting, dressed in a Zhongshan suit and an elegant long dress respectively. Under the clear moonlight, the old and young quietly awaited the arrival of the Supreme expert from the Exploding Heavens Gang.

“Xuan Xuan, does my collar look wrinkled again?”

Elder Li, wearing a Zhongshan suit, turned to Li Zixuan and asked nervously, “When the senior arrives later, I mustn’t lose etiquette in front of him.”

“It’s fine, teacher.”

Li Zixuan came behind Elder Li and gently smoothed out the wrinkles on his collar. “Our senior from the Exploding Heavens Gang isn’t a hypocrite like Meng Tianxuan. He won’t care about your attire.”

“You’re right.”

Hearing this, Elder Li felt slightly relieved. “But proper etiquette should still be maintained.”

As they spoke.

Rustle!

A fierce wind swept through the forest, stirring the trees more violently. A figure approached from the distance, rapidly heading toward the Scripture Pavilion.

“The senior is here!”

Seeing this, Elder Li straightened up immediately and strode forward, afraid of being even a step late. Li Zixuan followed closely behind, her heart pounding.

There were many seniors within the sect.

The fourteen Supreme Realm experts dispatched during the apartment battle were surely just the tip of the iceberg. There were other seniors she hadn’t met yet.

They must be treated with careful respect!

They quickly walked into the woods and indeed saw a figure standing by a tree not far away, carrying a Dark Bow on his back. But before they could greet him, Elder Li froze in place upon clearly seeing the person’s face.

“Liu Wushuang?”

“Why are you here?!”

Elder Li was stunned, his raised smile stiffening on his face. “What are you, a member of the Supreme Alliance, doing here?”

“Ahem.”

Liu Wushuang coughed lightly upon hearing this, guiltily patting his sleeves. “Don’t be agitated, you two. I mean no harm, it’s not…”

“You’re not welcome here!”

Li Zixuan frowned and interrupted, crossing her arms and staring warily at Liu Wushuang. “If you’re here to gather information for the Supreme Alliance, please leave. We won’t reveal anything about the Exploding Heavens Gang.”

“Go, go away!”

Elder Li also waved his hand, issuing a dismissal, his impatience growing increasingly evident.

During the recent confrontation with the Supreme Alliance Leader, the Exploding Heavens Gang suffered heavy losses, largely due to Liu Wushuang leading the way. With such a notorious track record, he didn’t even want to look at him!

Even if Liu Wushuang had no choice.

The responsibility was ultimately hard to erase.

The lives of a full eight Exploding Heavens Gang seniors!

How could the Supreme Alliance ever repay that?

“Go away! Why are you still standing there?”

Thinking of this, Elder Li saw that Liu Wushuang hadn’t moved and pressed his hand on his sword hilt, urging sharply, “Don’t delay us! Even if you’re in the Supreme Realm, that doesn’t mean you can trespass into our Jianghai Martial Arts Academy!”

“Leave!”

Li Zixuan also gripped her sword, growing anxious. If the Exploding Heavens Gang senior arrived and clashed with Liu Wushuang, the senior would surely be in mortal danger.

In an instant.

The atmosphere grew tense as drawn swords!

“Have you two finished venting…?”Liu Wushuang observed Elder Li’s displeased expression without haste or anger, waiting for their emotions to settle before softly explaining:

“My visit this time isn’t by the Alliance Lord’s command, but at the request of the Exploding Heavens Gang…”

As he spoke, he glanced toward the pinnacle of the Back Mountain Scripture Pavilion. “Aren’t you in need of a pavilion guardian? I’m the one Qin Yang found to stand guard!”

His words hung in the air.

“???”

Elder Li and Li Zixuan stared blankly, then exchanged bewildered looks, their minds struggling to process this sudden turn of events.

Liu Wushuang as the pavilion guardian?

Had they heard correctly?

“Xuan Xuan, didn’t your Senior Brother say he’d send an elder from the Exploding Heavens Gang?” Elder Li maintained his composure while transmitting his voice to Li Zixuan’s ear. “Why did they send someone from the Supreme Alliance? Could there be some mistake?”

“I…”

Li Zixuan stammered in confusion, equally perplexed by the situation.

They were promised an elder from the Exploding Heavens Gang…

So why had Liu Wushuang been sent instead!?

Noting their bewilderment, Liu Wushuang raised an eyebrow and continued his explanation: “Rest assured, both of you. Since several days ago, I’ve left the Supreme Alliance and joined the Exploding Heavens Gang.”

As he spoke,

he slowly paced forward until he stood before Li Zixuan.

“From this day forward, I belong to the Exploding Heavens Gang. You can place your trust in me!”

“?!”

The moment he finished speaking,

Elder Li and Li Zixuan exchanged another glance, each seeing the shock reflected in the other’s eyes.

???

Wait!

You’re actually serious about this?

“If you don’t believe me, you can call Qin Yang to verify,” Liu Wushuang sighed. “I did wrong by the Exploding Heavens Gang before, so your distrust is understandable.”

After he spoke,

Elder Li and Li Zixuan shared a meaningful look, silently reaching an understanding. Without hesitation, Li Zixuan immediately took out her phone and dialed Qin Yang’s number to check the situation.

The background noise remained chaotic, filled with continuous game sounds.

“Senior Brother, Senior Wushuang is here,” Li Zixuan whispered into the phone. “He says you sent him, and that he’s now one of us in the Exploding Heavens Gang… He’s standing right in front of me…”

“Huh? He arrived already?” Qin Yang sounded surprised on the other end. “I thought it would take longer. That was quick… quite eager…”

“Ah?”

Li Zixuan furrowed her delicate brows. “Senior Brother, did you really send him? Is this our new elder from the Exploding Heavens Gang?”

Her voice unintentionally rose with this question, causing Elder Li to startle upon hearing it from nearby.

He immediately shot an incredulous look at Liu Wushuang,

who simply shrugged in response,

giving him a “figure it out yourself” expression.

“Yeah, I’ve been busy these past few days and forgot to tell you,” Qin Yang yawned before continuing. “He’s still in his probation period though, can’t really be called an elder yet… Senior Wushuang is very eager to work for the Exploding Heavens Gang. You can trust him.”

“Senior Brother, can we really trust this person?” Li Zixuan covered the phone and cast a sidelong glance at the waiting Liu Wushuang, her tone reluctant. “He was responsible for Martial Uncle’s death before… and he’s connected to what happened to the other elders in our sect too…””Shimei, some matters… should be left in the past. I’ve observed Senior Wushuang, and his heart seems sincere enough. We should give him a chance to atone.”

On the other end of the phone, Qin Yang explained slowly:

“Let’s leave it at that for now. Senior Brother still has matters to attend to, so I’ll hang up first. You can arrange his placement at the Scripture Pavilion directly, no need to stand on ceremony.”

After giving his instructions,

The call ended.

Beep—

The busy tone echoed.

A cold wind swept through the mountain forest.

The remaining three people looked at each other, the atmosphere growing still.

The situation had momentarily turned awkward…

After a few breaths.

“See? Just as I said, wasn’t it?”

Liu Wushuang folded his arms and spoke: “Young Qin testified for me. Now that I’m officially part of the Exploding Heavens Gang, you needn’t maintain such hostility.”

“To think you truly are a senior now…”

Elder Li murmured in bewilderment, still somewhat unable to believe it.

But Qin Yang’s words from earlier lingered in his mind.

They couldn’t be fabricated.

One must remember—

Liu Wushuang held a prestigious status, having once been high-ranking in the Supreme Alliance!

And now that he had come to the Exploding Heavens Gang,

He actually had to start from menial tasks?

Truly worthy of the Exploding Heavens Gang!

Effortlessly poaching talent from the Supreme Alliance!

Once confirmed, Elder Li became solemn and respectful. He looked at Liu Wushuang before him and gestured toward the Scripture Pavilion behind him:

“In that case, Senior, please follow this old man inside. Let us discuss the details within.”

“Very well.”

The three slowly entered the Scripture Pavilion, arriving at the previously prepared reception room. Tea and refreshments were served, the faint aroma of clear tea wafting through the room.

“So how will the compensation be handled?”Liu Wushuang sat in a chair, surveying the Scripture Pavilion’s environment, and got straight to the point: ‘Since Young Qin asked me to guard this place, the treatment shouldn’t be lacking, should it?””

“Naturally, since Senior is willing to come, we certainly won’t treat you poorly.”

Elder Li poured tea and handed it over, speaking slowly: “The salary here is calculated at ten times the external rate. Of course, if you have any objections, Senior, we can discuss…”

Pausing briefly, Elder Li looked at Liu Wushuang’s elegant robes and added: “But to be honest, this old man feels that someone of Senior’s stature doesn’t seem to be in need of money. Would you prefer something else…”

“Unnecessary!”

Hearing this, Liu Wushuang immediately interrupted, then opened his Star Ring and took out a slip of paper with numbers written on it.

Slapping it onto the table with a “smack”!

“You can go ahead and pay the salary as usual. This amount of money is indeed beneath my notice… But since this is a mission for the Exploding Heavens Gang, you can deposit the salary into Qin Yang’s account. Consider that my compensation.”

“This…”

Elder Li took the slip, pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded:

“Very well, this old man will dispatch someone to handle it later. The Scripture Pavilion will trouble you to oversee.”

“Rest assured, with me guarding this place, it will be impregnable. I’ll keep watch so thoroughly that not even a mosquito could slip in unnoticed!”

Liu Wushuang nodded, casting a glance at the nearby bookshelves.

After a quick survey,

Although the books in this Martial Arts Academy’s Scripture Pavilion were valuable,

At their peak…

They only reached Grandmaster-level!

Not even touching Supreme-level.

Those who would covet these books were nothing more than minor troublemakers, completely unthreatening to someone like himself at the Earth Venerable Realm.

It even felt somewhat like overkill.

Yet Liu Wushuang had no regrets.As long as he could complete tasks for the Exploding Heavens Gang, he had no regrets. Moreover, guarding the Scripture Pavilion here was far more satisfying than staying at Qin Yang’s house and playing games with them every day.

“Very well, I’ll trouble you, Senior.”

Elder Li nodded, feeling equally pleased to see Liu Wushuang agree to take up the post.

But soon after, he suddenly remembered something and spoke hesitantly, “However, Senior Wushuang… this old man has another question.”

“What is it?”

Liu Wushuang took a light sip of tea. “This venerable one will try to answer it.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Elder Li slowly asked, “When you joined the Exploding Heavens Gang, didn’t you need to undergo an assessment?”

(End of Chapter)