Chapter 119: The True Gathering Storm

In truth, I was not the only one feeling perplexed at that moment; those around Old Man Liu seemed equally confused as to what the token actually was. Nevertheless, the man in black took it and handed it over to Fatty. The arrogance he had displayed earlier when pulling his gun on Fatty had vanished from his face. Knowing Fatty’s temperament—a man who never let a grudge slide—I knew he wouldn’t let the man off that easily. Sure enough, as soon as Fatty took the token, he called out to the man, who was already turning to leave, "Hold it right there!"

The man stopped and looked back at Fatty.

"Was that you who pulled a gun on me earlier?" Fatty asked.

Beads of sweat began to form on the man’s forehead. He was caught in a dilemma, unsure whether to stand or walk away. Finally, he simply nodded and said, "It was. I didn't know who you were."

"Do you know now?" Fatty smiled.

The man shook his head. "I don't."

Fatty walked over, raising his hand as if to slap him, but slowed down halfway through the motion, instead patting the man on the shoulder. "Don't be nervous. You’ve got dandruff—didn’t use Head & Shoulders, did you?"

The man looked completely bewildered. He shook his head, sweating profusely, and stammered, "I use Rejoice."

"Use an anti-dandruff one next time. Go on back. Your master is the type to bully the weak and fear the strong, and I’m certainly not going to follow his example," Fatty chuckled.

Fatty’s sarcasm made Old Man Liu’s expression grow even gloomier. He stared at Fatty and said, "I am determined to have this. Do you think this token alone is enough to make me fear you? If I’m not mistaken, even if you are one of *them*, you lack the seniority to be carrying this token."

"If he’s not enough, what if you add me to the mix?" Just then, Chen Dongfang stepped forward. Once again, his presence was as imposing and vigorous as when I first met him at the hospital. Behind him, Li Qing was dressed once more in the kung fu attire I had first seen him in, though this time, he was rotating a string of star-moon bodhi prayer beads in his hand.

"If you really want to burn bridges, do you think you’re qualified?" Old Man Liu, seemingly enraged, glared at Chen Dongfang.

"I am." At that moment, a car roared to a stop outside. A man in a suit stepped out, his leather shoes polished to a mirror shine. He had a square face and thick, sword-like brows, which gave him an exceptionally dignified and solemn air. I recognized him instantly because that little hellion of a girl shared a striking resemblance to him. If I wasn't mistaken, he was the girl’s father—the man referred to as "A" in the stories Chen Dongfang had told us.

Fatty and I had once speculated on "A's" true identity. We suspected he belonged to what the public called the "Dragon Group." The Dragon Group surely didn’t exist, but it was likely a similar organization—a special operations unit tasked with handling matters that could not be spoken of to outsiders.

A walked over to Old Man Liu’s side. He didn't confront the old man as we had; instead, he hooked his arm around Liu’s shoulder and said, "Old Man Liu, you're at such an age—is it really worth your dignity to bicker with a group of youngsters? After all, this is where you once led troops into battle; can’t you spare a little nostalgia?"

Old Man Liu snorted. "Since you’re here, let’s speak plainly. I may want this thing, but I know I don’t have the standing to claim it. You know who that person is, so rather than saying I am determined to have it, it would be more accurate to say that *he* is. Do you understand now?"

"Master Six says the Dragon Essence is a peerless treasure of the mortal realm; it will naturally choose its own master. Whoever it selects, that is its destiny," A said to Old Man Liu with a smile.

"Master Six said that?" Old Man Liu asked, stunned.

Just then, the phone of one of Old Man Liu’s subordinates rang. He checked the number and handed it to Liu. After speaking a few words on the call, Liu tossed the phone onto the table. "A clever move indeed. Very well, if that’s how it is, then the affairs of Fudi Ravine shall be handled by the people of Fudi Ravine!"

"That’s the spirit. The Ghost Path isn’t as simple as you think. Didn't Ye Tianhua’s matter also get resolved internally by the Ghost Path back in the day?" A remarked to him.

Old Man Liu stood up. He still looked angry, but with the various factions now entangled, the situation had become complex. He could no longer act with the same impunity he had used against my brother and me. Even I, dense as I could be, could sense that among those watching this affair, there were people with even more weight than Old Man Liu. After standing up, Liu turned and left, and Tang Renjie hurriedly signaled his lackeys to follow. They didn’t leave the area entirely, but they weren't as arrogant as before, stationing themselves at the entrance of Fudi Ravine, seemingly unwilling to give up.

Standing among the crowd, a man like A truly felt like the center of attention, overshadowing even Chen Dongfang’s sharpness. He was perhaps the person of the highest status I had ever encountered. After Old Man Liu left, he walked over to Fatty and exchanged a few quiet words. I couldn't hear them clearly, but it sounded like he was asking about how Master He was doing. After a brief chat, he approached me and looked at my brother, smiling. "I am A. You’re Tianhua’s eldest son, aren't you? Not bad. You have the same bearing your father had back then. Master Six is very interested in you. Would you be interested in meeting the old man?"

I saw Chen Dongfang, standing behind A, light up at these words. He kept winking at my brother, urging him to accept. I realized that the "Master Six" A referred to must be a figure of supreme importance. This was a massive opportunity; if my brother could establish a connection with Master Six, his future would be limitless. I was so eager I almost wanted to accept on his behalf. To my surprise, my brother maintained his eternal, calm composure and said, "No interest."

Chen Dongfang looked frustrated, appearing as if he felt pity for my brother. He quickly tried to clarify, saying, "He probably doesn't know who Master Six is."

"Does it matter who he is?" my brother countered.

Even A was taken aback for a moment, but then he burst into hearty laughter. "With character! No wonder Master Six sees something special in you."

With that, A looked at me. My heart began to race. I felt a surge of excitement, wondering: *What if he says, "Since your brother isn't interested, why don't you join us to meet Master Six?"* I was already debating whether I should jump at the chance or try to act cool and decline like my brother. But to my utter dismay, after all that internal excitement, A didn’t say a single word to me. Instead, he turned his head and asked Chen Dongfang, "Where is the girl?"

I felt like a stampede of ten thousand horses was trampling through my heart. *You just looked at me and then completely ignored me?*

I knew I might be worthless right now, but even Fatty had said that my soul lamp just hadn't been lit yet—once it was, I was someone destined to ascend to the heavens in broad daylight. How could he overlook me so easily?

At that moment, I truly wanted to have Fatty light that extinguished soul lamp immediately. This feeling of being ignored was genuinely infuriating.

"I had found her, but she slipped away again. It’s my fault for not keeping a closer eye on her," Chen Dongfang replied.

"Sigh, that girl... it’s not your fault. Even I can't always keep tabs on her. Watch her closely tonight; don't let her cause any real trouble," A said.

Chen Dongfang nodded. "Understood."

"Where is Tianhua’s grave? Take me to see it so I can offer some incense," A said, finally directing his first words toward me since we met.

"It’s just an empty tomb," I replied.

"I know. Let’s go, take me there," he said.

Back when my father died a tragic death, his body was never recovered. His skin was seized by the police as evidence, and later, they said it was cremated; we never got it back. So, when we buried him, we only buried the clothes he had worn during his life. We took A to offer incense at my father’s grave, and in the end, A even knelt and kowtowed several times before the headstone.

After standing up, A patted my left shoulder. "Don't be anxious. A dragon lurking in the abyss isn't necessarily a bad thing."

My left shoulder was where the soul lamp was extinguished.

His words seemed to carry a deeper meaning.

But he didn't elaborate. Instead, he looked up at the full moon rising in the sky and whispered, "Sixty years for a full cycle... is the Ghost Gate opening again?"

He seemed to be talking to himself, and as always, he shifted the topic abruptly—a habit of big shots, it seemed, keeping everyone else constantly dancing to their rhythm.

He looked at all of us and asked, "Are you all ready?"

Fatty, my brother, and the others nodded. Even though I hadn't done anything to prepare, I nodded as well.

The night that followed would be the true beginning of the storm.