The street market in Pinggang City is bustling, with towering skyscrapers and numerous office buildings and shopping malls. Overall, its economic strength is second only to Changliao, ranking second in the province of Jitong. However, behind this prosperity, dark forces, much like its economy, are scattered throughout every corner of Pinggang.

In the western part of Pinggang City, in front of an inconspicuous gambling den, a white van was parked. Xiao Zihan and Xing Ao got out of the van and, after assessing the nearly closed gambling den in front of them, walked straight in.

This is a gambling den specializing in poker games, which used to thrive with a constant influx of gamblers. However, for some unknown reason in recent times, the number of people has dwindled, and the place often appears deserted. It's easy to imagine the owner of the gambling den wearing a bitter expression, praying for good fortune every day, hoping to restore the business to its former glory. The residents living nearby, on the other hand, are delighted and wish for the gambling den to close soon. Gambling, being closely tied to money, often leads to disputes, and when things go wrong, violence is the only solution. Who would want frequent fights to happen near their homes?

After Xiao Zihan and Xing Ao entered, a henchman-looking guy immediately guided them to a gambling room. Xiao Zihan looked around and saw dozens of tables of various sizes in the spacious room, with most of them unoccupied, except for five tables where people were actually gambling.

Xiao Zihan sat at an empty table, smiled at the bored dealer, and said, "I heard your boss has extraordinary gambling skills, so I came here today to pay a visit."

The dealer was momentarily surprised, then realized, thinking, "Why did this person end up at my table with no one to play against? Could it be that he's here to challenge the boss? But how come I've never heard of the boss having any extraordinary gambling skills? Maybe it's because I'm new here and not well-informed?"

After carefully observing Xiao Zihan, the dealer politely said, "Please wait a moment; I'll inform the boss." With that, he hurriedly walked through a small door to the north.

Xiao Zihan watched him leave, smiling slightly, and said to Xing Ao beside him, "Ao, guess if the boss here will sell this place to us."

After hearing this, Xing Ao straightened up, exuding confidence, and proudly said, "He has no reason not to sell, unless he's the type who considers money worthless. But from what I've found out, he's far from reaching that level. On the contrary, he's secretly worried about not making ends meet every day and can't wait to get rid of this dilapidated gambling den."

With a sense of certainty in his heart, Xiao Zihan knew that this gambling den would be his in a few days. He had full confidence in Xing Ao's ability to gather information. When they were wandering before, Xing Ao had already shown his talent for gathering intelligence.

In less than ten minutes, the small door to the north was pushed open. Xiao Zihan shifted his gaze there, silently waiting for the person to come out.

The person who emerged was a chubby man in his forties, followed by two strong men with broad shoulders and stern expressions. The chubby man, glancing at Xiao Zihan guided by the dealer, approached and greeted him with a smile, "Brother, please have a seat." He then went to the opposite side of Xiao Zihan and sat down, saying, "You seem unfamiliar, probably your first time here."

Xiao Zihan laughed heartily, saying, "Brother is right. It's indeed my first time visiting this place."

The chubby man, with a puzzled look in his small eyes, stared at Xiao Zihan, thinking, "Since it's your first time here, how do you know whether my gambling skills are good or bad? Everyone knows rumors are unreliable. It seems you have some ulterior motives." Xiao Zihan, seeing the man's expression, knew what he was thinking. With a constant smile on his face, he calmly said, "Brother, there's no need to doubt. I have no ill intentions in coming here; I just want to have a friendly game with you and discuss some matters afterward."

The chubby man, observing Xiao Zihan's calm and composed demeanor, along with the fact that there was only one person behind him, was convinced that Xiao Zihan didn't seem like trouble. Thinking further, he had a hunch that Xiao Zihan's purpose in coming to gamble was minor, and his real intention was probably to discuss something with him.

Currently, business at this gambling den is slow, and over a dozen of his brothers rely on it for a living. If troublemakers come again, causing injuries to some of his brothers, he really doesn't know what to do. Regarding Xiao Zihan's proposal for a gambling match, he had no hesitation in his mind. He believed that his eyes wouldn't deceive him. With a chuckle, his eyes narrowed into slits as he said, "Brother, what's your surname?"

"Xiao." Xiao Zihan replied casually.

"Oh, so you're Brother Xiao. I wonder what kind of gambling method Brother Xiao would like to play?" the chubby man said.

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"Whichever game Liu Brother is proficient in, we'll play that. Brother Liu is my invited guest, and if the chosen game doesn't suit Brother Liu, it would seem like I'm causing a disturbance without proper hosting manners, wouldn't it?" Xiao Zihan said, tapping the table with his fingers while smiling.

"Good, straightforward! Brother, let's play the most primitive method of gambling—Texas Hold'em," Liu the chubby man declared boldly.

During the poker game, staring at the opponent could create pressure and reveal the quality of their cards through their eyes and actions. Since Liu was the owner of the gambling den, he had undoubtedly put effort into this aspect. Ordinary gamblers almost never escaped his psychological insight. However, facing Xiao Zihan on the opposite side, calm as a mountain, revealing no emotions, he was secretive and unreadable.

Liu took a glance at his hole card, a Jack, and not only did he have one Jack, but also two Kings. Glancing at Xiao Zihan's side, the cards were small, but there was a subtle trend indicating a straight.

With the final card left, the crucial moment of the gamble arrived. The outcome depended on this card.

Liu felt a bit anxious because the stakes had reached two hundred thousand, and losing would be a significant setback for him. In the past, he wouldn't have felt this anxious, but things had changed, and his financial foundation was not as strong as before.

Xiao Zihan, sitting calmly across from him, smiled slightly and made a gesture inviting Liu to reveal the last card.

As the last card was placed on the table, it was a 5. Xiao Zihan's hand now had 5, 6, 7, 8, and as long as Xiao Zihan's hole card was a 4 or a 9, Liu would definitely lose.

Just as Liu was about to flip his hole card, Xiao Zihan pushed his cards to the center of the table and said, "I lose."

Liu was taken aback, unsure of what trick Xiao Zihan was playing. However, without much thought, he didn't reveal Xiao Zihan's cards. With a laugh, he said, "Brother, let's consider this a warm-up. Alright, let's continue with the second round."

Xiao Zihan, on the other hand, waved his hand, shaking his head. "No, Brother Liu, I always settle the victory or defeat in one round of cards. If Brother doesn't mind, you can take the two hundred thousand. Let's talk about some business."

Liu was puzzled for a moment but then burst into laughter. "Brother, straightforward! Whatever you have in mind, let's talk about it. Twenty thousand is not a small amount. I'm afraid I can't contribute enough to match that."

Xiao Zihan also laughed, stood up suddenly, and pointed around. "Two million, this gambling den, I want it." His tone was extremely domineering, and the henchmen behind Liu were visibly angered, ready to take action.

Liu raised his hand to signal his men not to act impulsively. With a squint in his small eyes, he asked coldly, "Brother, do you know that this gambling den is worth much more than that?"

Xiao Zihan paid no attention to the restless underlings of Liu. Calmly, he said, "That was in the past, Brother. What about now? I would say the price is fair. If Brother really doesn't want to part with it, then I'll have to look for another place."

After saying that, he turned to leave. Liu, behind him, laughed heartily, beckoning, "Brother, Brother, no need to consider. The price is fair, and just for Brother's generosity in giving me two hundred thousand, I'll give you this gambling den."

Xiao Zihan had no intention of leaving; he knew Liu would definitely give up the gambling den. To be honest, he felt like he was making a loss buying this run-down gambling den for two million. If Liu didn't sell it, would he dare to accept the twenty thousand? He had no idea about his background, and taking that money would surely leave him uneasy.

Xiao Zihan and Liu discussed the details, and Liu promised that Xiao Zihan could take over the place three days later.

Exiting the gambling den, Xiao Zihan said to Xing Ao, "Ao, when do you think the Steel Point Gang will attack the Green Rainbow Gang?"

Xing Ao thought for a moment and confidently said, "Within ten days, the Green Rainbow Gang will definitely be wiped out by the Steel Point Gang." Pausing, Xing Ao furrowed his brow and added, "I don't understand what this girl Wei Qinghong is thinking. Clearly, the Steel Point Gang is much stronger, yet she dares to confront them. Doesn't she know what 'courting disaster' means?"

Xiao Zihan turned his head to glance at the gambling den behind him and sighed, "I hope Wei Qinghong has the chance to come to this gambling den. Otherwise, we'll be missing a like-minded companion."

Xing Ao chuckled, "Boss, they say that Wei Qinghong is extremely beautiful, with a figure more elegant and graceful than a model. She's a well-known beauty in the underworld of Pinggang. When the time comes, I'm afraid she won't be able to escape the boss's grasp."

Xiao Zihan, however, didn't exhibit the usual playful demeanor. Instead, he became more solemn and said, "Let it be."

Xing Ao, astonished, looked at Xiao Zihan with confusion. "Boss, you're not sick, are you? Passing up on a beauty is not your style."

Suddenly, Xiao Zihan kicked Xing Ao and scolded, "There are countless beauties in the world. I don't have to conquer them all. You, kid, are thinking too much." Xing Ao was not surprised by Xiao Zihan's words but rather by the speed of Xiao Zihan's leg. From the moment Xiao Zihan kicked to when he got hit, Xing Ao didn't react at all. Xiao Zihan's leg, even when fast before, had never reached this level. Could it be that the boss had some secret technique that allowed such a breakthrough in such a short time? Xing Ao could guess almost eight or nine out of ten what Xiao Zihan was thinking. After all, the two had been inseparable for many years. Xing Ao's guess was correct; Xiao Zihan, after encountering the evil general Pufan and obtaining the "Yuan Dao Wu Ji" that complemented the "Qi Ruan Hua Xuan," began his cultivation.

"Yuan Dao Wu Ji" was completely different from "Qi Ruan Hua Xuan" and could be said to be its opposite. "Qi Ruan Hua Xuan" formed a spiral of Qi, incorporating characteristics of rotation and using borrowed force or rotating force to strike. It was not domineering but had a gentle nature, suitable for defense. On the other hand, "Yuan Dao Wu Ji" was different. The Qi it formed was absolutely robust and destructive, with extremely strong devastation. When cultivated to the highest level, a stone wall would probably be shattered by Xiao Zihan's fist. Moreover, if "Qi Ruan Hua Xuan" and "Yuan Dao Wu Ji" were cultivated to merge as one, complementing each other, the "Power of Heavenly Sun" would emerge. At that point, Xiao Zihan would become unimaginably terrifying.

Currently, he had shifted the focus of his attacks from his legs to his hands. The left hand used "Qi Ruan Hua Xuan," and the right hand used "Yuan Dao Wu Ji." There were not many people in the world who posed a threat to him now. Nevertheless, he would still restrain himself and use less Qi, considering that he was in the underworld. Sometimes, actions he took might violate morality. If that attracted the attention of those old fellows living in the mountain temples, it wouldn't be easy to deal with them. Many of these people were not reasonable.

Since cultivating "Yuan Dao Wu Ji," Xiao Zihan had undergone some changes in his personality. He no longer had the urge to chase every beautiful woman he saw. He just wanted to cherish and pamper Yan Mei and the others. However, if a beautiful woman expressed interest in him and actively approached him, he would not be afraid. He just wouldn't pursue women easily.

Xiao Zihan took out a small booklet from his pocket and handed it to Xing Ao, saying, "This is our family's 'Pure Yang Art.' I obtained it recently, and it's very suitable for your cultivation. I hope you practice diligently."

Taking the object handed to him by Xiao Zihan, Xing Ao looked at Xiao Zihan deeply and said firmly, "I will, Boss."

After both of them got into the car, Xiao Zihan said, "Ao, inform Xiao He, ask her to gather some people. Not too many, because home is not very safe either." Xing Ao nodded, and the van sped away, leaving behind a cloud of dust. The peace in Pinggang City was not going to last.