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Jiang Manlou ascended the magnificent Fenghua Tower, where he could gaze upon the beautiful twilight scenery in the distance. He walked straight to a table closest to the terrace and sat down. Opposite him was an elderly man, Huo Xiaolong.
Huo Xiaolong slowly withdrew his gaze from afar and said, "Tomorrow is the sixth day. Gather all the elders of our gang at Hao Yun Hall; I have something to discuss with them."
Jiang Manlou seemed about to ask a question, but after glancing at Huo Xiaolong, he swallowed his words and simply nodded in agreement.
Huo Xiaolong's gaze lingered on Jiang Manlou's face as he said softly, "Manlou, you have aged considerably."
Jiang Manlou appeared puzzled by Huo Xiaolong's remark, momentarily taken aback before responding, "Yes, Gang Leader. I have already turned forty."
Huo Xiaolong looked out at the winding official road below and asked, "Manlou, do you still remember this place?"
"Fenghua Tower?" Jiang Manlou replied.
Huo Xiaolong shook his head with a smile and pointed toward the distant official road below. "Twenty-four years ago, it was on this very road that I first met you. Back then, you were young and impetuous; you fought fiercely against bandits to save a young lady who had fallen into their hands. Although you ultimately drove them away, you were left with three scars from their blades. It was from that day onward that I brought you into Yue Yun Gang."
Jiang Manlou also looked in the direction of the official road and exclaimed, "Gang Leader, you still remember such distant events?"
Huo Xiaolong nodded. "Of course I remember; how could I forget? I recall how, after your victory in battle, you stood in the middle of the road, laughing heartily despite the disdainful gazes of others, like an innocent child."
"Hehe, I was indeed young and reckless back then," Jiang Manlou said with a slight shake of his head, seemingly reminiscing about the past.
Huo Xiaolong turned his gaze back to Jiang Manlou's face, staring into his eyes as he said slowly, "For some reason, I find myself particularly nostalgic for that version of you."
Jiang Manlou paused for a moment and said, "But those are all things of the past, and they cannot be changed."
Huo Xiaolong smiled gently and replied, "Yes, indeed, we cannot go back."
He looked at the black shark sheath at Jiang Manlou's waist and asked, "Your 'Ghost Blade' hasn't been drawn for many years, has it?"
Jiang Manlou instinctively grasped the sheath and nodded, saying, "It has been three years since it last saw the light of day. Ever since that night raid on the main hall by the 'Gate of Life and Death,' I have not used it to kill."
Huo Xiaolong sighed softly and said, "Three years ago, Yan Cong'er lured me out of the main hall under the pretense of a duel. As a result, that night the main hall was attacked by the people from 'Gate of Life and Death.' If you hadn't fought desperately to resist, I fear Yue Yun Gang would have long ceased to exist."
Jiang Manlou's expression changed slightly as he replied, "Though I managed to protect the main hall, I still could not safeguard Young Master, leading to his death at the hands of thieves. This has weighed heavily on my heart for the past three years." After speaking, a look of regret crossed his face.
Huo Xiaolong said calmly, "In this world, nothing is perfect. You preserved the main hall, which is no small feat. As for Chuan Shu's death, one might say it was fate. Alas, if only I could have returned a moment earlier that night, Shu Chen might have survived."
Jiang Manlou urged, "Leader, please do not blame yourself."
Huo Xiaolong nodded; in an instant, he seemed to age a few years. He slowly said, "You should go back now. I wish to be alone for a while."
After leaving Fenghua Tower, Jiang Manlou soon turned into a hidden alley. At the end of the alley, a thin figure emerged and approached him; it was Liu He, whose face bore a cunning expression.
Jiang Manlou instructed him, "You must find a way to block the elders from our gang tomorrow. I don't care what methods you use; in any case, I do not want to see any of them at Hao Yun Hall tomorrow. If you can manage this well, I will promote you to hall master."
Liu He's eyes sparkled with excitement as he quickly nodded and said, "Vice Leader, rest assured. Tomorrow not a single one of them will escape my grasp."
Jiang Manlou nodded and turned to gaze into the distance at Fenghua Tower, murmuring, "That fellow Wen Zhuo from the Feng Qingyang Bounty House hasn't sent any news for a long time; it seems he can't be relied upon. And that old man Huo Xiaolong has been saying some strange things today; he seems to have sensed something. It looks like I need to take the initiative."
Having spoken, Jiang Manlou slowly drew his renowned weapon, the Ghost Blade, from its black sharkskin sheath at his waist. The five-foot blade was adorned with a large, fearsome ghost head inlaid with red gold, its mouth lined with seven black copper fangs, making it quite terrifying.
Liu He looked at the solemn-faced Jiang Manlou and whispered, "Vice Leader, are you really going to make a move against the Leader?"
Jiang Manlou's gaze shot like lightning towards Liu He as he coldly replied, "Some things you just need to do as instructed; do not ask too many questions. The more you know, the quicker you die!"
Liu He hurriedly nodded, his monkey-like face turning pale with fear.
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