Chapter 45: The Three Teachings and Nine Schools, the Eight Sects of the Jianghu

Qingjingyuan Hotel, Room 204.

A muffled, guttural growl broke from Huang Kun’s throat, sounding as though it originated from the very depths of his soul.

Xu Fei’s brows knitted tightly together, her heart filled with an utter, burning loathing for the obese man before her.

Yet, she forced herself to put on a flattering, submissive facade.

Wiping away the moisture from the corners of her mouth, Xu Fei felt her stomach churn violently, a profound wave of nausea washing over her.

"Knock, knock, knock!"

At that moment, a sudden series of knocks echoed through the room.

Huang Kun and Xu Fei exchanged a glance, instantly taut with panic!

"Who is it?" Xu Fei asked.

"Open the door! Police, routine inspection!"

"What?" Xu Fei and Huang Kun scrambled to haphazardly pull their clothes back on, their faces plastered with sheer terror!

Huang Kun raised his hand and delivered a stinging slap across Xu Fei’s face, roaring furiously, "Damn it! Xu Fei! You dared to set me up?"

Five bright red finger marks instantly bloomed on Xu Fei’s pretty face.

The searing pain brought tears to Xu Fei’s eyes instantly. Clenching her teeth, she stammered in frantic explanation, "Director! I... I didn't, how could I possibly set you up? We’re in the same boat, tied to the exact same rope!"

Huang Kun glared viciously at Xu Fei, warning her, "You’d better not try any little tricks behind my back! Your Bee Sect is only able to exist because I, Huang Kun, am the one managing things for you. If you really want a falling out, I don’t mind dragging you all down with me in a mutual destruction!"

Xu Fei shook her head furiously like a rattle-drum. "Never! Never! How could we ever dare!"

"Go open the door!" Huang Kun commanded in an icy tone.

Xu Fei straightened her clothes, shot a resentful glare at Huang Kun who was currently dialing a phone number, and bit her lip as she walked over to unlock the door.

Outside, a police officer was just about to strike the door again when with a sharp click, the door to Room 204 suddenly swung open.

The young officer saluted Xu Fei and flashed his police badge.

"Hello! Routine check!"

Out of the corner of her eye, Xu Fei caught sight of Huang Kun hanging up his phone, and she let out a silent sigh of relief.

The middle-aged male officer spoke with a stern expression, "Hello, we received a report from citizens that illegal prostitution is taking place in Room 204! Please cooperate with our inspection and show your ID cards!"

Xu Fei cast a flirtatious wink at the male officer, smiling as she said, "Officer, this is a complete slander! I am a decent person!"

The middle-aged officer frowned. "Whether you're decent or not isn't up for you to decide. Hand over your IDs. Who else is in the room? Come out together!"

Just as Xu Fei’s expression turned awkward, Huang Kun’s cold voice rang out from inside the room.

"Li Limin, you certainly carry quite the official airs!"

The moment the middle-aged officer heard Huang Kun's voice, his heart plummeted straight to his stomach!

Staring at Huang Kun, whose face was ashen as he sat on the bed, the officer broke out in a frantic cold sweat. "Director... Director Huang!"

Huang Kun sneered. "What, did your anti-vice sweep end up right on my doorstep? Li Limin, you really are something else, aren't you?"

"N-No... I wouldn't dare..." Li Limin felt far worse than if he had swallowed a swarm of flies. He hurriedly barked an order to his subordinates: "Fall back!"

His subordinates wore identical expressions of utter dismay.

They had only joined the force a few days ago. Having received a tip-off about illegal sex trade, they had eagerly hoped to rack up a major achievement right at the start of their careers.

As it turned out, they had suffered eight lifetimes of bad luck, accidentally stumbling their way into an anti-vice raid on the deputy police chief!

Glancing awkwardly at one another, they had no choice but to follow Li Limin out of the Qingjingyuan Hotel in dejected silence.

Meanwhile, elsewhere.

Watching the dozen or so police officers storm into the small hotel, Jiang Cheng walked straight into the first-floor restaurant of Tianhao Entertainment.

Ordering a cup of coffee, he chose a seat by the window and quietly observed the movements across the street.

To his surprise, less than ten minutes after entering, the dozen officers all retreated empty-handed.

Xu Fei and Huang Kun walked out entirely unscathed.

Jiang Cheng’s entire face darkened.

This Huang Kun possessed quite a formidable background!

It seemed he could no longer afford to act so impulsively.

Such petty disturbances couldn't possibly inflict any fatal damage on Huang Kun and the Bee Sect; instead, they would only make them even more vigilant.

As a citizen of the Dragon Kingdom, if given the chance, he, Jiang Cheng, would do whatever it took to eradicate these social malignancies!

Not merely for his younger sister, but driven by the unwavering sense of justice burning in his heart.

A syndicate of swindlers operating with impunity, flaunting themselves in broad daylight, and even colluding with public officials to smuggle domestic cultural relics abroad—

With parasites like Huang Kun and the Bee Sect sinking their fangs into the body of the Dragon Kingdom and frantically sucking its blood, could the nation ever truly develop and prosper?

Foul as it was, today apparently wasn't the right time.

The farce at Qingjingyuan came and went in the blink of an eye.

So quickly that hardly anyone even noticed.

Business inside Tianhao Entertainment remained as bustling as ever.

Jiang Cheng glanced at his phone; it was already 7:23 in the evening.

He attempted to call Lin Zhou’s cell phone, but it was switched off.

Just then, a man dressed in black slowly walked in from the entrance and seated himself beside Jiang Cheng.

Jiang Cheng looked up, stunned to find it was Wang Hao!

He wore a bewildered expression.

"Why are you here?"

"Lin Zhou is my brother!" Wang Hao's gaze burned with intensity as he uttered that single sentence.

Jiang Cheng nodded with a complex expression.

"What about Murong Xue?"

"Miss fell asleep, so I took her home, and then I came right out!"

With that, Wang Hao fell silent.

Since the man from the Bee Sect had made no further moves, Jiang Cheng waved down a waiter, ordered a few dishes, and began to eat with Wang Hao.

"Wang Hao, do you know about the Bee Sect?" Jiang Cheng asked.

"The Bee Sect?" Wang Hao nodded. "That's one of the Upper Four of the Eight Dark Sects!"

"The Eight Dark Sects?" Jiang Cheng was momentarily taken aback; this was his first time hearing such a term.

Wang Hao nodded and explained, "In ancient times, people spoke of the Three Teachings and Nine Streams, but few knew that beyond them existed the Eight Sects."

Jiang Cheng was familiar with the Three Teachings and Nine Streams.

The Three Teachings referred to Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism.

The Nine Streams originated from the nine academic schools spanning from the Pre-Qin period to the early Han dynasty: the Confucians, Yin-Yangists, Taoists, Legalists, Logicians, Diplomats, Agriculturists, Mohists, and Eclectics.

Those were the academic Nine Streams, but when applied to professions, they were further subdivided into the upper, middle, and lower nine streams.

These encompassed various traditional ancient trades, ranging from emperors, prime ministers, and high officials down to peddlers, boatmen, and blacksmiths—a vast spectrum.

The details of those need not be elaborated upon for now!

Wang Hao continued, "Beyond the Three Teachings and Nine Streams, the underworld also featured the Eight Jianghu Sects. Dynastic unofficial histories and even official records are filled with accounts of extraordinary people possessing special skills, most of whom were members of the 'Eight Sects.' These members could be found deep in the wilderness or within the imperial court; their identities were usually concealed, coming and going like dragons with their tails unseen. Descendants of these sects are still passed down to this day."

Jiang Cheng grew intrigued. "Then what is the relationship between the Bee Sect and these Eight Sects?"

Wang Hao explained, "In the underworld, the Eight Sects are divided into the Eight Bright Sects and the Eight Dark Sects, referring to those who made a living in the pugilistic world using various unique—and admittedly dishonorable—methods. The Bee Sect is one of the Upper Four of the Eight Dark Sects."

"The Eight Bright Sects consist of Gold, Skin, Color, Banner, Flat, Group, Tune, and Willow."

"The Eight Dark Sects are divided into: Bee, Hemp, Swallow, Sparrow, Flower, Orchid, Kudzu, and Glory."

"The Bee, also known as Wind, refers to a crowd swarming together to commit fraud in coordination."

"Hemp, also known as Horse, refers to an individual acting alone to swindle."

"Swallow, also known as Face, refers to using feminine charm as bait to commit fraud."

"Sparrow, also known as Flaw, refers to professional criminal rings—often entire family units—long-term swindlers operating within a specific region or field."

"The Bee, Hemp, and Swallow sects strictly forbade murder, whereas the Sparrow sect was considerably more ruthless, frequently silencing victims permanently."

"Flower, Orchid, Kudzu, and Glory originate from the same branch, all sharing the same grass radical in their characters."

"Flower refers to professional gamblers skilled in cheating."

"Orchid refers to greenwood bandits."

"Glory refers to pickpockets."

"Kudzu refers to highwaymen, professional thugs, and martial arts assassins of ancient times!"

Jiang Cheng smiled playfully. "So by that logic, Wang Hao, does that make you a member of the Kudzu Sect?"

Wang Hao rolled his eyes at Jiang Cheng. "I'm a legitimate bodyguard!"

He then added, "After the founding of the nation and the campaigns against organized crime, these ancient sects basically vanished domestically."

"Who would have thought that members of the Bee Sect still exist in Qingzhou City!"

"The specifics are complicated, and you don't need to know them. You just need to understand that the Bee Sect is a syndicate of professional scammers!"

The more Jiang Cheng listened, the more alarmed he became!

He never imagined that the so-called Bee Sect had such a monumental background!

He had naively assumed they were just a bunch of ordinary swindlers!

It seemed things had just gotten rather troublesome!

He wondered how the Bee Sect would deal with him this time!

Just as Jiang Cheng felt a surge of irritation, a woman with a graceful figure, breathtaking beauty, and a red evening gown suddenly lost her footing. Wobbling as she walked, she let out a cry of surprise and, quite by coincidence, tumbled directly into Jiang Cheng’s arms.

The woman wrapped her arms tightly around Jiang Cheng, her ample chest instantly compressed against him.

A wave of intoxicating fragrance instantly flooded Jiang Cheng’s nasal passages.

Refreshing and enchanting.

"I... I'm so sorry!"

The woman hurriedly regained her balance, showering Jiang Cheng with profuse apologies.

With that, she flashed Jiang Cheng a sweet, spring-breeze-like smile and turned toward the elevators.

However, the moment she took a step forward, Jiang Cheng called out to her in an icy voice.

"Hold on! Fair lady, please stay a moment!"