Chapter 138

Xie Wendong was extremely anxious and paid no attention to the old man. Just as he was about to lose his temper, Dong Xinlei held back his arm and shook his head, saying softly, “Brother Dong, wait a moment. If the old master knows you’re here, he’ll definitely call you in personally.” He didn’t want to see Xie Wendong get into conflict with the senior officials inside right away. Xie Wendong narrowed his eyes, then a smile appeared on his lips as his mind calmed down. Dong Xinlei was right—he wasn’t yet a member of the Hongmen, so what did it matter if he went in like this?

Less than a minute after entering, Dong Xinlei came out again and said to Xie Wendong, “Brother Dong, the old master wants to see you.”

Xie Wendong let out a sigh of relief, adjusted his clothes, and then entered the ward with Dong Xinlei. By then, Jin Peng’s eyes were open, but his mouth and nose were covered by an oxygen mask, preventing him from speaking. When he saw Xie Wendong, his eyes narrowed, and it was obvious he was smiling.

Jin Peng wanted to laugh, but Xie Wendong wanted to cry. He rushed to the ice bed in a few steps and said in a low voice, “Old master, I’m here!” After saying that, he bit his lip to prevent himself from sobbing.

Jin Peng narrowed his eyes and nodded slightly. Dong Xinlei, knowing the old master wanted to speak, quickly handed him paper and a pen. Jin Peng picked up the pen and scribbled on the paper: Good. Xie Wendong tried his best to smile, but his smile was probably the ugliest ever. “I didn’t bring Jin Rong. I originally wanted to apologize to you, but it seems that might be necessary after all. What do you think, old master?”

Jin Peng nodded again and patted Xie Wendong’s hand resting on the bed. Dong Xinlei couldn’t help but whisper, “Boss Jin, the Hongmen summit is in five days. What should we do?”

Jin Peng looked relaxed and wrote on the paper: Simple! Find someone to replace me.

“How can that work?” Dong Xinlei demanded urgently. “The Hongmen summit every year brings together leaders from all over. You’re the leader of our Northern Hongmen. If you don’t go, who else can?” As he spoke, Dong Xinlei looked around as if searching for someone to replace Jin Peng.

Jin Peng closed his eyes, feeling exhausted, and wrote on the paper, “I’ll temporarily hand over my position to Wendong, with Tianxing and Xiao Lei assisting him. I’m tired. You can go now.”

Dong Xinlei stared in shock at Jin Peng, who had his eyes closed. After a while, he shouted, “Boss Jin, are you crazy? Are you going to hand over the position of a Hongmen leader to an outsider?”

Jin Peng waved his hand impatiently and wrote, “What outsider? He’s my son-in-law. How can he be an outsider?”

After Nie Tianxing read out what Jin Peng had written, everyone in the room was stunned, including Xie Wendong. He couldn’t figure out when he had become Jin the Old Man’s son-in-law. Moreover, it seemed the old man intended for him to take charge of the Northern Hongmen, which came as a sudden shock to him as well. Xie Wendong couldn’t help but look at Jin Peng and noticed that the latter had a smirk on his lips and was winking at him. Suddenly, Xie Wendong felt like he had fallen into a trap.

He didn’t know how he left the hospital. When he came to his senses, he found himself sitting in a luxury car, with two people sitting across from him—Dong Xinlei and Nie Tianxing. Xie Wendong couldn’t help but sigh and say, “Why do I feel like this is something the old man has planned for a long time?”

Dong Xinlei scratched his head and laughed, “Brother Dong, you just realized it? When the old man handed you the Golden Knife, I knew this day would come. It’s just a bit faster than I expected.”

Xie Wendong was surprised. “You knew the old man had this in mind all along? Then why didn’t you tell me?”

Dong Xinlei replied helplessly, “It was the old man who ordered me not to say anything.”

Xie Wendong shut his mouth and stopped talking. The old man had asked him to temporarily take charge of the Hongmen. It wasn’t out of fear or reluctance, but rather concern that he might mishandle things and ruin the old man’s decades of effort. Besides, he knew hardly anything about the Northern Hongmen, let alone take charge of it. Who would obey a newcomer in the Hongmen? Especially the elders led by Lei Ting—upon hearing that Xie Wendong would temporarily manage the Hongmen while the old man was recovering, their faces turned green, and they glared at him as if ready to bite him. “Sigh!” Xie Wendong sighed, tapping his head gently and murmuring, “This is really troublesome!” Suddenly, he remembered what Jin Peng had said about being a son-in-law. Peng Ling and the Gao sisters were already enough of a headache, and now Jin Rong had been dragged into it as well. People say three women make a drama—Xie Wendong didn’t know how to handle four women and still make things work smoothly.

Nie Tianxing was also troubled. Looking at the young man across from him, who had gone from a stranger to the leader of the Northern Hongmen in no time, he felt somewhat displeased. Of course, he wouldn’t show that displeasure on his face—he always obeyed the old man’s decisions unconditionally. Only Dong Xinlei seemed relaxed; this was within his expectations. He also believed that if the Hongmen were truly handed over to Xie Wendong, its future achievements would never be as great under the old man’s leadership. He knew Xie Wendong too well—“A golden fish is not meant to stay in a pond!”

After a long while, it was still Xie Wendong who broke the silence in the car and asked, “Where are we going now?”

Dong Xinlei smiled and said, “Let’s go to the headquarters. Since Brother Dong has taken over the Hongmen, there are still some rituals to be carried out, though only ‘temporarily.’ Tianxing, right?”
“Mm!” Nie Tianxing replied, “It’s the rule of the sect. The elders place great importance on these things! (Those old stubborn guys are really annoying.)”
Rituals? In Xie Wendong’s imagination, rituals were nothing more than bowing three times and nine times to the founder, followed by speeches about striving hard and governing diligently. But when he arrived at the headquarters and saw this grand classical building built in the suburbs, capable of holding thousands of people, with countless candles lit even though there were lights available, Xie Wendong realized he might have misunderstood Dong Xinlei’s casual mention of a “ritual.”
The area was probably over ten thousand square meters, with a building in the center modeled after an ancient palace—red bricks and green tiles, curved eaves carved into the shape of soaring dragons. Several large stone pillars, thicker than three people combined, were painted crimson to support this massive structure. The pillars were intricately carved with dragons and tigers, looking lifelike. Red carpets covered the ground, stretching from the main hall down to the steps. Below the steps, in the vast courtyard of several thousand square meters, everything was brightly lit. Despite it being night, it was as bright as day. The courtyard was packed with people, who stood neatly and silently, with only the occasional sound of flames burning heard. The scene was solemn yet somewhat eerie, with a hint of menace in the air.
This was exactly what Xie Wendong saw when he got out of the car. Fortunately, he was still a regional ruler; otherwise, an ordinary person would have been terrified. Even so, Xie Wendong was stunned. He turned to Dong Xinlei and asked, “Is this the ritual you mentioned?”
Dong Xinlei was also at a loss. He had only heard that the inauguration ceremony for the leader of Hongmen was very grand, but the leader of the Northern Hongmen had always been Old Master Jin, who never changed. It was his first time seeing such a scene. He had thought the ritual wouldn’t be very elaborate, after all, Xie Wendong was only taking over temporarily. Who would have thought the elders would go to such lengths? Nie Tianxing snorted. He was much calmer than Dong Xinlei and said softly, “Obviously, the elders want to show us their power right from the start!”
Xie Wendong’s heart stirred, and he laughed heartily, saying loudly, “Since I’m here, I’ll just make the most of it! When have I ever been scared off?” With that, he strode confidently into the courtyard.
Nie Tianxing nodded in approval. “Good, great courage!” Dong Xinlei patted his shoulder and said, “Brother Dong has many outstanding qualities. You’ll realize that soon.” Nie Tianxing dodged Dong Xinlei’s hand, walked into the courtyard, and waved his hand, saying, “I look forward to seeing your words come true soon.” “You brat…”

Xie Wendong walked across the courtyard, surrounded by thousands of eyes fixed on him. Everyone wanted to see what this man who had replaced the old master was like. But once they saw him, they were all deeply disappointed. Xie Wendong was too young, and he had nothing special about him—no one understood why the old master favored him so much. Especially the five elders standing in the main hall, each of them shaking their heads secretly. Lei Ting snorted and couldn’t help but mutter, “Brothers, if we hand over the position of leader to this kid, won’t our North Hongmen be ruined? Especially with the Hongmen summit coming up in a few days—what ability does he have to compete with those old veterans?”
The other four elders nodded in agreement. “Even if Brother Lei is right, the leader has already made his decision, and it’s not right for us to change it.”
Lei Ting sneered, “If this kid fails to complete the Hongmen rituals, no matter how much Jin the Boss supports him, he still won’t be able to take over as leader.”
Xie Wendong crossed the courtyard and arrived in front of the main hall, looking up at the five grinning old men above. Dong Xinlei whispered in Xie Wendong’s ear, “They’re all elders of North Hongmen. They’re bored out of their minds all day long. Now they finally get a chance to show off—be careful, Brother Dong.” Before he could finish speaking, Nie Tianxing pulled him aside under the “concerned” gazes of the elders, muttering, “Why do you have to interject now? Can’t you see those old men’s eyes are practically spitting fire? Don’t you want their dentures to get stuck in your flesh?” “Kid, can you stop talking so disgustingly?” Dong Xinlei waved his fist in front of Nie Tianxing to show his displeasure.
Xie Wendong sighed. What a hassle! Who had he offended?! He gathered his strength and declared loudly, “I am Xie Wendong. I don’t deserve to stand here and speak, but I’ve come at the old master Jin’s urgent request. As a newcomer to Hongmen, I don’t know the rules. I ask the elders to oversee the ceremony.”
Xie Wendong spoke in a measured tone—neither too aggressive nor too weak. His face remained calm, his breath steady, and his voice unshaken. Seeing this, the elders nodded in secret, thinking it was good.

Thunder stepped forward, glanced around, and finally fixed his gaze on Xie Wendong for a while before shouting passionately, “The Hongmen has existed for hundreds of years, producing many heroes throughout the ages. Its successive leaders have been extraordinary heroes who saved the people from dire straits and the nation from peril. Though times have changed and the Hongmen is now in decline and fragmented, we have never forgotten the spirit and traditions passed down by our ancestors. Dynasties may change, but traditions must be upheld.” Thunder’s voice was just like his name—powerful and loud, so clear that even those at the back of the hall could hear it distinctly. After a pause, he added, “To take the position of Hongmen leader, one must pass three trials: ‘Winning Three Times in a Row,’ ‘Finding a Needle in the Sea,’ and ‘Invincibility in Battle.’ Xie Wendong, if you withdraw now, you still have a chance. Otherwise, we won’t be responsible for any dangers you face during these trials.”

Xie Wendong smiled and said, “Just three trials? What’s there to fear?”

Thunder nodded and said to the people below, “The inauguration ceremony for the leader begins. Please bring in the Ancestor.” As soon as he spoke, eight burly men stepped out of the hall, carrying a giant portrait over ten feet tall. The person in the portrait wore ancient clothing, stood with hands behind his back, gazing into the distance with piercing eyes. Though it was just a portrait, it exuded an imposing aura. Xie Wendong guessed it might be Zheng Chenggong. After the portrait was brought in, five elders led the way in kneeling in worship. The more than a thousand people in the hall quickly followed suit, kneeling down, kowtowing three times, standing up, adjusting their clothes, and kneeling again to kowtow three more times. This process of three kowtows and nine bows was repeated three times to complete the ritual. The spectacle was something Xie Wendong had never seen before, and he was deeply moved, kneeling in respect along with the elders and others. Thunder glanced at him secretly and felt even greater admiration for Xie Wendong.

After the worship, Thunder announced: “The first trial—Winning Three Times in a Row.” This trial wasn’t particularly difficult, but it wasn’t easy either. A target was set up in the hall, with a fist-sized red heart marked in the center. The challenger had to shoot a dagger from thirty steps away and hit the red heart repeatedly to pass. Thunder explained the rules of this trial and looked at Xie Wendong, asking, “Do you understand?”

“Thank you, Elder Thunder, for reminding me. I understand perfectly,” Xie Wendong replied loudly. This trial was far too simple for him. When it came to weapons, Xie Wendong was most skilled with flying knives. Even Dong Xinlei beside him let out a sigh of relief and said with a smile, “Brother Dong may not be good at anything else, but he’s absolutely top-notch with flying knives!”