The man behind the ghost face mask was none other than Gold Respect, who sneered, "It seems you would be delighted if I had died out there. That way, wouldn’t you have absolute control within Shenglong Hall?" The man stiffened for a moment, "Where is this coming from, Brother? When we made a blood oath back in Jiangnan, if it weren’t for you, Brother, we would have been wiped out by the Dayuan scoundrels by now." "If only that had happened, I might have had fewer worries," Gold Respect retorted. This smiling tiger named Yi Yan was filled with sinister hues. It seemed that Gold Respect was giving him no quarter, opposing him at every turn. Could it be that Gold Respect still thinks Shenglong Hall is the same as it was two years ago? "Master!" A woman with a sturdy frame, though with dark skin, had a scar seared on her face by a hot iron, forming the character for "slave." Gold Respect looked at the woman, his dark eyes that mirrored an endless starry night bore a touch of languid confidence. It seemed that he had everything figured out; even though he hadn’t involved himself much with Shenglong Hall’s affairs for the past two years, Shenglong Hall wasn’t a place that could change hands so easily. The tall and robust woman named Tie Yi declared emphatically, "Ever since the Master left the Golden Triangle, some have been spreading rumors behind the scenes, falsely claiming that the Master is dead and seizing the opportunity to take power. Furthermore, contrary to the Master’s original intentions, they have allied with Dayuan’s leading lady of The Outside, Nu Woer, and have secretly been working for Nu Woer. Please, Master, bear witness to this!" Gold Respect glanced at Yi Yan with a smirk that was not quite a smile, "I’m already aware of this matter. Today, as I entered the city, I saw the walls plastered with notices, a rather amusing sight. Two years ago, I asked you all to find a skilled physician for me, and now his portrait is posted on the city walls, with the Shenglong Hall’s seal stamped on it?" The man chuckled softly, then turned to Yi Yan: "Back when I was in Jiangnan, I was a humble trader who unwittingly offended a Concubine from the Imperial Court. With no escape from heaven or earth when I left, I happened to see that you all were also chased by the Imperial Court. Out of pity and a shared sense of sorrow, after I escaped, I extended a hand and rescued you." "But now it seems that was an act of misplaced kindness, a case of nurturing a tiger to one’s own detriment!" For a moment, silence reigned in Shenglong Hall; Yi Yan’s expression turned particularly ugly, though he still managed to squeeze out a smile, "You’re too harsh, Brother Jin. Since Brother Jin saved our lives, you have our utmost gratitude. However, people change, and whatever debts of gratitude we owed, I believe we’ve long since repaid them." Yi Yan continued, "Making our perilous journey from the Jiangnan Water Land to this remote place, we have faced countless dangers and looked out for each other. Brother Jin, while you recall the favors of the past, you must not forget that we have also saved you from danger many times." Gold Respect slowly twisted the black ring on his index finger, "Favors? Back then, my predicament was dire, but it was resolved before I left the Jiangnan Water Land. The soldiers that came after us later on, surely you don’t pretend to be ignorant of who they were targeting? To be blunt, all the dangers I encountered back then were simply due to being implicated by others, but speaking of these matters now is pointless. Since our paths differ, we cannot scheme together. Tie Yi!" In an instant, Tie Yi made her move, launching a ferocious attack on Yi Yan. A curse rose in Yi Yan’s heart, "Gold Respect! Don’t you forget that times have changed. Now I have Nu Woer backing me up; if you dare to kill me, it means making an enemy of Nu Woer!" "Nu Woer? That’s even better, it will serve as a warning to others!"