Enlightenment: Beginning as a Disposable Warrior

Then, the applause from the outer hall quickly echoed one after another.

With thunderous applause inside and outside the hall, the atmosphere on the scene reached a small climax, and everyone’s hearts slightly tightened. They all knew the assembly wouldn’t end smoothly today.

"Is it really going to happen..."

"But what does Gongyang Jue plan to do?!"

Many couldn’t help but feel puzzled. They clearly saw that Li Cheng was instigated by Gongyang Jue, yet at this moment, even Baili Hongtang and Su Mu didn’t know what these guys intended.

"A fine play, worthy of Donglai’s first building, Qingyue Building’s show. Love is the eternal bond of humanity; so called, a scholar matches a beauty."

The words fell.

Immediately, a fifty-year-old man with squinted eyes, sallow skin, and ugliness stepped out with a glass of wine from Ink Scale Hall.

This man named Zhao Ku, one of the Ink Scale Hall’s Vice Hall Masters, though ugly in appearance, possessed formidable strength, and was notorious for his fierce actions, having considerable authority in the Cyan Fish Gang.

"Hall Master Li is right!"

Zhao Ku, holding his wine, strode under the first-seat chairs, kneeling on one knee, sincerely gazing at Su Mu on the left seat.

"Young Master, today I have something to request!"

Zhao Ku’s voice, infused with Qi Blood and Power, instantly spread throughout the Cyan Fish Hall inside and out, even the disciples outside the hall heard it clearly.

For a moment, the entire hall was silent; no one cared about the dancers who just departed in disappointment.

Before Zhao Ku could continue, Baili Hongtang’s eyebrows tensed as she felt the gaze from Gongyang Jue sitting opposite with a mysterious smile, and she felt her heart tighten.

Seated on the left side, Su Mu glanced over, then slowly uttered one word.

"Speak!"

Suddenly, Baili Hongtang’s beautiful eyes shrank as Zhao Ku’s gaze unexpectedly, passionately, turned towards her under many eyes.

"Young Master, as Hall Master Li said, a scholar matches a beauty. I have long admired the second lady, today I muster courage with wine, taking advantage of Cyan Fish Assembly with the Young Master, Vice Gang Leader, Hall Masters, and Elders present."

"I, Zhao Ku, wish to propose marriage to the second lady!"

The last sentence burst out, and immediately the hall fell silent, everyone froze in place. After they regained their senses, the atmosphere filled with tension.

Gongyang Jue’s faction showed mockery, Baili Clan’s people were indignant, blushing with rage, while those keeping neutrality bore strange expressions.

Baili Hongtang, the current Cyan Fish Gang Leader Baili Hong’s daughter, the Young Master’s only sister, also listed among Donglai’s top ten beauties. The outside world spoke of Baili Feng’s Martial Dao talent as extraordinary, yet Baili Hongtang’s talent surpassed her brother Baili Feng.

If Baili Hongtang were male, the Young Master might not be Baili Feng but the second lady!

Baili Hongtang not only had exceptional Martial Dao talent but also unmatched beauty, truly a heavenly prodigy.

And Zhao Ku, over fifty years old, old enough to be Baili Hongtang’s parent, more than thirty years her senior, and ugly, yet dared utter ’a scholar matches a beauty’!

This was a blatant humiliation to the Gang Leader faction, to the Baili Clan.

"A strike hard and deep! This is indeed to kill heart and soul!"

"This is definitely Gongyang Jue’s handwriting. The second lady is now a core figure in the Gang Leader faction. If this succeeds, it wouldn’t just impact the internal faction, but seriously diminish external prestige."

Several of Cyan Fish Gang’s elders in the inner hall remained silent, this move was truly piercing and vicious.

"When I joined the gang as a youth, for forty years I’ve labored diligently, had no great merit but surely hard work. I intended to wait until the Gang Leader emerged from seclusion then propose, but now the Gang Leader is devoted to cultivation, I dare not disturb."

"The ancients say the elder brother is like a father, I implore the Young Master to fulfill this on behalf of forty years of hard work!"

After speaking, Zhao Ku lowered his head and raised his arm, holding the wine bowl over his head.

"Please, Young Master, grant this!"

Disciples of Ink Scale Hall, long instructed, uniformly shouted from outside the hall, their voices in unison were astounding.

Yet this drama wasn’t over.

"Zhao Ku, what virtue or ability do you possess to dare propose marriage to the second lady, are you worthy?"

Immediately, a thirty-year-old man in a black robe stepped out of the crowd, then ’bang,’ he kneeled on one knee.

"Young Master, I am Wang Zhong of Flying Ray Hall. I have truly admired the second lady for years, love at first sight, since seeing her brilliance at the assembly I’ve lost all appetite. I beg the Young Master to grant this!"

"I, Wang Zhong, wish to propose marriage to the second lady."

Wang Zhong, a rising star in Cyan Fish Gang, only in his thirties yet already promoted as one of the three Vice Hall Masters of Flying Ray Hall.

Flying Ray Hall is Cyan Fish Gang’s backbone force, composed mostly of elite water combat disciples, possessing numerous warships!

Seeing Wang Zhong step up to propose marriage, Hall Master Qing Jiao’s face mixed with anger and seriousness, his gaze landed on Flying Ray Hall Master, who, feeling Qing Jiao’s gaze, showed a complicated expression, instinctively dodging.

Although Wang Zhong first reprimanded Zhao Ku, clearly he was under Gongyang Jue’s instruction, indicating that Flying Ray Hall, known for its neutrality, has sided with Gongyang Jue?

Moreover, Wang Zhong’s Martial Dao talent was good, but he had a flaw: a notorious philanderer, who lingered in red-light districts for days after every battle.