Hearing this, even without Gongsun Sheng saying it himself, Wang Xuan guessed his target: Chao Gai, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King!
It seems that Chao Gai's death in the original novel was not purely due to Song Jiang's bad luck, but also had a great deal to do with Gongsun Sheng.
If Gongsun Sheng hadn't appeared, Chao Gai would have only been seriously injured in the battle of Zengtou City, and wouldn't have died.
Severely injured, Chao Gai was unable to take charge of Liangshan and voluntarily relinquished his position to Song Jiang; this was the script that should have unfolded.
"Good heavens, I thought this Water Margin world would be easy to navigate, but I never expected there to be so many secrets!" Wang Xuan felt a bit of a toothache. Was God not going to let him have any fun?
Putting aside everything else, just the secret technique of extracting the luck from others is enough to rival the top Dao lineages in the main world!
Someone with great fortune like Chao Gai was killed by the Zixu Temple in the original story, so Wang Xuan absolutely cannot underestimate him.
Thinking of this, Wang Xuan touched his spatial ring, and a mysterious and strange talisman appeared in his hand. It was the same one that Gongsun Sheng had used before.
According to Gongsun Sheng's confession, this talisman is named the Yellow Heaven Fortune Talisman and has the function of storing fortune.
However, there are a total of one hundred Huang Tianyun Talismans, one of which is the mother talisman and the other ninety-nine are child talismans.
Needless to say, the talisman in Gongsun Sheng's hand is only a child talisman; the real mother talisman is still in Zixu Temple, in the hands of his master, Master Luo.
Not to mention the mother talisman, even the child talisman is extremely extraordinary. As for its specific level, Wang Xuan's current cultivation level makes it difficult to determine.
However, when Wang Xuan used his low-grade magic weapon-level sword to slash at the talisman, he couldn't leave the slightest mark on it. Wang Xuan estimated that it was at least a high-grade magic weapon!
"The Purple Void Temple is unpredictable. Since they've set their sights on Liangshan, passively dealing with them isn't my style." Wang Xuan gritted his teeth, secretly determined to take matters into his own hands and catch them off guard.
Otherwise, if that Master Luo had a countermeasure and spared no expense in expending his luck, let alone dealing with Wang Xuan, even a master of the Innate Realm would definitely be killed by Master Luo!
"Fellow Daoist, I have told you everything I know. Can you please heal me quickly?!" Gongsun Sheng looked at Wang Xuan with a pale face, his body slumped to the ground, weak and powerless.
If Wang Xuan hadn't used his internal energy to stabilize his injuries, he would have died long ago. How could he have revealed so much information?
At this point, Wang Xuan had obtained the information he wanted, so he was too lazy to expend his inner strength to heal Gongsun Sheng, which caused Gongsun Sheng's injuries to flare up again.
"Oh? When did I say I would help you heal your injuries?" Wang Xuan looked at Gongsun Sheng with a hint of amusement, clearly denying his promise.
"You..." Gongsun Sheng wanted to say something more, but Wang Xuan was too lazy to listen to his nonsense. With a swing of his long sword, a head appeared on the ground.
Murder to silence witnesses and then deny everything—Wang Xuan, now a bandit leader, didn't care much about such things. But since he aspired to become a Dao Ancestor, destroying the evidence was still essential.
With a casual wave of his hand, Gongsun Sheng's corpse vanished from sight, having been stored in Wang Xuan's spatial ring.
"I've been holed up on Liangshan for so long, it's time to come down and stretch my legs." Wang Xuan walked to the entrance of the Hall of Gathering Righteousness and shouted, "Where is my disciple Song Jiang?!"
Wang Xuan's shout, fueled by his inner strength, carried far and wide, audible even from a great distance.
Upon hearing this call from afar, Song Jiang's already dark face turned pale and then purple. After a slight struggle, he finally scurried off to Wang Xuan.
There was no other way; when you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head. If Song Jiang dared not go, he would definitely get a good beating from that damned bandit leader!
Wang Xuan didn't have to wait long before Song Jiang arrived, standing respectfully before him, awaiting his instructions.
"Very good, it seems that my teaching over this period of time has been quite effective!"
Chapter Thirty: Descending Liangshan
“My disciple Song Jiang, I plan to travel to the north and need someone to help me serve tea and water.” Wang Xuan looked at Song Jiang with a smile and said, “Of all my disciples, you are the one I value the most. I will take you with me and train you in the future.”
Song Jiang opened his mouth, almost bursting into tears.
That damned bandit leader! He even drags Song Jiang along when he goes down the mountain. When will Song Jiang ever escape his clutches?
Wang Xuan didn't care whether they were willing or not; he had made up his mind to leave with Song Jiang.
Song Jiang's luck is simply too extraordinary. If Wang Xuan doesn't keep him by his side and keep an eye on him, by the time he returns from his trip, the entire Liangshan Mountain will probably belong to the Song family.
Wang Xuan had lost interest in the profession of bandit leader. Giving it up was not out of the question, but it absolutely could not be given to Song Jiang.
Even though Wang Xuan's luck value has increased to over 4,000 points, he is still completely suppressed by Song Jiang's luck, which shows how overwhelming Song Jiang's luck is.
If Song Jiang were to become the leader of Liangshan again, gathering the thirty-six Heavenly Spirits and seventy-two Earthly Fiends, his fortune would grow even stronger. At that time, Wang Xuan would need to put in much more effort to seize his fortune.
Wang Xuan didn't give Song Jiang a chance to refute him at all. He reached out and lifted Song Jiang's shoulder, wanting to take a trip on a whim.
When Shi Jin, Chao Gai, Wu Yong, the three Ruan brothers, and other leaders of Liangshan heard the news, they all rushed over to see him off.
Wang Xuan glanced at his disciples one last time, taking in the expressions on their faces.
Most of Wang Xuan's disciples were reluctant to see him go. After all, most of them had trained their bodies and learned martial arts from a young age. Although Wang Xuan had a penchant for beating his disciples, he was undoubtedly a great teacher, and under his strict guidance, their martial arts skills improved every day.
"Master, I have only been at Liangshan for a few days, and you are about to leave. I am so reluctant to part with you!" Shi Jin cried out. "Why don't you take me with you and leave Song Jiang's bird on the mountain?"
Song Jiang: "..."
Wang Xuan rolled his eyes at Shi Jin and sternly refused.
"While I'm away from the stronghold, your eldest brother Shi Jin will be in charge for the time being," Wang Xuan instructed directly. "Chao Gai and Wu Yong, you two need to help Shi Jin a lot. And Zhu Gui, you need to do a good job with intelligence work. Don't let the imperial army come up the mountain without you knowing."
Chao Gai, Wu Yong, and Zhu Gui readily agreed, though a hint of joy lingered in their eyes.
Chao Gai, needless to say, had just been forced to join Liangshan and hadn't fully submitted yet. Now that Wang Xuan had left, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief, no longer having such a bandit leader to discipline him.
Wu Yong and Zhu Gui were originally clerical workers, with Wu Yong being a schoolteacher who couldn't even kill a chicken. Wang Xuan had previously forced them to practice martial arts, and after that time, they felt like their bones were about to fall apart. Now that Wang Xuan was away for a while, they could finally take a break.
Wang Xuan could easily guess what they were thinking. But he didn't say much, after all, none of his disciples had any bad intentions, unlike Song Jiang, who was a traitor.
With a final wave, Wang Xuan led Song Jiang onto a small boat. The two fishermen quickly rowed, and the boat gradually sailed away from Liangshan stronghold, disappearing from everyone's sight.
As dusk approached, Wang Xuan and his group arrived in Yuncheng County.
This is where Song Jiang lived for many years, and many people knew him. Therefore, Song Jiang also took some precautions to conceal himself, wearing a sun hat to cover his face.
The two of them found an inn in Yuncheng County and stayed for the night. Early the next morning, Song Jiang took the initiative to ask, "Master, where are we going?"
Wang Xuan thought about it and felt that going directly to Zixu Temple was not appropriate. Zixu Temple was located in Jizhou in the north, which was almost at the border between the Song and Liao dynasties, quite far from where they were.
Moreover, they didn't know the way and had to ask for directions along the way, which took up a lot of time.
During this time, he could easily take the opportunity to visit the Liangshan heroes who had not yet joined the Liangshan bandits.
After a moment's thought, Wang Xuan finally remembered someone, turned to Song Jiang, and said, "That fellow Chai Jin from Cangzhou is quite famous in the Jianghu. Do you know how to get to his house?"
Song Jiang nodded quickly: "I am very close to Master Chai. We have been corresponding and I have been to his house a few times. I know how to get there."
Having made their decision, Wang Xuan and his group set off again.
Unlike before, this time they were going on a long journey, so they bought a horse-drawn carriage in Yuncheng County.
The miserable Song Jiang was in charge of driving the horse and chariot, while Wang Xuan calmly sat cross-legged inside the chariot, practicing his breathing exercises.
In ancient times, transportation was inconvenient. Even if one traveled day and night, a horse-drawn carriage could only travel a hundred miles or so at most in a day. The journey was tedious and boring.
By the time their carriage arrived in Cangzhou, more than ten days had passed, and Wang Xuan's cultivation had broken through again, reaching the eleventh level of the Acquired Realm.
Feeling the surging, uncontrollable power within him, Wang Xuan was very satisfied: "It's only been about five months since I came to the Water Margin world, and my cultivation has already reached the eleventh level of the Acquired Realm. In at most another month, I will be able to master the first volume of the 'Purple-Yang True Explanation' and reach the perfected twelfth level of the Acquired Realm!"
"Master, we have arrived!" At this moment, Song Jiang pulled back the curtain of the carriage and poked his head in.
Wang Xuan couldn't resist giving Song Jiang a sharp rap on the head.
"Awooo!" Song Jiang let out a miserable scream, covering his head with his hands. It was a sight that would make anyone who heard it grieve and weep!
"You can't blame me for this!" Wang Xuan said sheepishly. "It's your fault for sticking your head out. I've been beating people up a lot lately, so it's become a conditioned reflex. Whenever I see a head sticking out, I can't help but want to hit it."
"Yes, this is not Master's fault, it is all my fault!" Song Jiang's heart was bleeding, but he still took the initiative to admit his mistake.
If he didn't admit his mistake, he couldn't guarantee that the bandit leader wouldn't turn on him and beat him up again.
If Wang Xuan knew what Song Jiang was thinking, he would surely exclaim, "Song Gongming truly understands me! That's exactly what I was thinking too!"
After traveling for such a long time, they finally arrived in Cangzhou. Wang Xuan stepped towards the carriage and saw a huge mansion in front of him, with carved beams and painted rafters, clearly belonging to an extremely prominent family.
Moreover, this residence is also quite particular about feng shui, with the gate facing the auspicious path and the mountain connecting to the Azure Dragon.
Chapter Thirty-One: Song Jiang, the Traitor
"The Shi family I saw before was also quite large, but they could only be described as nouveau riche. But Chai Jin's family can be called a real tycoon!"
Wang Xuan merely sighed; compared to the mansions in the main world, Chai Jin's residence was utterly insignificant.
Without Wang Xuan giving any instructions, Song Jiang, being very familiar with the place, went up and knocked on the door. Soon after, two servants came out.
Although Song Jiang had visited Chai Jin's house a few times, he hadn't stayed for very long, and the two servants didn't recognize him.
"I am Song Jiang, the Duke of Yuncheng. I am an old friend of your master, Chai. I have come to pay my respects today. Please inform him of my presence," Song Jiang said, bowing to the two servants.
"So you are the famous Song Jiang, the clerk!" Upon hearing Wang Xuan's introduction, the two servants became respectful and began to flatter him.
Song Jiang, however, felt somewhat embarrassed upon hearing this and quickly said, "Please don't mention the title 'Song Yashi' again! I, Song Jiang, have now lost my official position and am just an ordinary commoner."
Wang Xuan stood aside watching Song Jiang's performance, secretly admiring himself. He thought to himself that bringing Song Jiang along was definitely the right decision. With Song Jiang's social skills and the enormous reputation he had built up, he could thrive anywhere.
Soon, Wang Xuan and Song Jiang were respectfully invited into the courtyard and met Chai Jin, the esteemed official.
"Brother Song Jiang, it's been a year or two since we last parted. I've been looking forward to your return!" After exchanging pleasantries with Song Jiang for a while, Chai Jin turned his gaze to Wang Xuan and asked, "May I ask who this brother is?"
Wang Xuan glanced at Chai Jin and said calmly, "I am Song Jiang's master, and my name is Wang Xuan."
"Song Jiang's master?!" Chai Jin was also somewhat taken aback.
After all, Wang Xuan looks too young, not even twenty years old. What qualifications does he have to be Song Jiang's mentor?
Chai Jin looked at Song Jiang with doubt, hoping that Song Jiang could give him an answer.
Song Jiang's face turned pale and then red, and a fierce glint flashed in his eyes.
"Master Chai, I've long heard that you enjoy recruiting heroes from the Jianghu. I wonder if you have any other masters on your estate?" Instead of answering Chai Jin's question, Song Jiang asked a completely unrelated one.
Chai Jin hesitated for a moment, seemingly guessing something from Song Jiang's expression, but still said, "I have gathered no less than a hundred skilled fighters in my manor. I will call them over right away."
Before long, over a hundred men appeared before Wang Xuan and his companions. These men were all burly and strong, exuding a fierce aura, clearly having roamed the martial world and possessing some martial arts skills.
Wang Xuan smiled slightly with a hint of sarcasm, quietly watching Song Jiang's performance.
The hundred or so heroes recruited by Chai Jin gave Song Jiang enough confidence. Suddenly, the dark-skinned man turned hostile, looking at Wang Xuan with a bitter and resentful expression, and said to Chai Jin, "Master Chai, you don't know this, but this man is the bandit leader of Liangshan Marsh, and his methods are extremely ruthless."
"I, Song Jiang, was doing just fine, but this damned bandit leader used despicable means to force me to Liangshan, and now I'm wanted by the Song Dynasty!"
"Now that I have met my elder brother, I hope he will stand up for me!"