The Struggle of Chaos Chapter Sixty-Six: The Autumn Grass Alliance
As Long Tianya finished speaking, everyone’s gaze shifted to Lin Ai. After all, this meeting was not simply for reminiscing and chatting. Lin Ai gathered her thoughts and spoke solemnly, “Brother Li, I won’t beat around the bush. Let’s get straight to the point. We’ve learned that you’ve established your own army at North Tong Pass, and it seems the Tang Kingdom is still in the dark about it. So this army was built according to your own vision, wasn’t it?”
Li Qiutong was not surprised. He nodded silently.
Receiving Li Qiutong’s confirmation, Lin Ai continued, “Brother Li, can you tell me your purpose for doing this?”
Li Qiutong answered truthfully without much hesitation, “After I left Jiangnan City that day, I swore brotherhood with two men, Yang Ruiyun and Deng Zhanxuan. We were besieged outside the city by the so-called Qinglin Army, a battle we barely survived. That experience made me realize the existence of military formations that surpass the strength of individual martial artists. That’s why we want to build an invincible army—only with enough power can I do what I wish.”
Li Qiutong spoke lightly, but Lin Ai found it anything but light. Suddenly, Long Tianya seemed to realize something. “Was it you who caused those casualties and the disappearance of over two hundred men in the Qinglin Army last year?”
“Casualties?” Li Qiutong pondered for a moment. “I suppose so. Quite a few did die in the Qinglin Army.”
“So it was you. As I recall, this incident stirred up a huge uproar in the court when the Heavenly Kingdom invaded. Because of it, the chance to strike was missed, and the entire northern region fell,” Long Tianya said, his tone tinged with helplessness.
Li Qiutong could only shrug in response, feigning innocence. If only they knew that Qin Ren, because of this incident, was repeatedly attacked by his enemies in court, and even Song Zong couldn’t protect him in the end—he was demoted three ranks and sent far from the center of power. Wouldn’t that have been a small satisfaction at least?
Lin Ai offered an explanation, “Faction struggles in the Song Kingdom have been ongoing for years; such an outcome was foreseeable. But Brother Li, are you truly so confident?”
This time, Li Qiutong didn’t answer directly. Instead, he looked to Ren Xingtian. Without hesitation and with unwavering resolve, Ren Xingtian said, “Master Lin, I handled this matter personally. I can stake the honor of Mount Jietian that our army will become the strongest in the land.”
Li Qiutong looked at Ren Xingtian’s boldness, but inwardly he felt uncertain. They were all feeling their way in the dark, not knowing if they’d stumble. But Ren Xingtian’s thick skin let him boast without the slightest change in expression.
Lin Ai smiled gently. “Brother Li, you have your ambitions. But do you know what I want?”
“I’d like to hear it in detail.”
Lin Ai spoke slowly, “The Lin family is renowned across the continent for wealth rivaling nations themselves. Only the Zhao and Qian families of Song can match our resources. Yet since our ancestors founded the family, we have always adhered to self-reliance. Every head of the Lin family has refused to become subordinate to any power—we only cooperate, never serve. Years ago, Song tried to make us their money-making tool, as they did with the Qian family, but we refused without hesitation.”
“That’s why Song has suppressed your business so relentlessly, forcing you to rely on trade in other nations,” Ren Xingtian interjected.
Lin Ai nodded, not denying it. “What you say is true, Master Ren. Moreover, because our business spans the continent, we’ve signed treaties with every nation. The most important clause forbids us from training a private army on a large scale. This is the Lin family’s greatest weakness. Song believes that with financial might, controlling the continent’s economy is enough to rule, but I disagree. The world is in chaos now, and the Lin family needs someone to protect us.”
When Lin Ai finished, a hush fell over the group. Her intentions were clear—everything now awaited Li Qiutong’s response.
“Miss Lin, how much support can you offer us? Surely you can’t help us too openly,” Li Qiutong asked, tossing the question back to Lin Ai as agreed. The two had talked this over before: North Tong Pass needed the Lin family’s wealth, and Lin Ai was sure to invest in Li Qiutong. The only question was how much the Lin family could give, and how North Tong Pass would protect them in return. Though Li Qiutong disliked such clear-cut transactions, reality left him no choice. He was willing to help the Lin family unconditionally, but North Tong Pass was not his alone.
Yet Lin Ai gave an answer that even Ren Xingtian hadn’t expected.
“The Lin family will offer you no funding at all.”
Her words stunned everyone—even Ren Xingtian, who had been serious throughout, looked surprised. Li Qiutong was even more dumbfounded. He hadn’t fully grasped the situation to begin with, and Lin Ai’s words left him more at a loss. He stared blankly, utterly confused.
Noticing his panic, Lin Ai was about to continue, but a ripple of laughter escaped her instead. She lifted her slender hand to cover her lips. “It seems you haven’t changed at all, Brother Li.”
“What do you mean?”
Lin Ai shook her head. “Nothing, Brother Li. I hadn’t finished. The Lin family is now under strict supervision by the Heavenly Kingdom in every aspect. So I intend to use a fortune left by our ancestors to invest in you independently.”
Seeing that Li Qiutong was pondering this, Lin Ai continued, “Furthermore, I wish our cooperation to be even closer—perhaps it shouldn’t be called cooperation at all. I hope we can join forces to create an organization that will shake the continent.”
Li Qiutong was stunned. He had thought his own ambitions were grand, but Lin Ai’s went even further. For a moment, he found himself speechless.
Ren Xingtian, on the other hand, breathed a sigh of relief after hearing Lin Ai’s words, then grew excited. “Master Lin, your vision is beyond my expectations. But this is worth the risk. What do you think, Brother Tong?”
“Uh, it sounds quite interesting, I suppose.” Li Qiutong always thought aiming to be the world’s greatest martial artist was already ambitious enough, but these two saw even farther.
“Next, let’s discuss the details of this alliance,” Ren Xingtian suggested, and the two launched eagerly into conversation, leaving only Long Tianya, who had no part in the matter, and Li Qiutong, who couldn’t get a word in.
“Hey, Xiao Tong, what level would you say your strength is now?” Long Tianya suddenly asked.
“According to Xingtian, I should be at the level of a two-star Saint Martial Artist,” Li Qiutong replied straightforwardly.
“Looks like you really might reach the peak of martial arts one day. If your grandfather knew your strength, he’d be proud.”
At the mention of his grandfather, Li Qiutong stared blankly at the cup on the table. “Maybe.”
“Have you met that girl Qin Hongyu?”
“I have. After she read my grandfather’s letter, she recognized me as her godson.”
Long Tianya burst out laughing. “Who would have thought she’d do that?”
Li Qiutong didn’t know much about the previous generation’s affairs, but another question came to mind. “Grandpa Long, do you know who tried to assassinate my grandfather back then?” Ever since Uncle Qin told him, Li Qiutong couldn’t help but care, even though he didn’t want to go against his grandfather’s wishes.
Long Tianya’s smile froze. After a moment’s thought, he said, “Well, I suppose you’re strong enough now that it doesn’t matter if you know. There were two groups after Baicao back then. One was just as the rumors say—the Qin Kingdom’s Dark Moon Assassins. Even the continent’s number one assassin, Shadow, came after him. But your grandfather had many friends in the martial world and plenty helped him. Plus, his status in the Tang Kingdom made it hard for Qin to kill him outright. But someone revealed his route to the Blade organization, who sent their god-level assassin Stinger, second only to Shadow and Drunken Sword, along with more than ten heavenly-level assassins to ambush him en route to Tang.”
“And then?”
Long Tianya recalled, “Fortunately, your grandfather’s friend Drunken Sword got wind of the plan from inside Blade and warned me in time. That’s how we saved him from certain death and brought him to Song.”
“Blade, Stinger—him again.” Li Qiutong muttered to himself.
Seeing Li Qiutong’s unsettled mood, Long Tianya offered some advice. “Xiao Tong, you know your grandfather doesn’t want you to seek revenge for him. But I know how easily young people get swept up in these things, and I won’t give you some grand lecture. Just remember, if you do want vengeance, I’ll help you. But don’t act rashly.”
“I understand, Grandpa Long.”
“Good.”
After chatting a bit more about martial arts, the others finally finished their discussion.
“Then we’ll proceed as agreed,” Ren Xingtian said to Lin Ai.
“Right. By the way, shouldn’t our alliance have a name?” Lin Ai suggested.
Ren Xingtian thought for a moment, then turned to Li Qiutong. “Brother Tong, what do you think we should call it?”
Li Qiutong pondered and replied, “Let’s call it the Autumn Grass Alliance. What do you think, Miss Lin?”
“I like it. But Brother Li, now that we’re in this together, will you still call me Miss Lin?”
“Uh, then what should I call you?”
“Just call me Xiao Ai.”
Li Qiutong nodded. “Alright, Xiao Ai it is.”
“Oh, and Brother Li, I gave you my jade pendant before. Why don’t you give me something in return—as a symbol of the Autumn Grass Alliance?” Lin Ai suggested.
“I don’t really have anything suitable…” Li Qiutong scratched his head and thought hard. Nothing he had was valuable or appropriate to give a woman.
“Wait, I’ll give you this.” Saying this, Li Qiutong drew a long sword from behind him—the very one that had mysteriously appeared in his hands.
Lin Ai accepted the unusual sword in surprise and smiled, somewhat awkwardly, “It’s beautiful. Thank you, Brother Li.” Judging by Li Qiutong’s expression, it seemed this sword was something he’d picked on the spur of the moment, so to Lin Ai, it probably only symbolized the founding of the Autumn Grass Alliance. Little did she know that the sword hid a mysterious power, one that would change the course of her life.