The Speedrun Begins with Choosing Hunter

Chapter 330: Chapter 322: The Use of Reputation

Yan Province, the Sun Alliance.

As one of the most powerful factions in Yanzhou City, the Sun Alliance’s grounds spanned a full hundred acres, a truly magnificent and imposing sight.

Crimson banners fluttered in the wind.

The guards at the gate stood with their heads held high and chests puffed out, pride practically written on their faces.

The Sun Alliance was the most recently established of Yan Province’s major powers, but it had grown with astonishing speed.

Several successive Alliance Leaders had been men of great ambition and strategy, and the Sun Alliance’s power had skyrocketed, now reaching its zenith.

Even an old, established sect in Yan Province like the Aries Sect was overshadowed by the Sun Alliance.

When the Alliance’s disciples walked the streets, they all held their heads so high you could only see their nostrils.

The Sun Alliance’s Leader, Hu Sanyang, sat imposingly on a great chair draped in tiger skin.

He was originally the head of an underworld faction. Later, he won the favor of the previous Sun Alliance Leader and, step by step, ascended to the leadership position.

The Sun Alliance had been able to grow so quickly precisely because it didn’t care about a person’s origins.

Thus, even villains with sordid pasts could become high-ranking members of the Sun Alliance.

"Reporting, Alliance Leader! Tang Tie is here."

A Sun Alliance disciple came jogging up to Hu Sanyang.

Hu Sanyang leaned back in his great chair, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly.

’A mere blacksmith... what does he have to fight me with?’

He had tried to graciously recruit Tang Tie before, but had been rejected.

But he, Hu Sanyang, was no hypocrite like Wei Yang or Qiao Ding. If a direct approach didn’t work, he’d play dirty.

With Sun Alliance disciples spread all over Yan Province, it didn’t take him long to find Tang Tie’s weak spot.

He was the one who had sent men to kidnap Tang Yue.

She was currently being held in a courtyard within the Sun Alliance compound. Of course, to keep Tang Tie from developing a deep-seated hatred for him, he made sure Tang Yue was provided with decent food and living conditions.

And now, it had clearly worked.

"Very good. Let him in."

Hu Sanyang waved his hand dismissively.

An image of Tang Tie begging him in a low, subservient voice already appeared in his mind.

But the Sun Alliance disciple stammered, "He... he didn’t come alone."

Hu Sanyang’s eyes narrowed. "Someone else is with him?"

"The man calls himself Yuan Hei."

...

Hu Sanyang burst out laughing and rose to greet them.

"So it’s Younger Brother Yuan! What wind blew you here?"

He walked enthusiastically up to Bai Yuan, not even sparing a glance for Tang Tie, who stood to the side.

"Brother Hu, I’ve come specially to ask for a drink."

Bai Yuan also let out a hearty laugh.

The Sun Alliance disciples standing by almost thought the two were old friends who hadn’t seen each other in years.

In reality, they had only met once.

"There’s more than enough wine!"

Hu Sanyang waved his hand grandly.

At their Alliance Leader’s command, the Sun Alliance disciples immediately brought out eight large barrels of "Half-Cup Faint," a famous Yan Province wine.

"Today, we brothers won’t go home until we’re drunk!"

Hu Sanyang was the first to raise a large bowl, and he drained it in one go.

Not to be outdone, Bai Yuan tilted his head back and downed the wine in his own bowl.

Without eating so much as a single peanut, the two of them downed eighteen large bowls in a row before showing any signs of slowing down.

The Sun Alliance disciples who witnessed this all hailed them as drinking saints.

The Half-Cup Faint they had brought out was specially brewed for Martial Artists; an ox could only handle half a bowl, yet Bai Yuan and Hu Sanyang had somehow managed to drink eighteen.

They were truly more beastly than beasts.

Hu Sanyang was already feeling a bit drunk, but he was shocked to find that Bai Yuan remained as steady as Mount Tai.

’Such a tolerance for alcohol is simply heaven-defying!’

Bai Yuan glanced at Hu Sanyang.

’Trying to get me drunk? You probably couldn’t do it even if you brought an Elephant Demon over to help.’

Because he was cheating...

He couldn’t, of course, force the wine out through his fingertips like a certain young master with the surname Duan from his previous life, but he had other methods.

Namely, he stored the wine in a "stomach" woven from spiritual energy.

This stomach was originally part of the Manggu Zhuhe Technique, used for storing venom, but Bai Yuan had now developed a completely new function for it.

Seeing Hu Sanyang’s swaying body, he knew the time was right.

"Brother Hu, I have a favor to ask."

He put on an embarrassed expression.

Hu Sanyang suppressed his drunkenness and sneered internally.

’The fox is finally showing its tail.’

He had been ignoring Tang Tie precisely for this moment, waiting for Bai Yuan to bring the matter up himself.

"Younger Brother Yuan, feel free to speak your mind."

Bai Yuan pointed to Tang Tie beside him.

"This brother of mine’s sister has had some... friction... with the Sun Alliance. We’re all brothers here, so anything can be discussed."

"Brother Tang is my sworn brother," he added.

Hu Sanyang looked at the Sun Alliance disciples beside him in feigned surprise. "You have a grudge against this Brother Tang’s sister?"

Those disciples were his trusted confidants and naturally understood their boss’s intentions. "Absolutely not. The Sun Alliance never makes enemies."

Hearing this, Tang Tie almost wanted to hit someone.

Bai Yuan glanced at Tang Tie and smiled faintly. "I wonder if Brother Hu still remembers Sanka?"

Hu Sanyang’s brow furrowed sharply.

Of course, he remembered Sanka, whom he had personally captured a few years ago.

At the time, he had handed him over to a Demon-slaying Guard General from Ling Province named Bai Yuan. He’d also heard that this young man had later been formally appointed to the position of General.

’Could it be...?’

Hu Sanyang’s pupils widened dramatically.

Yuan Hei... Bai Yuan...

’He’d inverted his name! "Yuan" was from his given name, and "Hei," black, was the opposite of his surname "Bai," which meant white.’

Damn it!

Hu Sanyang cursed inwardly and slapped his thigh. Recalling Bai Yuan’s restrained performance when he fought Wei Yang, it was like a sudden enlightenment—everything clicked into place.

Bai Yuan raised his wine bowl. "Brother Hu, I must ask you to give me some face on this."

Hu Sanyang suddenly burst out laughing. "Younger Brother, you jest! Although I’ve never met this Brother Tang’s sister, the Sun Alliance has plenty of men. I’ll have some of our brothers help look for her right away."

"My thanks, Brother Hu."

"Drink up."

"Let’s drink!"

Bai Yuan and Hu Sanyang proceeded to drink another three full barrels of Half-Cup Faint.

Only then did Hu Sanyang collapse to the ground, thoroughly drunk.

Seeing Hu Sanyang’s state, Bai Yuan knew the matter was settled.

If he were just Yuan Hei, Hu Sanyang might not have given him this much face.

But the name "Bai Yuan" had a completely different effect. There was no other reason than this: his fearsome reputation was too great.

Hu Sanyang knew that if he were to face Bai Yuan, it was highly likely he would be cut down. So, weighing his options—offending Bai Yuan versus losing a blacksmith—he unhesitatingly chose the latter.

Tang Tie was a talented man, but he was nothing compared to a titan like Bai Yuan.

They were both third-grade officials, and while Hu Sanyang could afford to disrespect Wei Yang, he could not ignore Bai Yuan.

The reason was simple: his fists were hard enough, and his blade was fast enough.

Bai Yuan slowly rose to his feet. "Let’s go."

Hu Sanyang was already dead drunk and unconscious; there was no need to say goodbye.

Tang Tie could no longer suppress the joy in his eyes.

He silently followed Bai Yuan out of the Sun Alliance’s headquarters.

Not long after he and Bai Yuan returned to the blacksmith shop, Tang Yue was brought back by men from the Sun Alliance.

The official story, of course, was that the Sun Alliance had helped find her, but both sides knew the truth.

Even though Hu Sanyang came from the underworld, he still cared about appearances when necessary.

Tang Tie took his sister Tang Yue’s hand and bowed to Bai Yuan once more. "Thank you, Lord Bai."

Bai Yuan turned slightly to the side, not accepting the bow.

"I already told you," Bai Yuan said. "This was business."

Tang Tie’s gaze suddenly became resolute. "Lord Bai, I wonder... would you be willing to take my sister and me in?"

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