Chapter 143 Tea Has Its Way, Chess Has Its Way

"That is not a problem at all. I can easily arrange an executive identity in my company for you." For the young master of the dignified Yamaguchi-gumi, this was a trivial matter, and Inagawa Kikuro agreed without a second thought.

Indeed, if Ling Tian wanted to get close to the members of the Yamaguchi-gumi, having a Japanese identity would certainly make things much easier.

"Passing me off as an employee of your company won't work. Look here, Kikuro, you and the Yamaguchi-gumi are mortal enemies, how could that possibly work? I want to get close to their core members, after all," Ling Tian pointed out the flaw in the plan.

Inagawa Kikuro really lacked foresight in doing things. It would be much better to find some other identity—ideally a man with a completely clean background, which would make future actions much more convenient. Doing things under the banner of the Inagawa-kai was simply too inconvenient.

"Hehe, yes, yes. Tian-ge thinks of everything. Then I will get you a pristine, spotless identity that has zero connection to our Inagawa-kai. How about making you a member of the Toyotomi family? That is a prestigious and prominent clan in Japan! It carries both status and standing," Inagawa Kikuro thought for a moment and suggested.

"Hmm, not bad. Haha, the Toyotomi family is good. I quite admire Toyotomi Hideyoshi from history; that man was extraordinary. So, what shall my name be?" Ling Tian asked with a hint of worry.

"Well, my name is Inagawa Kikuro, so how about you be Toyotomi Kikuro?" To be fair, Inagawa Kikuro completely lacked imagination, and that name... well, really.

Cough, cough, cough! Ling Tian was choked straight by his drink. It took him a good while to recover, and then, looking at Inagawa Kikuro, he said, "Brother, it's fine if you don't mind having 'Kiku' in your name, but please don't drag me into it. I am this handsome, the number one handsome man in the entire world. Giving me a name like that would cause massive misunderstandings."

It had to be said that Ling Tian was extremely narcissistic, but what he said was also the truth. Being a man of striking appearance could sometimes be a hassle, which was why he couldn't have an ambiguous name.

"Then why doesn't Tian-ge come up with a name yourself?" Inagawa Kikuro felt quite depressed by Ling Tian's words, though he was helpless—after all, his own name was given to him by his parents.

"Hehe, then I shall be called Toyotomi Wentian. That name sounds very cool. Haha, let's settle on that." After a moment of thought, Ling Tian finally came up with a very cool name that was quite close to his real name.

"Ah, this name truly has an air of grandeur! And I can still call you Tian-ge—yes, Toyotomi Wentian! What a great name!" Inagawa Kikuro felt a wave of envy. The name was indeed wonderful. Ah, he secretly wished he could change his name too, maybe to something like Inagawa Wentian. But wishes were just wishes; he lacked the courage to change the name his old man had given him.

"Hehe, of course. Then Toyotomi Wentian it is. Next, let's discuss how we can get close to the core members of the Yamaguchi-gumi." Ling Tian wanted to see Dongfang Ye as soon as possible.

Actually, if the opponent didn't possess some terrifyingly powerful ancient patriarch or the like, Ling Tian wouldn't have needed to go through all this trouble. He could have simply barged straight into the Yamaguchi-gumi and rescued Dongfang Ye, because his cultivation technique in this lifetime was far superior to that of his previous life.

Yet who could have foreseen that human calculations fall short of heaven's plans? Just as he had reached the peak of the Profound Tier, the enemy turned out to possess someone at least at the Earth Tier—or perhaps even higher. Heavens! What was wrong with this world? Had everyone gone mad?

Consequently, Ling Tian had no choice but to adopt a safer approach and use a different identity to get close to them. Fortunately, the rigorous study and training of his past life allowed him to speak Japanese even more fluently than Chinese. Passing himself off as a Japanese person presented absolutely no problem.

"Well, Tian-ge, since you are so handsome, I heard that the boss of the Yamaguchi-gumi actually has a penchant for handsome men. Why don't you go straight to him? That would be the fastest way by far, hahaha!" Inagawa Kikuro joked with Ling Tian. Now that they were more familiar with each other, he felt bold enough—after all, Ling Tian was always teasing him about his name.

"Get lost! Say another word and I'll sleep in your bed tonight!" With a fierce expression, Ling Tian shook his fist at Inagawa Kikuro. This little punk actually dared to make fun of him.

"Uh, Tian-ge, I really don't dare anymore. Spare me! Let me give you a foolproof idea instead." Inagawa Kikuro had actually been confident all along and was just teasing Ling Tian a moment ago.

"Hmph! That's more like it. Quick, what's this foolproof idea?" Ling Tian wanted to see if this fellow could actually utter any ivory from a dog's mouth.

"Listen to me, Tian-ge. The boss of the Yamaguchi-gumi is called Yamaguchi Kenshi, and he has a younger sister named Yamaguchi Keiko. This girl is very pretty and loves to go out and play. You just need to find an opportunity to get close to her, and through that, you can find a way to infiltrate the Yamaguchi-gumi." Inagawa Kikuro smiled as he spoke, though his eyes held impure intentions.

"Oh? Yamaguchi Keiko? I have heard of her. She seems like a very well-behaved girl." Ling Tian had dealt with the Yamaguchi-gumi in his past life as well, but he had always used disguises. Therefore, he had met Yamaguchi Kenshi before; if they were to meet again, he would recognize the other man, but the other man wouldn't recognize him.

As for Yamaguchi Keiko, he had only heard tales of her in his previous life—a very well-behaved, pretty, and cute girl whom he had never actually met. After all, back in his past life, Ling Tian had hardly paid any attention to women.

If he were to encounter her in this lifetime, he would just let nature take its course. Ling Tian had no burning desire to conquer Japanese girls; dragging one back home wouldn't necessarily make his parents happy either.

"Hehe, Tian-ge truly is well-traveled. Exactly, this Yamaguchi Keiko is a very docile and adorable girl. Many men are fond of her, but she has never been in a relationship. Her older brother protects her fiercely, and she is very naive." When Inagawa Kikuro said this, undisguised admiration was evident in his eyes.

"Haha, judging by your tone, you fancy this girl too, don't you?" Ling Tian seemed to have seen through the trick.

"Sigh, Tian-ge, liking her is useless. The Yamaguchi-gumi and our Inagawa-kai are completely irreconcilable enemies. Therefore, I'd actually prefer it if you could win that girl over. At least that way, even if she falls into someone else's hands, I'd still get to see her." Inagawa Kikuro expressed profound regret over their differing backgrounds.

"Hehe, I am here on business this time. I cannot afford to focus all my attention on women. Therefore, getting close to Yamaguchi Keiko is merely a means to enter the Yamaguchi-gumi." Ling Tian patted Inagawa Kikuro on the shoulder, showing sympathy for the fellow.

Following that, the two men spent a long time discussing how to approach the girl. They weighed various plans and ultimately decided on the most cliché yet most effective method: playing the hero saving the damsel in distress.

***

Deep within the restricted grounds of the Yamaguchi-gumi, Yamaguchi Kenshi, the supreme boss of the syndicate, was accompanying his patriarch in a game of Go.

Yamaguchi Kenshi was a heavily built man with a rough exterior. Despite his crude appearance, his mind was far from simple. He was exceptionally ruthless and cold-blooded, employing sharp and decisive methods to govern the Yamaguchi-gumi in immaculate order while steadily expanding its power and influence.

Sitting across from Yamaguchi Kenshi was an elderly man. His hair and beard were completely white, styled in an ancient traditional Japanese topknot, and he wore a black kimono. His face glowed with radiant health; though lined with numerous wrinkles and heavy eye bags, his spirit appeared remarkably vibrant. A sword was slung across his waist.

The two men played the game in silence. From time to time, the old man nodded to express his approval.

"Ah, marvelous. You understand the art of giving and taking. Kenshi, you are truly an outstanding talent of our Yamaguchi family's younger generation—a true dragon among men!" After Yamaguchi Kenshi played a stone, the old man could not help but voice his praise.

"You flatter me too much, Patriarch. My skill compared to yours is like heaven and earth. I only make a fool of myself before you," Yamaguchi Kenshi responded humbly, not daring to show the slightest disrespect.

"Hehe, a young man need not be overly modest. There is profound knowledge in the game of Go. The sword has its way, tea has its way, and Go has its way. We Japanese emphasize 'the Way' in everything we do. This tradition was passed down from China. What a pity that the descendants of China have abandoned many of these vital ways nowadays, acting far too impetuously and falling far short of their ancestors. Even among our own Japanese people, many no longer uphold these principles. In truth, the Way must never be lost."

The old man took a sip of clear tea, then picked up a Go stone, placed it on the board, and delivered these words with profound meaning.

If Ling Tian had been present, he certainly would have nodded in agreement. What the old man said made complete sense; how many descendants of China could still calm their minds to comprehend the Way nowadays? Even Ling Tian himself was often restless and impatient. Had he heard the old man's words, it might have left an impression on him, but at this moment, the two remained complete strangers.

"We younger generations must strictly heed the Patriarch's words." Yamaguchi Kenshi held the utmost reverence for this patriarch of his.

The old man said nothing more, merely smiling and nodding.

"Patriarch, there is something I do not understand." Yamaguchi Kenshi requested guidance very cautiously.

"Speak." The old man placed another stone and uttered a single word.

"Patriarch, why must you insist on taking Dongfang Ye as your disciple? Can I not do instead? How can your mantle be passed on to a person of Huaxia descent?" Inagawa Kenshi finally failed to hold back and blurted out the question.

Ever since he learned of the patriarch's decision, he had bottled it up, suppressing the urge. He wanted to ask yet didn't dare. Today, seeing the patriarch in high spirits, he finally mustered the courage to seek a clear answer.

Upon hearing this, the old man's expression darkened. He cast a glance at Yamaguchi Kenshi and said, "Your aptitude is insufficient."

"Is that Huaxia person's aptitude really that superior?" Yamaguchi Kenshi felt intensely jealous. Immortal cultivation? Who wouldn't want that? Why was the patriarch showing such blatant favoritism? Ahh! He truly wished he could eliminate Dongfang Ye right then and there, yet he lacked the daring to offend the patriarch.

"Indeed, he is suited to cultivate my technique, and he can progress rapidly. I do not have that much time left, and none of you will do. Your attempt to capture his sister failed as well. Sigh, I can only think of other ways. If he refuses to cooperate willingly, I will have to expend a great deal more effort." With those words, the old man stood up and walked away, not sparing Yamaguchi Kenshi another glance.

Could it be that this patriarch didn't simply want to teach Dongfang Ye a cultivation technique? Did he harbor some other hidden motive? Yamaguchi Kenshi suddenly sensed that something fishy was going on.