A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 177: Taking advantage of the situation
Tong Zhan and Elder Tianxing invited Gu Xu to rest in the main hall.

Upon arriving at the main hall, Gu Xu smiled slightly at Tong Zhan, who, somewhat puzzled, bowed and asked, "Does the Daoist Master have any guidance for me?"

"I have some knowledge of astrology. At this moment, Clan Chief Tong's love star is shining brightly, it seems he has found a good match."

Upon hearing Gu Xu's words, Tong Zhan was still speechless, but Elder Tianxing and the others beside him were all excited. The clan leader was getting on in years, and now that he had taken over the position, it was time to settle his marriage.

However, since Tong Zhan took over as clan leader, he has been dealing with clan affairs for several months. He has had no time to get to know those women. Now, hearing what Daoist Gu Xu said, could it be that the clan leader has already fallen for someone? I wonder who it is.

Upon hearing this, Tong Zhan asked in confusion, "Daoist Master, please don't tease me. I've never seen a good man before, and the idea of ​​the Red Phoenix Star is completely unfounded."

Tong Zhan had no resistance to marriage, but he had not yet met a woman who moved him. The Tong clan had a very advanced view of marriage, requiring mutual affection between the man and woman. Otherwise, even if they forced each other into marriage, it would bring bad results. In particular, the clan leader's choice of a partner was extremely strict.

This is not an exaggeration. There was such an incident in the history of the Tong clan that almost destroyed half of the clan. As a result, the clan later added this rule: the clan leader's partner must be willing and his or her background is not important. As long as he or she has a clean background and good character, that is enough.

Gu Xu chuckled upon hearing this, "I never lie. If Clan Chief Tong trusts me, you might as well leave Shuiyue Cave in three days and head to Yujian Manor. Perhaps you can find the answer there."

Tong Zhan was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, then nodded. After what Master Gu Xu said, he suddenly felt a strange, inexplicable feeling, as if something was calling to him.

"Yujian Manor, what a coincidence. The clan leader and Tongxin went to Yujian Manor when they first left Shuiyue Cave. And now the Daoist says that the clan leader's good match is there. Could it be the will of heaven?"

Elder Tianxing stroked his beard and smiled. With the clan leader's important matter settled, he could finally put his mind at ease and relinquish his responsibilities so he could devote himself to seclusion and cultivation.

“But the clan rules stipulate that clan members are not allowed to leave Shuiyue Cave without permission. As the clan leader, it would not be appropriate for Tong Zhan to break the rules rashly.” Elder Huo was not deliberately causing trouble, but the key was that the clan rules were in place, and he was in charge of criminal law, so he could not turn a blind eye.

"Elder Huo, this matter is no ordinary one. If it delays the clan leader's life-long event, none of us can bear the responsibility. As for the clan rules, there is still one clause: as long as more than half of the elders agree, the clan rules can be temporarily passed. How about we raise our hands to vote?"

After Elder Shui finished speaking, he raised his hand first, followed by Elders Jin and Mu, and finally Elder Tianxing. Elders Huo and Tu did not raise their hands, but that was a good thing.

"Clan leader, go back and pack your things. We'll work together to send you to the Imperial Sword Manor via the Hell Rock Formation."

Elder Tianxing immediately made a decision.

"Chief Tong's journey may be fraught with difficulties. These three spirit pills are a gift to you, Chief. They may be of assistance to you at a crucial moment."

As he spoke, Gu Xu took out a porcelain bottle from his sleeve and handed it to Tong Zhan. The latter respectfully accepted it, uncorked it, and a refreshing medicinal fragrance wafted out. Elder Tianxing took a sniff and his expression immediately changed drastically.

"Master, this gift is far too precious."

Tong Zhan and the other elders only felt that this medicine was unusual. After taking a whiff, their internal energy had become several times more refined, so it must be very precious. But judging from Elder Tianxing's appearance, the value of this elixir might be even greater.

"Even the best things are worthless if they can't be used. Consider this a small gift from me."

Tong Zhan knew from Elder Tianxing's appearance that the item must be precious. He originally wanted to return it, but after what Daoist Guxu said, he decided against it and simply looked at Elder Tianxing.

Seeing Gu Xu's reaction, Elder Tianxing nodded to Tong Zhan, who then thanked him again and put the porcelain bottle away.

"Clan Chief Tong, Elder Tianxing, I came here for that person in the Ice Cave. I wonder how he is doing now?"

Upon hearing this, Elder Tianxing hurriedly said, "The Ice Cave has always been well-managed, and with the protection of the magic array, there has been no trouble. Before the previous elder passed away, he instructed us not to neglect our duties. If you wish, Daoist, you can go and see it at any time."

The Ice Cave is considered a forbidden area in the Water Moon Cave Heaven. Apart from a few errand boys who clean it regularly and a few elders, other clansmen are not allowed to enter.

"That's good. I'll be staying for a few more days. I'll have to trouble you then."

"Don't bother, don't bother."

Elder Tianxing and the others were all very excited. It was difficult for others to even see such a divine figure. It was already an immense honor for them to be able to see him up close. They wished they could serve him. If they could learn even a little bit from him, they would benefit immensely.

Just as Gu Xu was visiting Shuiyue Cave, the main gate of Yujian Manor opened wide, and the Iron Guards lined up, waiting for the Yanyun Sword Sect, Shuimo Mountain Sect, and the other three sects.

A few days ago, dozens of sects, led by the three major factions, sent a letter of inquiry to the Tianqin Mountain sect, asking about the massacre of the sect. In order to protect the reputation of the martial arts world, they had no choice but to make this trip to uphold justice in the martial arts world.

In the main hall of the villa, besides the Yin brothers, Yin Mang and the others from before were also present, but their seats had been moved back a few places, leaving three empty seats.

"The three sects have quite a grand display. Of these dozens of sects, almost ninety percent are petty thieves and scoundrels, hardly worthy of respect. But the Flying Immortal Sect is quite interesting."

"Second Uncle, the Flying Immortal Sect is just a slightly larger sect, far inferior to ours. Why do you value it so much?"

Yin Tianqi had been cramming on martial arts knowledge during this time, and with Yin Hao's guidance, he had gained a general understanding of the current situation in the martial arts world.

Yujian Manor is in a class of its own, followed closely by the three major sects. The rest are just some second- or third-rate sects. Tianqin Mountain was originally considered to be among the top of the second-rate sects. Longze Manor was not among them, but according to my father, its strength was on par with Yujian Manor.

"It's true that the Flying Immortal Sect is a small sect with few members, but the sect leader, Zhao Yun, is a woman with a deep mind and a remarkable skill in using hidden weapons and lightness techniques. She is not to be underestimated. Tianqi, if you really encounter her, I'm not trying to discourage you, but you might not be able to defeat her within thirty moves."

Yin Jun had long been thoroughly familiar with the backgrounds of these sects. As for the others, they were one thing, but the Flying Immortal Sect was a newly rising sect. Its leader, Zhao Yun, had taken advantage of the destruction of Tianqin Mountain to become a leading figure among second-rate sects. He didn't believe that Zhao Yun had no tricks up her sleeve.

Yin Tianqi remained silent upon hearing this, but Yin Tianxue became interested. Apart from Liu Xuanwei of Tianqin Mountain, she had never taken any of the well-known female masters in the martial arts world seriously. However, now that Yin Jun had spoken of this and valued it so highly, it stirred up Yin Tianxue's fighting spirit.

Just then, a loud sound came from outside.

"Master Qingshi of Qingshan Temple has arrived!"

"Sect Leader Zhuo of the Yan Yun Sword Sect has arrived!"

"Master Shen of Shuimo Mountain has arrived!"

……，……

A series of names reached Yin Hao and the others' ears. Upon hearing this, Yin Hao immediately stood up. Regardless of the other party's purpose, the proper etiquette could not be neglected, and he immediately walked out of the main hall.

Yin Jun and Yin Tianqi followed closely behind, while Yin Mang and the others, due to their seniority, stayed in the hall to wait.

"Daoist Master, it seems the Imperial Sword Manor is intentionally giving us a warning." Shen Hua waved his folding fan, looking at the guards on both sides. Although he spoke lightly, he was secretly on high alert. None of the guards they had encountered on this short journey were simple; they were all experts with mastered internal energy, all direct disciples of their sect. Moreover, the leader, named Tie Feng, was a Xiantian master; there were no more than a handful of people in their sect who could defeat him with a single palm strike.

Upon hearing this, Zhuo Yuanhang coldly replied, "The Imperial Sword Manor suffered damage to six of its branches a few days ago, and Liu Da and the others haven't been heard from at all. It would be strange if Yin Hao gave us a friendly look. He's just taking this opportunity to show off his strength and do some superficial work along the way. You see?"

Shen Hua followed Zhuo Yuanhang's gaze and saw that Yin Hao and others had already walked over. Although they had smiles on their faces, the smiles did not reach their eyes, and there was also a faint sense of hostility.

Upon seeing it, Shen Hua felt a tremor in her heart, and her folding fan unconsciously closed.

"Master Qing Shi, Sect Leader Zhuo, Mountain Master Shen, you three have come from afar. I apologize for not greeting you properly. Please come inside."

Yin Hao glanced at Zhuo Shen and the other man casually, then turned his gaze to Qing Shi Dao Ren. With a wave of his hand, he led the three of them, along with more than ten people who followed behind, toward the main hall.

The dozen or so sects following behind, led by the Flying Immortal Sect, were even more terrified as they looked at the array of the Imperial Sword Manor around them.

He whispered to Zhao Yun, the sect leader of the Flying Immortal Sect, "Sect Leader Zhao, even a single Iron Guard in the Imperial Sword Manor has such cultivation. Can the Daoist and the others stand up for Tianqin Mountain?"

Zhu Gang wasn't stupid. The destruction of Tianqin Mountain was entirely its own fault. The three factions were only here to coerce Yujian Manor into making concessions so that they could gain greater benefits in the future. These small fry were just there to add fuel to the fire.

Zhao Yun of the Flying Immortal Sect was quite beautiful, but her face always carried a calculating air. Upon hearing Zhu Gang's words, Zhao Yun said, "With the Daoist Master and the others here, even Yin Hao wouldn't dare to be too presumptuous. After all, the martial world isn't entirely under the control of the Imperial Sword Manor. As for these Iron Guards, I've never seen them before. They must be a trump card of the Imperial Sword Manor, meant to give us a warning. Sect Leader Zhu, there's no need to worry."

Hearing this, Zhu Gang found a reason for himself and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. It made sense. After all, Yujian Manor was a prestigious sect. Even if they wanted to suppress them, they wouldn't use underhanded methods. In the worst-case scenario, there were always tall people to hold up the sky. If they couldn't reach an agreement, Yujian Manor should deal with those three sects first.

"Yin Hao and Yin Jun are already extremely difficult to deal with. Yin Tianqi, Yin Tianhe, and Yin Tianxue beside them are all outstanding. Yujian Manor is truly blessed by heaven, producing a great number of talents. If we cannot suppress them this time, the next twenty or thirty years will be the next time for Yujian Manor to dominate the martial arts world."

Zhao Yun thought to herself that the joy she felt when Tianqin Mountain was destroyed and Feixian Sect rose to power, coupled with the power of Yujian Manor, made her faith waver. The foundation of this top sect was indeed incomparable to that of small sects.

A short while later, Yin Hao led everyone back to the main hall. After some introductions, they took their seats, exchanged a few pleasantries, and enjoyed some fragrant tea. Then, Qing Shi Dao Ren gave Shen Hua a look, and the latter put the teacup back on the saucer. The crisp sound successfully drew everyone's attention.

"Master Yin, Tianqin Mountain was destroyed by your manor. Is there some misunderstanding? Elder Yuzheng came to Qingshan Temple with a bloodstained face, accusing your manor of murder and robbery. I wonder if Master Yin could provide an explanation so that the martial arts community can be at ease?"

After Shen Hua finished speaking, the sect leaders who followed him smiled to themselves. The way Shen Hua spoke was indeed different. With just a few words, he had accused Yujian Manor of murder and robbery. If they did not respond properly, they would lose the initiative. If they could not uphold the moral high ground, they could use their power to force Yujian Manor to comply.

Everyone turned their attention to Yin Hao, who glanced at the crowd below, pondered for a moment, and then said slowly, "Liu Xuanwei colluded with the Buddhist sects of the outer realms to disrupt our manor's succession ceremony and even attempted to seize our manor's most precious treasure. Out of consideration for our fellow martial artists, I only crippled her martial arts. I never expected that she would eventually cultivate the Bloodthirsty Demon Art of the Demonic Sect and harm innocent lives. Do you think such a despicable person should be killed, Lord Shen?"

"Outer Realm Buddhism, Bloodthirsty Demonic Art!"

Upon hearing this, Zhuo Yuanhang, the leader of the Yan Yun Sword Sect, frowned. He glanced at Qing Shi Dao Ren, who also looked surprised, seemingly having been deceived as well. Zhuo Yuanhang breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Qing Shi Dao Ren cursed inwardly. Yu Zheng hadn't explained things clearly. Colluding with Buddhism and cultivating forbidden techniques were enough for Yu Jian Manor to kill him. Who would have thought that he had committed both? He had simply asked for trouble.

As for asking whether there was any evidence, Daoist Qing Shi was not worried that Yujian Manor was doing it on purpose; the matter must be true.

Most of the others were unaware of the affairs of the Buddhist sects in the outer realms, but they were familiar with the term "Bloodthirsty Demon Art." It was a supreme demonic art that had been passed down for hundreds of years, and many of their elders had died because of it. Liu Xuanwei's cultivation of this art meant that she had crossed their bottom line.

"Liu Xuanwei willingly fell into depravity, but Master Yin acted decisively and ruthlessly, thus preventing any harm. This is a great achievement for the martial arts world, and I admire him."

Upon hearing this, Yin Hao looked over and saw Zheng Long, the leader of the Three Dragons Gang. He nodded slightly to him and then looked at Shen Hua, waiting for his reply.

The others looked at Zheng Long with a hint of admiration. How dare he say such a thing? It was like slapping the three factions in the face. However, seeing that Master Qing Shi and Zhuo Yuanhang didn't care, they started whispering among themselves. After a while, the noise suddenly grew louder, and the quiet living room became like a vegetable market.

"Please be quiet for now!"

A deep, resonant voice rang in everyone's ears, causing them to shudder. The voice was filled with inner strength, and with a single word, it suppressed all other sounds, silencing the entire hall.

After saying this, Shen Hua stood up, clasped his hands in a salute to Yin Hao, and said solemnly, "Tianqin Mountain has committed such a disgraceful act. Master Yin has done a great service to the martial arts world and deserves the title of benevolent and righteous. I admire you. However, Master Yin, Tianqin Mountain has been destroyed and the culprits have paid the price, but there are still some disciples outside. Elder Yu Zheng is preparing to rebuild the mountain gate. I wonder if this 'Heavenly Evil Qin' can be returned, so that it can be considered as returning it to its rightful owner?"

Upon hearing this, Yin Hao glanced at Shen Hua, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. He had originally thought this person was the most pragmatic, but it seemed he had underestimated the greed in people's hearts. He glanced at the composed Qing Shi Dao Ren and Zhuo Yuan Hang, and then remained silent.

"Lord Shen, you are mistaken. Back then, Zhong Ping led a group of evil spirits to cause trouble at my manor. My brother spared her life for Liu Xuanwei's sake, so it was only natural that the Heavenly Evil Harp fell into my hands. However, my manor does not value this thing. If Elder Yu has time one day, please come to the manor to take it away in person."

As soon as Yin Jun finished speaking, a glint flashed in the eyes of the Qing Shi Daoist standing to the side. He had been waiting for these words. The Heavenly Evil Zither was also a great treasure. Just because the Imperial Sword Manor didn't value it didn't mean they didn't. The Qing Shi Daoist looked outside and saw a figure walking in.

Everyone looked on in astonishment, and there stood Yu Zheng, who had been missing for a long time.

"Master Yin keeps his word. Yu Zheng has arrived. Please return the Heavenly Evil Zither to Master Yin. Yu Zheng will be extremely grateful."

Yu Zheng considered that with all the factions gathered, they would not sit idly by. If Yujian Manor dared to bully a weak woman like her, it would definitely cause chaos. After all, people sympathize with the weak, and with some selfish motives, this matter could eventually become the last straw that breaks Yujian Manor's back.

Seeing Yu Zheng appear, Yin Jun seemed to have expected it. He turned to look at Yin Hao at the head of the table, who nodded to him. Yin Jun clapped his hands, and Tie Feng walked in carrying a long wooden box.

"Second Master."

Tie Feng handed the wooden box to Yin Jun, who opened it. Everyone saw a seven-stringed zither with a dark color, radiating a mysterious glow and of extraordinary quality. It was none other than the Heavenly Evil Zither.

"Elder Yu, you can take this Heavenly Evil Zither now. After that, it has nothing to do with the Imperial Sword Manor." With that, Yin Jun pushed out his palm. As the palm force surged, the wooden box closed and rushed straight towards Yu Zheng. The whistling sound made the hairs on both sides stand on end. This move was not easy to withstand.

Upon seeing this, Yu Zheng's expression changed drastically. She had already sensed that the palm strike contained three layers of force, and she needed to neutralize all three layers of force at the same time in order to catch the wooden box, otherwise it would definitely slip out of her hand.

"No, this is the best opportunity. If we fail, the Imperial Sword Manor won't be so lenient."

Yu Zheng mobilized all her inner energy, preparing to withstand the triple force head-on. The moment her palms made contact, her whole body trembled, and her robes bulged at a visible speed.

Qing Shi Dao Ren had been resting with his eyes closed, but as he watched Yu Zheng's movements, his mind stirred. He realized that this person's aura had changed, and he was not using the martial arts of Tianqin Mountain.

Connecting Yin Jun's two forces, Yu Zheng could barely withstand the force with the martial arts of Tianqin Mountain alone, and it would be difficult for her to withstand the third force. Without thinking, her aura changed, and she actually activated the Bloodthirsty Demon Art taught by Master Huoya.

Suddenly, black and red energies surrounded her, and her beautiful face became ferocious and terrifying. Those who were close by were immediately terrified and looked at Yu Zheng with fear in their eyes.

"Bloodthirsty Demon Art!"

(End of this chapter)