The Legend of the Condor Heroes: From Being Expelled from Peach Blossom Island

Chapter 507 Internal and external troubles
Tonight will definitely be a sleepless night at Bright Summit, and it may even ignite a deadly fuse.

The White-browed Tiger King, one of the four great protectors of the Ming Cult, did have severe vitiligo, but he was also a man of great power and influence.

This old fellow is different from the Bear King. Although he agreed to step down and make way for a more capable person, he did not immediately resign after returning to Bright Peak. Instead, he wanted to find one of his own people to take over the position of Dharma King and stayed on Bright Peak every day. He was far less carefree than the Bear King.

But who would have thought that the White-browed Tiger King would actually itch to death right in front of his own subordinates? It was utterly ridiculous.

From the moment Tiger King died, bleeding from all seven orifices, the entire Bright Peak erupted in uproar, and the newly appointed leader of the main altar, Yang Xu, and the Left Envoy of Brightness, Wu Du, were also summoned.

Yang Xu stood aside with a livid face, while Wu Du examined the Tiger King's body. The cause of the Tiger King's death was a mystery. Without any external attack, he died inexplicably. The first suspicion was poisoning, and among the Ming Cult, Wu Du was second to none when it came to using poison.

After examining the body for a long time, Wu Du walked up to Yang Xu with a puzzled look and shook his head: "Reporting to the sect leader, there are no signs of poisoning in Tiger King's body. On the contrary, it seems that his body died spontaneously due to a problem."

Yang Xu still trusted Wu Du, but he couldn't figure out what it meant for the body to have a problem on its own, so he had to go to Tiger King to examine him personally.

Aside from the scratches on its exterior, there were no other injuries. He carefully examined the Tiger King's body and found that it was definitely injured. The injuries it suffered from being struck by Mo Ku had not yet healed, but they were not fatal.

It's a pity that the current leader is Yang Xu instead of Fang Yu. With Fang Yu's mastery of the Yin-Yang Dao and his deep understanding of the Xiaoyao Sect, he might be able to discover some clues. But Yang Xu is simply not qualified.

Such a death must have been caused by being struck by a life-or-death talisman, and the method used was an acute attack, solely for the purpose of killing, not for controlling a puppet.

After returning to Bright Peak, Wu Chengyu first spread rumors about a cockfighting competition, further solidifying his image as a spoiled brat.

Then, on this dark and windy night, he chose to attack both the Tiger King and the Bear King at the same time. The moment the Tiger King entered the house surrounded by the crowd, he used an ice shard to directly inject it into the Tiger King's body in the most secretive way, causing the Tiger King to take effect immediately after the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

As the Tiger King's Life and Death Talisman activated, causing it to writhe and struggle on the ground, Wu Chengyu slapped the Bear King into the hot spring pool.

This time, the Life and Death Talisman took effect rapidly, and without an antidote, the Tiger King was indeed unbearably itchy, which triggered a conflict between Yin and Yang within his body, leading to his death. Fortunately, the process was compressed, and the time he suffered was not too long, but his death was quite horrifying.

Yang Xu personally inspected the area but found nothing, and his brows furrowed even more. This Tiger King was not only Nangong Luan's former helper but also a senior member of the Ming Cult. After returning to Bright Peak and officially taking over the position, he still wanted to rely on his seniority.

But Yang Xu never intended to kill him directly. At least for the next three to five years, before he had complete control of the Ming Cult, this old guy was not to be killed.

Just then, a disciple suddenly came running over, his face filled with extreme fear. He staggered over and knelt down to report to Yang Xu.

"What? You're saying the Bear King is dead too? How did he die?"

This time, Yang Xu really wanted to vomit blood. Nangong Luan, Tiger King, Bear King, Fox King, and the Snake King, the father of Wu Du, were all of the same generation as Yang Xu's master, Fang Yu, and were deeply rooted in the Ming Cult.

The old Snake King died early, and Yang Xu and Wu Du were considered the younger generation of the Ming Cult. They had colluded together early on, and now it was indeed time for the younger generation to change the dynasty.

However, the strength of the Tiger King and the Bear King should not be underestimated. Their prestige and influence within the Ming Cult are immense, and even Yang Xu dares not take them lightly.

Fortunately, the Bear King was quite carefree. He resigned as soon as he returned to Bright Peak, showing no attachment to power. Only the Tiger King, who was unwilling to accept defeat, was still thinking about seizing power and profit, and was somewhat isolated and powerless.

If the Bear King and the Tiger King had joined forces, they would have been a tough nut to crack for Yang Xu. Fortunately, the Bear King let go, which greatly relieved Yang Xu's pressure. Therefore, Yang Xu now has a very good impression of the Bear King and no longer regards him as a potential enemy, let alone kill him.

But now the Bear King is dead. The two Dharma Kings have died at the same time. To Yang Xu, it's like mud smeared on his crotch. It's not poop, but it's still stinking excrement.

Yang Xu hurriedly led his men to Shouxiu Peak. The hot spring pool was surrounded by people, all of whom were former subordinates who had followed the Bear King in his retreat. Unlike the Tiger King's subordinates, who had witnessed the Tiger King's death and were still in shock, Yang Xu was a man of great fear.

But the Bear King died silently, and it wasn't until a servant went in to refill his wine that he was discovered. His former subordinates then rushed over, and now was the time for them to have all sorts of wild thoughts.

Yang Xu could clearly feel the gazes of those around him, some angry, some fearful, some suspicious, but mostly filled with hatred.

There was no time to think about these things now. Yang Xu walked closer to the hot spring and saw the huge body of the Bear King lying on the surface of the hot spring, with its crimson hair floating on top. There was not a drop of blood. The hot spring was surrounded by steam, which had a bit of a Chinese horror feel to it.

Yang Xu took a deep breath: "Why did the Bear King die?"

The person in charge of Shouxiu Peak replied, "Xiong Wang, he should have drowned."

Yang Xu could no longer contain his anger and kicked the other man to the ground: "The Bear King is a tall and imposing man. When he sits in this pool, the water level is at most up to his chest. You tell me he drowned? Believe me, I'll drown you right now."

The disciple dared not refute, rolled on the ground, and remained kneeling: "This disciple dares not speak presumptuously. The Bear King has no wounds on his body; he has indeed drowned."

Wu Du walked directly to the bear king's corpse and examined it carefully. He was a meticulous person and quickly noticed something amiss.

“Master, look, the Bear King must have struggled before he died. There are marks on the top of his head where someone forcefully pressed down. He must have been forcibly pushed into the water and drowned.”

Yang Xu narrowed his eyes and indeed saw that the bear king's head was swollen and his scalp was purple. It was indeed caused by someone pressing down with their palm, without using internal force, but simply by brute force.

But this Bear King has always been known for his superhuman strength. Even though his paws were injured, his strength in his waist and abdomen was still there. In his opinion, it was simply unbelievable that anyone could use brute force to force him into the water and suffocate him. At least Yang Xu knew that he could never do it.

The Tiger King died of an inexplicable itch, and no cause could be found. The Bear King was forced into the water and drowned by brute force, and it was impossible to imagine who could possess such power. Yang Xu was now in a fog, completely clueless.

But he knew one thing: the situation he was about to face was extremely dire, because the prime suspect who most likely killed Tiger King and Bear King silently within the Ming Cult was none other than himself, the new leader. "Men, collect Bear King's body along with Tiger King's, examine them thoroughly, and see if you can find any clues."

"Left Envoy Wu, the Bear King and Tiger King must have been murdered. I entrust this matter to you. You must find out the truth no matter what. How can the Dharma King of my Ming Cult die in such an unclear manner?"

In the following days, the bodies of the Tiger King and the Bear King were examined dozens of times. The cause of the Bear King's death was relatively easy to explain, but the cause of the Tiger King's death was completely unknown. Unless one was a disciple of the Free and Unfettered Sect or a top master who was proficient in the transformation of Yin and Yang, no one could find any clues.

Within the Ming Cult, rumors about the Tiger King and the Bear King were rampant, with all fingers pointing at Yang Xu.

Wu Du walked up behind Yang Xu, his expression agitated, his usually gloomy face losing its composure.

"Your Excellency, I am incompetent and cannot find out the real culprit, but there is something more serious now."

The news has spread throughout the entire Ming Cult that it was you, the leader, who killed the Bear King and the Tiger King. Both the Bear King and the Tiger King were once part of Nangong Luan's faction, and it was you, the leader, who eliminated dissidents.

Even more outrageous, some claim that I was the one who poisoned the Tiger King, so my examination of the corpse naturally showed no poison.

The cult leader then personally killed the Bear King, reasoning that only he, the leader, could so easily kill the Bear King within the entire Ming Cult.

"Investigate this. Rumors are flying everywhere in such a short time. It's obvious that someone is deliberately spreading them, and it must be related to the person behind it. Once we catch them red-handed, it won't be hard to find the real culprit."

“I have already sent people to investigate, but the person spreading the rumors is very cautious, and it is almost impossible to trace the source. It is my dereliction of duty.”

Yang Xu wasn't afraid of people spreading rumors; what he feared was not being able to find the people spreading them. This shows that there was a force within the Ming Cult that he hadn't even noticed, which was fueling the rumors.

He carefully considered the man who killed the Bear King and realized that he could never do it.

The people responsible for spreading the rumors were the Pu clan, to which Pu Zhishen belonged. This clan had followed the Ming Cult to Bright Peak during the Fang La Rebellion and had, on the surface, become one with the Ming Cult.

The main leaders of the Pu clan had all been given life-or-death talismans by Wu Chengyu, and they dared not resist. They could only follow orders to stir up trouble within the Ming Cult.

It has to be said that it was perfect to entrust this kind of thing to Squid. In fact, there are even members of the Pu clan working under Snake King. So, using a thief to catch a thief, Snake King Wu Du went down the wrong path from the very beginning.

Just then, another member of the church hurried over and presented a calling card.

"Reporting to the Master, a lama has suddenly appeared outside Bright Peak, presenting a visiting card and specifically requesting to see you, Master."

"A Tantric lama?" Yang Xu and Wu Du exchanged a puzzled look.

The Ming Cult had carved out such a large territory in the Western Regions, fighting fiercely with several major forces there, including the Xiaoyao Sect. With its strong foundation, the Ming Cult finally established a foothold in the Kunlun Mountains.

In other words, the Ming Cult did not have good relations with the major powers in the Western Regions, including the Esoteric Buddhism of the Western Regions.

However, although the Western Regions Tantric sect was not as small as the Xiaoyao Sect, it was still divided into many factions and could not form a united force. Otherwise, it would be the Ming Cult's biggest enemy. But the Ming Cult has never dared to underestimate the Tantric sect over the years.

Yang Xu took the visiting card, on the front of which was written a sentence: "Great Snow Mountain, Great Wheel Temple, Great Wheel King, Deyun Gangzi pays respects to Yang, the leader of the Ming Cult?"

Yang Xu and Wu Du looked at each other in bewilderment. "De Yun Gang Zi, what kind of ridiculous name is that? Is it a Tantric Buddhist name?"

They also had some knowledge of the Tantric Buddhism in the Western Regions. This Great Snow Mountain Great Wheel Temple was clearly a temple from the Tubo region, far removed from the Ming Cult, and had no prior connection with it.

When Yang Xu opened the invitation, the words on it were not unexpected. It was someone who came to ask for a friendly exchange, or rather, someone who came to cause trouble.

"The snow-capped mountains of the Western Regions stand majestically, and it is said that the Ming Cult has long worshipped the Holy Flame of Light, and has produced many talented individuals."

I have recently learned that the new leader of the Ming Cult, Yang, has taken charge of the great cause of the Ming Cult. He possesses superb martial arts skills and great talent. I have long admired him and wish I could ask him for guidance in person.

This journey from Dalun Temple in the Great Snow Mountain is not for mere formalities or pleasantries, but to personally witness the charisma of Master Yang.

I apologize for disturbing you today, but I hope that three days from now, at noon, I can have a duel with Master Yang at Mengka Small Heavenly Pool, fifty miles outside Bright Peak.

My thoughts are racing as I await your kind words. If you grant my request, how fortunate I would be! Master Deyun Gangzi will surely burn incense in anticipation; the Lord of Wangyang will not disappoint me.

Respectfully bowing to the Great Wheel King Deyun Gangzi of the Great Wheel Temple on the Great Snow Mountain.

Yang Xu put down the visiting card, shook his head and smiled bitterly, "My master has passed away. I had just taken charge of the Ming Cult and had long expected that forces from the Western Regions would come to provoke us, but I did not expect them to come so quickly."

This Deyun Gangzi must be an accomplice invited by the Western Regions Tantric sect, who came specifically to cause me trouble and to find out the true strength of my Ming Cult.

Internal troubles had just begun when external threats arrived; to lead the Ming Cult and be its leader was truly no easy task.

(End of this chapter)