Be a proper Taoist priest in The Condor Heroes

The morning mist, like a veil, clung to the peaks of Zhongnan Mountain. The green bricks and gray tiles of Chongyang Palace appeared and disappeared in the mist. The air still carried the bloody smell of last night's battle and the bitterness of herbs, exuding a sense of solemnity after surviving a calamity.

The disciples were silently cleaning up the battlefield, their movements as they carefully collected the bodies of their fellow disciples. Their brows were filled with grief and solemnity, a stark contrast to their usual morning practice.

Inside the main hall, several relics of a Mongolian master were spread out on a table.

A broadsword, a bronze plaque engraved with strange totems, and several pieces of fabric embroidered with exotic patterns. The six disciples of Quanzhen stood around the table, with Su Yan and Yin Zhiping standing on either side, the atmosphere heavy with tension.

Qiu Chuji picked up the bronze plaque, his fingertips tracing the grassland totem on it, his tone heavy yet his words clear and logical.

"Please look, everyone. This totem is the symbol of the lineage of Jochi, Genghis Khan's eldest son. Jochi died six years before Genghis Khan, and his fiefdom is now inherited by his second son, Batu. In the past two years, Batu has been leading a large army on a westward expedition, sweeping across both banks of the Danube River, and his power has expanded dramatically."

He paused, threw the scimitar on the table, and continued speaking.

"The Jin Dynasty has been destroyed for three years now. The Great Khan of the Mongols is Ögedei, the third son of Genghis Khan. He launched his second western expedition two years ago and is at the height of his rule. However, there are already undercurrents within the Golden Family. Batu of the Jochi lineage and Ögedei's eldest son Güyük have always been at odds and have openly turned against each other during the western expedition. Chagatai, Genghis Khan's second son, firmly stands on Ögedei's side, forming a solid alliance. There is also Sorghaghtani Beki, the widow of the deceased fourth son Tolui, who, along with Möngke Khan, Kublai Khan, and other sons, inherited the vast majority of Tolui's army and followers. She is the strongest in terms of military strength, but she only submits on the surface and is secretly accumulating power."

Yin Zhiping frowned, his face showing surprise.

"So, their attack on our religion was not on the orders of Ögedei Khan?"

"Exactly."

Qiu Chuji nodded, his eyes sharp.

"Batu was far away on his western expedition, yet he sent men to harass our sect. Firstly, he wanted to use the name of the orthodox Xuanmen sect to win over the hearts of the people in the Central Plains. Secondly, he wanted to cause trouble for Ögedei. The Quanzhen sect has a very high reputation in the north. If we could control or destroy it, we could weaken Ögedei's potential support and also curry favor with the Tolui faction, paving the way for a future struggle for the Khanate. However, they did not expect that Zhijing's rebellion would be quelled so quickly, nor did they expect that Su Yan's strength had reached the top tier."

Su Yan lowered his eyes and pondered, quickly calculating in his mind: the factional structure that Uncle Qiu mentioned was more complicated than he had expected.

Although Ögedei was on the throne, there was a succession struggle between Güyük and Shiremun, and he was also addicted to drinking, so his control over the government was gradually weakening; Batu's western expedition was powerful, and he had a feud with Güyük; Tolui's faction had the strongest military strength, and Möngke and Kublai Khan had come of age and would definitely be key forces in the future.

As a key border town of the Southern Song Dynasty, Xiangyang was inevitably a place where various forces converged. Not only was it under pressure from the southward advance of the Mongols, but it might also be drawn into the factional infighting of the Golden Family. The primary objective of this trip to Xiangyang was to find the Sword Tomb, but it was essential to first contact the sect's spies and understand the local situation, especially the infiltration of various Mongol factions. Otherwise, a slight misstep could lead to a dangerous situation.

Ma Yu turned around, her gaze falling on Su Yan, her eyes full of approval and solemnity.

"Su Yan, you deserve the most credit for protecting the sect this time. If it weren't for your early detection of the unusual activity using the Five Arts, and your heroic actions on the battlefield, killing Batu and restraining Zhao Zhijing, the Quanzhen Sect would probably have been wiped out."

He paused, his voice firm and resolute.

"I propose that you become the chief disciple of the sect, overseeing the martial arts of three generations of disciples. When we retire, the position of sect leader will be passed on to you. I hope you can lead the Quanzhen Sect to stabilize this chaotic world."

"Brother Ma is absolutely right!"

Qiu Chuji immediately echoed him, his tone enthusiastic.

"Your martial arts are superb, your temperament is calm and composed, and you are also proficient in the five arts of medicine, fate, divination, and metaphysics. You are the perfect candidate to lead the sect!"

Wang Chuyi, Sun Bu'er, and others nodded in agreement. After this battle, Su Yan's ability and responsibility had already been recognized by them. If it weren't for Su Yan's early warning and martial arts skills, even if they had won today's battle, it would have been a Pyrrhic victory, and the Quanzhen Sect would have suffered a great loss of strength.

Upon hearing this, Su Yan immediately bowed respectfully, his posture humble yet his tone firm.

"Thank you for your kind words, my six teachers. I am unworthy of such praise."

He looked up at the crowd, his gaze clear and unwavering.

"When I first joined the sect, I only wanted to focus on cultivation and growth, and I never had the idea of ​​taking over the sect. My Dao heart and martial arts still need to be honed. I would like to go down the mountain more often and use my meager strength to protect the Dao and save people. This is the path I truly want to take."

He knew in his heart that his ambition was not in power.

While leading the Quanzhen Sect is certainly an honor, it would bind one's hands and feet with sect affairs, preventing one from freely pursuing the pinnacle of martial arts, and making it even more difficult to flexibly protect the innocent in chaotic times.

Moreover, he knew his own personality was better suited to working alone rather than getting bogged down in academic affairs.

Seeing that he had made up his mind, Liu Zi felt regret but did not insist.

Qiu Chuji took out a white jade token from his bosom. The front of the token was engraved with the two characters "Quanzhen" and the back was a pattern of the Big Dipper. He handed it to Su Yan.

"Since you insist on coming down the mountain, this token will be given to you. In case of trouble, you can use it to mobilize the secret agents throughout the sect to obtain supplies and intelligence, which will serve as an extra layer of protection."

Su Yan accepted the token; it was cold and heavy in his hand. He bowed and expressed his gratitude.

"Thank you for your generous gift, Master. I will certainly live up to your expectations."

After the meeting, Su Yan returned to the small courtyard of the library to pack her belongings. Su Ye was already waiting by her side, packing the dried herbs, wound medicine, and multigrain cakes into her bundle. She moved quickly, her face still cool, but her eyes revealed an undisguised reluctance.

"Yan-ge'er, I've packed your bags, and I even brought some insect repellent powder. It's hot and humid in Xiangyang, you'll need it."

Su Yan felt a surge of warmth in her heart as she watched her busy figure.

In the past four years, Su Ye had grown from a timid little girl into a partner who could stand shoulder to shoulder with him. Just as he was about to speak, footsteps came from outside the courtyard gate, and Sun Bu'er walked in slowly.

"Nephew Su, on your trip to Xiangyang, could you do me a personal favor?"

Sun Bu'er spoke gently.

"Uncle-Master Sun, please give your instructions."

Su Yan put her luggage aside, and Sun Bu'er took out a letter that she had prepared beforehand from her sleeve.

"I had an old friend named Wang in Xiangyang years ago. We made a pact that once his daughter, Wang Xingyi, grew up, if she was of good character and had mastered martial arts, we would take her as our disciple."

A hint of expectation flashed in Sun Bu'er's eyes.

"However, the affairs of the sect have been too complicated these past years, and I have never been able to make the trip. Now that you are going to Xiangyang, please investigate for me and see what kind of character that child has, and how well she is progressing in learning the first move of the Quanzhen Sword Technique that I taught her. If she is qualified, you can take her back to the mountain; if she is not yet up to par, you can also give her some pointers."

Su Yan's heart stirred. His trip to Xiangyang already included the Sword Tomb as a target, so investigating Wang Xingyi along the way wouldn't be an extra burden. He took the letter and nodded in agreement.

"Uncle-Master Sun, rest assured, after arriving in Xiangyang, I will conduct a thorough investigation and live up to your expectations."

Sun Bu'er nodded with satisfaction and added.

"That child has superhuman strength, and he might be a bit stubborn, so just be patient with him."

Before dawn the next day, Zhongnan Mountain was still immersed in the tranquility of the morning mist.

Su Yan carried the Qingfeng sword on his back and a heavy bag, with Su Ye following closely behind, also carrying a standard longsword of the Quanzhen Sect.

Without alerting the other disciples, the two quietly descended the mountain along the path behind it.

The morning mist gradually enveloped the two figures.