Blood sedge

Chapter 1218 Submitting a Petition to Join the Party (Part 3)

One hour later.

Miao An, feeling uneasy, sat upright in the Qing Tian Pavilion, staring at the two cups of tea on the table with conflicted eyes.

Zuo Hongxuan had already downed one of the cups in one gulp. Not long ago, he sat in the spot where Miao An was now sitting, suppressing his inner unease and the discomfort on his taste buds as he accepted the "difficult problem" assigned by Jin Fuyu. It was also a pledge of allegiance between him and the Qingcheng Sect to their firm stance.

The other cup was the one Jin Fuyu had just handed to Miao An.

The same scene, the same tea ceremony, the same atmosphere, the same relationship... The scene that made Zuo Hongxuan uneasy just now was now playing out again with Miao An.

Jin Fuyu, sitting opposite, remained as gentle and refined as ever, while Song Yu, Leng Yiyi, and Ai Mi, standing to the side, also remained silent.

The only difference is that the cunning and shrewd Ding Ao has now been replaced by the alluring and seductive Dong Xiao'er.

“Master, if you truly cannot tolerate the bitter tea here, I, Jin, will not force you.” Seeing that Miao’an hesitated to speak, a hint of coldness flashed in Jin Fuyu’s eyes as he spoke softly, “Emei is the orthodox school of martial arts, and you, Master, are a reclusive master. It is only natural that you would disdain associating with us commoners…”

"Master Jin's words are truly shameful for this humble nun." Jin Fuyu's self-deprecation caused Miao'an's expression to change, and she quickly explained, "The so-called orthodox martial arts sect is nothing but a hollow name, and I am even less worthy of the title of reclusive master. Master Jin, fearless of fierce enemies, killed Sui Zuo in Dengzhou and defeated the Tatars. He is now hailed by heroes of the world as 'the number one person in the Central Plains martial arts world who resisted the Mongols,' and all sects admire and praise him. Compared with you, this humble nun is truly insignificant."

"Master, you flatter me! I was forced by circumstances to do this." Jin Fuyu waved his hand modestly. "There is chaos in the world now, and the martial arts world in the Central Plains cannot escape bloodshed. We are all caught up in this situation."

“Helpless… what a 'helpless' situation.” Miao An smiled bitterly, but a trace of resentment still lingered in her gaze as she looked at Jin Fuyu. “Master Jin, could you please grant me a word of truth? Is the martial arts world of the Central Plains truly no longer what it once was? Looking back, even the ambitious Northern Prince… never tried to wipe us out. Back then, the Prince’s Mansion and Master Jin stood side by side, the six major sects and the four great families each went their own way, and all lived in peace. I don’t understand why the emergence of Liu Xunyi in the martial arts world has to lead to such a life-or-death struggle…”

"Sigh!" Before Miao An could finish speaking, Jin Fuyu already wore a helpless and bitter expression, sighing, "Firstly, although the world wasn't exactly at peace back then, at least the overall situation was stable, and the martial arts world and the imperial court kept to themselves. At that time, the Central Plains martial arts world didn't have the repeated intervention of the Song Dynasty court, nor the layered infiltration of the Mongol forces. The grudges between various sects were always settled within the martial arts world. Although there were constant disputes, at least the balance wasn't broken. In contrast, today, with the national war approaching, both the Song and Mongol sides are doing everything they can to win each other over." Using the forces of the martial world for his own purposes has almost created a situation where those who submit prosper while those who resist perish. When a great nation collapses, what chance do small families have? When the world is in chaos, how can the martial world remain at peace? Moreover, throughout history, countless figures have risen to power in times of chaos, and many who profit from the confusion have also emerged from it. Secondly, no matter how ambitious Luo Tianjin was in the past, he was ultimately only connected to the Prince Xian's Mansion. Leaving aside other sects, even Wudang, with whom he had close ties, acted with its own principles and made its own choices, rather than blindly following his orders. Therefore, it wasn't that Luo Tianjin lacked ambition, but rather that he lacked... Lacking the strength and means to unify the martial arts world, he could only patiently wait for an opportunity, adapting to the times and proceeding step by step until he gradually ascended to the throne of the martial arts alliance leader. But Liu Xunyi is different now. On the surface, his prestige and seniority are far inferior to Luo Tianjin's, but his advantage lies in his ingenious background. He can use kinship and blood ties to connect various factions, firmly binding together several previously independent and even opposing powerful groups, forming an unbreakable alliance of life and death. Desire can increase strength, and strength can similarly inflate desire. The so-called... The North and South coexisted, with six major sects and four great families. Only when their strength was roughly equal could they each act independently and coexist peacefully. Once an absolute power emerged, how could they coexist? Teng Sanshi, Xie Xuan, Xiao Zhirou, and Yun Zhuiyue were all ruthless and decisive figures in the martial world, well aware of the ironclad rule of "the victor is king, the loser is an outlaw." Even if they did nothing now, they would still be seen as a major threat by the other sects. Therefore, rather than being plotted against from behind, it was better to take the initiative, press their advantage, and completely seize control of the Central Plains martial world.

"The rules of the martial world are merely an unspoken agreement among various sects; their essence is simply a means of mutual checks and balances," Song Yu chimed in. "If Luo Tianjin back then had the same favorable circumstances as Liu Xunyi today, why would he need to follow the rules and compete for the title of Martial Arts Alliance Leader? He could have easily forced all sects to submit to him with overwhelming force. Master Miao'an, don't forget that when Luo Tianjin first ascended to the position of Alliance Leader, his true strength was still inferior to Liu Xunyi's today, yet he couldn't wait to reshuffle the Central Plains martial world. At that time, he wanted to divide the various sects into four levels—Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow—based on their respective spheres of influence and status in the martial world. Jin Jianwu, Emei Sect, Qingcheng Sect, and the Lu Family Mansion of Jiangnan all suffered severe suppression from him. If it weren't for the unforeseen calamity that befell the Prince Xian's Mansion, we would probably have no place in the Central Plains martial world today."

"The rules are always set by the winner; the loser either submits or is eliminated."

Song Yu and Leng Yiyi, seemingly commenting on Luo Tianjin and Liu Xunyi, were actually reminding Miao An that in the Qing Tian Pavilion today, all the rules were set by Jin Fuyu, and she had no room for negotiation.

Seeing Miao'an fall into a dilemma again, Dong Xiao'er feigned understanding and advised, "Once war breaks out, the fate of us martial arts practitioners will be no different from that of ordinary people; we will all be fish to be slaughtered. At that time, Liu Xunyi is like a sharp sword hanging over our heads, ready to fall at any moment. If we cannot think about danger in times of peace, we are destined not to last long. Abbess Miao'an is a wise and virtuous person, and she naturally knows where the Emei Sect should go in the future. Otherwise... she wouldn't be sitting here today."

Which sect leader is a fool? If Zuo Hongxuan could think of these worries and problems, how could Miao An not have thought of them?

However, they came here intending to leverage each other's strengths and negotiate a better price with Jin Fuyu. Unexpectedly, Jin Fuyu separated them for a meeting and only held one talk, giving them the choice to either compromise or leave, without giving them any chance to think or collude. As a result, the three families of Qingcheng, Emei, and even the Lu family of Jiangnan could not look after each other and could only bite the bullet and "fight alone".

"Master Zuo..." After hesitating for a long time, Miao An, whose mind was in turmoil, finally couldn't suppress her curiosity and tentatively asked, "How did he..." "Master Zuo has always been a man of great principle." Jin Fuyu did not answer Miao An's question directly, but instead pointed meaningfully to the empty teacup left by Zuo Hongxuan, the meaning of which was self-evident.

"Master Jinwu, you misunderstand. This humble nun knows that Sect Leader Zuo has already made his decision. Actually, what I wanted to ask was..." After hesitating for a long time, Miao'an still couldn't find the right words, "...whether Sect Leader Zuo also...whether he also..."

"Strike first, or suffer the consequences." Jin Fuyu instantly understood Miao'an's confusion and answered bluntly, "Once the arrow is released, there's no turning back. Since I've decided to strike first, there's no possibility of changing my mind. If we want to prevent the ship from capsizing, we must make the best use of everyone's talents. I can tell you clearly, Master, Emei has its concerns, and Qingcheng has its fears. The situation that the Left Sect Leader is facing now is no less difficult than that of you, Master."

“That may be true, but the person Master Jinwu asked me to deal with… is far too troublesome. She is not merely Liu Xunyi's confidante; behind her is the unfathomable Young Prince of Qin.” Miao’an said hesitantly, “Once we take action, regardless of success or failure, we will create two formidable enemies for the Emei Sect, and may even bring about its annihilation…”

"Master, have no worries! From today onwards, your friends are my friends, and the Emei Sect's mortal enemies are the Golden Sword Village's mortal enemies. Our two families share both glory and ruin." Jin Fuyu solemnly promised, "Moreover, Liu Xunyi and the Young Prince Qin are not fools. How could they not understand the principle of 'capture the king first'? Even if they want revenge, I will certainly be their first choice. What is there for you to fear, Master?"

“This humble nun is not afraid, but…” Miao’an hesitated, “This humble nun doesn’t quite understand Master Jin’s methods. You know that Xunzhen is a confidant of the Young Prince of Qin, and the Young Prince of Qin has a strong army in the Western Regions and is no ordinary person, so why provoke him rashly? Master Jin’s target is Liu Xunyi, we can turn our attention to Buzhengmen and the Xianwang Mansion. As long as he loses power, I expect the Young Prince of Qin will abandon him. In this way, we can both eliminate our biggest threat and avoid a direct conflict with the Young Prince of Qin. Wouldn’t that be the best of both worlds?”

"I cannot agree with what you say, Master." Song Yu scoffed at Miao An's naiveté. "May I ask, Master, how did Liu Xunyi survive to this day? How did she rise to power step by step? And how did Qingfeng lose his life at the anti-traitor rally? All of this seems to be Liu Xunyi's doing, but in reality, it was all Xun Zhen's scheme behind the scenes. Master, don't underestimate this vixen. She is not as simple as a spy planted by the Young Prince of Qin. Don't be fooled by her young age; she is extremely cunning, especially good at scheming, and her intentions are ruthless, cold, and vicious. Many prominent figures in the martial arts world have already suffered at her hands. Luo Tianjin, Qingfeng, and even we... have all been tricked by her."

“Back then, Xunzhen burned this place to the ground, almost cutting off our escape route.” The past was unbearable. Leng Yiyi looked around at the pavilions and towers, her tone still filled with deep hatred and murderous intent. “This woman must not be left by Liu Xunyi’s side, otherwise who knows how many more conspiracies and tricks await us in the future.”

"But……"

“I know that you are unwilling to provoke the young Prince Qin, and I have never intended to be his enemy.” Seeing that Miao An’s mind was softening, Jin Fuyu’s tone softened and he said seriously, “As I just said, you don’t need to take Xun Zhen’s life, or even hurt a hair on her head. You only need to find a way to invite her to Jin Jianwu.”

“Master Jinwu makes it sound so easy. If I don’t use some forceful methods, how could I possibly ‘invite’ her?” Miao’an said with a wry smile. “But if I use forceful methods, Liu Xunyi will definitely not sit idly by. It’s not that I’m underestimating myself, but I’m afraid that with my abilities alone… it would be difficult to accomplish this.”

“Then don’t make a move in Danfeng Garden,” Dong Xiao’er said nonchalantly. “She can’t stay with Liu Xunyi forever; there will always be times when she’s alone.”

"This……"

"Dong Xiao'er will accompany you, Master, and will lend you a helping hand if necessary. I, Jin, swear to Heaven that as long as you can bring Xunzhen to Jinjianwu, I am willing to bear the future rise and fall of the Emei Sect with all my might and protect her with my life!"

After speaking, Jin Fuyu's smile faltered slightly, his pupils narrowed, and his gaze sent a chill down Miao An's spine as she stared at him, who was hesitant to speak. At the same time, he slowly reached out and gently pushed the teacup in front of Miao An a few steps closer.

"Master, please!"

……