Starting from the time when Mang traveled through Joy of Life, he fabricated the myths of the heaven

Chapter 506 Coercion (Two Chapters Combined)
Master Dingyi spoke to Liu Zhengfeng, which was also everyone's thought. The Songshan Sect's behavior was indeed a bit excessive, and it was also what puzzled everyone.

“Master Dingyi, you are a virtuous person in Buddhism, so naturally you don’t understand the tricks and schemes of others.”

If this grand conspiracy succeeds, it will not only kill countless fellow practitioners in the martial arts world, but also greatly harm all kind-hearted people in the world.

Everyone, please think about this: Liu Sanye of the Hengshan Sect is a renowned hero in the martial arts world. How could he possibly stoop so low as to suffer the filth of those corrupt officials?
"Master Liu is incredibly wealthy, why would he covet promotion and riches? There must be some unspeakable reason behind it," Fei Bin said loudly.

Everyone was thinking that what he said made sense, and they were also wondering if it was really inappropriate for Liu Zhengfeng, given his character, to be a lowly military officer.

Watching this scene, Shen Qingzhou felt a little sorry for Liu Zhengfeng. He knew that his affair with Qu Yang should not be made public, but because he was not discreet, this matter was discovered.

Secondly, you are hypocritical. You don't want to bear the pressure of the struggle between good and evil, but you also want to leave a good reputation. You might as well retire from the underworld, but you are not resolute even though you know that someone is targeting you.

It was only because he stepped in to block the hidden weapon for Liu Zhengfeng that he was able to complete the process of washing his hands of the criminal gang.

Instead of being angry, Liu Zhengfeng laughed and said, "Senior Brother Fei, if you're going to make false accusations, you should at least see if they're plausible. All the senior brothers from the Songshan Sect, please show yourselves!" He was furious at the moment, but also somewhat relieved that he had finished washing his hands.

On the roof, two people, one on the east side and one on the west side, responded simultaneously: "Good!" Yellow shadows flickered, and the two people were already standing at the entrance of the hall. Their lightness skill was exactly the same as when Fei Bin jumped down earlier.

Standing at the east end was a fat man with a tall and imposing figure. Master Dingyi and the others recognized him as Ding Mian, the second junior brother of the Songshan Sect's leader, known as the Pagoda-Bearing Hand. The man at the west end, however, was extremely tall and thin. He was Lu Bai, the Crane-Hand, who held the third-highest position in the Songshan Sect.

The two men bowed to each other and said, "Please, Master Liu, and all heroes."

Ding Mian and Lu Bai were both highly renowned in the martial arts world. Seeing the arrival of experts from the Songshan Sect, everyone had a feeling that things would not end well today, and Liu Zhengfeng would likely suffer a great loss.

Master Dingyi said angrily, "Brother Liu, you don't need to worry. Everything in the world boils down to the word 'reason'."

"Don't be fooled by their numbers and strength. Do you think our friends from the Taishan, Huashan, and Hengshan sects are just here to eat and do nothing?" Master Dingyi meant well, but she also felt a sense of shared fate, which is why she brought up Taishan and Huashan, because Zuo Lengchan's plan to merge the Five Sacred Mountains was too obvious.

Liu Zhengfeng said with a wry smile, "Master Dingyi, I am truly ashamed to say that this matter is originally a matter within our Hengshan Sect, but it has troubled all of you good friends to worry about it."

At this moment, Liu understood perfectly well what had happened. It must have been his senior brother Mo who complained about him to the Left Leader of the Songshan Sect, listing all sorts of faults, which led to the Songshan Sect members coming to interrogate him. Very well, it was Liu who had been disrespectful to Senior Brother Mo; he would apologize to him.

Liu Zhengfeng wasn't stupid. In fact, rumors circulated that he and Mo Da were at odds, but they both knew that while their ideologies differed, they wouldn't actually do such a thing.

To put it simply, if they really took action, Mo Da could say that he colluded with Qu Yang and he would never be able to recover, but Mo Da never said that.

Fei Bin's gaze swept across the hall from east to west. His eyes narrowed to slits, but they shone brightly, revealing his profound inner strength. He said, "How is this matter related to Master Mo? Master Mo, please come out and let's explain ourselves."

After he said these words, the hall fell silent. After a long while, Mr. Mo Da, known as "Xiaoxiang Night Rain," did not appear.

He was actually worried that Mr. Mo would come. In Zuo Lengchan's words, he was a terrifying figure, low-key but very powerful.

Liu Zhengfeng smiled bitterly and said, "My fellow disciples and I are at odds, which is common knowledge among our friends in the martial arts world, so there's no need to hide it from you. I am relatively well-off thanks to the legacy of my ancestors."

My senior brother Mo comes from a poor family. Friends should share their wealth, let alone fellow disciples. But because of this, senior brother Mo has become disgusted and refuses to visit me. My fellow disciples and I haven't been in contact or seen each other for several years, so it's no surprise that senior brother Mo won't be coming today.

What I find objectionable is that Alliance Leader Zuo only listened to my Senior Brother Mo's side of the story before sending so many senior brothers to deal with me, even my elderly wife and children have become prisoners. That...that's making a mountain out of a molehill."

He certainly couldn't reveal Qu Yang's name now, which was only by chance. But he knew that if it were just about this matter, even if the Songshan Sect went mad, they wouldn't dare to make a move.

Fei Bin said to Sternda, "Raise the command flag."
Dengda said, "Yes!" He raised the command flag and stood next to Fei Bin.

Fei Bin said coldly, "Senior Brother Liu, today's matter has nothing to do with Master Mo Da, the leader of the Hengshan Sect. You don't need to involve him."

"Leader Zuo has given orders for us to investigate with you: What secret collusion exists between Senior Brother Liu and Dongfang Bubai, the leader of the Sun Moon Demonic Sect? What conspiracy have they plotted against our Five Mountains Sword Sect and all the righteous sects in the martial world?"

Upon hearing this, everyone was immediately moved, and many exclaimed in surprise.

The evil sects and the righteous heroes are irreconcilable enemies, their feud spanning hundreds of years. The struggle between good and evil is endless, with each side experiencing victories and defeats.

The Demonic Cult is numerous and powerful, with highly skilled martial arts. The righteous sects each have their own unique skills, but the leader of the Sun Moon Demonic Cult, Dongfang Bubai, is even more terrifying. His name is "Invincible," and indeed, he has never been defeated since mastering his skills. He is truly extraordinary.

When everyone heard Fei Bin accuse Liu Zhengfeng of colluding with the evil cult, and that this matter was indeed related to their lives and fortunes, their initial sympathy for Liu Zhengfeng immediately vanished.

While some things should not be readily believed, the fact that the Songshan Sect dared to act in this way must mean they had solid evidence.

Liu Zhengfeng said, "In my entire life, I have never seen the Demonic Sect Leader Dongfang Bubai. So where does this talk of collusion and conspiracy come from?"

Moreover, I have retired from the martial arts world in front of all the heroes, and will not get involved in the affairs of the martial arts world. Does the Songshan Sect intend to break this rule of retiring from the martial arts world?

"If the Songshan Sect had evidence beforehand, why didn't they stop me from retiring from the martial world earlier? Why wait until now? Was it to establish their authority? Unfortunately, I am no longer a member of Hengshan. You've miscalculated."

“That’s just sophistry. I’ve already told you to stop. The Five Sacred Mountains Command Flag is right here. Why don’t you stop?” Fei Bin said.

"Retiring from the criminal life is a private matter, and there are far too many people in charge of the Left Alliance."

Fei Bin turned his head to look at his third senior brother, Lu Bai, and waited for him to speak. Lu Bai said softly, "Senior Brother Liu, whether the Golden Basin Washing Hands Ceremony has been completed or not is another matter. The Golden Basin has already been overturned on the ground."

Furthermore, your statement about the Demonic Sect is probably not entirely true. There is a Dharma Protector Elder in the Demonic Sect named Zuo Qu Yang; I wonder if Senior Brother Liu knows him?

Liu Zhengfeng was originally very calm, but when he heard him mention the name "Qu Yang", his expression changed immediately, his lips tightened, and he did not answer.

Seeing this, Shen Qingzhou thought, "Damn it, you've tacitly agreed to this. You're just threatening to retire from the criminal world. They won't let you stop so easily with just a name." He understood, after all, in reality, people are often selfish, and it's normal to say they're only after profit. But for someone like Liu Zhengfeng, who has found a kindred spirit and is willing to risk even his family's lives for the righteous path, even if you try to reason with him, he himself wouldn't be so willing.

The fat man Ding Mian had not uttered a word since he entered the hall. Suddenly he asked in a stern voice, "Do you know Qu Yang?"

His voice was extremely loud, and the seven words he uttered made everyone's ears ring. He stood there motionless, and his already imposing figure seemed to have suddenly grown a foot taller in everyone's eyes, making him appear incredibly powerful.

Liu Zhengfeng still did not answer. Thousands of eyes were focused on his face. Everyone felt that it made no difference whether Liu Zhengfeng answered or not. Since he could not answer, it was tantamount to tacitly agreeing.

After a long while, Liu Zhengfeng nodded and said, "That's right! Brother Qu Yang, I not only know him, but he is also my only confidant and my best friend in my life."

In an instant, the hall was filled with noise as everyone discussed the matter. Liu Zhengfeng's words were completely unexpected. Everyone guessed that if he didn't deny it, he would at least admit to having met Qu Yang once. They never expected that he would say that this elder of the Demonic Sect was his close friend.

Fei Bin smiled and said, "If you admit it yourself, that would be the best thing. A true man takes responsibility for his actions. Liu Zhengfeng, the Left Alliance Leader has set two paths for you to choose from."

Liu Zhengfeng seemed not to hear Fei Bin's words. His expression was blank as he slowly sat down, picked up the wine pot with his right hand, poured a cup, raised the cup to his lips, and slowly drank it down.

Everyone saw that his silk robe and sleeves hung straight down without the slightest ripple, which showed that he had extraordinary composure. In this critical moment, he was still able to remain completely calm. This was because he had both courage and martial arts skills that were superb. Both were indispensable, and everyone secretly admired him.

Fei Bin said loudly: "Left Alliance Leader said: Liu Zhengfeng is a rare talent in the Hengshan Sect. He has mistakenly associated with villains and gone astray. If he can deeply repent, we are all good friends in the chivalrous path. How can we not be kind to him and give him a way to start anew?"
The Left Alliance Leader instructed his brothers to tell Senior Brother Liu, "If you choose this path, you have one month to kill Elder Qu Yang of the Demonic Sect and bring his head to me. Then, all past transgressions will be forgiven, and we will remain good friends and brothers."

Upon hearing this, everyone thought that good and evil are irreconcilable. The unorthodox sects of the demonic cult and the chivalrous figures would fight to the death as soon as they met. It was not an excessive request for the Left Alliance Leader to ask Liu Zhengfeng to kill Qu Yang to show his true intentions.

This is no longer about Zuo Lengchan's superior methods; he has grasped the rule that good and evil cannot coexist, and in everyone's mind, they are already enemies.

Furthermore, everyone felt that Zuo Lengchan was too tolerant, since none of them were directly involved and it's natural for them to interfere in other people's affairs.

A sad smile suddenly flashed across Liu Zhengfeng's face as he said, "Brother Qu and I hit it off immediately and became friends at first sight."

He and I had more than ten late-night talks in bed together. Occasionally, when the topic turned to differences of opinion between sectarian groups, he would always sigh deeply, thinking that such fighting between the two sides was utterly pointless.

My friendship with Brother Qu is solely based on our discussions of music. He's a master of the seven-stringed zither, while I prefer the xiao (vertical bamboo flute). When we meet, we mostly play the zither and xiao together; we never discuss martial arts.

He smiled slightly and continued, “You may not believe it, but in this day and age, Liu Zhengfeng believes that no one can match Brother Shangqu in playing the zither and other musical instruments, and I do not think anyone else can play the xiao (vertical flute) according to the zither.”

Although Brother Qu is a member of the Demonic Sect, I know from his music that he is of noble character and has a magnanimous and upright spirit.

Liu Zhengfeng not only admired him but also revered him. Although I am but a lowly man, I am determined not to harm this gentleman.

The more people listened, the stranger it seemed. Liu Zhengfeng's level of understanding was beyond the reach of most people, and they never expected that his relationship with Qu Yang would be based on music.

People were actually unwilling to believe it, but they saw that he spoke very sincerely and there was no sign of him being fake.

Some people think that there are many eccentric and unconventional people in the martial arts world, and that Liu Zhengfeng's indulgence in music is not unusual.

Those who know the details of the Hengshan School think: The masters of the Hengshan School throughout the ages have all loved music. The current leader, Master Mo Da, is nicknamed "Xiaoxiang Night Rain". He always has a huqin in his hand and has the nickname "the sword is hidden in the huqin and the sword is released from the huqin". It is quite possible that Liu Zhengfeng became friends with Qu Yang through playing the xiao.

Fei Bin said, "You and the Demon Qu became friends through music, and the Left Alliance Leader has already investigated this matter thoroughly."

The leader of the Left Alliance said: "The Demonic Sect harbors evil intentions. Knowing that our Five Mountains Sword Sect has been thriving in recent years and that the Demonic Sect is unable to resist it, they have tried every means to sabotage it, sow discord, and stop at nothing."

They might try to entice you with money or lure you with beauty. Since Senior Brother Liu is known for his strict integrity, they will try to please you by sending Qu Yang to teach you about music.

"Senior Brother Liu, you need to clear your head! How many of our people have been killed by the Demonic Sect in the past? How can you be so easily deceived by their treacherous tricks and remain completely oblivious?"

Fei Bin was very pleased with himself. It turned out that Liu Zhengfeng was a fool. If it were him, he would never admit it. He had successfully retired from his criminal life. If Liu Zhengfeng insisted on this, there was nothing they could do.

Master Dingyi said, "Yes, Junior Brother Fei is right. The terrifying thing about the Demonic Sect is not its insidious martial arts, but its various tricks that are hard to guard against."

Junior Brother Liu, you are a righteous gentleman. What does it matter if you've been tricked by a despicable villain? Just kill that devil Qu Yang with one sword as soon as possible. It would be extremely clean and satisfying.

We, the Five Mountains Sword Sect, are of one heart and one mind; we must not be swayed by the instigation of villains from the Demonic Sect, lest we betray the loyalty of our comrades.

Tianmen Daoist nodded and said, "Junior Brother Liu, the faults of a gentleman are like eclipses of the sun and moon, which are known to all. To know one's faults and correct them is the greatest virtue."

"You only need to kill that wicked man surnamed Qu, and all the chivalrous people will give you a thumbs up and say, 'Liu Zhengfeng of the Hengshan Sect is indeed a good man who clearly distinguishes between good and evil.' We, as your friends, will all be proud."

Liu Zhengfeng did not answer, but stared at Yue Buqun's face and said, "Senior Brother Yue, you are a gentleman who can distinguish right from wrong. Many martial arts masters here are forcing me to betray my friends, but what do you say?"

Yue Buqun said, "Brother Liu, if we are truly friends, we martial artists would go to great lengths for our friends without batting an eye."

But that Qu fellow in the Demonic Sect is clearly a wolf in sheep's clothing, a hypocrite who tries to curry favor with you; he is the most insidious enemy. His aim is to ruin Liu Xiandi's reputation, destroy his family, and his malicious intentions are beyond description.

If such a person can be considered a friend, wouldn't that be an insult to the word "friend"? The ancients were known for their righteousness even at the cost of family ties; if even family could be destroyed, how much more so should such a villainous and treacherous person be treated as a friend?

As everyone listened to his eloquent speech, they cheered and exclaimed, "Mr. Yue's words couldn't be clearer."

"One should naturally be loyal to friends, but towards enemies, one must be ruthless and eliminate all evil. What loyalty is there to speak of then?"

Shen Qingzhou observed coldly, which is also the attitude of most people nowadays. At present, it is clearly an internal matter of the Five Mountains Sword Sect.

(End of this chapter)