Wuxia: Start with max-level Nine Yang Divine Skill

Chapter 188 Disaster is imminent, will blood spill on Zhongnan Mountain? (4k4)

Who else could it be but Li Fu, who killed Eunuch Yi Cai, King Tie Liu, and even the once-divine swordswoman Xian Du?

"So young, yet his martial arts skills are already incredibly high!"

"No wonder, it was him—his rise was as rapid as a shooting star, and his name became known throughout the world."

"I heard that he was in the government and rarely got involved in the feuds of the martial arts world. He was like a dragon whose head is seen but whose tail is not, so many people only knew his name but never saw him."

This time, it was at the invitation of the Quanzhen Sect that they asked him to act as a notary for the public trial, which is why he came to Zhongnan Mountain.

"Today's meeting is like a gentle breeze and a bright moon. Indeed, his demeanor and bearing are extraordinary. Although he doesn't seem as fierce as the legends say, it's hard to believe he is a peerless swordsman."

"I've heard that in many rural areas of the north, some people are so grateful for the disaster relief funds that they've even erected shrines in its honor."

"Really?"

But that makes sense; after all, it was the blood debt of hundreds of thousands of people.

Amidst the shocked murmurs of the crowd, Liu Changzhen politely greeted Li Fu for a few moments, then looked at Wang Woyun and smiled.

"This man in hempen clothes and drinking turbid wine, with an unusual appearance, could he be the great hero Wang Woyun, known in the martial arts world?"

It is truly a pleasant surprise that the chivalrous Master Wang, whose whereabouts are so elusive, has graced Zhongnan Mountain with his presence today.

"Master Liu, you're too kind."

Wang Woyun cupped his hands in greeting. Despite his lazy demeanor, he dared not be too disrespectful to the renowned leader of the Quanzhen Sect, with Li Fu watching from the side.

Everyone knows this leader of the Quanzhen Sect, but that's not surprising.

Presumably, he had carefully reviewed the portraits of all the people invited in preparation for receiving guests over the next two days.

Wang Woyun was also famous in the martial arts world, which aroused some discussion.

First Li Fu, then Wang Woyun, overshadowed the leaders of Laoshan Sect. But Laoshan's thousand-year-old lineage is undeniable, and no one can ignore or underestimate it.

At this moment, many martial arts practitioners were whispering among themselves on and off the mountain path.

"That's Master Yunxi from the Laoshan Sect—why do they all look a little off?"

"Yes, Master Yunqi's brows are furrowed, and the Taoist priests of Laoshan Sect also seem worried. Could something have happened on the way?"

"Weren't you supposed to be here to witness the public trial of the Kongtong Sect?"

Why do the Laoshan Sect members look so worried? Anyone who didn't know better would think they were about to be publicly tried!

Knowing that this matter involved Mongol experts and that the Mongol imperial tutor was involved in a conspiracy, Li Fu remained calm and composed.

However, the faces of Master Yunqi and the disciples and elders of the Laoshan Sect did not show the peace or cheerfulness that should have been present when attending the meeting; instead, they were filled with worry.

Some even had their lips tightly pressed together, appearing preoccupied and slightly anxious.

After exchanging pleasantries with Daoist Yunqi and the others, Liu Changzhen originally invited everyone to come up the mountain with a smile. However, the Quanzhen Sect Leader seemed to have noticed something amiss and hesitated before asking.

"Brother Yunqi, is there something you want to say?"

"Master Liu, I have important matters to discuss with you. They concern the safety of this conference, and we need to find a quiet place to talk in detail."

Master Yunqi bowed and said in a low voice.

"A quiet guesthouse has been prepared on the mountain; please rest there."

Liu Changzhen seemed to sense that this matter was somewhat taboo and should not be publicized. He smiled calmly, saying only the usual polite words, as if nothing had happened, but his words implied something.

"Brother Dao, come with me."

He instructed an elder beside him to receive the other sect leaders who arrived one after another, while he personally led Li Fu, Wang Woyun, Yun Qizi and several elders of the Laoshan Sect. Instead of going to the usual guesthouse, they bypassed the main hall, passed through several courtyards, and came to a relatively secluded quiet room in the back mountain.

The ancient pines outside the window provide ample shade, and the interior is simply furnished with only a couch, a small table, and several futons, with a light sandalwood incense burning. It is clearly the place where the sect leader usually meditates or has private conversations.

After the young Taoist boy served tea and left, closing the door behind him, leaving only a few people in the room, Liu Changzhen's smile slowly faded, his expression turning solemn as he looked at Master Yunqi.

"Officer Li, Brother Yunqi, Hero Woyun, what important matter is it?"

This is my place of quiet contemplation; there's no need to worry about eavesdroppers. Feel free to speak your mind.

Yun Qizi glanced at Li Fu, who had captured all three Dharma Kings, and asked with his eyes. Li Fu gestured with his eyes that he could speak as he pleased.

Yun Qizi didn't go into details, but simply and clearly recounted how he encountered the Kongtong Sect's secret operation on the road, how he became suspicious and began to follow them, and how he was ambushed and killed by the four guardian kings of Tibet and Mongolian warriors in the canyon.

It mentions how Li Fu used a tree branch as a sword to fight the three protectors of the Tibetan Dragon Elephant Sect alone, defeating them one by one in a head-on battle.

At first, Liu Changzhen was able to sit upright and listen quietly, but the more he listened, the more solemn his expression became. When he heard the names of the four Dharma Kings of the Tibetan Dragon Elephant Sect, his expression changed.

When he heard that Li Fu had single-handedly defeated the three Dharma Kings with a tree branch as a sword, he was even more surprised and couldn't help but speak.

"I have also heard of the names of the Four Dharma Kings of the Tibetan Dragon Elephant Great Tibetan School. They are indeed unparalleled masters in Tibet. No one in Tibet has ever been able to make them join forces."

Officer Li, you—you actually managed to take on three opponents single-handedly and defeat them—so easily.

"I have been in charge of the Quanzhen Sect for over a decade, and have seen and heard of countless masters, but I have never seen anyone of such age and skill as Constable Li."

Li Fu said, "You flatter me, Master. It's just a fluke."

While the martial arts of the Four Great Protectors of the Dragon Elephant Sect possessed extraordinary qualities, they were still bound by the limitations of martial arts from our Central Plains.

After the initial shock, Liu Changzhen's expression turned to a deeper worry, and he murmured to himself.

"The four Dharma Kings of the Tibetan Dragon Elephant School and the Mongolian warriors, under the orders of the Mongolian Imperial Preceptor Luozhui Gyaltsen, seem to aim to disrupt the conference."

If this is true—then it's a serious matter!

The fact that the Mongol Yuan dynasty could send such unparalleled masters to secretly infiltrate the region suggests that their intentions were far from small. But what good would it do them to simply disrupt the conference?

Could it be that they intend to take advantage of our gathering of various factions to launch an attack, causing destruction and severely damaging the vitality of our Northern Jianghu Taoist sects?

"This is a matter of great importance."

Liu Changzhen seemed a little confused, so he looked up and asked again to confirm.

"Brother Yunqi, are you sure those people really came for the public trial?"

Or was it just a chance encounter, or was there some other motive?

Master Yunqi solemnly replied, "Absolutely true!"

Those people ambushed us halfway; if it weren't for the conference, why would they do such a thing?

Both Constable Li and Hero Wang were present and witnessed the event. If the sect leader doesn't believe it, he can ask them.

Li Fu nodded slightly and said.

"The four Dharma Kings of the Tibetan Longxiang Mahayana sect did indeed claim to be acting on the orders of the Buddha's disciple, and their intention to ambush him halfway was quite obvious."

Wang Woyun nodded in agreement.

Liu Changzhen's expression was one of surprise and uncertainty, clearly indicating that he was greatly shaken. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke.

"Officer Li has solved many strange cases and his keen observation is known throughout the land; Hero Wang is also a remarkable figure in the martial arts world, with extensive knowledge and experience."

With two witnesses, how could I, a humble Taoist priest, not believe?

He paused, his tone growing increasingly heavy, as if he had thought of something.

"To be honest, before inviting fellow practitioners from all over the world to this public trial, my Quanzhen Sect, together with the leaders and elders of several sects such as Hengshan and Huangshan, had privately conducted a preliminary interrogation of Huo Shuyan of the Kongtong Sect who had been captured."

Huo Shuyan's words were evasive and hesitant, and he concealed many key points, clearly indicating that he was hiding a great secret!

Although we did not use torture to extract a confession, judging from our observations, this person definitely has something to hide!

It can be concluded that even if he did not do the massacre at Mount Tai himself, it must be related to the Kongtong Sect!

That is why we decided to hold a public trial, inviting all those with similar beliefs to witness it, so as to force him to reveal the truth in public, set the record straight, and give justice to the wronged souls of the Taishan Sect!

Liu Changzhen changed the subject, raised his head and looked intently at Li Fu and Master Yunqi.

"Now, while several people were tracking the secret forces secretly dispatched by the Kongtong Sect, they were suddenly ambushed and killed by Mongol experts—these two events are connected and cannot help but make people think."

Could it be that the Kongtong Sect has secretly colluded with the Mongol Yuan Dynasty?

The entire Taishan Sect was the first poisonous move they prepared in order to eliminate dissidents and take control of the Northern Earth Sect.

Now that the matter has been exposed, the Kongtong Sect is desperate and has resorted to inviting trouble by colluding with Mongol experts to disrupt the public trial. They even intend to launch a surprise attack on the experts from various sects, causing serious damage to the Northern Earth Sect.

"Officer Li is a master of martial arts, possesses keen eyesight, and has solved numerous major cases, making them feel threatened, which is why they ambushed him halfway?"

Master Yunqi, Wang Woyun, and several elders from Laoshan frowned and nodded slowly.

"To be honest, we had similar speculations on the way here as well."

"What Master Liu said makes sense."

Yun Qizi said in a deep voice, "But—is Huo Shuyan really that suspicious? His stammering manner suggests he has something to hide?"

While he certainly looked down on the Kongtong Sect's impetuous and belligerent style in recent years, believing it had lost sight of the millennia-old lineage of Taoism, the fact that they would massacre the entire Taishan Sect, a fellow Taoist sect, overnight over some grudges was still utterly appalling.

Liu Changzhen sighed.

"I also do not want to believe it, but several highly respected fellow Daoists, such as the head of the Hengshan Sect and the elders of the Huangshan Sect, can testify to this."

Perhaps because he had something to hide, when asked where he was on the night the Mount Tai Sect was massacred, his guilty look was obvious even to a three-year-old child; it wasn't just my speculation.

Hearing that several other sect leaders and elders had witnessed the event, the Laoshan Sect members' suspicions about the Kongtong Sect deepened, and their faces showed even more worry.

If the Kongtong Sect truly colluded with the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, then this conference would be fraught with danger and hidden dangers, and there would likely be a disaster, with bloodshed on Zhongnan Mountain!

Only Li Fu's eyes flickered with a thoughtful expression.

Of all those present, only he knew that Huo Shuyan had appeared at a brothel in Yanzhou on the night the Taishan Sect was wiped out.

Huo Shuyan's stammering and guilty conscience may be because he is ashamed to admit that as a senior disciple of the Kongtong Sect and a future candidate for sect leader, he violated the sect's rules by going down the mountain to visit prostitutes.

However, this matter involves not only personal privacy but also the thousand-year-old reputation of the Kongtong Sect. Before it is confirmed and the situation is clear, he cannot speak rashly.

The situation was serious, Liu Changzhen decided immediately.

"This matter must be immediately communicated to the leaders and elders of all the major sects who have arrived. They need to be aware of this and be on high alert to avoid being caught off guard by the Mongol experts!"

He stood up, paced back and forth a couple of times, and then said, "However, the transmission of information must be kept secret, and the scope must be controlled."

Simply inform the key figures of each faction; do not make a big fuss, lest you alert the enemy hiding in the shadows, or cause panic among the ordinary disciples and throw them into disarray.

Yun Qizi nodded repeatedly: "The sect leader's considerations are thorough, and this is the most appropriate course of action."

Liu Changzhen cupped his hands in greeting to Li Fu, Wang Woyun, and the others.

"Please, Officer Li, Brother Yunqi, and Hero Woyun, have a seat here for a moment. Soon, disciples of Quanzhen will come to lead you to a quiet room for rest."

You must all be tired from your long journey and the ambush you encountered along the way. Please rest well first.

I will first go and speak with a few trusted sect leaders to arrange security measures.

With the conference approaching and a storm brewing, we must rely on all of you, colleagues, to work together and overcome this challenge!

Everyone nodded or returned the greeting.

Liu Changzhen didn't linger any longer, turned around and quickly walked out the door, his figure soon disappearing outside the Songying Courtyard.

He left in a hurry, asking about the matter and then departing, even slightly lacking in the composure and courtesy expected of a guest.

But everyone present understood that the situation was urgent and disaster was imminent. The head of the Quanzhen Sect had a heavy burden on his shoulders and countless things to consider and arrange. How could he possibly care about proper etiquette?

No one bothered with it.

Before long, two older Quanzhen disciples entered and respectfully led Li Fu, Wang Woyun, Yunqi Zhenren, and others to the quiet courtyards that had been arranged for them to rest.

Although the Quanzhen School has only been established for a few decades, it has become extremely popular and is already the de facto leader of the Taoist sects in the north.

The palaces and temples on Zhongnan Mountain are magnificent and continuous, with pavilions and towers built along the mountainside. They are elegant and spacious. Even though various sects have gathered here at this moment, the guest rooms are not crowded at all, which shows the scale and grandeur of the place.

As night deepened, Zhongnan Mountain was enveloped in tranquility, with only the sound of pine trees rustling in the wind, making it appear even more secluded.

Li Fu was placed in a secluded courtyard with his back to a cliff.

In two days, the public trial will officially begin.

Li Fu stood in the courtyard, hands behind his back, gazing up at the night sky.

A mountain breeze carries the faint sounds of lights and voices from afar.

Suddenly, his ears twitched slightly. Amidst the sound of the wind, there was an extremely faint, almost imperceptible sound of clothes rustling through the air and the sound of toes touching the ground.

The sound was extremely soft and evenly spaced, indicating that the person making the sound was quite skilled in lightness of movement, and there was more than one person making the sound, taking advantage of the darkness to sneak through the complex palaces and forests of Zhongnan Mountain.

Li Fu closed his eyes, listened intently for a moment, and when he opened them again, his gaze was fixed on a patch of rooftop shadows to the southeast.

"They've arrived as expected."

After arriving at the Quanzhen Sect, he didn't spend much time thinking about where He Yisheng and the others from the Kongtong Sect had gone.

Regardless of what secret routes He Yisheng, Elder Songxi, Shi Daoren, and others from the Kongtong Sect used to arrive at Zhongnan Mountain, their arrival must be aimed at the Quanzhen Sect, and they are bound to make a move.

Then we just need to wait.

Now it has finally arrived.

Li Fu moved with lightning speed, like a weightless willow catkin, silently drifting over the courtyard wall. He used the Lingbo Weibu (a martial arts technique) to trail behind the group of night travelers with his hands behind his back.

Under the cover of night, coupled with Li Fu's skill and agility, he truly seemed like an immortal gliding on water, leaving no trace on the snow, almost blending into the mountain breeze and night air.

The Kongtong Sect masters in front were so focused on concealing their movements that they were completely unaware of the shadowy figure behind them.

The group walked through corridors and courtyards, avoiding several guard posts, both visible and hidden, and soon arrived at a relatively secluded courtyard in the back mountain.

Four third-generation disciples of the Quanzhen School, dressed in blue Taoist robes, stood guard outside the courtyard gate, swords in hand, their expressions solemn.

After observing from the shadows for a while, Elder Songxi and Daoist Shi exchanged a hand gesture and darted out like cats, striking the four disciples' pressure points with lightning speed.

The four disciples collapsed to the ground without uttering a sound.

"This seems to be the place where Huo Shuyan is being held?"

Were they sent by Kongtong to rescue people?

After arriving at the Quanzhen Sect, he heard about the place where Huo Shuyan was imprisoned. The various sects, especially the younger disciples, had a lot of discussion about Huo Shuyan and the place where he was imprisoned.

Li Fu stood on a tall ancient pine branch in the distance, concealing his figure in the shadows. Upon seeing this, he frowned slightly.

Huo Shuyan himself is a rare master in the martial arts world.

The Quanzhen School is perhaps a bit too arrogant.

"Is it because there are still two days until the conference, or because the Quanzhen Sect has assigned people to guard against Mongol experts? Why is the security here so lax?"