The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, becoming a disciple of Yue Buqun.

Fang Sheng was taken aback.

"why?"

Fang Zheng laughed and said, "Zuo Lengchan acts very domineeringly. He not only sends spies to his faction, but also sends people to hunt down allies and bribes the high-ranking members of his faction, intending to overthrow other sects. I believe that Sect Leader Yue knows these things. Now, Daoist Tianmen hates Zuo Lengchan to the bone."

He knew about Zuo Lengchan's ambush and attack on Tianmen Daoist, as well as the subsequent internal strife within the Taishan Sect. These were not secrets, and it would be easy for Shaolin to find out.

The deaths of dozens of Tianmen Daoist's disciples, followed by the internal strife within the Taishan Sect, which resulted in the deaths of over a hundred more Taishan disciples, made reconciliation between Tianmen Daoist and Zuo Lengchan virtually impossible; a complete break was inevitable.

As for the other sects, the Huashan Sect goes without saying. When Zuo Lengchan attacked the Taishan Sect, he also sent people to attack the Hengshan and Hengshan Sects. However, for some reason, the attacks failed. But Fang Zheng thought that the leaders of these sects were not fools.

The Five Mountains Sword Sects have always been extremely famous in the righteous path. The five sects share the same fate, and their alliance poses a great threat to the Shaolin righteous leader.

Fang Zheng had always known about Zuo Lengchan's desire to annex the Five Mountains Sword Sects. Although he knew that the success rate of such a thing was extremely low, if Zuo Lengchan really succeeded in merging the Five Mountains Sword Sects, then the merged Five Mountains Sword Sects would surpass Shaolin and Wudang to become the number one sect, which would be a serious threat to Shaolin.

Since the Five Mountains Sword Sects formed an alliance, successive abbots of Shaolin have had a great headache with this force. Especially decades ago, the previous abbot of Shaolin, who was also Fang Zheng's master, was at the height of the Five Mountains Sword Sects' power, with a constant stream of masters, which made Fang Zheng's master unable to sleep at night.

Fortunately, the Five Mountains Sword Sect has gradually declined and lost its former glory. In addition, thanks to Zuo Lengchan's tireless efforts, it is even facing the crisis of disintegration, which greatly reduces the pressure on Fang Zheng.

"Afterwards, we can try to win over the Hengshan Sect."

Fang Zheng has always wanted to infiltrate the Five Mountains Sword Sect, but the Five Mountains Sword Sect has its own small circle and doesn't care much about Shaolin. So, he has had little success over the years. But now things are different.

Given the current internal situation of the Five Mountains Sword Sect, a split is inevitable, so Fang Zheng needs to consider what will happen after the Five Mountains Sword Sect splits.

"it is good."

Fang Sheng nodded.

He was also aware of Fang Zheng's desire to win over the Hengshan Sect.

The Hengshan Sect may not be the strongest among the Five Sacred Mountains Sword Sects, but its intelligence capabilities are outstanding. The Hengshan Sect has connections with nunneries all over the world, making its intelligence capabilities very strong. If Shaolin can win over the Hengshan Sect and bring them to their side, it will be more beneficial for Shaolin to control the martial arts world.

"If things really turn out as my senior brother predicts tomorrow, then that will be good news for Shaolin."

Fang Sheng couldn't help but say.

Before this, he was actually a little worried that Yue Buqun would take the position of leader of the Five Mountains Alliance.

Unlike Zuo Lengchan when he was the leader of the Five Mountains Alliance, Yue Buqun is more shrewd, has a deeper mind, and is more meticulous in his actions. If Yue Buqun were to become the leader of the Five Mountains Alliance, it would probably be even more troublesome.

Yue Buqun certainly wouldn't be like Zuo Lengchan. Fang Zheng had no doubt that under Yue Buqun's management, the Five Mountains Sword Sect would unite as one. At that time, the Five Mountains Sword Sect would pose a greater threat to Shaolin, especially now that the Emei Sect and the Huashan Sect are getting close.

But if the Five Mountains Sword Sects really split up tomorrow, then there's no need to worry about this anymore.

Fang Zheng was in a good mood at the moment, with a slight smile on his lips.

"Get ready for tomorrow's big show."

……

The summer night wind was a bit chilly, rustling against Jiang Ning's clothes.

As Jiang Ning walked along Shengguan Peak, he left the Huashan Sect's resting area and came to the edge of a cliff.

"Junior brother, are you still out so late? Master said to be careful, there might be danger."

Du Lanyin came out from behind and said.

"Just came out for a walk when I had nothing to do."

Jiang Ning smiled and responded, showing no surprise whatsoever, as if he already knew of Du Lanyin's existence.

Du Lanyin glanced at Jiang Ning's expression and suddenly asked, "Junior Brother, is something on your mind?"

Jiang Ning turned around in surprise: "Why do you say that, Senior Sister?"

Du Lanyin said with a serious expression, "Ever since we returned from Guyang County, Junior Brother has had this expression. He looks unhappy."

As Du Lanyin spoke, she imitated Jiang Ning's expression, which was both comical and endearing.

"Is your bad mood because of that nameless child, junior brother?"

Du Lanyin recalled that Jiang Ning had found a child's hand bone near her parents' graves, and then built a grave for that child. She also saw Jiang Ning shed a tear in front of that child's grave.

Jiang Ning couldn't help but smile.

"I have nothing on my mind, senior sister is overthinking it."

Upon hearing Jiang Ning's words, Du Lanyin was at a loss for words.

Although she and Jiang Ning were fellow disciples, she hadn't talked to Jiang Ning much and didn't know much about him. At this moment, she didn't know what to say.

"Junior brother, do you have someone you admire?"

Du Lanyin suddenly asked.

Ok?

Jiang Ning glanced at her in surprise, wondering why she would ask such a question, and did not answer immediately.

Whether Jiang Ning has someone he likes has always been a question among the Huashan disciples. Not only is Du Lanyin curious, but the other Huashan disciples are also very curious.

After a long silence, Jiang Ning finally spoke.

"Have."

Upon hearing Jiang Ning's answer, Du Lanyin was taken aback and couldn't help but ask.

"Junior brother has someone he likes? Who is it? Is it one of our own senior or junior sisters, or someone from another sect?"

Jiang Ning pointed to the distance.

"there."

"Ok?"

Du Lanyin was taken aback, then looked in the direction Jiang Ning was pointing, only to see complete darkness.

"Where is it? I can't see it."

Du Lanyin asked in confusion.

As dawn broke, some dark spots appeared on the distant mountains. Upon closer inspection, they turned out to be ordinary people starting to work on the mountain.

"It's still there."

Jiang Ning then pointed in another direction.

"what?"

Du Lanyin was taken aback again.

Does Jiang Ning have more than one crush?

"They are there, there, and there."

Jiang Ning pointed east, then west, and then in other directions.

"what?"

Du Lanyin looked somewhat bewildered; she didn't understand Jiang Ning's meaning.

Jiang Ning gazed into the distance, lost in thought, a smile playing on his lips.

Du Lanyin stared blankly at Jiang Ning. She wondered if it was just her imagination, but she felt that Jiang Ning seemed ethereal at this moment. Although he was so close, she felt that she couldn't touch him.

"Ok?"

Du Lanyin's eyes widened slightly, somewhat incredulous.

She noticed a pure white gas emanating from Jiang Ning's body. However, what shocked her even more was that the gas did not dissipate; instead, it surrounded Jiang Ning, making him appear even more ethereal and otherworldly, as if he were a banished immortal ready to depart at any moment.

"This……"

Faced with this astonishing scene, Du Lanyin instinctively cried out, but then quickly shut her mouth again.

For some reason, she realized that this might be a very important moment for Jiang Ning, and she couldn't make a sound to disturb him.

Looking at Jiang Ning, who seemed to be deep in thought, Du Lanyin remained motionless, even slowing her breathing.

After an unknown amount of time, Jiang Ning's dazed eyes snapped back to reality, and at that moment, the pure white gas surrounding him dissipated and disappeared.

"Junior brother, you..."

Seeing that Jiang Ning had come to his senses, Du Lanyin finally dared to speak.

She looked puzzled, wanting to ask Jiang Ning what he was thinking and what those pure white gases were, but then she paused, staring blankly at Jiang Ning.

She noticed that Jiang Ning was somewhat different from before.

Jiang Ning smiled and looked ahead.

"Reaching the pinnacle..."

Chapter 362: The Fourth Level

Jiang Ning murmured these four words.

"what?"

His voice was very soft, and Du Lanyin didn't hear him clearly, so she asked subconsciously.

Jiang Ning turned around and glanced at her, then smiled and said, "Senior Sister, it's dawn, let's go back."

"Huh? Oh, good."

Du Lanyin was taken aback, then realized that it was already broad daylight. Thinking that they had been out all night, she wondered if her master and the others were looking for them, and quickly replied.

Jiang Ning turned and left, heading back the way he came, with Du Lanyin quickly following behind.

At this moment, Du Lanyin was still following behind Jiang Ning, looking somewhat strained.

Jiang Ning's pace was not fast, but Du Lanyin always felt that she could not keep up with Jiang Ning. No matter how fast she quickened her pace, there was always a distance between them.

At this moment, Jiang Ning seemed ethereal in her eyes, as if he would disappear at any moment.

Seeing Jiang Ning's figure ahead, Du Lanyin gritted her teeth and quickened her pace.

The two returned to the Huashan Sect's resting area one after the other.

At this moment, the disciples of Mount Hua were standing neatly in an open space, with Yue Buqun and Ning Zhongze in front of them.

"Where did Ning'er go? I can't find him. Could something have happened to him?"