Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 137: Alliance Leader

Just now, the two doctors who treated Yan Qing’s wounds stood up and jumped onto the stage. In public, they both removed their disguises. The taller one was Taiheng’s Yu Zikuan, while Yan Zheng still had his frost-like hair, disguised as an old man.

Yu Zikuan was quite famous; everyone in Taiheng knew him. Yan Zheng’s ghost eyes were exceptionally prominent, making it hard to mistake him for someone else. Their joint appearance was as absurd as Qu Duanyun’s loss to Yan Qing. This chaotic mix of right and wrong and the excitement of the martial arts conference had never before been so intense. People were so thrilled that instead of being amazed, they became inexplicably excited.

The lame old man who had set up a fortune-telling stall also went on stage—when he removed his disguise, he was clearly Hua Jingchun, Protector Hua. These influential figures from the demonic sect had been lurking here since early morning, patiently watching until now.

It felt as if hundreds of beehives suddenly appeared below the stage, as the buzzing of conversations became overwhelming.

The decline of the Ling Sect aside, the massive demonic sect of the Chigou Sect was somewhat formidable against the imperial court. What benefits could the small Kushan Sect offer them?

Aware of his credible identity, Yu Zikuan took a step forward and got straight to the point. “Six years ago, I took on the mission to assassinate the Patriarch of the Ling Sect. Later, I met Yan Zheng, and seeing that he was teachable, I wanted to correct the wrong ways of the Ling Sect. Sect Master Qu was right; directly intervening in the affairs of other sects isn’t proper for a reputable sect. To preserve Taiheng’s reputation, I faked my death.”

Everyone present knew about the deep enmity between Yu Zikuan and the Ling Sect. They all knew he would never be bribed by anyone, let alone speak for the Ling Sect by trampling on the bones of his wife and child.

“The Ling Sect was beyond salvation; it needed to be destroyed for something new to rise. Yan Zheng and I agreed to kill Chai Xin and his followers when we got a chance. Once Yan Zheng gained power, he could reform the Ling Sect. The battle formation on Zongwu Mountain that day was drawn by me!”

Yin Ci couldn’t help but snort. Yu Zikuan and Yan Zheng had been together for too long, learning some tricks to twist the truth. Initially, these two were entirely set on destroying the Ling Sect. Now, claiming to want to seize power was probably to appease the remaining Ling Sect followers and turn extermination into “infighting”.

Fortunately, as a renowned hero from Taiheng, no one doubted Yu Zikuan. Everyone was eager to hear more from him.

“I used Taiheng’s connections to find the disciples of the Mishan Sect and asked for a battle formation. By rights, this formation should destroy the Ling Sect’s Grand Pavilion without harming the innocent. But someone swapped my formation for a malevolent one that harms indiscriminately!”

“Why would I, Yu Zikuan, want to harm the brothers and sisters of the righteous sects? If it weren’t for the Kushan Sect’s rescue, Patriarch Yan and I would probably have died in that formation without any evidence to prove our innocence!”

“What Brother Yu said is true. I came here today to clarify this matter. The Ling Sect has taken countless lives; one more doesn’t matter. But This Seat has no intention of holding the blame for this shit.”

Yan Zheng drew out his Death Whip, its menacing aura forcing people to retreat, proving his authenticity.

After decades of stability in the martial world, no one had ever seen such a spectacle. Witnessing the re-emergence of once-deceased renowned fighters and their revelations surpassed all previous martial arts conferences.

This was a living legend. The audience forgot about the terror of the Ling Sect and eagerly pressed forward, wishing they could throw themselves onto the stage to hear more.

“Our Divine Sect was also harmed by villains,” Protector Hua said, seizing the momentum of the discussion. “I’ve known Wu Huai for a long time and knew he wasn’t fit to be the ‘Young Patriarch’. This time, he bribed the elders of the sect and faked our sect’s tokens, breaking our sect’s traditions. The Kushan Sect intervened because we made a deal with them. Who says demonic sects can’t hire aid from the righteous path? What kind of rule is this?”

The crowd below was taken aback. Now, regardless of whether it was the Jianchen Temple, the Ling Sect, or the Chigou Sect, they all stood in support of the Kushan Sect. From being the blamed party, the Kushan Sect was transformed into a righteous and chivalrous sect.

The people of the martial world loved excitement and especially adored such dramatic developments. The surrounding commoners got to witness a grand play of underdogs rising to the top. At this moment, they didn’t care about right or wrong; they felt incredibly exhilarated. Some even shouted louder than those watching the competition.

“The Kushan Sect is righteous!”

“This is what a hero looks like! Do you see it? This is a hero!”

“Who wronged them in the first place? After all the fuss, they couldn’t even produce any evidence!”

In this place, there were many sects who had been dragged down the mountain by the Kushan Sect in the Zongwu Mountain case and had luckily survived. Now, they realized and began to join in. This support grew like a spark in the wild, turning the noise and becoming more pronounced until, eventually, cheers of joy erupted.

“They are right! They are on the righteous path and have the qualifications!”

Amidst the thunderous applause, Qu Duanyun’s head buzzed for a long time before finally calming down.

Although these people clarified things, no one mentioned that the “orchestrator was the Immortal Assembly”. Most of the people believed in the Imperial Celestial. Saying anything would be counterproductive, showing that the Kushan Sect still had concerns about the audience below.

It was just a competition in the ring. Shi Jingzhi made his move; Qu Duanyun just had to respond.

Furthermore, even if the Kushan Sect could trace it back to the Immortal Assembly and even suspect him of meddling, they had no evidence. Qu Duanyun was always cautious and left no loopholes. If Shi Jingzhi accused him without evidence, it would only damage the recently improved reputation.

Moreover, Yin Ci had an unknown origin, and Yan Qing had the ghost eyes. It was uncertain who would win the hearts of the audience.

“So it turns out we misunderstood Sect Master Shi,” Qu Duanyun said calmly, his voice carrying his inner force, forcibly suppressing the noisy crowd but still polite and as elegant as always.

“I will withdraw the bounty on you all later. Today’s confrontation with the Kushan Sect—”

“Wait.”

A cold female voice sounded from the perimeter.

“What’s the rush, Junior Brother? We can’t just gloss over the case of Chen Qianfan from the North.”

It was Shi Zhongyu.

She had somehow escaped from prison and was still wearing the clothes from when she killed Lin Xin. The bloodstains had dried, adding brown spots to her pale attire.

Holding a rough cloth bundle, Shi Zhongyu walked straight to the platform, dispersing the crowd. Her aura was gentle but strong, and everyone from the Taiheng Sect looked around, none daring to stop her.

What did she want to do after the grievances of the Kushan Sect were cleared? People deliberately made way for her, just curious about how this would unfold.

“As for the case of Chen Qianfan from the North, I am a witness. Although I didn’t see Chen Qianfan and Wei Chun leave, I saw everything, from the madness of the Arcane Arts to the interaction between the Kushan Sect and the two of them,” Shi Zhongyu said as she stood in front of Qu Duanyun.

“I didn’t mean to put the Sect Master in danger,” Qu Duanyun said calmly. “Now that the Kushan Sect has been vindicated, I will invite Senior Sister back to the sect on another day. For now, let’s determine the Alliance Leader first.”

His words resonated with the crowd, garnering widespread agreement.

Shi Zhongyu smiled, a rare smile filled with self-mockery and unspeakable bitterness. She put down her bundle and sighed deeply.

“Duanyun, you are still the same,” she whispered. “Always perfect in your actions, without any leaks. Unfortunately…”

Qu Duanyun slightly furrowed his brows. Before he had a chance to ask a question, he saw Shi Zhongyu also raise her voice, addressing the leader of the Jinyu Group—

“This gathering indeed has a sect that shouldn’t have qualified.”

Her voice carried sadness.

“I propose that the Taiheng Sect be completely disqualified!”

Shi Zhongyu’s voice wasn’t particularly sharp; it was usually gentle and pleasant to hear. Yet, this very gentle remark caused an uproar, as if poking a hornet’s nest. The audience below was already noisy and irritably chattering. With her words, the people from the Taiheng Sect were thrown into chaos. Elder Zhou’s face turned red; his neck thickened, and he nearly fainted from anger.

One disturbance had yet to settle before another began. Qu Duanyun slightly relaxed his clenched fist, feeling a cold sweat in the palm of his hand. Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his voice involuntarily became stern. “You are not a member of my Taiheng; watch your words. The issue with the Kushan Sect has been resolved. Someone, please escort Miss Shi out!”

Upon the sect leader’s command, two disciples from Taiheng swiftly moved on stage, attempting to approach Shi Zhongyu.

Unexpectedly, Shi Zhongyu swiftly turned around and produced an item from her chest, presenting it before the crowd. “Here is the Taiheng Yang Reversal Token. Who dares to lay a finger on me?”

She channeled some of her qi into the token, and immediately an ancient and solemn aura emanated from it, as solemn as the bells that had tolled for a thousand years. Everyone knew that it was just a small token, but they couldn’t help but feel a sense of reverence.

The Yang Reversal Token had not been seen in nearly a century, making this assembly extraordinarily stimulating. Not only were the spectators stunned, but even the well-informed disciples of the Yueshui Pavilion turned pale, their breaths short, with one even fainting on the spot.

Everyone’s attention had long shifted from the Kushan Sect. Sect Master Shi, along with his beloved disciple, was in the best position to watch the drama unfold. Facing the situation he orchestrated, Shi Jingzhi almost sighed out loud—if only he had some sunflower seeds to munch on, it would be perfect.

However, with his beloved by his side, he wasn’t particularly anxious. Taking advantage of the crowd’s focus on Taiheng, Sect Master Shi leaned comfortably against Yin Ci’s chest. Yin Ci chuckled softly, brushing his shoulder.

Now, it was Taiheng’s turn to be put on the hot seat.

The Yang Reversal Token had always been carefully guarded by the sect leader, and nobody would be foolish enough to question its origins. With the recent death of Qi Xundao and the Taiheng Sect finally stabilizing, who could have anticipated such an event?

“This token was hidden by Sect Master Qi in a flowerpot and given to me when I left the sect. Since then, I’ve been investigating the mysterious illness of Sect Master Qi. Leaders like the Jianchen Temple’s Abbot, Taiheng’s Sect Master Qi, and Matron Wuxue of Chigou were all formidable masters. Their sequential deaths hardly seem coincidental.”

The crowd had already sensed something after the previous statements. While the Kushan Sect was absolved, the real culprit was still at large! With Shi Zhongyu’s revelation, the crowd started to grasp the situation. The murmuring slowly ceased, and all were focused and silent.

“Abbot Juefei, Qi Xundao, and Matron Wuxue all died under different circumstances, but upon my detailed investigation, they all met their end because of the ‘Twin Roots’, a cursed object.”

Shi Zhongyu took a few steps to the side of the stage and spoke loudly.

“The Twin Roots requires a curse to activate and needs to be swallowed whole by its victim. While the Twin Roots leaves no trace, using it is no small feat. From this, I deduce… the three victims were all poisoned by our sect’s cherished Tranquil Heart Pill! The mastermind behind these murders is hiding within Taiheng!”

The Tranquil Heart Pill was a renowned treasure of Taiheng, known to everyone. Without further explanation, those with knowledge understood the implications. Many famous martial artists frowned; their eyes fixed on Qu Duanyun.

Qu Duanyun felt cold all over, glancing at Shi Jingzhi. The latter was still seated, eyes slightly closed, leaning against his disciple. As if aware of his gaze, Shi Jingzhi opened one eye, smiling enigmatically.

Yet, faced with this predicament, Qu Duanyun couldn’t think of any way to resolve the situation. Every move he had prepared was now backfiring—

Elder Zhou, whom he specifically chose, indeed exploded with anger. Without caring for his image, Elder Zhou climbed on stage. “Young lady, be careful with your words!”

As expected, Shi Zhongyu seized the opportunity. “Every elder here probably has one of these pills. Just open one, and you’ll know.”

Elder Zhou, who cared deeply for Taiheng, didn’t care about his image at the moment. He immediately took out the treasured pill and carefully broke it open. The next moment, fine roots from within the pill burst forth, floating in the air before the crowd.

Seeing this, there was an outcry from the righteous sects. Elder Zhou, with blood rushing to his head, spat out a mouthful of blood in anger. He threw the pill on the ground, his face turning purple. “What is this? What’s happening?”

“The Tranquil Heart Pills have all been tampered with. From the case of Abbot Juefei, it’s been like this for a decade.” Shi Zhongyu exclaimed loudly. “My Taiheng is involved in these heinous crimes. Shouldn’t we distance ourselves?”

It’s coming. Qu Duanyun clenched his lips.

From the start, their goal wasn’t to prove that “Qu Duanyun was the mastermind”, but to kick the entire Taiheng Sect out. Regardless of Qu Duanyun’s innocence or guilt, the situation remained unchanged. Shi Jingzhi, that fox, never truly saw him as a worthy opponent from the beginning.

The strategic positioning of the Immortal Assembly in the martial world had been completely destroyed. Qu Duanyun was responsible for these affairs. Not to mention the “Hundred-Year Project”, he might not even be able to take the position of the next Imperial Preceptor.

Things shouldn’t have turned out this way.

Qu Duanyun repeatedly scrutinized every action since he took over, finding no mistakes. Could this be the “fate” his master talked about? Could the Imperial Celestial really have favored Shi Jingzhi from the beginning?

No, it wasn’t time to give up yet.

“The refining of the Tranquil Heart Pills is handled by the Immortal Assembly.” Qu Duanyun forced himself to stay calm and continued softly, “The Immortal Assembly is a mixed bunch. There’s a high possibility that my Taiheng has been exploited by villains. Senior sister, wouldn’t it be biased to expel Taiheng based on this?”

The Qu Clan was well-renowned, and Taiheng had always maintained a good reputation. Many righteous martial artists would be swayed by this reputation. Qu Duanyun kept his composure throughout, which impressed many. As for the Tranquil Heart Pill, only a few people present had the luck to consume it. The ones who suffered were from Taiheng itself. Many smaller sects that had good relations with Taiheng showed sympathy and started agreeing; their murmurs were slightly mixed —

“With the situation so chaotic, perhaps Taiheng should take charge.”

“The Jianchen Temple is fine too, right? With Abbot Juehui leading, it won’t be chaotic. Miss Shi is right. If villains are hiding within Taiheng, aren’t we just handing them an advantage?”

“After all, Taiheng is a major sect. It can’t be that exaggerated…”

Shi Zhongyu ignored Qu Duanyun and wasn’t influenced by the murmurs from the audience. She wiped her hands and publicly unwrapped a package she had brought to the stage. Inside was a peculiar ritual tool. As the crowd wondered about it, Shi Zhongyu took the hairpin from her head and inserted it into the tool.

As the device activated, the “pearl” on the hairpin emitted a soft glow.

“It’s the Soft Fish Demon Eye! It can record images!” Some merchants from the Jinyu Group among the audience recognized it instantly.

The next moment, the scene of Shi Zhongyu battling Lin Xun appeared in mid-air, clearly visible to everyone present—from Lin Xun deliberately adjusting his position to Lin Xun purposely colliding with Shi Zhongyu’s broken sword.

Despite the twists and turns in the arena today, everyone gasped in surprise.

“Duanyun, after much thought, I realized that the villain who plotted against our seniors must be keen on meddling in the martial world. Being weak and having spoken for the Kushan Sect early on, I was likely targeted. Thus, I took a gamble—I wagered that the villain would interfere in the martial arts conference, and that’s why I bought the Soft Fish Demon Eye at a high price. It seems I was right.”

Shi Zhongyu said each word clearly.

“The villain tarnished the Kushan Sect’s name earlier, and now Lin Xun risked his life to try to disqualify me. However, Lin Zhen encountered you and did nothing. It seems to me that the villains really want Taiheng to win.”

“Duanyun… Sect Master Qu, since all the Taiheng masters have consumed the Twin Roots and any of them could be threatened, shouldn’t Taiheng prioritize the safety of the martial world over its own interests?”

Finally, Qu Duanyun had no rebuttal.

When Shi Zhongyu put forth this argument, there was only one answer he, as the head of Taiheng, could give.

…Did he really lose? With all the advantages of terrain and manpower, and a strategy built over years, did he lose to someone who had left the palace less than a year ago and was labeled a “man-made demon”?

He tried to maintain a dignified smile under everyone’s gaze. However, every move seemed to block his retreat. No matter how much he racked his brain, he couldn’t find a countermeasure.

Qu Duanyun’s mind was unusually blank. He clenched his fists instinctively, trying to grasp onto something, but all he felt was pain. He knew he had lost completely and fairly, and this realization angered him. His inner force went wild.

Losing to an opponent he looked down on was the most frustrating thing in the world. Qu Duanyun swallowed the blood that surged to his throat and trembled slightly.

…It wasn’t over yet; it couldn’t be. Otherwise, what was the point of all his years of effort?

With mixed feelings and the heavy atmosphere around him, Qu Duanyun’s words finally showed some hostility. “Taiheng should indeed avoid suspicion. However, although the Kushan Sect hasn’t done evil, they’ve rarely done good either. I believe everyone remembers their gratitude towards the Zongwu Mountain matter. I fear they’re here for their own desires and cannot shoulder the responsibility of the righteous path…”

Though there was some truth in his words, they were quite harsh. Seeing Qu Duanyun’s unusual coldness, the audience didn’t immediately agree but whispered among themselves.

Shi Jingzhi leaned over to Yin Ci, squeezing his wrist—it was time for the final move.

The Kushan Sect didn’t miss Qu Duanyun’s momentary lapse. Right after Sect Master Qu finished speaking, Yin Ci stepped forward decisively, approaching the stunned leader of the Jinyu Group.

“Sect Master Qu is right. I was planning to give up my position.”

Yin Ci said sincerely, and with his immortal-like face, he appeared exceptionally upright.

“My master is gravely ill. We participated in this tournament mainly to seek the Shirou to save him. With his poor health, he can’t take on the position of Alliance Leader. And I need to take care of my master, so I’m also stretched thin…”

Originally, Yan Qing considered himself a mere spectator, sitting in the audience and sipping his fragrant drink with amazement. However, upon hearing those words, he nearly spat out all the drink in his mouth.

“The Kushan Sect is a small sect with a previously notorious reputation. If they were to take the position of Alliance Leader, I believe many of you wouldn’t feel too comfortable. How about letting Yang Qing from my sect temporarily assume this role? Once the criminal is caught and the suspicions of the Taiheng Sect members are cleared, we can hold the conference again.”

Demonic Lord Yin put forth an exemplary performance, which moved everyone. Given that the Kushan Sect had just cleared their name, this scene was even more impactful.

The audience was silent.

Every sect was silent, each person calculating their own benefits.

Compared to the shocking news earlier, Yan Qing’s demonic lineage seemed insignificant. On the contrary, having a demonic lineage made him easier to control—after all, this was like an open secret that they could use against him whenever they wanted.

Now, relying on Taiheng was out of the question. There was still a powerful “villain” outside watching their every move, and no one wanted to be the first to stick their neck out. Taking a step back and thinking about it, Yan Qing could wield the Sword of Compassion, which meant he wasn’t bad. Compared to the unpredictable master-disciple duo from the Kushan Sect, temporarily promoting someone like him… seemed like a plausible move?

Even though she was on the side of the Kushan Sect, the corner of Shi Zhongyu’s mouth twitched involuntarily.

Such a way of winning over the crowd was truly unprecedented.

When Yan Qing was pulled onto the stage by Jin Lan, he was still in shock.

Yan Qing silently faced the hundreds of faces in the audience, not daring to breathe. Wrapped in bandages, he held a cup of fragrant drink in his hands. His ghost eyes were filled with confusion and fear. When the first shout of “Alliance Leader” rang out, Yan Qing’s hand trembled, and the cup filled with the fragrant drink crashed to the ground.

He finally escaped the curse of the ghost eyes and didn’t fall into the demonic sect as his father had hoped.

But did he push too hard and go too far?

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The author has something to say:

Yan Qing: I was so scared that I dropped my milk tea.jpg.

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