As Wan Yunting and Ji Ruxue walked out of Death Valley, heading towards the forests of Kunlun Mountain ahead, Zhou Ruoxi, Lu Shuang, and others, along with the Kunlun Sect Leader Yuan Gaowu and the Kongtong Sect Leader Lu Chenzi, were also on their way back…
As the sky turned pale, an hour later, the morning sun slowly rose from the snow mountains to the east. Wan Yunting, holding the Gentleman Sword, and Ji Ruxue, carrying a box, walked for a long, long time before reaching the edge of the forest and finding a place to rest.
“Snow Mountain Sword Technique, Golden Crow Saber Technique, Soul Grasping Ghost Hand, Extreme Cold Divine Skill…”
Ji Ruxue opened the box and took out one snow mountain sect martial arts manual after another. She looked at these worn-out manuals, a total of twelve of them.
“Snow Soul Skill!”
Wan Yunting also picked up a manual and read its name. It was the Snow Soul Skill, a top-tier internal energy cultivation method of the Snow Mountain Sect. He couldn’t help but open it to read the incantations of this internal energy cultivation method, how to absorb the energy of heaven and earth into the body, and how to transform the vital energy into a cold-attribute internal energy cultivation method.
Once the Snow Soul Skill was cultivated to a certain level, combined with the Snow Mountain Sect’s Profound Ice Palm, a single palm strike could freeze an enemy’s meridians to death!
“These skills of the Snow Mountain Sect are quite something.”
Ji Ruxue flipped through the Soul Grasping Ghost Hand manual with great interest. Wan Yunting nodded and said, “The skills of the Snow Mountain Sect were created based on the extreme cold geographical environment. It’s imaginable how powerful the founder of the Snow Mountain Sect was.”
Ji Ruxue nodded and took the Snow Soul Skill from Wan Yunting’s hand, saying, “Practicing this kind of skill should be best in extreme cold regions. If one’s physique is inherently cold, practicing these methods will be even faster…”
“Hmm, you’ve reminded me…”
Wan Yunting suddenly thought of something and said, “Senior Sister Jinyu, the Fourth Elder of the Emei Sect, has a naturally cold physique. If she were to practice the Snow Mountain Sect’s skills, it would be most suitable!”
“Oh?”
Ji Ruxue narrowed her charming eyes, glanced at him in surprise, and laughed, “It seems you have a good relationship with those nuns from the Emei Sect. You even know that their Fourth Elder has a cold physique. Hehe, tell me quickly, have you caused trouble with many nuns at the Emei Sect?”
“What are you talking about?”
Wan Yunting turned his head and glared at her, saying, “Senior Sister Jinyu has a naturally cold physique and almost died because of it. I only found out about her naturally cold physique when I was treating her illness. Over the years, the cold poison has entered her bones. If she had practiced these Snow Mountain Sect skills from the beginning, using her innate divine cold physique, she might have already become a martial arts master.”
Ji Ruxue held the manual in her hand and smiled, “You are so generous, it wouldn’t be too late for her to learn these skills.”
Wan Yunting looked at the martial arts manuals of the Snow Mountain Sect in the box and said, “You choose, you can learn whichever one you want. However, these Snow Mountain Sect skills are special and not something that ordinary people can learn. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be so few people from the Snow Mountain Sect throughout the generations, and they wouldn’t have been destroyed by your Divine Snake Tribe in collusion with the evil cults of the Western Regions.”
Ji Ruxue took a few martial arts manuals without hesitation and said with a smile, “Whether they were destroyed by our Divine Snake Tribe is something history cannot ascertain, but it doesn’t matter. Which skill do you want to learn?”
Wan Yunting picked up a manual called the Unwary Divine Skill and put it down. This was the only skill suitable for practitioners of the normal martial arts system. This skill spoke of “Heavenly lightning is unwary, gained through unwaryness, there will be loss, there will be gain.”
After practicing, one could turn misfortune into fortune and protect the body, or turn fortune into misfortune and inflict it upon the enemy!
It seemed mysterious, but the Unwary Divine Skill was created based on hexagrams, obeying the great Dao of heaven and earth. Ordinary people might find it obscure and not know how to start, let alone understand the profound secrets within.
Even Wan Yunting only half-understood it and could not penetrate the profound meaning of the Unwary Divine Skill. However, he could see that this skill might be of great help in cultivating the spiritual and mental realms!
In the following days, Wan Yunting and Ji Ruxue walked through the deep mountains and old forests of the Kunlun Mountain range, stopping and starting. Whenever they stopped, the two would hold the Snow Mountain Sect martial arts manuals and study them…
At the same time, Zhou Ruoxi and Qi Xiu and their group, along with Yuan Gaowu and Lu Chenzi, left the Kunlun Sect from another direction. To prevent other people from the Kunlun Sect from capturing them, Zhou Ruoxi and the others walked out of the deep mountains and old forests of Kunlun Mountain. Once they had a signal, they immediately called out for help from the major sects of the Martial Arts Association…
The President of the Martial Arts Association, Zhong Yulong, and the Vice President, Zhang Xuanliang, learned of the tragic deaths of Elder Zuo Qi and Heavenly Master Lin Yiping, as well as other sect members who had been sent to celebrate the birthday of the former Kunlun Sect Leader, and had been tragically killed. The entire martial arts world was in an uproar.
Everyone was outraged by the Kunlun Sect’s rebellious, despicable, and shameless actions.
At one point, led by the Martial Arts Association President Zhong Yulong, the Dragon Tiger Mountain Sect Leader Zhang Xuanliang, the Shaolin Sect Abbot Renxin, the Emei Sect Master Yunbai, the Qingcheng Sect Leader Liu Bing, and the Huashan Sect Leader Shi Yizhen, along with people from other major sects, all arrived at the Kunlun Sect.
The entire Kunlun Sect was in complete chaos. The ordinary disciples had no idea that their Sect Leader Yuan Gaowu and the former Sect Leader Yuan Kaicheng had conspired to embezzle the martial arts manuals of the Snow Mountain Sect and had made a move against the major sects.
Even the Great Elder Zhang Qing did not know about this matter. Upon learning of it and seeing Zhong Yulong, Zhang Xuanliang, Abbot Renxin, and others leading hundreds of people from major sects to the Kunlun Sect, Elder Zhang Qing, along with other elders and disciples, came out to greet them…
“Elder Zhang Qing, your Kunlun Sect must give us major sects an explanation and justice for the entire martial arts world!”
Zhong Yulong, short and thin, with half-white hair tied into a Taoist bun secured by a jade hairpin, revealed his slightly less wrinkled old face. At this moment, his face was grim, and his sharp eyes stared directly at the Great Elder Zhang Qing of the Kunlun Sect before him, roaring sternly.
The Dragon Tiger Mountain Sect Leader Zhang Xuanliang, Abbot Renxin, and the Huashan Sect Leader Shi Yizhen, Qingcheng Sect Leader Liu Bing, and others all glared at Elder Zhang Qing, making him look filled with grief and apology. He bowed humbly and said to the people from the major sects present, “Sect Leader Zhong, Sect Leader Zhang, Abbot Renxin, we have only just learned of this matter… Alas, foolish, truly foolish…”
Elder Zhang Qing bowed deeply to everyone and said, “Esteemed Sect Leaders, the crimes committed by our Kunlun Sect Leader and the former Sect Leader are unforgivable. Execute us as you see fit…”
Beside Zhang Qing were the Second Elder, Fourth Elder, and Sixth Elder of the Kunlun Sect. Clearly, these elders did not know about the actions of their Sect Leader Yuan Gaowu and the former Sect Leader Yuan Kaicheng that had angered everyone. Now, they could only follow Great Elder Zhang Qing in apologizing to the sect leaders.
“Master, Sect Leader Zhou of the Emei Sect and the others have been brought back!”
At this moment, Xian Yun, the senior disciple brother of the Wudang Sect, and Xu Yuxin, the third senior sister, along with elders and disciples from other sects, personally arrived around the Kunlun Mountain range to escort Zhou Ruoxi, Zhang Xian’er, Qi Xiu, and Zi Qing back. At the same time, they also brought back the Kunlun Sect Leader Yuan Gaowu, the Kongtong Sect Leader Lu Chenzi, and others.
“Pah, traitor, scum…”
The moment Yuan Gaowu and Lu Chenzi were brought forth, everyone from the major sects present cursed them.
In contrast, Yuan Gaowu and Lu Chenzi looked ashen-faced and haggard, appearing disheveled as they were escorted forward. They were forced to kneel on the small plaza in front of the Kunlun Sect’s main hall. Elder Zhang Qing and the other elders looked at their sect leader in such a state with great sorrow and anger.
“Gaowu, where is your father?”
The hundred-year-old Great Elder Zhang Qing, with trembling steps, stepped forward, his old face shaking, and pointed at Yuan Gaowu, who was kneeling before him with an ashen face and a lost look, and questioned him sternly, “Why did you and your father do this? Why?”
“Great Elder…”
“Father…” Elder Zhang Qing was so agitated that he almost fainted. His son and the other elders rushed to support him and pinch his philtrum…
The other sect leaders looked at Yuan Gaowu’s dejected state. No matter what they asked, he wouldn’t speak. However, the Kongtong Sect Leader Lu Chenzi honestly confessed his crimes…
“Ruoxi, Xiao Shuang, Xiao He, are you alright?”
Over there, Master Yunbai of the Emei Sect and others rushed to embrace Zhou Ruoxi, Lu Shuang, and He Shanyue, who were covered in dirt, and asked them with concern.
Qi Xiu, Chong Ling’er, and their master and senior disciples, remembering the tragic death of their Uncle Zuo Qi, couldn’t help but cry…
Zhang Xian’er and Zhao Xuyan returned to the Dragon Tiger Mountain disciples’ formation. Seeing the tearful disciple Zhao Xuyan, the Sect Leader also shed tears for the death of his junior disciple Lin Yiping and disciple Zhang Xingyue…
The Shaolin Sect Abbot Renxin and Master Huikong learned of the tragic deaths of disciples Jin Xuan and Xu Hai, and sighed even more deeply…
Not long after, Zhou Ruoxi, having changed and tidied up, wore a flowing light blue ancient-style dress, her hair tied up in a bun, with a few strands of dragon beard at her forehead adding a touch of elegance. Her cold and stunning face, with her wise and sharp autumn eyes, made her exude an arrogant aura, truly like a sect leader.
In the Kunlun Sect’s main hall, people were already seated and standing.
On the chairs on either side of the hall sat Zhong Yulong and Zhang Xuanliang, Abbot Renxin and Shi Yizhen, Liu Bing, and other sect leaders.
Elders and disciples from their respective sects stood behind them. Everyone’s gaze was focused on the hall, on Yuan Gaowu and Lu Chenzi, whose hands were still tied, their faces ashen.
“Sect Leader Zhong, you are the President of our Martial Arts Association. This matter is yours to decide!”
Abbot Renxin, Shi Yizhen, and other sect leaders all turned their heads to look at Zhong Yulong and Zhang Xuanliang, the President and Vice President of the Association.
Standing nearby were Great Elder Zhang Qing of the Kunlun Sect and other elders and disciples. Because of the crimes committed by Sect Leader Yuan Gaowu and the former Sect Leader, the entire Kunlun Sect, including all disciples, was implicated.
Zhong Yulong and Zhang Xuanliang exchanged a glance, then nodded and looked back at Elder Zhang Qing, saying, “The matter is now completely clear. After deliberation by our major sect representatives, it has been unanimously agreed that your Kunlun Sect must take responsibility and pay the price for this matter!”
Elder Zhang Qing’s face was filled with grief, and he lowered his head, saying, “The Kunlun Sect will bear some responsibility.”
Zhang Xuanliang said, “Yuan Gaowu and the others will be handed over to the Public Security Bureau for trial. As for the Kongtong Sect Leader Lu Chenzi, and the Diancang Sect Leader Zhang Boyun, who colluded with the Heavenly Eye Main God Cult, and the Divine Sword Sect Leader Yan Changjian, who plotted against us, they should be punished.”
“It is announced that the Kongtong Sect and the Diancang Sect will be sealed for ten years. Elders and disciples of these sects are forbidden from interfering in martial arts affairs. As for the Divine Sword Sect, it will be removed from our righteous path, and their responsibility will be pursued later…”
At this point, Zhou Ruoxi suddenly interrupted, saying, “Excuse me, the founder of the Divine Sword Sect, Yan Donghai, is already dead!”
“What, Yan Donghai is dead?”
Upon hearing this, the sect leaders and sect masters of the major sects present were greatly astonished.
Qi Xiu also nodded and said, “Wan Yunting told us about this. He said Yan Donghai went to the Boundless Daoist Temple and was eaten by a snake demon!”
The sect leaders and sect masters and elders of the major sects looked at each other, finding this news too shocking.
However, Zhong Yulong and Zhang Xuanliang had listened to Qi Xiu, Chong Ling’er, and Zhao Xuyan recount the events in Death Valley in detail. They also knew that the snake demon had been through a tribulation and evolved into a flood dragon, and was eventually eaten by a black flood dragon brought by Wan Yunting, along with a red great snake brought by the Divine Mother of the Divine Snake Tribe…
Now, hearing Qi Xiu say that the black flood dragon related to Wan Yunting ate Yan Donghai, although they were not entirely convinced, it was possible.
Now everyone understood that the Divine Sword Sect and the Heavenly Eye Main God Cult had an unspeakable secret relationship. Yan Donghai going to the Boundless Daoist Temple to find Wan Yunting was likely to help the Main God of the Heavenly Eye Main God Cult force Wan Yunting to hand over the Thirteen Needles of Ghost Gate!
“Master Yunbai, Madam Yang is your senior sister. I’ll have to trouble you to make a call to confirm.” Zhong Yulong turned his head to Master Yunbai of the Emei Sect.
She nodded, took out an old mobile phone, and called Yang Jingyi. After confirming, she nodded, “It’s true.”
Upon learning that it was true, the people from the major sects began to discuss. Liu Bing, the Sect Leader of the Qingcheng Sect, snorted and said, “I never thought that Yan Donghai, who had been in seclusion for decades, would die at the Boundless Daoist Temple as soon as he came out. Heh, he deserved it…”