blueteamnovel Chapter 50: Shadowy Figures of the Martial World, Seeking Another Battle
Chapter 50: Shadowy Figures of the Martial World, Seeking Another Battle
"Greetings, young heroes. Young hero Lin, heroine Shu, and this spirit beast Jin Xiaoxia. It's good to see you again."
When Qingde visited, the players on the online game were having a meal. The food was all packed from the inn. It wasn't a wide variety of dishes, but the portions were generous. Two square tables had to be pushed together to set it up.
"Has the Taoist priest eaten yet? Come, come, please sit down." Of all the people at the table, only Lin Zhuo was suitable for talking to outsiders. Shu Yuliu was socially awkward, Jin Xiaohu was somewhat indifferent to humans, and Zhu Baixuan was focused on eating and had no time to pay attention to others.
After politely declining the kind invitation, Qingde explained his purpose.
It turned out that Zhengqi Hall had finally finished handling the case of the notorious thief Ye Zhong's theft, taking stock of the stolen goods from Haoyi Village, tracing the intricate criminal network, explaining the whole story to the townspeople, calming their minds, and dispelling the strange rumors circulating in the town.
Now that the storm has subsided, he is expressing his gratitude to the three heroes on behalf of the Martial Arts Alliance and extending an olive branch, hoping to invite them to take up positions in the Righteousness Hall.
Players never mind joining a faction, as long as there are quests. Moreover, joining an official group like the Righteous Hall wouldn't affect the storylines of other factions, so they readily agreed.
Qingde brought four iron plaques, which he distributed to their group. Zhu Baixuan, the mysterious and unpredictable senior disciple of the sect, was a legendary figure in Liquan Town, possessing the art of the Pot Heaven. The Righteous Qi Hall was naturally willing to befriend and recruit him.
The Righteous Men of the Righteous Hall can be compared to the constables of the Six Doors, and are divided into four levels: gold, silver, bronze, and iron. Iron-level Righteous Men are actually similar to unofficial personnel. They hold a position and let people know that they have a background when they go out. Many small and medium-sized sects will give them preferential treatment to save face for the Martial Alliance.
To advance step by step in the Hall of Righteousness, the most important thing is to look at one's merits, such as solving cases, chasing criminals, eliminating bandits, and protecting the people. Merits are divided into minor merits, secondary merits, major merits, and extraordinary merits according to their difficulty and impact. These merits can be used for promotion evaluations or exchanged for physical rewards in the Martial Arts Alliance Treasury.
Lin Zhuo and his two companions planned and resolved the case of the notorious thief Ye Toufeng, contributing significantly to the battle. Each of them was awarded a merit, which was stamped on the back of an iron plaque with the official seal and filed in the archives.
"Thank you for coming all the way to deliver the plaque, Taoist priest."
"Young Master Lin previously mentioned knowing about Ye Toufeng's criminal record and background. Could you perhaps reveal a little bit about it?"
Lin Zhuo recounted the biography of Ye Toufeng from the strategy guide. This person was involved in many grudges in the martial arts world and was an outer member of the Western Great Demonic Cult.
Upon hearing this news, Qingde's face immediately turned pale. With his level of self-control, the only time he had ever broken down in recent years was when he discovered that Jin Xiaohu could speak. But even he couldn't sit still when he heard that the Great Xiong Demonic Sect was so dangerous. This shows that the sect has a treacherous reputation.
In this world of martial arts, there are various factions and schools, each with their own righteous and wicked ways of doing things, but they can generally reach a consensus and gather under the banner of the Martial Arts Alliance.
However, there are also many heretical sects and demonic factions whose principles of conduct deviate from the mainstream values of the martial arts world, to the point that they are universally condemned.
Organizations like the Great Hero Demonic Cult, which use the word "cult" in their names, are basically closely tied to faith and have the goal of unifying the world. This naturally goes against the traditions of the martial arts world since ancient times and has been severely cracked down on by the Martial Arts Alliance.
For example, the White Egret Sword Sect, although its members are all Taoists, does not force the people under its jurisdiction to convert, nor does it present itself as a sect to the outside world. It only considers itself a Jianghu organization, so it does not arouse suspicion and vigilance.
Speaking of the Great Heroic Demonic Cult, their stronghold is located in the remote western region. They have amassed a power by gathering hundreds of thousands of people. Over the past few hundred years, the Martial Alliance has attacked and wiped out their lair many times. However, as long as the root cause is not eradicated, they can rise from the ashes every few decades.
This sect often extends its reach into the Central Plains. Its organizational structure is quite secretive, scattered across various regions and hidden among the people. It is particularly active in the territories of sects with difficult living conditions, developing followers, recruiting bandits, and bribing sect leaders. It continuously accumulates power but keeps it hidden, which makes people fear just how powerful it is.
There are even rumors circulating in the martial arts world that the Great Heroic Demonic Cult is already the greatest scourge in the world, and if it cannot be eliminated, it will inevitably lead to widespread suffering and death.
"What Young Master Lin said is too astonishing. Is there any basis for it?" Qingde steadied himself and asked again.
"The route Ye Toufeng used to sell stolen goods is related to the Da Xiong Demonic Cult. He worked for the cult in order to send his two children to the Cangcheng Rain Blade Hall and secure their future. Speaking of which, does the Taoist priest know why the Da Xiong Demonic Cult can always make a comeback after being wiped out?"
"I would like to hear the details."
"Because the Great Hero Demonic Cult is very wealthy. In the Western Desolate Regions, they demand that believers contribute everything to their master, from their family property to their bodies and minds. When they come to the Central Plains, they also collect stolen goods through peripheral gangs like Night Stealing Wind."
"After collecting most of the wealth, the leader of the demonic sect would secretly take a portion of it into the treasury. The treasures, spiritual materials, and even martial arts manuals and rare formulas accumulated over hundreds of years are immeasurable. Once the sect is destroyed, the successor can reopen the treasury, take out a small portion, and use it to recruit soldiers and horses."
Qingde slapped his thigh, "So the legend of the Western Demonic Cult's thousand-year-old secret vault is true! I always thought it was because those foolish men and women kept offering sacrifices that the demonic aura was hard to dispel."
Lin Zhuo smiled and said, "There is no sect that can't fall, and there is no evil that can't be eliminated. The people of the Western Desolate Region have also suffered greatly from it. It's not that they are trying to keep the Demonic Sect, but that the Demonic Sect is always haunting this land. As long as we empty this treasure trove and eradicate all evil, no matter how powerful the Demonic Sect is, it will fall apart."
"Well said," Qingde sighed. "I never imagined that such a small matter as stealing wind at night would involve such a secret. Cangcheng Rain Blade Hall, this sect acts ruthlessly. Back then, the hall master forcibly killed the Tie family of Wind Sword Tower at a wedding banquet, causing a lot of trouble. I never thought that it would also have intricate connections with the Demonic Sect."
"It's not just contact; their leader is one of the Heavenly Kings of the Demonic Sect, known as the Wise and Brave Heavenly King, and his martial arts techniques are also a modified version of the Demonic Sect's methods."
Qingde couldn't contain his curiosity any longer. "Young Master Lin, how do you know so many secrets of the martial world? I'm afraid I won't be able to sleep well for the next few nights if I don't find out the truth."
"My master's predecessors are able to see the secrets of heaven and understand the past and present. This time we came down the mountain to save the common people and avert a great calamity." Lin Zhuo used the absurd reason prepared by Shu Yuliu to evade the issue.
"Truly divine!" Qingde was filled with awe and actually believed this nonsense. Shu Yuliu, who was eating with his head down, covered his face and chuckled.
At this moment, another guest arrived at the door. It was Tie Yingjie, accompanied by a well-behaved and quiet woman, Wei Xiaowan, the third daughter of the wealthy Wei family in the town.
"Wan'er, when you meet your host family later, you must be polite and respectful."
"Brother Fan, what exactly is the background of these people?"
"Even if it were a god in heaven, I would still believe in him. If you ask who in this town can guarantee your safety, I'm afraid it's only these seniors. I wouldn't feel at ease entrusting it to anyone else."
Wei Xiaowan complained, "You brought me here to meet strangers for no reason. Father will be furious if he finds out. Besides, the best martial artist in town should be Master Qingde of the White Egret Sword Sect. Don't you trust the Righteousness Hall?"
The door in front of them opened by itself without any wind. The two were startled by this strange sight. They carefully passed through the hall and courtyard and saw the four owners of the house in the living room on the first floor of the north building. There was also a visitor who had arrived earlier.
"My name is Mu Xiaofan. Greetings to all the heroes." Tie Yingjie clasped his hands in greeting.
"This humble servant greets you." Wei Xiaowan returned the greeting with a curtsy.
Lin Zhuo returned the greeting with clasped hands and got straight to the point: "You brought her here, so you've already discovered traces of the Rain Blade Hall, haven't you?"
"Master Lin, your predictions are truly prophetic. I have a favor to ask..."
"We all know why you're here. Keeping her here will ensure your safety. But as the old saying goes, you can't guard against thieves for a thousand days. As long as the assassins of the Rain Blade Hall are not eliminated, you will not have peace. The grudges from back then will have to be settled sooner or later. You can't escape."
"May I offer some guidance, sir?"
"Go and provoke those assassins, lure them over, and kill them on the spot." Lin Zhuo's tone was calm, but his words were filled with murderous intent, which frightened Wei Xiaowan so much that she turned pale.
She found the owner of the house to be strange and unusual, and turned her attention to Master Qingde.
However, Qingde merely nodded in agreement: "Young Master Lin is right. If the Rain Blade Hall is indeed related to the Western Demonic Sect, it must be eradicated sooner or later. Let's start today!"
Wei Xiaowan could tell that Master Qingde's tone was very respectful. She was surprised and couldn't help but look at the host of the house in a different light. She felt ashamed of her previous contempt.
Tie Yingjie remained silent for a moment, then turned to look at his beloved's delicate and innocent appearance, and nodded in agreement.
[Network notification: Mission triggered - Old grudges remain, rain blades kill]
Old grudges remain, Rain Blade kills: Assist the story character "Iron Hero" in defeating the Rain Blade Hall assassins who are attacking (0/12)
Difficulty: Hard
Description: The remnants of the Tie family have been on the run for ten years, but they cannot escape the grudges of the martial world, nor can they hide from the blood debts and vengeful spirits that bind them. Their story will begin in this chillingly dangerous conflict, and the road ahead will be fraught with bloodshed. How will you, then, throw yourselves into this battlefield of mortal life?