《I am live-streaming Q&A in comprehensive wuxia world, a large-scale social death scene》 Chapter 1 - The Wedding Day and a Celestial Phenomenon Chapter 1 The Wedding Day and a Celestial Phenomenon The Li family of Hebei was a prestigious scholarly household, a lineage of distinguished officials and literati. With seven generations of successful imperial examination candidates and three father-son pairs attaining the title of Tanhua (third place in the imperial examination), their wealth and status were unparalleled. As the ancestral home of the Li family, Li Garden was a grand estate, its architecture imposing, its courtyards lush with gardens and trees, making it the most renowned residence in the northern region. Today, Li Garden was celebrating a joyous occasion. The vast estate was decorated festively, with bright red lanterns and banners hanging everywhere. Guests from all directions gathered in great numbers, firecrackers resounded through the air, and people moved in and out in an unceasing stream, creating a lively and bustling scene. After presenting his wedding gift, Ye Luochuan followed the crowd into Li Garden, his eyes scanning the surroundings, feeling a sense of nostalgia. ¡°I¡¯ve finally arrived.¡± ¡°To think that I, a member of the Ye family, one of the Four Great Clans of Transmigrators, would cross into another world without even a single golden-fingered cheat ability!¡± ¡°No perks, no advantages. This is simply outrageous!¡± Ye Luochuan wore a gloomy expression with a hint of frustration. Ye Luochuan was not originally from this world. He had been an ordinary college student on Earth. During the May Day holiday, he had gone on a trip, only to be hit by a speeding car that failed to brake in time. The impact sent him flying into a lake. Fortunately, Ye Luochuan knew how to swim. After swallowing a few mouthfuls of water, he managed to climb ashore. However, when he turned around to vent his anger at the driver, he was shocked to find that the world around him had completely changed. After repeated confirmations, he finally realized that he had transmigrated. Not just to any time period but to an ancient world! At first, he panicked. So, he jumped back into the lake, hoping to reverse the process and return home. But after multiple failed attempts, he had to reluctantly accept reality. After overcoming his fear, Ye Luochuan, an avid fan of web novels, began to feel a sense of anticipation. Surname Ye. Orphan. Exceptionally handsome. Hit by a car. ¡°Oh-ho! All four key elements of a transmigrator protagonist are here! Isn¡¯t this a perfect setup for a main character?¡± Ye Luochuan¡¯s despair turned into excitement. But just as he eagerly awaited his ¡®golden finger¡¯ (special cheat ability) to appear and lead him to greatness¡­ it never came. No system. No divine inheritance. No memory of past life cultivation techniques. Nothing. He reassured himself, thinking, With this thought, he felt a little better and began exploring the world. Using his modern wristwatch, he exchanged it at a pawn shop for 300 taels of silver. Though his watch was nothing special back on Earth, here in ancient times, it was a priceless artifact. Even with the pawn shop owner deliberately lowering the price, Ye Luochuan still managed to get 300 taels, which he later realized was quite a fortune. One tael of silver was worth about 1,000 modern Earth yuan, meaning he now had the equivalent of 300,000 yuan (roughly $40,000)! ¡°If only I could go back and forth between the two worlds¡­ I could make a fortune through trade alone.¡± With money in hand, Ye Luochuan quickly adapted. He bought appropriate clothing, registered his household identity, and even purchased a small courtyard to settle down. Just as he was considering how to make a living, he stumbled upon an earth-shattering revelation¡ªMartial arts existed in this world! Not only martial arts, but there was also a ranking system known as the ¡®Weaponry List¡¯, featuring legendary figures such as. Tianji Staff ¨C Tianji Elder Dragon Phoenix Rings ¨C Shangguan Jinhong Little Li Flying Dagger ¨C Li Xunhuan Upon hearing these names, Ye Luochuan immediately understood¡ªHe had transmigrated into a martial world, and it was the universe of Little Li Flying Dagger! This realization left him feeling extremely uneasy. As a martial arts fan, he knew this was a world where strength ruled. Without martial prowess, nothing else mattered! Even if he amassed wealth using his modern knowledge, it would likely be stolen by stronger fighters. After all, robbing the rich was common practice among martial artists. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If he was unlucky, he might even get killed just for accidentally looking at the wrong person. ¡°No way! I must become strong!¡± But without a cheat ability, how could he accomplish that? After deep contemplation, Ye Luochuan came up with two potential plans. Befriend Li Xunhuan Obtain the ¡®Lianhua Manual¡¯ from Lin Shiyin To achieve either of these goals, he first needed to find them. Thus, he spent a significant amount of silver hiring the most reputable escort agency to safely bring him to Li Garden. _____ During his journey, the bodyguards accompanying him shared another shocking revelation¡ªThis world was called Wu Realm, but the land they stood on was merely a small fragmented province of the original realm. Two hundred years ago, Wu Realm was whole and vast beyond measure, with an unparalleled martial arts civilization. At the time, martial arts ranks extended far beyond what existed now. Current Rank. Houtian (Postnatal) ¨C 9 levels Xiantian (Prenatal) ¨C Initial, Middle, Late, Peak Grandmaster Supreme Grandmaster Ancient Ranks (now lost). Martial King Martial Emperor Martial Sovereign Martial Saint Martial God For unknown reasons, Wu Realm shattered, its vast land broken into numerous floating provinces drifting through an endless ocean. Along with this fragmentation, the spiritual energy that powered martial cultivation significantly diminished. The province Ye Luochuan was currently in, which he called ¡®Little Li Flying Dagger Province¡¯, had an upper limit of Supreme Grandmaster due to the lack of spiritual energy. For two centuries, many peak Supreme Grandmasters had ventured into the ocean, searching for better lands rich in energy. But none of them ever returned. Whether they succeeded or perished at sea remained a mystery. Hearing this, Ye Luochuan was stunned. _______ After three months of travel, Ye Luochuan finally arrived at Li Garden, only to find it in the middle of a grand wedding celebration. Sweeping his gaze across the crowd, his eyes finally landed on a young man with wavy hair. Handsome beyond words, with refined elegance and a deep, mysterious gaze¡ªLi Xunhuan. The legendary Little Li Tanhua and master of the famed Little Li Flying Dagger technique. But today, despite the joyous occasion, Li Xunhuan¡¯s face was gloomy and full of suppressed sorrow. Ye Luochuan knew why. His beloved cousin and fianc¨¦e, Lin Shiyin, was getting married to another man. And that man was standing nearby¡ªthe groom, Long Xiaoyun. As the ceremony commenced, with the bride and groom about to bow to the heavens. A deafening thunderclap shattered the sky. In that instant, the entire Wu Realm trembled. From beyond the clouds, a brilliant cascade of golden light descended, illuminating the mountains and rivers for thousands of miles. Chapter 2 - Reactions Across the Martial States – The World Watches Chapter 2 Reactions Across the Martial States ¨C The World Watches At Hengyang City, Huiyan Tower, three figures sat around a table¡ªtwo men and one woman. One man was Linghu Chong, the top disciple of the Huashan Sect. The other was Tian Boguang, the notorious ¡®Flower-Picking Bandit¡¯. The woman was a nun, Yilin, a disciple of the Hengshan Sect. Linghu Chong, his sword resting at his waist, had a pale complexion, his body covered in wounds, yet his gaze remained unyielding. With a mocking grin, he challenged. ¡°Standing, I am no match for you. Sitting, you are no match for me.¡± Tian Boguang chuckled. ¡°Brother Linghu, what I admire is your boldness, not your martial arts.¡± Linghu Chong smirked, about to reply. A thunderous explosion shook the skies. The three of them flinched, their faces filled with shock. When they looked up, they saw a sight they would never forget. The ninth heaven above was ablaze with radiant light, as though someone was ascending to immortality in broad daylight. At the same time, dark clouds engulfed the sky, shrouding the world in gloom. The stark contrast between the golden radiance and the ominous darkness sent chills down their spines. Then, the heavenly glow began to contract, condensing into a massive screen of light that hovered over the entire world. ¡°Linghu Brother, w-what is that¡­?¡± Yilin trembled, hiding behind him. Linghu Chong remained silent, staring at the heavens with narrowed eyes. Tian Boguang, his face pale, cursed under his breath. ¡°Damn it! That scared the hell out of me!¡± Instinctively, his fingers clenched the hilt of his short blade before slowly relaxing. As a criminal, he had been on edge, fearing that divine retribution had finally come for him. _____ After listening to Yue Lingshan and Lao Denuo¡¯s report on their recent trip to Fujian, Yue Buqun quietly contemplated the situation. As expected, the Qingcheng Sect had indeed attacked the Fortune Escort Agency¡ªnot just with a skirmish, but a complete massacre. Even with such ruthless tactics, Yu Canghai still failed to obtain the Bixie Sword Manual. This meant that his own plan to ambush Yu Canghai and steal the manual had fallen apart. Just as this thought crossed his mind¡ªthe heavens changed. Yue Buqun snapped his head upward, his pupils constricting. Gasps of shock erupted from Yue Lingshan and the other disciples as they too witnessed the divine spectacle. ¡°A heavenly anomaly¡­ is this an omen of fortune or calamity?¡± Yue Buqun muttered. An intense sense of urgency gripped his heart. Then, thoughts of the Mount Song Sect¡¯s aggression, Zuo Lengchan¡¯s ambitions, and the decline of the Huashan Sect rushed through his mind. His lips pressed into a firm line, a cold determination flickering in his eyes. ¡°No matter what, strength is the foundation of survival.¡± The Bixie Sword Manual! He had to obtain it. He would preserve the legacy of the Huashan Sect. Not only that¡ªhe would revive the past glory of ¡®Sword Qi Huashan¡¯! To achieve this, he was willing to pay any price. ¡°After attending Senior Brother Liu¡¯s Golden Basin Handwashing Ceremony, we shall return to Huashan.¡± ¡°Regardless of whether this celestial event is a blessing or a curse, we only need to stay in Huashan and safeguard our sect.¡± ¡°The affairs of the outside world¡­ we shall not interfere.¡± Hearing the tension in Yue Buqun¡¯s voice, Ning Zhongze looked at him with concern, attempting to soothe his worries. Yue Buqun smiled faintly, but inwardly, he dismissed her words. Ning Zhongze did not realize the true crisis Huashan faced. She thought his burden was merely revitalizing their sect, when in truth, the sect was on the brink of destruction under Zuo Lengchan¡¯s shadow. Ning Zhongze underestimated the current crisis. But Yue Buqun kept these concerns hidden, even from his own wife. After all, he was the ¡®Gentleman Sword¡¯ Yue Buqun. And as a gentleman¡­ how could he assume the worst about his fellow allies? Five Mountain Sword Alliance, a bond of solidarity¡­ right? Moreover, even if he told Ning Zhongze, it would be pointless. She would only try to dissuade him from pursuing the Bixie Sword Manual. Power. Strength. These were the only things that mattered now. _____ At Mount Wudang, Tianzhu Peak, amidst the sea of clouds, an elderly Daoist sat motionless atop a massive boulder. Like an ancient pine tree, he remained unshaken by the elements, unmoved by time itself. Suddenly¡ªhis eyes snapped open. Gazing at the celestial anomaly, he whispered, ¡°Is history about to repeat itself? Just like two hundred years ago?¡± ______ ¡°Damn that Zhu Wushi! He doesn¡¯t even put me in his eyes!¡± ¡°Treacherous villain! Treacherous villain!¡± ¡°A rebellious traitor¡ªI will kill him one day!¡± Ming Emperor Zhu Houzhao slammed his desk, sending official reports scattering across the floor. Yet beneath his fury was an overwhelming sense of helplessness. The Dragon Guard Villa had become too powerful to control. And its leader, Iron Courage Divine Marquis Zhu Wushi, was not only a peerless martial artist but also held imperial privileges that even Zhu Houzhao himself could not revoke. For now, he could only endure. Then¡ªthe heavens erupted. Zhu Houzhao¡¯s expression turned solemn. He straightened his imperial robe and strode to the entrance. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Summon Cao Zhengchun immediately!¡± ______ The Holy Maiden Shi Feixuan stood in divine radiance, ethereal like a celestial being. The Demonic Enchantress Wanwan exuded a mesmerizing, otherworldly allure, like a spirit of the underworld. Both women raised their heads in unison, their eyes filled with shock. Qin King Ying Zheng stood atop his grand palace, his Tianwen Sword hanging at his waist. With a single decree, he summoned the Yin-Yang Clan. _____ The changes in the heavens shook every corner of Wu Realm from Demonic Swords of Life and Death, Peacock Plume, Undesirable Persons, Overturning the Clouds, Storm Riders and Water Moon Cavern to the great empires of Qin, Sui, Wu Zhou, Song, Ming, and Qing. From legendary figures such as. Demonic Master Pang Ban Heavenly Gate Emperor Shitian Martial Supreme Wu Wudi Undying Demon Yin Zhong To emperors, grandmasters, hidden experts, and powerful clans¡ªeveryone had been alarmed. Under the gaze of countless souls¡ªthe screen of light in the sky began to change once more¡­ Chapter 3 - Live Q&A Game Arrives, Immortality Stirs the Heart Chapter 3 Live Q&A Game Arrives, Immortality Stirs the Heart The heavenly light screen was truly mystical. Even with rooms in the way, one only had to lift their head slightly to see the display. Deep valleys, underground prisons¡ªnothing could block its sight. Yet, out of instinct, most people still walked outside, and those with the ability climbed to higher ground. Even the blind could now see, though only within the bounds of the light screen. The moment they looked away, darkness returned. Thus, across all regions of the Martial World, everyone, regardless of their location, paused whatever they were doing and gazed at the sky. Amidst the collective anticipation, a divine, authoritative voice, like a celestial decree, echoed as words emerged on the screen. ¡¾Live Q&A Game Has Arrived¡¿ ¡¾The first live broadcast will begin in one incense stick¡¯s time¡¿ ¡¾The broadcast will feature past, present, and future events from various regions of the Martial World¡¿ ¡¾Five lucky participants will be randomly selected to answer questions¡¿ ¡¾Correct answers earn rewards; wrong answers bring punishment¡¿ ¡¾Rewards include, but are not limited to, divine weapons, secret martial arts techniques, spiritual elixirs, and mythical beasts¡­ even immortality techniques and instant ascension methods¡¿ ¡¾Punishments range from losing martial arts abilities, physical disabilities¡­ to outright erasure from existence¡¿ ¡¾At the end of each broadcast, the highest-ranking participant receives an extra reward, while the lowest is eliminated¡¿ ¡¾Others may choose to continue to the next round or withdraw¡¿ ¡¾All participants, prepare yourselves¡ªlucky contestants will be drawn shortly¡¿ As the emotionless, overwhelming voice resounded, silence blanketed the Martial World, as if the world had been muted. A Live Q&A Game? A game with real rewards? Prizes that included immortality and ascension! The brief silence was shattered as the entire Martial World erupted into chaos. From emperors and generals to merchants, beggars, rogue warriors, and righteous heroes¡ªevery single person could hear their own pounding heartbeat. Since the dawn of recorded history, countless generations had pursued these very things. Yet, they remained an unattainable dream, forever out of reach. Those who sought it had all failed. Even when martial arts flourished, when legendary warriors known as Martial Gods could move mountains and split seas, they still succumbed to time. Death was the final fate of all. But now¡ªthis Live Q&A Game claimed that simply by being chosen and answering questions correctly, one could obtain what even Martial Gods had longed for! How could they not go mad with excitement? At this moment, the Martial World was like an array of erupting volcanoes, spewing endless fervor. Many confident individuals had eyes blazing red with desire. They didn¡¯t doubt the game¡¯s authenticity. Something of this magnitude, with such grand claims¡ªeven Martial Gods paled in comparison. Clearly, this was the work of the Celestial Beings! A divine opportunity had descended. They had to seize this once-in-a-lifetime chance! As for the penalties for incorrect answers? Apart from those in high positions who were particularly wary of death, few cared. Risk was a part of life. Compared to immortality and ascension, mere punishments were insignificant! Especially for the poor, the criminals on death row¡ªthey had nothing to lose. Their lives were already at rock bottom. If this was a chance to change fate, why would they hesitate? At worst, they would die. But if they won a celestial opportunity, they could overturn the heavens and seize destiny itself! _____ Laughing Proudly in Jianghu State ¡°Choose me! Choose me! I must be chosen!¡± Yue Buqun clenched his jaw, his fists tightly balled. His eyes were bloodshot, and his limbs trembled from overwhelming excitement and tension. His heart pounded like thunder. It was obvious¡ªthis Live Q&A Game could change his entire fate! If he obtained immortality or ascension, the ¡®Bixie Sword Manual¡¯ would be meaningless. Zuo Lengchan? He would crush him. Huashan Sect would rise to unparalleled heights. He would be renowned for eternity, ruling the martial world! At this thought, Yue Buqun trembled with exhilaration. ______ Zhu Wushi stood at the palace gates, hands clasped behind his back. Behind him stood the three elite spies¡ªTian, Di, and Xuan. His face was flushed as he gazed at the glowing sky. If immortality was possible, then surely the treasure to revive Su Xin existed as well? Su Xin. His beloved Su Xin. She had lain in the ice coffin for eighteen years. It had been far too long since he had last spoken to her. In the icy glaciers, Di Shitian stared at the sky, his eyes flashing with an icy gleam. Immortality? Ascension? Hah! I, Di Shitian, am already a living god! For over two thousand years, he had survived. He wore an arrogant expression¡ªuntil it twisted with rage. The memory of Wu Wudi, the one who destroyed his Phoenix Blood, still burned in his mind. Damn him! ______ sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Meanwhile, throughout the martial world, emperors, sect leaders, and major powerhouses sprang into action. Their subordinates dispersed across the land, monitoring every corner. With only five lucky participants, the chances of selection were slim. The best strategy? Cast a wide net. If someone under their rule was chosen, they would immediately seize control of them. If useful, they would force them to comply. If useless, they would eliminate them to prevent instability. As for the rulers themselves? Most didn¡¯t want to be chosen. They desired the rewards, but not the risk. The solution? Let someone else win the prize¡­ then take it by force. _____ As countless people waited in tense anticipation, the time of one incense stick passed away. Once again, the overwhelming celestial voice echoed. ¡¾Opening the live broadcast room¡¿ Chapter 4 - Five Out of Two, What Kind of Feng Shui Treasure Land is Liyuan? Chapter 4 Five Out of Two, What Kind of Feng Shui Treasure Land is Liyuan? Live broadcast room? While everyone was still confused, a small light screen suddenly appeared before them. Immediately after, as if guided by some mysterious force, an inexplicable sensation arose in their hearts. With just a single thought, their consciousness seemed to enter another strange space. The next moment, they saw lines of information rapidly scrolling across the small light screen. ¡¾Yue Lingshan has entered the live broadcast room¡¿ ¡¾Ning Zhongze has entered the live broadcast room¡¿ ¡¾Dongfang Bubai has entered the live broadcast room¡¿ ¡­¡­ ¡¾Li Xunhuan has entered the live broadcast room¡¿ ¡¾Lin Shiyin has entered the live broadcast room¡¿ ¡¾Lin Xian¡¯er has entered the live broadcast room¡¿ ¡­¡­ ¡¾Huang Rong has entered the live broadcast room¡¿ ¡¾Xiaolongnu has entered the live broadcast room¡¿ ¡¾Wang Yuyan has entered the live broadcast room¡¿ ¡¾Mingyue has entered the live broadcast room¡¿ ¡¾Di Er Meng has entered the live broadcast room¡¿ ¡­¡­ ¡¾Zhang Sanfeng has entered the live broadcast room¡¿ ¡¾Ying Zheng has entered the live broadcast room¡¿ ¡¾Zhu Houzhao has entered the live broadcast room¡¿ ¡­¡­ The bullet comments were scrolling crazily, densely packed, making it hard to keep up. And all of this was also happening on the large light screen in the sky. In other words, the bullet comments on both the small and large screens were synchronized. At the same time, as if they were born knowing, everyone inexplicably understood the purpose and usage of these bullet comments. ¡¾Qin Emperor Ying Zheng¡¿: Hmm? Interesting! This live broadcast room is truly magical! With just a thought, I can turn my words into text. ¡¾Wudang Sect Leader Zhang Sanfeng¡¿: So many names I¡¯ve never heard of¡ªcould this live broadcast room have gathered figures from all the divided states of the Martial World? ¡¾Eastern Heretic Huang Yaoshi¡¿: That should be the case! The heavenly screen just said that the range of the live broadcast includes past, present, and future scenes of the Martial World. ¡¾Shaolin Abbot Fangzheng¡¿: Amitabha! This is truly the work of an immortal! Even a Martial God is far inferior! ¡¾World Society Leader Xiongba¡¿: Hah! Foolish monk! What level are you at to dare to judge the abilities of a Martial God? ¡¾Cheng Shifei¡¿: Wow, so many powerful figures. A mere commoner like me is trembling in fear. ¡¾Four-Browed Lu Xiaofeng¡¿: Interesting! This live broadcast Q&A game looks more fun than solving cases. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡¾Sword Demon Yan Shisan¡¿: My sword seeks a worthy opponent! ¡¾Sword Demon of Bai Jian Manor¡¿: Hmm? You also call yourself Sword Demon? What level are you to be using the same title as me? ¡­¡­ For the first time, the billions of people in the Martial World encountered a live broadcast and bullet comments. For a moment, they were all deeply intrigued, eagerly expressing their thoughts. However, soon, more than 99% of them were shocked to discover that their comments couldn¡¯t be sent. This realization made many people furious. Yet, they were powerless to change it. They didn¡¯t even dare to voice their complaints. If some had previously doubted that this live broadcast Q&A game was the work of immortals and suspected it was just an elaborate trick, now, no one had any doubts. Because what was happening before them was beyond human capability.bOnly immortals could make sense of this. And who would dare question rules set by immortals?nStill, even though fewer than one in ten thousand could post comments, the entire bullet comment section was completely filled and scrolling at an insane speed. Clearly, the more certain they were that this live broadcast Q&A game was divine in nature, the more enthusiastic they became.bAfter all, if someone was chosen to answer and got the answer right, immortality and immediate ascension would no longer be just a fantasy! How could this not make people go crazy? _____ The wedding had already been interrupted and could no longer continue.;But aside from the few people directly involved, no one cared about the wedding anymore. Everyone was too shocked by the sudden appearance of the live broadcast Q&A game. They whispered amongst themselves, discussing the event fervently, gazing up at the sky, hoping they would be among the chosen ones. In the crowd, Ye Luochuan looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar live broadcast and at the countless familiar names appearing in the bullet comments. A bold thought suddenly emerged in his mind. Could it be this Martial World is just like the various martial arts novels from his past life? And these so-called ¡°past, present, and future scenes¡±¡ªcould they actually be the storylines of those novels? As soon as the thought arose, Ye Luochuan¡¯s heartbeat suddenly quickened. At this moment, the mighty voice of heaven echoed once more across the skies, resounding throughout the Martial World. ¡¾The live broadcast Q&A game is about to begin¡¿ ¡¾Now selecting five lucky participants¡¿ ¡¾Selection starting¡­¡¿ In an instant, everyone¡¯s hearts tensed, as if gripped by an invisible hand. They held their breath, eyes locked onto the light screen. ¡¾Princess Yunluo of the Ming Dynasty¡¿: Pick me! ¡¾Murong Fu of Yanziwu¡¿: I¡¯m in! ¡¾Old Mischief Zhou Botong¡¿: Choose me! I want to play! I want to play! ¡¾¡­¡­¡¿ As the bullet comments flooded the screen, Ye Luochuan¡¯s heart also leaped. Like the others, he fervently hoped to be chosen.bAfter all, in a life without cheats, rising to power was too difficult! But if he could participate in answering the questions, given his deep familiarity with martial arts novels, his chances of getting the answers right were very high. Unless he was unlucky enough to get a highly obscure question¡­ or something from a martial arts novel he hadn¡¯t read. Still, that small risk was nothing compared to the potential rewards! ¡°Pick me!¡± Ye Luochuan shouted in his heart. The next moment, a heavenly light descended upon him, and his figure vanished into thin air. ¡°Ah! He disappeared!¡± ¡°So fast! He vanished in the blink of an eye!¡± ¡°Look! He¡¯s up in the sky! He got chosen!¡± ¡°Lucky bastard.¡± Ye Luochuan¡¯s sudden disappearance instantly drew the attention of those around him. Once they realized he had been chosen to answer the questions, a wave of exclamations arose. Their voices were full of envy, jealousy, and bitterness. Damn it! They had been standing just a few feet away from Ye Luochuan¡ªso why hadn¡¯t they been chosen instead? However, while these people were busy stomping their feet in frustration, another wave of gasps erupted from the main hall. ¡°Big brother! Big brother!¡± It was Li Xunhuan¡¯s voice. ¡°Ah, the groom got chosen too!¡± ¡°Look! Dragon Xiaoyun is in the sky!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± At that moment, whether it was Li Xunhuan or the guests, everyone was completely stunned. The Martial World had countless people, yet only five lucky participants were chosen. And in this tiny Liyuan alone, two of them had been picked! What kind of Feng Shui treasure land was this?! Under the red bridal veil, Lin Shiyin gently raised her head, looking at the soaring Long Xiaoyun. Her cold gaze wavered slightly. Chapter 5 - Lianxing and Yilin Enter the Live Broadcast Room Chapter 5 Lianxing and Yilin Enter the Live Broadcast Room At Xiu Yu Valley, Yihua Palace, two stunning figures stood side by side, gazing up at the sky. A gentle breeze swept by, making their flowing garments dance in the air, as if they were about to ride the wind and ascend. Their elegance was like a light cloud veiling the moon, their grace akin to a drifting breeze stirring falling snow. They seemed nothing like ordinary mortals. Rather, they appeared to be celestial goddesses descended from the heavens. Their mere presence instantly elevated the splendor of the entire Xiu Yu Valley. Suddenly, a divine light descended, and Lianxing¡¯s figure vanished in an instant. Standing beside her, Yaoyue¡¯s pupils constricted sharply as a monstrous wave of shock surged within her heart. This was truly the work of an immortal! From start to finish, she hadn¡¯t even sensed how Lianxing disappeared. If an immortal intended to do something to her, she wouldn¡¯t have the slightest ability to resist. This realization unsettled Yaoyue, who had reigned supreme for far too long. Lifting her head, she saw Lianxing¡¯s figure appearing in the sky, her gaze flickering with complex emotions, but she remained silent. ______ At Huiyan Tower, Watching Yilin and Tian Boguang vanish into thin air right before him, Linghu Chong was momentarily stunned. An incredulous thought crept into his mind as he suddenly looked up. Seeing Yilin and Tian Boguang appear in the sky, Linghu Chong was utterly shocked. Out of the entire Martial World, only five spots were available, and yet, two of them had been taken by the people right next to him! And even though all three of them had been together, he was the one left out! Linghu Chong sighed regretfully. This live broadcast Q&A game looked like a lot of fun, and he wanted to participate as well. Feeling dejected, Linghu Chong took a big swig of wine, completely ignoring the fact that he was still injured. ______ At the same time, five golden characters appeared in the live broadcast room, each corresponding to one of the five selected individuals. ¡¾Ye Luochuan has entered the live broadcast room¡¿ ¡¾Long Xiaoyun has entered the live broadcast room¡¿ ¡¾Lianxing has entered the live broadcast room¡¿ ¡¾Yilin has entered the live broadcast room¡¿ ¡¾Tian Boguang has entered the live broadcast room¡¿ As they gazed upon the five figures in the sky, the entire Martial World erupted into chaos. Countless people breathed heavily, their eyes turning red with jealousy. ¡¾Old Mischief Zhou Botong¡¿: What?! I wasn¡¯t chosen?! How can this be?! This isn¡¯t fun at all! I hate it! ¡¾Xingxiu Sect Ah Zi¡¿: Three men and two women¡­ Oh, and one of them is a groom! ¡¾Supreme Alliance Ren Qianxing¡¿: Getting picked by the live broadcast room in the middle of a wedding¡ªwhat a double blessing! Truly lucky. ¡¾Yan Ziwu Bao Buhuan¡¿: Not necessarily! This might not be good luck. If he answers incorrectly and gets erased by the broadcast room, it¡¯ll be terrible luck instead. ¡¾Demonic Shadow Bian Bufu¡¿: Sluuurp! What a stunning beauty! Too bad she¡¯s in another state¡ªI can¡¯t have a taste. ¡¾Ruthless Cloud Hawk¡¿: Who knew that a nun could be this beautiful? It¡¯s making my whole body heat up. ¡¾Iron Sword Sect Master Yu Zhenzi¡¿: That woman in palace attire is absolutely exquisite! In all my years, I¡¯ve never seen such a top-tier beauty. Lianxing? A beautiful name for a beautiful woman. ¡¾Seven Stars Hall Murong Qiudi¡¿: A bunch of despicable perverts! You¡¯ll all be slapped to death sooner or later! ¡¾Four-Browed Lu Xiaofeng¡¿: The five chosen ones sure are good-looking. Could beauty be part of the selection criteria? If only they swapped out Tian Boguang for me, it would be perfect! ¡¾King of Thieves Sikong Zhaixing¡¿: Lu Xiaochicken, stop flattering yourself! ¡¾Sun Moon Sect Qu Feiyan¡¿: Tian Boguang, a notorious pervert, actually got selected by the live broadcast room? ¡¾Hengshan Sect Master Dingyi¡¿: Yilin! Where have you gone? How did you get separated from us?! ¡¾Young Master of Yihua Palace Hua Wuque¡¿: Second Master! ¡¾Little Li Flying Dagger Li Xunhuan¡¿: Brother, be careful when answering the questions. ¡¾Sun Xiaohong¡¿: Wow! Little Li Flying Dagger, Li Xunhuan! _____ The bullet comments in the live broadcast room surged like a tidal wave, flooding the screen at an overwhelming pace. Meanwhile, the five chosen individuals, still reeling from a mix of shock and excitement, began surveying their surroundings. They found themselves standing inside a grand and majestic hall. The five of them exchanged glances. Ye Luochuan¡¯s gaze quickly swept past Long Xiaoyun and Tian Boguang before settling on Yilin. She appeared to be around sixteen or seventeen years old, possessing an unparalleled purity and elegance. Her complexion was as radiant as polished jade, her beauty luminous and untouched. Her graceful figure had a natural curvature, and despite being draped in a loose monk¡¯s robe, it could not conceal her delicate and enchanting form. She was truly a rare beauty. Ye Luochuan silently praised her in his heart. Typically, a woman¡¯s beauty is significantly influenced by her hair. Whether she has hair or how her hairstyle is styled can greatly impact her appearance. Yet, even with a shaved head, Yilin¡¯s beauty remained breathtaking. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, Yue Lingshan had inherited the beauty of her mother, Ning Zhongze, making her an exceptional beauty. Even so, Linghu Chong had to admit that Yilin¡¯s beauty surpassed that of Yue Lingshan. And that was with Yue Lingshan benefiting from the ¡®lover¡¯s filter¡¯. It was hard to imagine how otherworldly Yilin would look if she ever let her hair grow. In the original novel, perhaps only the female lead, Ren Yingying, could rival her beauty. Ye Luochuan¡¯s gaze lingered on Yilin only briefly before shifting to Lianxing. Lianxing looked to be around twenty years old. She was dressed in a cloud-like embroidered palace gown, with a long skirt trailing on the ground and cascading black hair flowing like drifting clouds. Her delicate and sweet face was more radiant than spring flowers. Her clear and luminous eyes flickered playfully, brimming with an indescribable intelligence. Yet, they also carried an unexpected innocence¡ªone unfitting for someone her age. Still, her beauty was dazzling beyond compare. And her aura was even more extraordinary¡ªso captivating that it was impossible to ignore her presence. She stood there like a proud phoenix perched atop a parasol tree, exuding an aloofness that looked down upon the world. Seeing Lianxing¡¯s stunning presence, Ye Luochuan couldn¡¯t help but be amazed. In terms of sheer looks, Yilin might not be much inferior to Lianxing. But even if Yilin grew out her hair, she would likely still fall short. Because their aura was worlds apart! It was no wonder¡ªYilin was just a naive and pure-hearted little nun, whereas Lianxing. She was the Second Palace Mistress of Yihua Palace! In Peerless Twin Pride, Yihua Palace was renowned across the Martial World, and as one of its ruling figures, Lianxing had naturally cultivated an unparalleled presence. That was something ordinary people could never hope to match. Chapter 6 - Tian Boguang Seeks Death? The Price of a Loose Tongue Chapter 6 Tian Boguang Seeks Death? The Price of a Loose Tongue Long Xiaoyun was momentarily captivated by the stunning beauty of Lianxing. His heart pounded wildly, but he quickly shook his head inwardly. Lianxing was indeed breathtaking, but he still preferred Lin Shiyin¡¯s type. He had an almost obsessive admiration for Lin Shiyin. Thinking about how he was just about to marry Lin Shiyin, only for their wedding to be disrupted by this sudden Live Q&A Game, Long Xiaoyun¡¯s expression darkened. Others were eager to participate in this Live Q&A Game, but to Long Xiaoyun, the most important thing was marrying Lin Shiyin and bringing her home. Everything else came second. Immortality? Becoming a Celestial? That would only be possible if he answered correctly. But what if he got the answer wrong? What if the punishment was death? If he died, wouldn¡¯t his soon-to-be bride be left behind, never to be enjoyed? Long Xiaoyun was highly satisfied with his current situation and eagerly looked forward to his future with Lin Shiyin. He really didn¡¯t want any unnecessary complications. But unfortunately, the Live Q&A Game had chosen him. This made Long Xiaoyun feel extremely frustrated. ¡°Forget it. Since I¡¯m here, I might as well make the best of it.¡± ¡°Maybe this is a blessing in disguise. I might end up getting some rewards.¡± Long Xiaoyun could only comfort himself with such thoughts. _____ Lianxing¡¯s gaze swept across the room, and when she saw Ye Luochuan, as a devoted admirer of handsome men, her eyes couldn¡¯t help but light up. She suddenly recalled Jiang Feng from eighteen years ago. Although time had blurred Jiang Feng¡¯s features in her memory, Lianxing was still certain that the man before her was in no way inferior to Jiang Feng. However, under the attention of the entire Live Q&A Game, she didn¡¯t deliberately approach Ye Luochuan in front of so many people. Suddenly, Lianxing frowned slightly as she sensed a pair of greedy eyes unabashedly staring at her. Turning her head, she saw Tian Boguang gazing at her with shining eyes, his expression full of desire. Lianxing instantly knew exactly what kind of filthy thoughts were running through his mind. As the Second Palace Master of Yihua Palace, the only person who could bully her was her elder sister. Other than Yaoyue, Lianxing had never been one to swallow her anger. Without hesitation, she gathered an icy, bone-chilling energy into her right palm and raised her hand to strike Tian Boguang. Just then, an invisible force restrained her, and the voice of the Live Q&A Game sounded. [Combat is prohibited in the Live Q&A Game. Starting next time, violators will be eliminated.] As soon as the announcement ended, the force binding Lianxing disappeared. But Lianxing dared not act again. She knew that the first time was excused because she wasn¡¯t aware of the rule. If she attacked again, it would be a deliberate violation, and she would be punished by the Live Q&A Game. Casting a cold glance at Tian Boguang, Lianxing ignored him. ______ At this moment, Tian Boguang¡¯s forehead and back were drenched in sweat.!Although Lianxing hadn¡¯t managed to land her strike, the aura that leaked from her body when she made her move gave him the terrifying feeling that the sky was collapsing. Grandmaster? Great Grandmaster? Or even stronger? Tian Boguang couldn¡¯t determine Lianxing¡¯s level. The strongest martial artists he had encountered in his life had never been as terrifying as her. Without a reference, it was difficult for him to make an accurate judgment. But one thing was certain¡ªif she wanted to kill him, she wouldn¡¯t even need a second move! Tian Boguang shuddered, his heart filled with lingering fear. He quickly averted his gaze, not daring to look at her anymore. But then, a thought crossed his mind. He and Lianxing were not in the same continent. Otherwise, with her level of skill, it was impossible that he had never heard of her before. In that case, what did it matter if he had offended her? After all, combat was forbidden in the Live Q&A Game, and travel between continents was extremely difficult. No one had ever heard of anyone successfully crossing the vast oceans to another continent. So what could she do to him? With that thought, Tian Boguang straightened his back again! He looked directly at Lianxing, whistled frivolously, and smirked. ¡°What a feisty beauty! A real thrill! Too bad we¡¯re not on the same continent¡ªotherwise, this granddaddy Tian would definitely pay you a midnight visit!¡± ¡°You court death!¡± S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lianxing turned to glare at him, her eyes as sharp as blades, making Tian Boguang¡¯s scalp tingle. But he was certain that Lianxing couldn¡¯t harm him. With growing arrogance, he grinned even more lewdly and laughed wickedly. ¡°Oh~ Beauty, kill me if you can. Come on, Tian Boguang is begging for death¡ªcome and take my life!¡± Lianxing clenched her delicate fists tightly, gathering terrifying power in her palms. Her gaze towards Tian Boguang was as cold as ice, devoid of any warmth. But she forced herself to hold back. She could only curse their unfortunate separation¡ªif they were on the same continent, she would have made him suffer a fate worse than death. ¡°Since this perverted thief is so eager to die, perhaps we can find a way to grant his wish.¡± A calm and gentle voice suddenly sounded. Lianxing turned and saw Ye Luochuan¡¯s warm and charming smile. Ye Luochuan cupped his hands and greeted her politely, ¡°I am Ye Luochuan.¡± Lianxing nodded in return. ¡°I am Lianxing of Yihua Palace.¡± After a brief pause, she asked, ¡°What do you mean by your earlier words?¡± Ye Luochuan smiled. ¡°This perverted thief is seeking death but is unable to find it, simply because he and you are not on the same continent.¡± ¡°However, in my view, you two might very well have a chance to meet outside the Live Q&A Game.¡± ¡°For example?¡± Lianxing¡¯s eyes lit up. Ye Luochuan said leisurely, ¡°For example, if you answer correctly, you might win a treasure that allows you to teleport to another continent.¡± ¡°Or perhaps, you might gain a divine ability that enables you to cross the vast oceans.¡± ¡°Or maybe, the divine beings behind this Live Q&A Game might one day decide to merge all the continents back into a single landmass.¡± ¡°In any of these scenarios, you would be able to meet this perverted thief outside the Live Q&A Game.¡± ¡°That is, if this perverted thief manages to survive this game.¡± As Ye Luochuan finished speaking, Lianxing¡¯s face lit up with a bright, delighted smile. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right! Thank you for reminding me, Ye Gongzi.¡± At that moment, Lianxing found Ye Luochuan much more pleasant to look at. Her fondness for him surged. Ye Luochuan shook his head with a light chuckle. ¡°I merely helped make your wish come true.¡± Tian Boguang was scared stiff by Ye Luochuan¡¯s words. He instantly regretted his loose tongue. Now that he had completely angered Lianxing, their grudge was set in stone. If things unfolded as Ye Luochuan predicted, then he was doomed. For the first time, Tian Boguang felt a chilling despair. He glared furiously at Ye Luochuan, but Ye Luochuan pretended not to notice and continued chatting with Lianxing. Meanwhile, Yilin was explaining everything to her master in the Live Q&A Game. Chapter 7 - Heaven Never Seals All Exits, The Game Officially Begins! Chapter 7 Heaven Never Seals All Exits, The Game Officially Begins! ¡¾Hengshan Sect Yilin: Master, yesterday afternoon, I was traveling with you and my senior sisters to Hengyang. On the way, it started raining.¡¿ ¡¾Hengshan Sect Yilin: While descending a slope, I slipped and reached out to grab the mountain wall for support, covering my hands in mud and moss.¡¿ ¡¾Hengshan Sect Yilin: When we reached the bottom of the ridge, I went to the mountain stream to wash my hands, but I encountered Tian Boguang and was captured by him.¡¿ ¡¾Hengshan Sect Yilin: Tian Boguang took me into a cave, blocked the entrance, and refused to let me leave. He said that I¡­ that I looked beautiful and wanted me to sleep with him¡­¡¿ ¡¾Hengshan Sect Dingyi Shitai: Silence! A young girl should not speak so recklessly! How can you say such things?¡¿ ¡¾Hengshan Sect Yilin: But he was the one who said it! I never agreed to it, and I didn¡¯t sleep with him¡­¡¿ ¡¾Hengshan Sect Dingyi Shitai: Enough!¡¿ S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡­ Seeing the conversation between master and disciple, along with Yilin¡¯s confused and aggrieved expression, many people couldn¡¯t help but laugh out loud. ¡¾Iron Sword Sect Yuzhenzi: Heh heh, it seems that Brother Tian is one of us.¡¿ ¡¾Ruthless Evildoer Yun Zhonghe: Brother Tian, you have a good eye. This little nun is indeed tempting. If I had run into her, I wouldn¡¯t have let her go either.¡¿ ¡¾Blood Saber Sect Blood Saber Patriarch: Excellent! Wonderful! This old patriarch is bald, and so is the little nun¡ªa perfect match!¡¿ ¡¾Demonic Hermit Bian Bufu: I really want to see how my little niece Wanwan would look with a shaved head.¡¿ ¡¾Yin Kui Sect Saintess Wanwan: Uncle, I¡¯d also like to see what you look like after being castrated.¡¿ ¡¾Hengshan Sect Dingyi Shitai: Enough! You shameless degenerates! If I ever run into you, I will make sure you die without a burial place!¡¿ ¡¾Hengshan Sect Dingyi Shitai: Yilin, continue.¡¿ ¡¾Hengshan Sect Yilin: Yes, Master.¡¿ ¡¾Hengshan Sect Yilin: Tian Boguang refused to let me go and tried to tear off my clothes. Fortunately, Brother Linghu from Huashan Sect appeared.¡¿ ¡¾Hengshan Sect Yilin: Brother Linghu fought Tian Boguang to save me but suffered several sword wounds.¡¿ ¡¾Hengshan Sect Yilin: Brother Linghu told me that my presence was hindering him from fully executing Huashan Sect¡¯s invincible swordsmanship and urged me to leave first.¡¿ ¡¾Hengshan Sect Yilin: I obeyed, but as I neared Hengyang City, Tian Boguang caught up with me again, dragged me into Huiyan Tower, and forced me to drink and eat meat with him.¡¿ ¡¾Hengshan Sect Yilin: Master, we are monks¡ªhow can we drink and eat meat?¡¿ ¡¾Hengshan Sect Yilin: I refused, but he kept forcing me. That was when Brother Linghu appeared again.¡¿ ¡¾Hengshan Sect Yilin: Despite being covered in wounds, Brother Linghu still tried to save me. Then, this Live Q&A Game suddenly appeared, and both Tian Boguang and I were chosen.¡¿ ¡­ By this point, everyone understood the situation. ¡¾Hengshan Sect Dingyi Shitai: So, you were still in Huiyan Tower before being chosen?¡¿ ¡¾Hengshan Sect Yilin: Yes, Master.¡¿ ¡¾Hengshan Sect Dingyi Shitai: Good, good! Tian Boguang! Today, Hengshan Dingyi shall eliminate evil for the people!¡¿ Inside the Live Q&A Game, Tian Boguang¡¯s face darkened. There was no doubt that Dingyi Shitai had already gone to Huiyan Tower to ambush him. As soon as the Live Q&A Game ended, he would most likely be transported back there, where the entire Hengshan Sect would be waiting to kill him! And it might not just be the Hengshan Sect. The Five Mountain Sword Alliance shared a close bond, and many of them had gathered in Hengyang City due to Liu Zhengfeng¡¯s Golden Basin Wash Ceremony. By then, he might face all Five Sects united against him! ¡°Damn! This is such rotten luck!¡± Tian Boguang was on the verge of tears. He had just been trying to enjoy himself, but things had spiraled out of control. And now, he was staring at certain death. ¡°Wait! Heaven never seals all exits! There¡¯s still the Q&A Game!¡± ¡°As long as I can gain immense rewards from this Live Q&A, I can become the strongest in the world! What will the Five Mountain Sword Alliance matter then?¡± ¡°By that time, even she will kneel before me, begging for my favor!¡± As he thought about this, Tian Boguang couldn¡¯t help but sneak another glance at Lianxing. She was so beautiful. He almost couldn¡¯t suppress his excitement. ¡­ ¡¾Hengshan Sect Dingyi Shitai: Many thanks to Young Hero Linghu for his righteous help! Hengshan Dingyi will always remember this favor.¡¿ ¡¾Huashan Sect Linghu Chong: Master Dingyi, you are too kind! This is what I should do.¡¿ ¡¾Hengshan Sect Dingyi Shitai: Brother Yue, you have trained a fine disciple!¡¿ ¡¾Huashan Sect Leader Yue Buqun: You flatter me! It is our duty as martial artists to help those in distress. No need for thanks.¡¿ Outside Hengyang City, Yue Buqun¡¯s expression, initially darkened from not being chosen, brightened slightly. Linghu Chong¡¯s bravery in saving others had greatly boosted Huashan Sect¡¯s reputation in the martial world. Yue Buqun was quite pleased. Ning Zhongze and Yue Lingshan, through the chat, asked Linghu Chong about his injuries. Ning Zhongze said, ¡°Senior Brother, Chong¡¯er is still in Huiyan Tower. Let¡¯s go meet up with him.¡± Yue Buqun was about to respond when the giant glowing screen in the sky suddenly changed again. Without turning his head, he ordered, ¡°Lu Dayou, Liang Fa, go bring your senior brother over.¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Lu Dayou and Liang Fa obeyed and left. ¡­ Inside the Live Q&A Game, Long Xiaoyun had been silent, upset that his wedding had been interrupted. After calming down, his usual sociable nature resurfaced. ¡°I am Long Xiaoyun. Greetings to Young Master Ye, Miss Lianxing, and Little Master Yilin!¡± He presented himself as courteous and confident. As for Tian Boguang? He completely ignored him. How could a heroic figure like him acknowledge a notorious rapist? Ye Luochuan returned the greeting with a slight bow. ¡°Speaking of which, Long Daxia and I seem to have some fate in common.¡± Long Xiaoyun¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Oh? What do you mean?¡± Ye Luochuan smiled. ¡°Today is Long Daxia¡¯s wedding day. I was actually in the Li Garden earlier.¡± Long Xiaoyun was taken aback. He hadn¡¯t expected Ye Luochuan to be among his wedding guests. However, since Ye Luochuan was an unknown figure, Long Xiaoyun had not personally entertained him, so he hadn¡¯t realized it. Just as he was about to continue speaking, a majestic voice rang out again. ¡¾Attention, everyone! The Live Q&A is about to begin!¡¿ ¡¾During the Q&A, no cheating is allowed. Correct answers bring rewards; wrong answers bring penalties. The participant with the lowest score will be eliminated, while the highest scorer will receive an additional reward.¡¿ ¡¾This round¡¯s theme is: ¡°The Smiling, Proud Wanderer¡±.¡¿ ¡°The Smiling, Proud Wanderer?¡± ¡°What kind of place is that?¡± The chat exploded with discussions. Inside the Live Q&A Game, Ye Luochuan¡¯s heart began to race with excitement. Just as he had suspected¡ªthis martial arts world was actually a fusion of various wuxia universes. The divided continents likely represented different wuxia novels. He had initially landed in The Legendary Swordsman, but now, the game was about to reveal The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, one of Jin Yong¡¯s masterpieces! He knew this story well. Ye Luochuan was thrilled. As the voice finished speaking, an invisible force separated the five selected participants. Each of them was placed in front of a high platform, where a screen displaying ¡®ABCD¡¯ choices appeared. The Q&A had begun! Chapter 8 - Sunflower Manual, Huashan Ancestors Social Death Chapter 8 Sunflower Manual, Huashan Ancestors¡¯ Social Death A bright screen lit up, displaying a scene of utter darkness. Suddenly, a dazzling, thin beam of light cut through the darkness like the first ray of dawn piercing through the night, bringing light to the world. The previously dim scene brightened instantly. A grand and imposing palace complex appeared before everyone¡¯s eyes. Standing atop the intricately decorated roof beams was an elderly eunuch dressed in a red robe, with a pale, beardless face. With a casual motion, the elderly eunuch extended his hand, making an orchid finger gesture. His thumb and middle finger lightly pinched the thin, glowing ¡®beam of light¡¯.!The camera zoomed in. That ¡®beam of light¡¯ was actually an embroidered needle. The elderly eunuch held the embroidered needle between his fingers and smiled faintly. The scene shifted. The elderly eunuch stood alone, facing an onslaught of dozens of assassins. Yet, he remained calm and unhurried. With a slight movement, he became a blur of red, flickering through the crowd at an incredible speed, like a ghostly mirage, moving as fast as lightning, drifting like mist. In just two breaths, the red figure returned to its original position. The elderly eunuch wiped a drop of blood off the embroidered needle and walked away without looking back. Behind him, the assassins collapsed one after another. A small, blood-red puncture mark marred the center of each of their foreheads, blood slowly seeping from the wounds. Not a single one had survived. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. _____ ¡¾Ruthless Evildoer Yun Zhonghe: Damn! That speed is insane! I always thought my lightness skill was top-tier, but I barely caught a glimpse of his shadow!¡¿ ¡¾Butterfly Flower Hu Tiehua: Hey, Smelly Bug, how does your qinggong compare to his?¡¿ ¡¾Master Thief Chu Liuxiang: I have never met this senior, and my cultivation level is not on par with his, so it¡¯s difficult to compare.¡¿ ¡¾World Association Leader Xiongba: This elderly eunuch¡¯s cultivation is nothing special¡ªjust a peak Great Grandmaster. However, his speed is comparable to a Martial King¡¯s. Impressive.¡¿ Nothing special? Just a peak Great Grandmaster? The martial artists watching the broadcast had initially been shocked by the terrifying abilities of the elderly eunuch. But as soon as Xiongba spoke, many felt mentally shattered. For many of them, the strongest warriors they had ever encountered were merely Grandmasters or Great Grandmasters. Some had only reached Innate or Postnatal cultivation levels. To them, someone like the elderly eunuch was no different from a divine being! Yet Xiongba casually dismissed him as nothing special? Comparisons like these were just unfair! However, despite their irritation, no one dared to argue. It was obvious that Xiongba¡¯s continent had far richer spiritual energy than theirs, allowing cultivators there to reach higher limits. He had every right to look down on them. _____ Feng Qingyang gazed at the elderly eunuch on the screen, his expression extremely solemn. After a long silence, he let out a deep sigh. The Nine Swords of Dugu was renowned for being able to break through all techniques under the heavens. Ever since he had mastered the sword art, Feng Qingyang had believed himself to be invincible. But now, he realized he had been short-sighted, a mere frog at the bottom of a well. His so-called Nine Swords of Dugu could not counter everything. Even if he were at the same level as the elderly eunuch, he had no confidence in breaking through that embroidered needle technique. ¡°All martial arts under heaven are invincible, but speed is the one thing that cannot be overcome.¡± The elderly eunuch was simply too fast. So fast that Feng Qingyang couldn¡¯t even see clearly. ____ Inside the Live Q&A Game, as the video played, a narrator¡¯s voice provided background information. ¡¾A hundred years ago, there was a eunuch of unparalleled talent and unyielding determination despite his physical limitations.¡¿ ¡¾He created the supreme martial art, the ¡®Sunflower Manual¡¯, and refined his skills until he became the undisputed number one in the world, earning the title ¡®Ancestor Sunflower¡¯.¡¿ ¡¾Later, the ¡®Sunflower Manual¡¯ fell into the hands of the Putian Shaolin Temple.¡¿ ¡¾The temple stored it in the Sutra Pavilion.¡¿ ¡¾Sometime later, two disciples of the Huashan Sect, Yue Su and Cai Zifeng, visited the temple.¡¿ ¡¾That night, they sneaked into the Sutra Pavilion and secretly read the ¡®Sunflower Manual¡¯.¡¿ ¡¾Due to time constraints, they could not read the entire manual together. They agreed to split the text, with each memorizing half, and later combining their knowledge.¡¿ ¡¾However, after returning to Huashan, they found that their respective halves did not align at all.¡¿ ¡¾Each believed that they were correct and that the other had either made a mistake or deliberately withheld information.¡¿ ¡¾This led to a deep rift between them. Their conflict only grew more intense over time.¡¿ ¡¾Not long after, their theft was discovered.¡¿ ¡¾Master Hongye of the Putian Shaolin Temple immediately burned the ¡°Sunflower Manual¡± and sent his top disciple, Monk Duyuan, to confront Huashan Sect.¡¿ The scene on the screen shifted continuously, depicting the entire process. From Yue Su and Cai Zifeng sneaking around like thieves to their furious arguments when their texts didn¡¯t match¡ªevery embarrassing moment was on full display. Finally, the video cut off abruptly just as Monk Duyuan arrived at the base of Huashan Mountain. ____ ¡¾Now begins the Q&A session!¡¿ ¡¾Select one of the four options¡ªA, B, C, or D¡ªby pressing the corresponding symbol on the high platform before you.¡¿ ¡¾First question: How did Yue Su and Cai Zifeng respond to Monk Duyuan¡¯s accusations? What was the outcome?¡¿ ¡¾A: They shamelessly denied everything. With no solid evidence, Monk Duyuan left in frustration.¡¿ ¡¾B: Feeling guilty, they avoided meeting Monk Duyuan and had their disciples lie, claiming they were away traveling.¡¿ ¡¾C: They admitted to secretly reading the ¡®Sunflower Manual¡¯, apologized, and promised never to practice it. Monk Duyuan, seeing their sincerity, chose to let it go and returned to his temple.¡¿ ¡¾D: They acknowledged their mistake, apologized, and at the same time, subtly sought Monk Duyuan¡¯s guidance on the techniques in the manual. Monk Duyuan memorized the teachings and later left the temple to live as a layman.¡¿ ¡¾Countdown begins. All selected participants must choose an answer.¡¿ ¡¾If time runs out, the system will select an answer randomly.¡¿ ¡¾Correct answers will receive rewards, wrong answers will receive punishments. Rewards and punishments will be random.¡¿ As soon as the announcement ended, a sand timer appeared above the game arena. Seeing the timer, everyone knew that once the sand ran out, the answering phase would be over. ____ The video had stopped, but the comment section exploded. ¡¾Songshan Sect Fei Bin: Huashan Sect claims to be an upright and honorable faction, but its ancestors were nothing more than common thieves stealing other people¡¯s martial arts! What a disgrace to both Huashan and the Five Mountain Sword Alliance!¡¿ ¡¾Huashan Sect Leader Xian Yutong: I never expected the ancestor of the Huashan Sect from The Smiling, Proud Wanderer universe to be so disgraceful! A stain upon our sect!¡¿ ¡¾Huashan Sect Leader Xian Yutong @ Huashan Sect Leader Yue Buqun: As the current master, you should take this as a warning!¡¿ The first round of the Q&A Game had begun! Chapter 9 - Five Participants Answering, Four Different Answers Chapter 9 Five Participants Answering, Four Different Answers Outside Hengyang City, Yue Buqun¡¯s face was ashen. Seeing the ridicule and lecturing from the bullet comments, he felt a burning shame on his face. Fei Bin! Xianyu Tong! He had memorized these two names. Xianyu Tong was in another region, so he couldn¡¯t do anything about him for now. But Fei Bin was one of the Thirteen Guardians of the Mount Song Sect. Yue Buqun couldn¡¯t take on all thirteen at once, but if he ever caught one alone, he would kill one. A murderous intent boiled in his heart. He only hated that he hadn¡¯t been chosen by the livestream. Otherwise, forget Fei Bin¡ªhe might have taken on the entire Mount Song Sect by himself. Beside him, the disciples of the Mount Hua Sect were silent and terrified. Even the usually lively and playful Yue Lingshan didn¡¯t dare to act out at this moment, for fear of provoking Yue Buqun. However, while they remained silent, they couldn¡¯t help but think to themselves, Ning Zhongze spoke in a gentle voice, comforting him. ¡°Senior Brother, what happened decades ago is beyond our control. We only need to focus on the present.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Yue Buqun responded indifferently. ¡ª The discussions among the spectators were unknown to the five participants. When they were transported to their respective positions, before the footage began to play, the bullet comments had already been blocked. Not only that, but they also couldn¡¯t see each other. Each of them was effectively in an independent space. In other words, apart from the livestream footage, they couldn¡¯t see anything else. This meant that there was no way to cheat on the quiz¡ªthey could only rely on their own knowledge. Ye Luochuan had watched the original story, so he was essentially playing with cheat codes¡ªhe naturally knew the answer. Without hesitation, he chose D. And the moment he made his choice, the livestream restrictions were lifted¡ªhe could once again see the other participants and the bullet comments. ¡ª At this moment, the other four were carefully analyzing the question. They each applied their intelligence to analyze each option one by one. ¡°Yue Su and Cai Zifeng sneaking into the Shaolin Sutra Library to learn martial arts is a grave violation of Jianghu¡¯s unspoken rules.¡± ¡°Now that they¡¯ve been caught, of course, they¡¯ll feel guilty and uneasy.¡± ¡°Deny everything?¡± ¡°No way! Although the Mount Hua Sect seems strong, it¡¯s probably no match for the Shaolin Temple.¡± ¡°Moreover, the Shaolin Temple holds high prestige in the martial arts world. Otherwise, why would Yue Su and Cai Zifeng have been so respectful and cautious when they first visited?¡± ¡°If they act shamelessly and provoke Shaolin, leading to the matter being made public, the reputation of the Mount Hua Sect would be ruined!¡± Long Xiaoyun immediately eliminated A. ¡°Avoiding the confrontation? Now, that¡¯s a good idea.¡± ¡°If they stall for a while longer, they might be able to comprehend the secrets of the ¡®Sunflower Manual.¡¯¡± ¡°By then, the deed would be done. What could Shaolin do about it?¡± Long Xiaoyun temporarily kept B as an option. ¡°C, admitting to theft and apologizing¡ªthat does make sense.¡± ¡°But promising never to practice it again? That¡¯s highly unlikely.¡± ¡°If Yue and Cai could let go of the ¡®Sunflower Manual¡¯ that easily, they wouldn¡¯t have ended up breaking ties over it.¡± ¡°And the last one¡­ This option is so long and detailed¡ªcould it be the right answer?¡± ¡°No, it could also be a deliberate trap!¡± ¡°The more detailed an answer is, the more likely there¡¯s a single false statement mixed in.¡± ¡°A nine-truths-one-lie scenario is the easiest way to deceive people.¡± ¡°Yes, this must be a trap!¡± ¡°Besides, this monk Duyuan was the favorite disciple of Master Hongye. If he wanted to read the ¡®Sunflower Manual,¡¯ he would have done so already¡ªwhy would he need to secretly memorize it?¡± ¡°Even if he hadn¡¯t read it before, so what? If he learned it now, he learned it. Would he really need to renounce his monkhood and never return to Shaolin?¡± With these thoughts, Long Xiaoyun felt assured. Yes, he would choose B! One word: Stall! Two words: Play Dead! This was Long Xiaoyun¡¯s specialty. He had successfully used this trick to steal Li Xunhuan¡¯s fianc¨¦e. No, not steal¡ªhe had made Li Xunhuan willingly hand her over. Thinking of this, Long Xiaoyun couldn¡¯t help but smile smugly. As he made his choice, his surroundings returned to normal. Now, he could see the bullet comments, the other participants, and Ye Luochuan¡¯s answer. Seeing that Ye Luochuan had chosen D, Long Xiaoyun was startled for a moment. Then he dismissed it. He was confident that he was right. ¡ª Lianxing¡¯s reasoning was similar to Long Xiaoyun. But she noticed an important detail. The ¡®Sunflower Manual¡¯ was extremely powerful, yet Master Hongye had locked it away instead of practicing it. And after Yue Su and Cai Zifeng secretly read it, he burned it immediately. Why? Lianxing speculated that there must be something wrong with the ¡®Sunflower Manual¡¯! It was precisely because there was something wrong with it that Monk Duyuan hadn¡¯t read it before. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But after memorizing some of the content, he must have been fascinated by its martial arts principles and became eager to practice it. As for why he didn¡¯t return to Shaolin and instead renounced monkhood? The answer was simple. He was probably afraid of being punished by his master. After all, if Master Hongye had allowed him to learn it, he would have given him the manual earlier. Faced with the choice between supreme martial arts and his Buddhist faith, Monk Duyuan chose the former! Yes, that had to be it! With this conclusion, Lianxing decisively chose D. ¡ª ¡°The two predecessors of the Mount Hua Sect made a grave mistake by stealing someone else¡¯s martial arts.¡± ¡°But Master always said that even saints make mistakes.¡± ¡°To recognize one¡¯s mistakes and correct them is a great virtue.¡± ¡°Yue and Cai must have sincerely regretted their actions.¡± ¡°The Shaolin monks are compassionate and broad-minded. They would surely choose to forgive them.¡± With innocence and sincerity in her watery eyes, Yilin chose C¡ªan answer that would make everyone happy. ¡ª ¡°So what if they stole the techniques?¡± ¡°As long as they weren¡¯t caught red-handed, what proof does Shaolin have to accuse them?¡± Tian Boguang scoffed, quickly dismissing the last three options, and chose A. His reasoning was simple. Yue Su and Cai Zifeng had already committed such disgraceful acts. Since they even quarreled over the manual¡¯s contents afterward, they were clearly hypocrites. So what was stopping them from playing dumb one more time? After all, who would have believed they¡¯d turn out to be thieves in the first place? Same logic here. And as for Shaolin publicly exposing the scandal and tarnishing Mount Hua¡¯s reputation? Heh, who says Shaolin gets to control the narrative? Whatever they say goes? He could just accuse them of slander and malicious defamation! Besides, the ¡®Sunflower Manual¡¯ was in Shaolin¡¯s possession. If Shaolin wanted peace, they had no choice but to suffer in silence! Chapter 10 - Zhu Yuyan: Sunflower Ancestor? Killing Him Would Be Just a One-Handed Task Chapter 10 Zhu Yuyan: Sunflower Ancestor? Killing Him Would Be Just a One-Handed Task Upon seeing the five participants¡¯ choices, the livestream chat exploded. [Thief Lord Chu Liuxiang]: Interesting¡ªfive quiz participants, yet four different answers. Every option has been chosen by someone.[Affectionate Young Master Hou Xibai]: I¡¯m really curious, which one is the correct answer?[Mount Song Sect¡¯s Fei Bin]: What¡¯s there to ask? The correct answer must be A! Those two thieves from Mount Hua who sneaked a look at the manual are despicable scoundrels, morally corrupt, and have disgraced the Five Mountain Sword Sects. Of course, they would deny everything![Mount Hua Sect¡¯s Ning Zhongze]: Senior Brother Fei, you are judging noblemen with a villain¡¯s heart. Our Mount Hua predecessors made mistakes, but they would surely correct them.[Mount Song Sect¡¯s Ding Mian]: So now the thieves who snuck a look at the manual are the noble ones? Yue Buqun¡¯s nickname is Gentleman Sword¡ªdoes that mean he¡¯s the same kind of gentleman?[Yin Gui Sect¡¯s Empress Yin, Zhu Yuyan]: Enough bickering! Monks from Putian¡¯s Shaolin Temple, tell us¡ªwhat happened to Monk Duyuan afterward?[Mount Song Sect¡¯s Zhong Zhen]: Hmph! Who are you to tell us to shut up? Who do you think you are?[Yin Gui Sect¡¯s Empress Yin, Zhu Yuyan]: I¡¯m nobody special, but that so-called Sunflower Ancestor? I could kill him with just one hand.[Cheng Shifei]: ©B(o¦¤o)©B Killing the Sunflower Ancestor with just one hand? That¡¯s terrifying![Yang Guo]: Terrifying indeed![Mount Song Sect¡¯s Zhong Zhen]: Hmph, so what if¡ª[Five Mountain Alliance Leader Zuo Lengchan]: Zhong Junior Brother, shut up![Five Mountain Alliance Leader Zuo Lengchan @Yin Gui Sect¡¯s Empress Yin, Zhu Yuyan]: My junior brother speaks without thinking. If he has offended Empress Yin, I sincerely hope you won¡¯t take it to heart. ¡ª Zhong Zhen of the Nine-Bend Sword looked at Zuo Lengchan in confusion and asked, ¡°Senior Brother Zuo, that woman may be powerful, but she isn¡¯t even in the same region as us. Why should we fear her?¡± Zuo Lengchan frowned and countered, ¡°Do you remember what that Ye Luochuan said earlier?¡± Zhong Zhen paused for a moment and thought carefully before replying, ¡°Are you referring to what he said about the deity behind this livestream quiz? That the martial arts world, which has been divided for two hundred years, will be brought back together?¡± Zuo Lengchan nodded. Zhong Zhen sneered, ¡°That was just some pretty boy spouting nonsense to scare Tian Boguang. How can we take it seriously?¡± But Zuo Lengchan¡¯s face remained solemn. ¡°And what if it turns out to be true?¡± Zhong Zhen: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Zuo Lengchan sighed. ¡°Maybe the deity had no such intention at first, but after hearing those words, they suddenly got the idea.¡± ¡°Besides, this livestream quiz descended upon us out of nowhere¡ªjust like the great division two hundred years ago. Who knows if it will trigger an even greater upheaval?¡± ¡°This is only the beginning, and the game is already stirring up storms. Who¡¯s to say it won¡¯t cause even bigger waves later?¡± ¡°One must think before acting.¡± ¡°We should avoid provoking those we cannot afford to offend.¡± ¡°If we let our tongues run wild just for momentary satisfaction, and that Ye fellow¡¯s words come true, our Mount Song Sect could face utter annihilation.¡± After hearing Zuo Lengchan¡¯s words, cold sweat trickled down Zhong Zhen¡¯s forehead. He no longer dared to refute and quickly nodded in agreement. ¡ª As Zuo Lengchan lectured Zhong Zhen, the chat was still buzzing with discussions. Lianxing glanced at the other participants¡¯ choices, then at the chat, before flashing a charming smile at Ye Luochuan. ¡°Young Master Ye, you and I chose the same answer.¡± Ye Luochuan smiled back. ¡°Great minds think alike.¡± S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Tian Boguang scoffed and sneered. ¡°The answer hasn¡¯t even been revealed yet, and you¡¯re already boasting? How ridiculous!¡± Ye Luochuan remained calm. ¡°Brother Lecher takes pleasure in picking flowers¡ªbe careful you don¡¯t pick the wrong answer and end up drawing a eunuch¡¯s punishment.¡± At those words, both Tian Boguang and Long Xiaoyun, who was about to speak, visibly froze. Their pupils shrank slightly, revealing a flicker of panic and fear. Those two words carried an indescribable terror for any man. They swallowed hard, their hearts pounding with unease. ¡ª Just then, the hourglass ran out of sand. Time¡¯s up! The livestream¡¯s emotionless voice rang out again. [Time¡¯s up for answering.][Correct answer: D.] As soon as the voice fell, the previously paused footage resumed playing. Inside and outside the livestream, everyone watched intently. On-screen, Monk Duyuan arrived at Mount Hua, where Yue Su and Cai Zifeng treated him with great respect. They openly admitted to secretly reading the Sunflower Manual, expressed deep regret, and apologized profusely. At the same time, they sought Duyuan¡¯s advice on the martial arts recorded in the manual. However, they were unaware that although Duyuan was Master Hongye¡¯s most prized disciple, he had never been taught the techniques from the Sunflower Manual. Duyuan did not reveal this. Instead, he listened to them recite parts of the text and casually offered interpretations while secretly memorizing the content. Duyuan was already a martial arts master and exceptionally intelligent. After hearing a single passage, he could improvise a few theoretical extensions, making his explanations sound profound. However, since Yue Su and Cai Zifeng only remembered fragmented parts of the manual, Duyuan¡¯s reconstructed version was inevitably diluted. Duyuan stayed on Mount Hua for eight days before taking his leave. After leaving, he combined what he had memorized with his own insights and created the Evil-Repelling Sword Technique, which he recorded on his kasaya (monastic robe). Soon after, Master Hongye received a letter from Duyuan, stating that he could no longer suppress his worldly desires. He had decided to renounce monkhood and was too ashamed to face his master again. Master Hongye respected Duyuan¡¯s decision and let him go. At the same time, a voice-over provided additional details. [After renouncing monkhood, Duyuan reverted to his original surname, ¡°Lin,¡± and reversed the order of his Buddhist name to call himself ¡°Lin Yuantu.¡±][From then on, Lin Yuantu relied on the 72-move Evil-Repelling Sword Technique, the 108-style Heaven-Flipping Palm, and 18 Silver Feather Arrows to dominate both righteous and criminal factions.][Eventually, Lin Yuantu used his strength to establish the legendary Fortune Prestige Escort Agency.][The agency became so famous that in the six coastal provinces, as long as a caravan bore the Fortune Prestige flag, and the escorts shouted the four-character slogan ¡°Fortune Prestige Safe Travels,¡± no matter how powerful a bandit or criminal was, they wouldn¡¯t dare cast a glance at the convoy.][During his time running the agency, Lin Yuantu heeded Master Hongye¡¯s teachings¡ªhe helped the weak and upheld justice. Though he left Buddhism, he still practiced Buddhist virtues.] Chapter 11 - The Groom Was Castrated, and the Eastern Depot Needs This Kind of Talent! Chapter 11 The Groom Was Castrated, and the Eastern Depot Needs This Kind of Talent! [Qingcheng Sect Leader Yu Canghai: The Evil-Repelling Sword Technique! So the ¡°Evil-Repelling Sword Technique¡± originates from the ¡°Sunflower Manual¡±!].[Sacred Maiden Wanwan of the Yin Gui Sect: A fragmented version of the ¡°Sunflower Manual,¡± passed through two hands, can still dominate both the righteous and evil factions. This Laughing Proudly at the Martial World province is just too weak!].[Four-Eyed Brows Lu Xiaofeng: Miss Lianxing and Young Master Ye answered correctly. I wonder what reward they will receive.].[King of Thieves Sikong Zhaixing: On the contrary, I¡¯m more interested in what punishment awaits those who answered incorrectly. Will it be like what Young Master Ye mentioned¡ªa random castration?].[Cheng Shifei: Damn! This sounds so fun, I can¡¯t wait!].[Little Li Flying Dagger Li Xunhuan: Big brother! You¡­ you don¡¯t have to worry. Big brother, you are lucky, nothing bad will happen to you.]. As the answers were revealed, some rejoiced while others despaired across the martial world. _____ In an abandoned temple, Yu Canghai grabbed Lin Zhennan¡¯s collar and coldly demanded, ¡°Where exactly is the ¡®Evil-Repelling Sword Manual¡¯? Speak up!¡± Lin Zhennan, covered in wounds, ignored Yu Canghai¡¯s questioning. He stared blankly at the enormous light screen in the sky. So this was the origin of the ¡°Evil-Repelling Sword Manual¡±? His grandfather, Lin Yuantu, was originally a monk? Seeing that Lin Zhennan still refused to speak, Yu Canghai first grew furious but then seemed to have an idea. His ugly old face squeezed into a sinister smile. ¡°Good, good! You¡¯re tough. Very impressive, very impressive!¡± ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter. I believe this live-streamed Q&A game will give me the answer I want.¡± As Yu Canghai¡¯s mocking words fell, Lin Zhennan¡¯s face changed dramatically! ¡°You¡­ you¡­ cough!¡± ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Seeing Lin Zhennan vomit blood from rage, Yu Canghai laughed heartily. Then, he sent a secret message through the live stream¡¯s chat, ordering his disciples stationed in Fujian to closely monitor the broadcast. The moment the hiding place of the ¡°Evil-Repelling Sword Manual¡± was revealed, they had to seize it immediately! _____ A hunchbacked man stood in a secluded corner, looking up at the sky. His face was covered with three medicinal plasters, his eyebrows drooped, and the left side of his mouth curled up, exposing half his teeth¡ªhis appearance was hideous and repulsive. This man was Lin Pingzhi, who had disguised himself to escape Qingcheng Sect¡¯s pursuit. As he watched Lin Yuantu¡¯s unrivaled might, defeating all opponents with the ¡°Evil-Repelling Sword Technique,¡± Lin Pingzhi felt a whirlwind of emotions¡ªpride, yearning, confusion, resentment, and deep sorrow. His family¡¯s ¡°Evil-Repelling Sword Technique¡± was so powerful, yet why couldn¡¯t they even defeat a mere Yu Canghai now? They had always practiced according to their ancestral teachings. Why were they so weak? Why couldn¡¯t they defeat anyone? If their ¡°Evil-Repelling Sword Technique¡± had even half the power Lin Yuantu displayed, they could have exterminated the Qingcheng Sect entirely. Instead, their Fu Wei Escort Agency was mercilessly slaughtered. At this thought, Lin Pingzhi¡¯s heart burned with grief and rage, nearly beyond control. _____ Witnessing the ¡°Evil-Repelling Sword Technique¡± moving with ghostly speed, Yue Buqun was equally excited. His old face flushed with anticipation. He was certain¡ªif he could learn the ¡®Evil-Repelling Sword Technique¡¯, he could definitely defeat Zuo Lengchan! At that point, not only could he prevent the forced merger of the Huashan Sect, but he could also take the initiative to unify the Five Mountains Sword Sects, making Huashan the supreme leader! The Evil-Repelling Sword Manual! He had to obtain it! This time, however, Ning Zhongze did not notice his odd behavior. Her full attention was on the live-stream. Because the rewards and punishments were about to be announced. ______ In the Live-Stream, Ye Luochuan and Lianxing were smiling brightly, while Long Xiaoyun and Tian Boguang were filled with unease. Castration! The word circled in their minds like a curse, making their hearts tremble with fear. Yilin was also scared, muttering prayers for Buddha¡¯s blessing. [For this round¡¯s question, Long Xiaoyun, Yilin, and Tian Boguang answered incorrectly.].[Long Xiaoyun¡¯s randomly assigned punishment is as follows:].[Castration. The Eastern Depot needs talents like you!]. As the live-stream¡¯s cold and merciless voice announced the verdict, Long Xiaoyun¡¯s face twisted in horror! ¡°No!¡± ¡°Impossible!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want this! I don¡¯t want this! Ahhh!!¡± Long Xiaoyun¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief¡ªhe had actually been selected for castration. He refused to accept it. But the will of the live-stream would not change according to his desires. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A beam of light descended. An excruciating pain, like knives stabbing into every nerve, spread through his body. Long Xiaoyun curled up like a prawn, collapsed to the ground, and let out a blood-curdling scream. The pain! Unbearable pain! Pain that pierced his soul! Fortunately, the agony came as fast as it left. When Long Xiaoyun finally caught his breath, his entire body was drenched in cold sweat. He reached down to check¡ªonly to find nothing. Long Xiaoyun¡¯s eyes became vacant, hollow and lifeless. He felt as though his entire world had turned dark. At this moment, he was no longer the high-spirited groom he had been just moments ago. _____ (¡ä¦¤`) Outside the live-stream, all the men across the martial world shuddered at the same time, feeling an eerie chill in their lower halves. [Fierce Bandit Yun Zhonghe: Damn! This live-stream is way too dangerous. Suddenly, I feel like not being chosen is actually a blessing! What¡¯s the point of being number one in the world if you can¡¯t be a man anymore?].[Ouyang Ke of White Camel Mountain: That pretty boy Ye really jinxed him¡ªhe actually got it right!].[Azi of the Star Sect: Hahaha! The groom got castrated on his wedding day, how hilarious!].[Eastern Depot Director Cao Zhengchun: The live-stream is right. Our Eastern Depot needs talents like him!].[Western Depot Director Yu Huatian: Our Western Depot also needs talents like him!].[Cheng Shifei: Two big bosses, don¡¯t fight over him! There¡¯s still one more, you can each take one¡ªproblem solved!].[Eastern Depot Director Cao Zhengchun @Cheng Shifei: Smart kid! The Eastern Depot also needs clever talents like you!].[Cheng Shifei: ¡­].[Blue Phoenix of the Five Venoms Sect: Hahaha, look at Tian Boguang¡ªhis face has gone pale, and his legs are shaking! Hilarious!].[Jade Swordsman Yuzhenzi of Iron Sword Sect: I wonder if the wedding will still happen? Will they still eat the feast? And¡­ the bride¡­ slurp!].[Blood Saber Elder: Let go of the bride! Let this old man have her instead!].[Demonic Hermit Bian Bufang: That Long Xiaoyun had no luck! His bride must have been too beautiful, and he simply couldn¡¯t handle her.].[Old Mischief Zhou Botong: What¡¯s so great about marriage? Games are way more fun! If no one wants her, I¡¯ll take her!]. Chapter 12 - Yilin’s Long Hair, Tian Boguang’s Broken Leg Chapter 12 Yilin¡¯s Long Hair, Tian Boguang¡¯s Broken Leg ¡°This¡­¡± At Li Garden, the guests looked at each other in bewilderment. They had come to attend a wedding, but what was this situation with the groom getting castrated? Just as the live-stream comments suggested, should the wedding still proceed? What terrible luck! Long Xiaoyun was simply too unlucky! He was supposed to marry a beautiful and wealthy woman but ended up being selected as the ¡®lucky audience member¡¯¡ªonly to suffer the most tragic fate at the peak of his life. He had fallen from the clouds straight into an endless abyss. But why did they feel secretly happy seeing him suffer? The wedding guests glanced at each other, suppressing the smiles threatening to appear on their faces. As expected, people¡¯s happiness often comes from others¡¯ misfortune. A tacit understanding. A silent agreement. Underneath the red bridal veil, Lin Shiyin¡¯s pale face revealed a faint smile. Long Xiaoyun had treated her well. But she simply did not like him. She couldn¡¯t explain what was wrong with Long Xiaoyun, but being with him always made her feel uncomfortable. However, Li Xunhuan¡ªher cousin and former fianc¨¦¡ªhad changed. He no longer loved her. He would rather wander the brothels and pleasure houses than spare her even a glance. To hold on to their love, she had waited for Li Xunhuan for two years! She had endured two full years of his cold neglect. But she never got the response she hoped for. Eventually, Lin Shiyin lost all hope. In the end, she accepted Long Xiaoyun¡¯s marriage proposal. She had dreamed countless times of marrying Li Xunhuan, but when she finally wore the wedding dress and phoenix crown¡­ Her dream shattered. Her heart died. The once-proud Long Xiaoyun had merely married an empty shell. Now, seeing Long Xiaoyun suffer castration, Lin Shiyin thought she should feel sad. But she didn¡¯t. Instead, she felt happy. Long Xiaoyun had become a eunuch. This wedding could no longer continue. Would this mean her cousin might have a change of heart? But fate was cruel. Just as she entertained that thought, a cold realization hit her like a bucket of ice water. [Little Li Flying Dagger Li Xunhuan @Li Garden Long Xiaoyun: Big brother! Since the live-stream has punishments like castration, it must also have rewards that can restore the body!].[Little Li Flying Dagger Li Xunhuan: Big brother, pull yourself together. Keep answering correctly, and there will surely be a way to fix this.]. Lin Shiyin turned her head stiffly. Though the red veil blocked her view of Li Xunhuan¡¯s face, she could imagine his look of anxious concern. But her heart turned cold again. Even colder than before. It was now as cold and lifeless as a frozen iron stone. ______ Inside the Live-Stream, Long Xiaoyun saw Li Xunhuan¡¯s comment and snapped out of his despair. Yes, the live-stream had a punishment like castration. That meant there must be a way to restore his body. He still had a chance! This was only the first question. He, Long Xiaoyun, still had hope! Thinking of this, much of the gloom in Long Xiaoyun¡¯s heart lifted. ¡°Bodhisattva, bless me! Bodhisattva, bless me!¡± As Yilin prayed, the next punishment was announced. [Yilin¡¯s random punishment is as follows:].[Endlessly Growing Hair. Congratulations! You will now have hair that countless women would envy¡ªit will never fall out, never break, and never split.]. A beam of light descended. Yilin felt an itch on her scalp, and then her hat was pushed off. She reached up to touch her head and then gasped in shock. ¡°Ah? I have hair now?¡± ¡°My hair will never fall out? I can¡¯t shave it off again?¡± Seeing the punishment description, Yilin¡¯s face immediately showed distress. Long Xiaoyun felt even more unbalanced. Damn it! He got castrated, lost his manhood entirely. Yet this little nun just grew some hair¡ªand she looked like she was about to die from sadness? How was this fair? sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Besides, was this even a punishment? With her long hair, Yilin¡¯s beauty had increased by another level! This was clearly a reward, wasn¡¯t it? Yet she still wasn¡¯t satisfied! Damn it! Just damn it! Long Xiaoyun screamed in his mind, jealousy and resentment eating away at his heart. _____ [Iron Sword Sect Yuzhenzi: The little nun is even more beautiful now. This old Taoist is itching all over just looking at her.].[Cheng Shifei: Haha! Look at the eunuch groom¡¯s face¡ªhe must be seething with jealousy right now.].[Four-Eyed Brows Lu Xiaofeng: Yilin is lucky. Her punishment is much lighter than Long Xiaoyun¡¯s.].[Qixing Pond Murong Qiudi: Could it be that she was truly blessed by the Bodhisattva?].[Swallow Dock Bao Buchang: Not necessarily! Having long hair might be a blessing for others, but for a little nun, it¡¯s probably a burden. Look at her expression¡ªshe¡¯s genuinely troubled.]. Many people agreed with Bao Buchang. From Yilin¡¯s carefree storytelling about being captured, to her na?ve answer selection, and now her troubled expression, everyone could see¡ªShe was just an innocent and clueless little nun. For others, long hair might be a reward. For her, it was truly a punishment. _____ At Huiyan Tower, Abbess Dingyi let out a long sigh of relief. She knew Yilin was a sincere and simple-minded girl. Right now, Yilin must be feeling extremely troubled. But long hair was far better than losing a limb. What? A Buddhist nun must shave off all worldly attachments along with her hair? Not necessarily. As long as one¡¯s heart was devoted to Buddha, did it really matter whether they had hair or not? And if someone¡¯s heart was not devoted to Buddha, shaving their head wouldn¡¯t suddenly make them a great monk. Abbess Dingyi understood this well. And she knew Yilin better than anyone¡ªAmong the entire Hengshan Sect, no one was more pure-hearted than Yilin. ______ Yilin¡¯s new look with her flowing hair stunned Ye Luochuan. Indeed, having or not having hair made a world of difference for a woman. Then, Ye Luochuan shifted his gaze to Tian Boguang, eagerly anticipating his punishment. Lianxing was also watching Tian Boguang, her face brimming with schadenfreude. Tian Boguang sensed their gazes but was too anxious to care. He was terrified. Long Xiaoyun¡¯s castration had nearly scared him to death. He never expected Ye Luochuan¡¯s ominous prediction to come true. Tian Boguang had many women left to visit. He absolutely did not want to become a eunuch! No normal man would choose to be castrated unless they had no other choice. And for someone as obsessed with women as Tian Boguang, it was unimaginable. If he lost his manhood, how could he live the rest of his life? ¡°The little nun got off easy. I can too!¡± ¡°Bodhisattva, bless me! Buddha bless me!¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t get castrated, I swear I¡¯ll donate lots of incense money to the temples!¡± Tian Boguang began praying just like Yilin. Finally, his punishment was announced. [Tian Boguang¡¯s random punishment is as follows:].[Left Leg Severed. Wandering a thousand miles? More like wandering on one leg now!]. Chapter 13 - Spatial Ring, Treasure Stirs Greedy Hearts Chapter 13 Spatial Ring, Treasure Stirs Greedy Hearts ¡°Broken leg?¡± ¡°, that¡¯s fine¡­ As long as it¡¯s not my third leg¡­¡± ¡°Wait, what? A broken leg!¡± At first, Tian Boguang instinctively sighed in relief upon hearing that his punishment was not castration. But then it hit him¡ªhis punishment was to lose a leg. His face turned pale. How had he managed to roam the martial world so freely, indulging in countless exploits without ever being caught? It wasn¡¯t just because of his deadly fast blade¡ªhis exceptional lightness skill was his true ticket to freedom! Although he was only at the peak of the Xiantian (Innate) stage, his speed was so extraordinary that even someone like Yue Buqun, a beginner-level grandmaster, couldn¡¯t hope to catch him. In other words, unless he encountered a supreme expert like Zuo Lengchan, he could do whatever he pleased without consequences. And how many people in the world could even compare to Zuo Lengchan, the leader of the Five Mountains Alliance? This was exactly why Tian Boguang had always acted so recklessly. But now, the live-stream was taking his leg! Without one of his legs, how could he use his lightness skill? How could he continue roaming the world alone? At that moment, Tian Boguang¡¯s face turned ashen. This was practically a death sentence! Unfortunately, the live-stream had no concern for his feelings. A beam of light mercilessly descended. ¡°AAAAHHHHH!!¡± Tian Boguang let out a bloodcurdling scream as excruciating pain surged through his left leg, radiating through his entire body as if tearing him apart. His balance shattered, and he collapsed onto the ground. ¡°My leg¡­¡± Touching the empty space where his left thigh used to be, he realized it had vanished completely, as if it had never existed. Despair consumed him, and he almost passed out. ______ [Five Venoms Sect Leader, Blue Phoenix: Hilarious! The great Tian Boguang, ¡°Ten-Thousand-Mile Lone Wanderer,¡± is now just a one-legged toad!].[Tang Dynasty¡¯s Princess of Changping, Li Cuiyu: What a pity it wasn¡¯t castration. A pervert like him should be made a eunuch.].[Venomous Gate Master, Heartless: Overindulgence leads to disaster¡ªpermanent removal is the only cure?].[Ruthless Bandit, Yun Zhonghe: Hahaha! Tian Boguang and I are kindred spirits, but why am I so happy seeing him lose a leg?].[Yang Guo: First he lost a thigh¡ªnext time, it might be his other leg!]. Countless mocking and sarcastic comments flooded the live-stream, driving Tian Boguang into a silent fury. ¡°Damn it! These bastards! Just wait¡ªwhen I obtain the secret to immortality and ascend to become an immortal, they¡¯ll be dying of jealousy!¡± Despite his rage, Tian Boguang did not completely lose hope. Long Xiaoyun had already set a precedent¡ªno matter how miserable someone started, the live-stream could offer a chance at redemption. No matter how bad things looked now, all it took was a single lucky question to turn the tables. _____ Yilin, pure and kind-hearted as always, was like a celestial maiden of compassion. Her thoughts were as transparent as clear water.bThough Tian Boguang had previously harbored ill intentions toward her, he had ultimately failed. Now, seeing him in such a pitiful state, she couldn¡¯t help but feel sympathy for him. She wanted to offer him some comforting words, but seeing the twisted agony on his face, she hesitated. Just as she wavered, Ye Luochuan¡¯s voice rang out in mockery. ¡°Miss Lianxing, it seems this pervert won¡¯t have the chance to die by your hand.¡± ¡°First, he loses a leg in the first question. Next time, it could be the other leg. Then an arm, an eye, an ear¡­ maybe even his head.¡± ¡°At this rate, he might end up sliced into pieces before the quiz is over.¡± Lianxing had been secretly fearful after witnessing the harsh punishments. After all, she couldn¡¯t guarantee that she would answer every question correctly. If she made a mistake, who knew what kind of terrifying punishment awaited her? However, hearing Ye Luochuan¡¯s words snapped her out of her worries. A dazzling smile blossomed on her face, radiant and devastatingly beautiful. ¡°Letting the live-stream handle him is fine. Killing such filth would only dirty my own hands.¡± S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Tian Boguang growled angrily, ¡°You think you¡¯re so great? This is only the first question! What¡¯s there to be so smug about? You¡¯ll all suffer worse than me soon enough!¡± Ye Luochuan and Lianxing exchanged a knowing smile, completely ignoring his furious outburst. Their dismissive attitude only fueled Tian Boguang¡¯s rage. He felt like he was punching cotton¡ªcompletely powerless and frustrated. Meanwhile, Long Xiaoyun stood in silence. His own punishment had been far worse than Tian Boguang¡¯s, so he had no desire to engage in pointless arguments. In fact, he was doing his best to make himself invisible, avoiding the judgmental stares of others. Now that he was a eunuch, all his previous pride had vanished. Instead, he had become sensitive and deeply self-conscious. _____ [For this round, Ye Luochuan and Lianxing answered correctly.].[Ye Luochuan¡¯s random reward is as follows:].[Spatial Ring: A small object containing a vast space. Inside is a ten-zhang-wide storage area capable of holding non-living items. Unfortunately, it doesn¡¯t come with an old grandmaster inside!]. A radiant light descended, and a beautifully crafted crystal ring appeared in Ye Luochuan¡¯s hand. His eyes lit up¡ªhe hadn¡¯t expected to receive a wuxia-style treasure so soon. He was quite pleased with this reward. After all, a spatial ring was the perfect tool for any adventurer. Without hesitation, Ye Luochuan slipped the ring onto his finger. ______ [Peach Blossom Island¡¯s Huang Rong: Wow, that spatial ring is so beautiful!].[Great Yuan¡¯s Princess Shaomin, Zhao Min: The best part is its storage ability¡ªsuper convenient for traveling the martial world!].[Yangzhou Twin Dragons, Kou Zhong: I believe it now¡ªthis live-stream really gives out immortal artifacts!].[Demonic Hermit, Bian Bufang: Such a shame! If only I knew where this pretty boy was, I¡¯d steal that ring in a heartbeat.]. The chat exploded with excitement, as many were shocked by Ye Luochuan¡¯s reward. _____ At Li Garden, the wedding guests stared at the live-stream with unblinking eyes. Their gazes burned with greed, and their breathing became heavy. Unlike Bian Bufang, they did know where Ye Luochuan was. And they, too, coveted the spatial ring. Thoughts raced through their minds, all reaching the same conclusion¡ªWhen Ye Luochuan returned, they would rob him! Of course, there were two things they had to consider. Would Ye Luochuan gain a power-enhancing reward from the live-stream before they got the chance? Would Li Xunhuan interfere? Li Xunhuan was a renowned hero, and this was his territory. If they tried to steal from Ye Luochuan, he probably wouldn¡¯t stand by idly. Additionally, Li Xunhuan himself might be tempted by the ring. Whether he intended to protect Ye Luochuan or take the treasure for himself, he was sure to get involved. ¡° Little Li Flying Dagger is impressive, but if we all attack at once, I don¡¯t believe he can kill us all!¡± Chapter 14 - Martial King Lianxing – Yao Yue’s Crisis and Breakthrough Chapter 14 Martial King Lianxing ¨C Yao Yue¡¯s Crisis and Breakthrough Inside the live broadcast room. ¡°Peach Blossom Island¡¯s Huang Rong?¡± Ye Luochuan noticed Huang Rong¡¯s comment. ¡°The prefix is ¡®Peach Blossom Island¡¯ instead of ¡®Xiangyang City¡¯¡­¡± The prefix was assigned by the livestream system. However, it had been tested before¡ªusers could remove or modify the prefix. But modification had to align with the truth. For example, ¡°Peach Blossom Island¡¯s Huang Rong¡± could be changed to ¡°Young Huang Rong¡± or simply ¡°Huang Rong,¡± but it couldn¡¯t be changed to ¡°Peach Blossom Island Master Huang Rong.¡± Because Huang Rong was never the master of Peach Blossom Island¡ªsuch a title would be inaccurate. ¡°This must be the young, unmarried Huang Rong rather than Madam Guo.¡± Ye Luochuan pondered, his curiosity piqued. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Legend of the Condor Heroes trilogy was closely interwoven, but in this world of combined martial arts universes, how would things unfold? Surely, a hundred-year-old Zhang Sanfeng wouldn¡¯t still want to marry a young, unmarried Huang Rong? That would be utterly absurd! ¡­ Meanwhile, the others in the live chat were staring at Ye Luochuan¡¯s space ring with either envy or jealousy. Tian Boguang¡¯s eyes practically turned green with greed. If he could get such a treasure, he would collect the intimate garments of all the beautiful women in the world. Just imagining it¡­ Heh heh. He was so deep in his fantasy that he almost drooled. Long Xiaoyun was equally envious, but his scheming nature allowed him to hide it well. Yilin, on the other hand, only glanced at it out of curiosity before withdrawing her gaze. As a devout Buddhist disciple, envy and greed rarely surfaced in her heart. Lianxing wanted to borrow the space ring for a look but knew she didn¡¯t have a close enough relationship with Ye Luochuan. Asking to see it would be too abrupt. So, instead, she focused on the reward she was about to receive. ¡°He got a space ring¡ªmy reward shouldn¡¯t be too bad, right?¡± Just as this thought crossed her mind, the livestream system¡¯s announcement rang out. ¡¾Lianxing¡¯s random reward is as follows:¡¿ ¡¾Bright Jade Power ¨C Ninth Level Perfection. Time to turn the tables and take control! You can go back and suppress your sister now!¡¿ A beam of light descended, and Lianxing¡¯s aura erupted and surged wildly. Simultaneously, all the secrets of Bright Jade Power¡¯s ninth level were poured into her mind as though she had comprehended them herself. Lianxing was ecstatic¡ª the barrier that had hindered her for over ten years suddenly shattered. As she activated her newly perfected martial art, her complexion became increasingly translucent, as if enveloped in a misty, icy glow. This was the hallmark of achieving the ninth level of Bright Jade Power! ¡°The ninth level! I¡¯ve mastered Bright Jade Power to its highest level!¡± Lianxing froze for a moment before exclaiming in delight. Bright Jade Power was the supreme martial art of the Yihua Palace, the pinnacle internal cultivation technique exclusively passed down to the palace¡¯s masters. This martial art was not only profound and powerful but also granted the practitioner eternal youth. It was divided into nine levels. Reaching the sixth level allowed one to rival the top-tier experts of a state. Achieving the eighth level meant near-invincibility within a region, much like the legendary Kuaihua ancestor. Lianxing had already reached the eighth level twenty years ago. At that time, only two people in the world could defeat her¡ªThe Divine Sword, Yan Nantian. And her own sister, Yao Yue. Back then, Lianxing was only in her early twenties, demonstrating her astonishing martial talent. However, for the past twenty years, she had been unable to break into the ninth level. The reason wasn¡¯t just that the ninth level was incredibly difficult; it was also because the matter of Jiang Feng had left a deep emotional scar on her heart. But now, thanks to the reward from the livestream, she had instantly comprehended the ninth level¡¯s mysteries, bypassing years of painstaking effort. Now, Lianxing had ascended from a Grandmaster to a Martial King! A Martial King might not be at the peak in regions where spiritual energy was abundant, but in worlds like The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, Flying Daggers, and Absolute Twins, she was absolutely invincible! Lianxing clenched her fist in excitement, her delicate face tinged with a rosy glow. ¡°Turn the tables and take control¡ªsuppress my sister?¡± Seeing that phrase, Lianxing¡¯s eyes glimmered with amusement. Indeed, even her sister Yao Yue was no longer her match now! ¡­ Yihua Palace ¨C Embroidered Jade Valley. This place was picturesque, enjoying a perpetual spring climate¡ªan ideal place to reside. But at this moment, the maids of Yihua Palace trembled under an overwhelming chill, shivering uncontrollably. They knew where this cold aura was coming from but dared not raise their heads. Yao Yue, dressed in flawless white, exuded an ethereal, otherworldly beauty. Her mesmerizing eyes stared coldly at Lianxing in the livestream, a glint of frost flashing within them. Lianxing was her younger sister. Her own sister. But Yao Yue had always had an extreme sense of control over her. When they were young, Lianxing once tried to snatch a peach from her, and Yao Yue had pushed her off a tree in response. Lianxing broke her left hand and left foot. Due to improper treatment, she was left with permanent disabilities. As they grew older, this pattern remained unchanged. Yao Yue made it clear¡ª Eighteen years ago, the most handsome man in the world, Jiang Feng, was originally someone Lianxing had taken a liking to and brought back to Yihua Palace. But the moment Yao Yue saw him, she felt the same attraction. So, even though she knew her sister loved him, she snatched Jiang Feng away without hesitation. Throughout the ordeal, Lianxing had no power to resist. She had always been under Yao Yue¡¯s absolute control. It wasn¡¯t just the gap in their martial abilities¡ªIt was also because Lianxing was physically disabled. In battles between top-tier martial artists, even the slightest disadvantage could be fatal. How could a crippled Lianxing ever hope to defeat Yao Yue? But now, seeing Lianxing ascend to Martial King, Yao Yue realized she could no longer keep her younger sister under control. This made Yao Yue feel deeply uneasy. At this moment, she suddenly resented Jiang Feng all over again, despite him being long dead. If it weren¡¯t for his betrayal with Hua Yuenu, she wouldn¡¯t have been burdened by such emotional wounds. With her martial talent, how could she have failed to break through to the ninth level of Bright Jade Power after so many years? A storm of emotions churned within Yao Yue. Watching Lianxing¡¯s immense progress¡ªwatching the livestream filled with powerful figures who openly looked down on Grandmasters¡ªYao Yue felt an unprecedented sense of crisis. She had once been unrivaled, and due to the lingering wounds of her past, her motivation to advance had diminished. But now, that sense of crisis and urgency from her youth surged back into her heart. Suddenly, Yao Yue¡¯s mind emptied, and she entered a mysterious, profound state. A terrifying and enigmatic force began brewing within her delicate body¡­ Chapter 15 - The Annihilation of the Fu Wei Escort Agency Chapter 15 The Annihilation of the Fu Wei Escort Agency Lianxing remained unaware of Yao Yue¡¯s transformation. At this moment, she was completely immersed in joy. Ye Luochuan congratulated her, ¡°Congratulations, Miss Lianxing, on your martial arts breakthrough.¡± As he admired Lianxing¡¯s exquisitely graceful figure, as breathtaking as the shifting seasons, Ye Luochuan suddenly recalled something. When Bright Jade Power reached its ninth and final level, not only did the practitioner¡¯s skin become as translucent as jade, but their internal energy also ceased to dissipate outward. Instead, it was drawn inward, continuously accumulating. As a result, during combat, the Bright Jade True Qi would not be depleted; rather, it would grow stronger, achieving an inexhaustible, endless state. This effect was somewhat similar to Lingbo Weibu (Graceful Step Upon the Waves). Additionally, the practitioner¡¯s true qi would create a vortex-like suction force within their body. Anything that came into contact with them would be drawn towards them, as if iron to a magnet. Ye Luochuan instinctively rubbed his waist. He certainly found Lianxing attractive. But even if he were fortunate enough to gain her favor, could he truly handle it? ¡­ Lianxing couldn¡¯t read minds and naturally had no idea about Ye Luochuan¡¯s inappropriate thoughts. She smiled charmingly and said, ¡°I should congratulate you as well. My meager cultivation may not be much in some people¡¯s eyes, but your space ring¡ªfew would be able to remain indifferent to it.¡± Ye Luochuan¡¯s heart stirred as he caught the hint in Lianxing¡¯s words. He already understood this principle. No matter how many rewards he obtained, without sufficient strength, they would ultimately become someone else¡¯s spoils. He might not even survive to enjoy them. From the moment he was selected for this livestream event, this reality had been set in stone. But for now, there was nothing he could do. All he could do was take things one step at a time and hope he could draw some kind of treasure that would allow him to ascend instantly. ¡­ ¡¾Tibetan Grandmaster Jiumozhi: This Bright Jade Power reaching the ninth level has directly elevated this female benefactor to the rank of Martial King¡ªtruly remarkable. In my domain, perhaps only the Duan clan of Dali¡¯s Six Meridians Divine Sword could compare.¡¿ ¡¾Tianshan Tonglao (Wu Xingyun): A frog at the bottom of the well, gazing at the sky.¡¿ ¡¾Sword Deity Zhuo Bufan: Tianshan Tonglao! You slaughtered all sixty-one members of my Yizi Huijian Sect across three generations¡ªthis enmity is irreconcilable! I swear to kill you!¡¿ ¡¾Tianshan Tonglao (Wu Xingyun): Laughable! Since when could stray dogs and cats call themselves ¡®Sword Deities¡¯?¡±¡¿ ¡¾Sacred Maiden of the Sun-Moon Sect, Ren Yingying: Palace Master Lianxing has already become a Martial King? Truly enviable.¡¿ ¡¾Leader of the World Society, Xiongba: Just an entry-level Martial King¡ªold man like me could kill her with a flick of my hand.¡¿ ¡¾Heaven¡¯s Gate, Emperor Shitian: Heh, you look down on others like ants, yet do you not realize you are seen the same way by others?¡¿ ¡¾Leader of the World Society, Xiongba: Who are you? Dare to spout such nonsense? What ¡®Heaven¡¯s Gate¡¯? Hiding in the shadows like a rat!¡¿ ¡¾¡­¡¿ S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The martial world figures watching the livestream were all burning with envy at Ye Luochuan and Lianxing¡¯s rewards. Initially, the punishments of Long Xiaoyun and Tian Boguang had frightened many. But now, seeing such valuable rewards, many were eager to seize a chance to answer a question. Although the risks were high, the rewards were undeniably tempting! ¡­ Inside the livestream room, Long Xiaoyun and Tian Boguang both felt bitter. They silently resolved to do better next time and vowed to choose correctly. Just then, the system¡¯s voice rang out again. ¡¾First question concluded. The livestream continues.¡¿ ¡¾All lucky participants, please watch carefully and prepare to answer.¡¿ As the voice faded, the five participants were pulled back to their original positions, each isolated in an individual space. Then, the paused video resumed. A deep voice narrated the scene. ¡¾After Lin Yuantu¡¯s passing, his son Lin Zhongxiong took over the Fu Wei Escort Agency, and later passed it down to Lin Zhennan.¡¿ ¡¾Through three generations of management, the Fu Wei Escort Agency flourished, but its chief escorts¡¯ martial prowess dwindled, failing to match their ancestor¡¯s grandeur.¡¿ ¡¾Over time, Lin Yuantu¡¯s legacy faded, and people in the martial world began coveting the Bixie Sword Manual.¡¿ ¡¾Among them was Yu Canghai, head of the Qingcheng Sect, whose ancestor, Chang Qingzi, had once been defeated by Lin Yuantu and died in disgrace. Yu Canghai thus harbored an intense desire for the Bixie Sword Manual.¡¿ ¡¾After several probing attempts, Qingcheng Sect finally made its move, sending its elite forces to annihilate the Fu Wei Escort Agency.¡¿ ¡¾Lin Zhennan¡¯s son, Lin Pingzhi, had a chivalrous heart.¡¿ ¡¾At a tavern, he intervened on behalf of a ¡®homely girl who couldn¡¯t fight¡¯¡ªin reality, a disguised Yue Lingshan of the Huashan Sect¡ªkilling Yu Canghai¡¯s son, Yu Renyan, who was harassing a young woman.¡¿ ¡¾Using revenge as an excuse, Yu Canghai led Qingcheng Sect¡¯s disciples to slaughter the Fu Wei Escort Agency, capturing Lin Zhennan and his wife.¡¿ ¡¾They were brutally tortured, forced to reveal the whereabouts of the Bixie Sword Manual.¡¿ ¡¾When they refused, Yu Canghai took them to Hengyang to attend Liu Zhengfeng¡¯s Golden Basin Hand-Washing Ceremony.¡¿ ¡¾Meanwhile, the fugitive Lin Pingzhi also arrived in Hengyang.¡¿ The video played on. Qingcheng Sect¡¯s ruthless slaughter of the Fu Wei Escort Agency was horrifying. Yu Canghai¡¯s cruel torture of Lin Zhennan and his wife was gruesome. And Lin Pingzhi¡¯s desperate escape while being relentlessly pursued was pitiful. Two particular scenes received special focus. First¡ªWhen Lin Pingzhi, penniless and starving, spotted several longan trees along the roadside, their branches heavy with ripe fruit. He approached the trees, reaching out to pick a fruit, but then hesitated. ¡°These longans belong to someone. Taking them without permission would make me a thief.¡± ¡°The Lin family has upheld justice for three generations, standing against bandits and thieves. How could I stop the theft?¡± ¡°If someone saw me steal fruit and called me a thief in front of my father, how could he hold his head high? The Fu Wei Escort Agency¡¯s honor would be tarnished forever.¡± From his childhood upbringing, Lin Pingzhi knew that great thieves often started as small-time thieves, and that the road to ruin often began with the theft of a single fruit. Once one took that first step, it was difficult to turn back. The realization sent a cold sweat down his back. ¡°I will restore the Fu Wei Escort Agency¡¯s reputation one day. A true man must stand firm and act with integrity. I¡¯d rather be a beggar than a thief.¡± With that declaration, he strode forward without a second glance at the longan trees. Chapter 16 - The Qingcheng Sect Provokes Public Outrage Chapter 16 Lin Pingzhi¡¯s Unyielding Spirit, The Qingcheng Sect Provokes Public Outrage Before long, Lin Pingzhi, overwhelmed by hunger, had no choice but to set aside his pride and beg for food. Unfortunately, the farmhouse he approached belonged to a peasant woman who had just quarreled with her husband and had been beaten. Filled with anger with no outlet, she lashed out at Lin Pingzhi when he asked for food. She cursed him viciously, blaming him for stealing one of her chickens. Her words were crude and harsh, and she even grabbed a broom to chase him away. With every insult she hurled, Lin Pingzhi took a step back. But the woman grew more aggressive, and in her fit of rage, she swung the broom at Lin Pingzhi¡¯s face. Lin Pingzhi, provoked, raised his hand to strike back. Yet, in that crucial moment, he reconsidered¡ªhe had failed to beg for food and was now about to hit a peasant woman? That would be utterly disgraceful. Forcing himself to withdraw his palm, he used too much force and lost his balance, stumbling backward. His left foot landed in a pile of cow dung, and he slipped, falling flat on his back. The peasant woman, unaware of the consequences, burst into laughter and mocked him. She even struck his head with the broom and spat on him. Lin Pingzhi was filled with anger and humiliation. Struggling to stand, he found his face and hands covered in cow dung. Yet, despite such degradation, he did not use his martial skills to take revenge on the woman. At that moment, the woman disappeared into her house and returned with four cooked corn cobs. It turned out that after venting her frustration, she felt that Lin Pingzhi, so honest and desperate with hunger, probably wasn¡¯t the chicken thief. So, she made amends. However, even as she handed him food, she continued to scold him for being lazy and useless. Lin Pingzhi suffered another wave of humiliation and almost threw the corn away. But upon second thought, compared to the hatred he bore for his family¡¯s massacre, this disgrace was nothing. Gritting his teeth, he endured it and even thanked the woman. ¡­ As the scene played out, the livestream¡¯s chat exploded with comments. ¡¾Five Poison Sect Leader Lan Fenghuang: Isn¡¯t the Qingcheng Sect supposed to be an esteemed righteous sect? How is it that their leader¡¯s son behaves no better than Tian Boguang, using his strength to bully a woman?¡¿ ¡¾Demon Cult Elder Xiang Wentian: ¡®Righteous sect¡¯? What a joke! They¡¯re just a bunch of shameless scoundrels, dressing up their greed with empty words!¡¿ ¡¾Demon Cult Elder Xiang Wentian: But for a Qingcheng Sect disciple to so brazenly oppress the weak in broad daylight¡ªdo they not even bother to keep up appearances anymore?¡¿ ¡¾Sun Moon Cult¡¯s Qu Feiyan: That Yu Renyan was stabbed to death by Lin Pingzhi? Serves him right!¡¿ ¡¾One-Word Electric Sword Ding Jian: If the Qingcheng Sect disciples behave so atrociously even when away from home, I shudder to think how they treat common folk in their own territory.¡¿ ¡¾Sword Forging Fortress Jian Xiong: Threats, intimidation, slaughter¡­ All for the sake of the ¡°Bixie Sword Manual.¡± The Qingcheng Sect has truly lost all humanity!¡¿ ¡¾Hengshan Sect¡¯s Master Dingyi: Such ruthless slaughter of the innocent¡ªhow is your Qingcheng Sect any different from the so-called ¡°Demonic Cults¡± you condemn?¡¿ ¡¾Mount Hua Sect Leader Yue Buqun: I can understand the pain of losing a son, but ¡°a debt has its debtor¡±¡ªexterminating an entire family is too much.¡¿ ¡¾Soaring Swan Fairy Yang Yan: Losing a son? Hah! That was never the point¡ªYu Canghai always intended to wipe them all out. Otherwise, why gather so many people?¡¿ ¡¾Qingcheng Sect¡¯s Gu Hanyang: How could this be? The Qingcheng Sect in Swordsman was never like this!¡¿ ¡¾Qingcheng Sect¡¯s Qingsongzi: Ah! What a disgrace to our sect! To think our own sect leader would personally stoop to scheming for a mere sword manual, and worse, fail to teach his son properly. We¡¯ve lost all face!¡¿ ¡¾Five Mountain Alliance Leader Zuo Lengchan: Is this¡­ an expert from another Swordsman universe¡¯s Qingcheng Sect?¡¿ ¡¾Flying Bat Ke Zhen¡¯e: If I ever come across someone as vile as Yu Canghai or Yu Renyan, I¡¯ll kill them on sight! But Lin Pingzhi¡­ despite his young age, he has the heart of a true hero. Admirable!¡¿ ¡¾Four-Browed Swordsman Lu Xiaofeng: As the saying goes: ¡°Only when the granaries are full do people observe etiquette.¡± In times of chaos, even parents have been known to eat their own children. Moral principles collapse under extreme hunger.¡¿ ¡¾Four-Browed Swordsman Lu Xiaofeng: And yet, even when Lin Pingzhi was starving, he never abandoned his sense of righteousness. Truly a man of iron will.¡¿ ¡¾Four-Browed Swordsman Lu Xiaofeng: He was beaten and spat upon by a mere peasant woman. With his skills, he could have easily slapped her to death. But he held back.¡¿ ¡¾Four-Browed Swordsman Lu Xiaofeng: ¡°When one holds a deadly weapon, the desire to kill follows.¡± It¡¯s easy to kill, but enduring humiliation without retaliating takes great restraint.¡¿ ¡¾Four-Browed Swordsman Lu Xiaofeng: I may not have such restraint, but I respect it.¡¿ ¡¾Gentleman Thief Chu Liuxiang: Lin Pingzhi turned out the way he did because of his parents¡¯ strict teachings¡ªa stark contrast to the disgraceful Qingcheng Sect.¡¿ ¡¾Sacred Maiden Wanwan of the Yin Gui Sect: How foolish! What¡¯s the point of being a hero? He got beaten and spat on for nothing. If it were me, I¡¯d have slapped that woman dead on the spot.¡¿ ¡¾Zhao Qiansun: You demoness!¡¿ ¡¾Sacred Maiden Wanwan of the Yin Gui Sect: That¡¯s right, I am a demoness. But even a demoness has more dignity than a punching bag.¡¿ ¡¾Yang Guo: Where are all the Qingcheng Sect people? Why aren¡¯t they talking? Hey, Yu Canghai, stop pretending to be dead and come out!¡¿ ¡¾Qingcheng Sect Leader Yu Canghai: Slander! This is all slander!¡¿ [¡­]. The comments flooded in, with people outraged by the Qingcheng Sect¡¯s shameless actions. ¡­ S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Ping¡¯er! My son!¡± Madam Lin, seeing her son¡¯s miserable plight, felt a pain so deep it tore at her heart¡ªworse than the tortures she herself had endured. ¡°Good! That¡¯s my son, Lin Zhennan¡¯s son! Hahaha!¡± Though Lin Zhennan was also heartbroken, he was even prouder. Lin Pingzhi had never forgotten his teachings. He had not disgraced the name of the Fortune Prestige Escort Agency! Then, Lin Zhennan cast a look of contempt toward Yu Canghai. Yu Canghai ignored him, his eyes fixed on the barrage of damning comments. Seeing the relentless criticism and condemnation, Yu Canghai¡¯s face turned pale. It was over. The Qingcheng Sect¡¯s reputation was ruined. They had become the target of everyone¡¯s scorn. ¡°Dammit! Even that hypocrite Yue Buqun is kicking me while I¡¯m down, pretending to be righteous. As if he doesn¡¯t want the Bixie Sword Manual just as much!¡± ¡°Once I obtain the manual, I¡¯ll make all these bastards pay!¡± Yu Canghai clenched his fists, seething with hatred. Chapter 17 - Yue Buqun Panics, Liu Zhengfeng’s Golden Basin Hand-Washing Ceremony Chapter 17 Yue Buqun Panics, Liu Zhengfeng¡¯s Golden Basin Hand-Washing Ceremony ¡°Father! Mother! I am an unfilial son¡ªI cannot save you!¡± ¡°Yu Canghai! The grudge of exterminated kin is irreconcilable! I will never rest until I see you dead!¡± Lin Pingzhi looked at the grand screen, tears streaming down his face. Watching the scene of his parents being tortured by Yu Canghai, Lin Pingzhi felt as if his heart was being ripped apart. The overwhelming hatred and fury burned within him, threatening to explode his chest. He had once thought that the massacre of the Fortune Prestige Escort Agency was his fault. But now, he realized that the Qingcheng Sect had long coveted his family¡¯s secrets. His killing of Yu Renyan was merely a coincidence. Even if he hadn¡¯t killed him, the Qingcheng Sect would have fabricated another conflict as an excuse to act. ¡¾Fortune Prestige Escort Agency¡¯s Lin Pingzhi¡¿: Yu Canghai, you dared to kill my parents! I, Lin Pingzhi, swear an unending vendetta against you! ¡¾Fortune Prestige Escort Agency¡¯s Lin Pingzhi¡¿: No matter the cost, I will wipe out the entire Qingcheng Sect! ¡¾Qingcheng Sect¡¯s Hou Renying¡¿: How audacious! sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡¾Qingcheng Sect¡¯s Hong Renxiong¡¿: Such impudence! ¡¾Qingcheng Sect¡¯s Yu Renhao¡¿: A mere weakling dares to speak so boldly? ¡¾Qingcheng Sect¡¯s Luo Renjie¡¿: A spoiled brat, huh? Let¡¯s see how you plan to destroy our Qingcheng Sect! ¡¾Mount Hua Sect¡¯s Linghu Chong¡¿: Cowardly dogs and savage pigs¡ªQingcheng¡¯s Four Beasts! ¡¾Mount Hua Sect Leader Yue Buqun¡¿: Chong¡¯er, silence! ¡¾Princess Yunluo¡¿: The Qingcheng Sect is truly disgusting! If they were in my province, I would have my royal brother send troops to annihilate them! ¡¾Dragon Guard Manor¡¯s Guihai Yidao¡¿: They deserve death! [¡­]. Seeing the comments supporting him, Lin Pingzhi felt a warmth in his heart. Unfortunately, those people were all from other provinces. Even if they wished to help him, they were too far away to intervene. And in his own province, few among the so-called righteous sects were willing to speak for him. Raising his head to look at the grand screen, Lin Pingzhi felt deep unwillingness. He could only curse his own misfortune¡ªwhy hadn¡¯t the livestream system chosen him? If it had, he would have had a chance to turn things around. ¡­ Inside the livestream, the scene changed. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s me!¡± Yilin gasped softly, her beautiful eyes blinking in surprise and curiosity. Because on-screen was the moment when she had encountered Tian Boguang. Next would be Linghu Chong¡¯s clever battle of wits against Tian Boguang to protect her, ultimately forcing him to retreat. ¡°Damn it! I lost the bet and even became a disciple of this little nun!¡± Tian Boguang¡¯s face darkened¡ªhe felt utterly humiliated. How could he have fallen for Linghu Chong¡¯s clumsy tricks and lost? Unforgivable! The scene continued. Although Linghu Chong had driven off Tian Boguang, he was gravely wounded. There were no fewer than thirteen wounds on his body. At that moment, two Qingcheng Sect disciples arrived, their gazes toward Linghu Chong and Yilin filled with ill intentions. Linghu Chong immediately mocked them. One of the Qingcheng disciples was Luo Renjie, one of the ¡°Qingcheng Four Talents.¡± Previously, two others from the ¡°Qingcheng Four Talents,¡± Hou Renying and Hong Renxiong, had been punished by Linghu Chong for their arrogance. Recognizing Linghu Chong, Luo Renjie approached, not only verbally harassing Yilin but also attempting to grope her. Worse, he stabbed Linghu Chong in the chest. However, Linghu Chong lured him into a trap with false information about the Bixie Sword Manual and killed him in retaliation. Later, he was saved by Qu Yang and Qu Feiyan of the Sun Moon Cult, barely escaping death. While recovering, Linghu Chong was forced to hide in the Jade Pavilion Brothel, where he became entangled in conflicts involving Tian Boguang, Yu Canghai, Mu Gaofeng, and Yue Buqun. In the end, Yue Buqun rescued Lin Pingzhi from Mu Gaofeng¡¯s grasp, and Lin Pingzhi was accepted into the Mount Hua Sect. ¡­ ¡¾Brutal Eagle Cloudwalker He¡¿: Tian, you idiot! You had the little nun in your grasp, and you just let her go! ¡¾Peach Blossom Island¡¯s Huang Rong¡¿: The Qingcheng Sect is remarkably consistent¡ªwhether it¡¯s their leader¡¯s son or their so-called ¡°talents¡±, they¡¯re all cut from the same rotten cloth. U ¡¾Swallow Dock¡¯s Ah Zhu¡¿: When the leader is corrupt, the followers are worse. With someone like Yu Canghai in charge, the sect¡¯s rotten culture is inevitable. ¡¾Demon Cult Elder Xiang Wentian¡¿: Hahaha! You so-called righteous sects claim to be comrades, but you turn your swords against each other without hesitation. ¡¾Demon Cult Elder Xiang Wentian¡¿: And in the end, it was our so-called ¡®demonic¡¯ people who saved young Linghu Chong, wasn¡¯t it? Hahaha! ¡¾Northern Desert Lame Camel Mu Gaofeng¡¿: Master Yue, well played! Yu Canghai went through so much effort for the Bixie Sword Manual, but you swooped in at the last moment and reaped the benefits! I salute you! ¡¾Mount Hua Sect Leader Yue Buqun¡¿: Helping those in need is the duty of the righteous. If Brother Mu sees things differently, I have nothing more to say. [¡­]. ¡­ Outside Hengyang City. ¡°I accepted Lin Pingzhi into my sect¡­ which means the Bixie Sword Manual eventually fell into my hands.¡± Yue Buqun watched the livestream, his thoughts racing. Though it seemed that, in the future, he would successfully obtain the Bixie Sword Manual, he felt no joy. Because the way he acquired it would not be honorable. If all of this was exposed by the livestream¡­ At that thought, Yue Buqun became deeply troubled. Beside him, Yue Lingshan grumbled indignantly, ¡°Mother, the Qingcheng Sect is awful! They even tried to kill Senior Brother¡ªhow hateful!¡± Ning Zhongze was also angered, but she knew that the Mount Hua Sect was in decline and could not afford open conflict. Moreover, in the footage, Linghu Chong had ultimately prevailed, and Luo Renjie was dead, so she managed to maintain her composure and offered a few words of comfort. ¡­ At that moment, the scene shifted again. It was the start of Liu Zhengfeng¡¯s Golden Basin Hand-Washing Ceremony. The righteous sects gathered at the Liu estate. Everything seemed to be proceeding smoothly¡ªLiu Zhengfeng was just about to formally retire. But then, his ceremony was interrupted. The intruder was Songshan Sect¡¯s disciple ¡°Thousand-Foot Pine¡± Shi Dengda, who held the Five Mountain Sword Alliance Leader¡¯s Command Token, coming to stop Liu Zhengfeng. Liu Zhengfeng refused. But Songshan Sect had anticipated this. They had already surrounded Liu¡¯s residence and had taken his entire family hostage. Then, they exposed Liu Zhengfeng¡¯s secret friendship with Sun Moon Cult Elder Qu Yang. Liu Zhengfeng openly admitted it. Songshan Sect then threatened to massacre his entire family unless he renounced Qu Yang and personally killed him. But Liu Zhengfeng refused. At this point, the livestream paused. The audience straightened up, knowing what was coming next. Sure enough, the cold, emotionless voice of the livestream system rang out. ¡¾Question 2: How will the Songshan Sect respond to Liu Zhengfeng¡¯s refusal?¡¿ ¡¾A. Liu Zhengfeng has defied the Alliance Leader¡¯s decree and colluded with the demonic sect¡ªhis entire family must be exterminated to serve as a warning and uphold the prestige of Songshan Sect!¡¿ ¡¾B. Liu Zhengfeng¡¯s defiance enrages Songshan Sect, and they attempt to slaughter his family, but other righteous sects intervene to stop them.¡¿ ¡¾C. Liu Zhengfeng is guilty beyond doubt, but his family is innocent. Only Liu Zhengfeng is executed, as slaughtering his kin would be no better than the ways of the demonic sects.¡¿ ¡¾D. Although Liu Zhengfeng is guilty, the Five Mountain Sword Alliance is merely an alliance, and Songshan Sect has no right to act alone. Instead, they imprison Liu¡¯s family and leave their punishment to the Hengshan Sect.¡¿ Chapter 18 - Yilin—The Five Mountain Sword Alliance, United as One Chapter 18 Yilin¡ªThe Five Mountain Sword Alliance, United as One What would the Songshan Sect do? The livestream chat instantly erupted into a heated discussion. ¡¾World Society Leader Xiongba¡¿: Isn¡¯t it obvious? He colluded with external enemies and remained unrepentant. The only way is to exterminate his entire family to set an example! ¡¾Gourmet Goddess Liu Yiyi¡¿: The Songshan Sect is the leader of the Five Mountain Sword Alliance. They wouldn¡¯t resort to such a massacre; otherwise, as Option C suggests, how would they be any different from the Demonic Sect? ¡¾Gourmet Goddess Liu Yiyi¡¿: Moreover, even if Songshan wanted to do this, other righteous sects wouldn¡¯t just stand by and let it happen. ¡¾Gourmet Goddess Liu Yiyi¡¿: In my opinion, the correct answer is D. ¡¾Swallow Dock¡¯s Bao Buchang¡¿: Nonsense! Women truly have long hair but short insight. Have you already forgotten what happened with the Qingcheng Sect? Weren¡¯t they also considered a righteous sect? ¡¾Swallow Dock¡¯s Bao Buchang¡¿: Furthermore, Songshan Sect has already put their blades to the throats of Liu¡¯s family. If they back down now, wouldn¡¯t that undermine their own authority? ¡¾One of the Four Great Constables, Iron Hand¡¿: Option D is the best choice. It saves face for the Hengshan Sect while also demonstrating Songshan¡¯s sense of propriety. Capturing Liu¡¯s family might just be a means of scaring Liu Zhengfeng. ¡¾Mount Hua Sect Leader Yue Buqun¡¿: Righteousness and evil cannot coexist! However, I trust that Senior Brother Zuo is not a man who indiscriminately kills the innocent. ¡¾Hengshan Sect Leader Mo Da¡¿: If Senior Brother Zuo is willing to hand over Liu to us, then our Hengshan Sect will be grateful for his consideration. ¡¾Sun Moon Cult¡¯s Tong Baixiong¡¿: Ridiculous! Zuo Lengchan is nothing but a hypocrite. The correct answer is obviously A! [¡­]. The chat was filled with rolling comments, with arguments for all possible choices. ¡­ At Songshan Sect, Zuo Lengchan¡¯s face darkened as he stared at the choices on the screen. He already knew what the correct answer was. Since Liu Zhengfeng refused to comply, then his entire family must be exterminated! Only by doing so could he instill fear in the other sects and pave the way for his plan to merge the Five Mountain Sword Alliance under his rule. He had already instructed Fei Bin, Lu Bai, and the others to carry out this plan. The Golden Basin Hand-Washing Ceremony was already set in motion, and the Songshan Sect was fully prepared. But now, this unexpected livestream revelation had thrown everything into disarray. With the truth exposed, Liu Zhengfeng would undoubtedly be on high alert, and the Hengshan Sect would not sit idly by while their second-in-command was slaughtered. Not only that, but the other righteous sects, even if just for the sake of appearances, could no longer turn a blind eye. ¡°Otherwise, how would Songshan be any different from the Demonic Sect?¡± That sentence alone made Zuo Lengchan feel like he had just swallowed a fly. And then there was Yue Buqun and Mo Da, pretending to trust him while actually setting him up for a fall! The more they flattered him, the more people would scorn him when the truth was revealed. His reputation, and that of the Songshan Sect, would take a massive hit. ¡°Hypocrites! Damn them all!¡± ¡­ Hengyang City, Liu Residence. ¡°My friendship with Brother Qu has been exposed?¡± ¡°Songshan wants to stop my retirement and is using my family¡¯s lives to force me to kill Brother Qu?¡± Liu Zhengfeng stared at the grand screen, utterly shocked. He couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. ¡°Senior Brother Zuo¡­ wouldn¡¯t be that ruthless, would he?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe they would really go through with it.¡± ¡°But even if¡­ even if they do¡­ I will never betray Brother Qu!¡± He swallowed hard, his eyes locked onto the screen with nervous anticipation. ¡­ Outside Hengyang City, Mo Da¡¯s expression was grim. He wasn¡¯t as na?ve or foolish as Liu Zhengfeng. He knew Zuo Lengchan would undoubtedly go for the kill! ¡°Now that the truth is out, it has stripped away Songshan Sect¡¯s fa?ade. Whether this will turn out to be a blessing or a curse, I do not know.¡± With a deep sigh, Mo Da stood up and headed towards the Liu Residence. ¡­ At the same time, many in the Swordsman universe were eagerly awaiting the answer. Yue Buqun was hoping that Zuo Lengchan¡¯s reputation would take a critical blow. Yu Canghai, still reeling from the Qingcheng Sect¡¯s downfall, was now eagerly hoping that the Songshan Sect would also ¡°collapse,¡± so he wouldn¡¯t be suffering alone. Shaolin¡¯s Fangzheng and Wudang¡¯s Chongxu also had no desire to see Songshan Sect rise to power. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡­ Inside the livestream, Ye Luochuan pretended to deliberate for a moment before selecting A. Then, he glanced around at the others. ¡°Massacring the entire Liu family?¡± ¡°No, that won¡¯t happen.¡± ¡°If the Songshan Sect were truly that ruthless, it would certainly instill fear in the Five Mountain Sect Alliance. But at the same time, their reputation in the martial world would be utterly ruined.¡± ¡°If that happened, people might fear Songshan, but no one would respect them. They would become completely isolated.¡± ¡°In the martial world, reputation is crucial!¡± Long Xiaoyun, being a hypocrite himself, was a master of deception and always wore a mask in his dealings with others. He valued his reputation deeply. From his perspective, the Songshan Sect would also use more subtle tactics rather than overt slaughter. So, he immediately ruled out A and B. ¡°Will they only kill Liu Zhengfeng? Or will they hand him over to the Hengshan Sect?¡± ¡°It should be the latter.¡± ¡°After all, killing Liu Zhengfeng alone doesn¡¯t accomplish much¡ªit would only make Hengshan resent them.¡± ¡°But if Songshan hands Liu Zhengfeng over, they can win Hengshan¡¯s goodwill instead.¡± ¡°Songshan Sect is clearly ambitious, but conquering through strategy is superior to brute force. Rushing things will only backfire.¡± With that reasoning, Long Xiaoyun chose D. ¡­ ¡°This question should be A!¡± Lianxing made her choice without much hesitation. She didn¡¯t overthink it like Long Xiaoyun. But she wasn¡¯t choosing randomly either¡ªshe had her reasons. Songshan¡¯s way of doing things felt all too familiar to her. It was tyrannical! Just like Yihua Palace! Just like her sister Yaoyue! And Yihua Palace never left enemies alive. ¡­ ¡°Ah? Extermination? Murder?¡± Yilin, with her kind and innocent nature, immediately dismissed the first three options. Because they were too cruel! Liu Zhengfeng had only befriended Qu Yang, who had saved Linghu Chong¡ªsurely that meant Qu Yang was a good person. Liu Zhengfeng was merely friends with him, not betraying the Five Mountain Sword Alliance. Surely, that wasn¡¯t a crime deserving death? As for wiping out an entire family? That was unthinkable! The Five Mountain Sword Alliance was supposed to be united as one¡ªhow could they turn on each other like this? Just like how Senior Brother Linghu had risked his life to save her upon their first meeting. That was the bond of the Five Mountain Sword Alliance. Yilin firmly believed that Songshan would never be so ruthless and heartless. ¡°It should be left to the Hengshan Sect to decide.¡± She selected D. Chapter 19 - The Ruthless Songshan Sect—Another Massacre Unfolds Chapter 19 The Ruthless Songshan Sect¡ªAnother Massacre Unfolds ¡°This question is too easy! The answer is definitely A!¡± Tian Boguang glanced at the four options and chose A without hesitation. He was different from Long Xiaoyun. Long Xiaoyun was a hypocrite, but he was an open scoundrel. And so was Zuo Lengchan. They didn¡¯t believe in nonsense like ¡®winning hearts before conquering territories.¡¯ To them, power was the ultimate truth. ¡°As long as I am strong, I can dominate others.¡± To Tian Boguang, if the Songshan Sect were himself, then the other Four Mountain Sects were just ¡®flowers¡¯ waiting to be picked. Did he ever try to reason with the women he pursued? Of course not! He relied on brute force to take what he wanted. After all, they couldn¡¯t resist. Might makes right. That was the law he lived by. What others thought¡ªwas it important? Not at all. By now, all five participants had made their choices and seen each other¡¯s answers. When Long Xiaoyun and Yilin saw that three people had chosen A, their hearts sank. Although they had chosen D, meaning only one fewer vote¡­ The problem was, Ye Luochuan and Lianxing had both answered correctly in the previous question. This realization made both of them incredibly nervous. ¡­ ¡¾Sun Moon Cult¡¯s Shangguan Yun¡¿: Hahaha! Three people chose A! Seems like the so-called righteous sects aren¡¯t as noble as they claim! ¡¾Sun Moon Cult¡¯s Tong Baixiong¡¿: Heh, after what happened with the Qingcheng Sect, who would still trust the Songshan Sect? ¡¾Ancestor Zu Qianqiu¡¿: The little nun believes in them. ¡¾Old Master Lao Touzi¡¿: The little nun is like a blank sheet of paper¡ªso naive it¡¯s pitiful. Her choice is meaningless. ¡¾Hengshan Sect Leader Mo Da¡¿: Just because more people pick an option doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s right. I still trust the character of my fellow Songshan sect members. ¡¾Mount Hua Sect Leader Yue Buqun¡¿: I feel the same. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡¾Hengshan Sect¡¯s Master Dingyi¡¿: It cannot be A! Even if it¡¯s B, A is out of the question! I was present at the scene¡ªI would never allow such a massacre! ¡¾Five Poison Sect Leader Lan Fenghuang¡¿: Sigh, haven¡¯t you all figured it out yet? Not a single Songshan disciple has dared to speak up. The answer is obvious. [¡­]. The chat was filled with discussion. ¡­ Inside the livestream, When Long Xiaoyun and Yilin saw Lan Fenghuang¡¯s comment, their hearts sank completely. Long Xiaoyun¡¯s face turned pale, while Yilin¡¯s expression was filled with fear. ¡°Young Master Ye, looks like we got it right again.¡± Lianxing¡¯s radiant beauty was filled with anticipation. She was eager to see what reward she would get this time. In truth, more than a breakthrough in martial cultivation, she longed for a treasure that could heal her crippled limbs. Her disability had been a thorn in her heart for over thirty years. Ye Luochuan nodded slightly, just about to speak, when the system suddenly announced the correct answer. _____ ¡¾Time¡¯s up.¡¿ ¡¾Correct answer: A¡¿ The moment the announcement was made, the paused screen resumed. Faced with the Songshan Sect¡¯s aggressive intimidation, Liu Zhengfeng refused to back down. One of the Thirteen Songshan Guardians, ¡®Towering Palm¡¯ Ding Mian, first killed Liu Zhengfeng¡¯s disciple, Xiang Danian. Liu Zhengfeng, furious, captured another Guardian, ¡°Great Songyang Hand¡± Fei Bin. With Fei Bin as a hostage, Liu Zhengfeng tried to negotiate safe retirement from the martial world. But the Songshan Sect refused. At a subtle signal from ¡°Crane Hand¡± Lu Bai, one of the second-generation disciples, Di Xiu, pressed his sword against Liu Zhengfeng¡¯s eldest son¡¯s back. Liu Zhengfeng smiled bitterly and asked, ¡°Son, are you afraid to die?¡± His son replied, ¡°Father, I will do as you say¡ªI am not afraid!¡± Liu Zhengfeng said, ¡°Good child!¡± Lu Bai coldly ordered, ¡°Kill him!¡± Di Xiu thrust his short sword forward, stabbing Liu Zhengfeng¡¯s son straight through the heart. Blood gushed from the wound as Liu Zhengfeng¡¯s son collapsed. Liu¡¯s wife screamed and threw herself onto their son¡¯s corpse. Lu Bai gave another order. ¡°Kill her!¡± Di Xiu raised his sword and stabbed Liu Zhengfeng¡¯s wife in the back. _____ ¡°BEASTS!¡± Master Dingyi of the Hengshan Sect was enraged and struck at Di Xiu. Ding Mian intercepted her. Master Dingyi wasn¡¯t known for her palm strength, and her strike against Di Xiu had been intended as a warning, not a lethal attack. However, Ding Mian suddenly attacked with full force, unleashing a devastating palm strike. When their palms met, Master Dingyi felt a tidal wave of force crashing down upon her. By the time she tried to gather her inner strength, it was already too late. Ding Mian¡¯s formidable energy surged forward, and Master Dingyi spat out blood. Furious, she prepared to strike again. But as soon as she summoned her inner energy, she felt a stabbing pain in her dantian¡ªshe was badly injured. She had no choice but to retreat. _____ With no one left to stop them, the Songshan Sect continued their slaughter. Liu Zhengfeng¡¯s daughter, Liu Qing, cursed them, shouting, ¡°Vile scum! Your Songshan Sect is a hundred times more despicable than the Demonic Cult!¡± But before she could say another word, Songshan disciple Wan Daping cleaved her in half with a single sword stroke¡ªfrom her right shoulder down to her waist. In moments, the Liu residence was covered in corpses. Only one child remained¡ªLiu Zhengfeng¡¯s youngest and most beloved son, Liu Qin. The Songshan Sect forced Liu Qin to beg for his life. And he obeyed, Liu Zhengfeng, who had remained composed until now¡ªeven after watching his wife and children die¡ªfinally snapped. When he saw his son groveling for mercy, he roared in fury. ¡°You unworthy child! How can you face your mother?¡± With that, Liu Zhengfeng sighed deeply, released Fei Bin, and drew his own sword. He prepared to end his own life. _____ The screen froze. The answer had been revealed. For a moment, the livestream chat fell into absolute silence. Then, as if the stillness had reached its breaking point, the chat erupted in a frenzy! Chapter 20 - A Kindred Spirit in Music? A Romantic Affliction? Chapter 20 A Kindred Spirit in Music? A Romantic Affliction? [Lord of the World, Xiang Wentian]: Hahaha! What a so-called righteous sect! The old, the weak, women, children, disciples¡ªnone are spared. Not even the dogs and chickens survive.[Lord of the World, Xiang Wentian]: Zuo Lengchan, what bloodthirst! Mount Song Sect, what a bloodthirsty lot! Such slaughter¡­ even my own divine sect pales in comparison![Sun and Moon Sect, Tong Baixiong]: Hahaha, to tell the truth, the Alliance Leader Zuo and his Thirteen Guardians are actually our sect¡¯s undercover agents. Never thought they¡¯d be exposed in this live broadcast.[Sun and Moon Sect, Shangguan Yun]: Indeed! And they were all personally trained by me. But their ruthlessness surpasses even my own expectations![Leader of the Beggar Sect, Qiao Feng]: The innocent should not be harmed! If Liu Zhengfeng must die, so be it. But exterminating his entire family? Worse than beasts![Princess of the Tang Dynasty, Li Cuiyu]: This Mount Song Sect is too vicious![Wanmei Villa, Ximen Chuixue]: Mount Song Sect must be destroyed![Dragon Guard Villa, Guihai Yidao]: Mount Song Sect must be destroyed![Iron-Faced Judge, Shan Zheng]: What a pity I am far away and unable to intervene. Otherwise, I would certainly seek justice for the Liu family.[Wudang Sect, Yin Liting]: First, it was the Qingcheng Sect, and now Mount Song Sect. How did the so-called righteous sects of the Laughing Proud Jianghu world become like this?[Yang Guo]: More than that! Look at the crowd¡ªthere are probably hundreds of so-called heroes and warriors present.[Yang Guo]: And yet, when the Liu family was being massacred, aside from Abbess Dingyi of the Hengshan Sect, not a single one spoke up.[Yang Guo]: The leader of the Mount Tai Sect, Daoist Tianmen, and the leader of the Huashan Sect, Yue Buqun¡ªboth fellow Five Mountain Alliance leaders¡ªplayed deaf, dumb, and blind, allowing Mount Song Sect to run rampant. Heh.[Hengshan Sect, Abbess Dingyi]: Worse than beasts! Hengshan¡¯s Dingyi will personally challenge Senior Brother Ding in the future![Mount Song Sect, Ding Mian]: Hmph, anytime you wish![Hengshan Sect, Liu Zhengfeng]: Zuo Lengchan, how cruel you are! The Five Mountain Sword Alliance is supposed to stand together, yet you show no consideration for our alliance at all! Fine! Very well![Peach Blossom Island, Huang Rong]: Liu Zhengfeng, how dare you criticize others? Mount Song Sect is indeed vile, but the one who deserves the most blame is you![Peach Blossom Island, Huang Rong]: Never mind whether you and Qu Yang are truly just musical confidants, but for the sake of a newly formed friendship, you abandoned years of bonds with your wife, children, disciples, and friends, watching them die with an unmoved expression.[Peach Blossom Island, Huang Rong]: Worse still, you actually believe their deaths were meaningful![Peach Blossom Island, Huang Rong]: What¡¯s wrong with fearing death? Even ants cling to life! Your youngest son is only fifteen¡ªdoes fearing death bring shame upon you?[Peach Blossom Island, Huang Rong]: Your eldest son and daughter weren¡¯t afraid of death, and they died. Does that bring you honor? Utterly absurd![Princess Shaomin of the Yuan Dynasty, Zhao Min]: Exactly! Even more absurd is the fact that after Mount Song Sect slaughtered your entire family, you actually let Fei Bin go and then killed yourself![Princess Shaomin of the Yuan Dynasty, Zhao Min]: If you had fought back, taken Fei Bin down with you, and maybe killed a few Mount Song Sect disciples in return, I would have had some respect for you.[Princess Shaomin of the Yuan Dynasty, Zhao Min]: But alas, what a coward![Saintess of the Yin Gui Sect, Wanwan]: Liu Zhengfeng, weren¡¯t you unafraid of death? Then why didn¡¯t you kill yourself earlier? If you had, what excuse would Mount Song Sect have had to slaughter the Liu family?[King of Thieves, Sikong Zhaixing]: Haha, Liu Zhengfeng claims he was obsessed with music, which is why he befriended Qu Yang.[King of Thieves, Sikong Zhaixing]: But if you ask me, these two might just be lovers. A perfect pair, meant for each other.[Cheng Shifei]: Hiss¡ªevery time Liu Zhengfeng and Qu Yang shared their ¡°nightly conversations,¡± were they really just talking? Hard to believe![Twin Dragons of Yangzhou, Kou Zhong]: Hahaha! Liu Zhengfeng treated Qu Yang far more affectionately than he did his own wife, children, family, or disciples.[Hengshan Sect, Mi Weiyi]: You all¡­ are spouting nonsense![Sun and Moon Sect, Qu Feiyan]: Don¡¯t you dare speak of my grandfather that way![¡­]. As the live broadcast exposed everything, the martial arts world erupted in chaos. Some common folk stared in shock, never expecting the so-called righteous sects to be so corrupt and ruthless. Meanwhile, the so-called heroes of the Laughing Proud Jianghu world¡ªexcept for the Hengshan Sect¡ªwere collectively shamed. Daoist Tianmen¡¯s face darkened. Yue Buqun remained expressionless, but the Huashan disciples were all too afraid to speak. Zuo Lengchan¡¯s face twisted, his eyes flashing with killing intent. Hidden in Hengyang City, Ding Mian, Lu Bai, and Fei Bin felt uneasy, staring at the bullet comments, waiting for Zuo Lengchan¡¯s orders on what to do next. Abbess Dingyi did not suffer disgrace; instead, her actions won the Hengshan Sect immense respect across the martial arts world. But she felt no joy. Because Yilin had answered the question wrong! Last time, Yilin got lucky¡ªher punishment was only growing her hair out. But what about this time? And even if this time passed without serious consequences, what about the next? Yilin was too kind and na?ve, completely unaware of how cruel people could be. She was not suited for this game at all! At the Liu Manor, the grand estate was shrouded in silence. The air was thick with fear and unease. The Liu family members stared at the images of bloodied corpses on the glowing screen. Some even saw their own dead bodies. Their faces turned pale with horror and dread. Liu Zhengfeng stood in the hall, watching as Huang Rong and the others berated and mocked him in the comment section. His face darkened. Then, he turned to the others and asked, ¡°Do you blame me?¡± S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At this, Xiang Danian spoke firmly, ¡°We owe everything to our master. We shall never betray him. As Liu disciples, we live and die with our master.¡± Mi Weiyi echoed, ¡°Master¡¯s kindness is as great as the mountains. I will follow him to the grave!¡± After they spoke, a few others hesitantly stepped forward in agreement. But the majority remained silent. Xiang Danian¡¯s expression changed, and he scolded, ¡°You¡­ you dare betray our master!¡± Mi Weiyi glared angrily. ¡°A bunch of cowards afraid of death! I, Mi, refuse to associate with you!¡± Yet, despite their outbursts, the silent ones did not change their minds. Clearly, they did not want to die. Some might not have feared death itself, but they refused to die for this. The live broadcast had made everything clear¡ªLiu Zhengfeng had dragged them into this because of his own personal interests and his association with a member of the Demon Sect. Dying this way was simply too senseless. Moreover, the Five Mountain Alliance and the Sun and Moon Sect had been bitter enemies for years, with countless lives lost on both sides. For all they knew, Qu Yang himself might have killed their family members. How could they possibly be willing to die for him? That would be insane! In that moment, many of them made up their minds¡ªonce they found the chance, they would leave the Liu Manor for good. Damn it! Following such a foolish master was far too dangerous! Chapter 21 - Reverse Selection, A Carnivores Fate Chapter 21 Reverse Selection, A Carnivore¡¯s Fate Liu Zhengfeng looked at the scene before him, his heart filled with disappointment. He waved his hand, stopping Xiang Danian and the others from continuing their scolding. Then, he turned to his wife and children. Madam Liu remained silent. She simply held her eldest son tightly in her arms, clinging to him as she wept silently. Liu Jing was in a daze, her mind replaying the scene from earlier. She had been cut in half with a single strike, but she hadn¡¯t died instantly. Her upper body writhed in agony on the ground as she let out pained screams. Liu Jing shuddered violently and snapped back to reality. Yet, the image of her own tragic death was seared into her memory¡ªnever to be forgotten. At the same time, she had seen the barrage of comments from Huang Rong and the others. At that moment, Liu Jing felt both fear and hatred. She hated the Mount Song Sect. But she also hated her father, Liu Zhengfeng! Liu Zhengfeng saw that his wife and children were ignoring him, and a look of confusion appeared in his eyes. Had he really been wrong? But all he did was love music. Was that truly a crime? Cut ties with Qu Yang? They were the best of friends. They would never abandon each other for life. Inside the Live Broadcast Room, Yilin¡¯s face was deathly pale, devoid of any color. It wasn¡¯t just because she feared the unknown punishment looming ahead¡ªshe had also been terrified by the ruthless cruelty of the Mount Song Sect. Both the Qingcheng Sect and the Mount Song Sect were nothing like the righteous sects she had once imagined. This revelation completely shattered her worldview. Ye Luochuan saw her trembling, her delicate body on the verge of collapse, and couldn¡¯t help but feel pity for her. He immediately offered a suggestion. ¡°Little nun, you¡¯re too naive. You don¡¯t understand how sinister human nature can be. If you continue like this, it will be very dangerous.¡± ¡°For the next question, try a different approach. Whatever answer you think is the least likely¡ªchoose that one.¡± Yilin turned to look at him, stunned. ¡°R-really? Will that work?¡± Ye Luochuan smiled. ¡°If you¡¯re uncertain, why not give it a try?¡± Yilin hesitated, still unsure. Just then, she received a message. [Hengshan Sect Leader, Abbess Dingxian @ Hengshan Sect, Yilin: Yilin, just follow this young man¡¯s advice.].[Hengshan Sect, Yilin: Yes, Master.]. Reverse Selection? The audience was momentarily stunned after hearing Ye Luochuan¡¯s method. Then, they clapped in admiration. They could all tell that Yilin¡¯s personality was completely out of place in the Laughing Proud Jianghu world. If she tried to analyze things seriously, she would likely struggle to find the right answers. But if she used reverse selection, while it might not guarantee a correct answer, her odds of getting it right would increase significantly. Brilliant! Long Xiaoyun and the others also heard Ye Luochuan¡¯s advice, but they paid it no mind. This method was only useful for a naive person like Yilin. Their own minds were too complicated for such a simple trick to work. Besides, they preferred to trust their own analysis and judgment rather than relying on blind luck. ______ [This round: Long Xiaoyun and Yilin answered incorrectly.]. ¡°Be gentle!¡± ¡°Please, let the punishment be light!¡± S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I¡¯m begging you!¡± Long Xiaoyun swallowed nervously and prayed silently. [Long Xiaoyun¡¯s random punishment is as follows:].[Shout three times: ¡°I am a conniving villain!¡±]. Long Xiaoyun: ¡°¡­¡­¡± There is a saying: Lies don¡¯t hurt, but the truth is like a sharp blade. When he saw the punishment, Long Xiaoyun, already guilty as sin, turned pale. He didn¡¯t want to say it. But the moment a beam of light descended, he lost all control over his body. The next second, Long Xiaoyun stiffened his neck, took a deep breath, and shouted at the top of his lungs. ¡°I AM A CONNIVING VILLAIN!¡± ¡°I AM A CONNIVING VILLAIN!¡± ¡°I AM A CONNIVING VILLAIN!¡± His voice boomed, filled with vigor, echoing not just throughout the broadcast room but across the entire martial world. ¡°Damn it!¡± Long Xiaoyun¡¯s face turned dark with fury, his heart filled with hatred. But then again, this punishment was much lighter compared to last time. If he had to choose, he definitely preferred this one. At most, it was just a little embarrassing. As long as he insisted that the live broadcast was rigged against him, it wouldn¡¯t matter. After all, his dear brother Li Xunhuan trusted him completely. _____ [Ferocious Cloud Song]: ¡°Hahaha! We already knew you were a conniving villain. No need to shout it so loud!¡±[Little Li Flying Dagger, Li Xunhuan]: ¡°Nonsense! My brother is a man of honor! This must be the broadcast manipulating him!¡±[Sword Manor, Yin Tianxue]: ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so sure. Judging by Long Xiaoyun¡¯s expression, I suspect there¡¯s more to this story. The broadcast rarely makes baseless accusations.¡±[Yilin¡¯s random punishment is as follows:].[Carnivore¡¯s Fate: ¡®Meat and wine may pass through, but Buddha remains in your heart.¡¯ From now on, if you go an entire day without eating meat, you will suffer unbearable discomfort.]. ¡°Ah? E-eat¡­ meat?¡± Yilin was dumbfounded. A beam of light fell upon her, but she felt no immediate change. Still, she knew the live broadcast¡¯s punishments were never fake. The only reason she wasn¡¯t feeling anything yet was that the day hadn¡¯t ended¡ªso the effect hadn¡¯t started. Panic flashed across Yilin¡¯s face as she turned to the comments section in distress. ¡°Master¡­ Master, Senior Master, I don¡¯t want to eat meat! B-but I¡­ I¡­¡± [Hengshan Sect Leader, Abbess Dingxian]: ¡°Yilin, accept your fate. Focus on answering the questions for now. We¡¯ll deal with everything else later.¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Yilin looked utterly miserable. Her pitiful expression made the entire martial world laugh. ______ [Iron Sword Sect, Yu Zhenzi]: ¡°Damn! This little nun has incredible luck!¡±[Four Eyebrows, Lu Xiaofeng]: ¡°She does! Maybe it¡¯s because she¡¯s so pure and kind¡ªheaven itself favors her and doesn¡¯t want to harm her.¡±[Huashan Sect, Linghu Chong]: ¡°Junior Sister Yilin, eating meat isn¡¯t a big deal. Once you¡¯ve tasted it, you¡¯ll see how delicious it is! If you pair it with some wine, it¡¯s even better!¡±[Huashan Sect, Linghu Chong]: ¡°If you ever decide to drink, come find me. I¡¯ll drink with you.¡±[Huashan Sect Leader, Yue Buqun]: ¡°Chong¡¯er, silence! Stop spouting nonsense in front of the abbesses!¡± _____ ¡°, some people are just born lucky. Is this little nun secretly Heaven¡¯s favorite child?¡± Tian Boguang muttered enviously. Then, he eagerly turned his attention back¡ªlooking forward to receiving his own first reward. Chapter 22 - The Iron Kidney, the Thirteen-Night Man Chapter 22 The Iron Kidney, the Thirteen-Night Man ¡¾For this round of answering, Ye Luochuan, Lianxing, and Tian Boguang answered correctly.¡¿ ¡¾Ye Luochuan¡¯s random reward is as follows:¡¿ ¡¾Basic Martial Arts Knowledge. Congratulations, you are no longer a ¡°person with eight apertures but seven blocked¡ªcompletely ignorant¡± in martial arts!¡¿ A beam of light descended, and a wealth of new knowledge appeared in Ye Luochuan¡¯s mind, bringing a joyful expression to his face. He had only recently transmigrated into this world, possessing neither martial arts skills nor any basic understanding of martial arts. He didn¡¯t even know how to develop a sense of qi or how to circulate and refine it. He was entirely ignorant of the human body¡¯s complex acupoints and meridians. To break free from this predicament, he would not only need a great master to guide him but also spend a significant amount of time memorizing, studying, and practicing diligently. But now, with just one reward from the livestream, he had directly skipped that entire stage! His mind was now filled with all the fundamental knowledge of martial arts. ¡­ Ye Luochuan¡¯s reward didn¡¯t stir much reaction. The crowd was merely a little surprised¡ªit turned out he had been a complete martial arts novice. Soon, their attention shifted to Lianxing. ¡¾Lianxing¡¯s random reward is as follows:¡¿ ¡¾A Blood Bodhi: Originally found in extreme flames, this peerless fruit is said to be born from the blood of a Fire Qilin. It can heal any injury and enhance internal strength if uninjured.¡¿ A beam of light fell, and in Lianxing¡¯s hand appeared a dragon-eye-sized, crimson fruit with a radiant, lustrous sheen, looking particularly mystical. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Heal any injury, enhance strength when uninjured?¡± Lianxing held the ¡®Blood Bodhi¡¯ in her hand, her smile blossoming like a flower. However, she did not consume it immediately. While the ¡®Blood Bodhi¡¯ could boost her power, she believed it should be used at the most critical moment. Its healing property was more crucial to her. Keeping it for now might mean saving a life when needed! ¡¾Happy King Chai Yugua: Fire Qilin? In today¡¯s martial world, does such a creature still exist?¡¿ ¡¾Yu Yue: There¡¯s a Fire Qilin in our province, but it has wreaked havoc several times, causing great suffering to the people.¡¿ ¡¾World Society Leader Xiongba: Water floods the Great Buddha¡¯s knee, fire burns through the Lingyun Cave. I never expected such a treasure to exist in Lingyun Cave. I must visit it someday.¡¿ ¡¾Peerless City Lord Dugu Yifang: Lingyun Cave has a vast and intricate structure, and the Fire Qilin is not to be trifled with. Xiongba, be careful not to go in and never come out!¡¿ ¡¾¡­¡¿ ¡­ ¡°It¡¯s my turn!¡± Tian Boguang grew increasingly nervous. ¡¾Tian Boguang¡¯s random reward is as follows:¡¿ ¡¾Iron Kidney: A pair of indestructible kidneys that grant you boundless energy, vigor, and unparalleled stamina¡ªyou can last all night and fight ten men at once!¡¿ ¡°Iron Kidney?¡± Tian Boguang was stunned. A beam of light descended upon him, and he felt his body undergoing a subtle transformation. Previously, due to excessive indulgence, he would occasionally experience bouts of weakness. But now, his body was suddenly filled with energy and passion, and all fatigue vanished instantly. He felt invincible! Moreover, whether it was a side effect or an unintended consequence, he also noticed that his desires had intensified. ¡°Haha! Last all night and fight ten men at once! From now on, I, Tian Boguang, shall be known as the Thirteen-Night Man!¡± Standing triumphantly with hands on his hips, Tian Boguang could barely contain his excitement. Imagining himself conquering thirteen women in one night made his blood boil, and even his ¡®Cloud Chang¡¯ showed signs of life. His burning gaze swept around, pausing briefly on Yilin before settling on Lianxing. It wasn¡¯t that Yilin wasn¡¯t beautiful¡ªBut Lianxing¡¯s mature and dominant aura was far more attractive to him. To conquer a martial queen in bed¡­ Tian Boguang inhaled sharply, his eyes nearly glowing green with excitement. ¡­ Lianxing¡¯s beautiful eyes narrowed slightly, her face adorned with a sweet smile, but her words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Tian Boguang. ¡°The Eastern Depot is short on people. They could use a talent like you.¡± Tian Boguang¡¯s pupils froze. He nearly forgot¡ªLong Xiaoyun had drawn the eunuch punishment earlier. This was only the second question, and there were still many questions left. If he answered incorrectly later and got castrated too, then¡­ At that moment, Tian Boguang felt his ¡®Cloud Chang¡¯ shrink back in fear, his heart filled with anxiety. ¡­ ¡¾The Notorious Cloud-Soaring Crane: Damn it, I¡¯m so jealous of Tian Boguang!¡¿ ¡¾Blood Blade Sect Patriarch: Though this old master¡¯s blade is still sharp and mighty, I wouldn¡¯t mind being even stronger.¡¿ ¡¾Hengshan Sect¡¯s Master Dingyi: Vile scoundrel, do not be arrogant! What good is your so-called ¡°Iron Kidney¡± against my sword?¡¿ ¡¾Five Poison Cult Leader Lan Fenghuang: Haha! Using a kidney to block a sword? I¡¯d love to witness that myself.¡¿ ¡¾¡­¡¿ Inside the livestream chat. Tian Boguang¡¯s face darkened as he cursed under his breath. He nearly forgot that an old nun, along with a group of senior and junior nuns, was still out there waiting to hunt him down! Right now, he didn¡¯t need an ¡°Iron Kidney.¡± What he needed was a way to survive! ¡°I still have a chance. I must answer correctly next time!¡± At this moment, the livestream¡¯s cold, emotionless voice rang out once again. ¡¾The second question is over. The livestream continues.¡¿ ¡¾All lucky viewers, please watch carefully and prepare to answer.¡¿ As the voice faded, the space where the five participants stood was once again isolated. Immediately, the paused footage resumed playing. Just as Liu Zhengfeng was about to slit his own throat, Qu Yang from the Sun Moon Divine Cult arrived, rescuing his granddaughter Qu Feiyan and Liu Zhengfeng from Liu¡¯s manor. The three of them escaped into the wilderness. However, though they had managed to flee, both Qu Yang and Liu Zhengfeng had suffered severe injuries from the Taibao of Mount Song and were on the brink of death. Deep in the mountains, by a cascading waterfall¡ªLiu and Qu played a duet on the zither and flute, performing Smiling Proud Wanderer. Afterward, they sighed deeply, pitying themselves, lamenting that the righteous and demonic factions failed to appreciate their refined and noble bond through music. Then, Qu Yang smugly declared that even Ji Kang¡¯s Guangling San paled in comparison to the Smiling Proud Wanderer they had composed. Liu Zhengfeng wholeheartedly agreed, feeling he could die without regrets. Not once did they mention the massacre of Liu¡¯s family. On the other side, Qu Feiyan still remembered their blood feud, urging them to recover before seeking revenge against Mount Song Sect. Just as she finished speaking, a long, eerie laugh echoed from behind the mountain wall. Chapter 23 - Qu Feiyan: Am I Going to Die Just Like That? Chapter 23 Qu Feiyan: Am I Going to Die Just Like That? It turned out that Fei Bin from the Mount Song Sect had pursued them all the way, determined to eliminate them completely. Liu Zhengfeng and Qu Yang were gravely injured and had no strength to resist. Facing Fei Bin¡¯s threat, Qu Feiyan desperately tried to defend herself but was no match for him. With just a few casual moves, Fei Bin easily defeated her. Pointing his longsword at Qu Feiyan¡¯s throat, Fei Bin sneered at Qu Yang and said, ¡°Elder Qu, I¡¯ll first stab out your granddaughter¡¯s left eye, then cut off her nose, and then slice off both of her ears.¡± Hearing this, Qu Feiyan was both terrified and enraged. She let out a desperate cry, leaped forward, and threw herself onto the longsword, attempting to take her own life. However, Fei Bin had already anticipated this. With a swift retraction of his sword, he extended his left index finger and struck a pressure point on her body. Qu Feiyan¡¯s acupoint was sealed, and she flipped over, collapsing onto the ground. Fei Bin burst into laughter, ¡°Demonic sect scum! You¡¯ve committed countless atrocities. Even in death, you won¡¯t have it easy! Let¡¯s start by taking out that left eye of yours!¡± With that, he lifted his sword and prepared to stab Qu Feiyan¡¯s left eye. _____ Livestream Comments. ¡¾Beggar Sect Leader Qiao Feng¡¿: Liu Zhengfeng had already captured Fei Bin earlier but ended up releasing him. Now Fei Bin repays kindness with cruelty¡ªthis is unacceptable! ¡¾Beggar Sect Leader Qiao Feng¡¿: Bullying the weak, slaughtering an innocent young girl¡ªthis is the height of shamelessness! ¡¾Beggar Sect Leader Qiao Feng¡¿: Killing someone is one thing, but torturing them in such a cruel manner? Where is the righteousness in that?! ¡¾Ming Dynasty Yunluo Princess¡¿: The Mount Song Sect is full of snakes and rats¡ªnothing but scum and degenerates! ¡¾Mount Song Sect Fei Bin¡¿: You people understand nothing! The demonic sects deserve to be exterminated! Why should we show them any mercy?! ¡¾West Gate Snow of Ten Thousand Plum Manor¡¿: Despicable wretch¡ªmust be killed! ¡¾Mount Song Sect Fei Bin¡¿: Kill, kill, kill! That¡¯s all you people talk about! If you¡¯re so tough, why don¡¯t you come here yourself? Think you can even touch me?! Go cry somewhere else! ¡¾Great Yuan Dynasty Princess Zhao Min¡¿: Honestly, Liu Zhengfeng must be brain-dead. His entire family was slaughtered, and yet he let his enemy go. If he had been a little tougher back then, none of this would have happened! ¡¾Sacred Maiden Wanwan of the Yin Gui Sect¡¿: Liu Zhengfeng is an idiot! A complete fool! Having a relative like him is the worst kind of misfortune! ¡¾Hengshan Sect Xiang Danian¡¿: Witch! Hold your tongue! ¡¾Hengshan Sect Mi Weiyi¡¿: Do not insult my master! ¡¾Sacred Maiden Wanwan of the Yin Gui Sect¡¿: Heh, call it what you want. Whether it¡¯s the truth or an insult¡ªeveryone knows the answer in their hearts. ¡¾Red Flower Society Luo Bing¡¿: What a pity for little Feiyan. Such an adorable girl¡­ ¡¾Number One Scholar of the World Shang Xiufang¡¿: Speaking of which, the song Liu and Qu composed is called Smiling Proud Wanderer¡ªisn¡¯t that the same as the name of the state given in the livestream? _____ Dressed in immaculate white, West Gate Snow stood with an expressionless face, utterly cold and detached. His piercing eyes revealed nothing¡ªno emotion, no love, no desire, as if he had severed all ties with human sentiment. However, upon seeing Fei Bin¡¯s arrogant provocation in the livestream chat, a flash of killing intent appeared in his gaze. Though West Gate Snow appeared aloof, he had a strong sense of justice. He only killed those who deserved it, and he was willing to travel thousands of miles to avenge the innocent. The ruthless acts of the Mount Song Sect, as displayed on the great projection, had ignited his bloodlust. Unfortunately, he was unable to cross the sea to the Smiling Proud Wanderer state. This was precisely why Fei Bin felt so fearless. Otherwise, even Left Cold Zen himself might not be able to withstand a single strike from West Gate Snow. _____ At Hengyang city, Qu Feiyan, who was traveling to Liu¡¯s residence with her grandfather, turned pale. ¡°Am I¡­ really going to die like that?¡± S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Although the Qu Feiyan in the projection had displayed unyielding courage, at that point, she had no other choice. Now, before reaching such a desperate situation, she naturally did not want to die. She was only thirteen. She still had a long life ahead of her¡ªso many wonders of the world to explore, so many experiences yet to be had. How could she accept such an early death? ¡°Feifei, it¡¯s all my fault for dragging you into this!¡± Qu Yang looked remorseful, but he did not stop his march towards Liu¡¯s residence. ¡°Grandfather, it¡¯s alright. I don¡¯t blame you.¡± Qu Feiyan shook her head, but the forced smile on her face was stiff and unnatural. _____ Ye Luochuan, having already known Qu Feiyan¡¯s fate, sighed inwardly. Back when he first read Smiling Proud Wanderer, Qu Feiyan¡¯s death had caught him completely off guard. Her personality was so similar to Huang Rong¡¯s, She was beautiful, even her name was lovely¡ªShe practically had all the characteristics of a female protagonist. Yet, in the end, she was never meant to be the heroine. Fortunately, now that everything had been exposed through the livestream. Unless Qu Yang was utterly insane. She should be able to avoid this tragic fate. ____ In the projection, just as Fei Bin was about to mutilate Qu Feiyan, a loud voice suddenly interrupted him. The one who spoke¡ªwas Linghu Chong. It turned out that Linghu Chong, still recovering under Yilin¡¯s care, happened to stumble upon this scene. Grateful for the lifesaving kindness shown by the Qu family. He couldn¡¯t bear to let Qu Feiyan die under Fei Bin¡¯s sword. So he stepped forward to intervene. Linghu Chong invoked the name of chivalry, urging Fei Bin to show mercy. Fei Bin refused, instead slandering Linghu Chong as a demonic sect heretic and attempting to kill him. Yilin also stepped in, reminding Fei Bin that the Mount Song Sect was the leader of the Five Mountain Sword Sects Alliance¡ªA beacon of righteousness in the martial world¡ªand that they should always act with honor. Yilin¡¯s words were spoken with sincerity, but Fei Bin, guilty and insecure, heard them only as mockery. He thought to himself, With that in mind, he resolved to silence everyone present, spitting out obscene insults as he prepared to kill. Linghu Chong refused to surrender, but he was outmatched. As for Qu Feiyan¡ªwith a swift stroke of Fei Bin¡¯s sword, It plunged into her heart. She perished instantly. Just as Fei Bin was grinning viciously, ready to slaughter Linghu Chong and Yilin¡ªA haunting tune suddenly echoed through the air. The sound was mournful, like sighs of regret, like silent weeping, like raindrops tapping against the leaves. Fei Bin¡¯s heart trembled. ¡°Could it be¡­ Night Rain of the Xiao Xiang¡ªMister Mo Da has arrived?¡± Sure enough, as the tune faded, Mo Da stepped out from behind a pine tree. Chapter 24 - Mo Da’s Sword Wins Fans, The Five Mountain Sword Alliance on the Brink of Conflict Chapter 24 Mo Da¡¯s Sword Wins Fans, The Five Mountain Sword Alliance on the Brink of Conflict Mo Da held his huqin in his left hand and clasped his hands in greeting toward Fei Bin. ¡°Senior Brother Fei, greetings to Alliance Leader Zuo.¡± Seeing that Mo Da bore no hostility and knowing that he had a strained relationship with Liu Zhengfeng, Fei Bin responded, ¡°Many thanks, Mister Mo. My senior brother is doing well.¡± S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Liu Zhengfeng of your sect colluded with the demonic cult, seeking to undermine our Five Mountain Sword Alliance.¡± ¡°Mister Mo, how do you think he should be dealt with?¡± Mo Da took two steps toward Liu Zhengfeng and replied coldly, ¡°He should be killed!¡± The moment the word kill left his lips, a flash of cold light appeared. A thin and narrow longsword had suddenly materialized in his hand, stabbing backward in a swift and unpredictable motion, straight towards Fei Bin¡¯s chest. The strike was blindingly fast, dreamlike yet lethal¡ªIt was a supreme technique from the Thirteen Variations of Hengshan¡¯s Misty Clouds. Fei Bin was horrified and hastily retreated. With a sharp tearing sound, his chest was slashed open¡ªhis clothes shredded, his flesh wounded. Though the injury wasn¡¯t severe, it was enough to enrage and rattle him, completely breaking his composure. Fei Bin retaliated immediately, thrusting his sword forward. But Mo Da had already seized the upper hand. His following strikes came in an unending wave, his thin sword slithering like a serpent, weaving through Fei Bin¡¯s attacks with ceaseless tremors. Forced into retreat, Fei Bin couldn¡¯t even squeeze out a curse¡ªOnly managing to dodge and defend desperately. Droplets of blood began to spatter between their clashing blades. Fei Bin twisted and dodged, straining to counterattack, but he could never escape Mo Da¡¯s relentless swordplay. Gradually, the blood pooled around them, forming a crimson circle. Suddenly, Fei Bin let out a long, agonized scream and leapt into the air. Mo Da took two steps back, sheathed his sword back into his huqin, and turned away without another word. From behind a pine tree, the mournful melody of Xiaoxiang Night Rain began to play¡ªa sorrowful tune that faded into the distance. As Fei Bin landed, he collapsed onto the ground. A fountain of blood erupted from his chest, spurting upward like a geyser. Earlier, during the battle, he had been circulating Mount Song¡¯s internal energy. Now, with a fatal wound to his chest, that very energy forced his blood to spurt violently from the open wound¡ªA gruesome and chilling sight. Just like that, Fei Bin breathed his last. _____ Seeing the situation take such a drastic turn, everyone was momentarily stunned. Moments ago, Fei Bin had been untouchable. Now, he had died so humiliatingly at another¡¯s sword. ¡¾Qixing Pond¡¯s Murong Qiudi¡¿: Good! Serves him right! Mo Da¡¯s swordplay was absolutely incredible! ¡¾Guishan Su Ying¡¿: It¡¯s just a pity that Feiyan still died¡­ ¡¾Ming Dynasty Yunluo Princess¡¿: That Fei Bin got off too easily! If he had been in front of this princess, I would have ordered my royal brother to have him sliced to death piece by piece! ¡¾Mount Song Sect Fei Bin¡¿: Well, well, well! Good move, Xiaoxiang Night Rain Mo Da! I will remember this. ¡¾Hengshan Sect Master Dingyi¡¿: Great Songyang Hand, what a mighty reputation! My disciple merely spoke a few words of justice, and you wanted to silence her forever! Is Hengshan truly so easily bullied! ¡¾Five Mountain Alliance Leader Zuo Lengchan¡¿: Brother Mo, it¡¯s been years since we last met, and you seem to have grown bolder. Now you dare draw your sword against my Mount Song Sect for the sake of some demonic cultists? ¡¾Hengshan Sect Master Mo Da¡¿: And in those years, Brother Zuo, your Mount Song Sect has grown even more arrogant, completely disregarding the other four mountain sects. _____ The chatroom was flooded with heated exchanges¡ªSharp words clashing like drawn swords, brimming with tension. Were it not for the shared external threat of the Sun Moon Divine Cult, The Five Mountain Sword Alliance might have already turned on each other in open warfare. Though an outright split had not yet occurred, the rift was deeply entrenched. And if the opportunity arose, they would not hesitate to stab each other in the back. Meanwhile, the members of the Sun Moon Divine Cult were ecstatic. They eagerly wished for the Five Mountain Sect to tear each other apart immediately. ____ Yilin trembled in fear. ¡°Uncle Fei¡­ actually wanted to kill me? He¡­ he¡­¡± The young nun¡¯s head was spinning. She could no longer make sense of these so-called righteous sects. They were far too ruthless. Far too cruel. Perhaps it was best to just stay in Hengshan forever. _____ ¡°Master, Mistress! Senior Brother is back!¡± Shouts rang out as Lu Dayou and Liang Fa supported Linghu Chong between them. ¡°Chong¡¯er!¡± ¡°Senior Brother, are you okay? Are you badly hurt? Does it hurt?¡± Ning Zhongze and Yue Lingshan rushed forward, their faces filled with concern. Linghu Chong was deeply moved and quickly reassured them, ¡°Master¡¯s wife, Junior Sister, I¡¯m fine!¡± ¡°On the way back, we ran into Master Dingyi from Hengshan Sect.¡± ¡°She gave me Hengshan¡¯s secret medicines¡ª¡®White Cloud Bear Gallbladder Pill¡¯ and ¡®Heavenly Fragrance Bone-Mending Ointment¡¯.¡± ¡°These medicines are truly miraculous¡ªone for internal injuries, one for external wounds. Heh, I almost feel like I could fly! I¡¯m nearly recovered!¡± He patted his chest proudly, exuding a bold spirit. Though his wounds still stung when he moved, he refused to show any pain¡ªNot when his master¡¯s wife and junior sister were so worried. ¡°You little rascal, always trying to charm me!¡± Ning Zhongze scolded him playfully. Yue Lingshan, however, looked gloomy and muttered, ¡°Senior Brother, you¡¯re a hero for saving others¡­ but¡­ but you shouldn¡¯t risk your own life like that¡­¡± Her eyes were already rimmed red. Linghu Chong chuckled, ¡°Junior Sister, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be more careful in the future.¡± Then, his face darkened with anger, ¡°That Fei Bin was truly despicable! He dared to¡ª¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Before he could finish, a sharp voice interrupted him. Linghu Chong turned in surprise to see Yue Buqun¡¯s stern expression. His master¡¯s gaze was cold as he spoke, ¡°You encountered a demonic cultist, yet you did not kill them. That was already a grave mistake.¡± ¡°Now you dare to criticize a senior of our own sect?¡± ¡°Have you forgotten my teachings?¡± ¡°Do you not see how this makes me look? People will laugh at me, saying that Yue Buqun has failed to discipline his disciples properly!¡± ¡°If this happens again, do not expect me to show leniency!¡± Cold sweat beaded on Linghu Chong¡¯s forehead. He knew his master¡¯s words made little sense, but as a disciple, he dared not argue. Yue Lingshan couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and blurted out, ¡°Father! The Qu family saved Senior Brother¡¯s life! How could he repay kindness with betrayal?¡± The moment she finished speaking, Yue Buqun¡¯s piercing gaze fell upon her. Yue Lingshan immediately fell silent, not daring to say another word. Just as Yue Buqun was about to continue reprimanding them, the disciples of the Huashan Sect suddenly let out a startled cry. Chapter 25 - The Bixie Sword Manual Exposed, Yue Buqun’s Discourse on Good and Evil Chapter 25 The Bixie Sword Manual Exposed, Yue Buqun¡¯s Discourse on Good and Evil Inside the projection, after Mo Da left, Liu Zhengfeng and Qu Yang handed over the musical score of Smiling Proud Wanderer to Linghu Chong, asking him to pass it down to a worthy successor. Linghu Chong agreed. Liu and Qu grasped each other¡¯s hands, let out a long laugh, and severed their own heart vessels¡ªending their lives. Linghu Chong and Yilin buried them. Suddenly, Linghu Chong noticed a distant fight. As he stealthily approached, he saw that it was none other than Yue Buqun and Yu Canghai locked in combat. It turned out that after accepting Lin Pingzhi as his disciple, Yue Buqun confronted Yu Canghai, demanding the return of Lin Zhennan and his wife. Yu Canghai was unable to match him and fled. Yue Buqun pursued him. Just as Linghu Chong was about to leave, a long, agonizing scream rang out from the forest to his left¡ªchilling and desperate. Startled, Linghu Chong took a few steps forward and saw the outline of a yellow wall through the gaps in the trees¡ªit seemed to be a temple. Fearing that his junior disciples had gotten into a fight with the Qingcheng Sect and suffered injuries, he quickly rushed towards the yellow wall. But as he got closer, he discovered that it was Desert Mirage Camel Mu Gaofeng brutally torturing Lin Zhennan and his wife, trying to force them to reveal the whereabouts of The Bixie Sword Manual. Thinking fast, Linghu Chong used the name of Yue Buqun to scare Mu Gaofeng away. Upon learning that their son, Lin Pingzhi, had become a disciple of Mount Hua Sect, Lin Zhennan and his wife were overjoyed. Lin Zhennan pleaded, ¡°Please¡­ tell my son¡­ the things in our old house at Xiangyang Alley in Fuzhou¡­ are our Lin family¡¯s ancestral heirlooms¡­ He must¡­ must keep them safe¡­ But¡­ but his great-grandfather Yuan Tu left behind a warning¡­ None of our descendants must ever read it, or endless disaster will follow¡­ He¡­ must remember this¡­¡± With his final words spoken, Lin Zhennan¡ªwho had been barely holding on¡ªbreathed his last. His wife followed soon after, throwing herself onto the stone steps in grief, ending her life. _____ The scene caused an uproar. ¡¾Hua Manlou¡¿: What Lin Zhennan referred to as the ¡®ancestral heirloom¡¯ must be The Bixie Sword Manual. ¡¾Four-Eyed Brow Lufeng¡¿: I¡¯m really curious¡ªwhy did Lin Yuantu forbid his descendants from reading The Bixie Sword Manual? ¡®Endless disaster¡¯? What kind of disaster? ¡¾Master of the World¡¯s Number One Manor, Shangguan Haitang¡¿: This Bixie Sword Manual must have some serious problems! ¡¾Fortune Escort Agency¡¯s Lin Pingzhi¡¿: Father! Mother! Yu Canghai! Mu Gaofeng! You killed my parents! I will never let you go, even as a ghost! AHHH!! ¡¾Qingcheng Sect¡¯s Hou Renying¡¿: You little bastard, we weren¡¯t afraid of you when you were alive¡ªwhy would we fear you as a ghost? _____ Inside a ruined temple, staring at Lin Zhennan¡¯s lifeless body, Yu Canghai smirked with satisfaction. ¡°No matter how stubborn you were, you still couldn¡¯t protect The Bixie Sword Manual.¡± S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He was certain that by now, the disciples he had stationed in Fuzhou had already gone straight to the Lin family¡¯s old residence in Xiangyang Alley. If all went according to plan, they would be the first to seize The Bixie Sword Manual before any other sect could intervene. ¡°Master, should we kill them?¡± Hou Renying asked sinisterly. Yu Canghai shook his head. ¡°No. Not only should we spare them, but we must keep them alive.¡± ¡°That little bastard Lin Pingzhi wants revenge, doesn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°As long as his parents are in our hands, won¡¯t he come straight to us like a moth to a flame?¡± ¡°Watch them carefully. Make sure they don¡¯t kill themselves.¡± ¡°Yes, Master! Brilliant strategy!¡± Hou Renying flattered. _____ Beyond the Qingcheng Sect, nearly all factions in Smiling Proud Wanderer State, as long as they weren¡¯t too far away¡ªHad sent people rushing towards Fuzhou. Even some lone martial artists refused to be left behind. After all, it was The Bixie Sword Manual¡ªA manual that had once made a man invincible! Who could ignore such a thing? Yue Buqun, who had been lecturing Linghu Chong, suddenly darkened. He hadn¡¯t expected The Bixie Sword Manual¡¯s location to be exposed so publicly. How was he supposed to obtain it now? ____ After the deaths of Lin Zhennan and his wife, Yue Buqun arrived with his disciples. Lin Pingzhi collapsed in front of his parents¡¯ bodies, wailing in despair. Linghu Chong was about to relay Lin Zhennan¡¯s dying words, but Yue Buqun interrupted, ¡°These are your father¡¯s last words to you. You can hear them in private¡ªthere¡¯s no need for others to know.¡± The group then returned to Mount Hua. Once back on the mountain, Yue Buqun held Linghu Chong accountable. First, he accused him of instigating conflict by kicking Hou Renying and Hong Renxiong. Second, he reprimanded him for his disrespectful remark about the Hengshan Sect, saying, ¡®See a nun, lose a gamble.¡¯ Third, he criticized him for hiding with Yilin in the Jade Courtyard while healing, nearly damaging the reputations of both Mount Hua and Hengshan Sect. However, since these incidents had reasonable explanations, Linghu Chong was let off after admitting fault. But then, Yue Buqun¡¯s expression grew increasingly severe. After a long silence, he finally asked, ¡°You knew that girl Qu Feiyan was from the demonic sect, yet why didn¡¯t you strike her down?¡± ¡°Yes, her grandfather saved your life. But that was nothing more than a demonic sect¡¯s deceit¡ªan insidious scheme to sow discord within the Five Mountain Sword Alliance. You are not a fool¡ªhow could you not see this?¡± ¡°They save a single life, yet the real purpose is a much larger conspiracy.¡± ¡°Liu Zhengfeng was a wise and capable man, yet he still fell into their trap¡ªultimately losing his reputation, his family, and his life.¡± ¡°You have now seen for yourself how sinister and ruthless the demonic sect can be.¡± ¡°But from Hunan to Mount Hua, I never once heard you say a single word condemning the demonic sect.¡± ¡°Chong¡¯er, I fear that ever since they saved your life, your perception of right and wrong has become severely clouded.¡± ¡°This matter concerns your very survival in the martial world. There is no room for uncertainty here.¡± Linghu Chong listened but remained unconvinced. Seeing the hesitation in his disciple¡¯s eyes, Yue Buqun pressed further, ¡°Chong¡¯er, this matter is critical to the honor and future of Mount Hua Sect. It also determines your own safety and success.¡± ¡°You must not conceal your true thoughts from me.¡± ¡°I ask you this¡ªif you encounter members of the demonic sect in the future, will you treat them as enemies and kill them without hesitation?¡± Linghu Chong stared at his master in shock. A thought kept swirling in his mind. For the first time in his life¡ªhe found himself utterly unable to answer. Yue Buqun studied Linghu Chong¡¯s face for a long moment. Seeing that he still refused to answer, Yue Buqun let out a deep sigh¡ªand sentenced him to a year of solitary reflection at Repentance Cliff. Chapter 26 - Generation Gap Between Master and Disciple, Enlightening Yilin Chapter 26 Generation Gap Between Master and Disciple, Enlightening Yilin ¡¾Cheng Shifei: Damn! That old Yue doesn¡¯t seem like a good person at all!¡¿ ¡¾Yang Guo: Indeed! Everyone knows what kind of people the Qingcheng Sect disciples are¡ªarrogant and bullying. Giving them a lesson, how is that against chivalry?¡¿ ¡¾Kou Zhong, one of the Yangzhou Twin Dragons: ¡°Meeting a nun, losing a bet¡±¡ªthat was just a desperate remark in a tight situation. How can one take it so seriously?¡¿ ¡¾A¡¯Zi from the Xingxiu Sect: Staying at Qunyu Courtyard? That¡¯s even more ridiculous! Linghu Chong was barely conscious, on the brink of death. Does it really matter where he was?¡¿ ¡¾Yunluo County Princess of the Ming Dynasty: Absolutely infuriating! The Qu family kindly saved Linghu Chong¡¯s life, yet Yue Buqun repaid them with suspicion, treating them with a petty mind. Truly an ungrateful wretch!¡¿ ¡¾Xiang Wentian, Lord of Tianwang: Heh, ¡°Gentleman Sword¡±? Yue Buqun is nothing but a hypocrite!¡¿ ¡¾Lu Xiaofeng with Four Eyebrows: Yue Sect Leader may not be evil, but he is undoubtedly rigid and stubborn.¡¿ ¡¾Chu Liuxiang, the Bandit Chief: Exactly! Yue Sect Leader always prioritizes the reputation of the Huashan Sect over the life of his own disciple.¡¿ ¡¾Yang Yan, the Stunning Immortal: The conflict between Yue Buqun and Linghu Chong was inevitable.¡¿ ¡¾Yang Yan, the Stunning Immortal: Yue Buqun belongs to the older generation. He has a deep-seated blood feud with the Sun Moon Sect and has lived through too much. His worldview is already fixed, which makes him so stubborn.¡¿ ¡¾Yang Yan, the Stunning Immortal: But Linghu Chong is different. He¡¯s just a young man in his twenties.¡¿ ¡¾Yang Yan, the Stunning Immortal: He was raised in a righteous sect, bound by moral principles, believing that noble sects should be upright and chivalrous.¡¿ ¡¾Yang Yan, the Stunning Immortal: But what did he witness after leaving the mountain?¡¿ ¡¾Yang Yan, the Stunning Immortal: The Qingcheng Sect is a so-called noble sect, yet they wiped out the entire Fu Wei Escort Agency just for the Bixie Sword Manual.¡¿ ¡¾Yang Yan, the Stunning Immortal: The Songshan Sect is also a noble sect, yet they slaughtered Liu Zhengfeng¡¯s entire family. Fei Bin, the ¡°Great Songyang Hand,¡± showed his true ugly colors and even killed Linghu Chong¡¯s benefactor, the young girl Qu Feiyan!¡¿ ¡¾Yang Yan, the Stunning Immortal: All of this completely contradicts the education Linghu Chong received as a child.¡¿ ¡¾Yang Yan, the Stunning Immortal: On the contrary, the so-called evil cult members whom Yue Buqun condemned as wicked were the ones who first saved his life.¡¿ ¡¾Yang Yan, the Stunning Immortal: Having witnessed and experienced so much death and betrayal, how could Linghu Chong not be confused and lost?¡¿ ¡¾Yang Yan, the Stunning Immortal: Forget about Linghu Chong¡ªjust ask little nun Yilin in the livestream. Does she still dare to trust those so-called righteous sects?¡¿ ¡¾Hou Xibai, the Romantic Scholar: The Immortal¡¯s analysis is incredibly thorough and reasonable! Truly a woman of remarkable intellect¡ªadmirable!¡¿ ¡­ Yang Yan¡¯s words were unbiased and incredibly insightful, immediately earning the admiration of many. Inside the livestream, Ye Luochuan also nodded in approval. At the core of it, the conflict between Yue Buqun and Linghu Chong stemmed from a generational gap, personality differences, and vastly different experiences. Both were grown men with independent minds, it was difficult for them to fully accept each other¡¯s perspectives. And that was the fundamental reason behind their discord. Seeing Yilin¡¯s bewildered expression, filled with doubt about everything she had believed in, Ye Luochuan reassured her: ¡°Little nun, there¡¯s no need to be so troubled.¡± ¡°If you ask me, the Sun Moon Sect is probably not much better than the Qingcheng and Songshan Sects.¡± ¡°Calling them a demonic cult may not be entirely unjustified.¡± ¡°But as the saying goes¡ª¡®A tree bears both sour and sweet fruit; children of the same mother may be wise or foolish.¡¯¡± ¡°Let alone a large faction.¡± ¡°Even if the Sun Moon Sect is an evil cult full of atrocities, does that mean there are no good people among them? Are they all irredeemable villains who must be slaughtered indiscriminately?¡± ¡°The righteous sects claim to stand for justice. Take your own sect¡¯s Dingyi Shitai¡ªthough she has a fiery temper, she possesses a chivalrous and righteous heart. But does that mean every member of a righteous sect is just like Dingyi Shitai, all being virtuous and kind?¡± ¡°The Qingcheng Sect abuses power, harasses innocent women, covets a sword manual, and massacres an entire family.¡± ¡°The Songshan Sect, no less ruthless, annihilates families to instill fear in others. Their disciples are arrogant and overbearing, acting like they own the world.¡± ¡°Their actions¡ªhow are they any different from the so-called demonic cult?¡± ¡°Whether a person is good or evil, kind or wicked, their environment plays a role, but it can never be a simple black-and-white judgment.¡± ¡°A lotus grows from the mud¡ªdoes that make it filthy?¡± ¡°Where there are people, there is a Jianghu (martial world). Where there is a Jianghu, there is scheming, deception, and betrayal. But there are also heroes who move heaven and earth with their righteousness.¡± ¡°This world is not just black and white¡ªit is filled with countless shades of color.¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t control others, then just be true to yourself and live with a clear conscience.¡± ¡°Clinging too rigidly to one idea and imprisoning yourself in it will only bring unnecessary suffering.¡± S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After Ye Luochuan finished speaking, Yilin stared at him in a daze. Then, as if a great weight had been lifted from her, her previously confused and doubtful eyes turned clear and bright with understanding. The young nun¡¯s fair cheeks glowed with a soft radiance as she put her hands together in gratitude. ¡°Many thanks to Young Master Ye for your guidance.¡± Just as Yang Yan had pointed out, after witnessing the actions of the Qingcheng and Songshan Sects, Yilin had lost faith in the so-called righteous factions. But Ye Luochuan¡¯s words were like a morning bell or an evening drum, awakening her. She realized that people are not all the same, and one cannot judge righteousness or wickedness based solely on someone¡¯s origins. Yilin¡¯s heart became enlightened. ¡­ Lianxing also looked at Ye Luochuan with a trace of surprise. She hadn¡¯t expected that despite his young age, he possessed such insight and saw things with such clarity. Long Xiaoyun remained expressionless, his reaction indifferent. Tian Boguang, on the other hand, laughed and said, ¡°Kid, though I don¡¯t like you, I have to admit¡ªthis time, you finally spoke like a human being.¡± Ye Luochuan glanced at Tian Boguang before turning to Yilin and saying, ¡°Look, scum like him truly are irredeemable villains who deserve to be eliminated on sight.¡± ¡°I know you have a compassionate heart and dislike taking lives.¡± ¡°But if you kill one predator like him, you can indirectly save ten, a hundred, even a thousand innocent lives from being harmed. Why wouldn¡¯t you?¡± Hearing this, Yilin turned to glance at Tian Boguang, nodding hesitantly, as if slowly beginning to understand. Chapter 28 - Kill the Master, Seize the Mistress? Chapter 28 Kill the Master, Seize the Mistress? As the scene on the screen froze, righteous and demonic sects alike in the Swordsman State (Laughing in the Wind World) were all shocked. The Five Mountain Sword Sects were especially in an uproar! ¡¾Left Cold Zen, Alliance Leader of the Five Mountains: Yue Sect Leader, what is the meaning of this? Why has my Songshan Sect¡¯s long-lost sword techniques appeared on Mount Hua? Shouldn¡¯t you give us an explanation?¡¿ ¡¾Tianmen Daoist, Leader of Taishan Sect: And my Taishan Sect as well.¡¿ ¡¾Mister Mo Da, Leader of Hengshan Sect: Brother Yue, could you enlighten us?¡¿ ¡¾Dingxian Shitai, Leader of Hengshan Sect: I too am puzzled.¡¿ Damn it! Yue Buqun was absolutely dumbfounded at this moment! Why had the Five Mountain Sword Sects¡¯ lost techniques appeared at the Cliff of Reflection on Mount Hua? How the hell would he know? Yue Buqun was speechless. If he had known about this, would he even have needed to go through all that scheming for the Bixie Sword Manual? If he had mastered all the Five Mountain Sects¡¯ exclusive techniques along with the counter-techniques, wouldn¡¯t defeating the other sects be as easy as child¡¯s play! Though he was screaming internally, Yue Buqun had no choice but to explain. ¡¾Yue Buqun, Leader of Huashan Sect: Everyone, I truly have no knowledge of this matter. Surely you all saw¡ªbefore my disciple discovered that cave, the stone wall was completely intact.¡¿ With Yue Buqun¡¯s explanation, the other four sects refrained from pressing him further. Thinking back carefully, it was indeed true. However, members of all Four Mountain Sects had already started making their way toward Mount Hua. The Five Mountain Sects¡¯ lost sword techniques must be reclaimed! _____ ¡¾Xiang Wentian, Lord of Tianwang: Hahaha! So this is the Five Mountain Sword Sects? Their so-called exclusive techniques have already been completely dismantled. Their reputation is nothing but a fraud!¡¿ ¡¾Tong Baixiong, Sun Moon Sect: Fan Song, Zhao He, Zhang Chengyun, Zhang Chengfeng¡ªweren¡¯t these four among the ten elders of our sect who mysteriously disappeared years ago? So they actually died on Mount Hua!¡¿ ¡¾Xiang Wentian, Lord of Tianwang: Hahaha! And the ones who completely broke the Five Mountain Sword Techniques were actually experts from our sect!¡¿ ¡¾Lu Bai, Songshan Sect: Hmph, what ¡°experts¡±? They all ended up dead, didn¡¯t they?¡¿ ¡¾Shangguan Yun, Sun Moon Sect: The words on the stone wall say it all¡ª¡±The Five Mountain Sword Sects are shameless and despicable. Unable to win duels, they resort to underhanded tactics.¡± Those sixteen words are written big and clear¡ªare you blind?¡¿ ¡¾Tianmen Daoist, Leader of Taishan Sect: The demonic cult has always been deceitful. Who knows if their claims are true or if they¡¯re just boasting?¡¿ ¡¾Mister Mo Da, Leader of Hengshan Sect: Intelligence is also a part of strength.¡¿ ¡¾Dingxian Shitai, Leader of Hengshan Sect: To eradicate evil, we must not be bound by trivial formalities.¡¿ ¡¾Lu Xiaofeng, the Man with Four Eyebrows: Speculation is pointless¡ªlet¡¯s talk about what Linghu Chong will do.¡¿ ¡¾King of Thieves, Sikong Zhaixing: He¡¯ll definitely report the Five Mountain Sword Techniques to his master and mistress. The real question is whether he¡¯ll destroy the counter-techniques.¡¿ ¡¾Vile Fiend, Yun Zhonghe: Why tell his master and mistress at all? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to secretly master them himself?¡¿ ¡¾Vile Fiend, Yun Zhonghe: Once he gets strong enough, he should just kill his master, take his mistress for himself, and become Huashan¡¯s new leader! Let¡¯s see if that little junior sister of his still dares to betray him then!¡¿ ¡¾Ning Zhongze, Huashan Sect: Shameless scum! You deserve to die!¡¿ ¡¾Song Qingshu, Wudang Sect: Linghu Chong, come out and tell us what you will choose!¡¿ Linghu Chong wasn¡¯t even looking at the chaotic comment section¡ªhis eyes were filled with disbelief as he stared at Yue Lingshan. ¡°Little junior sister, you¡­ you¡­¡± He never imagined that in the future, Yue Lingshan would betray him and be so heartless! Although what was shown in the livestream hadn¡¯t happened yet, he already felt the pain as if it had¡ªit was like a dagger twisting in his heart. ¡°Senior Brother, I¡­ I¡­¡± Yue Lingshan, too, was utterly dumbfounded. Watching the future footage of Linghu Chong¡¯s miserable state, then looking at his current pained expression, she felt an indescribable guilt. She was completely confused. In the video, she had only known Lin Pingzhi for a few months, yet she and Linghu Chong had grown up together for over ten years! How had she fallen for someone else so easily? Could it be that she was really such a fickle woman? Panic swelled in Yue Lingshan¡¯s heart. ______ Beside her, Ning Zhongze let out a sigh. She had originally planned to marry Yue Lingshan to Linghu Chong. But after seeing the future in the livestream, she suddenly realized¡ªperhaps Yue Lingshan had never truly loved Linghu Chong romantically. What she felt toward Linghu Chong was merely a dependence formed in childhood, more like a sibling bond rather than a lover¡¯s affection. And therefore Linghu Chong lost to Lin Pingzhi. The sad part was¡ªeven Yue Lingshan herself hadn¡¯t realized this. _____ In Hengyang City, Lin Pingzhi was caught completely off guard, staring at the light screen in shock. He never expected that after joining Huashan Sect, he would actually end up in a relationship like this. However, Lin Pingzhi¡¯s expression suddenly darkened. The scenes of Linghu Chong helping his parents were still fresh in his mind, and it was well-known in Huashan that Linghu Chong and Yue Lingshan were close. Yet, while Linghu Chong was being punished at the Cliff of Reflection, he had stolen his woman. Regardless of who initiated it, this definitely went against the principles of chivalry. Lin Pingzhi¡¯s brows furrowed deeply. What he didn¡¯t know was that, at this moment, Huashan Sect¡¯s disciples, led by Lu Dayou, were already cursing him to hell in the comment section. After all, among all of Lin Pingzhi¡¯s victims, Lu Dayou had suffered the most and had always felt the strongest sense of injustice on Linghu Chong¡¯s behalf. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. _____ Ye Luochuan pretended to think deeply for a moment before selecting D. ¡°This question¡­ I bet a lot of people will get it wrong.¡± As the selection barrier lifted, Ye Luochuan looked at the others. Chapter 29 - Linghu Chong: The Only Answer is C! Chapter 29 Linghu Chong: The Only Answer is C! ¡°At first, Yilin and Linghu Chong were complete strangers, yet he risked his life for her without hesitation, disregarding his own safety.¡± ¡°Although I look down on these foolish do-gooders, people like him typically follow their self-proclaimed code of chivalry.¡± ¡°Just like that idiot Li Xunhuan.¡± ¡°So, despite Linghu Chong¡¯s fierce expression, when the moment of decision comes, he¡¯ll likely hesitate and choose not to destroy the counter-techniques, deceiving himself instead.¡± ¡°But would he tell his master and mistress?¡± Long Xiaoyun pondered deeply, his mind working at full capacity. ¡°He probably would, right?¡± ¡°A child who finds money would naturally turn it over to their parents. Discovering the lost sword techniques of the Five Mountain Sword Sects at the Cliff of Reflection is such a big deal¡ªthere¡¯s no way Linghu Chong would hide it from his master and mistress.¡± ¡°Besides¡­¡± Long Xiaoyun recalled Linghu Chong¡¯s previous scene, where he had convinced himself to trust Yue Buqun and Ning Zhongze, believing that Qu Yang and his granddaughter had ulterior motives for saving him. Since Linghu Chong trusted Yue Buqun and Ning Zhongze so deeply, there was no way he wouldn¡¯t tell them. With this in mind, Long Xiaoyun¡¯s gaze firmed up. ¡°C is the answer!¡± _____ Others Choose C Lianxing had similar thoughts and also chose C. ¡°Ah? So Brother Linghu already has someone he likes¡­ and it¡¯s his little junior sister¡­ and he loves her so deeply¡­¡± Yilin was straightforward and pure, without any scheming. Her emotions were written all over her face. Seeing how deeply Linghu Chong loved Yue Lingshan, Yilin felt a bit downcast. She was still a young girl, just beginning to understand emotions, even though she was a nun. Linghu Chong had risked his life to save her¡ªnaturally, she had good feelings toward him. Now that she realized he already had someone he loved, she suddenly felt empty inside, both sad and a bit wronged. Fortunately, the feeling wasn¡¯t too intense yet¡ªit hadn¡¯t reached an irreversible stage. In the original novel, Yilin¡¯s love for Linghu Chong was utterly hopeless. She couldn¡¯t stop thinking about him, to the point where she lost her appetite and became thinner by the day. But now, due to the livestream quiz, the future had been interrupted, altering what would have happened. Therefore, Yilin¡¯s feelings for Linghu Chong were still controllable at this point. Even though the livestream had shown her their future interactions, watching it as an observer was completely different from experiencing it firsthand. Clearing her mind, Yilin didn¡¯t hesitate much before choosing C. Even though Ye Luochuan had suggested thinking in reverse, she trusted Linghu Chong¡¯s character. ______ Tian Boguang personally leaned towards B. Destroy the counter-techniques but don¡¯t tell the master and mistress about the lost Five Mountain Sword Techniques. That way, he could preserve the honor of the Huashan Sect while secretly growing stronger himself. Once his strength was high enough, he could shock the world, dazzling everyone by using their own sword techniques against them. And when others tried to use the Five Mountain Sword Techniques, he could counter them with the secret techniques, pretending he invented them himself. Such an astounding display would make him the most admired swordsman in Jianghu. From then on, beautiful women would flock to him, and he would stand at the pinnacle of life. Heh heh¡­ Tian Boguang drooled a little just imagining it. Too bad¡ªthat was just his fantasy. The real question was¡ªwhat would Linghu Chong do? Even though Tian Boguang knew Linghu Chong, he had to admit¡ªthis guy truly had a chivalrous heart. There were plenty of swordsmen in Jianghu who helped others when they saw injustice, but few were willing to risk their lives for their ideals. Linghu Chong was one of the rare few. With this realization, Tian Boguang also chose C. ______ The livestream displayed a peculiar sight. Only Ye Luochuan chose D, while the other four unanimously picked C. ¡¾Jade True Master, Iron Sword Sect: Haha! That pretty boy is definitely wrong this time! I hope the punishment is erasure or castration!¡¿ ¡¾Blood Blade Patriarch, Blood Blade Sect: That brat got two right, so he¡¯s not totally dumb. But why the hell did he choose D?¡¿ ¡¾Cheng Shifei: This is weird! Shouldn¡¯t he have eliminated B and D and chosen between A and C? Even A would¡¯ve been better than D!¡¿ ¡¾Chu Liuxiang, the Gentleman Thief: Linghu Chong is chivalrous and respects his master and mistress too much¡ªthere¡¯s no way he wouldn¡¯t tell them.¡¿ ¡¾Lu Xiaofeng, the Man with Four Eyebrows: Young Master Linghu, can you confirm your choice?¡¿ ¡¾Lu Dayou, Huashan Sect: My senior brother already said it¡ªthis answer must be C! He wouldn¡¯t deceive himself, and he definitely wouldn¡¯t hide it from Master and Mistress!¡¿ ¡¾Yang Guo: If even the person involved says C, then Ye Luochuan must be wrong.¡¿ ¡¾Dingxian Shitai, Hengshan Sect: Amitabha!¡¿ The chat exploded¡ªalmost everyone believed Ye Luochuan¡¯s answer was wrong. After all, even Linghu Chong himself had chosen C. As for whether Linghu Chong was lying? That was unlikely. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Because the livestream was about to reveal the truth¡ªif he had lied, he¡¯d only embarrass himself even more. ____ The four others stared at Ye Luochuan in confusion, not understanding why he had gotten such an easy question wrong. Tian Boguang even mocked him outright. ¡°Brat, were you just guessing the first two answers? Your luck has run out this time!¡± Ye Luochuan shot him a sideways glance and sneered, ¡°Lame-legged toad.¡± As expected, many people got this question wrong¡ªa total wipeout. If he hadn¡¯t read the original novel, he definitely would have chosen wrong as well. After all, Linghu Chong¡¯s past behavior perfectly fit the image of an upright, honorable swordsman. ¡°You¡­¡± Tian Boguang¡¯s face darkened, but then he sneered menacingly. ¡°Keep talking big, brat¡ªyou¡¯ll be crying soon enough.¡± Just then, the livestream¡¯s robotic voice announced. ¡¾Time¡¯s up!¡¿ ¡¾Correct answer: D.¡¿ Tian Boguang: ©B(o¦¤o)©B (Linghu Chong, you big-browed, righteous-looking guy¡ªturns out you¡¯re not so honest after all?!) Linghu Chong: ??? Everyone was speechless. IT WAS REALLY D! HOW CAN THAT BE?!! Chapter 30 - Disaster from the Sunflower Manual, the Battle Between Sword and Qi Chapter 30 Disaster from the Sunflower Manual, the Battle Between Sword and Qi The paused scene continued playing. Linghu Chong raised his sword, about to slash at the stone wall. Just as the tip of his sword was about to touch the wall, a thought suddenly struck him. He let go of his sword and let out a long sigh. Deep down, he felt that the Five Mountain Sword Sects¡¯ current prestige in Jianghu was somewhat fraudulent, or at the very least, purely luck-based. The thousands of disciples across the five sects had managed to maintain their place in the martial world only because the diagrams on this stone wall had not been leaked. Then, another thought arose in his mind. He turned to pick up a large axe, returning to the stone wall. However, as he gazed at the ingenious techniques carved into the wall, he found himself unable to strike it down. After a long moment of hesitation, he finally said aloud, ¡°Such despicable and shameless actions¡ªhow could they befit Linghu Chong?¡± _____ Days passed. One day, Yue Buqun and Ning Zhongze came to visit Linghu Chong. Having fallen seriously ill due to his heartbreak, Linghu Chong¡¯s inner strength had not only failed to improve, but had actually weakened. This greatly disappointed Yue Buqun. Seeing the deep worry on his master¡¯s face, Linghu Chong felt both guilty and ashamed, immediately bowing down in repentance. Yue Buqun helped him up and smiled. ¡°Since you now realize your mistakes, that is enough. Half a month from now, I will test your swordsmanship again.¡± With that, he turned and left. Linghu Chong called out, ¡°Master, there is something I must tell you¡­¡± Linghu Chong had intended to report the discovery of the stone cave, but Yue Buqun waved his hand dismissively and continued descending the cliff. ¡°Mistress¡­¡± He turned to Ning Zhongze, but she merely smiled, pointed toward Yue Buqun¡¯s back, shook her head, and quickly followed after her husband. Linghu Chong then decided to wait until half a month later¡ªwhen his master and mistress returned to the cliff, he would report the matter then. _____ Yue Buqun and Ning Zhongze returned to the Cliff of Reflection, bringing along Yue Lingshan, Lu Dayou, and Shi Daizi. During the sword assessment, Linghu Chong instinctively used the counter-techniques from the stone wall, effortlessly neutralizing Ning Zhongze¡¯s self-created sword move. ¡°Unmatched, Unrivaled¡ªThe Ning Clan¡¯s Lone Sword.¡± Yue Buqun immediately rushed forward, raised his right hand, and slapped Linghu Chong twice across the face with a loud PA! PA! ¡°You little bastard! What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Linghu Chong¡¯s head spun, his body staggered, and he collapsed to his knees. ¡°Master, Mistress, I deserve to die!¡± Yue Buqun, livid with rage, roared, ¡°What exactly have you been reflecting on for the past six months? What skills have you been secretly practicing?¡± Linghu Chong stammered, ¡°D-Disciple¡­ D-Disciple hasn¡¯t¡­ practiced anything¡­?¡± Yue Buqun sternly pressed on. ¡°Then how did you suddenly come up with this move against your Mistress?¡± Linghu Chong hesitated, ¡°D-Disciple didn¡¯t even think, it just¡­ it just came out instinctively in a moment of danger¡­¡± Yue Buqun sighed deeply. ¡°I expected as much¡ªyou didn¡¯t even think about it. That is precisely why I am so angry. Do you realize you have already stepped onto a dangerous path, and if you continue, it will be difficult to turn back?¡± Linghu Chong¡¯s cheeks were now swollen and bruised, but he lowered his head and humbly accepted guidance. ¡°Please instruct me, Master.¡± Yue Buqun then began recounting Huashan Sect¡¯s past¡ªthe infamous ¡®Battle Between Sword and Qi¡¯. ______ ¡¾Back then, Yue Su and Cai Zifeng became estranged over the ¡°Sunflower Manual.¡±¡¿ ¡¾Their conflict escalated into the infamous ¡°Battle Between Sword and Qi,¡± splitting Huashan Sect into the Sword Faction and the Qi Faction.¡¿ ¡¾The so-called ¡°Battle Between Sword and Qi¡± was a dispute over whether one¡¯s martial cultivation should focus primarily on inner strength or sword techniques.¡¿ ¡¾The Qi Faction believed: ¡°The core of Huashan martial arts lies in Qi (internal energy). Once Qi cultivation is mastered, whether using fists, kicks, blades, or swords, one will be unstoppable. This is the true path of Huashan martial arts.¡±¡¿ ¡¾The Sword Faction believed: ¡°The core of Huashan martial arts lies in swordsmanship. If sword techniques reach their peak, then even with mediocre inner strength, one can still defeat stronger opponents.¡±¡¿ ¡¾Neither side could convince the other.¡¿ ¡¾Later, the Sun Moon Sect learned that Huashan Sect possessed the Sunflower Manual, leading them to launch a massive invasion.¡¿ sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡¾Huashan Sect, in response, rallied allies and formed the Five Mountain Sword Alliance, clashing with the Sun Moon Sect in a decisive battle on Mount Hua.¡¿ ¡¾The result? Both sides suffered devastating losses. Though the Sun Moon Sect stole an incomplete version of the Sunflower Manual, they also lost countless elite warriors.¡¿ ¡¾From that day on, the Five Mountain Sword Sects and the Sun Moon Sect became eternal enemies.¡¿ ¡¾Years later, ten elders of the Sun Moon Sect devised counter-techniques to break the Five Mountain Sword Techniques and challenged them at Mount Hua.¡¿ ¡¾The Five Mountain Sword Sects were no match, so they trapped the ten elders inside a mountain cave, leaving them to die in bitterness.¡¿ ¡¾Before perishing, the elders carved their techniques onto the stone wall, hoping for vengeance.¡¿ ¡¾With their deaths, the Sun Moon Sect¡¯s power declined, while Huashan Sect flourished, rising to the top of the Five Mountain Sects.¡¿ ¡¾However, the decline of external enemies and Huashan¡¯s rising power intensified its internal conflicts.¡¿ ¡¾Thirty years ago, Huashan Sect became completely divided¡ªfrom its elders down to its disciples, everyone had to pick a side between Sword and Qi.¡¿ ¡¾Anyone who refused to take sides was killed by both factions.¡¿ ¡¾Twenty-five years ago, the tension erupted into all-out war.¡¿ ¡¾Fearing Sword Faction¡¯s top expert, Feng Qingyang, the Qi Faction tricked him into leaving the mountain to get married.¡¿ ¡¾Then, the Sword vs. Qi battle commenced.¡¿ ¡¾After the battle, only a few from the Sword Faction survived, forced to flee Mount Hua.¡¿ ¡¾Although the Qi Faction won, they suffered heavy casualties, leaving Huashan Sect crippled.¡¿ ¡¾Once the most powerful among the Five Mountain Sects, Huashan fell into decline.¡¿ ______ As the narration ended, the scene paused again. Meanwhile, the comment section immediately erupted into chaos! Chapter 31 - Chapter 31 ¡°Butt Decides the Head,¡± Misleading Students, Yue Buqun ¡¾Eastern Heretic, Huang Yaoshi: Absurd! Ridiculous! Utterly laughable!¡¿ ¡¾Northern Beggar, Hong Qigong: It¡¯s indeed absurd! As I see it, whether it¡¯s a black cat or a white cat, as long as it catches mice, it¡¯s a good cat. Regardless of internal cultivation or techniques, the one with higher combat power is the truth.¡¿ ¡¾Poison Gate, Wuxin: What in the world is wrong with the Huashan Sect¡¯s so-called ¡®Sword Qi Debate¡¯?! You love practicing internal energy, then go ahead and do so. I prefer to focus on my techniques, and I¡¯ll continue practicing mine.¡¿ ¡¾Poison Gate, Wuxin: Who¡¯s bothering anyone else? Why do you care what I prioritize? We¡¯re all from the same sect, yet here we are killing each other over this?¡¿ ¡¾Wudang, Song Yuanqiao: Sect Leader Yue says that the Sword Sect¡¯s techniques are easy to master and show rapid results.¡¿ ¡¾Wudang, Song Yuanqiao: If everyone practices for ten years, the Sword Sect wins; twenty years, it¡¯s hard to tell who¡¯s better; after thirty years, the Qi Sect wins.¡¿ ¡¾Wudang, Song Yuanqiao: But the world is dangerous and unpredictable, who can guarantee that we¡¯ll live to see thirty years? How many of us get three decades in a lifetime?¡¿ ¡¾Mingjiao, Five Vagabonds, Zhou Dian: Obsolete! Completely obsolete! And he still calls himself a master, utterly misleading his disciples!¡¿ ¡¾Tian Ying Sect, Sect Leader Yin Tianzheng: That¡¯s right! Yue¡¯s wife¡¯s internal energy far exceeds Linghu Chong¡¯s, but she was still defeated by Linghu Chong with a single move.¡¿ ¡¾Tian Ying Sect, Sect Leader Yin Tianzheng: If this were a life-or-death battle, should I still let you go and wait for you to reach thirty years of practice before we continue fighting?¡¿ ¡¾Huashan Sect, Feng Buping: Shameless old Yue! You only talk about the Qi Sect¡¯s mastery of the ¡°Purple Mist Divine Skill,¡± defeating over ten Sword Sect experts with clumsy techniques and still claiming victory.¡¿ ¡¾Huashan Sect, Feng Buping: But why didn¡¯t you mention why you tricked away Master Feng? If your Qi Sect is so strong, why did you fear Master Feng so much?¡¿ ¡¾Huashan Sect, Cheng Bu¡¯you: That¡¯s right! You talk about our Sword Sect¡¯s stubbornness, yet most of us died with our swords unsheathed.¡¿ ¡¾Huashan Sect, Cheng Bu¡¯you: This nonsense about dying with swords unsheathed¡ªweren¡¯t they slaughtered by your Qi Sect people?¡¿ ¡¾Huashan Sect, Cheng Bu¡¯you: You claim the remaining Sword Sect disciples quietly went into hiding? Where in Huashan have we Sword Sect disciples found a place to live?!¡¿ ¡¾Huashan Sect, Cong Buqi: Shameless old Yue! Stop flattering yourself! Everything you say and do only misguides the younger disciples of the Huashan Sect!¡¿ ¡¾Huashan Sect, Cong Buqi: Linghu Chong was a fine talent, if he practiced our Sword Sect¡¯s ultimate techniques, he would¡¯ve led the Huashan Sect to rise. But you destroyed his life with two slaps!¡¿ ¡¾Four Eyebrows, Lu Xiaofeng: Thirty years of Sword Sect, thirty years of Qi Sect, combining the sword and qi, and Huashan would rise again.¡¿ ¡¾Four Eyebrows, Lu Xiaofeng: I never thought these two sects, which should have worked together, would instead view each other as mortal enemies.¡¿ ¡¾Thief King, Sikuang Zhaixing: What sort of heresy is this, placing the sword and qi in opposition? Those who make the sword and qi rivals are the true evil-doers!¡¿ ¡¾Tianxia Association, Leader Xiong Ba: Actually, Yue Buqun probably knows the truth about ¡®balancing sword and qi.¡¯ But since he¡¯s the Qi Sect leader, he can¡¯t admit this, and must teach the next generation according to the Qi Sect¡¯s principles.¡¿ ¡¾Tianxia Association, Leader Xiong Ba: Butt decides the head! For Yue Buqun, it doesn¡¯t matter what¡¯s right or wrong, what matters is maintaining the Qi Sect¡¯s face! The Qi Sect must never be wrong!¡¿ ¡¾Immortal Ouyang Mingri: In my opinion, this ¡®Sword Qi Debate¡¯ is nothing but a guise for internal power struggles within the Huashan Sect.¡¿ ¡¾Immortal Ouyang Mingri: We all understand this, don¡¯t they know? It¡¯s just a way to eliminate their rivals under the pretense of the ¡®Sword Qi Debate.¡¯¡¿ ¡¾Five Mountains Alliance, Left Cold Zen: So this is the truth behind the ¡®Sword Qi Debate¡¯ in Huashan Sect, truly eye-opening!¡¿ ¡¾Sun Moon God Sect, Tong Baixiong: Hmph, didn¡¯t anyone notice how my sect¡¯s elder was deceived? Failed in the duel, secretly sabotaged, shameless!¡¿ ¡¾Songshan Sect, Fei Bin: Hmph, the winner is king, what¡¯s there to say? Talking about righteousness with people from the Demon Sect?¡¿ ¡¾Fairy Yang Yan: Yue Buqun missed the chance to master the Five Mountain Sword Techniques and their countermeasures; he brought this on himself.¡¿ sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡¾Mud Bodhisattva: Everything happens as fate dictates. What¡¯s meant to be will be.¡¿ ¡¾Dali Prince Duan Yu: Ah, if only those two young ladies had answered wrong, I wonder what kind of punishment they¡¯d face.¡¿ ¡­ Yue Buqun trembled, his face turning a dark, purplish red from anger. The barrage of comments and analysis by viewers had completely stripped away the fa?ade of the Qi Sect. All was laid bare, exposing not only the Qi Sect¡¯s flaws but also the disgrace of Yue Buqun himself. Yue Buqun wanted to rebut, but he didn¡¯t have the strength to do so. From this point onward, the label of ¡°misleading his disciples¡± would likely stick to him forever. In this moment, the gazes of the disciples behind him felt like a thousand sharp knives piercing into him, making him squirm uncomfortably. ¡­ The Huashan disciples, led by Linghu Chong, were truly shocked. They never expected such a scandal would emerge about their sect. Moreover, the role the Qi Sect played in this debacle was far from glorious. According to Yue Buqun, during the Sword Qi duel, the number of Qi Sect experts was minimal. But in the end, it was the Qi Sect that won. The real reason behind this victory was probably more complicated than simply tricking away Feng Qingyang. Perhaps, like dealing with the ten elders of the Demon Sect, some scheme was involved. Yet, all of this was buried in the dust of history. Had it not been for the live stream, the Huashan disciples would likely have been fed a version of the ¡®truth¡¯ that had been heavily modified. History is written by the victors. This truth had always been the case. For a moment, everyone¡ªespecially Yue Lingshan, the daughter of the Sect Leader¡ªlooked at Yue Buqun with changed expressions. It wasn¡¯t that they didn¡¯t trust him, but Yue Buqun¡¯s single explanation was hardly as convincing as the arguments presented by the live-streaming experts. Yue Buqun was just a master, while the people in the live stream were grandmasters from all over the martial world¡ªgreat grandmasters, martial kings, even martial emperors, and beyond. These figures all agreed on ¡®balancing sword and qi¡¯, and the disciples found their views aligning more with this perspective. It was clear whom they should trust. ¡­ Even Ning Zhongze looked on in stunned disbelief. She was only thirteen when the Sword Qi Debate erupted, and she understood little of the hidden truths behind it. Most of her understanding came from Yue Buqun¡¯s explanation. But today¡­ Ning Zhongze¡¯s emotions surged, and she felt her heart trembling with uncertainty. Chapter 32 - Lianxing: Sister, you’re such a sickly, bad woman! Chapter 32 Lianxing: Sister, you¡¯re such a sickly, bad woman! In the live stream room, Ye Luo Chuan watched as the barrage filled with mocking and critical comments. He wasn¡¯t the least bit surprised. In his past life, it was clear: the so-called ¡®Sword Qi Debate¡¯ in the Huashan Sect was fundamentally a power struggle within the sect. And Yue Buqun had indeed misled his disciples. As Xiong Ba said in the barrage, Yue Buqun wasn¡¯t unaware of the concept of ¡®balancing sword and qi¡¯, but he couldn¡¯t admit it. Because he was from the Qi Sect. Butt decides the head! For someone from the Qi Sect, they must speak for the Qi Sect. That¡¯s ¡®correct thinking¡¯! Even if he knew it was wrong, he had to instill it in his disciples. Yue Buqun kept saying that the Sword Sect was an evil sect, a heretical path. But secretly? He was practicing the Sword Sect¡¯s ¡°Three Immortal Swords of Death!¡± The ¡°Three Immortal Swords of Death¡± had only three moves, executed in a connected sequence, each move leading into the next. First, a straight overhead chop. If the opponent dodged, the sword would circle around and slash horizontally at the waist. If the opponent managed to avoid that, leaping over the sword, the sword would then whip back and thrust at their back, which was nearly impossible to avoid unless they had eyes on the back of their head. During the Sword Qi Duel, Sword Sect disciples used these three moves to kill several Qi Sect masters. Later, the Sword Sect was defeated, and the Qi Sect took control of the Huashan Sect. Many Qi Sect experts later studied these three sword moves, condemning them as entering the demonic path, because they sought only the brilliance of the sword technique, forgetting the fundamental principle of the Qi Sect¡ªusing qi to control the sword. But despite the public denouncement, secretly, they still admired the sword¡¯s power. Yue Buqun secretly practiced these three moves and kept it hidden from everyone. Later, when he sparred with Linghu Chong at Shaolin Temple, in a moment of desperation, he accidentally used this sword technique from the Sword Sect¡ªsomething he had always belittled¡ªexposing his secret. To call Yue Buqun a hypocrite wasn¡¯t an exaggeration. Old Jin once said that ¡°The Smiling, Proud Wanderer¡± is a political allegory. When Ye Luo Chuan first read ¡°The Smiling, Proud Wanderer¡±, he couldn¡¯t understand what that meant. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But after reading it several times, he finally understood. As for what this allegory was hinting at? By combining the timing of its release, it was clear. (Note 1: The plot of ¡°The Smiling, Proud Wanderer¡± corresponds to the original work.) (Note 2: This analysis is objective, no forced blackwashing or whitewashing. All details are derived directly from the original text, with reasoning and evidence.) (Note 3: Linghu Chong and Yue Buqun are high-profile characters; both the good and bad aspects will be explored later.) _____ As Ye Luo Chuan pondered, the four people in the live stream room were all wearing grim expressions, their hearts uneasy. The truth was, they couldn¡¯t be blamed for answering the question incorrectly. It wasn¡¯t about intelligence. As they had thought, Linghu Chong didn¡¯t deceive himself into destroying the solution technique; he had intended to tell his master and mistress about the secret of the stone cave. But both times, his attempts were interrupted, and after each interruption, the person left quickly, giving Linghu Chong no chance to speak. Of course, Linghu Chong could have shouted after they left, but he assumed he would have another chance after half a month. Who knew that when the exam came half a month later, he used the solution technique from the stone wall to break through Ning Zhongze¡¯s ¡®Peerless Sword¡¯ technique, only to be slapped hard by Yue Buqun. The slap left Linghu Chong dizzy, with his cheeks swollen, turning purple and blue. It was no light slap. Yue Buqun harshly scolded him, calling him a ¡®little beast¡¯ and accusing him of going down the wrong path. Then, he went on to talk about the ¡®Sword Qi Debate¡¯. Who would dare to reveal the secret after that? If Linghu Chong had revealed that he had learned the techniques from the stone wall, Yue Buqun would have likely not slapped him again, but struck him with a sword. After all, the Qi Sect had been ruthless when they slaughtered the Sword Sect in the past. If they put themselves in Yue Buqun¡¯s shoes, Lianxing and the others felt they would never dare to speak again. ¡°Damn Yue Buqun! Such an obstinate, old fool!¡± Lianxing, Long Xiaoyun, and Tian Boguang cursed inwardly. They didn¡¯t care about Huashan Sect¡¯s internal struggles, but this had led to them answering incorrectly! Yilin also had a bitter look on her face. She had long hair and loved meat, but she didn¡¯t know what kind of trouble the live stream would bring her next. ______ Lianxing glanced at Ye Luo Chuan, wanting to ask how he had answered the question earlier. Just then, the cold, impersonal voice of the live stream host cut in. Lianxing¡¯s heart tightened, and her attention was instantly diverted. ¡¾This time¡¯s question was answered incorrectly by Long Xiaoyun, Lianxing, Yilin, and Tian Boguang.¡¿ ¡¾Long Xiaoyun¡¯s random punishment is as follows:¡¿ ¡¾Balding (Permanent hairstyle): The Mediterranean look is a standard feature for older men. Now you have it early.¡¿ A beam of light fell, and Long Xiaoyun immediately felt a cold breeze on top of his head. He reached up to touch it, and his lips twitched as his face turned grim. The punishment, while not physically harmful, was a huge psychological blow! Mediterranean. Balding man. And it was permanent! His previously heroic image was gone! Li Yuan and everyone around them couldn¡¯t help but laugh, and even Li Xunhuan tried to suppress his laughter but failed, with his lips twitching uncontrollably. Li Xunhuan thought, feeling apologetic. Under the red veil, Lin Shiyin also smiled faintly, momentarily forgetting her sorrow. ¡¾Yangzhou¡¯s Twin Dragons, Kou Zhong: Hahaha, Long Xiaoyun¡¯s hairstyle, my teeth almost fell out from laughing!¡¿ ¡¾Mongolian Golden Blade, Prince Guo Jing: Well, no worries, just shave the rest of your hair off when you get back.¡¿ ¡¾Peach Blossom Island, Huang Rong: Silly, didn¡¯t you see ¡°Permanent Hairstyle¡±? The remaining hair can¡¯t be shaved off.¡¿ ¡¾Mongolian Golden Blade, Prince Guo Jing: Oh¡­¡¿ Long Xiaoyun¡¯s hairstyle had caused countless laughs in the live stream. No one had expected the live stream to have such a playful punishment. _____ ¡°I won¡¯t get the permanent Mediterranean hairstyle, will I?¡± Lianxing¡¯s heart raced, and she felt extremely nervous. She was the second leader of Yihua Palace, graceful and unmatched in beauty, rivaling her sister Yaoyue. If she ended up with a Mediterranean look, it would be a social death! A balding beauty? Lianxing shuddered, feeling that if this really happened, she might as well die. Amid her anxiety, the punishment arrived. ¡¾Lianxing¡¯s random punishment is as follows:¡¿ ¡¾Shout three times: Sister, you¡¯re such a sickly, bad woman!¡¿ Chapter 33 - Xian Fu Pingyangs Brave Strategy, Xiyu Feiyans Graceful Body Chapter 33 Xian Fu Pingyang¡¯s Brave Strategy, Xiyu Feiyan¡¯s Graceful Body What? Seeing the punishment content, Lianxing¡¯s face immediately turned pale, and her heart thudded painfully. Although¡­ well, half of what she was about to say was actually her true thoughts. But she couldn¡¯t bring herself to say it out loud! If she really shouted that in front of countless people from the martial world, with Yaoyue¡¯s personality, she would be furious beyond measure! However, after the beam of light fell, Lianxing felt her body suddenly lose control. ¡°Sister, you¡¯re such a sickly, bad woman!¡± ¡°Sister, you¡¯re such a sickly, bad woman!¡± ¡°Sister, you¡¯re such a sickly, bad woman!¡± At first, when she shouted, Lianxing was still a little apprehensive, her voice trembling. But after the first shout, she suddenly felt an intense release of emotion and a sense of satisfaction. It was so incredibly relieving. This feeling surged in her chest, and Lianxing, swept up in it, let go of all restraint, completely losing herself in the moment. By the time she shouted the last two times, not only was she shouting with unparalleled pleasure, but there was even a smile at the corners of her eyes. Lianxing had now realized. Her ¡®Mingyu Gong¡¯ was at the ninth level, she had advanced to Martial King, and Yaoyue was no longer her opponent. She no longer needed to be afraid of her. The reason she was so panicked earlier was simply because Yaoyue had built up a powerful reputation, and that made her instinctively fearful. ¡°²¡½¿? What does that mean?¡± Lianxing muttered to herself, brows furrowing in confusion. Ye Luo Chuan explained, ¡°Bing Jiao, simply put, is a form of ¡®unhealthy psychological disorder.¡¯¡± ¡°It¡¯s a twisted mentality caused by a distorted form of love, somewhat inclined towards possessiveness, with extreme thoughts or behaviors. These individuals do things that are beyond what ordinary people can understand.¡± ¡°People with this personality type tend to develop an obsessive attachment to a particular person or phenomenon and will do whatever it takes to possess them. They don¡¯t show this behavior openly.¡± ¡°The formation of Bing Jiao usually involves strong emotions or obsession with something that normal people can¡¯t understand or accept.¡± ¡°Thus, the Bing Jiao character is driven by this obsession to act in extreme ways.¡± ¡°For example: obsessive love, exclusivity, stalking, destroying what they can¡¯t get, self-harm, and other extreme behaviors.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a saying like this¡ª¡± ¡°I fell in love with Bing Jiao, that¡¯s a story.¡± ¡°Bing Jiao fell in love with me, that¡¯s an accident.¡± ¡°I fell in love with the person Bing Jiao loved, that¡¯s a tragedy.¡± ¡°Bing Jiao fell in love with the person I loved, that¡¯s a horror story.¡± ¡°The person Bing Jiao loved fell in love with me, that¡¯s a horrific accident.¡± ¡­ Upon hearing this, Lianxing was stunned. Suddenly, Lianxing recalled that eighteen years ago, the man she and Yaoyue both liked¡ªJiang Feng¡ªhad stolen the Move Flower Palace¡¯s treasure, the ¡°Mo Yu Mei Hua,¡± and eloped. When Yaoyue found out, her heart was full of hatred¡ªso much so that she felt like her heart was bleeding. To ease the pain in her heart, Yaoyue started stabbing herself with needles, covering her entire arm in blood spots. It was only by torturing herself that she could alleviate her inner suffering. This was self-harm, wasn¡¯t it? And Yaoyue¡¯s possessiveness had always been very strong. Whether it was towards things or people. And since childhood, Yaoyue had always been taking things from Lianxing. At the age of seven, Yaoyue pushed her off a tree just to grab the peaches. Nineteen years ago, she had unapologetically stolen Jiang Feng from her when he was gravely injured. This was pretty bad, wasn¡¯t it? Combining these thoughts, Lianxing was astonished to realize that the live stream really understood her. At that moment, a barrage popped up on the screen. ¡¾Move Flower Palace Grandmaster Yaoyue @Move Flower Palace Second Master Lianxing: Lianxing, with your ¡°Mingyu Gong¡± at level nine, is that why you can¡¯t tell the difference between big and small kings now?¡¿ ¡¾Move Flower Palace Grandmaster Yaoyue: Let me tell you, just now, my ¡°Mingyu Gong¡± also reached level nine.¡¿ ¡­ Seeing this, Lianxing¡¯s smile immediately froze. She quickly explained, ¡°Sister, this isn¡¯t my fault! I was controlled by the mysterious forces of the live stream!¡± Lianxing sulked with a gloomy face. She had just become the one in charge, and yet, in no time, she was back to square one. ¡°No! Sister is definitely going to come after me! I need to get stronger!¡± ¡°Live stream, yes, the live stream!¡± ¡°I will answer more questions correctly and earn more rewards!¡± Lianxing secretly encouraged herself. Under the implicit threat of Yaoyue, she was motivated and determined to improve. ¡­ Meanwhile, the live stream chat was buzzing with discussion. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡¾Four Eyebrows, Lu Xiaofeng: Bing Jiao¡­ Bad woman¡­ Lianxing Palace Master¡¯s punishment is quite interesting!¡¿ ¡¾Four Eyebrows, Lu Xiaofeng: Now I¡¯m curious about what the Move Flower Palace Grandmaster is like and what she has done to Lianxing Palace Master.¡¿ ¡¾Thief King, Sikuang Zhaixing: Lu Xiaofeng, don¡¯t tell me your old habit of needing women in bed has returned? The Grandmaster of Move Flower Palace is a Martial King, and she could crush you like an ant.¡¿ ¡¾Four Eyebrows, Lu Xiaofeng: ¡­My eyes are fine!¡¿ ¡¾Flower Mansion, Hua Manlou: I feel like you¡¯re subtly making fun of me.¡¿ ¡¾Immortal Ouyang Mingri: So this is what ¡°Bing Jiao¡± means. I¡¯ve learned something new.¡¿ ¡¾Iron Sword Sect, Yu Zhenzi: So, this Grandmaster Yaoyue really is something! Hiss!¡¿ ¡¾Blood Knife Sect, Blood Knife Ancestor: A beauty this intense, you can¡¯t hold onto her? Leave it to me!¡¿ ¡¾Move Flower Palace Grandmaster Yaoyue: Insolent!¡¿ ¡¾Blood Knife Sect, Blood Knife Ancestor: Grandmaster Yaoyue, you¡¯re so beautiful! I like you even more.¡¿ ¡¾Changshi Fei: Someone from outside the Move Flower Palace, please tell me what the Grandmaster Yaoyue is really like?¡¿ ¡¾Murmur Mountain Villa, Murong Zhengde: The forbidden land of martial arts¡ªthe Master of Move Flower Palace.¡¿ ¡¾Jiangnan Great Hero, Jiang Biehe: The number one expert in the world, known as the ¡°Immortal Demon Body.¡± The Move Flower technique, unmatched by gods and demons.¡¿ ¡¾Evil Valley, Little Fish: The world¡¯s most beautiful! Elegant and graceful, and the Moonlight in the Imperial Palace. One of the people spoken of is Grandmaster Yaoyue.¡¿ ¡¾Iron Heart Orchid: It¡¯s said that Grandmaster Yaoyue possesses ¡°Xian Fu Pingyang¡¯s brave strategy, and Xiyu Feiyan¡¯s graceful body.¡±¡¿ ¡¾Moonlit Young Master: So Grandmaster Yaoyue must be as beautiful as an immortal!¡¿ ¡¾Passionate Young Master, Hou Xibai: I really want to admire Grandmaster Yaoyue¡¯s unrivaled elegance.¡¿ ¡¾Mouse King, Wei Wuyi: Ahhh! Grandmaster Yaoyue is mine!¡¿ ¡¾Move Flower Palace Flower Star Slave: How dare you, filthy rat! You¡¯re asking for death!¡¿ Chapter 34 - Yilin Sings Chapter 34 Yilin Sings ¡°Itchy,¡± Tian Boguang¡¯s Women¡¯s Heart In the live stream room, Yilin didn¡¯t look at the barrage, instead quietly waiting for her punishment, feeling anxious. ¡¾Yilin¡¯s random punishment is as follows:¡¿ ¡¾Sing a heartfelt rendition of the song ¡®Itchy¡¯. Today, you are the one and only diva!¡¿ ¡°Itchy¡±? A confused look appeared on Yilin¡¯s pure, innocent face, which resembled that of a celestial maiden from Buddhist lore. Ye Luo Chuan, on the other hand, couldn¡¯t help but widen his eyes in shock. ¡°Itchy?¡± Ye Luo Chuan vividly remembered the first time he heard the song ¡°Itchy.¡± He had thought of it as a Liu Bei song. There was no way around it¡ªthe lyrics of ¡®Itchy¡¯ were way too provocative! The original singer¡¯s voice was irresistibly seductive! It was a tune that could melt your bones and stir your deepest desires. A beam of light fell. Yilin, unable to control herself, began singing. ¡°She~ is the soft slant of the setting sun¡­¡± ¡°Longing~ longing~ does anyone truly appreciate this?¡± ¡°He~ has a blue sky with cloud windows¡­¡± ¡°Waiting~ waiting~ for someone to share with¡­¡± As Yilin began, everyone immediately understood. Although the lyrics and melody were quite different from what they were used to, it was still pleasant to listen to. No, wait¡ªthis time, all three punishments had been light. Dragon Xiaoyun¡¯s bald head, though¡­ hahaha¡­ a bit of an eyesore, it didn¡¯t cause any real harm. Compared to the previous punishments, it was a huge improvement. ¡°Ha~¡± The entire Hengshan Sect¡ªits leaders, elders, and disciples¡ªlet out a collective sigh of relief. Yilin¡¯s gentle personality, kindness, and lack of malice meant that she was loved by almost everyone in the Hengshan Sect. Seeing her answer wrong still made them nervous. Luckily, this punishment was light as well. It was truly a blessing from the Bodhisattva. ¡­ If Ye Luo Chuan had known their thoughts, he would have said. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Sure enough, as he eagerly awaited, the main event arrived. ¡°Come~ let¡¯s have fun~ after all, we have~ plenty of time~¡± ¡°Come~ love~ after all, we have~ plenty of foolishness~¡± ¡°Come~ wander~ after all, we have~ plenty of directions~¡± ¡°Come~ pretend~ after all, we have~ plenty of grandeur~¡± ¡°Ah~ itchy~¡± Under the mysterious power of the live stream, Yilin, who had never sung a song before, instantly transformed into a diva. Her voice, tone, and expressions were perfectly on par with the original singer. She even captured the lazy, alluring atmosphere, with her facial expressions matching the sensuality of the song. The sultry charm, the seductive expression, and the captivating voice¡ªshe seemed ready to pull everyone into a trance, into a euphoric, dreamlike world. The barrage went completely silent. The martial world across all states went completely mute. Everyone stared with wide eyes, dumbfounded, looking at Yilin in the live stream. After a brief silence¡­ Holy shit! The martial world erupted in chaos. ¡¾Cheng Shifei: Holy shit! I was too innocent! Didn¡¯t expect this version of ¡°Itchy¡±!¡¿ ¡¾Evil Crane in the Clouds: Damn it! Did you see that little nun¡¯s look? Ahhh! I can¡¯t help but wish I was in Smiling Proud Wanderer state!¡¿ ¡¾Iron Sword Sect, Yu Zhenzi: Haha, the little nun¡¯s heart is now awakened!¡¿ ¡¾Demon Shadow, Bian Bufu: I¡¯ve made up my mind! After the live stream ends, I¡¯ll go find some nuns to have fun. Especially those from Cihang Jingzhai¡­ Hiss!¡¿ ¡¾Cihang Jingzhai Sect Leader, Fan Qinghui: Insolence! Bian Bufu, you are a wicked man! I swear to kill you!¡¿ ¡¾Cihang Jingzhai Holy Maiden, Shi Feixuan: Demon! You deserve death!¡¿ ¡¾Demon Shadow, Bian Bufu: Haha! Am I afraid of you? You¡¯re welcome to come. It¡¯s better if two of you come together. The three of us¡­ Hehehe!¡¿ ¡¾Passionate Young Master, Hou Xibai: This group is degrading! Little Master Yilin is pure and kind, we should appreciate her with a discerning eye, not be filled with vile thoughts and crude words.¡¿ ¡¾Moonlit Young Master: Exactly.¡¿ ¡¾Blood Knife Sect, Blood Knife Ancestor: Pfft! You two pretending to be virtuous in front of me. No matter how much you talk, don¡¯t you want to join in?¡¿ ¡¾Wanli Wanderer, Tian Boguang: My second brother is unmatched in the world!¡¿ ¡­ The song ¡°Itchy¡± itself was already provocative. Sung in the original singer¡¯s style, it became even more captivating. And when the song came from Yilin¡¯s lips¡­ A pure, innocent, and clueless little nun suddenly transformed into a seductive enchantress, singing ¡°Itchy.¡± The contrast between the two personas¡­ Countless old perverts were green with envy. ¡­ In the live stream room, Lianxing was initially shocked, then secretly relieved, thankful she hadn¡¯t gotten this punishment. She¡¯d rather offend Yaoyue than publicly social death. Dragon Xiaoyun stared blankly for a moment, then suddenly realized that Lin Shiyin was likely watching the live stream too. He quickly averted his gaze, focusing on something else. Unlike him, Tian Boguang made no attempt to hide his thoughts. He stared intently at Yilin, his breathing becoming heavier, deeply regretting his earlier actions. If he had known, he should have acted immediately the moment he caught Yilin. He wouldn¡¯t have let things go this far, letting a potential prize slip away. Now, he could only watch, hungry but unable to touch. ¡­ Yilin felt like the world was spinning around her. Finally, after the song ended. When the live stream¡¯s power faded, her face flushed redder than ever. It was like the glow of hot coals, steaming hot, almost about to burn. Social death! She felt like she had just died socially! She was a nun, and yet, here she was, acting in such a seductive way in public. ¡¾Hengshan Sect, Yilin: Master¡­ I¡­ I¡­¡¿ Yilin¡¯s eyes welled up with tears, and she was on the verge of crying. ¡¾Hengshan Sect, Master Dingyi: Yilin, don¡¯t think too much, just focus on answering the questions! Take it seriously, use this as a lesson.¡¿ ¡¾Hengshan Sect, Yilin: Yes, yes, Master.¡¿ Yilin wiped her eyes, her face showing determination. This time, she was truly afraid. She would answer the questions seriously! ¡­ Ye Luo Chuan looked at Yilin¡¯s serious little face and couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Yilin¡¯s punishment, while a bit embarrassing in this world, was nothing much on Earth. It was just like a singer performing on stage. Ye Luo Chuan had seen similar performances countless times. This was nothing compared to some female streamers who, with exaggerated poses, really would bring about social death. ¡­ ¡°They¡¯ve had light punishments. Mine should be similar, right?¡± Tian Boguang finally shifted his gaze and felt much more at ease. The next moment, the voice of the live stream came through again. ¡¾Tian Boguang¡¯s random punishment is as follows:¡¿ ¡¾Women¡¯s Heart. You¡¯ve tried many times to understand women¡¯s hearts, now you have one of your own! Thank nature for the gift!¡¿ Chapter 35 - Tian Boguang Likes Men Now, The Foundation of Supreme Martial Arts Chapter 35 Tian Boguang Likes Men Now, The Foundation of Supreme Martial Arts ¡°What? Women¡¯s heart!¡± Tian Boguang screamed in shock, his face turning ashen. Although he didn¡¯t know exactly what this punishment entailed, it sounded terrifying. ¡°No!¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want it!¡± ¡°Aaahhhh!!¡± A beam of light descended, and Tian Boguang¡¯s cries were abruptly cut off. He anxiously touched his chest, not feeling any changes in himself. But when he looked at the others, his eyes immediately shifted. In the live stream room, there were three men and two women. Before, when he was eyeing Lianxing and Yilin, he couldn¡¯t help but feel an intense desire for them. Especially after getting the ¡®Steel Kidney¡¯, the sensation had only grown stronger. But now, he realized that while he still found the two women beautiful, his body wasn¡¯t responding at all. In fact, he felt a certain repulsion toward Lianxing and Yilin. The closer he got to them, the stronger the instinctive repulsion from his body became. In contrast, the two men, Ye Luo Chuan and Long Xiaoyun, whom he had previously looked down on, now had an incredible attraction to him. The feeling was similar to how he had once felt toward Lianxing and Yilin. Realizing this horrifying fact, Tian Boguang¡¯s face turned deathly pale, and he felt his heart drop. ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± Tian Boguang was filled with despair. ¡­ ¡¾Daming Yunluo County Princess: What¡¯s wrong with Tian Boguang? He looks like he¡¯s lost both his parents.¡¿ ¡¾Jin Kingdom Prince, Wanyan Kang: Heh, probably wouldn¡¯t even be this upset if his parents died.¡¿ ¡¾Iron Sword Sect, Yu Zhenzi: I have a bold guess. Tian Boguang might be starting to like men now!¡¿ ¡¾Cheng Shifei: Hiss! So this ¡®Women¡¯s Heart¡¯ is turning Tian Boguang¡¯s sexual orientation?¡¿ ¡¾Five Poison Sect Leader, Lan Fenghuang: If it completely changes him, that¡¯d be one thing, but it seems like only half of it has changed.¡¿ ¡¾Tang Dynasty, Princess Li Cuiyu: What do you mean?¡¿ ¡¾Goddess Dragon, Shangguan Yan: To put it simply, his soul likes women, rejecting men; but his body likes men, rejecting women.¡¿ ¡¾Yang Guo: (¡Ño¡Ñ) Scary!¡¿ ¡¾Yangzhou Twin Dragons, Kou Zhong: (¡Ño¡Ñ) Scary!¡¿ ¡¾Evil Crane in the Clouds: Hahaha, don¡¯t worry, Brother Tian. In the future, we¡¯ll help you with that part!¡¿ ¡¾Four Eyebrows, Lu Xiaofeng: Tian Boguang is done for, I wonder if he¡¯ll end up committing suicide?¡¿ ¡¾Sun Moon God Sect, Qu Feiyan: Someone like him, who values his life, definitely won¡¯t commit suicide.¡¿ ¡¾Ouyang Ke, White Camel Mountain: Hiss! Does this mean that all the men in Smiling Proud Wanderer State are in trouble now?¡¿ ¡¾Imperial Guard Wei Xiaobao: Haha! Especially with Tian Boguang¡¯s ¡°Steel Kidney¡±!¡¿ ¡¾Invincible Kid, Gu Santu: Now that¡¯s fun!¡¿ ¡¾Murong Mansion, Liu Yizhou: Fun indeed!¡¿ ¡¾¡­¡¿ The barrage rolled in, with many who enjoyed the drama getting excited. One group¡¯s happiness often comes from another group¡¯s pain. Tian Boguang¡¯s tragedy became their source of joy. Especially the women from Smiling Proud Wanderer state, who were practically celebrating with firecrackers. In contrast, many men instinctively looked away, covering themselves in shame. ¡­ In the live stream room, the four of them exchanged weird glances at Tian Boguang. It had to be said, this guy was really unlucky. All four had answered incorrectly, but what about their punishments? Long Xiaoyun¡¯s external image was damaged. Lianxing had offended her sister Yaoyue. Yilin had performed a ¡®talent¡¯ on stage; though embarrassing, she had secretly won over many men¡¯s hearts. No one really thought of her as a loose woman, so the damage wasn¡¯t too significant. But poor Tian Boguang¡­ Long Xiaoyun touched his head, suddenly thinking his bald spot didn¡¯t feel so bad. Lianxing, on the other hand, felt that Yaoyue wasn¡¯t so scary anymore. She smiled and said, ¡°Seems like people like you, even the East and West Courts wouldn¡¯t want you.¡± (East and West Courts: Don¡¯t come over here!) Hearing Lianxing¡¯s teasing, Tian Boguang snapped back to reality and gritted his teeth. ¡°You shameless woman! What are you so smug about? Tian Da Ye will definitely answer correctly and return to normal!¡± Lianxing wasn¡¯t angry at Tian Boguang¡¯s frustration, instead, her smile became even brighter and more dazzling. This drove Tian Boguang crazy with rage! ¡­ ¡°It¡¯s my turn for the lottery.¡± As Ye Luo Chuan thought this, the live stream voice chimed in. ¡¾This round¡¯s question: Ye Luo Chuan answered correctly.¡¿ ¡¾Ye Luo Chuan¡¯s random reward is as follows:¡¿ ¡¾Martial Arts Foundation Pill. Strengthen muscles, wash marrow, open meridians, and purify the body. Establish an unshakable foundation for supreme martial arts! A must-have remedy for turning a waste into a genius.¡¿ ¡°Martial Arts Foundation Pill?¡± Looking at the smooth, glossy pill in his palm, which emitted a fragrant aroma, Ye Luo Chuan felt a surge of joy. Without hesitation, he swallowed it. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The pill entered his stomach and immediately turned into a warm current, sweeping through his meridians, organs, blood, and bones, washing the marrow and purifying the veins, transforming his entire body. All the impurities and toxins accumulated in his body were expelled through countless pores, and under the dispersing fragrance, they turned into gaseous energy and dissipated. Moreover, the short and medium-length hair Ye Luo Chuan had grown for three months immediately lengthened, turning into long hair. At that moment, the only external feature that didn¡¯t belong to his era vanished. He felt as though he had been reborn. His mind was clear, his body was in perfect harmony, and he felt an incomparable sense of ease. Also, as someone who was well-versed in martial arts knowledge, Ye Luo Chuan knew that he had skipped the postnatal Nine Levels and had directly entered the Innate Realm. Because all of his meridians had been opened! However, this Innate Realm, strictly speaking, was a pseudo-Innate Realm. Because there was no true Qi in his body. It was like a swimming pool: the pool had been carved out, even decorated, but it was still waiting to be filled with water. Only when the water is added, will it truly become a swimming pool. Chapter 36 - Feng Qingyang Appears, and the Invincible Dugu Qiubai Crosses Three States Chapter 36 Feng Qingyang Appears, and the Invincible Dugu Qiubai Crosses Three States ¡¾Tianxia Hui¡¯s Gang Leader Xiong Ba: ¡°Muscle enhancement, marrow cleansing, all the meridians open, the body pure, and the foundation of unparalleled martial arts! Even I, an old man, want to take him as my disciple!¡±¡¿ ¡¾Supreme Alliance Leader Guan Yutian: ¡°It¡¯s a pity this young man is not in my state.¡±¡¿ ¡¾Yangzhou Twin Dragons, Kou Zhong: ¡°Trash defeating genius¡­ Ling Shao, how I wish we had this pill.¡±¡¿ ¡¾Yangzhou Twin Dragons, Xu Ziling: ¡°Jealousy!¡±¡¿ ¡¾Cheng Shifei: ¡°Jealousy!¡±¡¿ ¡¾Yang Guo: ¡°Jealousy!¡±¡¿ ¡­ The reward received by Ye Luo Chuan made many people envious. It was clear that, as long as Ye Luo Chuan didn¡¯t meet an early death, he would rise and become a great martial arts leader in the future. Even powerhouses like Xiong Ba and Guan Yutian had thoughts of taking him as a disciple. But unfortunately, Ye Luo Chuan wasn¡¯t in their state. ¡°Congratulations, Young Master Ye. In the future, you will definitely become a martial arts overlord.¡± Lian Xing smiled and congratulated Ye Luo Chuan. Ye Luo Chuan smiled and said, ¡°With Miss Lian Xing¡¯s intelligence, by the time this quiz ends, you might become a Martial Emperor or even a Martial God.¡± Lian Xing giggled. ¡°Thank you for your kind words, Young Master Ye!¡± Yi Lin also weakly congratulated him. ¡°Congratulations, Young Master Ye.¡± Ye Luo Chuan encouraged her. ¡°Don¡¯t be discouraged, little nun. Maybe you¡¯ll answer the next question correctly.¡± Yi Lin bit her lip and nodded seriously. ¡­ At this moment, a cold, indifferent voice echoed in the live broadcast. ¡¾Third question is over. The live broadcast continues.¡¿ ¡¾All lucky viewers, please pay close attention and get ready to answer the next question.¡¿ As the voice fell, the space where the five people were located was shielded once again. Then, the paused screen resumed playing. After Yue Buqun left, Linghu Chong¡¯s confidence in his school¡¯s martial arts grew. For the next two days, Linghu Chong specifically practiced his Qi Gong. As for the figures on the stone wall? Not only did he not look at them, but he also immediately pushed away any thoughts of them, avoiding them as if they were unwelcome. He often thought to himself, One day, Tian Boguang brought wine to the Thinking Over Cliff. Linghu Chong was startled. Because recently, Tian Boguang had been committing crimes around Mount Hua, and Yue Buqun and Ning Zhongze had already gone after him. But unexpectedly, Tian Boguang had come to Mount Hua, heading straight for the Thinking Over Cliff. Linghu Chong asked the reason. Tian Boguang only invited him to drink wine. When Linghu Chong saw the wine, his eyes lit up, and he sat down with Tian Boguang to drink together. After a while, Tian Boguang asked Linghu Chong to go with him, saying that there was something good to show him. Linghu Chong refused, shaking his hand. ¡°You are notorious for your evil deeds. No matter how beneficial this matter may be for me, Linghu Chong values his integrity and will never sink to your level.¡± Tian Boguang had no choice but to reveal his true purpose. It turned out that, after parting six months ago, Yi Lin had been thinking about Linghu Chong day and night, constantly worrying about him. So a mysterious expert had sent Tian Boguang to Mount Hua to ask Linghu Chong to meet Yi Lin. Linghu Chong then realized that Yue Buqun and Ning Zhongze had fallen into a trick to lure him out of the mountain. He immediately refused. Tian Boguang tried to forcibly capture Linghu Chong and bring him down the mountain. Linghu Chong was enraged and was ready to fight to the death. Tian Boguang had no choice but to bet with Linghu Chong. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Brother Linghu, if you can block thirty of my fast blade strikes, I will immediately leave and never pester you again.¡± ¡°But if I win within those thirty strikes, you must come down the mountain with me to meet little Master Yi Lin.¡± Linghu Chong, confident after receiving guidance from his master and mistress, immediately agreed. However, after the fight began, Linghu Chong was completely defeated. Linghu Chong lost and began to act evasively. He later sneaked into a cave to secretly learn sword techniques but was still no match for Tian Boguang and continued to evade. It turned out that Linghu Chong did not believe anything Tian Boguang said. Seeing this, Tian Boguang rolled up his sleeves, revealing his chest with two red dots, and confessed. ¡°I have pressed life points here and applied a deadly poison. I was forced to invite you to meet little Master Yi Lin.¡± ¡°If you refuse, these two red dots will rot and fester in a month, spreading gradually, and your entire body will turn to rotten flesh. You will die after three years and six months.¡± Linghu Chong thought, So Linghu Chong kept delaying and refused to go with Tian Boguang. They fought again, and Linghu Chong lost again. Finally, Feng Qingyang, who had been living in seclusion on the mountain¡¯s rear slope, couldn¡¯t bear to watch anymore. Feng Qingyang appeared, pointing out Linghu Chong¡¯s swordsmanship and teaching him the ¡°Dugu Nine Swords.¡± Linghu Chong¡¯s swordsmanship improved rapidly after learning the ¡°Dugu Nine Swords.¡± In several sword fights with Tian Boguang, his strength soared. Finally, Linghu Chong defeated Tian Boguang. Tian Boguang had no choice but to retreat down the mountain. ¡­ In a valley filled with rich spiritual energy, Dugu Qiubai watched the scene on the screen, his face showing a look of surprise. He was originally from a state with very little spiritual energy. After becoming invincible in the world, he befriended a sculpture and lived in seclusion in a valley. Later, he decided to set sail and head out to sea. Because his future was uncertain and life and death unpredictable, he left his friend, the big eagle, in the valley and departed alone. Perhaps by chance, he successfully crossed the ocean and drifted to another small state. Unfortunately, the spiritual energy in that state was no higher than the one in his original state. Dugu Qiubai was quite disappointed and decided to set sail again. However, as the saying goes: ¡°People leave a name, and wild geese leave a call.¡± Dugu Qiubai felt he should leave some mark behind. So, before leaving, he carved his self-created ¡®Dugu Nine Swords¡¯ on a hidden stone wall, hoping it would be found by a fated person. Unexpectedly, after all these years, he saw his successor through the screen. This fate truly was wondrous. Chapter 37 - Feng Qingyang Takes Control of Mount Hua? Chapter 37 Feng Qingyang Takes Control of Mount Hua? The Six Immortals of Peach Valley Dissect Cheng Buyou While Dugu Qiubai was lamenting, the comment section was buzzing with discussions about his self-created ¡°Dugu Nine Swords.¡± ¡¾Cheng Shifei: ¡°The Ten General Styles, Breaking Sword Style, Breaking Saber Style, Breaking Spear Style, Breaking Whip Style, Breaking Rope Style, Breaking Palm Style, Breaking Arrow Style, Breaking Qi Style.¡±¡¿ Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡¾Cheng Shifei: ¡°Wow, this ¡®Dugu Nine Swords¡¯ is amazing! It¡¯s versatile and has a solution for every kind of attack. No wonder it¡¯s said to be able to ¡®break all laws with one sword¡¯.¡±¡¿ ¡¾Baiyun City Lord Ye Gucheng: ¡°I wish I could fight him to see if I can break his ¡®Flying Immortal from the Sky¡¯.¡±¡¿ ¡¾Tianxia Hui Gang Leader Xiong Ba: ¡°The ¡®Dugu Nine Swords¡¯ indeed has some tricks, but that¡¯s about it. Below the Martial King level, it may show off a bit, but at higher levels, it won¡¯t hold up.¡±¡¿ ¡¾Tianxia Hui Gang Leader Xiong Ba: ¡°Forget about it, I could destroy him with one hit of my ¡®Three Points Return to Origin¡¯ technique, shattering both him and his sword. Let¡¯s see how he counters that.¡±¡¿ ¡¾Liao Rushi: ¡°The concept behind ¡®Dugu Nine Swords¡¯ is actually quite profound, explaining many principles of swordsmanship.¡±¡¿ ¡¾Liao Rushi: ¡°Unfortunately, these are mostly theoretical, with no practical methods of execution.¡±¡¿ ¡¾Liao Rushi: ¡°Simply put, it only points sword practitioners in a direction. The rest is up to the individual to explore and comprehend.¡±¡¿ ¡¾Liao Rushi: ¡°No wonder this sword style emphasizes comprehension.¡±¡¿ ¡¾Sanyin Ning Daoqi: ¡°This is not surprising. As the saying goes: ¡®Shallow waters can¡¯t nurture a dragon.¡¯ Even if one is invincible in a spiritually barren state, the level of one¡¯s cultivation is still limited.¡±¡¿ ¡¾Sanyin Ning Daoqi: ¡°It¡¯s likely that when Dugu Qiubai created this sword technique, he was still at a ¡®feeling his way¡¯ stage. That¡¯s why he left space for future generations to imagine for themselves.¡±¡¿ ¡¾Cuiyu Huangshan Huo Qingtong: ¡°I thought Linghu Chong¡¯s life was ruined when Yue Buqun led him astray, but he never expected to meet Feng Qingyang.¡±¡¿ ¡¾Five Mountains Alliance Leader Zuo Lengchan: ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Elder Feng to still be so vigorous and outstanding in martial arts at nearly eighty. Truly a joyous occasion.¡±¡¿ ¡¾Songshan Shaolin Abbot Fang Zheng: ¡°Amitabha! Elder Feng is still alive, what a joyous occasion.¡±¡¿ ¡¾Wudang Sect Leader Chongxu Daoist: ¡°Chongxu has met Elder Feng before.¡±¡¿ ¡¾Huashan Sect Feng Buping: ¡°Elder Feng! You¡¯re still here, why not take back the leadership of Huashan Sect?¡±¡¿ ¡¾Huashan Sect Cheng Buyou: ¡°Yes, Elder Feng! The Huashan Sect is now under the control of the Qi Sect and has fallen into disarray. Why not come out of seclusion and revive Huashan?¡±¡¿ ¡¾Huashan Sect Cong Buqi: ¡°Elder Feng¡¯s ¡®Dugu Nine Swords¡¯ is so marvelous, why pass it on to the Qi Sect disciples?¡±¡¿ ¡­ The appearance of Feng Qingyang and the ¡°Dugu Nine Swords¡± caused quite a stir. People from other states were discussing the ¡°Dugu Nine Swords,¡± while martial experts in the Laughing Proud World State were entirely focused on Feng Qingyang. The knowledge that Feng Qingyang was still alive sent shivers down many spines. Especially for the Songshan Sect, who had longed to annex Huashan Sect. Though Feng Qingyang claimed he would no longer involve himself in Huashan Sect¡¯s affairs and would not appear in front of its disciples, Who could tell if he would change his mind when Huashan¡¯s survival was at stake? Given Feng Qingyang¡¯s current cultivation and the ¡°Dugu Nine Swords,¡± even if the entire Songshan Sect attacked together, they would likely not stand a chance against him. Zuo Lengchan and his thirteen elite disciples were terrified, trembling with fear. It was too dangerous! Weak, pitiful, and helpless¡­ ¡­ As the leader of the Huashan Sect, Yue Buqun felt incredibly conflicted, his expression shifting like a Sichuan opera mask. It should have been a good thing that there was another top-tier expert hidden within the sect. However, this expert was a remnant of the Sword Sect! This wasn¡¯t so friendly for Yue Buqun, who was part of the Qi Sect. From the live broadcast, it was clear that Feng Qingyang also looked down on him and disliked his ways, especially regarding teaching disciples, as he believed Yue Buqun was leading them astray. Yue Buqun wanted to argue, but he couldn¡¯t win! In a world where martial arts were revered, the bigger fist meant the stronger argument. In a stroke of luck, though Feng Qingyang was a senior of the Sword Sect, he didn¡¯t pay any attention to Feng Buping and the others. ¡­ Behind him, the disciples of Huashan Sect looked at Linghu Chong with envy. Although Linghu Chong had not yet been taught the ¡°Dugu Nine Swords,¡± once they returned and reached the Thinking Over Cliff, it was likely that Feng Qingyang would still follow the same path and teach him the sword technique. After all, in the live broadcast, Linghu Chong had already shown remarkable comprehension, enough to inherit Feng Qingyang¡¯s legacy. As for Linghu Chong, he was rather indifferent. It wasn¡¯t that the ¡°Dugu Nine Swords¡± wasn¡¯t good, but his heart was still heavy from the pain of Yue Lingshan¡¯s sudden change of heart. He couldn¡¯t understand why his little junior sister no longer loved him. So sad, so lonely. ¡­ In the live broadcast. ¡°The little nun has developed a worldly heart and even forced me to ask Linghu Chong to meet with her. This is truly despicable!¡± Seeing himself being manipulated and threatened like that in the footage, Tian Boguang was displeased. If not for being isolated, he would have teased Yi Lin about it. On the other side, Yi Lin was indeed feeling quite embarrassed. She never expected that in the original path of destiny, she would fall in love with Big Brother Linghu. And it seemed like it was a deep love. She steadied her mind and continued watching the broadcast. ¡­ On screen, after Linghu Chong drove off Tian Boguang, he suddenly saw Lu Dazhao come to deliver news. It turned out that Feng Buping, Cheng Buyou, and Cong Buqi from the Sword Sect had colluded with Zuo Lengchan of the Songshan Sect, issuing the Five Mountains Flag to take control of Huashan¡¯s leadership. Cheng Buyou challenged Ning Zhongze. Linghu Chong arrived just in time to fight in place of his mistress. The two fought, and Linghu Chong, using only a broom, defeated Cheng Buyou with exquisite moves. Cheng Buyou, furious and embarrassed, crushed Linghu Chong with internal energy. Linghu Chong was at a disadvantage, and he was severely injured on the spot. Meanwhile, the Six Immortals of Peach Valley, also sent to ask Linghu Chong to meet Yi Lin, were furious when they saw this. Four of them charged forward. They grabbed Cheng Buyou¡¯s limbs and pulled them apart with great force! Cheng Buyou was literally torn apart, his blood and intestines spilling everywhere. Chapter 38 - Linghu Chong: Have I Become a Discarded Pawn? Chapter 38 Linghu Chong: Have I Become a Discarded Pawn? ¡¾Yang Guo: (¡Ño¡Ñ) This scene is too intense!¡¿ ¡¾Daming Yunluo Princess: Too bloody!¡¿ ¡¾Tang Dynasty Changping Princess Li Cuiyu: So brutal!¡¿ sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡¾Four Eyebrows Lu Xiaofeng: I didn¡¯t expect these six weirdos to speak so confusingly but have such terrifying killing methods.¡¿ ¡¾Thief Lord Chu Liuxiang: Ripping someone apart while they¡¯re still alive¡­ such a killing method would make even those stronger than them hesitate before attacking.¡¿ ¡¾Huashan Sect Cheng Buyou: Devil! This is a devil!¡¿ ¡¾Sun Moon Holy Cult Qu Feiyan: Hehe, Miss Yue Lingshan of Huashan Sect fainted in fear.¡¿ ¡¾Huashan Sect Yue Lingshan: (???)¡¿ ¡¾Huashan Sect Ning Zhongze: Huashan and Songshan are allies, not subordinates. Yet the Alliance Leader Zuo is meddling in Huashan¡¯s leadership! This is overstepping!¡¿ ¡¾Five Mountains Alliance Leader Zuo Lengchan: ¡­Misunderstanding! There must be a misunderstanding!¡¿ ¡­ ¡°Dammit!¡± Zuo Lengchan¡¯s face turned pale with rage as he cursed. If it weren¡¯t for Feng Qingyang¡¯s appearance, he wouldn¡¯t have backed down. At worst, he would have torn everything apart and fought directly. But now, he couldn¡¯t. A man should be able to bend and stretch. ¡­ ¡¾Peach Blossom Island Huang Rong: Linghu Chong is from the Qi Sect, but he defeated the Sword Sect¡¯s Cheng Buyou with techniques.¡¿ ¡¾Peach Blossom Island Huang Rong: Cheng Buyou is an elder of the Sword Sect and used his decades of internal energy to overpower Linghu Chong.¡¿ ¡¾Peach Blossom Island Huang Rong: Qi Sect, Sword Sect, hehe, this is quite amusing!¡¿ Huang Rong¡¯s sudden comment made many people realize the irony. Indeed, the Qi Sect focuses on internal energy, but Linghu Chong won using techniques; the Sword Sect focuses on techniques, but Cheng Buyou relied on internal energy to win. This was truly ironic! The comments quickly turned to mock the ¡®separation of sword and qi¡¯ in Huashan Sect. Yue Buqun and Cheng Buyou were both ashamed, their faces red. However, in the face of this undeniable evidence, there was no room for argument. ¡­ The scene continued. Linghu Chong, severely wounded and unconscious, was carried down the mountain by the Six Immortals of Peach Valley. Due to the severity of Linghu Chong¡¯s internal injuries, the Six Immortals of Peach Valley immediately attempted to transmit their internal energy to him. However, the Six Immortals were all half-crazy and clueless, meaning their good intentions only worsened the situation. They mistakenly divided their internal energy into six meridians in Linghu Chong¡¯s body. Linghu Chong suffered greatly, and his life hung by a thread. The Six Immortals, realizing the danger, hurriedly returned him to Huashan and hoped that Yue Buqun could save him. However, because the Six Immortals were unaware of the world¡¯s ways, a conflict broke out with Ning Zhongze. Ning Zhongze injured Tao Shixian with a sword. The remaining Four Immortals captured Ning Zhongze and attempted to dismember her. Fortunately, Linghu Chong regained enough strength to stop them in time. The Five Immortals, in a rush to save Tao Shixian, hastily left the mountain. After this incident, Yue Buqun and Ning Zhongze mistakenly believed the Six Immortals of Peach Valley were enemies. Yue Buqun checked Linghu Chong¡¯s body and found six conflicting streams of internal energy ravaging his system. To save Linghu Chong¡¯s life, these conflicting energies had to be resolved. Though Yue Buqun¡¯s ¡®Purple Mist Divine Art¡¯ could dissolve foreign internal energies, he believed the Six Immortals of Peach Valley had deliberately harmed Linghu Chong to weaken his internal energy. Since Yue Buqun and Ning Zhongze saw the Six Immortals as enemies, they grew cautious and decided to leave Huashan to avoid potential disaster for the sect. But how to deal with Linghu Chong became a problem. If they treated him immediately, Yue Buqun feared over-exerting his energy, which could lead to an attack from others. Taking Linghu Chong along was also dangerous, as his injuries were too severe for travel. Leaving the ¡®Purple Mist Manual¡¯ for Linghu Chong to practice alone was risky, as they feared someone would steal it after they left. This situation left Yue Buqun feeling truly conflicted. In the end, Yue Buqun decided to leave Linghu Chong at Huashan, leaving one disciple to care for him while the rest of the sect would depart. This decision effectively meant abandoning Linghu Chong. Simply put, it was leaving him to die in place. Ning Zhongze, deeply distressed, cried bitterly. But as the heroine of Huashan, she understood the bigger picture and knew that the survival of the sect came first. Though her heart ached, she tearfully agreed. Thus, Yue Buqun used the excuse of going to Songshan to discuss the interference of the Five Mountains Alliance and led the sect members away from Huashan. Only Lu Dazhao remained behind. (Note: When Yue Buqun mistakenly believed the Six Immortals were enemies, Linghu Chong was unconscious and unable to explain. When he awoke, Yue Buqun didn¡¯t tell him the truth, as it would have been embarrassing, so the misunderstanding remained unresolved.) Lu Dazhao saw Yue Buqun, Ning Zhongze, and the disciples off at the mountain¡¯s entrance, then returned, feeling terrified as he walked back to the small house where Linghu Chong lay. At the peak of Huashan, only an unconscious Linghu Chong and Lu Dazhao remained. As dusk fell, Lu Dazhao couldn¡¯t help but feel a growing sense of dread. ¡­ By this point, Linghu Chong¡¯s eyes were filled with tears. He had fought for the Qi Sect, suffered severe wounds, and now, due to a misunderstanding, he was abandoned as a discarded pawn. Though he understood the concerns and struggles of Yue Buqun and Ning Zhongze, knowing they had no other choice, he didn¡¯t resent them. But seeing himself lying in bed, waiting to die, how could he remain indifferent? Linghu Chong felt suffocated. In the footage, his master had left, his mistress had left, his beloved little junior sister had also left¡­ Only Lu Dazhao remained to keep him company. He couldn¡¯t help but think of Yue Lingshan¡¯s infatuation with Lin Pingzhi, which left his chest feeling as though it had been struck by a heavy blow, and his face turned pale. ¡°Big brother, you¡­ how are you?¡± Yue Lingshan asked, worried. Ning Zhongze rushed to support Linghu Chong¡¯s swaying body, her voice filled with pain. ¡°Chong¡¯er! Mistress is sorry for you. Do you¡­ do you blame me?¡± Linghu Chong shook his head and smiled weakly. ¡°Mistress, what are you saying? How could I blame you?¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m just¡­ a little dizzy.¡± ¡°I think¡­ I think it¡¯s because I was hurt badly by Tian Boguang before, losing too much blood.¡± Ning Zhongze wept silently, unable to speak. The disciples of the Huashan Sect stood around, not daring to speak. Yue Buqun stood with his back to them, his expression unreadable. Chapter 39 - Linghu Chong Makes Friends with a Rogue, Huashan Sects Divine Art Stolen Chapter 39 Linghu Chong Makes Friends with a Rogue, Huashan Sect¡¯s Divine Art Stolen The scene continued. Lu Dazhao was tending to Linghu Chong alone, feeling helpless when suddenly, Yue Lingshan returned. It turned out that Yue Lingshan had stolen the Purple Mist Manual and had Lu Dazhao read it aloud to Linghu Chong in hopes of aiding his recovery. Upon realizing that the manual had been stolen and was not given by his master, Linghu Chong refused to accept it. After blocking Lu Dazhao¡¯s acupoint, Linghu Chong forced himself to stand and, despite his injuries, began descending the mountain. Along the way, they encountered Tian Boguang lying in the grass, groaning in pain. After being forced to retreat by Linghu Chong, Tian Boguang had been captured and tortured by the Six Immortals of Peach Valley, leaving him severely wounded. With only ten days left before the poison took effect, Linghu Chong immediately asked about Yi Lin¡¯s whereabouts. Tian Boguang, curious, asked, ¡°Are you really going?¡± Linghu Chong replied, ¡°You¡¯ve spared my life multiple times. Though you¡¯ve done wrong, I can¡¯t just stand by and watch you die from poison.¡± ¡°Back then, I resisted you fiercely, but the situation is different now.¡± Tian Boguang was overjoyed, and the two decided to go to Hengshan together. However, both were severely injured, and after struggling for a long time, they found they couldn¡¯t move and could only wait for death. Suddenly, they both burst into laughter. Tian Boguang said, ¡°I, Tian Boguang, have wandered the martial world with no true friend. Dying here with you, Linghu brother, feels satisfying.¡± Linghu Chong chuckled, ¡°When my master finds our corpses, he¡¯ll think we fought each other to the death. Who would have thought that, just before dying, we¡¯d be brothers?¡± Tian Boguang extended his hand and said, ¡°Linghu brother, let¡¯s shake hands before we die.¡± Linghu Chong hesitated. Tian Boguang, a notorious bandit, was an infamous rogue. How could a righteous disciple like him befriend such a person? Though he had spared Tian Boguang¡¯s life before, they were now on different paths, and forming a friendship seemed impossible. But when he saw the sincerity in Tian Boguang¡¯s eyes, Linghu Chong, with a sigh, extended his hand and shook his. ¡°Brother Tian, with you, dying won¡¯t feel lonely.¡± Just then, Songshan Sect¡¯s Di Xiu appeared, claiming he would strip them both and tie them together, intending to showcase them as having committed immoral acts. This was all to tarnish Yue Buqun¡¯s reputation. Linghu Chong was both shocked and angry but powerless to resist. Fortunately, Yi Lin arrived, accompanied by a large monk. This monk was Yi Lin¡¯s father, named ¡°Bu Jie,¡± who had previously sent Tian Boguang and the Six Immortals of Peach Valley to summon Linghu Chong. Bu Jie easily captured Di Xiu and threw him down the slope, then administered the antidote to Tian Boguang. Bu Jie also injected two streams of internal energy into Linghu Chong. These two powerful energies suppressed the six conflicting internal forces in Linghu Chong¡¯s body, temporarily stabilizing his condition. With the eight streams of energy now in his body, Linghu Chong¡¯s injuries were harder to treat but momentarily under control. He felt the discomfort in his chest subside and strength return to his legs. The group continued down the mountain and encountered Yue Buqun and Yue Lingshan. Yue Buqun had realized that Yue Lingshan had stolen the Purple Mist Manual and returned to the mountain to retrieve it. When Yue Buqun saw Linghu Chong walking with Tian Boguang, he immediately ordered Linghu Chong to kill Tian Boguang. Linghu Chong pleaded, ¡°Master, this brother Tian has promised me to turn over a new leaf and never again harm innocent women. I know he keeps his word, so¡­¡± Yue Buqun sharply rebuked, ¡°How do you know he keeps his word? Why would we show mercy to such a villain? How many innocent lives has he taken? If we don¡¯t kill him, what¡¯s the point of martial arts?¡± Linghu Chong was torn. He couldn¡¯t disobey his master, but he also felt it was wrong to kill Tian Boguang, who had become a friend. So, pretending to be gravely injured, he suddenly lost strength in his legs, dropped to one knee, and fell forward, causing his sword to stab into his own leg. Yue Buqun, seeing this, was about to take action himself, but Bu Jie intervened. Bu Jie had exhausted much of his energy in stabilizing Linghu Chong¡¯s injuries, and though Yue Buqun could have killed Tian Boguang, he didn¡¯t. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A true martial artist can¡¯t strike without a certain level of confidence, and Yue Buqun, too, chose to let it go. After Bu Jie, Yi Lin, and Tian Boguang left, Yue Buqun said, ¡°Chong¡¯er, you¡¯re really loyal to this villain. You would rather stab yourself than kill him.¡± Linghu Chong looked ashamed. ¡°Master, though Tian¡¯s actions were wrong, he has promised to change, and he¡¯s spared me before. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to kill him.¡± Yue Buqun scoffed, ¡°You talk of loyalty to this kind of scoundrel? You¡¯ll suffer for this in the future.¡± Despite his words, Yue Buqun was still very fond of Linghu Chong and didn¡¯t press the matter further. Afterward, Yue Buqun inquired about the Purple Mist Manual. Linghu Chong told the truth. The three returned to Huashan, only to discover that Lu Dazhao had died, and the Purple Mist Manual was missing. Linghu Chong thought he had unintentionally killed Lu Dazhao with too much force and was devastated. Yue Buqun, distressed by the loss of such an important treasure, began to suspect that Linghu Chong had stolen it. Linghu Chong couldn¡¯t prove his innocence and resolved to recover the manual and then take his own life as an apology for the loss of the manual. ¡­ Meanwhile, the comment section was filled with activity. ¡¾Daming Yunluo Princess: Linghu Chong pointed at him, yet Lu Dazhao could still speak! How did he die?¡¿ ¡¾Four Eyebrows Lu Xiaofeng: It¡¯s obvious someone killed Lu Dazhao and took the Purple Mist Manual.¡¿ ¡¾Huamanlou: And that person is not Linghu Chong.¡¿ ¡¾Flower Butterfly Hu Tiehua: There¡¯s a spy within Huashan Sect!¡¿ ¡¾Thief Lord Chu Liuxiang: Di Xiu is from Songshan Sect, yet he appeared in Huashan. That¡¯s highly suspicious. I suspect the traitor is from Songshan Sect.¡¿ ¡¾Songshan Sect Lu Bai: Nonsense! Stop slandering us! I¡¯ll ask, what does it say about Huashan to allow their top disciple to form a friendship with a notorious bandit? Does Huashan Sect want to sever ties with the righteous path?¡¿ ¡¾Huashan Sect Ning Zhongze: Right and wrong will come to light. Senior Lu, there¡¯s no need to smear Huashan Sect.¡¿ Chapter 40 - The Dugu Nine Swords Resolves the Crisis, Tension at the Medicine King Temple Chapter 40 The Dugu Nine Swords Resolves the Crisis, Tension at the Medicine King Temple Outside Hengyang City, on the Ten Mile Slope, the atmosphere was dead silent. ¡°I¡­ am I really going to die?¡± Lu Dazhao trembled with fear as he looked at the image of his own lifeless body on the screen. The Huashan disciples around him were also in shock. ¡°Huashan Sect has an internal traitor!¡± Immediately, the disciples began eyeing each other with suspicion and wariness. Linghu Chong thought to himself, his face filling with anger. Someone had killed Lu Dazhao, stolen the Purple Mist Manual, and framed him for it. Linghu Chong was seething with rage. He and Lu Dazhao had always had a close relationship, and seeing how Lu Dazhao had cared for him, never leaving his side, he was deeply moved. Now, seeing Lu Dazhao¡¯s death, Linghu Chong¡¯s anger was so intense that it felt like it could ignite him entirely! ¡°From now on, all disciples stay where you are, no one is to leave!¡± Linghu Chong, furious, issued the command as the eldest disciple. Although his master and mistress were present, his words were somewhat overstepping. However, Linghu Chong was a spontaneous person, and in his anger, he didn¡¯t care to think things through. Of course, this command would undoubtedly alienate some of the Huashan disciples, but it was the only way to address the issue. The traitor had to be found! Linghu Chong believed that most of the Huashan disciples would understand him. After all, no one wanted to live under the same roof as a traitor. It was too dangerous! One wrong move, and you could end up like Lu Dazhao. Ning Zhongze also understood the gravity of the situation and shouted, ¡°Listen to your senior brother!¡± Yue Buqun stood by, watching the unfolding events, his eyes fixed on the screen. He wanted to see how things would develop. ¡­ In the scene, after burying Lu Dazhao, Yue Buqun and the others continued their search for the Purple Mist Manual, but were unsuccessful. The Huashan Sect disciples took shelter in the Medicine King Temple as a heavy rainstorm raged outside. Suddenly, in the middle of the rainy night, fifteen riders appeared, demanding the Evil-Repelling Sword Manual from Yue Buqun. Yue Buqun, of course, didn¡¯t have the manual. The two sides clashed. The fifteen masked men were all formidable experts, and the Huashan Sect suffered heavy casualties. Linghu Chong wanted to help, but he was kicked and sent flying into a bush several yards away. As he struggled to rise, a sudden surge of blood welled up in his chest and abdomen, and eight internal energies clashed violently inside him. This left Linghu Chong unable to move even a finger. On the battlefield, Yue Buqun initially held his ground against eight attackers, but as the other masked men finished off the remaining Huashan disciples, all fifteen of them surrounded him. Yue Buqun managed to injure four or five of them before he was overpowered and captured. The masked men continued to interrogate him about the location of the Evil-Repelling Sword Manual, threatening the chastity of Ning Zhongze, Yue Lingshan, and many female disciples of Huashan Sect. They claimed to be from the underworld and would do anything to get the manual. Just as the Huashan Sect disciples were about to lose hope, another thirty or so people arrived. These were members of the Songshan, Taishan, Hengshan, and Huashan Sword Sect who had previously attempted to take over Huashan Sect¡¯s leadership. The leader was Lu Bai from the Songshan Sect¡¯s Thirteen Guardians, along with Ding Mian and Tang Ying¡¯e. The two groups coordinated, accusing Yue Buqun of receiving the Evil-Repelling Sword Manual after accepting Lin Pingzhi as a disciple, and hiding it away. Cong Buqi from the Huashan Sword Sect demanded that Yue Buqun be killed, and earlier had even tried to harass Ning Zhongze. Ning Zhongze provoked Ding Mian verbally, forcing him to release her acupoints, allowing her to battle Cong Buqi. Ning Zhongze¡¯s strength was comparable to Cong Buqi¡¯s, but she had been severely injured in a previous fight and was no match for him now. Cong Buqi, full of confidence, advanced step by step, preparing to search Ning Zhongze for the Evil-Repelling Sword Manual. Linghu Chong stepped forward to intervene. At this moment, Linghu Chong felt the energy in his dantian, suppressing his internal injuries, and finally managed to move his limbs and draw his sword. He quickly unleashed the ¡°Dugu Nine Swords.¡± Although Linghu Chong had not fully mastered the ¡°Dugu Nine Swords¡± and had hesitated to use them against a strong opponent, at this life-and-death moment, his mind suddenly cleared. He unleashed the full power of the sword, defeating both Cong Buqi and Feng Buping. Cong Buqi and Feng Buping, having been defeated by a younger generation, fled with no face to stay. The three guardians from Songshan Sect intended to rush in and overwhelm Linghu Chong, but seeing the presence of the Taishan and Hengshan sects, they withdrew. However, they left without rescuing Huashan Sect. The fifteen masked men returned, intending to kill Linghu Chong by chopping him into pieces. Linghu Chong, already feeling desperate, suddenly noticed the fierce, gleaming eyes of the fifteen attackers through the holes in their masks, like pairs of hungry beasts. In an instant, a thought flashed through his mind. With a flash of inspiration, he immediately performed the ¡®Arrow Breaking Style¡¯, executing thirty swift sword strikes in one breath. All the masked men were blinded by his attacks. Yue Buqun, overjoyed, instructed Linghu Chong to sever the attackers¡¯ tendons and slowly interrogate them. Linghu Chong agreed. However, after using the ¡®Arrow Breaking Style¡¯, Linghu Chong had exhausted his energy. His entire body shook, and he could no longer even grip his sword. His legs buckled, and he collapsed to the ground. The others could only watch helplessly as the fifteen attackers escaped. Yue Buqun coldly said, ¡°Linghu Chong, you still haven¡¯t unsealed my acupoints? Do you expect everyone to beg you?¡± Linghu Chong, shocked, stammered, ¡°Master, you¡­ are you joking with me? I¡­ I¡¯ll unseal your acupoints right away.¡± Struggling to get up, he staggered to Yue Buqun¡¯s side and asked, ¡°Master¡­ which acupoints do I need to unseal?¡± Yue Buqun, furious, recalled how Linghu Chong had previously staged a scene on Huashan, stabbing himself to avoid killing Tian Boguang. Now, he believed that Linghu Chong had deliberately delayed unsealing his acupoints to prevent him from chasing the escaping attackers. Yue Buqun angrily said, ¡°No need for you to waste your effort!¡± He continued to circulate his ¡®Purple Mist Divine Art¡¯, attempting to unseal his acupoints, but could not do so immediately. Linghu Chong, unable to use his energy, felt dizzy and weak, barely able to stand. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Helpless, he lay beside Yue Buqun, waiting for him to unseal the acupoints. As dawn broke, Yue Buqun finally unsealed the acupoints and freed everyone. Yue Buqun then coldly asked, ¡°Chong¡¯er, who were those fifteen masked men?¡± Linghu Chong replied, ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± Yue Buqun asked, ¡°Do you recognize them? What¡¯s your relationship with them?¡± Linghu Chong, shocked, answered, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen any of them before.¡± Yue Buqun pressed, ¡°Then why, when I ordered you to keep them alive for interrogation, did you ignore my command?¡± Linghu Chong, weak and trembling, responded, ¡°I¡­ I was too exhausted, I didn¡¯t have any strength left, and at that moment¡­¡± His body swayed, clearly struggling to stay upright. Yue Buqun snorted, ¡°Well done!¡± Linghu Chong quickly kneeled and swore. ¡°I am deeply indebted to Master and Mistress, I would never deceive you.¡± Yue Buqun then asked where Linghu Chong¡¯s sword technique had come from. However, Feng Qingyang had instructed Linghu Chong never to reveal the origins of the technique to anyone. Linghu Chong couldn¡¯t break that promise, so he endured the pressure, understanding that Yue Buqun would be suspicious. He held no grudge. At this point, Ning Zhongze stepped in to mediate, suggesting that if Linghu Chong had ties with the masked men, why would they try to kill him? And why would Linghu Chong blind them if they were allies? Yue Buqun lifted his head slowly, deep in thought, but seemed not to absorb Ning Zhongze¡¯s words. Chapter 41 - Tell a Joke: The Five Mountain Sword Sects Are United Chapter 41 Tell a Joke: The Five Mountain Sword Sects Are United ¡¾Cheng Shifei: Whoa! This misunderstanding is massive!¡¿ ¡¾Yang Guo: Indeed! And it¡¯s basically unsolvable! If Linghu Chong wants to keep his promise, he must wait until he can plead with Feng Qingyang to let him explain everything to Yue Buqun and Ning Zhongze.¡¿ ¡¾Yang Guo: But aside from the fact that Linghu Chong is severely injured and might die at any moment, Feng Qingyang himself has already declared he won¡¯t see them again. Where is Linghu Chong supposed to find him?¡¿ ¡¾Four-Browed Lu Xiaofeng: Actually, it¡¯s understandable why Yue Buqun would be suspicious. Those fifteen masked men¡ªYue Buqun himself wasn¡¯t their match, yet Linghu Chong, originally weak in martial arts, could instantly defeat them. That¡¯s way too abnormal.¡¿ ¡¾Princess Yunluo of the Ming Dynasty: This ¡®Dugu Nine Swords¡¯ is incredible!¡¿ ¡¾Princess Shaomin Zhao Min: Indeed! In terms of internal energy cultivation, Linghu Chong is far inferior to any of those masked men. But with just swordsmanship alone, he turned the tables instantly.¡¿ ¡¾Thief Master Chu Liuxiang: Sigh! Seeing Yue Buqun¡¯s expression, I bet he thinks Linghu Chong secretly trained with the Lin family¡¯s ¡®Bixie Sword Manual.¡¯¡¿ ¡¾Yangzhou Twin Dragons Kou Zhong: Damn, that¡¯s true! Now he couldn¡¯t clear his name even if he jumped into the Yellow River.¡¿ ¡¾Blood Sabre Sect Patriarch: Why bother explaining? What¡¯s the point of wasting that effort?¡¿ ¡¾Blood Sabre Sect Patriarch: Linghu Chong doesn¡¯t have many days left anyway, so why not just kill Yue Buqun, take his wife and disciple, and have some fun before he dies?¡¿ ¡¾Iron Sword Clan Yuzhenzi: Haha, fellow Daoist, you speak my mind.¡¿ ¡¾Mount Hua Sect Ning Zhongze: Shameless scoundrels!¡¿ ¡¾Mount Hua Sect Linghu Chong: Shut up! You despicable old thieves!¡¿ ¡¾Flying Swallow Fairy Yang Yan: The Mount Hua Sword Sect is colluding so deeply with the Songshan Sect just to reclaim the sect leader position. Even if they defeat Yue Buqun, can Mount Hua Sect still be Mount Hua Sect?¡¿ ¡¾Emerald Feather Huangshan Huo Qingtong: No, they¡¯d just become a lackey of the Songshan Sect.¡¿ ¡¾Northern Beggar Hong Qigong: Sigh! Brothers turning against each other, sect members slaughtering one another¡ªwhat¡¯s the point?¡¿ ¡¾Peach Blossom Island Huang Rong: I¡¯m willing to bet that those fifteen masked men are in cahoots with the Songshan Sect!¡¿ ¡¾Songshan Sect Ding Mian: Nonsense! Do you have any proof? Stop slandering us!¡¿ ¡¾Peach Blossom Island Huang Rong: Proof? I don¡¯t have any. After all, a bunch of cowards who won¡¯t even show their faces can¡¯t exactly leave evidence.¡¿ ¡¾Peach Blossom Island Huang Rong: But I keep hearing you all say things like ¡®Righteousness cannot coexist with evil¡¯ and ¡®The Five Mountain Sword Sects are united like branches of the same tree.¡¯¡¿ ¡¾Peach Blossom Island Huang Rong: That¡¯s strange, because those masked men clearly claimed to be from the demonic path, yet none of you so-called righteous sects stepped up to eliminate them.¡¿ ¡¾Peach Blossom Island Huang Rong: If the Five Mountain Sword Sects are truly united, why did you all stand by idly while Mount Hua Sect was attacked? Is this your definition of ¡®branches of the same tree¡¯?¡¿ ¡¾Princess Changping of the Tang Dynasty Li Cuiyu: Yeah! Why? Speak up!¡¿ ¡¾Green-Winged Bat King Wei Yixiao: Speak up!¡¿ ¡¾Great Qing Imperial Steward Wei Xiaobao: Speak up!¡¿ ¡¾Affectionate Young Master Hou Xibai: Miss Huang has a point¡ªSongshan Sect won¡¯t even show their faces now.¡¿ ¡¾¡­¡­¡¿ ¡ª ¡°Damn the Songshan Sect! Damn the Sword Sect faction!¡± ¡°What ¡®Five Mountain Sword Sects are united like branches of the same tree¡¯¡ªpure nonsense!¡± ¡°Yeah, if you ask me, aside from the Hengshan Sect, the other three sects are all despicable.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Seeing the tragic scene at the Medicine King Temple, with their own people dead and wounded, the disciples of Mount Hua Sect could no longer hold back their fury and started cursing. Some even spotted their own corpses among the fallen. Liang Fa, the eighth disciple of Mount Hua, had been decapitated. The sheer brutality and bloodshed left them in shock and rage. Ning Zhongze was also seething. If not for Linghu Chong, she would have truly been humiliated. She, her daughter Yue Lingshan, and the other female disciples of Mount Hua Sect would have lost their dignity. At this moment, whatever camaraderie once existed among the Five Mountain Sword Sects¡ªaside from the Hengshan Sect¡ªwas completely shattered. Yue Buqun usually presented himself as righteous and upright. Under normal circumstances, he would have reprimanded his disciples for saying things that could divide the sects. But right now, all his thoughts were fixated on the ¡®Dugu Nine Swords.¡¯ So, this sword technique was actually this powerful¡­ If he could obtain it, a glint flashed in Yue Buqun¡¯s eyes. Then, he looked at Linghu Chong and smiled. ¡°Chong¡¯er, I misunderstood you.¡± Linghu Chong quickly shook his head. ¡°No! Master¡¯s suspicions were completely reasonable. It was my own carelessness in thinking things through. I feel ashamed!¡± S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yue Buqun patted Linghu Chong¡¯s head, sighed, and said, ¡°Although we are master and disciple, we are as close as father and son. We should trust each other completely without doubts. And yet¡­ sigh! Sigh!¡± Linghu Chong was deeply moved and declared, ¡°I will take this as a lesson! From now on, I will never let my Master be disappointed again.¡± ¡°Good! Good child!¡± Yue Buqun looked kind, as if he was very relieved. Chapter 43 - Linghu Chong Is Expelled from Mount Hua, Xiang Wentian Kills Innocents Chapter 43 Linghu Chong Is Expelled from Mount Hua, Xiang Wentian Kills Innocents Luoyang, Green Bamboo Alley. Green Bamboo Elder was surprised. ¡°Miss, I didn¡¯t expect that this Young Hero Linghu has such a connection with us.¡± ¡°Mmm,¡± Ren Yingying responded softly and said no more. On the screen, she was seen teaching Linghu Chong to play the qin, listening to his grievances¡ªthere was an undeniable air of intimacy. But the future was still the future. Seeing it with one¡¯s eyes and experiencing it firsthand were two entirely different sensations. Besides, with the live broadcast and quiz game now affecting events, that future had already changed. Ren Yingying lifted her chin slightly and continued watching. In the next moment, her cheeks flushed red¡ªlike fire, like blood. ¡ª After leaving Luoyang, the Mount Hua Sect headed toward Fujian. Along the way, all sorts of strange individuals from the martial world came to befriend Linghu Chong. Some brought gifts, some offered to heal his wounds, some just wanted to drink with him. All of them treated Linghu Chong as an equal, regardless of status. Meanwhile, Yue Buqun received barely any attention. This left him both astonished and humiliated. At Five Tyrants Ridge, a massive martial gathering was held, attracting all kinds of figures¡ªboth the righteous and the unorthodox. They drank, feasted, and laughed with Linghu Chong. Having suffered misfortune after misfortune since the Zixia Manual was stolen, Linghu Chong was touched by the warmth he received. He cast aside concerns over good and evil, and simply enjoyed their company. ¡ª The real reason these martial artists were so friendly toward him? They had heard that Ren Yingying, the Saintess of the Sun Moon Sect, was deeply in love with Linghu Chong. Wanting to curry favor with her, they lavished their kindness upon him. However, Ren Yingying was extremely shy. When the rumors of her feelings spread, she became both embarrassed and furious. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. To hide her feelings, she ordered them to kill Linghu Chong. But everyone knew she didn¡¯t mean it¡ªonly a fool would take that order seriously. So they all pretended to obey but did nothing. ¡ª After the gathering, Ren Yingying and Linghu Chong traveled together. Suddenly, Linghu Chong¡¯s internal injuries flared up, and he collapsed. Two months later, when he woke up, he was in Shaolin Temple. The abbot, Master Fangzheng, told him that the Yijin Jing could save his life, but there was a condition¡ªHe had to join Shaolin as a lay disciple. Linghu Chong refused outright. ¡°I am a disciple of Mount Hua. I will not change my sect.¡± Then came the bombshell. Fangzheng revealed that Yue Buqun had already expelled him from Mount Hua, labeling him a demon associate and outlaw. For Linghu Chong, it was a thunderclap out of nowhere. His heart turned to ashes. ¡°So this is my fate¡­ The righteous sects see me as a traitor, and the unorthodox sects want me dead as well.¡± ¡°I have nowhere to go.¡± Yet, as despair set in, a strange sense of defiance also arose within him. ¡°If both the righteous and the wicked treat me as an enemy, then let¡¯s see who will take my life first!¡± With that, he bid farewell to the Shaolin monks and left on his own. ¡ª On the road, he encountered a peculiar scene. A large group of both righteous and unorthodox fighters were attacking a single old man. Though he had no idea who the old man was, he saw that¡ªDespite facing overwhelming odds, the man remained calm, unfazed, and even seemed amused. Linghu Chong admired his composure and felt a kindred spirit. Right there, before the entire crowd, he joined the old man at his table and drank with him. Later, he learned that the old man was none other than Xiang Wentian, a high-ranking elder of the Sun Moon Sect. Even after knowing his identity, Linghu Chong did not care. Instead, he helped him fight off their enemies. ¡ª The battle turned against them. The two retreated, eventually reaching a main road. Suddenly, three galloping horses approached. Xiang Wentian cursed. ¡°Damn you!¡± He leapt into the air, kicked the rider off, and landed on the horse. Then, he swung his iron chains, knocking two other riders from their horses. Their bones shattered. They died instantly. These three men were not martial artists¡ªjust ordinary civilians. They had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time and lost their lives for nothing. Xiang Wentian, completely unfazed, continued riding with Linghu Chong. ¡ª At this point, the livestream paused. The fourth quiz question finally appeared. The cold, emotionless voice of the system echoed in the stream. ¡°Question 4: After witnessing Xiang Wentian kill innocent civilians, what will Linghu Chong do?¡± Turn a blind eye.Immediately sever ties with Xiang Wentian.Scold Xiang Wentian, who then apologizes and admits his mistake.Scold Xiang Wentian, who refuses to listen, leading them to part ways. ¡ª As soon as the question dropped, the chat exploded in discussion. ¡¾Ouyang Ke of White Camel Mountain: This Linghu Chong is lucky with women! Lost his junior sister, but now he¡¯s got a saintess and a nun¡ªboth prettier than Yue Lingshan, and both love him deeply!¡¿ ¡¾Cheng Shifei: Envy! Jealousy!¡¿ ¡¾Yangzhou Twin Dragons Kou Zhong: Envy my ass! Who cares if they¡¯re beautiful? Linghu Chong only loves his junior sister!¡¿ ¡¾Yangzhou Twin Dragons Kou Zhong: His love got stolen, and he had to watch her be all lovey-dovey with another man! His head is practically glowing green!¡¿ ¡¾Gushan Su Ying: It¡¯s ironic. In Mount Hua, he was doubted and ostracized, yet these ¡®unorthodox¡¯ folks are the ones treating him warmly.The world is unpredictable.¡¿ ¡¾First Manor¡¯s Master Shangguan Haitang: Those ¡®unorthodox¡¯ folks aren¡¯t good people. If not for Miss Ren¡¯s influence, they would¡¯ve eaten Linghu Chong alive.¡¿ ¡¾Blood Saber Patriarch: Heh! That Ren girl is so shy¡ªhow cute! Watching her makes this old man itch all over!¡¿ ¡¾Jin Empire Prince Wanyan Kang: Linghu Chong is an idiot! If it were me, I¡¯d take Ren Yingying right then and there!¡¿ ¡¾Dali Prince Duan Yu: Vulgar! Absolutely vulgar! How dare you speak of a lady that way?!¡¿ ¡¾Ming Dynasty Princess Yunluo: So, Linghu Chong was expelled just like that¡­¡¿ ¡¾Yuan Dynasty Princess Zhao Min: It was inevitable. But honestly, it might be a blessing in disguise.¡¿ ¡¾King of Thieves Sikong Zhaixing: Hahaha! Linghu Chong reminds me of you, Lu Xiaofeng! Always poking your nose where it doesn¡¯t belong.¡¿ ¡¾Four-Browed Lu Xiaofeng: Not the same. I wouldn¡¯t charge headfirst into trouble without knowing the stakes.¡¿ ¡¾Yangzhou Beauty Li Yuhu: So, which answer should we pick?¡¿ ¡¾Yang Guo: It¡¯s between C and D. The key is how much Xiang Wentian values Linghu Chong¡¯s opinion.¡¿ ¡¾Heavenly King Xiang Wentian: Haha! Never thought I¡¯d be in this! Apologize? NEVER! What¡¯s wrong with killing three nobodies?¡¿ ¡¾Cihang Jingzhai Saintess Shi Feixuan: To treat human lives like weeds¡­ You truly are a demon.¡¿ Chapter 44 - The Eccentric Linghu Chong and His Decision Paralysis Chapter 44 The Eccentric Linghu Chong and His Decision Paralysis The barrage chat was in an uproar. Although some people chose A and B, most were debating between C and D. But since Xiang Wentian himself had stated that he would never apologize, then D seemed like the correct choice. Or was it? Inside the livestream room, aside from Ye Luochuan, the other four participants were deep in thought. ¡°At first glance, the answer should be between C and D.¡± ¡°But¡­ Linghu Chong is a bit of a wild card.¡± ¡°He¡¯s willing to risk his life to save people, yet he also drinks and befriends known criminals.¡± ¡°Take Tian Boguang for example¡ªLinghu Chong felt indebted to him for sparing his life multiple times, but he never held Tian accountable for his crimes.¡± ¡°He knew full well that Tian Boguang had committed countless atrocities, even deliberately causing trouble to lure Yue Buqun away before sneaking into the Repentance Cliff.¡± ¡°Linghu Chong was aware of all this.¡± ¡°Did he ever confront Tian Boguang about it?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡ª Then what about this time? Would Linghu Chong, seeing a man he just met kill innocent bystanders, turn a blind eye? Would he scold him? Would he cut ties with him immediately? ¡ª Long Xiaoyun was getting a headache. At first, Linghu Chong seemed like a model righteous hero. But the more Long Xiaoyun thought about it, the more something felt off. ¡°Would he really ignore it?¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°That seems unlikely.¡± ¡°Even though Tian Boguang was evil, and the Five Tyrants Ridge gathering was full of shady characters, none of them committed crimes directly in front of him.¡± ¡°Maybe that was his bottom line.¡± ¡°Would he sever ties immediately?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the least likely option!¡± ¡°Linghu Chong values loyalty above all else, even at the cost of distinguishing right from wrong.¡± ¡°Since he already bonded with Xiang Wentian, he wouldn¡¯t just cut ties over this.¡± ¡°C¡­ Would Xiang Wentian, a proud and ruthless man, actually admit fault?¡± ¡°No way.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a Sun Moon Sect Elder. Casual murder is second nature to him.¡± With that in mind, Long Xiaoyun eliminated C. ¡°D¡­ Two people drifting apart due to a disagreement? That¡¯s possible.¡± ¡°But based on Linghu Chong¡¯s previous experiences, he usually sticks around long enough to have a deeper story with new acquaintances.¡± ¡°Would they really part ways right after meeting?¡± ¡°And on top of that¡ªLinghu Chong is now alone, abandoned by both the righteous and the unorthodox factions.¡± ¡°His sense of isolation would only make him feel even more connected to Xiang Wentian.¡± ¡ª Long Xiaoyun was completely stuck. A or D? If it were him, he¡¯d definitely choose A. But this was Linghu Chong. The indecision was killing him. ¡°If D had just said ¡®they develop a grudge¡¯ instead of outright parting ways, I¡¯d pick D immediately!¡± With the sand timer running out, Long Xiaoyun started panicking. He had already gotten three questions wrong. He couldn¡¯t afford another mistake! ¡°Damn it, I just want to be right for once!¡± The frustration boiled over¡ªAt the last second, he made the boldest decision possible. ¡°Screw it! I¡¯m all in!¡± He slammed the button on A. ¡ª As the selection locked in, the scene returned to normal. Long Xiaoyun immediately looked around to see what the others chose. What he saw left him speechless. Everyone had chosen A! ¡ª Why Everyone Chose A Lianxing and Tian Boguang¡¯s thought process was similar to Long Xiaoyun¡¯s.bThey also hesitated and debated, but unlike Long Xiaoyun, they didn¡¯t overcomplicate things. Long Xiaoyun overthought every possibility, doubting each answer until he had paralyzed himself with options. Lianxing, coming from the ambiguous morality of Yihua Palace, did not see ¡°killing innocents¡± as an unforgivable sin. To her, ¡°killing indiscriminately¡± wasn¡¯t a deal-breaker. ¡°If I were Linghu Chong, would ¡®loyalty¡¯ come before ¡®righteousness¡¯?¡± Her answer: Yes. That meant A was most likely. ¡ª Tian Boguang¡¯s reasoning was much cruder. He put himself in Linghu Chong¡¯s shoes. ¡°I¡¯m a rapist. I¡¯ve destroyed countless women¡¯s lives.¡± ¡°And yet, Linghu Chong never held me accountable.¡± ¡°So why would he suddenly care about three dead nobodies?¡± ¡ª The real clincher? Linghu Chong¡¯s love of alcohol. ¡°He drank with Xiang Wentian.¡± ¡°To Linghu Chong, that makes them brothers.¡± That was enough for Tian Boguang to pick A. ¡ª Yi Lin¡¯s Choice Yi Lin, on the other hand, was the only one who initially ruled out A. She truly believed that Linghu Chong would never ignore such injustice. But in the end, she chose A anyway. Why? Because Ye Luochuan had given her advice earlier. ¡°Pick the answer you think is least likely.¡± She ignored that advice last time and got the answer wrong. So this time, she decided to trust it. ¡°Even if choosing A feels like I¡¯m betraying Linghu Chong¡¯s character¡­¡± ¡°The punishments for wrong answers are way too terrifying.¡± Yi Lin was still traumatized from being forced to sing ¡¶Itchy¡·, an embarrassing punishment from an earlier mistake. She wasn¡¯t willing to risk another punishment. Her survival instincts kicked in. And so, despite her belief in Linghu Chong¡¯s righteousness, she chose A. If her feelings for Linghu Chong were as deep as in the original novel, she would have rather taken a punishment than select A. But at this stage? Survival first. Chapter 45 - The Controversial Protagonist Chapter 45 The Controversial Protagonist S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ye Luo Chuan naturally chose A. Upon seeing the choices of the five participants, the crowd in the martial world was in an uproar. [Cheng Shi Fei: Damn! The five of them all chose the same answer! A? Are you kidding me?!].[Four Eyebrowed Lu Xiaofeng: Actually¡­ choosing A is not impossible.].[King of Thieves, Sikong Zhixing: Lu Xiaoji, what nonsense are you talking about? How could Linghu Chong, who would risk his life to save a stranger, just turn a blind eye? At least he would show some reaction, right?].[Four Eyebrowed Lu Xiaofeng: ¡­ You¡¯ll understand the answer when it is revealed.].[Ouyang Ke from the Bai Tuo Mountain Villa: Linghu Chong is a hypocrite who mingles with those vile scoundrels, just like his master Yue Buqun.].[Princess Yunluo from the Great Ming: But those vile people were the ones who approached Linghu Chong, he didn¡¯t seek them out.].[Fierce and Evil Yue Laosan: Linghu boy, come out and tell us, what would you choose?]. Linghu Chong did not answer. But the live broadcast gave the answer. [Time for answering is over.].[Correct answer: A.]. ??? It really was A! Many people were stunned. They stared intently at the screen, looking very serious. ¡­ On the screen, Linghu Chong watched as Xiang Wentian killed innocents without hesitation, and he couldn¡¯t help but sigh inwardly. Xiang Wentian, having seized three horses, was in high spirits. He laughed loudly, saying, ¡°Little brother, those bastards can¡¯t catch up to us now.¡± Linghu Chong smiled faintly. ¡°They can¡¯t catch up today, but they will tomorrow.¡± The two of them then alternated riding the three horses, traveling together, and eventually turned into a mountain path. The mountain path grew steeper, and eventually, the horses could no longer continue. To replenish food, Xiang Wentian began to kill the horses. He first used his finger to rip open the horse¡¯s neck, drank its blood, then kicked the horse down into the ravine. Then, for no reason, he kicked the second perfectly healthy horse into the ravine. When they reached the third horse, Xiang Wentian cut off both of its hind legs before also kicking it into the ravine. Seeing Xiang Wentian¡¯s brutal and bloody methods, Linghu Chong did not object, but instead thought, ¡°Turns out, he cuts the horse¡¯s legs for food, not just for the sake of cruelty.¡± At this point, the screen froze. ¡­ [Princess Anning of the Great Ming: Oh my god, Linghu Chong actually turned a blind eye! Is this still the Linghu Shaoxia who would risk his life to save people?].[Ouyang Ke from Bai Tuo Mountain Villa: I said it before, Linghu Chong is just a hypocrite. Saving the little nun was only because she was pretty and worth risking his life for.].[L¨¹ Dayou from Mount Hua: Nonsense! My senior brother is not that kind of person!].[Duxu Sisters from Yangzhou: Xiang Wentian is too cruel. If you need to kill a horse to feed yourself, one would have been enough. Why kill all three?].[Duxu Sisters from Yangzhou: After all, those three horses carried them for a while, helping them escape the chase, at least they deserve some gratitude.].[Wudang Song Qingchu: Demon cult members, they casually kill people, so why would they care about the lives of a few animals?].[Princess Yunluo from the Great Ming: What¡¯s most infuriating is that Linghu Chong actually considers this not to be just senseless cruelty.].[Cheng Shi Fei: If those three horses have souls, they must be cursing their ancestors.].[Huang Rong from Peach Blossom Island: Two men, three horses, none are truly human.].[Ouyang Mingri from the Immortal Sect: Actually, Linghu Chong does have a heart for justice, but his sense of righteousness is influenced by his personal preferences. His understanding of right and wrong is very ambiguous.].[¡­ ]. The comments poured in, and everyone was stunned by Linghu Chong¡¯s actions. Many people were confused, unable to understand Linghu Chong. Why such a stark contrast in his character? ¡­ Outside Hengyang City, since the moment the screen showed Linghu Chong being expelled from Mount Hua, the atmosphere had become awkward. No one spoke, and they all pretended nothing had happened, staring at the large screen in silence, watching the plot unfold. But now, Yue Buqun suddenly straightened his back. He turned to Linghu Chong and said sternly, ¡°Chong¡¯er, there are indeed things I failed to notice. This is my fault¡­¡± Linghu Chong quickly said, ¡°Master, please don¡¯t say that. All the mistakes are mine.¡± Yue Buqun sighed and then said earnestly, ¡°I know you like making friends and value loyalty.¡± ¡°But righteousness is secondary to the path of a hero. You can¡¯t be loyal to just anyone.¡± ¡°The footage in the live broadcast is from the future, so I won¡¯t scold you any further.¡± ¡°But in the future, if you continue to engage with demon cult members like this, don¡¯t blame me for expelling you from Mount Hua.¡± ¡°I hope you can remember this advice, and don¡¯t let it go in one ear and out the other, or else you¡¯ll regret it later.¡± Linghu Chong felt cold sweat on his forehead, secretly glancing at Ning Zhongze and Yue Ling Shan, nodding and replying, ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Ning Zhongze watched this silently, sighing inwardly. From now on, there would likely be an irreparable ¡®thorn¡¯ between Yue Buqun and Linghu Chong. ¡­ In the live broadcast room, Ye Luo Chuan was somewhat lost in thought. As one of Jin Lao¡¯s representative works, The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, Linghu Chong was widely known. But he had always been a controversial character. Some said he was carefree, magnanimous, righteous, and deeply emotional. Others said he was unskilled, ungrateful, deceitful, and even colluded with criminals¡ª a rebellious ingrate. Both sides had compelling arguments for their views. This was the first time Ye Luo Chuan saw such polarized evaluations of a novel character. So, who exactly was Linghu Chong? Which side¡¯s evaluation was more objective? As the saying goes: ¡°Listen to both sides and you will be enlightened, believe one side and you will be in the dark.¡± Thus, Ye Luo Chuan specifically went to read the original work and even read it several times to find evidence. In the end, he personally believed that Linghu Chong was a man with a heart for justice, but lacking a firm understanding of right and wrong, a deeply emotional and carefree wanderer. By the time of the live broadcast, The Smiling, Proud Wanderer had reached the middle of the story. The five main controversies surrounding Linghu Chong had begun to take shape! Chapter 46 - The Unlucky Guy? The Ungrateful Wolf? Analyzing Linghu Chong! Chapter 46 The Unlucky Guy? The Ungrateful Wolf? Analyzing Linghu Chong! First, Offending Fellow Heroes. In the original work, the enmity between Linghu Chong and the Qingcheng Sect started when he took action against Hou Renying and Hong Renxiong, two of the Qingcheng Four Talents. He kicked them away and mockingly referred to their technique as the ¡°Qingcheng Sect¡¯s butt-backward flat-sand falling goose move.¡± Some say that Linghu Chong, being the chief disciple of Mount Hua, shouldn¡¯t have done this, leading to the two sects¡¯ conflict. So, Linghu Chong¡¯s actions against Hou Renying and Hong Renxiong were likely because they had committed some evil deeds. Taking action here offended fellow heroes. Not taking action would have violated the code of chivalry. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. When the Fuwei Escort was wiped out by the Qingcheng Sect, no one from the righteous factions stood up for the Lin family. Many criticized ¡°The Smiling, Proud Wanderer¡± for lacking true heroes. So, did Linghu Chong make a mistake by stepping in? If viewed from the perspective of sect interests, Linghu Chong was wrong. But from the standpoint of personal conduct and character, Linghu Chong was in the right. Second, Concealing the Wuyue Sword Technique and its Countermeasures. This was clearly explained in the original text. Linghu Chong didn¡¯t refuse to speak, but he was interrupted twice and eventually became afraid to speak, or felt it unnecessary. When Linghu Chong used a technique from the stone wall, Yue Buqun slapped him twice. The slaps were so hard that Linghu Chong saw stars, and his face swelled to the point of looking like a bruised pig. Yue Buqun, calling him a ¡°little beast¡± and accusing him of ¡°straying from the righteous path,¡± then started lecturing him on the ¡°correct thought¡± of the ¡°Qi Sect.¡± Who would dare speak further after that? The techniques carved on the stone wall were all martial arts moves! Even if there were lost sword techniques from Mount Hua, they might belong to the Sword Sect. Could Linghu Chong have been bold enough to reveal that? Moreover, after being brainwashed by Yue Buqun, Linghu Chong started to think that his master was the greatest martial artist in the world. As long as one¡¯s internal energy was profound, techniques were mere tricks. After Yue Buqun left, Linghu Chong didn¡¯t even return to examine the stone wall. He avoided thinking about it, always telling himself. ¡°Fortunately, Master stopped me in time; otherwise, I would have gone astray and become a sinner of the sect. It was truly a dangerous situation.¡± Only when he was forced by Tian Boguang on the cliff did he finally go back to look at the stone wall. So, from Ye Luo Chuan¡¯s point of view, Linghu Chong¡¯s concealment of the stone cave¡¯s secrets may have been a mistake, but more so it was Yue Buqun¡¯s own fault. If Yue Buqun hadn¡¯t insisted on maintaining the Qi Sect¡¯s facade, things wouldn¡¯t have escalated that way. Third, the Dugu Nine Swords. Some say that Yue Buqun raised Linghu Chong, but Linghu Chong hid the ¡°Dugu Nine Swords,¡± making him an ungrateful wolf. First, the ¡°Dugu Nine Swords¡± was passed to Linghu Chong by Feng Qingyang. Before passing on the sword techniques, Feng Qingyang had specifically asked Linghu Chong not to reveal the origins of the technique to anyone. Linghu Chong, being a man of honor, would naturally not break his promise to Feng Qingyang, who was his grandmaster and had taught him. Some might argue that Feng Qingyang only forbade Linghu Chong from revealing the origin of the ¡°Dugu Nine Swords,¡± not from teaching it to Yue Buqun. But could Linghu Chong actually do that? When Feng Qingyang taught him, he frequently criticized Yue Buqun as a narrow-minded fool and expressed his disdain for him. Linghu Chong even quarreled with Feng Qingyang because of this. Additionally, when the Sword Sect attacked Mount Hua in a bid for the sect leader position, Feng Bu Ping and Yue Buqun had a ¡°sword energy debate.¡± Linghu Chong overheard, and in the book, there¡¯s a passage where Linghu Chong suddenly thought: ¡°Master Feng only taught me swordsmanship, he¡­ he must be from the Sword Sect. If I learned swordsmanship from him, could that be wrong?¡± At that moment, Linghu Chong realized that Feng Qingyang was from the Sword Sect. And the ¡°Dugu Nine Swords¡± was Feng Qingyang¡¯s¡ªso in Linghu Chong¡¯s mind, it must be Sword Sect technique. But Yue Buqun, who regarded the Sword Sect¡¯s methods as ¡°evil¡± and ¡°demonic,¡± would never accept that. Linghu Chong was so shocked that he broke into a cold sweat. How could he dare to teach it to Yue Buqun? The issue with the stone wall techniques and the ¡°Dugu Nine Swords¡± stemmed from the ongoing ¡°sword energy¡± conflict. Fourth, Befriending Tian Boguang. Tian Boguang was notorious for his crimes, and he truly deserved to be punished. So, why didn¡¯t Linghu Chong kill him and why did they become friends? This was explained earlier. At the core, it comes down to ¡®loyalty¡¯. Even Yue Buqun, despite not agreeing with Linghu Chong¡¯s decision, tacitly accepted it. Otherwise, with Yue Buqun¡¯s temperament, he would never have let it go so easily. In fact, Linghu Chong was caught in a no-win situation. If he didn¡¯t kill Tian Boguang, he would be criticized for ¡®befriending a villain¡¯. If he did kill him, some would say he was ungrateful. No matter what Linghu Chong did, people would think he was wrong. In The Crimson Sabre, the evil monk, Blood Sabre Laozu, was much worse than Tian Boguang! He killed more people and was more despicable, yet the protagonist, Di Yun, never wanted to kill him. Why? Because Blood Sabre Laozu had saved his life. Similarly, Tian Boguang had saved Linghu Chong multiple times. When it comes to the ¡°loyalty¡± in The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, only Linghu Chong had the right not to kill Tian Boguang. But this ¡°loyalty¡± was a small kind of loyalty, not the greater righteousness. Had Linghu Chong¡¯s ¡°loyalty¡± been based on a greater sense of justice, killing Tian Boguang would have been the right thing to do. Fifth, Associating with Villains. It was undeniable that the ¡°Five Bosses¡¯ Gathering¡± was filled with all kinds of people, with far more villains than righteous people. Linghu Chong drank with them, called them brothers, and lived carelessly. Yue Buqun, accusing him of associating with demons and villains, had a point. After all, Mount Hua was a prestigious sect, and Linghu Chong, its top disciple, was publicly associating with those from all walks of life. If this news got out, Mount Hua could have been cut off from the righteous world of martial arts. Linghu Chong¡¯s behavior was more extreme than Liu Zhengfeng¡¯s, who was destroyed by the Songshan Sect for associating with others secretly. But was Linghu Chong to blame? This was a matter of perspective. In conclusion, Ye Luo Chuan believed that in the first three points, Linghu Chong¡¯s actions were not problematic. In the fourth, whether to prioritize small or big loyalty is subjective. In the fifth, it depended on whether would have made the same choice as Linghu Chong in his circumstances. What truly disgusted Ye Luo Chuan about Linghu Chong was his behavior after meeting Xiang Wentian!