When the topic of the Demon Sect came up, everyone seemed to have a lot to say.
“I’ve heard that the Demon Sect’s leader, Xie Yingxian, is extremely vicious and cruel. He’s even worse than his father, Xie Changyun. When he was young, he would eat a three-year-old child every day to practice his skills… and he didn’t even cook them, he ate them raw, with blood dripping from his mouth. After eating, he would howl three times…”
Hua Yan thought to herself, that’s absolutely not true. Xie Yingxian isn’t some wild wolf!
And his appetite isn’t that exaggerated!
“That’s right! I’ve heard that Xie Yingxian started practicing demonic skills at the age of three, killed his first person at five, and by seven, he was a mass murderer! He has a green face and fangs, eyes like copper bells, a nose like a bull demon, a body full of muscles, and a towering stature. When he stands there, even children are scared to tears!”
Hua Yan thought, this doesn’t sound human at all, and it seems so familiar!
Isn’t this exactly how they described Lu Chengsha in their sect?
…Rumors are indeed unreliable!
“And there’s more. I’ve heard that this Demon Sect leader commits all kinds of heinous acts, including rape and plunder. When he’s in a good mood, he would raid nearby villages, killing all the men and defiling all the women! He’s utterly wicked!”
“That’s not all. Rumor has it that he’s so lecherous that he doesn’t even spare men!”
Hua Yan was bewildered. Where did all these rumors come from?
Is Xie Yingxian really that impressive?
How come she never knew despite knowing him for so long!
Back then, the former leader’s wife of their sect wanted a grandchild so badly that she kept sending various beauties into Xie Yingxian’s room, even having her mother teach those beauties seductive arts. It forced Xie Yingxian to flee, wandering for three months with two maidservants before reluctantly returning.
If the former leader’s wife knew that her son was so formidable in these rumors, she would be quite gratified in the afterlife!
“So, capturing the Demon Sect leader this time has truly eliminated a great menace from the martial world! But I’ve heard that the Demon Sect leader Xie Yingxian is highly skilled in martial arts. How was he captured?”
Hua Yan immediately pricked up her ears; she wanted to know too.
“Apparently, the leader of the Dangshan Sect, Ling Tianxiao, teamed up with elders and masters from over ten other sects to set a trap. They lured the Demon Sect leader alone into their midst and used the Thousand Pound Sword Formation of the Dangshan Sect to suppress him, severely injuring the Demon Sect leader and rendering him unable to resist. He was then taken all the way back to the dungeon of the Dangshan Sect.”
Hua Yan was in a daze. This sounded so fantastical.
Xie Yingxian was tricked and then beaten into submission and thrown into a dungeon.
She must have known a fake Xie Yingxian.
“So, will this demon be dealt with by the Dangshan Sect?”
“Of course not! Isn’t it just in time for the Sword Conference? I’ve heard that the decision on how to deal with the Demon Sect leader hasn’t been made yet. Most likely, it will be decided by the sect battles in this Sword Conference.”
“Hahaha, in that case, the Tingjian Manor must be fighting tooth and nail to take the lead.”
“This Sword Conference will definitely be a spectacle!”
“I wonder if any of the Demon Sect members will try to sneak in, especially since their leader has been captured!”
“I doubt it. This time, the city has strict regulations for martial artists entering. They must register their names and have an invitation to the conference. I’ve seen several reclusive warriors and lone wanderers stuck at the city gate, waiting for other known heroes to vouch for them before they could enter.”
This was indeed true.
When Hua Yan entered the city, she noticed that there were checkpoints set up a hundred meters away from the gate to prevent unwanted guests. If anyone from the Demon Sect was discovered, the signal would be ignited immediately, and they would be swarmed and killed.
If she had come alone, she wouldn’t be certain if she could get in.
Of course, now it was much easier since she was with Lu Chengsha, whose reputation alone ensured their entry.
No one would suspect that Lu Chengsha would bring a member of the Demon Sect into the city.
Moreover, she currently had no internal energy and would collapse with a push or fall to her knees with a hit—assuming they could hit her, of course.
However, being with Lu Chengsha also had its complications.
For example, at times like this—
“Young Hero Lu, I am Yu Qingshan, a disciple of the Leiting Sect. My master is… I have come here to challenge the swordsmanship of the Lu family from the Tingjian Manor. I hope Young Hero Lu will grant me this honor. I have been practicing martial arts for over twenty years…”
Someone from the back immediately shouted, “Can you hurry up? There are people waiting!”
The rushed Yu Qingshan started sweating, “Alright, alright, I’ll be brief…”
Lu Chengsha didn’t even draw his sword. He floated over and gently placed his palm on Yu Qingshan’s shoulder. Yu Qingshan, treating this as a dire situation, assumed a highly cautious defensive stance, and then…
He was sent flying with a single palm strike from Lu Chengsha.
Yu Qingshan crashed into the wall and slumped to the ground. It took him a long time to get back up, wanting to continue the fight, but unfortunately, someone else had already taken his place.
“He lost. Next, next!”
“Hey, you can’t cut in line after losing! If you want another match, go to the back!”
Hua Yan lay on the table of Dongfeng Buye Tower, feeling utterly bored.
At first, she was excited to see people challenge Lu Chengsha, but by the seventh challenger, she was already slumped on the table, too lazy to move.
She was getting tired of hearing the same self-introductions from the challengers.
However, none of them were any good!
Naturally, the disciples from the major sects were waiting for the main competition of the Sword Conference and saw no need to cause trouble now. The ones coming now were from small sects, hoping to try their luck. After all, surviving a few dozen moves against Lu Chengsha would be enough to make a name for themselves.
Unfortunately, they all lost within three moves.
Hua Yan glanced back at the queue.
This isn’t going to work!
If her internal energy were still intact, there wouldn’t be many in that line who could match her.
Boring.
Hua Yan pondered for a moment and decided to ditch Lu Chengsha and go for a stroll!
After all, even if Yu Ye’s pursuers from the Demon Sect managed to sneak in, they wouldn’t dare to openly capture her now!
***
In recent days, disciples from various major sects had been arriving in the city. The inns near the city gate had been fully booked two months ago. Some of the nearby townsfolk, tempted by the opportunity, had even rented out their rooftops for tourists to get a better view, making the city bustling with activity every day.
The taverns and tea houses were lively all night, filled with constant noise.
From time to time, city residents could see heroes leaping over rooftops, drawing gasps of amazement as they passed by.
Some heroes even got into arguments in the city, leading to brawls. Immediately, spectators would call their friends to come and watch, with some even egging on the fighters.
Everyone was having a great time, except for the Dangshan Sect members.
The Dangshan Sect was having a hard time every day. They had sent many disciples to maintain order, ensuring that nothing too chaotic would happen before the conference. But despite the manpower, it was still difficult to respond promptly to every incident.
In the past couple of days, Hua Yan had seen many Dangshan Sect members around the city. Their attire was a dull grayish-blue, resembling bricks, with black collars and cuffs. Only a few disciples wore crimson headbands.
“Those with red headbands are the inner disciples who have formally taken a master,” a waiter whispered to her.
Hua Yan nodded in understanding.
Indeed, during the capture of troublemakers, those with red headbands displayed remarkable bravery.
However, typically, just as they resolved one issue, someone would immediately call out, “Senior Brother/Sister, we received a report that some heroes from the Leiting Sect and the Pilili Sect are fighting in the north of the city. Hurry!”
The red headbands would then rush to the scene.
Hua Yan couldn’t help but ask, “Is it always like this? That must be exhausting.”
An older hero nearby said, “Only the Dangshan Sect and Tingjian Manor are so strict. Qingcheng Sect was much more relaxed back then.” He took a hearty sip from his wine bowl and laughed, “The fights were truly enjoyable that year! Qingzhou has excellent wine, food, scenery, and interesting people. It was truly marvelous. It’s a pity that the hosting sect rotates every year, and we have to wait fifteen years for another turn.”
Hua Yan nodded knowingly.
After some time of gathering information, she was no longer as clueless as before!
Among the five major sects, Qingcheng Sect was laid-back, Baiya Peak was aloof, Fanyin Temple was Buddhist and serene, while Dangshan Sect and Tingjian Manor were the strictest. Particularly, Dangshan Sect had very rigid rules: disciples’ attire must be uniform, clothes must be tidy, no constant joking around, and no insubordination… the list went on and on.
Disciples were also strictly ranked. New entrants were unified as outer disciples. After a period of study within the sect, if an elder or senior master was willing to formally take them as a disciple, they became inner disciples. Those who received direct teachings from the sect leader were known as personal disciples.
Of course, she still hadn’t seen what the personal disciples of Dangshan Sect wore.
Cough, cough…But she had seen those from Tingjian Manor.
Speaking of which, Hua Yan couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous. Lu Chengsha had told her that the people from Tingjian Manor would be arriving today, and naturally, they were supposed to meet up. She, as the extra person, felt quite awkward!
“It’s the people from Tingjian Manor!”
“Tingjian Manor has arrived!”
Speak of the devil!
Hua Yan immediately poked her head out to look outside.
On the street below the teahouse, a group of more than ten people dressed in black walked in, their imposing presence making them stand out. Aside from the two senior-looking figures who were past their thirties, the disciples following them were all dressed in black robes trimmed with silver. Their long hair was tied up high, and they walked in perfect sync. The most striking feature was the swords at their waists, each one evidently extraordinary, from the beautiful hilt to the tip of the scabbard. The sword tassels varied in color: three blue, one gray, and the rest yellow.
Just like the distinction in Dangshan Sect, the gray ones were outer disciples, the yellow ones were inner disciples, and the blue ones were personal disciples.
Their arrival sparked a buzz, almost as much as when Lu Chengsha attracted attention.
They marched straight to the entrance of Dongfeng Buye Tower.
Hua Yan followed their gaze.
There she saw Lu Chengsha, still fighting at the inn’s entrance.
Good heavens, he still hasn’t finished, and the queue seems to have grown even longer!
The people from Tingjian Manor obviously noticed this too.
The leading middle-aged man, with a handsome beard and a very heroic look, had a cold and rigid expression. His voice was as cold and rigid as his expression: “Chengsha, come here.”
Lu Chengsha lightly pushed away the next challenger and walked over.
The middle-aged man then said, “Let’s go.”
After that, he said nothing more.
One of the young disciples with a blue sword tassel sneered and said sarcastically, “You really know how to show off, don’t you? Teach me how to be in the spotlight next time?”
Lu Chengsha acted as if he hadn’t heard anything.
“What, cat got your tongue? It’s been so long, why don’t you say something?”
He wanted to say more, but the middle-aged man spoke again, this time with a hint of helplessness mixed in his previously icy tone: “Chengzhao.”
“Fine, fine, I won’t say anything. It’s like I’m bullying him. How could I dare bully the renowned Young Hero Lu Chengsha?” He nudged another companion with a blue sword tassel beside him. “Chengyang, don’t you agree?”
Hua Yan looked displeased. “Who is this guy?”
A person beside her responded, “You mean the one who just spoke? That’s Lu Chengzhao! You don’t know him? He’s the grandson of the old master of Tingjian Manor! Hey, you better not offend him. If you offend anyone, don’t offend him. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“What happens if I offend him?”
The person gave her a look and lowered their voice, “Girl, you’re not stupid, are you?”
Then Hua Yan understood why.
There was once a disciple from a small sect who offended Lu Chengzhao. He was crippled by Lu Chengzhao, his face pressed into the mud, and his hand and foot tendons severed. The master of that small sect, not wanting to offend Tingjian Manor, expelled him under pressure. Since then, he disappeared from the martial world.
What gives people like him the right to act this way!
Hua Yan was furious. She followed behind and walked inside.
Since she had been entering and exiting with Lu Chengsha for the past few days, no one stopped her as she walked all the way to the courtyard prepared specifically for Tingjian Manor within Dongfeng Buye Tower.
The courtyard was naturally filled with pavilions, towers, artificial hills, flowing water, and beautiful scenery. There were about twenty rooms, with Lu Chengsha and Hua Yan each occupying one, leaving plenty of space.
After waiting for a while, when all the disciples of Tingjian Manor had settled into their rooms and the footsteps gradually subsided, Hua Yan went over.
Just as she was thinking, a door suddenly opened, and a disciple with a yellow sword tassel walked out.
Their eyes met, and both were momentarily stunned.
Hua Yan reacted faster, flashing a sweet smile and was about to speak when the yellow sword tassel disciple suddenly said, “The innkeeper is sensible. It looks like everything is arranged. Hurry up and get inside.”
Hua Yan was puzzled. “…?”
Confused, she followed him inside. The yellow sword tassel disciple said, “The person has arrived,” then shut the door with a loud bang.
Inside, someone had removed their outer robe, their back facing her. The voice was rough and impatient, “Since you’re here, hurry up and come over. Start by massaging my shoulders and legs. This journey has worn me out. Oh, and remember to keep your voice down later. If anyone hears, I’ll cut out your tongue right now. Believe it or not?”
Hua Yan’s face turned fierce upon hearing this.
Ha! She thought, rolling up her sleeves as she walked toward Lu Chengzhao.