“Cult Master Dongfang, you are quite confident in yourself.” Zuo Lengchan confidently sneered despite being strangled. “Today’s Wulin General Assembly is attended by countless top experts of the Jianghu’s righteous sects. Cult Master Dongfang, even if you claim to be invincible, your great martial arts skills are no match against so many opponents.”
Dongfang Bubai nodded and admitted, “Indeed–”
“But you all abducted my Lian di and threatened me to attend this farce. I want to see my Lian di. If you won’t hand him over, I can only use such a method, can only kill a few people and shed some blood. Alliance Chief Zuo, you still have a choice.” While talking, he tightened his grip around Zuo Lengchan’s neck.
Zuo Lengchan the famed Mount Song Sect’s Sect Master and Sword Sect Alliance of the Five Mountains’ Alliance Chief, did not have the strength to oppose Dongfang Bubai at this moment. The many martial artists looked at each other and did not dare to say another word. Unable to breathe, Zuo Lengchan’s face turned blue and white. Staring at the man whose cold hand held his neck he hesitantly admitted, “Cult Master Dongfang, I, Zuo Lengchan may be easily killed by you today, but–”
“The only one here, who knows where that kept man is, is me. Cult Master Dongfang, if you kill me, the guards responsible for detaining Yang Lianting will kill him after–” Staring at him, he slowly laughed out loud. Eyes seething with hatred and laughter sounding vulgar and obscene, he said in a low tone. “Cult Master Dongfang, you truly love your little lover.” He chuckled faintly, “If, I, Zuo Lengchan, am killed I fear your little sweetheart–”
“He’ll be in danger.”[20]
Dongfang Bubai nodded and lightly said, “Indeed.” While he spoke, he loosened his tight grip around Zuo Lengchan’s throat. Caught off guard, Zuo Lengchan limply fell to the floor, clutched his neck and frantically gasped for air. Before he could react, he noticed Dongfang Bubai walking a few steps forward. A row of shining silver needles appeared between his fingers and flew out with a wave of his sleeve. The people standing near the platform did not even have time to scream before they all fell to the floor.
Dead.
Seeing the Invincible East kill people in the blink of an eye, with perfect and undetectable technique, the surroundings grew deathly silent. Everyone gripped their weapons, fearing that they would be the next to die. Instantly, the atmosphere turned tense. Zuo Lengchan, who considered himself cruel and ruthless, could not help but be chilled to the bone in dread. Staring vigilantly at Dongfang Bubai, his heartbeat quickened and his eyes cooled. If I really make an enemy out of such an expert, then… In an instant his whole back was drenched in sweat. Zuo Lengchan narrowed his eyes and thought back to his deal with Ren Yingying and Xiang Wentian prior to the Wulin General Assembly. Once Zuo Lengchan’s frantic heartbeat calmed, he signaled a few people hidden among the crowd and confidently declared, “Cult Master Dongfang threatening you with that Yang Lianting of yours isn’t my Righteous Path’s usual style.” Shaking his head lightly, Zuo Lengchan looked a little distressed. He breathed out a long sigh, then said, “It’s just, nowadays the Demonic Cult is so powerful, we certainly cannot overlook such a critical matter. Eliminating evil and guarding the True Path is the calling of the Righteous Path after all.”
“However, this Zuo also knows that if we truly go to war with your Demonic Cult, he fears rivers of blood shall flow[21] and corpses shall cover the earth. This Zuo has deep trust in his dear brothers of the Wulin and does not want to see any of his brothers losing their lives needlessly. Cult Master Dongfang, you do not want to witness any loss to your congregation either, right?”
Dongfang Bubai felt impatient hearing his speech, he faintly frowned and said, “Why be so long-winded?”
Zuo Lengchan had been part of the Jianghu for many years, always relying on his slick and exquisite speaking ability, but at this moment being interrupted by Dongfang Bubai his face could not avoid appearing a little unsightly.
He waved his hand.
The men standing behind him understood his signal, nodded in acknowledgement, and took out the key to unlock the wooden trunk. Dongfang Bubai noticed their actions and was about to go forward, but Zuo Lengchan smiled lightly and swiftly motioned him to stop. Dongfang Bubai pursed his lips in annoyance.
“Cult Master Dongfang, don’t be impatient.”
Suddenly the trunk’s lid was lifted and bright sunlight shone down on him, Yang Lianting who had grown accustomed to the dim light was nearly blinded. Unable to adapt to the intense light, he creased his brows and closed his eyes. Before he could make a move, he was mercilessly shoved out of the trunk by the guards surrounding it.
Glancing upwards, he met Dongfang Bubai’s eyes that gazed at him from afar. Both of them had not seen each other for many days but now gazing at each other from a distance Yang Lianting felt deep sorrow in the depths of his heart. The piece of cloth that had been stuffed into his mouth prevented him from speaking a single word, so he could only look at that person in red and shake his head to show that he was alright.
Not knowing how wretched he looked.
Yang Lianting’s black robes had been ripped apart by a whip and his skin revealed beneath was covered in dark red cuts, raw flesh and scabbed wounds. His face looked even more appalling, a horrendous scar stretching from his right forehead to his chin, and his complexion was wan and yellow.
The instant Dongfang Bubai saw him, his eyes reddened and his thin figure trembled faintly. Remaining silent, he lowered his eyes and lightly shook his head. Taking a deep breath, clenching his fists, he then stepped towards Zuo Lengchan, step by step.
“You dare to hurt my Lian di!”
Staring into Dongfang Bubai’s eyes, Zuo Lengchan could not help but feel a shiver down his spine. Cursing Ren Yingying and Xiang Wentian in his heart, he narrowed his eyes and slowly said without showing a change in expression, “Cult Master Dongfang please wait a moment.”
“Brother Yang was not hurt by me.”
“It’s just, I am currently the only one here who can order him to be released.”
Zuo Lengchan grinned like an old fox, glanced at the tied up Yang Lianting and disdainfully sighed in his heart. He could not imagine why a formidable martial artist like the Invincible East would fall for such a lowly servant. He hoped that the reports by Ren Yingying and Xiang Wentian were true, otherwise– Taking a deep breath, Zuo Lengchan’s eyes flickered. He was betting on the lives of all the people present. If he failed, the consequences would be disastrous. “Cult Master Dongfang it’s rumored you’re very fond of Brother Yang, you’re willing to disregard anything for his sake. Is this true?”
“Of course not!” Tong Baixiong stormed forward to deny the rumor. He had been standing aside, barely restraining his anger. Seeing them use Yang Lianting to threaten Dongfang Bubai, he thought that these righteous sects were all deceptive hypocrites. Unable to endure any longer, he sternly shouted, “Zuo Lengchan what do you intend to do?”
“No matter what you’re plotting, I, Old Tong, will stop you!”
“Tong Baixiong, Cult Master Dongfang is present. So it’s not your turn to speak, is it?” Zuo Lengchan coldly snorted, did not pay any more attention to him, and continued to speak, “If Cult Master Dongfang intends to make an enemy out of the Righteous Path and forcibly take back Yang Lianting from this Zuo, I fear that even if you seize him, he will still suffer cuts and bruises.”
“My, Zuo Lengchan’s life doesn’t matter, but the life of Cult Master Dongfang’s kept man is quite delicate–”
“Conditions.” Dongfang Bubai glanced at Yang Lianting and softly said, “Tell me your conditions.”
“Alright!” Zuo Lengchan laughed loudly and clapped his hands, “Cult Master Dongfang cares about love and righteousness. The first condition is simple. The Demonic Cult shall present twenty pawnshops, brothels, and… banks. The Demonic Cult shall also withdraw its Halls from the Central Plains.”[22]
Tong Baixiong became anxious as soon as the first condition was stated, but before he could retort, Dongfang Bubai nodded. He looked at Yang Lianting who was restrained by guards in the distance. Standing still his tall figure appeared imposing, despite complying to threat. He pursed his lips, lowered his eyelids, and said in a low voice, “This Seat accepts the condition.”
Hearing him agree, the crowd was in an uproar. Handing over the banks, pawnshops and brothels meant handing over the cult’s vital financial resources. Since the Invincible East complied then from now on the Demonic Cult would be greatly impacted and never be able to oppose the Central Plains’ Wulin again.
“Cult Master!” Tong Baixiong’s eyes were bloodshot, he fell to his knees and kowtowed to Dongfang Bubai until his forehead was bloody, “You mustn’t!”
“You mustn’t be deceived by this hypocrite and give up the Holy Cult’s foundation for that cowardly villain Yang Lianting! Cult Master, you’re confused!”
“Confused?” Dongfang Bubai glanced at Tong Baixiong who knelt on the ground. Eyes flickering, emotions indiscernible, he said in a light voice, “Elder Tong, you don’t understand.”
“Alright! If there’s a first condition, naturally there’s a second.” Zuo Lengchan was glad to see Dongfang Bubai comply, he had been worried that Ren Yingying and Xiang Wentian’s abnormal claims were false. The Invincible East was truly muddle-headed to give up the foundation of the Demonic Cult for a kept man. He suddenly thought that as long as he held that Yang Lianting, then the Invincible East might agree to whatever he wanted. His eyes narrowed and his smile brightened.
“The second condition is simple as well.”
“This Zuo has always liked peaceful days and grown tired of the endless fighting and killing. So, the Demonic Cult shall keep a low profile and not initiate any conflict with the Wulin’s righteous sects. This Zuo shall remember Cult Master Dongfang’s benevolence.”
“This Seat accepts the condition.” Dongfang Bubai expressed his agreement in a faint tone without emotion.
“Cult Master Dongfang, I appreciate your frankness and will not delay further. The third condition–”
“Cult Master Dongfang, you’re famed as the world’s first and your divine martial arts are unrivaled in the Wulin. Even I, Zuo Lengchan, Mount Song Sect’s Sect Master, must admit that I am no match for you.”
“Today, I am threatening you with Yang Lianting’s life. The Jianghu knows that you, Cult Master Dongfang, are ruthless and cruel, able to kill in the blink of an eye. If I let you leave without any consequences, you will renege on the two conditions we just agreed upon and in the future you will certainly take revenge on all of us here until even our corpses are crushed to dust.”
“This Zuo cherishes life, so–” Zuo Lengchan paused and said “The third condition is simple as well. Cult Master Dongfang, you shall break your own tendons and veins, abolish your martial arts in front of us all!”
“Zuo Lengchan you deceitful bigot!” Tong Baixiong rushed forward and drew his blade to brutally hack Zuo Lengchan into pieces. Before the sharp edge cut him apart, he quickly retreated half a step backward and several people rushed forward to block Tong Baixiong. Unable to get close, his chest violently rose and fell in anger. He gritted his teeth and then turned to the man held hostage in the back, “Yang Lianting, you villain!”
“You deceived the Cult Master, flattered and enticed him, so now he wants to break his tendons and veins, abolish his martial arts for your sake!”
“If you still have a trace of conscience, you should bite your tongue and kill yourself! You mustn’t live in this world and keep harming others!”
“I, Tong Baixiong, am loyal to Brother Dongfang and do not fear death! I swear, I’ll crush your bones to dust for his sake!
Yang Lianting struggled to spit out the cloth stuffed into his mouth and took a deep breath. Laughing loudly, he stared at Zuo Lengchan instead of looking at Tong Baixiong. His words were full of undisguised sarcasm and contempt, “Since when did you righteous and heroic sects use such despicable means?”
“Threatening Dongfang with me? What a great scheme!”
“If Dongfang abolishes his martial arts, as you said, will you all keep him alive? How utterly ridiculous!”
“In this lifetime, lowly and weak vermin such as you, should all be suppressed under the might of the Holy Cult forever!”
Catching his breath, Yang Lianting paused for a moment and looked toward Dongfang Bubai. That person in red stood among the crowd, remaining silent. Even though the timing and location were off, but the instant their eyes met Yang Lianting could not restrain the endless bitterness and affection from surging deep in his heart. He gently smiled at Dongfang Bubai.
Yang Lianting stood in place, watching him end a life with a flick of his hand, watching him choke Zuo Lengchan till he was unable to move, watching all the prestigious sects present freeze in fear and not daring to act rashly because of him alone.
My Dongfang.
Matchless, powerful, and proud.
“Dongfang, don’t worry, don’t listen to him, I’m alright.”
“Brother Yang, you’re quite arrogant for a prisoner.” Coldly snorting, Zuo Lengchan interrupted Yang Lianting and said, “Do you really think if you fight back, Cult Master Dongfang will be able to rescue you in time?”
“Cult Master Dongfang, this Zuo disdains lying and usually takes precautions against unexpected actions. If you refuse the third condition and go on a killing spree to take back that Yang Lianting, to be honest I won’t be able to stop you.”
“But Brother Yang is poisoned. Cult Master Dongfang, I fear there is no way to cure him–” Zuo Lengchan clapped his hands and the two men holding him acknowledged his instruction, directly lifting Yang Lianting’s torn robe above his waist and abdomen. Horrid black and purple marks spread from his lower abdomen towards his heart and lungs.
“Only I know where the antidote is.”
“Cult Master Dongfang, I never thought that an insignificant servant could be used to threaten you like this, never thought that you, the infamous Invincible East, actually like men!”
“For this man you’re willing to comply with any of this Zuo’s requests, this affection is truly… moving.”
“Of course, if you are not willing to accept the conditions–” Zuo Lengchan smilingly said, “Today’s exchange will simply be a nice chat and we will both act like nothing happened. I will just kill this lowly servant of yours, while you go back to Blackwood Cliff and continue to sit atop the Sun Moon Holy Cult.”
Dongfang Bubai seemed to have ignored what Zuo Lengchan had to say, not listening to a single word of his speech. His eyes were fixated on the slowly spreading black and purple marks on Yang Lianting’s abdomen, his eyes met Yang Lianting’s and he softly asked, “Lian di, are you unwell?”
Yang Lianting took a deep breath and lightly shook his head, “No, I’m alright.”
Dongfang Bubai shook his head and smiled at him, “Lian di, you’re deceiving me again.”
“I know the poison Alliance Chief Zuo gave you, it’s a poison only the Chief of the Sword Sect Alliance of the Five Mountains can access. This violent poison will gnaw on the poisoned like a thousand insects every night, the pain unbearable, and its purple and blue marks will slowly spread upward to the heart and lungs. The poison is without a cure and treatment is impossible.”
“Cult Master Dongfang has good eyesight. Indeed, this is that poison. When dealing with Brother Yang, how can this Zuo use an ordinary poison? It is said that the Demonic Cult has a divine doctor, the Killer Physician[23] Ping Yizhi, so of course precautions must be taken.”
“But, Brother Yang, you’re quite impressive.”[24] Zuo Lengchan seemed amazed, “The poison has been spreading for a few days and you must be in torment every night, yet you haven’t uttered a single word. Brother Yang, you’ve got quite the backbone. The man who caught Cult Master Dongfang’s eye must be different!”
Dongfang Bubai pursed his lips. Slightly lowered his eyes the emotional fluctuations within could not be discerned. Suddenly, he stretched out his hand toward Yang Lianting.
“Alliance Chief Zuo, this Seat accepts your three conditions. But you must take out the antidote first and release Lian di. Once you let him safely leave, I will honor all three conditions.”