Two-Headed Red Snake 5

The stone gate opened again, and as everyone held their breath in anticipation, a beautiful young woman made her entrance. She had long black hair cascading down her back, wore a pink gauze dress, and moved with agility, without a trace of allure.

The man who entered behind her was an elderly man with a full head of white hair and a white beard. He walked briskly, with a restrained expression, and held a long pole in his hand. He casually waved it as he passed Xu Tan.

Just as Abbot Tan Jue was about to slam his fist on the table and stand up, two more people walked in through the door. They wore masks, one yellow and one purple, both with ghostly faces, baring their teeth and brandishing their claws, which was quite terrifying. Their steps were extremely light, as if they were floating.

The four of them kept their eyes straight ahead, walked past the crowd, found their seats, and sat down.

The next person to enter was extremely enthusiastic. He looked to be only in his early twenties, with long, fiery red hair that swayed in the air in a magnificent arc. He was dressed in revealing clothing, flirting with his chest as he walked, and squatted down by the Kunlun Sect table, insisting that Ji Zhou touch his pectoral muscles.

Ji Buyu almost burst out laughing, but Xiao Congzhi forced him to stop with a sharp look.

The person behind him rushed into the Kunlun Sect, grabbed the fiery red hair, and rescued Ji Zhou from danger. Upon closer inspection, this person was indeed handsome, with delicate features that were no less than Xiao Congzhi's, but his face was too pale and his body was extremely thin, so it would not be surprising if he died at any moment.

Then a child walked in, carrying a string of candied hawthorns. He skipped and hopped, and when he passed by the Snow Mountain Sect, he stared at Xiao Congzhi. Then, in front of everyone, he jumped onto the Snow Mountain Sect's table and reached out to Xiao Congzhi for a hug.

Xiao Congzhi: ...

Ji Buyu quickly covered his mouth, afraid of laughing out loud and getting beaten up.

Xiao Congzhi showed no pity whatsoever, and with a flick of his folding fan, sent the child flying.

Everyone rushed to look, but there was no child on the ground, only a strong adult man wearing tattered clothes.

"The art of collarbone kung fu has been absent from the martial arts world for a long time," Yang Yanshu sighed.

These individuals were so abnormal that Abbot Tan Jue forgot to react. After Suo Gu Gong also took his seat, there was no movement at the door for a long time. Everyone craned their necks to look, only to feel a gust of wind whistling past. When they came to their senses, there was another man in black beside the seven people. His whole body was wrapped in black cloth, and his face was also bound with black bandages, only revealing a pair of red eyes.

“Interference technique.” Ji Buyu muttered to himself. Shi Xuan, the girl from Midnight Bell, had used this technique before, but this person dressed entirely in black seemed to be even more skilled at it.

"Cough cough cough cough!!" Then came a series of earth-shattering coughs, and another old man was helped in. Unlike the previous one who had an air of otherworldly wisdom, this one was old and frail, with unsteady steps, and did not seem to have any martial arts skills.

The man who helped the old man was nine feet tall, with a cold and stern face. He walked past the crowd with a solemn expression.

"Ding-a-ling—" After a series of bell rings, everyone realized that these were the ten elders of the Demonic Sect.

"Is this demonic sect a theatrical troupe?" Ji Buyu leaned close to Xiao Congzhi's ear and asked in a low voice.

Xiao Congzhi's lips twitched. He pointed with his finger, indicating that Ji Buyu should look in the direction of the Ten Elders. Ji Buyu turned his head in confusion and saw that the black-clad figure with a pair of red eyes staring straight at him. He immediately lowered his head guiltily.

Xu Tan took a deep breath, stood up while holding onto the table, and was about to speak to the ten elders when the sound of string and wind instruments started again.

Another person walked in through the door. Xu Tan turned around abruptly and saw a young man wearing a black robe with dark patterns and red trim walking steadily in front of him.

Upon seeing this person, the crowd suddenly remembered that the most distinctive feature of the Demonic Sect a hundred years ago was this black robe with dark patterns and red trim. People couldn't tell whether the red trim was blood or not; they only knew that if the red trim rolled, there must be blood.

The man who walked in was tall and upright, neither humble nor arrogant, with a brisk pace and profound inner strength. Everyone was unable to figure out his identity and unconsciously lowered their breathing.

Xu Tan turned around, frowned at the newcomer, and asked, "Are you the leader of the Demonic Sect?"

"Right Protector of the Demonic Sect, Xi Haojun." After speaking, Xi Haojun raised his eyes and swept them over the crowd. His eyes were arrogant, but his words were gentle. "I am here on the orders of the Sect Leader to deliver a message to all the heroes of the martial world."

Xu Tan's brow twitched.

"The Demonic Sect's relocation to the Central Plains is a matter of divine mandate and inevitable trend. We, the Martial Alliance and the Nine Great Sects, extend our congratulations on behalf of the Central Plains martial arts community. Anlingting Prefecture shall be the Demonic Sect's headquarters from this day forward. We are deeply grateful to all heroes of the martial world who wish to attend the banquet at the Demonic Sect's headquarters. Therefore…"

"Therefore, those who celebrate raise their cups to drink together, but this is not the case; their lives are left to the evil cult."

The voice appeared suddenly, without warning, and everyone hurriedly looked up...

"Young Master Mo!!"

"Is this the one who saved the Emei Sect Leader?"

"Could Young Master Mo be Xie Mowen, the leader of the Demonic Sect?!"

"What is your purpose in hiding among us under an assumed name?!"

Xie Mowen sat leisurely on the roof, a smile playing on his lips, watching the noisy chaos below. With a flick of his finger, he sent a gust of wind through the crowd of martial arts heroes.

"Right Protector, recite the list of offerings."

Xi Haojun raised his right hand, and a bamboo scroll unfurled: "Wei Zhao from Shaolin Temple, Guo Linchuan, Chen Xi... Guo Shuhan from the Snow Mountain Sect, Liao Yuling from the Huashan Sect, Yue Han..."

The more these names were read aloud, the worse the expressions on everyone's faces became. Even Ji Buyu almost lost his composure when he heard the name Guo Shuhan.

Xi Haojun stated bluntly, without a trace of emotion: "Over the past twenty years, the Central Plains martial arts world has planted a total of thirty-two spies in the Demonic Sect: twelve from Shaolin, eight from Wudang, one from Xueshan, two from Huashan, one from Kunlun, one from Kongtong, three from Diancang, one from Qingcheng, three from Emei, and zero from the Martial Alliance. Except for... Dong Jing from the Kunlun Sect, who died unexpectedly, the remaining thirty-one were all settled at the foot of Youheng Mountain."

"What!" The Kongtong Sect Leader couldn't contain his excitement and even knocked over his teacup when he stood up.

The others were in a slightly better position than him, but not by much. Their fellow disciples, whom they thought were long dead, were still alive. Who wouldn't be moved by that?!

Oh, Xu Tan, in the past twenty years, the Martial Alliance has not placed anyone in the Demonic Sect. This time, joy and sorrow are ultimately beyond our comprehension.

Those present, such as Ji Buyu, had already decided to congratulate the Demonic Sect on its relocation, but that was out of consideration for Xie Mowen. Regardless of past grievances, this was truly an unexpected joy.

Xi Haojun glanced coldly at everyone's excitement and continued, "Those who celebrate our Demonic Sect today may go to Youheng Mountain tomorrow to collect their own disciples. Otherwise, we will wipe them out first."

"You ignorant brat, how dare you speak so arrogantly!" Abbot Tan Jue stood up angrily, while his eldest disciple pretended to stop him and calm him down.

“Abbot Tan Jue is welcome to give it a try.” Xie Mowen leaped down from the eaves and landed lightly in front of Abbot Tan Jue. With a flick of his wrist, he gestured for him to proceed.

The eldest disciple cried out in tears, "Master, think of your junior brothers! Think of them!"

Abbot Tan Jue was so angry that he was panting heavily. He glared at Xie Mowen and blew a breath of resentment. Just as he was about to speak, he heard the clear voice of Ji Buyu from the Snow Mountain Sect from another direction.

"On behalf of the Snow Mountain Sect, I congratulate Master Xie on his housewarming." After saying this, Ji Buyu picked up the teacup on the table and downed it in one gulp.

Xiao Congzhi raised his eyebrows with amusement: "You'd be willing to be the first one?"

Ji Buyu waved his hand dismissively: "Just relax and watch the show."

Xie Mowen waved to Ji Buyu from afar and said loudly, "Congratulations, Sect Leader Xie Ji."

After Ji Buyu sat down, Liao Fei from Emei became the second person to sit down. She stood up and held the teacup in her hand very neatly: "Liao Fei from Emei, firstly, I am grateful for the life-saving grace, and secondly, I am grateful to the leader for helping Emei to eliminate evil. On behalf of Emei, I congratulate the Demonic Sect on its relocation to the Central Plains."

Before Yang Yanshu could even offer a word of advice to his sect leader, his master hurriedly stood up after Liao Fei sat down: "Kongtong congratulates the Demonic Sect on its relocation."

Jiang Xu was a little anxious. He looked at his sect leader, who was also his father, and whispered, "Master?"

"Just do it if you want to."

The next moment, Jiang Xu stood up and, unusually, carefully chose his words when addressing Xie Mowen: "Jiang Xu, acting head of the Qingcheng Sect, congratulates Sect Leader Xie on his return to the Central Plains."

In the blink of an eye, all four major sects had expressed their stance. Abbot Tan Jue was furious, blowing his beard and cursing, "Don't be bewitched by these evil spirits!!" He then turned to Xu Tan, "Alliance Leader Xu, since no one is being manipulated, aren't you going to do anything about it?"

Under the threatening gazes of Shaolin and Wudang, Xu Tan found himself in a difficult position and was forced to draw his sword. He addressed Xie Mowen with righteous indignation: "The Martial Alliance will never tolerate the Demonic Sect entering the Central Plains."

After saying that, he raised his sword and attacked Xie Mowen.

Clang! Clang!

Before he could even get close, he was stopped. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Yun Shaocheng, who was holding up his longsword to block Xu Tan's sword.

Xu Tan looked surprised and asked, "Shao Cheng?"

Xie Mowen glanced at Xu Tan and said indifferently, "Alliance Leader Xu, let's deal with my Demonic Sect's Left Protector first."

Xu Tan looked at Yun Shaocheng in disbelief, while Yun Shaocheng calmly sheathed his sword: "Thank you for your humility, Alliance Leader Xu."

"I've heard that Alliance Leader Xu intends to betroth his beloved daughter to Shao Cheng." Xie Mowen suddenly blinked and said sarcastically, "Our Demonic Sect's protectors do not marry into families, but they can marry."

Yun Shaocheng took a breath, trembling. If the timing hadn't been so bad, he really wanted to beat Xie Mowen up!

These words infuriated Xu Tan, leaving him speechless and seemingly drained of energy. He stood frozen in place, clearly useless.

Abbot Tan Jue was even angrier. He pointed at Xie Mowen and angrily shouted, "You are full of tricks and have ulterior motives!"

Xie Mowen shook his head slightly and said calmly, "Three hundred years ago, the Demonic Sect was located in the Central Plains. Although its martial arts and mental techniques were unique and its style of doing things deviated from the righteous martial arts world, it was not the root of the bloodshed. This time, it is just putting things back on the right track."

"This is distorting the truth and spouting nonsense!"

Abbot Tan Jue pushed aside his eldest disciple, picked up his staff, and was about to compete with Xie Mowen when the commotion from the Kunlun Sect thwarted him again.

"Kunlun Sect sends its congratulations on your new home, on behalf of our Master, in gratitude for the kindness shown by Sect Leader Xie regarding the matter of Dong Jing."

After Ji Zhou sat down, the Huashan Sect Leader, who was good for nothing and only knew how to flatter Xu Tan, stood up with a trembling body and said, "Huashan Sect congratulates the Sect Leader."

Thus, only Shaolin and Wudang remain.

Xie Mowen took the long sword from Yun Shaocheng, stood in front of Abbot Tan Jue, and waited with a slight smile for Tan Jue to make his move.

This battle seemed unavoidable. Not far away, Xiao Congzhi frowned and stared intently in Xie Mowen's direction.

"Worried? How could Brother Mo have come? He was unconscious yesterday, and this morning he was barely breathing."

"The Carefree Pill," Xiao Congzhi replied in a cold tone.

"What!" Ji Buyu exclaimed, "Is he out of his mind?!"

The Carefree Pill, as its name suggests, guarantees a day of carefree bliss. As long as a person is alive, they can regain their peak condition. However, after one day, the backlash is extremely severe, and it is said to cause pain as if a thousand ants are gnawing at one's blood vessels.

Xiao Congzhi shook his head. If possible, Yun Shaocheng, Xi Haojun, the ten elders, and even he himself could go up and fight this battle for Xie Mowen, but not. This was not a simple matter of suppressing with force, but rather a matter of letting the martial arts world see Xie Mowen from now on.

Abbot Tan Jue's offensive was about to begin...

"Wait a minute!" The Wudang sect leader stood up.

Abbot Tan Jue suddenly looked at the Wudang Sect Leader, his eyes bluntly questioning whether the Wudang Sect Leader intended to betray him!

The Wudang sect leader hastily cupped his hands in greeting: "The Wudang sect, on behalf of Shaolin, congratulates the Demonic Sect."

After saying that, he walked up to Abbot Tan Jue and half-dragged, half-carried and pushed him away.

At this point, the Martial Alliance and the nine major sects of the Jianghu all congratulated the Demonic Sect on its relocation. The Demonic Sect had returned to the Central Plains and achieved great success, and the banquet officially began.

The sound of string and wind instruments rose again, and white smoke swirled around. From who knows where, many people appeared, each carrying delicacies and fine wines, which were placed on the stone table.

The people from Wudang and Shaolin left completely, and Xu Tan also made a hasty exit. The leaders of Huashan and Kunlun sects hurriedly left with their alliance leader, though a few of their disciples remained, such as Ji Zhou.

Liao Fei deliberately went around to Xie Mowen and toasted him, saying that they were even from now on, but the way she drank didn't seem like it.

After Emei left, the Kongtong Sect Leader hesitated and left as well. When he left, he took the Qingcheng Sect Leader with him, but left Yang Yanshu and Jiang Xu behind. Jiang Xu immediately took a wine pot and sat down on the Snow Mountain Sect's territory.

Ji Buyu was definitely not going to leave. His disciples tried to persuade him with bitter faces, but when they couldn't, they sat down and started eating.

The Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, which the Demonic Sect had been preparing for for months, started with great fanfare, but in the end, very few people actually ate and drank properly. There were only a few people from the righteous martial arts world, plus about ten members of the Demonic Sect.

The leader of the Demonic Sect, who had attracted a lot of attention, didn't arrange a seat for himself. He strolled over to the Snow Mountain Sect, plopped down next to Xiao Congzhi, and leaned against him, ignoring the many eyes watching.

Xiao Congzhi continued pouring and drinking wine, only straining his shoulders slightly to support Xie Mowen, and teased with a smile, "Does this scene suit the leader's taste?"

“Yes! How could we not agree?” Xie Mowen stretched out his hand as if he were half-paralyzed, struggling to reach the full wine cups on the table, and said with a smile, “Follow me, and grant me a drink.”

Xiao Congzhi glanced at Xie Mowen, then lightly scanned his surroundings. Everyone around him had their eyes on this place. Even though they all knew it before, there was always a subtle difference between before and after their identities were revealed.

The ten elders of the Demonic Sect could celebrate without any worries, and their gazes toward this place were mostly filled with gossip, curiosity, and even a hint of mockery.

Xi Haojun was much more relaxed than before, but Yun Shaocheng was different.

Xu Tan couldn't take everyone from the Martial Alliance with him, because many heroes had already implicitly recognized Yun Shaocheng as their leader. At this moment, Yun Shaocheng sat quietly between the Demonic Sect and the Martial Alliance, drinking alone, his entanglements difficult to unravel and even harder to sever.

Xie Mowen was better off than him. Ji Buyu and the others had already made things public, but neither Ji Buyu, Yang Yanshu, nor even Jiang Xu, who was always very shallow in his thinking, could naturally walk up to Xie Mowen and invite him to drink together, or chat about other things, such as the thrilling incident just now, or the fellow disciples who were still in Youheng Mountain.

The barrier between them arose the moment Xie Mowen appeared on the rooftop; it was invisible yet extremely present, mocking how these people could believe that everything could remain the same after it happened.

Xiao Congzhi pushed the wine cup further away, put his arm around Xie Mowen's shoulder to make him sit up straight, and asked, "How much do you know about those ten elders?"

"I know nothing."

"Is it that you don't know, or that you just didn't mention it?"

Xie Mowen groaned, "How am I supposed to explain this? You set a huge fire that day, almost burning the entire mountain down. How could I possibly say that...?"

"Shut up!"

Xie Mowen changed the subject: "In short, they can definitely guess Xiaohua and Dongjing's identities, but they can't figure out your role in it for the time being. Seeing that I have been in Anling for many days and have not severed ties with you, they can also get some clues."

"Just now, someone jumped onto the table and wanted me to hug them."

Xie Mowen was silent for a moment: "I saw it, I'll teach him a lesson later."

"Oh~" Xiao Congzhi raised an eyebrow.

Xie Mowen cleared his throat: "The one who wanted you to hug is named Wei Chi. I'm sure he guessed our relationship; it's all just a twisted sense of humor, don't pay him any mind. As for the others, I'll introduce them to you later, if you need anything..."

Xiao Congzhi smiled and covered Xie Mowen's mouth: "My affairs don't require the help of your Demonic Sect."

Xie Mowen lightly patted the table and said angrily, "How could it not be!"

Xiao Congzhi didn't reply; he just smiled.

The two of them were completely oblivious to the atmosphere around them and chatted happily. Ji Buyu kept his eyes down and remained silent for a while before finally pouring a glass of wine and walking up to Xie Mowen.

Xie Mowen raised his eyebrows slightly.

Ji Buyu downed the drink in one gulp, and feeling refreshed, he said directly, "Brother Mo, you have done your utmost in benevolence and righteousness this time."

Xie Mowen picked up the wine that Xiao Congzhi had just pushed away, stared into Ji Buyu's eyes, and drank it all in one gulp before saying, "It's not dangerous at all."

"Fortunately, Wudang made the decision for Shaolin in the end, but I don't know why."

Xie Mowen casually replied, "I don't want my friend to die today."

Ji Buyu was taken aback, and hesitated before asking, "You... really can?"

Xie Mowen put down his wine cup and said frankly, "If he dares to make a move, he will surely die. The twelve hidden agents of Shaolin will not survive tonight either. Otherwise, do you think I'm just joking?"

Ji Buyu was stunned for a while, and after realizing what Xie Mowen had said, he couldn't help but laugh out loud. He was truly relieved this time.

The Demonic Cult is not a benevolent force, and Xie Mowen is not a righteous person; from beginning to end, he has always associated with this kind of person.

"Abbot Tan Jue of Shaolin is highly skilled in martial arts, no less than Liao Heyun, the former head of Emei. Isn't that just boasting?" Xiao Congzhi laughed as he exposed Xie Mowen's boasting, but then poured him another cup of wine.

Xie Mowen didn't refute, but only shouted, "Then I'll have the ten elders fight in a relay."

Ji blurted out, "Wouldn't that be an unfair victory?"

"Sect Leader Ji, I am just twenty years old this year, while Abbot Tan Jue is over forty. In a one-on-one fight, it would be unfair for him to win."

Ji Buyu sighed, "A talent for sophistry," and then took another swig of wine.

After Ji Buyu started chatting with Xie Mowen, Yang Yanshu and Jiang Xu felt much less burdened and eagerly joined in. But even faster than them was…

"To my little brother."

"Young Master Xiao." Ji Zhou politely cupped his hands to Xiao Congzhi before turning to Xie Mowen, "Thank you, Master."

Xie Mowen gestured to Ji Zhou to speak frankly.

"Regarding Dongjing's burial."

Xie Mowen and Xiao Congzhi both sat up straight.

"These past few days we've been staying at the Martial Alliance, with Miss Xuan chanting sutras and praying for blessings. After the Mid-Autumn Festival, we originally intended to take him back to Kunlun, but after discussing it with my master, we decided it would be better to bury him in Anling. Dongjing spent seven years in the Demonic Sect, so he might have developed feelings for it. Anling is also closer to Youheng Mountain."

Xie Mowen caught a glimpse of Elder Qingfeng, who was getting up to walk over, and asked seriously, "You should think this through. It's true that Dong Jing spent seven years in the Demonic Sect, but his heart has always been in Kunlun. He never betrayed us until his death. Are you sure he doesn't want to go back to Kunlun?"

“Ji Zhou cannot be certain, but he clearly saw Master Xie during the soul-summoning ceremony that day, yet he didn’t mention it at all.” Ji Zhou bowed again. “One’s stance is not easily changed, and feelings cannot be faked.”

As they were talking, Elder Qingfeng had already approached, and Xie Mowen stopped speaking.

Elder Qingfeng stroked his beard, looking calm and collected: "In that case, I know there is a geomantically auspicious place in Anling." Upon closer inspection, one could see a barely perceptible tension and anticipation in his eyes.