Chapter 188 Martial Arts Alliance Leader
Chapter 188 Martial Arts Alliance Leader
Wang Sumo and Bai Cen held their breath, He Huai'an...
Wang Sumo subconsciously looked at the old man.
As expected, from the moment the old man was first called "Young Master" by those around him, his gaze was fixed on He Huai'an, and he clenched his fists.
Wang Sumo wondered if the old man was seeing a glimpse of his junior uncle from back then in He Huai'an.
A person's appearance, voice, and physique may change, but their habits of gesture and subtle expressions are not easily changed.
Wang Sumo remembered that Lao Liu once said that the reason why the Wuyou Sect's disguise technique was so powerful was because it had to be matched with subtle changes in facial expressions, matching the turbidity in the eyes of the elderly and the clarity in the eyes of children.
It's in these subtle details that it's easier to believe the person in front of you is real.
He Huai'an had previously worked at Wuyoumen, so he would pay attention to changes in things other than a person's appearance, voice, and physique.
His gestures and expressions were undoubtedly better than others, allowing him to truly grasp the demeanor and mannerisms that He Huai'an should have at this age, before and after reaching adulthood.
These gestures and expressions will inevitably bear some resemblance to their earlier ones.
On Mount Kunlun, the old man and his junior uncle spent five years living and working together.
The old man knew his junior uncle very well.
Therefore, when He Huai'an walked in with gentle and steady steps amidst the attention of the crowd, the old man stared intently.
Bai Cen noticed the worry in Wang Sumo's eyes.
Wang Sumo was worried that the old man might suddenly lose his temper and rush in to take He Huai'an's life.
Bai Cen was also worried about his senior master.
The way the old man saw He Huai'an is the same way his senior brother saw Si Nan...
But in the eyes of others, especially the disciples of Qingyun, He Huai'an was a ray of hope and a beacon of light.
He Lingyun also looked at He Huai'an, like someone who was stuck in the mud looking at someone who had emerged from a blazing light.
Upon hearing He Huai'an's words, he subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief, but then he remembered what Lu Wenqu and Wang Sumo had said last night, and looked at He Huai'an with a complicated expression.
He didn't know who to believe.
Or rather, at this moment, only He Huai'an can maintain the dignity of Qingyun Manor.
And he...
He Lingyun was conflicted and struggling until He Huai'an walked to his side.
The surrounding disciples all bowed and greeted him: "Young Master!" "Young Master!"
He Huai'an looked at him immediately: "Is something the matter?"
Does that mean, are you alright? Or, are you hurt?
He Lingyun hesitated for a moment, but did not speak, only shook his head.
A hint of surprise flashed across He Huai'an's eyes, but he quickly concealed it and instead bowed to the sect leaders in the center.
As one of the leaders of Qingyun Manor, even though He Huai'an had no martial arts skills, his aura upon his appearance, his previous reputation in the martial arts world, his current demeanor, and his familiarity with each sect leader were all incomparable to what they had been before.
The tense atmosphere from a moment ago eased as everyone bowed to He Huai'an.
This also includes the four outstanding talents of Meizhou who were just aggressive, but now they have all bowed down because of He Huai'an's magnanimity.
He Huai'an said gently, "I am He Huai'an. Greetings to all my uncles, sect leader, and heroes of the martial world. My great-uncle has been traveling for a long time, and my uncle went out on urgent business earlier, and we do not know where he is at the moment. Today, to show respect for the martial arts gathering, he specially sent me and Lingyun here. What happened just now was sudden, and I cannot explain it to you all immediately. But please believe me, since the founding of Qingyun Manor by my great-uncle, we have always adhered to our words and deeds and repaid others with kindness. For decades, Qingyun Manor has been fortunate to receive the kindness of all of you heroes. I thank you all for your kindness."
His words, though gentle, carried a strong sense of integrity, just right.
It was not appropriate for outsiders to say anything directly.
The Four Heroes of Meizhou also took a deep breath. There were many people in the martial arts world who had received favors from Master He, including the four brothers.
That's why...
After He Huai'an finished speaking, he turned to them.
Since the other party bowed respectfully, the Four Heroes of Meizhou couldn't do anything else, so they had to return the bow to save face.
He Huai'an continued, "Qingyun Manor deeply regrets the deaths of the disciples under the four manor lords. Regardless of whether there was a misunderstanding behind this matter, this is Qingyun Manor's way of showing respect to the deceased disciples. Please accept our condolences."
After He Huai'an finished speaking, the gazes of the Four Heroes of Meizhou softened.
Compared to the tense standoff with He Lingyun earlier, she was now willing to listen.
"Gentlemen, Qingyun Manor has been paying attention to the theft of disaster relief grain for a long time and has sent disciples to investigate. I believe that many sects present here are aware of this. Qingyun Manor disciples should have mentioned it to the sect leaders."
After He Huai'an finished speaking, several sect leaders responded in succession.
There are major factions in the martial arts world, and there are also minor factions.
In short, this person's answer confirmed what He Huai'an said: Qingyun Manor had been paying close attention to the theft of disaster relief grain.
He Huai'an continued: "I believe everyone here has heard of the Bewitching Town."
The mention of Bewitching Town suddenly caused a commotion around us!
Of course, everyone knows about Bewitching Town!
The town of Bewitching Souls is a really eerie place!
But what does this have to do with Qingyun Manor and the disaster relief grain?
Amidst the murmurs of conversation, He Huai'an remained undisturbed and slowly explained, "Because of the theft of the disaster relief grain, Qingyun Manor has been keeping an eye on the nearby grain transport routes and has also inquired privately with many sects. Just now, several sect leaders also confirmed the truth of this matter. By chance, this batch of stolen disaster relief grain was discovered hidden in the Bewitching Town."
ah! ! !
The crowd erupted in uproar once again.
He Huai'an slowly explained: "Someone took advantage of the rumors of ghosts and monsters in the Bewitching Town, which is a place with few people passing through, and used it as a transit point for these disaster relief grains. Qingyun Manor has already contacted the officials in charge of disaster relief grains in the imperial court, and this batch of disaster relief grains has been transported away by the government. However, there are too many suspicious points involved, and they have not yet been investigated. We do not want to alert the perpetrators or cause panic in the martial arts world, so we have not made a big fuss about it. But the officials in the imperial court all know that I have a letter of thanks from the officials in charge of disaster relief to Qingyun Manor. You can take a look."
After He Huai'an finished speaking, he first handed it to the Four Heroes of Meizhou.
The four heroes of Meizhou looked at each other in bewilderment, and finally Mei Er reached out and took it.
The four of them looked at each other one by one, their faces a mixture of ugliness and beauty, as if they had been dyed in a dye shop.
While the four were reading the letter, He Huai'an continued: "Although Qingyun Manor is not as high-profile and generous as the four masters of Meizhou Four Heroes, it has been searching for the theft of disaster relief grain all along. However, my great-uncle had previously instructed that the disciples of Qingyun Manor must keep a low profile and not make a fuss unless absolutely necessary."
"Gentlemen, Qingyun Manor has returned all the disaster relief grain found in Mihun Town to the imperial court. If Qingyun Manor had designs on the disaster relief grain, why would they do this?" He Huai'an's voice was gentle, yet firm and resolute.
The four outstanding men of Meizhou looked at each other again, their expressions grim.
Indeed, anyone with a brain can figure that out.
If Qingyun Manor wanted to steal this batch of disaster relief grain, why would they return all the disaster relief grain transiting through the entire Mihun Town to the imperial court?
That doesn't make sense.
There must be some misunderstanding here.
Moreover, the imperial court sent a letter of thanks to Qingyun Manor, so how could this be fake?
It can't be that Qingyun Manor stole the disaster relief grain from the Four Heroes of Meizhou and then confiscated it for the imperial court.
In short, there was a lot of discussion around, but ever since He Huai'an spoke, almost all the martial arts people around him were on the side of He Huai'an and Qingyun Manor.
He Huai'an, knowing when to stop, said, "You all know that Qingyun Manor provided the disaster relief grain. As a junior, I cannot comment on my uncle's background. I will consult my great-uncle and give you all an explanation. However, I want to say that no matter where my uncle's background comes from, you all should know how much he has done for the martial arts world over the years. Justice will prevail, and Qingyun Manor is not afraid of rumors or malicious framing."
"As for where things went wrong, we will investigate thoroughly. Please give Qingyun Manor some time." After saying this, He Huai'an once again bowed respectfully to the crowd.
Many people in the audience immediately bowed to He Huai'an with clasped hands, a scene that was quite touching!
Then more and more people joined in, and some even shouted, "We believe in Qingyun Manor! We believe in the young master!"
He Lingyun clenched her fists, glanced at He Huai'an from the side, and felt a surge of emotions welling up inside her.
"Thank you all for your kind words. It just so happens that I have an urgent matter to discuss with you at this martial arts gathering." He Huai'an finished speaking and clapped his hands.
Everyone's attention was drawn to what He Huai'an was saying, and the matter of Master Huo seemed to have been forgotten.
The four outstanding figures from Meizhou stood awkwardly in the middle of the scene, seemingly serving as a backdrop for He Huai'an.
As He Huai'an clapped his hands, several disciples from Qingyun Manor escorted the group forward.
They looked at each other in bewilderment. Who was this? What sect did he belong to? They didn't seem to have seen him before.
Wang Sumo frowned. Wasn't this the Kangding Sect?
Bai Cen, Old Master Qu, Old Master Weng, and Jiang Yutang all recognized him.
The group exchanged glances, all looking at the scene with surprise.
Those were the other fellow disciples of the Fatty from the Kangding Sect.
Under He Huai'an's instruction, the group recounted with great emotion how they were coerced by the "Messenger of the Underworld" and forced to hide in the Bewitching Town, where their Kangding Sect was responsible for transporting and transshipping disaster relief grain.
There is also the underground palace beneath the town of Bewitching Souls, which is full of strange people who were attracted to practice martial arts. These strange people are mentally unstable, with red faces, and have been trapped in the town of Bewitching Souls for many years.
The town of Bewitching Souls is infested with hungry wolves, swarms of snakes, and piranhas; these people simply cannot escape.
Every day, he would jump and slam his head against the ground like a madman, until his flesh was bloody and mangled...
The surrounding martial arts practitioners had never heard of such a scene before, and were immediately terrified.
But the description of the Kangding Sect doesn't seem fake at all.
The Kangding Sect also mentioned explosives, as well as the Fengyang Sect and the Five Poisons Sect.
The "Messenger of the Underworld" is behind all of this. They don't know who the "Messenger of the Underworld" is, but there is a hand behind the scenes doing these things through the "Messenger of the Underworld".
After Kangdingmen finished speaking, everyone present felt a chill run down their spines.
After the members of Kangdingmen finished speaking, they all bowed to He Huai'an, their eyes filled with gratitude and respect.
He Huai'an nodded, and the group walked down from the center of the field and joined the crowd as everyone watched them go.
Everyone at the martial arts tournament was deeply shocked upon hearing this, and their previous inexplicable speculations about Master Huo were instantly forgotten.
Compared to the previous accusations of the Four Heroes of Meizhou, what everyone is truly worried about is that there is a dark force in the martial arts world that has secretly built a place called Bewitching Town without anyone knowing, and has trapped so many martial arts masters in it, preventing them from seeing the light of day for years!
Anyone present who even slightly put themselves in the situation would feel a chill run down their spine.
He Huai'an continued, "The disaster relief grain is only one aspect. What happened in the Bewitching Town has served as a wake-up call for us. The 'Netherworld Messenger' that the brothers of the Kangding Sect mentioned earlier, and the person behind the 'Netherworld Messenger,' may be brewing a martial arts conspiracy right now. Who knows, one day what will appear before us is a martial arts catastrophe."
After He Huai'an finished speaking, everyone in the audience felt uneasy.
No one wants to end up like the strange people trapped in the town of Bewitching Souls for years.
Among these people, there are quite a few who are much more skilled than them.
When faced with their own interests, people will always make choices. Compared to the theft of disaster relief grain by the Four Heroes of Meizhou, the demon that He Huai'an mentioned was brewing a catastrophe in the martial arts world, which made everyone indignant!
"We can't let this monster get away with this!"
"If the martial arts world continues to be a disorganized mess, sooner or later there will be a second, or even a third, Bewitching Town!"
"good!"
"Isn't today the martial arts tournament? Shouldn't the martial arts tournament be a time to discuss countermeasures?"
"right!"
...
Almost everyone feels that they are involved, or about to be involved, and this matter should not be underestimated or taken lightly.
Wang Sumo looked at the increasingly agitated crowd around him, then at He Huai'an in the center of the scene, and felt more and more that the other party was very knowledgeable about human nature!
He doesn't even need to say a word; these people will push him into the position he wants to be!
Because he was the only one familiar with the ins and outs of Bewitching Town, and the only one who had investigated it. No one wanted their interests to be harmed, and everyone cared about their safety!
Right now, who knows these things better than He Huai'an!
Moreover, he has the Qingyun Manor behind him!
Immediately, a sect leader spoke up: "This matter is indeed complex. The power behind the imprisonment of so many experts in the Bewitching Town years ago must be formidable. The strange man in the Bewitching Town earlier may very well be the same person as us tomorrow. This matter is indeed urgent, but no sect or faction can contend with it alone. The righteous martial arts world needs to unite to deal with it!"
"good!"
"right!"
The audience responded enthusiastically.
"We need to elect a leader of the martial arts alliance who can command the various sects and coordinate their actions!"
"Yes! We need to elect a leader for the martial arts alliance!"
...
Amidst the surrounding murmurs, Wang Sumo said softly, "Don't you guys think these people get so easily agitated?"
Perhaps because they have traveled extensively and encountered many people and events, even when faced with such situations, these江湖人士 (jianghu figures) are unlikely to blindly follow the leaders like they do.
Lu Wenqu, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke up: "Those wines..."
He suddenly remembered the small pot of wine he had spilled last night.
However, he was immersed in the incense-making process of the Tianxiang Sect every day, and his body had an unconscious sensitivity to many things.
Subconsciously, that is, without conscious thought, the body automatically becomes alert.
He later realized that the pot of wine...
"That's right," Lu Wenqu affirmed. "There's something in the wine from last night."
But it's colorless and odorless, so you can't tell the difference!
Sure enough, the crowd around him became increasingly agitated and exaggerated.
Wang Sumo and Bai Cen both swallowed softly.
Suddenly, someone shouted, "Please order all factions to act according to Qingyun Manor's orders; we are willing to follow Qingyun Manor!"
"Qingyun Manor and the eldest young master are familiar with the affairs within the Enchanted Town. With Elder Master He and Master Huo absent, we request that the eldest young master temporarily assume the position of leader of the martial arts alliance!"
"Excellent! I agree with the eldest son taking charge!"
A chorus of cheers and shouts of approval brought the atmosphere to a climax, while everyone in the room, including the Lingxiao Sect leader, Qin Feng, He Lingyun, the other sect leaders, and the Four Heroes of Meizhou, were stunned.
Especially the Four Outstanding Figures of Meizhou.
He Huai'an calmly said, "I am grateful for your kindness. No matter who among you will become the leader of the martial arts alliance in the future, Qingyun Manor will continue to investigate this matter to the end. However, with all of you uncles and seniors here today, I, He, am not skilled in martial arts and have little experience. I am not qualified to take up the position of leader of the martial arts alliance. I hope you will find another suitable candidate. I am unworthy of the position and am grateful for your kindness."
He Huai'an politely declined.
The sect leaders who had been looking at him with surprise before now all softened their gazes.
That's right. He Huai'an's martial arts skills are not good enough. He could not possibly have the ambition to compete for the position of martial arts alliance leader. He himself knows this and he would not have any other purpose.
Moreover, the person who came to this martial arts gathering was He Lingyun. He Huai'an felt that this matter was urgent after investigating the matter of Bewitching Town, and it was necessary to inform all the people in the martial arts world in advance. That's why he held the martial arts gathering. Otherwise, He Huai'an would not have attended.
Therefore, Qingyun Manor originally had no intention of competing for the title of martial arts alliance leader.
Rather, it was a spontaneous election formed by everyone at the martial arts tournament after hearing about the tragic state of Bewitching Town.
He Huai'an was indeed more familiar with the Bewitching Town than anyone else, and in this respect, he had an advantage that no one else could match.
Ultimately, He Huai'an lacked both seniority and martial arts skills, neither of which could convince the public. He Huai'an was also aware of his own limitations.
But apart from Qingyun Manor, I really can't think of any other sect that would be more suitable.
He Huai'an's polite refusal caused a stalemate. At this moment, someone suddenly said, "In that case, our Liujin Sect will recommend Elder He of Qingyun Manor. Elder He is highly respected, and everyone has witnessed his character, martial arts skills, and abilities. This matter was originally initiated by Qingyun Manor. Elder He should not refuse!"
"Master He is not currently at Qingyun Manor; he has gone on a trip and we don't know when he will return." Some people objected.
The leader of the Liujin Sect laughed and said, "Those who accomplish great things are not bound by trivialities. As you all have seen, the eldest young master is cautious in his actions and decisive in his handling of matters. You all know this in your hearts and are willing to trust him. Since Elder Master He is not here, then Elder Master He shall be the leader of the martial arts alliance, and the eldest young master shall act as the leader! Wouldn't that kill two birds with one stone?"
"That makes sense!"
"Excellent! With Elder Master He overseeing Qingyun Manor and the eldest young master acting as the alliance leader, we are willing to follow!"
"We are also willing to follow Qingyun Manor and the eldest young master!"
...
Soon, waves of approval came from the surrounding crowd. There was no more suitable way than having Master He of the Manor as the leader of the alliance, and then He Huai'an acting in his place!
Faced with the overwhelming voices, even the sect leaders present felt that there was nothing wrong with the proposal.
Even the Four Heroes of Meizhou agreed, their faces turning pale.
As Wang Sumo watched the scene unfold before him, he recalled once again what Elder Luo Song had written in his notes: "If I do not kill you, no one will be able to kill you in the future."
With someone like He Huai'an and Lian Xu, even the leader of the martial arts alliance would be within their grasp!
Wang Sumo looked at Old Master Qu with concern. Old Master Qu's gaze was fixed on He Huai'an, watching him over and over again throughout the day's events. He observed how He Huai'an appeared detached, unambitious, and approachable, gradually resembling the junior uncle he had previously been.
The old man felt the coldness from his feet to his head, and he clenched his fists tightly.
He has always been like this, but others are blinded by their own limited perspective.
He had never cared about anyone's life, from Kunlun to Qingyun Manor, as well as Pang Jiuyun's bloody palm print in the Bewitching Town and the strange man and Gu Lianyong who had been trapped in the underground palace for years without seeing the light of day.
The old man was trembling uncontrollably.
Just as the old man was about to lose his temper, Wang Sumo stepped forward, took his arm, lowered her voice, and shook her head, saying, "Old man."
Unfollowing me is annoying.
His gaze, filled with hatred, fell upon He Huai'an, who was in the prime of his life, a gentleman of impeccable character, and as graceful as an immortal.
Just then, a voice came from afar: "How did the eldest young master become the leader of the martial arts alliance?"
The surroundings suddenly became quiet.
Following the gaze of the crowd, He Huai'an looked ahead, and when he saw the person approaching, he frowned.
The other party said in a low voice, "Young Master, you've gone to such great lengths because you want to drag the Master down with you and take the position of Martial Arts Alliance Leader yourself. But Young Master, aren't you in cahoots with the 'Netherworld Messenger'?"
These words caused another uproar among those around them.
Wang Sumo covered her mouth with her hand, He Ping...
He Ping's face was pale, and it was clear that he still had serious injuries. He was also wearing the clothes of a disciple from another sect, so he must have disguised himself as a disciple from another sect to infiltrate the sect.
Isn't He Ping from Qingyun Manor?
Master Huo's eldest disciple?
This is……
He Ping coughed lightly twice, then stepped forward: "The eldest young master sent people to hunt me down and take my life, isn't it because I discovered the eldest young master's secret with the 'Netherworld Messenger' that the eldest young master wants to eliminate me completely?"
"Unfortunately, He Ping was lucky to survive. After falling off the cliff, he was swept away by the current and was rescued by a farmer's family. He was unconscious for more than a month and traveled a long way before finally arriving here. So this is what the eldest young master was planning."
"He Ping?" He Lingyun's eyes were misty.
He Ping coughed lightly twice, then stepped forward. Everyone made way for him. He Ping looked at He Lingyun and said, "Second Young Master, the person next to you is not a good person. Be careful, Second Young Master."
After He Ping finished speaking, He Huai'an and He Lingyun looked at each other.
He Huai'an saw a hint of doubt and fear in He Lingyun's eyes that he hadn't seen before.
He Huai'an knew that He Lingyun knew something.
Immediately, someone next to He Ping brandished a weapon and was about to strike when the old man used his "Piercing Clouds and Breaking Mountains" palm strike to knock the person down.
The Cloud-Piercing Mountain-Splitting Hand?
Everyone around was stunned. The Cloud Piercing Mountain Breaker, the senior who had been removed from the pass, was actually here?
Qu Guan slowly stepped forward, and only then did the crowd manage to spot him. He Ping also saw Old Master Qu, as well as Wang Sumo and the others...
He Ping's eyes relaxed slightly: "Take the title of senior."
As the old man stepped forward, the people who had been surrounding He Ping involuntarily stepped back.
Guan Mu glared at the people in the arena with intense hatred, his aura overwhelming and clearly carrying murderous intent, leaving those around him bewildered. He Huai'an also showed a moment of surprise, before his gaze slowly calmed down, as if returning to its earlier gentleness.
[Author's Note]
It's here!
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