Chapter Forty-One: Yuan Hao (Happy New Year’s Day)
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Although the recent turmoil between the righteous sects and the Demonic Cult had set the martial world ablaze, none of it seemed to touch the Songlin Sect, nestled quietly within the county seat of Shuixian. During this time, the county remained peaceful and undisturbed—no demonic cultists causing havoc, nor idle wanderers of the jianghu stirring up trouble.
As for Li Ju, he had secluded himself within the Songlin Sect all this while, devoting his days to contemplating a breakthrough to the realm of internal mastery. He rarely left his room, so much so that many within the sect had all but forgotten the existence of this outsider in their midst.
Such tranquil days continued, until one fateful day...
“Honored elders.”
At the gates of the Songlin Sect, one of Chai Sen’s disciples welcomed two martial artists whose very attire and bearing marked them as extraordinary figures of the jianghu.
“Is this where the Venomous Diamond is hiding?”
The two men wore expressions of arrogance; one of them spoke in a lofty, indifferent tone.
“Honored elders, the Venomous Diamond has indeed been residing within our sect for several days now. He has been staying in a small house beside the Sutra Pavilion, and just moments ago, when I went to check, he was still there.”
Chai Sen’s disciple bowed his head deeply, speaking in a tone of utmost respect.
“If it truly is the Venomous Diamond, our Seven-Three Gate will certainly reward you. But if it’s not—if you’ve made us come all this way for nothing…”
Crack!
A flash of steel, and a massive banyan tree beside them, thick enough that two men could barely encircle it, crashed thunderously to the ground.
“I understand perfectly,” the disciple replied, his expression shifting slightly. Yet he was convinced the villain sheltering in their sect was indeed the Venomous Diamond, so he felt little fear at the Seven-Three Gate’s warning.
“Very well.”
Seeing the disciple so resolute, the two envoys of the Seven-Three Gate found themselves inclined to believe his words.
“Surround the place. Don’t let even a bird escape.”
At their command, squads of soldiers clad in heavy armor quickly encircled the entire Songlin Sect.
Alarmed by the commotion, the members of the sect rushed out from their quarters, only to be confronted by the overwhelming might of the Seven-Three Gate.
“Liu Wu, Bai Jiu! Instead of hunting down the Venomous Diamond, why have you come to besiege our Songlin Sect?!”
As Chai Sen stepped out and saw the imposing force arrayed before him, his heart sank.
“Hmph. Why do you think we’re surrounding your Songlin Sect? Are you truly so ignorant?”
“Perhaps you’d like to explain who exactly it is you’re harboring in your sect right now?”
Liu Wu sneered.
Hearing this, Chai Sen’s heart plummeted.
“If not for your disciple’s timely report, your Songlin Sect’s crime of sheltering a demonic cultist would be enough for our Seven-Three Gate to wipe you all out!”
Liu Wu continued, his tone icy.
“It was you!”
Only now did Chai Sen recognize his own disciple standing before Liu Wu and Bai Jiu, and his expression twisted with shock and dismay.
“Master, do not blame me. I have only the sect’s future at heart.”
“That man is a demonic cultist. If one day he turns his malice upon us, the Songlin Sect would be in peril. It is better to strike first, rather than wait for disaster.”
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Chai Sen’s disciple spoke earnestly to his master.
“You… You…”
“Ah, but it is your actions that truly imperil the future of the Songlin Sect!”
Staring at his well-meaning disciple, Chai Sen could only sigh deeply and turn away.
“It seems Sect Leader Chai has grown senile. After this, it might be time for the Songlin Sect to have a new leader,” remarked Bai Jiu, watching Chai Sen’s retreating figure.
The disciple’s expression flickered subtly.
Bai Jiu took careful note of this reaction.
“Come. Since the Venomous Diamond dared to slay a Seven-Three Gate elder, he must now pay the price.”
Liu Wu brandished his saber, a cruel smile twisting his lips.
With Liu Wu and Bai Jiu at their head, hundreds of heavy-armored soldiers marched in force toward the Sutra Pavilion of the Songlin Sect.
“Honored elders, the Venomous Diamond resides here,” said the disciple, pointing to a small house.
“Draw bows! Loose arrows!”
Liu Wu thrust his saber toward the house, shouting the command.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Hundreds of flaming arrows rained down in a dense barrage toward the small house.
Bang!
Just before the arrows struck, the house exploded apart, and a figure burst forth from within.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The arrows struck the man’s body with the sound of metal upon metal; he charged through the deadly hail straight toward the Seven-Three Gate’s ranks, undaunted.
“It’s the Venomous Diamond!”
Liu Wu and Bai Jiu, seeing the figure emerge, immediately raised their weapons and rushed to meet him.
Swish!
A saber, charged with inner strength, slashed downward, cleaving the air.
Thud!
The blade struck squarely on the man’s shoulder—not with the expected grisly result, but with a sound like a wooden stake striking a bronze bell, echoing all around.
Hiss!
In the instant the saber landed, a spear shot up from below, aiming a vicious thrust at the man’s groin.
Boom!
With a single stomp, the man sent both the spear and Bai Jiu crashing to the ground, and in the same instant seized Liu Wu, hurling him down as well.
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Boom!
Two great pits appeared in the earth.
“It’s over…”
The man raised his fist high, ready to bring it down upon Liu Wu and Bai Jiu and end their lives for good.
Hiss!
Suddenly, a sword flashed in from the side, its blade slicing across the man’s body before he could dodge.
Splat.
Li Ju looked down at the wound across his chest, then slowly raised his head to regard the new arrival.
There stood a young man clad in white, his hair as pale as snow, a long sword in hand. He caressed the blade with a delicate touch, and where his finger passed over the bright red blood at the tip, Li Ju felt a searing pain in his chest.
“A fine sword!” Li Ju exclaimed in admiration.
“Vice Master.”
At that moment, Bai Jiu and Liu Wu struggled out of their pits, dropping to one knee behind the swordsman to pay their respects.
“So, you are the fiend Li Ju, slayer of my Seven-Three Gate elder?” the man asked coldly, his gaze sharp as a blade. Li Ju felt a chill emanate from those eyes.
“I am Yuan Hao, Vice Master of the Seven-Three Gate. Today I have come down the mountain to claim your head.”
At the mention of Yuan Hao, Li Ju’s brows lifted slightly. In the annals of “Tales of the Flying Sword,” Yuan Hao’s name was renowned—a paragon of the righteous path, a master at the peak of internal arts, rivaling even the Four Fiends of the Demonic Cult.
“I will grant you the chance to end your own life,” Yuan Hao said, his sword lowered to the ground.
“Take my own life?”
“So the men of the Seven-Three Gate are just as arrogant as the rumors suggest, and…”
“Utterly brainless.”
Li Ju sneered.
“Then you refuse,” Yuan Hao replied calmly. “Since you scorn my mercy, I shall take matters into my own hands.”
A wave of killing intent swept from Yuan Hao.
“Rest assured—my sword is swift. You will feel no…”
“Pain at all.”