Chapter 34: The Martial Arts Living Treasure

Not many days later, news that the Kongtong Sect had been tragically wiped out spread like wildfire through the martial arts world; most Jianghu people, upon hearing it for the first time, thought there was something wrong with their own ears.

After inquiring in detail, they realized that the martial arts living treasure everyone was looking for had not found a hidden place to hide, but had instead done the opposite, taking the initiative to attack them at their doorstep.

This could also be considered avoiding the strong and striking the weak, dividing and conquering.

In the eyes of Jianghu people, that martial arts living treasure knew well that he was alone and weak, unable to compare to their large numbers, so he had no choice but to take a dangerous path, leading to a moment of carelessness that caused the Kongtong Sect to suffer a catastrophe.

Following this, every member of a famous sect returned to their sect at the first opportunity, fearing that the daring and ruthless madman would come to slaughter another sect.

As for those of the three religions and nine schools of thought and those fishing in troubled waters who intended to avenge their friends and relatives, they went to the major sects they were closer to under the guise of offering help.

Only the Kongtong Sect members who had escaped the disaster while away had extremely complicated feelings; they temporarily found an inn to rest and did not return to their mountain gate, fearing that someone would return for a surprise attack.

Ten days later, at the foot of Mount Qingcheng, many Qingcheng Sect disciples stood guard with solemn expressions.

Before long, a barefoot youth in green appeared before everyone's eyes; instantly, a Qingcheng disciple took a firework from his bosom, shook it to light it, and as his hand loosened, a blue flame shot straight into the sky.

"Do not panic, Zhuang can wait for your sect's elders to arrive," Zhuang Buran said, walking slowly.

Nearly a hundred Qingcheng disciples all drew the long swords in their hands, staring nervously and intently at the youth in the green robe.

"Demon Zhuang, you actually took the initiative to come to our door again; do you really think you are invincible under heaven?" the leading Qingcheng disciple, aged twenty-eight or twenty-nine, said loudly.

"Demon? The Jianghu is full of grievances and hatreds; in the final analysis, it is nothing more than you killing me and me killing you. Zhuang truly does not know why I am called a demon?"

"Under Mount Zhongnan, you recklessly harmed many Jianghu peers; do you know that some of them were just there to watch the fun? Later, you slaughtered the entire Mount Kongtong, and you still have the face to say you are not a heartless, wicked demon!"

"Watching the fun, and then taking advantage of the situation, right?" Zhuang Buran said very seriously:

"The death of these people proves one truth: some fun cannot be watched, as it will cost lives."

"As for the matter of Mount Kongtong, you all wanted the Nine Yin Manual, so Zhuang specially took the initiative to deliver it to your door. Unfortunately, the Kongtong Sect lacked the fortune to receive it, so naturally, they deserved to die."

"You—"

The leader gritted his teeth in hatred: "A person like you actually obtained the supreme treasure of martial arts; heaven is truly blind."

"Since you hate Zhuang so much, why don't you come and kill me?" Zhuang Buran asked with a smile.

The leader was provoked by this, and just as he was about to step forward, a youth of twenty-five or twenty-six hurriedly said:

"Senior Brother, absolutely do not fall for this demon's provocation."

"Haha, Zhuang understands now," the youth in the green robe laughed, pointing at the many Qingcheng disciples in front:

"So you all understand that even if you all went up together, it would be nothing more than throwing an egg against a rock."

"Stop being arrogant; today is the day you, this wicked demon, will be brought to justice," the youth shouted angrily.

Zhuang Buran laughed dumbly:

"Zhuang has waited until the flowers have withered; why haven't your reinforcements arrived yet?"

"If you have the ability, wait another moment; then we will definitely make sure you arrive alive but leave dead," the Qingcheng Sect Senior Brother shouted.

"Zhuang usually dislikes doing favors for others, but today I will make an exception," Zhuang Buran said, crossing his arms.

After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the Qingcheng disciples present seemed to see figures galloping from afar and could not help but whisper to each other.

But just at this moment, screams rang out repeatedly; the youth in the green robe walked leisurely, his hands shooting out sharp finger strength like sword Qi.

In just one encounter, he took the lives of twenty or thirty Qingcheng disciples.

"Demon Zhuang, you did not keep your promise!" the Qingcheng Sect Senior Brother was furious.

"Since you understand that Zhuang never does favors for people, you should know that I was never a good person to begin with. The reason you are all still alive is simply because I want you to die tragically one by one before the eyes of your sect elders."

Zhuang Buran's tone was indifferent:

"After all, in this world, there is no empathy, only cold and warmth known to oneself; only when the needle pricks one's own body does one know how much it hurts."

As soon as he finished speaking, before the Qingcheng Sect Senior Brother could make a move, his throat was pierced by a burst of finger strength, and he fell to the ground dead.

"Senior Brother!"

The remaining Qingcheng disciples gnashed their teeth in anger, shouting one after another:

"Fight this demon to the death!"

"Tsk tsk, I never thought the Qingcheng Sect had such a tough side; then I will send you all to the underworld to reunite."

Zhuang Buran shook the soles of his feet, vibrating the scattered gravel on the ground in front of him, and then with a wave of his sleeves, he instantly hit the Qingcheng disciples charging at him.

"Ah ah ah!"

After a burst of screams and wails, the foot of the mountain was covered in corpses.

"You villain, you have gone too far!"

A middle-aged man with a short beard, aged thirty or forty, saw the scene of corpses everywhere at the foot of the mountain and could not help but shoot out a sky-covering amount of steel needles.

The youth in the green robe stood with his hands behind his back, but a halo flowed on his skin, and his body's internal energy vibrated, causing the many steel needles to cover the short-bearded middle-aged man even faster than before.

With a "bang," the short-bearded middle-aged man fell to the ground, covered in blood.

"Father!"

"Senior Brother!"

"Sima Sect Leader!"

The son of the short-bearded middle-aged man, the various elders of the Qingcheng Sect, and the Jianghu guests who came to help all shouted in unison, and the large group of Qingcheng disciples who arrived together looked at the youth in the green robe with anger.

"This dark weapon technique is probably the Qingcheng Sect's 'Qing Zi Nine Strikes', but it is nothing more than this," Zhuang Buran shook his head.

"Demon Zhuang, you have repeatedly committed murders; are you not afraid of being surrounded and attacked by your Jianghu peers?" a Qingcheng elder said angrily.

"Has Zhuang not long been regarded by the Jianghu as a thorn in their side?" Zhuang Buran swept his gaze across everyone:

"Don't tell me that none of you want to get the Nine Yin Manual from my hands."

A youth in his early twenties spoke up:

"Elder Li, don't waste so much breath on him; let's all kill him together to eliminate this great demon who is harming the martial arts world for my father, my fellow disciples, and the righteous path of the Jianghu."

"Young Sect Leader Sima, small impatience will spoil great plans," a middle-aged man in white holding a fan said gently:

"Zhuang Buran, do you know that your wanton slaughter of innocents has already aroused public anger? If you cripple your martial arts now, it is not impossible for us to show mercy."

"Hypocritical to the point of making Zhuang sick; isn't it just that you want to get the Nine Yin Manual?" Zhuang Buran sighed low:

"In the end, you all still think I am alone and weak, like a soft persimmon that you can knead at will."

His figure flashed, and he suddenly appeared in front of the middle-aged scholar in white; his hand speed was so fast that he crushed his throat directly, saying indifferently:

"The Sima family's control of the Qingcheng gate will become a thing of the past; as for the future Qingcheng Sect, let it be rebuilt by those Taoist branches on the mountain who do not ask about Jianghu affairs."

The Qingcheng Young Sect Leader shouted:

"Uncles, aunts, senior brothers, junior brothers, and fellow Jianghu peers, this demon is stubborn and unforgivable; follow me and attack together to subdue the demon."

"We will obey the Young Sect Leader's order," many Qingcheng disciples shouted back.

"Good," five or six Qingcheng elders nodded heavily.

More than forty Jianghu guests narrowed their eyes, having made up their minds to attack; anyway, as long as they left one breath at the end.

"Hahaha, it should have been like this long ago; the so-called Jianghu is not about young people, fine wine, fancy clothes, galloping horses, flowers, moonlight, and drinking and singing."

The youth in the green robe laughed:

"Endless slaughter is the true Jianghu."

(End of chapter)