Chapter 91: The East Wind Rises

Popular recommendation: The Ming Cult's main altar is at Guangming Ding, but the Cult Leader is not always at Guangming Ding.

Guangming Ding is located in the Kunlun mountain range, and although the Kunlun range has many natural wonders and more abundant Spirit Qi, it is, after all, a place of wind, sand, and bitter cold.

The Cult Leader is also human; no one likes to spend their whole life in a place like Guangming Ding.

At least for Cult Leader Shi, he prefers the customs and climate of the Central Plains.

Here, there are many steadfast believers, and there are also fresh and beautiful female believers... Of course, most importantly, there are capable lieutenants here.

The subordinates under his command are all talented, and they speak so pleasantly.

And among the many capable lieutenants, the performance of the Bright King is the most stunning.

The Bright King has only joined the Ming Cult for three years, yet he has repeatedly displayed great might in the struggles against the Maitreya Cult and the White Lotus Sect, causing the Ming Cult's reputation to soar over these past two years.

To the extent that the Maitreya Cult in the Haozhou region has already been completely dismantled and integrated by the Ming Cult, and the Ming Cult's power is also developing and merging rapidly.

Not only that, the Bright King is not only able to fight well, but is also a person with organizational brains and economic means.

Under his leadership, the Ming Cult has become increasingly united, and the Ming Cult's wealth has also increased with each passing day.

A wise superior will certainly appreciate a subordinate who is capable and knows how to get things done.

Such a leader will choose to motivate their subordinates to strive for more benefits and glory for them, rather than being jealous of her talent and deliberately suppressing the subordinate.

Although Cult Leader Shi has average martial arts, average ability, and an average appearance, he is very self-righteous.

In other words, he has a very high opinion of himself.

For example, he believes that he is a wise Cult Leader.

Therefore, Cult Leader Shi did not secretly strike at the Bright King just because the Bright King's martial arts were becoming increasingly high.

After all, the Bright King still has great utility value.

Maneuvering between the several major sects and the Yuan and Song armies, many tasks are life-and-death work; Cult Leader Shi is very satisfied to have such a subordinate willing to be the first to charge into battle.

Where else could one find such a particularly useful tool? In the Ming Cult's main rudder, Cult Leader Shi is drinking with Elder Hou and Elder Niu.

Cult Leader Shi said calmly: "Therefore, this time I am sending the Bright King to accompany me to Guangming Ding, precisely to keep him firmly in my grasp."

"With two Elders going with me, are you still afraid he will stir up any trouble? After one year, when we return to Haozhou, the Bright King's reputation will be completely lost, and he will still be my sharpest blade."

Elder Hou and Elder Niu showed joy on their faces and raised their cups together, saying: "The Cult Leader is wise."

"Hahaha."

Cult Leader Shi laughed three times, raised his wine cup and drank it all in one gulp, wearing an expression of smugness as if the overall situation were in his grasp.

Elder Hou said in a low voice: "Cult Leader, let's go to my branch rudder tonight."

"Once we get there, there won't be such fresh and beautiful women..."

"Very good, very good."

Just at this moment, suddenly a cult member reported from outside the door.

"Cult Leader, this subordinate has an urgent matter to report."

Cult Leader Shi frowned, then said in a loud voice: "Come in and speak."

"Yes."

The person outside the door responded and walked in with large strides.

This person was wearing tight-fitting clothes, different from ordinary disciples; he was Cult Leader Shi's personal bodyguard.

After entering, this person saluted the three of them, then looked at the two Elders and remained silent.

"It's fine, speak."

Cult Leader Shi waved his hand and said.

"Yes, Cult Leader."

The bodyguard said: "Starting from noon today, this subordinate has heard rumors from disciples within the cult, which are unfavorable to you."

"Oh? What did they say?"

The bodyguard looked hesitant and said in a low voice: "They say... say you abandon the common people, are cowardly and afraid of trouble."

"With a great battle imminent, you dare not confront the Tatars and the Song, and want to flee to Guangming Ding."

"There are even cult members reciting the scripture: 'Burn my remnant body, the Bright Fire burns bright."

"What joy is there in life, what bitterness is there in death? To do good and eliminate evil, only for the sake of brightness."

"Pity us mortals, our suffering is truly great!"

"They say your actions deviate from the fire of brightness."

"They also say that the Bright King wanted to stay and lead everyone to resist the Tatars, but was forced by you to be sent to Guangming Ding."

"Saying that you are unworthy of the position of Cult Leader, and it should be the Bright King..."

*Slap! *

"Preposterous!"

Cult Leader Shi slammed the wine cup in his hand onto the ground,

and sternly interrupted the bodyguard: "From whose mouth did these words come out?"

"Reporting to the Cult Leader, it spread all at once; the source cannot be found."

When you hear a rumor, countless people are already spreading it.

Elder Hou sneered: "It must be the work of the Bright King and the Eagle King and the others."

Cult Leader Shi's face was cold, and killing intent flowed faintly in his eyes.

Has the tool rebelled? A wise superior will value their subordinates, but will also avoid the occurrence of a subordinate's merit overshadowing the master.

Clearly, Cult Leader Shi is not yet wise enough.

... The next day, the Ming Cult's main rudder was bustling with noise, and flames rose on the high platform.

Cult Leader Shi, the Bright King, the other four Dharma Kings, and the four Elders were all present.

Cult Leader Shi stood atop the high platform, slowly bowing toward a cluster of Bright Fire.

Behind him, the crowd also bowed down in succession.

They were holding the ceremony before their departure.

Lu Li stood beside Cult Leader Shi, and as he bowed down together with Cult Leader Shi, his finger suddenly pointed out through the air.

A strand of extremely yin and soft Sword Qi drifted lightly toward that cluster of Bright Fire.

This finger move exhausted the soft potential of emptiness and clarity; it was a finger Lu Li had pointed out quietly based on the yin-soft potential within the Daoist supreme classic, the "Nine Yin Manual."

It did not even stir Lu Li's robe sleeves, being no less inferior to the Shaolin Temple's Flower-Plucking Finger, and it drifted toward the Bright Fire just like a cool breeze; even Cult Leader Shi, who was standing right beside Lu Li, did not notice anything unusual.

The crowd only saw the Bright Fire on the platform suddenly grow so weak it was about to extinguish the moment Cult Leader Shi bowed to the ground!

The cult members below the platform were instantly dumbfounded when they saw this scene.

"The Bright Fire is going to go out."

"How could this happen? The Cult Leader just bowed to the Bright Fire, and the Bright Fire is about to go out!

Could it be that we really shouldn't go to Guangming Ding?"

"It seems yesterday's rumors were true; staying here and following the Ming King is the right thing to do."

The cult members instantly erupted in an uproar.

In their past impressions, the Bright Fire would always burn extremely vigorously and would never go out at all!

Yet today, the Bright Fire was about to be extinguished!

What did this mean? "The Bright Fire does not acknowledge Cult Leader Shi."

"The actions taken by Cult Leader Shi are not approved by the Bright Fire."

In an instant, everyone's gaze turned toward Cult Leader Shi, their eyes filled with doubt and confusion.

Cult Leader Shi was suddenly shocked in his heart; as the Cult Leader, he naturally knew that this so-called Bright Fire had white phosphorus added to it, and when they bowed down, it should only burn more vigorously, unable to be blown out even by a strong wind.

But what on earth was going on? Elder Hou rolled his eyes and said loudly, "Everyone, the wind is strong on the high platform; a cold gust just blew past, which is why the Bright Fire was affected."

"That's right, the wind really is strong."

Elder Niu also chimed in to agree.

However, the Eagle King shouted, "Bullshit!

I didn't feel any wind at all; it's clear the Bright Fire extinguished itself."

Cult Leader Shi was just about to speak when, at this moment, Lu Li stepped forward.

He was seen cupping his hands in a salute toward the Bright Fire and saying loudly, "With our cult's Bright Fire above, we swear to defend our home and country to the death, uphold the will of the Bright Fire, and drive out the Tartars."

"Burn my broken body, the Bright Fire blazes.

In the midst of chaotic times, build a Bright Kingdom."

While Lu Li was speaking, he had already channeled the True Qi in his body; these few sentences shook the air for several miles, exploding in everyone's ears like a thunderclap.

In fact, the Ming Cult members were almost all Song people; although they had joined the Ming Cult and were at odds with the Song, they did not want their own home and country to be trampled by the iron cavalry of the Tartars.

This feeling was like, I can curse my own alma mater, but I won't allow anyone else to say a single bad word about it!

Therefore, they did not fully agree with Cult Leader Shi's decision, and these words from Lu Li spoke directly into their hearts.

Meanwhile, Lu Li had already converted the True Qi in his body from yin to yang, transforming it into the supreme yang energy of the Nine Yang Divine Skill.

The violent and scorching True Qi instantly erupted toward the surroundings; everyone felt as if Lu Li were as blinding as a scorching sun.

Suddenly, the Bright Fire behind Lu Li exploded violently, burning fiercely like a volcanic eruption!

The burning white phosphorus emitted a blinding light and immense heat; Lu Li turned around to face the crowd, as if he were standing in the light.

Lu Li felt that he was very much like a charlatan right now, deceiving the naive believers below the platform.

But then, thinking about it, Lu Li shook his head.

A charlatan? No, no, no!

It was just supreme internal energy, plus a little bit of special effects.

But for the Ming Cult members present, such special effects were no different from the descent of an immortal and the decree of the Bright Fire.

At this time, the Eagle King and other trusted aides shouted loudly, "We ask Cult Leader Shi to pass the position to the Ming King."

One stone stirred up a thousand waves, and the cult members below the platform also shouted loudly, "We ask Cult Leader Shi to pass the position to the Ming King."

"We ask Cult Leader Shi to pass the position to the Ming King."

Lu Li stood before the Bright Fire, looking coldly at Cult Leader Shi.

The east wind has risen, and the general trend is set.

----------Author's Note---------- Let's do it!

First update!