Chapter 252

Twenty-fourth year of Jiajing, July.

Huguang Provincial Administration Commission, Hengzhou Prefecture.

Hengshan Sect.

Shen Xunning had been troubled recently; no, very troubled.

She was a direct disciple of the Hengshan Sect and the only candidate for the next Sect Leader, having made the revitalization of the Hengshan Sect her goal since childhood. And she firmly believed that she would be the one to revitalize the Hengshan Sect.

She also had the qualifications.

Because she was only twenty-five years old this year and was already a first-class expert, not much inferior to her master, Yin Minjun.

But in the last few months, she had lost the heart to even practice her sword.

Because she felt that the Hengshan Sect was finished.

Since the beginning of this year, too many things had happened in the Jianghu.

Everything stemmed from the assassination of the Emperor by the Ming Sect on New Year's Eve.

It is said that at that time, an unknown expert surnamed Yang emerged from the Ming Sect, using peerless martial arts to break through the defenses of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, shattering the Emperor's palanquin, and knocking the Emperor unconscious on the spot.

Although he was immediately executed, as the Jianghu people who were present scattered into the Jianghu and the news spread, the entire Jianghu seemed to have become different.

January.

Seven experts who should have died long ago suddenly re-emerged in the Jianghu, committing evil deeds and hunting down experts, seemingly to deduce some cultivation method, causing everyone to feel insecure; they were called the "Seven Kills".

And what was terrifying was that the Peak experts in the Jianghu were not even a match for them.

One of the demons even attacked Shaolin, seemingly wanting to find something inside.

Just when everyone thought that Master Xingchi was dead and Shaolin would likely not be spared, Master Yong Jie, who had just taken over as abbot last year, stood up and used a pair of iron fists to smash him into pulp.

Thus, the Seven Kills became the Six Kills, and the remaining six demons restrained themselves somewhat and hid their tracks.

Jianghu legends say that the battle at that time was simply like that of immortals, not comparable to Peak experts at all. And Master Yong Jie's cassock was shattered, revealing a beautiful woman's face growing on his chest.

Some busybodies said that he might have cultivated some shocking evil art to be able to contend with the "Seven Kills".

Of course, with Shaolin's reputation, this claim was quickly suppressed.

March.

Three of the "Six Kills" joined forces to attack Wudang, and the experts within Wudang could not even withstand one move from them.

Just when the disciples of Wudang fell into despair, the Wudang Sect Leader politely led the three into the back mountain of Wudang.

No one knows what happened.

Anyway, only one of the "Six Kills" escaped from Wudang later; the other two disappeared silently in the back mountain of Wudang.

Thus, the Six Kills became the Four Kills.

April.

A hidden sect suddenly appeared in the Bashu region, named "Sword King Pavilion".

How can one allow others to snore beside one's bed? The Tang Men of Shu immediately sent several elders to reason with them.

But unexpectedly, one person walked out of the Sword King Pavilion, wrapped his eyes with silk cloth, tied his feet with a belt, held a sword in one hand, and let the Tang Men elders surround him with hidden weapons.

The elders exhausted all their skills to trigger their hidden weapons, and in the end, they saw that those hidden weapons had all been knocked down by this person's sword, forming a line of words on the ground.

"Shu's King Pavilion, the world's sword leader."

This person took off the blindfold and scoffed that the Peak experts of the world were all frogs in a well, knowing nothing of the subtlety of the Heaven-Man Realm.

"Heaven-Man".

This concept spread throughout the Jianghu.

Only later, an elder of the Tang Men who for some reason was not surnamed Tang seemed to have some relationship with the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

I heard that the newly appointed Commander of the Northern Suppressing Division of the Embroidered Uniform Guard walked around, and the Sword King Pavilion conceded, no longer competing with the Tang Men for territory and disciples.

June.

Because the Embroidered Uniform Guard was guarding the Emperor when he was assassinated, yet still let that Ming Sect expert almost succeed, the fear of the Embroidered Uniform Guard in the Jianghu greatly diminished.

Several greenwood bandits and evil sects joined forces to intercept a team of Embroidered Uniform Guards on official business, and even made a big show of it, trying to use this to make a name for themselves.

But within half a month, their heads were hung on the city gate of the nearby prefecture.

The people who did it were exactly the few newly appointed Battalion Commanders under that Northern Suppressing Division Commander.

"Iron-Hand Asura", Wang Hai.

"Ruthless Sword", Mei Qinghe.

"Lingxu Young Master", An Ziyang.

"Gu Immortal", Li Xiaosi.

All were outstanding figures among the first-class, and all were extremely young; they would likely step into the Peak Realm within a few years.

Thus, the condemnation of the Embroidered Uniform Guard in the Jianghu paused, but everyone knew that these four first-class experts alone could not suppress the situation. Sooner or later, there would be Peak experts, or even the "Heaven-Man experts" mentioned by the Sword King Pavilion, who would strike at the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

It is just unknown whether that newly appointed Northern Suppressing Division Commander can withstand it.

July.

The thing that troubled Shen Xunning the most appeared.

The Taishan Sect was exterminated last year, the Five Mountains Sword Sects were left with only four, and the Five Mountains Alliance collapsed; it was a time of instability.

No one expected that the four Sect Leaders: Deng Baixuan, Zhang Jingfeng, Liu Baiyun, and Zhou Yingxue, would all resign from their positions, retire, and then disappear without a trace.

Even Shen Xunning, the direct disciple, did not know the whereabouts of her Sect Leader.

The one who took over as the Hengshan Sect Leader was Shen Xunning's master—Yin Minjun.

At this time of instability, logically speaking, Yin Minjun should be seeking everywhere, forming alliances, and at least uniting the remaining four mountains to find a glimmer of stability in the current Jianghu.

But the thing that troubled Shen Xunning the most lay right here.

Her mentor, Yin Minjun, had not left the mountain gate since the beginning of the year.

She had been bewitched by a man.

All day long, she neither practiced her sword nor associated with other sects, just staying in a small courtyard within the sect, fooling around with that man.

Yes, that man had an outstanding appearance; even many young disciples in the sect could not help but blush when they saw him. There were many disciples who had secretly fallen in love with him, only not daring to speak out due to Yin Minjun's prestige.

But, Master!

You are the Sect Leader!

How can you be obsessed with beauty!

Countless allusions ran wild in Shen Xunning's mind, such as "The spring night is short and the sun rises high, from now on the monarch does not hold morning court", such as "Little Lian's jade body lies horizontally at night, the Zhou army has already been reported entering Jinyang", and so on.

"Today, I must make it clear to Master!"

Shen Xunning walked quickly to the outside of Yin Minjun's small courtyard and reached out to knock on the door.

Suddenly, she stopped.

There were faint voices coming from inside.

"Li Lang, what do you think of this sword move of mine?"

"The waist should be softer; your ancestor's stature should be shorter than yours, this move should be slightly lower. Come, I will hold your hand and do it once."

In an instant, Shen Xunning's face turned red, and then she was furious.

You bewitching man who confuses my master's mind! How dare you deceive my master! And you dare to talk about the stature of my Hengshan Sect's ancestor!

Shen Xunning suppressed the anger in her heart and knocked heavily on the door.

"Master, disciple requests an audience!"

A light sound came from inside the door, and after a moment, Yin Minjun's voice sounded.

"Come in."

Shen Xunning pushed the door and walked in, looking at Yin Minjun.

Her clothes were neat, but her face was flushed, and the hair by her ears was scattered; it seemed she had not had time to tidy up.

Shen Xunning looked fiercely at the heroic man sitting by the stone table beside Yin Minjun, cursing in her heart.

"Bewitching man!"

Li Miao, however, did not care at all, pouring himself a cup of wine and sipping it.

"Little brat, glaring at me, are you?"

"I'll get it all back from your master later."

(End of chapter)