Chapter 290: South side

The summit of Junji Peak.

An Ziyang's cold, gloomy gaze swept across the face of the old man below the platform. The malice contained within it was such that even the battle-hardened old man could not help but frown involuntarily.

"Zhou Zijing, one of the experts who vanished decades ago, and also one of the experts whom the Embroidered Uniform Guard, based on their files, speculated might have hidden away after reaching the Heaven-Man Realm."

"He didn't say a word during the earlier dispute over the seating, but jumped out only after the seats were filled. His intentions are clear as day—he is aiming to incite the Jianghu people to oppose the Embroidered Uniform Guard."

"He must be in league with Tang He."

"Indeed, if they didn't have a Heaven-Man expert, they wouldn't dare to cause trouble on Mount Song at a time like this, even if given ten times the courage."

An Ziyang thought to himself.

At this moment, the Jianghu people were already being slowly stirred up. The shouts of "Commander" grew louder and louder, overlapping and gradually becoming uniform.

An Ziyang glanced over and discovered that among them, several people were jumping the highest and shouting the loudest; their words were also well-chosen, highly capable of inciting the emotions of the Jianghu crowd.

These people had hidden themselves in the crowd from the start, just waiting for Zhou Zijing to take the lead so they could quickly follow suit.

"As expected... Jianghu people are just Jianghu people. If you don't suppress them with blades and swords, they will eventually cause a scene."

An Ziyang sighed slowly.

This Moon-Viewing Banquet was destined to have such a moment from the very beginning. Even if Li Miao hadn't arranged for the Huanhua Sword Sect to sit on the high platform, others would have used other excuses to stir up trouble.

The Jianghu and the imperial court, the sects and the Embroidered Uniform Guard, were inherently in a relationship of subtle opposition.

Li Miao had the Embroidered Uniform Guard invite all the sects under heaven, but upon receiving the news, most did not set out immediately. If not for Shaolin and Wudang taking the lead, stripping them of their "non-violent, non-resistant" mindset, I fear this Moon-Viewing Banquet would never have been held at all.

The imperial court can annihilate any single sect, but it cannot annihilate the entire Jianghu. This is the so-called—the law does not punish the masses.

To make the Jianghu people truly submit, relying solely on the power of the imperial court to coerce them would only result in outward compliance and inward defiance.

What Jianghu people truly submit to is always—Wu Gong.

Up to now, the Embroidered Uniform Guard has not openly produced an expert capable of making the Jianghu people truly submit. The Heaven-Man experts sitting on the high platform have further boosted the morale of the Jianghu people.

Added to the guidance of those with ulterior motives, this has become the current situation.

An Ziyang reached out and pressed down, attempting to stop the shouting of the Jianghu people, but he did not succeed.

As a young Battalion Commander, his weight was still insufficient.

"Sigh..."

An Ziyang sighed lightly.

He walked slowly onto the high platform, reached out to lift the light gauze, and walked to the side of that chair.

The figure sitting in the chair emitted a delicate, naive female voice.

"Senior Brother An... my feet are numb..."

"The sound below is so loud..."

"When will Grandmaster return..."

An Ziyang sighed again, looking at Shen Xunning, who was wearing a flying-fish robe and had shoulder pads to broaden her shoulders.

From beginning to end, it was she who sat on the high platform.

After all, Li Miao's subordinates each had their own uses; the only vase who couldn't do any work was Shen Xunning, so placing her here was just right.

"Miss Shen, don't move for now. I will bend over and pretend to be talking to you. The Jianghu people below can only see our shadows, so there's no need to worry about being exposed."

"The Commander is nowhere to be found right now, so we must stall for some time; he should be back very soon."

Shen Xunning gave a wronged "Oh."

The two of them struck a pose within the light gauze.

After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Zhou Zijing's loud shout came from below: "Battalion Commander An, it's just a request for instructions, why does it take so long! It's not as if the Commander cannot hear our words!"

"Could it be that this legendary Commander never existed in the first place!"

"If you don't even dare to show your face, how can you make the fellow Jianghu colleagues submit to your rules! If the Embroidered Uniform Guard can't afford so many chairs, why don't I go down the mountain and buy some right now to place on this high platform!"

"Everyone could be closer to the 'Commander,' wouldn't that be better!"

His impassioned speech was incredibly satisfying. The Jianghu people, who already feared and loathed the Embroidered Uniform Guard, immediately responded.

"Senior Zhou speaks well!"

"Exactly, exactly! Hiding and covering up, could it be that behind this light gauze sits a woman!"

"Hahaha—"

Zhou Zijing looked around with satisfaction.

Suddenly, his brows furrowed.

"Where is he?"

The eunuch who had planned this matter with him and promised to give him the secret method to avoid the Five Decays of Heaven after the event had already vanished without a trace.

"Tsk! Did the Embroidered Uniform Guard notice, or was I treated as a discarded pawn?"

"Never mind, since I have already stepped out, there is no turning back. I will look for him later. Even without him, after this event, my reputation in the Jianghu will be at its zenith!"

Thinking this, he was about to continue speaking.

Suddenly, he froze.

Then, he turned slowly and looked at the mountain path leading to the summit on the south side.

"What... is this..."

A Jianghu person who was waving his arms and shouting suddenly felt that the loud shouting in his ears seemed to have weakened. He thought it was an illusion and wanted to continue shouting, but discovered that the sound in his ears had indeed diminished.

He turned his head to look at the south side.

Those Jianghu people closest to the south side were no longer shouting.

Those with lower Wu Gong already had cold sweat dripping down their temples; they raised their hands to cover their chests, looking toward the mountain path in shock and uncertainty. Those with higher Wu Gong also stood up abruptly, their hands involuntarily reaching for the weapons at their waists.

Layer, layer, layer.

Like harvesting wheat, from south to north, the loud shouting disappeared bit by bit, as if something invisible was devouring the sound.

That boundary had already reached his side.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

He raised his hand to cover his chest.

The True Energy that usually obeyed his every command seemed to have been frozen by something; the Zhou Tian circulating within his body transmitted a feeling of being pulled, pointing—south.

He couldn't help but shiver.

It was now sunset, and the setting sun was like blood.

The mountain path to the south was pitch black; he couldn't see anything there, but he instinctively knew—something was coming from there.

The Heaven-Man experts on the platform opened their eyes one after another and looked toward the south.

An Ziyang, on the high platform, lifted the light gauze, turned around, and tore the black cloak off Shen Xunning. Ignoring her gasp and not caring about being seen by the Jianghu people behind the gauze, he jumped off the high platform and ran toward the south.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Footsteps faintly came from the direction of the mountain path.

A mountain wind suddenly rose, painting the entire platform with the smell of blood.

A light laugh.

"Ha—much more comfortable."

"Pity, it still couldn't threaten my life."

Illuminated by the blood-like twilight, an object was tossed high into the air, landing in the center of the platform, rolling a few times on the ground before slowly coming to a stop.

It was the head of Zheng Ming.

Someone stood up abruptly and said in confusion.

"Li... Hero Li?"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 291 =====