Chapter 53: A Farce

Even on a face altered by disguise, the short winter melon's face still showed an expression of extreme astonishment, her eyes full of disbelief; she had never expected such a reaction.

In her panic, she forgot to lower her voice, shouting somewhat shrilly with a mix of shame, annoyance, and coquettish anger: "What about the Sect Leader Token? Without the token, how can one be the Sect Leader? Can't just casually make another one."

These words reminded everyone present; the two factions of the Yandang Sect simultaneously brightened their eyes, and one of the leaders shouted at the other side.

"Exactly, lost is lost; how about I splurge once, have a new token made and give it to you, and you take responsibility for the Sect Leader's Position—we can consider it benevolent to the utmost."

"No need for you to act generous; the Sect Leader Token has been lost who knows how many times before, no one would even take it in exchange for wine; this one was made by the old Sect Leader spending five silver taels to have an old blacksmith at the foot of Yandang Mountain forge it; as long as you take over the Sect Leader's Position, I'll have ten or eight made for you."

Next, both sides kept pushing back and forth using the Sect Leader Token as an excuse, with the sole purpose of making the other side's people take over as Sect Leader.

Now even Wu Chengyu was dumbfounded; the story unfolded in a way completely beyond his expectations—when did a sect's Sect Leader's Position become so worthless? Nobody wanted it, avoiding it like the plague.

Lu Dage beside him wore a wry smile and couldn't help but speak up to explain: "This Yandang Sect is made up of small merchants; if their disciples have conflicts with martial artists, when encountering evil demons and heretics they just consider themselves unlucky, but when encountering Orthodox Sects, they negotiate in the name of the Yandang Sect; generally it's harmony brings wealth, paying silver taels for peace."

In short, it's just that they forgot to pay respects to the local powers while walking the streets and alleys, and they have a plausible excuse to approach the other party.

Sect disciples have to hand over some silver every year, managed by the Sect Leader; when things happen, the Sect Leader has to step forward and pay money to settle matters.

The Yandang Sect's disciples are of mixed quality; often they don't pay on time or simply don't pay, and the Sect Leader constantly has to help them put out fires, so the Yandang Sect's Sect Leader has never been a good position; the previous Sect Leader, it is said, was angered to death.

For this reason, after the old Sect Leader passed away, no one was chosen as the new Sect Leader for a long time; they kept shirking for ages, and before a result came out, they encountered the Shaoxing Temple Fair, so these people simply gave up and ran out together to make money first.

Like last night, we killed one of their flower-picking thieves; to settle the matter peacefully, they gave us ten silver taels, and this money is also divided equally among them, but when the next Sect Leader ascends, it will be deducted from the public silver taels.

And after the old Sect Leader died, the public silver taels were swallowed by who knows who, so as soon as one becomes the new Sect Leader, one already owes ten silver taels; this Sect Leader position is better off not taken at all.

Is there such a bizarre sect in the martial world? Wu Chengyu truly broadened his horizons today. Is forming a society just to pay equal protection fees to other societies?

But it's not incomprehensible; in the martial world society, martial artists usually rely on martial force to disregard the law, each has their own sphere of influence, and even ordinary government offices dare not interfere; these small merchants traveling the martial world are just trying to make money and have a peaceful meal to eat, so they have no choice but to huddle together for warmth.

But Wu Chengyu never expected that the runaway bride probably never expected it either; her martial world experience is probably not as good as Wu Chengyu's; she clearly stole the secret manuals and token to frame others, yet ended up with such an outcome.

But as soon as her voice came out just now, her identity was immediately exposed; it was obvious she had ill intentions, and a few relatively clear-headed people present also focused their attention on her; Yu Xiaowu was more direct, drawing the flying knife in his hand.

Wu Chengyu hurriedly pressed down Yu Xiaowu's hand, turned around with a wry smile and said to the short winter melon: "Miss, what happened before was indeed my rashness, but framing others is really going too far; today, if not for the Yandang Sect brothers being broad-minded, we would surely have clashed with weapons; Miss, by acting this way, you've made an enemy of us."

Framing others is no small matter, but the ending made everyone laugh and cry, causing no harm; but if it were another sect, the consequences would be unthinkable; you must know that in the carriage are He Zhiyu and A Ku, two women who can't truss a chicken.

The woman looked at Wu Chengyu hatefully; her scheme had backfired and made a fool of her; now it was too late to say anything; she saw Lu Dage and the others with unfriendly expressions, and Yu Xiaowu's flying knife might strike at any moment; she stamped her foot fiercely, turned around, and dove out of the crowd, disappearing in a few flashes.

Her martial arts were average, but her lightness skill was excellent; Lu Dage and the others were blocked by the Yandang Sect disciples and couldn't catch up.

Seeing this, the Yandang Sect disciples also lowered their flags and stopped drumming, probably guessing what had happened.

Wu Chengyu laughed heartily, jumped down from the carriage, and bowed with hands clasped to the two leaders, saying:

"Several seniors are people who have long roamed the martial world; your martial world experience naturally cannot be compared to us juniors; that person just now was clearly using a disguise technique to mix among you, wanting to incite the Yandang Sect disciples to fight with us; two seniors, being wise and intelligent, certainly wouldn't be fooled."

"Not hiding from you all, early this morning I discovered my carriage had your esteemed sect's secret manuals and Sect Leader Token, and immediately wanted to return them to you."

"Also, regarding last night's matter, that flower-picking thief sought his own death and has nothing to do with you seniors; how could we let you seniors spend money."

"Here are ten silver taels, along with the secret manuals and token; returning them all to you seniors, and hoping you seniors will by no means harm the harmony."

Wu Chengyu put the silver and secret manuals and token together; if it were only the secret manuals and token, the other side still wouldn't want to take them, but with silver added, they almost snatched them again.

One of them said to Wu Chengyu: "This Thousand Mechanisms Hand is a small plaything of our Yandang Sect, not worth mentioning; the one in your hand is the original edition, considered a Sect Leader's Token; the Thousand Mechanisms Hand has been added to by generations of sect predecessors and is no longer the original; this little brother, having handled it, is a kind of fate."

"I have here a copy more detailed than the original, with power not small; simply give it to the little brother to form a good karmic connection."

After speaking, he took out a Thousand Mechanisms Hand secret manual three parts thicker than the one Wu Chengyu had seen and handed it to Wu Chengyu; at the same time, his gaze toward Wu Chengyu was full of ambiguity, and he blinked his eyes.

Wu Chengyu was stunned, subconsciously took it into his hand, and immediately understood; the other person's meaning was that since Wu Chengyu had already read the secret manual, he certainly couldn't read it for nothing, so simply gave a more complete one; saying forming a good karmic connection, actually just wanted Wu Chengyu to give something in return.

Doing business like this, Wu Chengyu was completely caught off guard.

But Wu Chengyu also admitted he had read the secret manual; simply took out another ten silver taels and handed them to the other party; the other party accepted gladly; now finally host and guest were thoroughly pleased, and everyone was happy.

When everyone set off again, Wu Chengyu smiled wryly while flipping through this Thousand Mechanisms Hand supplemented and price-increased version; the bamboo slips in his consciousness gave an evaluation at the right time.

Thousand Mechanisms Hand, not an exclusive technique of the Yandang Sect; emphasizes seeing skill within a small space; belongs to a type of Small Capturing Hand for close-quarters short fighting; focuses on ambush, with fast and agile strikes.

Disadvantage: once the ambush fails, subsequent attacks are weak; moreover, because too close to the opponent, one suffers the opponent's counterattack and is unable to dodge.

Advantage: this art has the effect of training the flexibility of the non-dominant hand; practicing often can make the non-dominant hand flexible and free.

Evaluation: a low-level art in the martial world, widely spread, but far inferior to Ambidexterity; more suitable for the Host's aptitude to cultivate.

Wu Chengyu never expected this Thousand Mechanisms Hand had the effect of training the non-dominant hand; these ten silver taels were not wasted; however, Ambidexterity still hasn't appeared until now; must wait until a few years later when Lao Wantong is trapped at Peach Blossom Island and, bored out of his mind, can ask about it coming into the world.

Although there was a meaning of mocking Wu Chengyu's low aptitude, it was indeed useful for the current Wu Chengyu.

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(Chapter End)