In order not to delay the grand ceremony, all the martial arts participants arrived early and stayed in the guest courtyard on the back mountain.
As Ling Yan led Gu Zhong, Cheng Yun, and the rest of the group out of the courtyard, she saw many familiar faces.
"Sect Master, it's been a long time."
"Master, now that today's business is finished, I wonder if I could have the honor of inviting you for a couple of drinks?"
"Sect Master..."
Respectful greetings rose and fell, and all around were smiling faces. Lingyan gave a perfunctory bow and hurried past.
"The Pavilion Master has so many friends."
Cheng Yun glanced back at the crowd and said with a hint of envy.
"Those who seek personal gain cannot be called friends."
Ling Yan glanced at her coldly and ruthlessly rejected her words.
Meeting that sharp gaze, Cheng Yun involuntarily shrank back half a step, bumping into Gu Zhong who had somehow gotten close to him.
"In this world, how many people are not driven by self-interest?"
Gu Zhong smiled, but there was no smile in his eyes.
Knowing that she was protective of her sister, Lingyan felt helpless. She was not deliberately targeting Chengyun, but she really disliked the young lady's behavior and ambition. Besides, Chengyun might hurt Gu Zhong, but now was not the time to fuss over it.
"Heroes from all walks of life have traveled great distances to gather at my Tianwu Sect today for the succession ceremony. Ye Tian is deeply grateful and thanks you all!"
Before the person arrived, their voice preceded them; the deep, resonant words were like thunderclaps, exploding in mid-air, demonstrating the speaker's profound inner strength.
This move is intended as a deterrent, warning those who attempt to manipulate the succession ceremony to think twice before acting.
"It's Sect Leader Ye!"
"Impressive skill!"
Whispers rippled through the crowd, filled with awe and admiration.
A moment later, a middle-aged man dressed in black with a gray beard led a pair of beautiful women in white, gracefully arriving from behind the crowd.
As the three of them landed on the platform on the stone steps in front of them, they bowed to the crowd below, and cheers of varying pitches began to rise.
Congratulations, Sect Leader Ye!
"The Tianwu Sect has a worthy successor!"
"The young sect leader is a man of exceptional talent..."
Ye Tian's originally solemn face was now full of smiles, looking smug and triumphant.
"I am honored by your kind invitation. I will have to rely on you all in the future. The matter of succession is of great importance, so today I have specially invited the Alliance Leader to witness this for our sect."
Ye Tian's gaze fell on Ling Yan, who was still wrapped in a black robe and inevitably stood out too much in the crowd.
Lingyan was already used to dealing with such situations, and calmly walked forward.
Ye Feng, standing on the platform, glanced at Cheng Yun beside her before quickly looking away. The woman standing next to Ye Feng, however, stared directly at Cheng Yun, her expression full of scrutiny.
"Sect Leader Ye, it's been a long time."
As she approached, Lingyan offered a polite but distant greeting.
"Haha, Sect Leader, how have you been!"
Ye Tian let out a hearty laugh, as if the person in front of him was a close friend he had known for many years.
"Your disciple is a young prodigy, congratulations."
"This lad is not worthy of the Pavilion Master's praise. Compared to you, he is nothing."
After several exchanges, they finally got down to business.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I now declare the abdication ceremony officially commence!"
Under the blazing sun, the bronze bell hanging at the mountain gate was struck heavily, its solemn sound carrying to the heavens and echoing far and wide, startling the birds that nested in the forest.
Ye Feng turned to face Ye Tian, lifted his robe, and knelt respectfully before him. All the Tianwu Sect disciples present followed suit, bowing in unison and saying, "We humbly await your instruction, Sect Leader." After three bows, they rose and stood upright.
"Heroes and valiant men, I, Ye, have been wandering the martial world for over thirty years and have gained some fame, largely thanks to you all. However, as I grow older, I become more and more obsessed with martial arts, and I am truly powerless to help with the affairs of the sect."
"I must shamelessly boast that the disciples within the sect are indeed numerous and talented, and my only personally instructed disciple is especially gifted and capable of shouldering great responsibilities. Today, I entrust the Tianwu Sect to..."
"So you can live a carefree life and wash your hands of all the sins you've committed by handing over the Tianwu Sect?"
Before Ye Tian could finish speaking, a loud shout echoed from afar, reverberating above the mountain gate and startling everyone present.
"Who...who is it that dares to spout nonsense here!"
One day, a disciple of the Martial Arts School mustered his courage and shouted, his voice filled with bravado but his heart was filled with fear.
"Ye Tian, that's all you've got, you old bastard!"
With a mocking remark, an old man with disheveled hair and beard and tattered clothes appeared not far away. His gait was strange, and in the blink of an eye, he was already standing in front of Ye Tian.
The Tianwu Sect disciples guarding the left and right were greatly alarmed and quickly formed a battle formation, drawing their swords.
Who goes there?
Ye Tian put one hand behind his back, narrowed his eyes slightly, and looked as wary as a hawk.
"You don't even recognize me, old man?"
The newcomer took another step forward, heading straight for Ye Tian.
"May I ask if you are the Sword Saint?"
Lingyan scrutinized the man for a moment, and only after she was certain of her decision did she reach out to stop him.
"Young man, you actually recognize me?"
The old man paused, finally turning his gaze from Ye Tian to Ling Yan.
"My master once said to you, senior, that you were the two unparalleled masters of swords and sabers in the martial arts world back then. Who did not know of you? It is a pity that you have long since retired and that I have not been able to witness your brilliance. It is truly a pity."
Lingyan, contrary to her usual taciturn nature, showered him with praise.
"Your master?"
"Mo Wuwen."
"So you are a descendant of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion. Young man, this matter has nothing to do with you today, so please step aside for now." The Sword Saint's expression softened slightly, but he still stared intently at Ye Tian.
"So it's the Sword Saint, senior! Ye Tian has been rude!"
Ye Tian, who was racking his brains for a solution, quickly bowed and clasped his hands in a fist salute, continuing to feign a confused expression.
"May I ask why you have come, senior? This junior has only just met you today and truly does not understand what you are talking about. Is there some misunderstanding? Perhaps we can discuss this further inside the sect after the ceremony?"
"This junior is not talented, yet I bear the title of a mere martial arts alliance leader. Today is the succession ceremony of the Tianwu Sect. If you do not explain the reason, senior, I am afraid it will cause controversy in the martial arts world. Sect Leader Ye, if there is any misunderstanding, you should explain it in public."
Ling Yan, however, fanned the flames, putting on a show of listening attentively. Judging from Ye Tian's behavior, there must be something fishy going on.
Chapter 61 The Leader of the Righteous Alliance and the Leader of the Demonic Cult (Part Fourteen)
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Ye Tian glanced at Ling Yan with annoyance and surprise, not understanding why she was suddenly making things difficult for him.
"Ye Tian, do you still remember the Cui family?"
The Sword Saint clearly did not want to follow Ye Tian's idea and spoke frankly.
"Forgive my ignorance, I truly do not know."
Ye Tian's eyes flickered slightly, but he still vehemently denied it.
"Then let my sword ask you if you know!"
Suddenly, the Sword Saint drew a gleaming sword from the seemingly dilapidated wooden scabbard behind him and thrust it toward Ye Tian's face.
Ling Yan stopped trying to stop them, waved her hand, and led Ye Feng and the other person off the stage, remaining an observer.
Caught off guard, Ye Tian hastily dodged, but the sword wind slashed off several strands of hair from his temples.
A disciple threw him a sword just in time, and he quickly caught it, managing to parry the Sword Saint's second move.
"A dignified Sword Saint! How dare he be so utterly devoid of martial ethics!"
In his disheveled state, Ye Tian disregarded etiquette and seniority, and cursed loudly.
Why bother with benevolence and morality when dealing with despicable people?
The Sword Saint ignored his criticism and launched another sword attack.
Although Ye Tian was also a hero of his generation, when it came to one-on-one combat, he was still not good enough compared to the Sword Saint who had lived a few more years. Before long, he appeared to be struggling.
While holding back the anxious Ye Feng, Ling Yan carefully observed the fight between the two.
The Sword Saint didn't seem to truly intend to kill Ye Tian; his ruthless moves were full of restraint, as if he wanted to force something out.
Initially, Ye Tianfang was able to parry some attacks using the martial arts routines of the Tianwu Sect, but he became increasingly ineffective in the later stages, and instead used some moves he had never used before.
As the swordsman's sword slashed horizontally once more, Ye Tian's swordsmanship suddenly shifted from defense to offense, becoming as cunning and agile as a snake.
Gu Zhong, who had been watching the fight with utter boredom, suddenly widened his eyes and stared intently at Ye Tian—or rather, at the sword moves he was making, his eyes practically popping out of their sockets.
With the aid of the new sword technique, the two gradually became evenly matched. Seeing this, the Sword Saint stopped entangled and, as the two swords clashed, he unleashed his powerful inner force, shattering both fine swords.
"Where did you learn your swordsmanship?"
When the Sword Saint asked questions again, he was no longer as aggressive as he had been at the beginning.
"This junior is not very talented. I have made some improvements to the Tianwu Sword Sect's methods to create this sword technique."
Ye Tian spoke with utter arrogance.
"You really don't know the Cui family?"
The Sword Saint asked again, revealing that his previous actions were merely a bluff.
"I truly don't know!"
Ye Tian answered decisively.