Xuezhi didn't know when she had really become the eldest sister. Whenever Fengzi acted coquettishly, she would subconsciously take care of this naive young lady, bringing her quilts and food to her room.
At that moment, Xuezhi was carrying a pile of pastries toward Fengzi's room when she heard the sound of fabric being pulled inside.
Xuezhi pushed the door open forcefully.
Inside the room, a man in black was covering Feng Zi's mouth and grabbing her hand, trying to tie her up and take her out of the inn. Xue Zhi immediately threw down the pastries she was holding, grabbed the sword from the wall, and stabbed at the man in black.
The man looked surprised and dodged Xuezhi's attack with amazing agility, even managing to block it with his hand.
No one expected that this block would cause Xuezhi Sword to pierce straight towards his arm.
Xuezhi screamed and stumbled back two steps.
"Sister!!" Feng Zi rushed over immediately.
The man in black was momentarily distracted. At the same time, Xuezhi grabbed the man's clothes and tore something off.
The man in black jumped out of the window and disappeared in the blink of an eye.
“This person is the same one from last time, the ‘Nine Forms of the Lotus God’…” Xuezhi pressed her wound and laboriously unfolded the sachet in her hand, “And… she is a woman.”
112
winter.
A grand gathering of martial arts practitioners took place on a day when the moon rose above the valley.
The once lush and verdant Bauhinia forest has long since lost its vibrant color. Through the sparse branches, one can see towering mountains and clear streams, painted eaves and soaring buildings within the valley, and swarms of people walking in the distance like ants. The dense forest surrounds Moonlit Valley, its transparency resembling the chill of winter, where everything seems transformed.
Inside the Moonlit Valley, however, a completely different scene unfolds.
Many people don't know that although Moon Valley is located at the foot of Shaoshi Mountain in a rather secluded location, its area is much larger than that of Shaolin Temple. Many years ago, due to its vast size and sparse population, apart from Zhenxing Island, the other islands here looked somewhat desolate. However, in recent years, Moon Valley's influence has expanded significantly, so even when standing on one island and looking towards another, one can see disciples coming and going.
Zhenxing Island, the moon rises over the tower.
The sky was a pale gray, and after the cold wind blew, the snowflakes danced wildly, making the whole world seem chaotic. Upon encountering the cold air, people's breath felt like it was steaming. The bustling streets and the rising moon seemed to have been tinged with crimson.
Representatives from various sects were already waiting in the hall.
The first table on the right belongs to the Shaolin sect.
Abbot Shi Yan stood in the very center, flanked by the four chief monks and behind him stood the eight deacons. Shi Yan was the first monk in nearly a century to become abbot of Shaolin Temple before the age of fifty, his beard not yet completely white. In his youth, he lived up to his name, possessing a fierce and unyielding character, hating evil as if it were his enemy. He seemed more like a chivalrous knight than a grandmaster. However, since becoming abbot, his personality had become much more composed, especially in recent years, increasingly resembling the ethereal and otherworldly demeanor of his predecessor, Shi Xuan. Shi Yan was also widely recognized as the greatest martial artist in the world, and under his leadership, Shaolin Temple's position as a leading force in the martial arts world had become increasingly secure.
The second table was occupied by members of the Emei Sect.
A motley crew of leaders stood around the perimeter, with the Emei Sect's leader in the center. Since the tragic loss of the former leader, Abbess Li Kong, in a fierce battle against the Underworld Sect twenty years ago, the Emei Sect had suffered a severe blow and remained in decline. But even in its weakened state, it was still a formidable force, indispensable in any major event in the martial arts world. The current leader, named Ciren (慈忍), meaning compassion and forbearance, dedicated her life to restoring the Emei Sect to its former glory.
The third table is occupied by members of the Wudang sect.
Master Xingyi, also known as Tan Yi, is the youngest among these prestigious sects. He possesses profound mastery of the Wudang Longhua Fist, repeatedly achieving second place in the Weaponry Ranking Tournament, second only to Shaolin. Standing to his left and right are his eldest disciple, Shuyun, and second disciple, Lixuan, both his beloved students and confidants. People say that Master Xingyi will achieve even greater glory in the next ten years.
The first table on the left belongs to the Huashan School.
Seated in the center was naturally the sect leader, Feng Cheng. His right was empty, the seat of his deceased wife. Standing to his right was his son, Feng Mo, and to his left sat his beloved concubine, Bai Manman. Feng Cheng was a typical policy-driven sect leader; his martial arts skills were inferior to any of the other major sect leaders, but the Huashan Sect's strength was no less than any of theirs.
Feng Cheng stroked his beard and looked at the people at the second table with a smile.
The second table is Chonghuo Palace.
A large number of people came from Chonghuo Palace, standing in several rows: the back row consisted of the four guardians and some disciples, while the front row was occupied by the three elders and Palace Master Chong Xuezhi. Chong Xuezhi sat quietly in her seat, her expression somewhat solemn.
"Hell's Palace, the Human Realm's Blazing Fire; God is the Jade Emperor, but only a Lotus Wing"—this is how many people described the Blazing Fire Palace years ago. After the death of the Lotus Palace Master, the Blazing Fire Palace was no longer as feared as before. But in recent years, the resurgence of Chong Xuezhi has made many people wary of this sect once again.
Chong Xuezhi and Lin Fengzi standing behind her became almost the most incongruous two people in the entire Yue Shang Lou. Both were extremely beautiful women, but quite different: those who liked Lin Fengzi would praise her to the skies, saying she was more beautiful than a fairy, while those who disliked her could describe her as incredibly ugly; those who liked Chong Xuezhi would inevitably add that this palace master had a terrifying personality, while even those who hated her could not deny her stunning beauty.
However, when Feng Cheng looked at Xue Zhi, the woman leading the table behind Xue Zhi's gaze pierced through the crowd and went straight for Feng Cheng.
The third table belonged to the Xueyan Sect. Liu Hua stood beside Yuan Shuangshuang, but Liu Hua's eyes kept glancing towards Yanzihua of the Emei Sect. Yuan Shuangshuang was initially bothered by Feng Zi's siding with Chonghuo Palace, but there was nothing she could do. Feng Zi had practically disappeared from the martial arts world these past few days. Rumors circulated that she was about to get married, had no time to worry about sect affairs, and no longer had the inclination to seduce Lin Xuanfeng.
When Feng Cheng saw that Yuan Shuangshuang was looking at him, he immediately looked away and looked towards the main seat on the high platform.
On either side of the main seat stood several imposing, world-class men, one cold and the other warm, but both looking incredibly fierce. It was as if anyone who glanced at them would be devoured by their gaze, leaving not even bones behind.
Behind them stood four island lords: Du Feng of Yinghuo Island in the south, whose weapon was the Heavenly Concubine Umbrella. He was nicknamed the White Bird Prince because of his graceful movements and superb lightness skills; Miao Jianyou of Taibai Island in the west, a top-notch strategist in Yue Shang Valley, but some people spoke rudely, saying that Miao Jianyou was Shangguan Tou's pet swan that could lay golden eggs, and that the two were in cahoots, deceiving the loyal and swindling money in a shameful way; the Lin couple of Suixing Island in the east, Lin Yuhuang and Jieyu, with Lin Yuhuang in charge of the name and Jieyu in charge of the power, specifically responsible for managing the internal affairs of Yue Shang Valley; and Zhong Tao of Chenxing Island in the north, nicknamed Wolf Fang, Shangguan Tou's best friend, famous for his great strength and notoriously ugly lightness skills. He was always included in everything related to martial arts training in the valley.
Standing before the main seat was Shangguan Tou. Although he was a recognized representative of noble young masters, he rarely wore luxurious clothes. He was known for his proud personality and arrogant background, but in recent years he had toned it down considerably. On this day, out of courtesy, he wore a very natural and expensive outfit, and his attitude was gentle and humble, which made many people feel uncomfortable, as if his pride was a matter of course.
113
"I am truly flattered by your presence at Moonrise Valley today. However, since this gathering was initiated by Sect Leader Feng, let him announce the arrangements for this gathering." Shangguan Tou stepped aside, waiting for Feng Cheng to speak.
Lin Fengzi always kept her head down when Shangguan Tou spoke.
Feng Cheng rose from his seat, walked to the front of the crowd, and cupped his hands in greeting to the people from various sects:
"I believe that all of you who have come here have heard about the reappearance of the 'Lotus Wings' in the martial world, and this time the situation is even more serious—" At this point, he slowly swept his gaze across each person, "because none of us know who possesses these two manuals, or even how many people already know their contents..."
Upon arriving at Yue Shang Valley, Feng She received treatment from Yin Ci. At this moment, with gauze still wrapped around his nose, he kept staring at Feng Cheng with a blank expression.
Lin Yuhuang glanced at Chong Xuezhi and winked at her.
Xuezhi nodded, then glanced at Shangguan Tou. Shangguan Tou, however, didn't look at her much, but simply listened to Feng Cheng speak with a smile, nodding silently.
Suddenly, Fengcheng said:
"I wonder what brilliant plan the Snow Palace Master has in store?"